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Category: AM-NC

  • MIL-OSI Europe: EU external borders: Irregular crossings drop by 20% in first 5 months of 2025

    Source: Frontex

    Irregular border crossings into the European Union dropped by 20% in the first five months of 2025, totalling 63 700, according to preliminary data collected by Frontex*.

    With over 3 300 officers stationed along the EU’s external borders Frontex is working together with national authorities to safeguard borders and save lives at sea.

    Key Highlights:

    • Central Mediterranean remains the busiest route this year, accounting for one of every three arrivals into the EU.
    • Western Balkans sees the steepest decline in arrivals between January and May (-56%).
    • Most frequently reported nationalities: Bangladeshi, Afghan, and Malian.

    In the Central Mediterranean, 22 700 irregular crossings were recorded in the first five months of 2025, reflecting a slight increase (+7%) compared to the same period last year.

    Libya remains the main country of exit for migrants on this route, with a significant increase this year offsetting an almost 90% decline in departures from Tunisia, as the Tunisian authorities are stepping up their efforts to curb irregular migration.

    The Eastern Mediterranean was the second most active route in January-May, with 15 600 irregular crossings, representing a 30% drop compared to 2024.

    On the Western African route, the number of arrivals fell by a third to almost 11 100. The main nationalities on this corridor were Malian, Senegalese and Guinean.

    This significant drop can be attributed to multiple factors: stronger border controls and migration policies in Mauritania, poor weather conditions, and enhanced cooperation between the EU and countries of departure. Joint Spanish-Moroccan patrols have also played a key role in disrupting smuggling activities near the Canary Islands.

    Many risk their lives to reach Europe, embarking on the perilous journey across the Mediterranean in unseaworthy boats. The International Organization for Migration estimates that in just the first five months of this year alone, 651 people lost their lives at sea.

    On the Channel route, the number of migrants attempting to cross into the United Kingdom increased by 17% compared to last year to 25 540.

    Recent months have seen an uptick in Channel crossings. Smuggling networks operating in the area are adapting, using simultaneous departures to increase the number of successful crossings. This tactic puts more lives at risk in an already dangerous stretch of water as it hinders the search and rescue efforts of the national authorities.

    * Note: The preliminary data presented in this statement refer to the number of detections of irregular border crossing at the external borders of the European Union. The same person may cross the border several times in different locations at the external border.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • Musk says he regrets some posts he made about Trump

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Billionaire Elon Musk said on Wednesday he regrets some of the posts he made last week about U.S President Donald Trump as they went “too far”.

    Trump and Musk began exchanging insults last week on social media, with the Tesla TSLA.O and SpaceX CEO describing the president’s sweeping tax and spending bill as a “disgusting abomination.”

    Trump said on Saturday their relationship was over but has since said that he would not have a problem if Musk called and wished him well.

    “I regret some of my posts about President Donald Trump last week. They went too far,” Musk wrote in a post on his social media platform X.

    He did not say which specific posts he was talking about.

    Tesla shares in Frankfurt were up 2.44% after Musk’s post.

    Since the dispute began, Musk has deleted some social media posts critical of Trump, including one signaling support for impeaching the president.

    Sources close to Musk had said his anger has started to subside, and that they believe he may want to repair his relationship with Trump.

    (Reuters)

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Representatives from 24 countries took part in the XXV Yasin International Scientific Conference of the Higher School of Economics

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: State University Higher School of Economics – State University Higher School of Economics –

    Program Committee of the Jubilee XXV Yasinsky (April) International Scientific Conference on Problems of Economic and Social Development (YaMNK) summed up the first results. In 2025, 1,384 people from 24 countries and 29 Russian regions took part in the conference events, 335 people made presentations.

    This year, for the first time, the conference was held in a scientific format only. The architecture of the program also changed, it was compiled within the framework of five scientific topics: “Economics”, “Human Capital and Society”, “Foresight Research”, “International Research”, “Instrumental Methods and Models in Management and Social Sciences”.

    Traditionally, many applications were submitted to the conference. This year, the competition was 3 people per place. Of the 1035 applications, 381 applications passed the scientific examination, and as a result, 335 people presented their papers at the conference.

    “I would like to especially emphasize that many applications were interesting, but during the selection we adhered to the principles that we always talk about, namely: a clear description of the problem under consideration and the extent to which it has been studied, an indication of the research methodology and its main results, their validity and novelty,” says Fuad Aleskerov, Chairman of the XXV YMNC Program Committee. “No less important was the criterion of compliance with the designated volume of the abstract.

    The diversity of affiliations in the program was an important factor. We are interested in making the conference open to many scientific schools, including those from Russian regions and foreign countries.”

    The conference doors were open to many participants. Thus, a total of 1,384 people took part in it, of which 637 were participants in sections and special events, and 747 were conference listeners. Among the participants were guests from 24 foreign countries and 29 Russian regions.

    “We thank everyone who applied and took part in the events. We believe that the discussions were held at the highest level and the Yasin (April) International Scientific Conference has retained its position as one of the leading conferences in its segment. We are already starting to work on organizing the next conference, so stay tuned for announcements and see you in the spring of 2026 at the HSE,” said Fuad Aleskerov.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Exploring Funding Modalities for the UN/LOCODE: A Call for Sustainable Solutions

    Source: United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

    In light of the critical resource challenges facing the UN/LOCODE programme, this side event will bring together a diverse panel of speakers from United Nations agencies, international organizations, and key industry stakeholders. The discussion will explore innovative funding mechanisms and partnership models to support the long-term sustainability and modernization of the UN/LOCODE system.

    The session will focus on the concept of a contribution support fee alongside other potential modalities, aiming to ensure the UN/LOCODE resilience and continued relevance. Participants will engage in an open dialogue with the UN/LOCODE Group of Experts and the UNECE Secretariat to evaluate the feasibility of various funding approaches—including voluntary contributions, public-private partnerships, and service-based support models.

    This event seeks to foster a shared understanding of the operational risks stemming from the current liquidity crisis and to identify concrete pathways for effective resource mobilization.

    All stakeholders committed to advancing global trade facilitation and location standardization are encouraged to attend and contribute to this important discussion.

    👉 Register here: https://indico.un.org/event/1013426/
    When registering, please indicate that you will be attending the UN/LOCODE Side Event.

    For further information, please contact: [email protected]

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: SFST showcases to UK community Hong Kong’s determination to expand international financial co-operation (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    The Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Christopher Hui, said on June 10 (London time) during his visit to London, the United Kingdom (UK), that Hong Kong is at the forefront of global finance and the digital asset revolution. The city shares the same vision and has complementary expertise with the UK, allowing the two places to drive transformative economic growth through partnership in an era of innovation and sustainablity.
     
    Speaking at a luncheon held by the Hong Kong Association of the UK on June 10 (London time), Mr Hui highlighted Hong Kong’s commitment to three key pillars, namely the 3Es that define the city’s strategic vision as a premier international financial centre. The 3Es refer to extending financial value chain across equities, fixed income, currencies and commodities; embracing fintech and green finance; and enhancing opportunities for Chinese and international businesses.
     
    He said Hong Kong’s ability to offer a diversified, resilient and innovative financial ecosystem and the Government’s determination to extend the financial value chain are creating a robust development platform that serves both regional and international markets. The vibrant capital markets in Hong Kong, driven by geopolitical developments and the Mainland’s technological advancements, are also offering global investors, including those from the UK, a gateway and access to invest in Asia’s burgeoning tech sector by leveraging Hong Kong’s deep market liquidity and robust regulatory framework.
     
    While mentioning the UK’s expertise in commodities trading, Mr Hui remarked that Hong Kong’s integration into the London Metal Exchange’s global warehouse network in January this year not only enhances Hong Kong’s commodities infrastructure but also creates significant opportunities for UK firms. Riding on Hong Kong’s proximity to Asia’s industrial markets, Hong Kong can partner with the UK to jointly tap into the growing demand for new-energy metals and support global industrial transformation and sustainable development.
     
    Among the highlights of the UK leg was the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the Financial Services Development Council (FSDC) and TheCityUK to establish a partnership in sharing insights and best practices to advance transition finance, collaborating on workforce development to address evolving market requirements, as well as establishing a framework to conduct an annual review to assess progress in collaboration and explore new opportunities. The MOU was signed by the Executive Director of the FSDC, Dr King Au, and the Managing Director of Public Affairs, Policy and Research of TheCityUK, Mr John Godfrey.
     
    Mr Hui, together with the Leadership Council Chair of TheCityUK, Mr Bruce Carnegie-Brown, witnessed the signing of the MOU on June 10 (London time). Mr Hui said that the MOU reflects a shared vision to harness the strengths of Hong Kong and the UK, creating opportunities that benefit both places and the global financial ecosystem.
     
    Prior to the signing ceremony, Mr Hui had a roundtable meeting with members of the TheCityUK, which represents an industry contributing over 12 per cent of the UK’s economic output and employing nearly 2.5 million people in financial and related professions. Mr Hui said that investors nowadays are gravitating towards markets that provide clarity, consistency and credibility, which are qualities that Hong Kong embodies in abundance. Moreover, Hong Kong continues to uphold the mission of striking a balance between innovation and investor protection through its regulatory framework in the process of integrating traditional financial services with innovative digital asset technologies for facilitating real economy activities. All in all, Hong Kong is an ideal partner for the UK to work with in unlocking horizons for growth and prosperity, especially in areas of wealth management and digital assets.
     
    Earlier in the day, Mr Hui had a bilateral meeting with the Lord Mayor of the City of London, Mr Alderman Alastair King, to update him on Hong Kong’s latest developments on the financial services front, which benefit from the unique convergence of global and Mainland advantages. He also met with the Chief Markets Officer of PwC UK, Mr Carl Sizer, to discuss the role the auditing and accounting profession can play to support Mainland enterprises going global.
     
    In the morning of June 9 (London time), Mr Hui attended a members briefing of a British independent think-tank, Asia House, to enlighten its members on the latest financial developments of Hong Kong as well as the Greater Bay Area at large. In a Q&A session moderated by the Chief Executive of Asia House, Mr Michael Lawrence, Mr Hui responded to members’ questions about Hong Kong’s financial outlook. The members were particularly interested in Hong Kong’s connectivity with international markets and the city’s fintech development.
     
    Mr Hui told the members that Hong Kong has been experiencing a flourishing financial market amid the challenging global financial landscape. The securities market of Hong Kong recorded an average daily turnover of US$31 billion for the first five months of 2025, a year-on-year increase of 120 per cent. The Government is also taking bold moves to boost fintech development, such as introducing the Stablecoins Ordinance which is scheduled to be enacted this August.
     
    During a lunch meeting with representatives of the ICBC Standard Bank on the same day, Mr Hui introduced to its Chief Executive Officer, Mr Wang Wenbin, and other senior management, the international gold trading market and commodity trading ecosystem that Hong Kong is shaping. Both parties had a very productive discussion about the vast potential that Hong Kong may bring about. The bank serves as a global banking platform for commodities, fixed income and currency products for clients.
     
    In the afternoon, Mr Hui met with the Economic Secretary to the Treasury of the UK, Ms Emma Reynolds, and other financial officials to reinforce the financial partnership between the two leading international financial centres. At the meeting, he gave them an update on the latest situation of capital markets in Hong Kong.
     
    Mr Hui also paid a courtesy call on Minister of the Chinese Embassy in the United Kingdom Mr Wang Qi.
     
    After concluding the UK leg, Mr Hui proceeded to Oslo, Norway, on June 11 (London time) to continue his visit.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: SFST’s speech at Hong Kong Association Membership Luncheon in London, United Kingdom (English only) (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    SFST’s speech at Hong Kong Association Membership Luncheon in London, United Kingdom (English only)  
    Lord Mayor (696th Lord Mayor of the City of London, Mr Alderman Alastair King), Sir Douglas (Committee Member of the Hong Kong Association, Chairman of Aberdeen Group, Sir Douglas Flint), distinguished guests, esteemed members of the Hong Kong Association, ladies and gentlemen,
     
         Good afternoon. It is a profound privilege to address you today at this distinguished luncheon hosted by the Hong Kong Association in London. I must say, you are a crowd too difficult to please because you know Hong Kong too well. This organisation’s mission is to champion the enduring business and trading relationship between Hong Kong and the UK which resonates deeply with the Government’s goal of fostering economic collaboration, innovation, and mutual prosperity. To further the efforts, I am here to showcase our city’s unparalleled strengths as a global financial hub and to explore the vast potential for deepening financial co-operation between Hong Kong and the UK. Our shared visions and complementary expertise position us well to forge a partnership that drives transformative growth in an increasingly challenging and also uncertain global economy.
     
         If you may recall, for those people who came two years ago for a similar occasion where I spoke, I tried to group my speech in five alphabet letters, ABCDE. A is about Asia, B is about business as usual, C is about connectivity, D is about digitalisation whereas E is about ESG (environmental, social and governance). These are the five elements at the time I drafted the speech that something Hong Kong could offer to this part of the world. So I am thinking, to this group which is very knowledgeable about Hong Kong, what should I say and how I should structure this speech? Of course I don’t want to get to the next alphabet letter after E, that is why I would stay at E and come with 3Es which are actually the pillars that define Hong Kong’s strategic vision as a premier international financial centre: 1) Extending our financial value chain across equities, fixed income, currencies, and commodities. For those in the banking or financial world, you know what I mean. It’s about EFICC; 2) Embracing new finance through fintech and green finance; and 3) Enhancing offerings for Chinese companies going global through Hong Kong and international firms accessing the Mainland market. These pillars reflect our dynamic approach to navigating global economic and geopolitical challenges, seizing emerging opportunities, and fostering collaboration with partners like the UK. Let me elaborate on each pillar, highlighting our recent achievements and the opportunities they present for strengthening Hong Kong-UK ties.
     
    Extending our financial value chain
     
         Hong Kong’s position as a global financial hub is built on its ability to offer a diversified, resilient, and innovative financial ecosystem. By extending our financial value chain across equities, fixed income, currencies, and commodities which can be grouped as EFICC, we are creating a robust platform that serves both regional and international markets, fostering opportunities for collaboration with global partners, including the UK.
     
    Equities: a vibrant and forward-looking market
     
         Hong Kong’s equity market has undergone a remarkable transformation over the past decade, driven by bold structural reforms and a commitment to capturing global economic trends. The Hang Seng Index, which is a key barometer of our market’s performance, has demonstrated resilience amid global uncertainties. By May 30, our stock market capitalisation has increased by 24 per cent year on year to over US$5.2 trillion. This growth was propelled, I must say, by a number of key moments this year, including of course the DeepSeek moment when people really recalibrate the value that Chinese investment carry and at the same time also the “victory day” moment when people are seeing the uncertainty in other parts of the world which actually present opportunities to Hong Kong and London. The average daily turnover for the first five months of this year stood at US$31 billion in our market, an increase of 1.2 times over the past year, signaling sustained investor confidence and market liquidity.
     
         Apart from the market performance, we are also trying to reform our capital market to make it more instrumental in positioning Hong Kong as a global hub for new economy and technology companies. Back in 2018, we already introduced the “weighted voting rights” regime, enabling companies with dual-class share structures to list in Hong Kong. As I know, London Stock Exchange is also contemplating something similar to reform your stock market. This reform in Hong Kong attracted technology giants and paved the way for a new era of innovation-driven listings. Simultaneously, we opened our market to pre-revenue biotech firms, transforming Hong Kong into one of the world’s leading fundraising hubs for biotechnology. As a result, the proportion of new economy companies in our stock market has surged from 1.3 per cent in 2018 to approximately 14 per cent by April 2025, with their market capitalisation share rising from 2.8 per cent to about 28 per cent.
     
         Building on this momentum, we introduced the “18C” listing regime in 2023 for specialist technology companies, followed by a dedicated technology enterprises channel launched last month. These initiatives are designed to accelerate the listing of enterprises in the “hard technology” space, enabling them to raise capital in Hong Kong and expand their international presence. These reforms have not only reshaped the structure of our stock market but also aligned it with global economic trends, positioning Hong Kong as a vital partner for UK firms seeking exposure to Asia’s innovation-driven growth.
     
         Moreover, Hong Kong’s capital markets have benefited from the return of Chinese concept stocks, driven by geopolitical developments and Mainland China’s technological advancements. This trend has elevated the weight of technology stocks in our market, further enhancing its attractiveness to global investors. For example, before I came, we welcomed the listing of CATL (Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Limited) which is a major lithium-ion battery manufacturing company serving the world for electric vehicles. For UK financial institutions, Hong Kong offers a gateway to invest in Asia’s burgeoning tech sector, leveraging our deep liquidity and robust regulatory framework.
     
    Connectivity and stability
     
         Apart from fundraising, it’s about our strengthened role as a gateway for international investors accessing Mainland China and for Mainland investors diversifying globally. Our “Connect” schemes – Stock Connect, Bond Connect, Wealth Management Connect, and Swap Connect – have facilitated seamless cross-border capital flows. These initiatives have seen significant growth in transaction volumes, product diversity, and risk management capabilities, enhancing both the “quantity” and “quality” of financial connectivity, covering the broad financial value chain across equities, fixed income and currencies.
     
         Stability is also a cornerstone of our financial system, as demonstrated by the performance of the Hong Kong dollar recently. In the first five months of 2025, the Hong Kong dollar largely traded within the strong-side convertibility undertaking range, signifying a robust demand, partly because a lot of money coming to Hong Kong to buy our IPOs (initial public offerings) which are in Hong Kong dollars, and at the same time it is now the season when the listed companies need Hong Kong dollars to give out dividends. So with this background, what we see is operations by our banking regulator where now the banking system aggregate balances rising to US$22 billion by May 30, 2025, a substantial increase from US$5.7 billion at the end of last year. Total bank deposits grew by over 4 per cent in the first four months of 2025, with Hong Kong dollar deposits rising by 4.4 per cent, reflecting strong capital inflows into our banking system. So you have been hearing a lot about capital flight from Hong Kong to others, all these numbers are testaments to how wrong those perceptions are. This stability underscores our role as a trusted financial hub, like that of London, offering a secure environment for UK investors and businesses.
     
         Amid global economic uncertainties, including trade protectionism and unilateral policies, RMB (Renminbi) is gaining prominence as a global transaction and reserve currency. Its share in global payments rose from 2 per cent in 2020 to 4 per cent by the end of 2024, ranking fourth globally, while its share in trade financing increased from 2 per cent to 6 per cent. As the world’s leading offshore RMB hub, Hong Kong is seizing this opportunity by enhancing RMB-denominated investment products and risk management tools. Our plan to integrate RMB-denominated stock trading into Southbound Stock Connect will further support RMB internationalisation in a gradual and prudent manner, creating opportunities for UK financial institutions to engage with RMB-based products and services.
     
    Commodities: pioneering a new ecosystem with LME integration
     
         In the commodities sector, Hong Kong is capitalising on the global surge in non-ferrous metals trading, driven by the transition to new energy technologies. In 2024, the London Metal Exchange (LME) recorded trading volumes of 178 million lots, a 20 per cent year-on-year increase, with significant growth in new-energy metals like nickel and cobalt. These metals are critical to industrial transformation and technological advancement, and China remains a pivotal force, with non-ferrous metals trade exceeding US$368 billion in 2024, up 11 per cent from the previous year.
     
         Recognising this potential, our Chief Executive outlined a vision in his Policy Address to create a commodity trading ecosystem in Hong Kong, encompassing warehousing, distribution, trading, testing, certification, insurance, and financial services. A landmark achievement in this regard is our integration into the LME’s global warehouse network in January this year. By bringing storage facilities closer to Mainland China’s industrial heartlands and consumption centres, we are strengthening our role as a central platform for the metals industry. Within months since January this year when we are recognised as a delivery port for the LME contracts, seven warehouses have already been approved, and their operations will commence as early as in July 2025.
     
         This initiative not only enhances Hong Kong’s commodities infrastructure but also creates significant opportunities for UK firms, given the LME’s London-based heritage. The UK’s expertise in commodities trading and Hong Kong’s proximity to Asia’s industrial markets make our partnership a natural fit. By collaborating on warehousing, trading, and related services, we can jointly tap into the growing demand for new-energy metals, supporting global industrial transformation and sustainable development.
     
         By extending our financial value chain across equities, fixed income, currencies, and commodities, Hong Kong is reinforcing its position as a diversified financial hub. We invite UK businesses to leverage our platform to access Asia’s dynamic markets, fostering mutual growth and collaboration in these critical sectors.
     
    Embracing new finance: fintech and green finance
     
         The second pillar of our strategy is embracing new finance, particularly in fintech and green finance, to position Hong Kong at the forefront of financial innovation and sustainability. These areas align closely with the UK’s developments in digital finance and sustainable investments, creating fertile ground for partnership.
     
    Fintech: pioneering digital assets and stablecoin regulation
     
         Hong Kong’s robust regulatory framework, business-friendly environment, and strategic location make it an ideal hub for fintech innovation. My bureau, FSTB (Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau), in collaboration with financial regulators and industry stakeholders, is pursuing a multipronged strategy to foster a vibrant fintech ecosystem. This includes enhancing financial infrastructures, nurturing talent, strengthening industry connections in Mainland China and overseas, and creating a conducive environment for fintech innovation.
     
         This is my second day here in London and I am hearing a lot about digital assets (DAs). Just days before I embarked on this trip, our Legislative Council has passed the Stablecoins legislation in Hong Kong and it will be enacted on August 1. After that, we will issue a second policy statement about promoting Hong Kong as the digital asset ecosystem.
     
         Looking ahead, we will continue to be a leader in adopting emerging technologies. A 2023 survey revealed that 38 per cent of Hong Kong’s financial institutions adopted generative AI, surpassing the global average of 26 per cent. In October last year, we issued a policy statement on the responsible use of AI in finance, followed by practical guidelines, sandbox schemes, and industry seminars to support institutions in adopting AI responsibly. These initiatives position Hong Kong as a hub for fintech innovation, complementing the UK’s advancements in areas like blockchain and AI-driven financial services.
     
    Green finance: driving sustainable development
     
         Moving on to green finance, Hong Kong is committed to mobilising cross-border investments to address climate and sustainability challenges, aligning with global efforts to achieve net zero. Last year, Hong Kong arranged US$43 billion in green and sustainable bonds, capturing 45 per cent of the Asian market and ranking first in the region for seven consecutive years. By March this year, our security regulator authorised around 220 ESG funds, managing US$140 billion in assets, an 80 per cent increase over three years.
     
         Last week we have just issued a new round of Government green bonds and infrastructure bonds, totally around US$3.5 billion, denominated in four currencies, namely HKD (Hong Kong dollars), RMB, USD (US dollars) and EUR (euro). The offering attracted participation from a wide spectrum of investors from more than 30 markets across Asia, Europe, Middle East, and the Americas, with total orders amounting around US$30 billion equivalent, representing an over-subscription of almost nine times. The proceeds from green bond issuance will fund local Government green works projects, and set benchmarks for the market encouraging private-sector participation.
     
         To align with global standards, we launched the Roadmap on Sustainability Disclosure in December last year, providing a clear path for large publicly accountable entities to adopt the International Financial Reporting Standards – Sustainability Disclosure Standards (ISSB Standards) by 2028. This positions Hong Kong among the first jurisdictions to align with global sustainability reporting standards, enhancing transparency and comparability. The roadmap not only reflects our commitment to the global green transition but also offers clarity and guidance to market participants.
     
         On the funding support side, the Green and Sustainable Finance Grant Scheme, which was extended to 2027, subsidises issuance costs for bonds and loans, including transition financing, encouraging industries across the Greater Bay Area and Belt and Road economies to leverage Hong Kong’s platform for low-carbon transitions. So for many of you who are working for business financial institutions or companies, do take this message home that we are subsidising for people who are issuing green bonds and loans in Hong Kong.
     
         These efforts create significant opportunities for UK firms to collaborate with Hong Kong on green finance initiatives, from ESG funds to green technology solutions, leveraging our shared commitment to sustainability and innovation. The UK’s commitment in green finance, combined with Hong Kong’s strategic position in Asia, can drive impactful partnerships in sustainable investment and technology.
     
    Enhancing offerings for global and Mainland businesses
     
         The third pillar, enhancing offerings, underscores Hong Kong’s role as a bridge for Chinese companies going global and international firms accessing Mainland China, supported by policies that facilitate cross-border mobility and business expansion.
     
    Supporting Chinese companies going global
     
         As Mainland China accelerates its economic opening, Chinese firms are intensifying their global expansion, optimising supply chains and market presence to address geopolitical risks and tap into international markets. Hong Kong is uniquely positioned to support this “going out” strategy, offering financing, supply chain management, and professional services under the “one country, two systems” framework.
     
         Hong Kong’s efforts to strengthen ties with emerging markets further enhance our appeal. In October last year, we facilitated the listing of two Hong Kong-focused exchange-traded funds on the Saudi Exchange, attracting Middle Eastern capital to our markets. The two Saudi-listed ETFs have a combined size of over US$1.9 billion. They are the two largest ETFs listed and are amongst the top traded ETFs on Saudi Stock Exchange. This initiative demonstrates our commitment to connecting traditional and emerging markets, offering UK firms a platform to diversify their investments across Asia and beyond.
     
         Hong Kong’s professional services, for example the Accounting sector, are well-positioned and experienced to meet the needs of Mainland firms going global. The Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants has earlier compiled a list of firms specialising in supporting global expansion of Chinese companies, and has recently expanded the list from 60 to over 80 firms, connecting Mainland enterprises with international markets for business expansion. Moreover, Hong Kong’s network of 52 Comprehensive Double Taxation Agreements with other tax jurisdictions, with plans for further expansion, provides tax clarity for businesses, enhancing Hong Kong’s appeal as a commercial and investment hub.
     
         UK firms can partner with Hong Kong to support Chinese companies’ international ventures, leveraging our expertise in financing, legal services, and market access. For example, UK financial institutions can collaborate with Hong Kong-based firms to provide advisory services, underwriting, and risk management solutions for Chinese enterprises expanding into Europe and beyond.
     
    Facilitating international access to the Mainland
     
         Hong Kong is equally committed to helping international talents, including those from the UK, access Mainland China’s vast market. A facilitating policy introduced in July last year allows non-Chinese Hong Kong permanent residents to obtain a card???type document with five-year validity. This card enables self-service clearance at Mainland control points without going through manual channels, eliminating the need for arrival cards and significantly enhancing clearance efficiency. This measure, implemented under the “one country, two systems” framework, facilitates business, travel, and family visits, reinforcing Hong Kong’s role as a gateway to the Mainland.
     
         Hong Kong’s professional services, with deep knowledge of Mainland business culture and international expertise, provide comprehensive support for UK firms navigating China’s market. From legal and accounting services to supply chain management, Hong Kong offers a trusted platform for UK companies to establish and grow their presence in Asia.
     
    Hong Kong-UK financial co-operation
     
         The complementary strengths between the two markets of Hong Kong and UK create a strong foundation for collaboration. The integration of Hong Kong into the LME’s warehouse network opens new avenues for UK firms to engage with Asia’s commodities markets, particularly in new-energy metals critical to the global energy transition. Our leadership in green finance aligns with the UK’s expertise in sustainable investments, creating opportunities for joint ventures in ESG funds, carbon trading, and green fintech. In fintech, Hong Kong’s progressive DA regulations complement the UK’s advancements in digital finance, paving the way for collaborative innovation in areas like blockchain, AI, and stablecoins.
     
         By leveraging Hong Kong’s strengths in extending our financial value chain, embracing new finance, and enhancing global and Mainland connectivity, we invite UK businesses to partner with us in tapping Asia’s growth opportunities. Our shared commitment to innovation, sustainability, and global connectivity positions us to build a future of mutual prosperity.
     
    Conclusion
     
         Ladies and gentlemen, Hong Kong stands at the forefront of global finance, driven by our commitment to the 3Es: Extending our financial value chain across equities, fixed income, currencies, and commodities; Embracing fintech and green finance; and Enhancing opportunities for Chinese and international businesses. Our unique position under “one country, two systems,” robust regulatory framework, and vibrant markets make Hong Kong the ideal partner for the UK in navigating Asia’s dynamic markets.
     
         I express my heartfelt gratitude to the Hong Kong Association for hosting this luncheon and for your unwavering commitment to strengthening Hong Kong-UK ties. Let us seize this opportunity to deepen our financial partnership, fostering innovation, sustainability, and prosperity for our shared future. Together, we can shape a world of opportunity, leveraging Hong Kong’s strengths and the UK’s global leadership to drive transformative growth.
     
         Thank you.
    Issued at HKT 16:31

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: SFST’s speech at business reception for signing of Memorandum of Understanding between TheCityUK and Financial Services Development Council in London, United Kingdom (English only) (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    SFST’s speech at business reception for signing of Memorandum of Understanding between TheCityUK and Financial Services Development Council in London, United Kingdom (English only)  
    Alderman Sir Charles (690th Lord Mayor of the City of London, Co-Chair of the UK-China Green Finance Taskforce, Mr Alderman Sir Charles Bowman), Bruce (Leadership Council Chair of TheCityUK, Mr Bruce Carnegie-Brown), John (Managing Director of TheCityUK, Mr John Godfrey), King (Executive Director of the FSDC, Dr King Au), ladies and gentlemen, distinguished guests,
     
         It is an honour to stand before you in London to celebrate the signing of this Memorandum of Understanding between TheCityUK and Hong Kong’s Financial Services Development Council. I am very delighted to witness this milestone in strengthening financial co-operation between our two leading financial centres.
     
         This MOU is a commitment to deepen collaboration, foster innovation, and drive sustainable economic growth. It reflects a shared vision to harness the strengths of Hong Kong and the UK, creating opportunities that benefit our jurisdictions and the global financial ecosystem.
     
         Hong Kong is a premier international financial centre, strategically located at the heart of Asia, serving as a gateway between Mainland China and global markets. Our robust legal framework, adherence to international standards, and business-friendly environment underpin our success. The financial services sector is a cornerstone of our economy, driving growth through our world-class stock exchange, leadership in green finance, fintech, and asset management. Hong Kong’s contributions to sustainable investment and digital innovation continue to set global benchmarks.
     
         The United Kingdom, with London as its financial hub, is a global leader in financial and professional services. TheCityUK represents an industry that contributes 12 per cent to the UK’s economic output and employs nearly 2.5 million people. Its role in supporting net zero transitions, economic growth, and essential services is remarkable. The UK’s expertise in financial innovation and regulation makes it an ideal partner for Hong Kong.
     
         This MOU outlines a forward-looking framework for co-operation in key areas: transition finance, digital assets, technological advancements, and workforce development. A few highlights this partnership are worth noting.
     
         First, the focus on transition finance is critical as the world moves toward net zero. Hong Kong is a leader in green bonds issuance and sustainable finance, with initiatives like government green bonds issuance setting a global benchmark. TheCityUK and the FSDC will share best practices to advance transition finance across the Asia-Pacific and beyond, ensuring our financial systems support a low-carbon future.
     
         Second, the emphasis on digital assets aligns with the rapid evolution of our industry. Hong Kong is advancing fintech through initiatives like our Central Bank Digital Currency pilot and digital asset regulations. The UK’s leadership in distributed ledger technology and tokenisation complements these efforts. Through this MOU, both parties will exchange insights on regulatory practices, promote interoperability, and build capacity for responsible integration of digital assets.
     
         Third, workforce development is central to our success. Technological advancements are reshaping financial services, and both Hong Kong and the UK are committed to equipping our professionals with the skills needed to thrive. Collaborative efforts will ensure our workforces are prepared for an era of innovation.
     
         The MOU also facilitates practical co-operation through market visits, stakeholder introductions, and co-hosted events. These initiatives will strengthen the ties between our financial communities and drive meaningful outcomes.
     
         The economic ties between Hong Kong and the UK provide a strong foundation for this partnership. Our shared commitment to open markets, innovation, and excellence has long underpinned our collaboration. This MOU builds on that legacy, creating new avenues for partnership at a time when global challenges like climate change and technological disruption demand collective action. Together, we can unlock opportunities for growth and prosperity.
     
         I extend my heartfelt congratulations to TheCityUK and the FSDC for their vision and leadership. My gratitude goes to all who have worked to bring this MOU to fruition. Your efforts have laid the groundwork for a stronger financial relationship between our jurisdictions.
     
         Let us seize this opportunity to deepen our collaboration, leverage our strengths, and promote Hong Kong and the UK as leading global financial centres. Together, we can shape a future defined by innovation, sustainability, and opportunity.
     
    Thank you, and I wish this partnership every success.
    Issued at HKT 16:33

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Polytechnic presented its initiatives to the rectors of BRICS countries at forums in Brazil

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University – Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University –

    Rio de Janeiro hosted large-scale events — the second forum of university rectors from Russia, Brazil and Belarus, as well as the second forum of university rectors from the BRICS countries. The events were organized by the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro with the support of national rectors’ communities, including the Russian Union of Rectors. They became a powerful platform for strengthening academic ties and promoting joint initiatives. The forums were attended by more than 50 representatives of universities from Russia and Belarus, delegations from Iran, India, China, South Africa, Ethiopia, Indonesia and more than 60 universities from Brazil.

    At the section on educational cooperation, Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation Konstantin Mogilevsky emphasized the unique role of BRICS in the modern world: In the conditions of international turbulence, it is education and science that are becoming the most important tools for finding joint answers to global challenges. The BRICS association is one of the few international platforms where interaction is built on the principles of mutual respect and equality, where there are no main ones, where everyone is equal and is committed to working together for the sake of a common future. We see that this approach is of interest and response to many countries. The creation of a ranking of BRICS universities is especially relevant in the conditions of political commitment of the headquarters of international rating agencies. The new system for assessing the quality of education is in great demand.

    The Deputy Minister spoke in detail about the dynamic expansion of the association (the accession of new members: Egypt, Iran, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia, Indonesia) and the priorities of the educational agenda. This is the development of the BRICS Network University, recognition of qualifications, support for talented youth and the creation of its own BRICS university ranking.

    The key sections and plenary session were held at the Museum of Tomorrow. SPbPU was represented by a delegation consisting of Vladimir Shchepinin, Director of the Institute of Industrial Management, Economics and Trade; Ekaterina Belyaevskaya, Head of the Department of International Interuniversity Cooperation; and Nikita Lukashevich and Olga Ergunova, associate professors at the Graduate School of Management and Management. Vladimir Shchepinin spoke at one of the sessions, presenting the Polytechnic University as a key player in the scientific and educational space of Russia in the field of technological development. He drew the attention of the rectors’ community to the potential of SPbPU in solving the problems of sustainable development of the BRICS countries.

    At the thematic session “Artificial Intelligence and Education in the BRICS Countries”, Olga Ergunova presented a report “AI Optimization of Human Resource Management in Smart Cities”, based on the results of a large-scale scientific project supported by the Russian Science Foundation (grant No. 25-28-01469). She described in detail the neural network model developed under the auspices of the RSF for forecasting and managing labor markets in the BRICS megacities (Shanghai, Bangalore, Moscow, Sao Paulo).

    Olga Ergunova drew the attention of those gathered to a successful example of comprehensive cooperation between the BRICS countries — the international competition for young researchers “SMART CITY 2030: Sustainable Development Management of BRICS Cities”. The event was first held in 2024 in pilot mode and generated considerable interest. In 2025, the co-organizers of the competition are SPbPU, the Russian Institute of Tsinghua University (China), Lovely Professional University (India) and the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil). The Rectors’ Forum provided an opportunity to announce the expansion of the competition and invite new representatives of the BRICS countries to participate.

    The SPbPU delegation held talks with existing partner universities in Brazil (these are nine leading universities in the country), and also met with new promising educational institutions and agencies. Among them are the Federal Agency for Technological Education, the Secretariat for Supervision and Development in Higher Education. Both agencies operate under the Ministry of Education of Brazil.

    Polytechnic University signed cooperation agreements with the Federal University of Fluminense and the Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro.

    During working meetings and negotiations with rectors and representatives of university delegations, projects in the field of joint research, academic mobility, joint educational programs of double degrees and the organization of summer schools were discussed.

    In the context of changing global educational landscapes, Brazilian universities are becoming key centers for ensuring the scientific and technological sovereignty of the BRICS countries. Their competencies in the field of sustainable development, green economy, bioeconomy, agribusiness, artificial intelligence and other areas, supplemented by Russian fundamental science, form a unique ecosystem of cooperation, its integration into the BRICS educational space through the mechanisms of the BRICS Network University. They allow the creation of new formats of cooperation that combine academic mobility with applied research in areas that are strategic for the countries, noted Vladimir Shchepinin.

    A pleasant surprise was the delegation’s meeting with a 1988 Polytechnic graduate, Electo Eduardo Silva Lora. He is currently a professor and holds the post of head of the Scientific Institute at the Federal University of Itajuba, a leading university in the field of electric power and electrical engineering. Electo Silva Lora spoke excellent Russian and recalled his teachers, professors at the Polytechnic University, with great warmth. He expressed a desire to renew scientific and academic ties with his alma mater and is already interacting with colleagues from the Institute of Power Engineering.

    In addition, Olga Ergunova visited the leading business school of Latin America — FGV EBAPE (Getulio Vargas Foundation), holder of the prestigious “Triple Crown” of accreditations (AACSB, AMBA, EQUIS). She held business negotiations with the director-dean of the school, Professor Flavio Carvalho de Vasconcelos and the head of the international department of Yuna Fontoura.

    Representatives of the school expressed interest in cooperation with SPbPU. During the negotiations, specific steps were outlined: organizing academic exchanges, joint research in the field of innovation management, technological development and sustainable production.

    For FGV EBAPE, it is always valuable to establish connections with leading universities in the world, such as SPbPU. We are interested in developing academic mobility and joint research initiatives, especially in areas related to technology and innovation, – emphasized Flavio Vasconcelos.

    Universities in Brazil represent a huge potential for partnership. Of course, everyone understands the difficulties and cost of logistics between our continents, but even this does not become an obstacle for such innovative projects as, for example, the Smart Cities competition. A number of government agencies support the mobility of Brazilian students, and these opportunities should be used. Brazil has created the strongest scientific centers and technology hubs in the field of research into renewable energy, artificial intelligence, agricultural and food technologies, oil and gas. Colleagues are interested in joint publications, the development of postgraduate programs, international grants for joint research. There is a lot of work to do to turn today’s agreements into real projects with the participation of the Polytechnic University, – Ekaterina Belyaevskaya summed up.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Professor of the State University of Management took part in the visiting meeting of the Public Council under the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: State University of Management – Official website of the State –

    Professor of the Department of Public Administration and Political Technologies of the State University of Management Vladimir Volokh took part in the visiting meeting of the Public Council under the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, which took place at the Moscow University of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia named after V. Ya. Kikot – the largest methodological and scientific center, the flagship of departmental education.

    The Minister of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, Police General Vladimir Kolokoltsev took part in the visiting meeting of the Public Council under the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia and answered questions from graduates of departmental universities. The head of the department expressed confidence that the young generation of police officers, having received good theoretical knowledge, will cope with all challenges with dignity: “I am convinced that your integrity, efforts and achievements will contribute to the stability of the state and increase the level of trust of the population.”

    During the event, graduates of police universities had the opportunity to directly communicate with members of the Public Council under the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia – representatives of civil society, people who constructively cooperate with the department, actively participate in joint scientific and practical projects and campaigns, and openly and impartially assess the quality of the work of the law enforcement system.

    Of particular interest were topics such as combating cybercrime, the role of media and social networks in shaping public opinion about the police, migration, the introduction of positive foreign experience into the activities of internal affairs agencies, etc.

    At the end of the meeting, the Chairman of the Council, Anatoly Kucherena, presented the graduates of departmental educational organizations with a symbolic “Parting Word” from members of the Public Council under the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Craig Joins Colleagues in Launching Anti-Corruption Campaign, Reintroduces Legislation to Ban Members of Congress from Serving on Corporate Boards

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Angie Craig (MN-02)

    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, building on her years-long effort to reform Washington, U.S. Representative Angie Craig joined her colleagues in introducing the End Corruption Now legislative agenda. Through this anti-corruption campaign, Rep. Craig and her colleagues aim to confront political corruption and clean up government by introducing six bills that will put power back in the hands of the American people. These bills will prevent the President, Executive Branch officials, and Members of Congress from personally benefiting from their offices.

    As part of the End Corruption Now agenda, Rep. Craig reintroduced her Restoring Integrity to Democracy Resolution to ban Members of the House from serving on corporate boards while also serving in office.

    Joining Rep. Craig in launching the campaign are Reps. Joe Neguse (CO-02), Chris Deluzio (PA-17), Seth Magaziner (RI-02), Pat Ryan (NY-18), Emilia Sykes (OH-13) and Hillary Scholten (MI-02). 

    “Elected officials are elected to serve their constituents, not their own self-interests,” said Rep. Craig (MN-02). “It’s past time we pass legislation to clean up Washington and ensure our tax dollars are being spent as they should – on improving the lives of everyday Americans. That’s why I’m proud to be partnering with my colleagues on this anti-corruption campaign to make common-sense reforms that will restore integrity, transparency and efficiency to our government.”

    Since she came to Congress, Rep. Craig has led the charge to fight corruption and restore integrity to Washington, DC. 

    In April, she reintroduced her Halt Unchecked Member Benefits with Lobbying Elimination (HUMBLE) Act — a broader package of reforms that would ban Members of Congress from owning or trading individual stocks, prohibit the use of taxpayer funds for first-class airline tickets, prevent Members from serving on corporate boards while they are in Congress, eliminate access to Members-only perks for former Members and end automatic pay raises for Members of Congress.

    In January of 2024, Rep. Craig led a bipartisan coalition of 26 Members pushing Speaker Johnson and House leaders to bring a Congressional stock trading ban to a vote. Then, again in July of last year, ahead of the Senate markup of the legislation to ban Congressional stock trading, she led her colleagues in urging Speaker Johnson, Majority Leader Schumer and Congressional leaders to bring the bill to the House Floor for a vote.

    You can view Rep. Craig’s remarks from todays’ press conference here.

    You can read the full text of the Restoring Integrity to Democracy Resolution here.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Craig Secures More than $1.8 Million for Head Start Programs in Scott, Dakota Counties

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Angie Craig (MN-02)

    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Representative Angie Craig announced that she has secured $1,836,883 in federal grant funding for Scott, Carver and Dakota County’s Community Action Partnership (CAP) Agency to support Head Start programming.

    “Minnesota’s Head Start programs set our kids up for success, and it’s imperative that they remain fully funded,” said Rep. Craig. “I’m proud to have secured this critical federal funding to support students and families in Minnesota’s Second Congressional District and ensure that generations of Minnesotans can achieve their full potential.”

    Rep. Craig has been a fierce advocate of Minnesota’s Head Start programs, continuously speaking out about any potential cuts to Head Start programming.

    This week, she sent a letter to Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. demanding answers about the Administration’s decision to close five regional Head Start offices – including the regional office that serves Minnesota. 

    Last week, she held a press conference at the CAP Agency in Rosemount, MN in response to reports that the Administration planned to reduce funding for Head Start in the Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) federal budget. And earlier last month, she sent a letter to President Donald Trump and HHS Secretary Kennedy blasting the Administration’s proposal to eliminate critical Head Start programs that promote early childhood development and ease the burden of child care on working families.   

    Last year, in Minnesota alone, over 12,000 students attended 33 Head Start and Early Head Start Centers.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reps. Craig, Levin Reintroduce Legislation to Require Carbon Monoxide Detectors in Hotel Rooms and Short-Term Rentals

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Angie Craig (MN-02)

    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Representative Angie Craig (MN-02) and Mike Levin (CA-49) reintroduced legislation to require that carbon monoxide detectors be installed in every hotel and motel room and short-term rental across the country.

    Rep. Craig originally introduced the Safe Stay Act in 2020 after hearing the story of Minnesotan Leslie Lienemann. While travelling for a hockey tournament, Leslie and her son were hospitalized with serious illnesses due to near-fatal carbon monoxide levels being left undetected in their hotel room.

    “We have the tools to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning and save lives – and we should be using them,” said Rep. Angie Craig (MN-02). “I first introduced this legislation to require carbon monoxide detectors be installed in every hotel and motel room after hearing tragic stories like the Lienemanns’. It’s time to get this common-sense bill signed into law before another American family has to suffer from the impacts of carbon monoxide poisoning.” 

    “Every year, too many families fall victim to the silent killer of carbon monoxide,” said Rep. Mike Levin (CA-49). “That includes John Heathco, the son of my constituents, Chuck and Jill Heathco, who lost his life to a preventable carbon monoxide leak while on vacation. Their story is a powerful reminder that we have the tools to prevent these tragedies, but we must use them. We must turn this tragedy into legislation to prevent incidents like John’s from happening again.”

    The Minnesota legislature passed similar legislation to require carbon monoxide in hotels, motels and lodges, which went into effect on August 1, 2024.

    The bill is endorsed by the National Hockey League, Consumer Federation of America, the National Carbon Monoxide Awareness Association, the Jenkins Foundation, the Lienemann Family and the John Wesley Heathco Legacy Foundation.  

    “My son and I suffer life-long physical and emotional effects of carbon monoxide poisoning because there was no carbon monoxide alarm in our hotel room. Carbon monoxide is undetectable without a CO alarm. Even as our poisoning symptoms worsened, nothing warned us to escape the dangerous level of poison gas. Luckily, we went to the emergency room before our exposure became fatal. Other families lose their loved ones needlessly,” said Leslie Lienemann. “We urge Congress to take the only effective action to prevent CO injury and death by requiring hotels to install CO detectors. Thank you, Rep. Craig, for protecting families as they travel. No family should suffer death or injury from carbon monoxide for lack of a CO alarm.”    

    “No other family should have to endure the pain we have experienced by losing Johnny,” said Jill Heathco, the mother of John Heathco. “He died from something that could have been prevented, and our family’s mission going forward is to do everything we can so no other traveler loses their life to carbon monoxide poisoning. This legislation is a critical step in that mission because it will require hotels to do the bare minimum to protect their guests and staff from this deadly gas by installing CO detectors. We appreciate that Representative Craig and Representative Levin have introduced this bill, and we urge all members of Congress to support it because it’s needed, it’s commonsense, and it will save lives.”  

    You can read the full text of the Stay Safe Act here.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Craig Reintroduces Legislation to Ban Members of Congress from Trading Stocks

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Angie Craig (MN-02)

    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, as part of her continued efforts to fight corruption and reform Washington, U.S. Representative Angie Craig reintroduced her NO STOCK Resolution. Rep. Craig’s legislation would require every sitting member of the U.S. House of Representatives to immediately sell their individual stocks and refrain from future stock ownership while in office. Rep. Craig first introduced this legislation in 2022. 

    “Lawmakers should be focused on serving their constituents, not their own self-interests,” said Rep. Craig. “There’s no denying that just by nature of their jobs, Members of Congress have access to information that everyday Americans do not. That’s why I’m proud to be reintroducing this common-sense legislation to prevent Members of Congress from playing the stock market and profiting from their positions while they’re in office.” 

    Since she came to Congress, Rep. Craig has led the charge to fight corruption and restore integrity to Washington, DC. 

    This week, Rep. Craig joined her colleagues in introducing the End Corruption Now legislative agenda, which aims to confront political corruption and clean up government by introducing six bills that will put power back in the hands of the American people. These bills will prevent the President, Executive Branch officials, and Members of Congress from personally benefiting from their offices.

    As part of the End Corruption Now agenda, Rep. Craig reintroduced her Restoring Integrity to Democracy Resolution to ban Members of the House from serving on corporate boards while also serving in office.

    Earlier this Congress, she reintroduced her Halt Unchecked Member Benefits with Lobbying Elimination (HUMBLE) Act — a broader package of reforms that would ban Members of Congress from owning or trading individual stocks, prohibit the use of taxpayer funds for first-class airline tickets, prevent Members from serving on corporate boards while they are in Congress, eliminate access to Members-only perks for former Members and eliminate automatic pay raises for Members of Congress.

    In January of 2024, Rep. Craig led a bipartisan coalition of 26 Members pushing Speaker Johnson and House leaders to bring a Congressional stock trading ban to a vote. Then, again in July of last year, ahead of the Senate markup of the legislation to ban Congressional stock trading, she led her colleagues in urging Speaker Johnson, Majority Leader Schumer and Congressional leaders to bring the bill to the House Floor for a vote.  

    You can read Rep. Craig’s NO STOCK Resolution here.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ22: Chronic Disease Co-Care Pilot Scheme

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    LCQ22: Chronic Disease Co-Care Pilot Scheme 

    GOPC PPP(as at end-May 2025)     Patients participating in the GOPC PPP are currently required to pay the HA’s GOPC fee for each consultation (i.e. $50). Each participating patient will receive up to 10 subsidised consultations per year, including treatments for both chronic and episodic illnesses. Upon private doctor’s referral, they can also receive X-ray examinations provided by the HA, or specified laboratory tests and electrocardiography at the HA’s designated private laboratories. When the HA’s new fees (including the GOPC and Family Medicine Specialist Clinic (FMSC) services, will be unify under the name of Family Medicine Outpatient (FMOP) Services, at $150 per consultation and $5 per drug item per four-week period) come into effect on January 1, 2026, the new fees will also be applicable to GOPC PPP patients. The table below lists the consultation subsidy and quarterly drug subsidy received by each patient participating in the GOPC PPP in the past two years:
     

     (Per subsidised consultation)(Per quarter)Chronic Disease Co-Care Pilot Scheme (CDCC Pilot Scheme)

         The Government launched the CDCC Pilot Scheme in November 2023, providing subsidised DM and HT screening services in the private healthcare sector to Hong Kong residents aged 45 or above with no known medical history of DM or HT, so as to achieve the chronic disease management objectives of “early prevention, early identification and early treatment”.   

     
     Co-payment Fee(One-off subsidy) $120 or less
    (One-off)(Per subsidised consultation)Government recommendation: $150
    (Per subsidised consultation)(Per quarter) 

    Co-payment level???(Note 4)Note 5: Percentages may not add up to 100 per cent due to rounding.
    Note 6: Three FDs set co-payment fee at $0.
    Note 7: 370 FDs set co-payment fee at $150.
    Note 8: The highest co-payment fee is $800.

         The Government will strengthen the dual-track, complementary and collaborative model of public and private primary healthcare by providing chronic disease screening and management through private sector FDs and the district health network to the public on a co-payment basis. At the same time, the Government will reposition the HA’s GOPCs to provide comprehensive primary healthcare services specifically for the underprivileged group. To underscore the direction of primary healthcare development, the HA will unify its GOPC and FMSC services under the new name of FMOP Services within this year. The Government will also adopt a primary healthcare service model to gradually integrate suitable patients under the GOPC PPP into the CDCC Pilot Scheme for continued care.Issued at HKT 16:15

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: 20,000 malicious IPs and domains taken down in INTERPOL infostealer crackdown

    Source: Interpol (news and events)

    11 June 2025

    SINGAPORE – More than 20,000 malicious IP addresses or domains linked to information stealers have been taken down in an INTERPOL-coordinated operation against cybercriminal infrastructure.

    During Operation Secure (January – April 2025) law enforcement agencies from 26 countries worked to locate servers, map physical networks and execute targeted takedowns.

    Ahead of the operation, INTERPOL cooperated with private-sector partners Group-IB, Kaspersky and Trend Micro to produce Cyber Activity Reports, sharing critical intelligence with cyber teams across Asia. These coordinated efforts resulted in the takedown of 79 per cent of identified suspicious IP addresses.

    Participating countries reported the seizure of 41 servers and over 100 GB of data, as well as the arrest of 32 suspects linked to illegal cyber activities.

    What are infostealers?

    Infostealer malware is a primary tool for gaining unauthorized access to organizational networks. This type of malicious software extracts sensitive data from infected devices, often referred to as bots. The stolen information typically includes browser credentials, passwords, cookies, credit card details and cryptocurrency wallet data.

    Additionally, logs harvested by infostealers are increasingly traded on the cybercriminal underground and are frequently used as a gateway for further attacks. These logs often enable initial access for ransomware deployments, data breaches, and cyber-enabled fraud schemes such as Business Email Compromise (BEC).

    Following the operation, authorities notified over 216,000 victims and potential victims so they could take immediate action – such as changing passwords, freezing accounts, or removing unauthorized access.

    Operational highlights

    Vietnamese police arrested 18 suspects, seizing devices from their homes and workplaces. The group’s leader was found with over VND 300 million (USD 11,500) in cash, SIM cards and business registration documents, pointing to a scheme to open and sell corporate accounts.

    As part of their respective enforcement efforts under Operation Secure, house raids were carried out by authorities in Sri Lanka and Nauru. These actions led to the arrest of 14 individuals – 12 in Sri Lanka and two in Nauru – as well as the identification of 40 victims.

    The Hong Kong Police analysed over 1,700 pieces of intelligence provided by INTERPOL and identified 117 command-and-control servers hosted across 89 internet service providers. These servers were used by cybercriminals as central hubs to launch and manage malicious campaigns, including phishing, online fraud and social media scams.

    Neal Jetton, INTERPOL’s Director of Cybercrime, said:

    “INTERPOL continues to support practical, collaborative action against global cyber threats. Operation Secure has once again shown the power of intelligence sharing in disrupting malicious infrastructure and preventing large-scale harm to both individuals and businesses.”

    Notes to editors

    Operation Secure is a regional initiative organized under the Asia and South Pacific Joint Operations Against Cybercrime (ASPJOC) Project.

    Participating countries: Brunei, Cambodia, Fiji, Hong Kong (China), India, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kiribati, Korea (Rep of), Laos, Macau (China), Malaysia, Maldives, Nauru, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Vanuatu, Vietnam.
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Q+A follows The Project onto the scrap heap – so where to now for non-traditional current affairs?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Denis Muller, Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Advancing Journalism, The University of Melbourne

    Two long-running television current affairs programs are coming to an end at the same time, driving home the fact that no matter what the format, they have a shelf life.

    The Project on Channel 10 will end this month after 16 years, and after 18 years on the ABC, Q+A will not return from its current hiatus.

    Each was innovative in very different ways.

    Q+A was designed specifically to generate public participation. Its format of five panellists, a host and a studio audience of up to 1,000 was a daring experiment, because the audience was invited to ask questions that were not vetted in advance.

    This live-to-air approach gave it an edgy atmosphere not often achieved on television. From time to time, the edginess was real.

    In 2022, an audience member made a statement supporting Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine and repeated Russian propaganda to the effect that Ukraine’s Azov battalion was a Nazi group that had killed an estimated 13,000 people in the Donbas region.

    After a brief discussion of these allegations, the host Stan Grant asked the man to leave, saying other audience members had been talking about family members who were dying in the war, and he could not countenance the advocating of violence.

    In 2017 the Sudanese-Australian writer Yassmin Abdel-Magied was involved in a fiery exchange with Senator Jacqui Lambie over sharia law.

    They had been asked by an audience member if it was time to define new rules surrounding migration to avoid community conflict, to which Lambie replied: “Anyone that supports sharia law should be deported.”

    Abdel-Magied questioned if Lambie even knew what that meant, before getting into a heated defence of feminism and Islam.

    In 2024, an audience member listening to politicians on the panel debate family violence could not contain his frustration, calling out:

    How dare you go into politics, in an environment like this, when one woman is murdered every four days, and all you […] can do is immediately talk about politics? That is just disgraceful.

    His outburst went viral.

    He had put his finger on what was an increasing problem with the program. It became hostage to fixed political positions among those of its panellists drawn from party politics.

    As a result, it became predictable, and although the surprise element supplied by audience participation remained a strength, the panellists’ responses increasingly became echoes of their parties’ policies.

    While the objective no doubt was to achieve a range of perspectives, it began to look like stage-managed political controversy.

    This is not to criticise the established presenters – Tony Jones, who fronted the program for 11 years, Stan Grant and most recently Patricia Karvelas, all gifted journalists who adroitly managed the time bombs occasionally set off in their midst.

    Unfortunately, especially for Grant, the program was a lightning rod for attacks on the ABC by The Australian newspaper. ABC management’s abandonment of him, after a particularly vicious attack in 2023 over his commentary during coverage of the king’s coronation, was disgraceful.

    Resigning from the program, Grant said: “Since the king’s coronation, I have seen people in the media lie and distort my words. They have tried to depict me as hate filled. They have accused me of maligning Australia. Nothing could be further from the truth.”

    The ABC is promising to continue with audience-participation programming along the lines of Your Say, a kind of online questionnaire which the ABC says was successfully tried during the 2025 federal election.

    How such a format would translate to television is not clear.

    Meanwhile at Ten, there is promise of a new current affairs program, but details are scant.

    The Project will be a hard act to follow. It promised “news done differently” – and it delivered. News stories were given context and a touch of humanity by a combination of humour, accidents, slips of the tongue and the intellectual firepower of Waleed Aly.

    Aly is a Sunni Muslim, and his “ISIL is weak” speech in 2015 spoke directly and passionately to the fears of the public at the peak of one of the many panics over terrorism.

    Inevitably, much of the attention in the wake of the announced closure has been on the celebrated gaffes of long-time presenter Carrie Bickmore, a little rich to be reproduced in a sober article such as this, but findable here.

    It may not be an auspicious time for launching a new current affairs program at Ten. Its ultimate parent company, Paramount, in the United States, is in the process of negotiating a settlement with US President Donald Trump over a trumped-up court case in which the president is suing the company for US$20 billion (A$30.7 billion).

    He says an interview done by another Paramount company, CBS News, with the Democrats’ former presidential nominee Kamala Harris during the election campaign was “deceptively edited”.

    This is said to have no prospect of succeeding in court, but Paramount wishes to merge with Skydance Media and fears the Trump administration would block it if the company doesn’t come across. The Wall Street Journal is reporting it is proposing to settle for $15 million.

    Senior editorial staff at CBS have already resigned in protest at Paramount’s cowardice, so what price editorial independence at Ten?

    Denis Muller 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. Q+A follows The Project onto the scrap heap – so where to now for non-traditional current affairs? – https://theconversation.com/q-a-follows-the-project-onto-the-scrap-heap-so-where-to-now-for-non-traditional-current-affairs-258690

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Beni: Mission de l’Organisation des Nations unies en République démocratique du Congo (MONUSCO) Celebrates World Environment Day by Planting Trees in a School


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    In Beni, North Kivu Province, MONUSCO celebrated World Environment Day on Thursday, June 5, by organizing an awareness campaign and planting trees at a local school. “It’s a very important day” said Adam Obatoki Salami, acting head of the UN mission’s sub-office.

    Celebrated every year on June 5 since 1973, World Environment Day is the largest global platform for environmental public awareness, observed by millions of people around the world.

    According to Adam Obatoki Salami, this year’s celebration was an opportunity to raise awareness about the harmful impact and dangers of plastic materials that pollute the environment. The theme chosen for this year is: “Beat Plastic Pollution.”.

    “It’s a call for everyone to take responsibility so that we can collectively protect our environment and fight against the dangers of plastic pollution. Our message to the people of Beni is, first, that MONUSCO is committed to combating plastic pollution, working toward a better environment, and raising awareness so people consider environmental issues in their daily lives. We’ve planned several awareness activities throughout the city for this day.” noted Adam Obatoki.

    Among these activities were tree planting events at MONUSCO’s Mavivi base and at Matembo Primary School, along with public awareness meetings on environmental protection.

    Moïse Adirodu, Head of Administration and Finance at the environmental coordination office in Beni, believes MONUSCO is fulfilling its role in full cooperation with local authorities:

    “MONUSCO plays an active role in environmental management. It implements waste management strategies and makes efforts to reduce its carbon footprint in its decision-making processes, in line with the objectives of the Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit. Through its actions in the city of Beni, MONUSCO has become a key partner for our environmental coordination. I’d like to recall that when the mayor of Beni launched the community cleanup initiatives—commonly known as Salongo—MONUSCO was leading from the front. We truly appreciate this kind of partnership” he said.

    According to the United Nations, more than 400 million tons of plastic are produced every year, half of which is designed for single use. Less than 10% of this plastic is recycled. An estimated 11 million tons of plastic end up in lakes, rivers, and oceans annually—and Beni’s rivers are no exception.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Mission de l’Organisation des Nations unies en République démocratique du Congo (MONUSCO).

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Beni: Judicial Actors and Police Officers Trained in Criminal Investigation Techniques


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    About twenty staff members from the military and civil judicial administration of Beni and Butembo, as well as Congolese police officers, attended two simultaneous training sessions from May 26 to June 5, 2025, at MONUSCO’s headquarters in Beni. The first focused on ballistic expertise applied to criminal trials, while the second centered on cybercrime and digital investigation techniques.

    Over the ten days, the trainees—including public prosecutors, judicial police officers, and police agents—followed a comprehensive training program combining theoretical presentations, practical workshops, case studies, and experience sharing. The sessions were led by experts in ballistics and judicial investigation from MONUSCO’s Justice Support Section.

    According to the participants, the training helped deepen their technical and legal skills in response to firearm-related crime. Among them was Commissioner Dieumerci Lomoyo Bongwalo of the Congolese National Police, who said he learned many important concepts related to criminality.

    He praised the quality of the training, stating that it would enhance his professional skills and help the Congolese justice system better respond to challenges, particularly those arising from the development of new technologies.

    “We learned a lot about techniques, methods, etc. We explored the different types of ballistics: internal ballistics, external ballistics, and terminal ballistics. All of this was new to us. We also learned how things work with firearms and different types of ammunition. This added real value to our profession. From now on, we’ll be able to conduct ballistic investigations and write reports for the appropriate authorities. We’re going to improve the way we work because we’ve gained new knowledge” he stated.

    Like the other participants, Commissioner Dieumerci Lomoyo Bongwalo expressed hope that MONUSCO would organize more training sessions of this kind to help judicial administration agents deepen their understanding of criminality and investigative procedures.

    “This will really help us. These are lifelong skills. We won’t lose them. It’s a real asset” the officer emphasized.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Mission de l’Organisation des Nations unies en République démocratique du Congo (MONUSCO).

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • Indian Navy, Coast Guard praised for swift rescue after fire on MV Wan Hai 503

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The Taiwan Government has extended its heartfelt gratitude to the Indian Navy and the Indian Coast Guard for their prompt and professional response in rescuing crew members from the Singapore-flagged merchant vessel MV Wan Hai 503, which caught fire off the Kerala coast.

    In a statement posted on X, the Taiwan representative office in India said, “The Taiwan Government is grateful for the swift rescue operation provided by the Indian Navy and Coast Guard to Wan Hai 503. We wish the missing crew members return safe and the injured recover soon.”

    The Indian Coast Guard continues to lead firefighting efforts on the container ship, which suffered an onboard explosion and blaze while en route from Colombo to Nhava Sheva. As of 5:00 PM on Tuesday, visible flames had reduced, though thick smoke continued to emanate from the vessel, according to the Coast Guard.

    Out of the 22 crew members aboard, 18 have been rescued, while four remain missing. The rescued crew includes several individuals who sustained injuries in the incident.

    The incident occurred approximately 44 nautical miles off the coast of Azhikkal in Kerala. Following the explosion, the crew abandoned the ship due to escalating fire. The merchant vessel was carrying containerised cargo and had an international crew comprising eight Chinese, six Taiwanese, five Myanmarese, and three Indonesian nationals.

    The Chinese Embassy in India also expressed appreciation for the timely assistance provided by Indian authorities. Embassy spokesperson Yu Jing wrote on X, “Our gratitude goes to the Indian Navy and the Mumbai Coast Guard for their prompt and professional rescue. We wish further search operations successful and the injured crew members a speedy recovery.”

    The Indian Coast Guard and Indian Navy continue coordinated efforts to control the fire and locate the missing crew members. Search and rescue operations are ongoing.

    -ANI

  • India sees radical change in transport infrastructure over the last 10 years

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    India has witnessed an unprecedented scale of infrastructure development over the past decade, driven by the success of a holistic and integrated approach under major national initiatives like PRAGATI, PM GatiShakti, the National Logistics Policy, Bharatmala, Sagarmala, and UDAN, according to an official report released on Wednesday.

    The report encapsulates the rapid transformation that has taken place in the country’s transport infrastructure across the highways, railways, maritime and civil aviation sectors of the economy on the back of massive investments made by the Central government in the last 10 years.

    The report highlights that PM GatiShakti unified planning across 44 ministries and 36 states/UTs on a GIS-based platform. Launched in 2021, the PM GatiShakti national master plan is a comprehensive initiative to improve multimodal infrastructure connectivity across India’s economic zones. Rs 100 lakh crore is being efficiently utilised through this integrated platform. Anchored on seven key sectors — railways, roads, ports, waterways, airports, mass transport, and logistics infrastructure — it promotes synchronised development across ministries and state governments.

    The length of India’s national highways network increased by 60 per cent from 91,287 km to 1,46,204 km during the last decade, with the pace of highway construction accelerating to 34 km/day from 11.6 km/day in 2014. There is an increase of 6.4 times in the Centre’s investment in road infrastructure between 2013-14 and 2024-25. The road transport and highway budget has shot up by 570 per cent from 2014 to 2023-24.

    The budget for Indian Railways has increased by more than nine times since 2014. The higher investment is reflected in the introduction of new Vande Bharat semi-high-speed trains covering 24 states/UTs along with 333 districts. A total of 68 Vande Bharat Trains are currently operational in the country, while another 400 world-class Vande Bharat trains are planned to be manufactured.

    More than 31,000 km of new tracks have been laid since 2014, and over 45,000 km of tracks have been renewed since 2014. The pace of electrification of the track network has jumped from 5,188 route km between 2004-14 to more than 45,000 route km being electrified in 2014-25. Electrification has enabled annual savings of Rs 2,960 crore for railways (up to February 2025), ensuring greater financial efficiency, the report states.

    It further highlights that the country’s port capacity has doubled to 2,762 MMTPA in the last 10 years, with the overall turnaround time for ships improving from 93 to 49 hours. As many as 277 projects have been completed under Sagarmala in the big push to port infrastructure.

    The report also lists major projects that have been completed in the ports sector, including the Vizhinjam International Deepwater Multipurpose Seaport. Inaugurated on May 2, 2025, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, this Rs 8,800 crore project is India’s first dedicated container transshipment port. Strategically located near international shipping routes, it can host the world’s largest cargo ships. The port significantly reduces India’s reliance on foreign ports and enhances economic activity in Kerala.

    The New Dry Dock (NDD) at Cochin Shipyard Limited has been constructed at a cost of Rs 1,800 crore, with a length of 310 meters and a depth of 13 meters. It is capable of handling aircraft carriers of up to 70,000 tons. Besides, an international Ship Repair Facility has been set up in Cochin.

    India’s Inland waterways cargo has risen by 710 per cent (from 18 MMT to 146 MMT) in the last 10 years. Approval has also been given for Rs 5,370 crore investment to augment the capacity of National Waterway-1 (Haldia to Varanasi), this major inland navigation initiative enhances cargo movement on the Ganga River, the report points out.

    The report also highlights that new routes and new airports have been added to the civil aviation landscape of the country. The number of airports operational in India has gone from 74 in 2014 to 160 in 2025. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved the revival and development of unserved and underserved airports at a total cost of Rs 4,500 crore. In addition, the Expenditure Finance Committee also approved an amount of Rs 1,000 crore for the development of 50 more airports, heliports and water aerodromes under the UDAN scheme. This flagship scheme, launched in June 2016 to create affordable, yet economically viable and profitable air travel on regional routes, has been a big success with over 1.51 crore passengers having flown on these regional flights, the report added.

    (IANS)

  • From clay to spray: Nadal’s team leads electric charge on Adriatic waves

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    As Rafa Nadal gets used life after tennis, he has let go of his racquets to spend time on the Adriatic waves, steering his Team Rafa into electric powerboat racing’s E1 World Championship in Dubrovnik.

    Days after the retired 14-times Roland Garros champion was immortalised at the French Open with a permanent footprint on centre court’s famed red clay, the Spaniard’s racing team tops a tightly contested series heading into the Croatian round, following a dramatic victory last time out in Doha.

    Team Rafa  currently leads the standings following success in Doha, as the electric boat racing series begins its European leg on June 13-14 along Croatia’s coast.

    The tennis great’s boat is piloted by Spanish professional jet ski racer Cristina Lazarrage and Frenchman Tom Chiappe.

    The E1 World Championship is the first all-electric raceboat series sanctioned by powerboating’s global governing body, the Union Internationale Motonautique (UIM), and is designed to accelerate innovation in sustainable marine technology and coastal conservation.

    Teams featuring both male and female pilots compete in electric-powered RaceBird boats, racing through urban water circuits in iconic global cities.

    Celebrity owners include LeBron James, Tom Brady, Virat Kohli and Didier Drogba as well as 22-times Grand Slam champion Nadal.

    The championship continues to Lake Maggiore and Monaco before concluding in Miami, where “Champions of the Water” will be crowned on Nov. 8.

    -REUTERS

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: City centre to get improvements including greening the area

    Source: Scotland – City of Aberdeen

    Surplus money from bus lane and LEZ fines is to be used to fund several city centre projects including a major one to green the area.

    Aberdeen City Council’s Net Zero, Environment and Transport Committee agreed the moves at a meeting today.

    Aberdeen City Council co-leader Councillor Ian Yuill said: “We are working to make the city centre an even better place for people to spend time. Improvements to street lighting, and to the city centre environment help achieve that.”

    Net Zero, Environment, and Transport vice-convenor Miranda Radley added: “The budget allocated today will allow the Council, working with partners, to brighten the city centre, improve pedestrian access and encourage more people to enjoy the space we have in the city centre.” 

    The Council’s Finance and Resources Committee approved in March the funding surplus for bus lane enforcement of £2,635,268 and LEZ £669,000 and that the projects would be agreed by the Net Zero, Environment and Transport Committee.

    The report to committee said discussions have been ongoing with partners such as Aberdeen Inspired to identify impactful projects that could be progressed and be aligned to the delivery of the wider City Centre Masterplan, using the bus lane enforcement money. These include:

    • £200,000 for lighting improvements;
    • £300,000 for Guild Street improvement which to enhance the pedestrian environment around Guild Street in particular, and to improve journeys and wayfinding between Union Square and Union Street. This could also include exploring additional bus stops on Guild Street.

    In March 2025, Council agreed to spend £200,000 to support the re-establishment of a bicycle rental scheme in Aberdeen to be funded from the LEZ surplus. Discussions have been ongoing with partners and the Council’s Environmental Manager to consider projects that could be progressed at this time. These include:

    • Our Union Street Greening/People Project: £61,000. This would be in Union Street West (Union Terrace to Dee Street) with areas of new planting (the plants would be selected on the basis of their air quality and climate change benefits) and seating. The project would involve working with H.M.P. Grampian and the Our Union Street “volunteer army” to construct, plant and maintain the structures;
    • City Centre Greening, Growing and Buzzing: £60,000. This project would include a range of initiatives such as: reinstating urban bees into the city centre, additional floral enhancement via provision of year-round hanging baskets and investigation of additional green bus shelters. This project would be undertaken in partnership between Aberdeen Inspired.

    An additional £71,000 was also allocated by Committee today under the ‘Greening the City Centre’ theme.

    Adrian Watson, chief executive of Aberdeen Inspired, said: “We are grateful to Aberdeen City Council for its continued engagement and support on ways to improve the city centre to attract more footfall and help boost the economy. 

    “We look forward to working with the council on any and all initiatives to help regenerate the heart of the Granite City.”

    Bob Keillor, of Our Union Street, said: “This is excellent news and we look forward to working with Aberdeen City Council colleagues to bring much needed colour and greenery to a section of Union Street. Our army of volunteers “The Street Union” will be delighted too as they have seen the difference that their cleanup efforts are making every week.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Los Angeles Mayor Announces Curfew in Downtown

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    LOS ANGELES, June 11 (Xinhua) — Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass announced on Tuesday evening that the second-largest U.S. city will impose a curfew in the city center from 8 p.m. local time (03:00 GMT Wednesday) to 6 a.m. Wednesday (13:00 GMT).

    The curfew, as K. Bass noted, will cover an area of about 1 square mile.

    Local authorities imposed a limited curfew in response to looting and vandalism that occurred in the city centre on Monday evening following largely peaceful daytime protests, she said.

    The curfew does not apply to area residents, homeless people, members of the media, and public safety or emergency personnel, according to a statement from the Los Angeles Police Department.

    Bass announced the curfew as protests against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids entered their fifth day. Local media reported that demonstrators had taken to the 101 Freeway, blocking traffic in both directions, shortly before the curfew was ordered. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: New data release: ECB wage tracker indicates decline in negotiated wage growth over course of year

    Source: European Central Bank

    11 June 2025

    • ECB wage tracker updated with wage agreements signed up to mid-May 2025
    • Forward-looking information confirms negotiated wage growth set to ease over course of year, consistent with data published following April 2025 Governing Council meeting

    The European Central Bank (ECB) wage tracker, which only covers active collective bargaining agreements, indicates negotiated wage growth with smoothed one-off payments of 4.7% in 2024 (based on an average coverage of 48.8% of employees in participating countries), and 3.1% in 2025 (based on an average coverage of 47.4%). The ECB wage tracker with unsmoothed one-off payments indicates an average negotiated wage growth level of 4.9% in 2024 and 2.9% in 2025. The downward trend of the forward-looking wage tracker for the remainder of 2025 partly reflects the mechanical impact of large one-off payments (that were paid in 2024 but drop out in 2025) and the front-loaded nature of wage increases in some sectors in 2024. The wage tracker excluding one-off payments indicates growth of 4.2% in 2024 and 3.8% in 2025. See Chart 1 and Table 1 for further details.

    The ECB wage tracker may be subject to revisions, and the forward-looking part should not be interpreted as a forecast, as it only captures the information that is available for the active collective bargaining agreements. It should also be noted that the ECB wage tracker does not track the indicator of negotiated wage growth precisely and therefore deviations are to be expected over time.

    For a more comprehensive assessment of wage developments in the euro area, please refer to the June 2025 Eurosystem staff macroeconomic projections for the euro area, which indicate a yearly growth rate of compensation per employee in the euro area of 3.2% in 2025, with a quarterly profile of 3.5% in the first quarter, 3.4% in the second quarter, 3.1% in Q3 in the third quarter, and of 2.8% in the fourth quarter.

    The ECB publishes four wage tracker indicators for the aggregate of seven participating euro area countries on the ECB Data Portal.

    Chart 1

    ECB wage tracker: forward-looking signals for negotiated wages and revisions to previous data release

    2023-25

    Revisions to previous data release

    (left-hand scale: yearly growth rates, percentages; right-hand scale: percentage share of employees)

    (percentage points)

    Sources: ECB calculations based on data on collective bargaining agreements signed up to mid-May 2025 provided by the Deutsche Bundesbank, the Bank of Greece, the Banco de España, the Banque de France, the Banca d’Italia, the Oesterreichische Nationalbank, the Dutch employers’ association AWVN and Eurostat. The indicator of negotiated wage growth is calculated using data from the Deutsche Bundesbank, the Ministerio de Empleo y Seguridad Social, the Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek, Statistik Austria, the Istituto Nazionale di Statistica (ISTAT), the Banque de France and Haver Analytics.

    Notes: Dashed lines denote forward-looking information up to December 2025.

    What do the four different indicators show?

    • The headline ECB wage tracker shows negotiated wage growth that includes collectively agreed one-off payments, such as those related to inflation compensation, bonuses or back-dated pay, which are smoothed over 12 months.
    • The ECB wage tracker excluding one-off payments reflects the extent of structural (or permanent) negotiated wage increases.
    • The ECB wage tracker with unsmoothed one-off payments is constructed using a methodology that, both in terms of data sources and statistical methodology, is conceptually similar to, but not necessarily the same as, that used for the ECB indicator of negotiated wage growth.
    • The share of employees covered is the percentage of employees across the participating countries that are directly covered by ECB wage tracker data. This indicator provides information on the representativeness of the underlying (negotiated) wage growth signals obtained from the set of wage tracker indicators for the aggregate of the participating countries. Employee coverage differs across countries and within each country over time (further details are provided in Table 2).

    Table 1

    ECB wage tracker summary

    (percentages)

    ECB wage tracker

    Coverage

    Headline indicator

    Excluding one-off payments

    With unsmoothed one-off payments

    Share of employees (%)

    2013-2023

    2.0

    1.9

    2.0

    49.1

    2024

    4.7

    4.2

    4.9

    48.8

    2025

    3.1

    3.8

    2.9

    47.4

    2024 Q1

    4.1

    3.7

    5.2

    49.0

    2024 Q2

    4.4

    3.9

    3.4

    49.0

    2024 Q3

    5.1

    4.5

    6.8

    48.7

    2024 Q4

    5.4

    4.7

    4.3

    48.4

    2025 Q1

    4.6

    4.5

    2.5

    49.6

    Apr-25

    4.1

    4.5

    4.2

    49.6

    May-25

    3.8

    4.2

    4.0

    49.5

    Jun-25

    3.9

    4.1

    3.9

    47.1

    Jul-25

    2.7

    3.7

    1.0

    46.5

    Aug-25

    2.1

    3.5

    2.1

    46.4

    Sep-25

    2.0

    3.4

    3.1

    46.2

    2025 Q4

    1.7

    3.1

    2.9

    44.7

    Sources: ECB calculations based on data provided by the Deutsche Bundesbank, the Bank of Greece, the Banco de España, the Banque de France, the Banca d’Italia, the Oesterreichische Nationalbank, the Dutch employers’ association AWVN and Eurostat.

    Notes: ECB wage tracker indicators reflect yearly growth in negotiated wages as a percentage. Coverage is defined as the share of employees in the participating countries as a percentage. Rows with values in italics and bold refer to the forward-looking aspect of the respective indicators.

    Table 2

    Employee coverage by country

    (share of employees in each country, percentages)

    Germany

    Greece

    Spain

    France

    Italy

    Netherlands

    Austria

    Euro area

    2013-2023

    41.7

    10.0

    61.1

    51.8

    48.7

    64.2

    56.7

    49.1

    2024 Q1

    43.4

    16.0

    57.1

    48.5

    48.2

    62.7

    78.6

    49.0

    2024 Q2

    43.7

    15.9

    56.5

    48.5

    48.1

    62.5

    77.8

    49.0

    2024 Q3

    43.9

    15.8

    54.9

    48.4

    47.9

    62.2

    77.8

    48.7

    2024 Q4

    43.5

    15.7

    53.7

    48.5

    47.8

    62.0

    77.8

    48.4

    2025 Q1

    44.0

    19.3

    53.4

    53.7

    47.8

    61.3

    76.2

    49.6

    2025 Q2

    44.8

    16.1

    52.4

    53.3

    43.5

    60.5

    73.1

    48.7

    2025 Q3

    43.9

    8.6

    51.1

    52.9

    35.6

    58.3

    71.4

    46.4

    2025 Q4

    43.2

    8.2

    50.7

    48.5

    35.5

    54.7

    66.5

    44.7

    Sources: ECB, the Deutsche Bundesbank, the Bank of Greece, the Banco de España, the Banque de France, the Banca d’Italia, the Oesterreichische Nationalbank, the Dutch employers’ association AWVN and Eurostat.
    Notes: The euro area aggregate comprises the seven participating wage tracker countries. The coverage shows the relative strength of wage signals for each country and the euro area. The historical average is calculated from January 2016 to December 2023 for Greece and from February 2020 to December 2023 for Austria. For the other countries, it is calculated from January 2013 to December 2023. Rows with values in italics and bold refer to the forward-looking aspect of the respective indicators.

    For media queries, please contact Benoit Deeg, tel.: +491721683704

    Notes:

    • The ECB wage tracker is the result of a Eurosystem partnership currently comprising the European Central Bank and seven euro area national central banks: the Deutsche Bundesbank, the Bank of Greece, the Banco de España, the Banque de France, the Banca d’Italia, De Nederlandsche Bank, and the Oesterreichische Nationalbank. It is based on a highly granular database of active collective bargaining agreements for Germany, Greece, Spain, France, Italy, the Netherlands and Austria. The wage tracker is one of many sources that can help assess wage pressures in the euro area.
    • The wage tracker methodology uses a double aggregation approach. First, it aggregates the highly granular information on collective bargaining agreements and constructs the wage tracker indicators at the country-level using information on the employee coverage for each country. Second, it uses this information to construct the aggregate for the euro area using time-varying weights based on the total compensation of employees among the participating countries.
    • Given that the forward-looking nature of the tracker is dependent on the underlying collective bargaining agreements database, the wage signals should always be considered conditional on the information available at any given point in time and thus subject to revisions.
    • The results in this press release do not represent the views of the ECB’s decision-making bodies.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: International use of the euro broadly stable in 2024

    Source: European Central Bank

    11 June 2025

    • Euro’s share across various indicators of international currency use largely unchanged at around 19%
    • Emerging challenges include initiatives promoting global use of cryptocurrencies
    • Upholding rule of law essential for maintaining, and potentially increasing, global trust in the euro

    The international role of the euro remained broadly stable in 2024 and the euro held on to its position as the second most important currency globally. The share of the euro across various indicators of international currency use has been largely unchanged since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, standing at around 19%. These are some of the main findings in the annual review of the international role of the euro, published today by the European Central Bank (ECB).

    This stability was noteworthy in a year that saw the ECB begin lowering policy rates, following further declines in inflation and amid continuing geopolitical tensions. The share of the euro in global official holdings of foreign exchange reserves held steady at 20% in 2024, broadly unchanged since the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The global appeal of the euro is underpinned by sound policies in the euro area and strong, rules-based institutions. “Upholding the rule of law remains essential for maintaining, and potentially increasing, global trust in the euro,” said President Christine Lagarde.

    Although current data indicate no significant changes in the international use of the euro, it is important to remain vigilant. Central banks continued to accumulate gold at a record pace and some countries have been actively exploring alternatives to traditional cross-border payment systems. There is evidence of a link between geopolitical alignments and shifts in invoicing currency patterns in global trade, particularly since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. New challenges to the international role of the euro have also emerged, including initiatives that promote the global use of cryptocurrencies.

    This changing landscape underscores the importance for European policymakers of creating the necessary conditions to strengthen the global role of the euro, such as advancing the Savings and Investment Union to fully leverage European financial markets. Eliminating barriers within the European Union would enhance the depth and liquidity of euro funding markets. Moreover, accelerating progress on a digital euro is key for supporting a competitive and resilient European payment system. “The digital euro would contribute to Europe’s economic security and strengthen the international role of the euro,” said Executive Board member Piero Cipollone. The global appeal of the euro is also supported by the ECB’s initiatives to offer solutions for settling wholesale financial transactions recorded on distributed ledger technology platforms in central bank money and to improve cross-border payments between the euro area and other jurisdictions. In addition, the ECB’s euro liquidity lines to non-euro area central banks foster the use of the euro in global financial and commercial transactions.

    For media queries, please contact Alessandro Speciale, tel.: +49 172 1670791.

    Chart 1

    The international role of the euro remained broadly stable in 2024

    Composite index of the international role of the euro

    (percentages; at current and constant Q4 2024 exchange rates; four-quarter moving averages)

    Sources: Bank for International Settlements, International Monetary Fund (IMF), CLS Bank International, Ilzetzki, Reinhart and Rogoff (2019) and ECB staff calculations.
    Notes: Arithmetic average of the shares of the euro at constant (current) exchange rates in stocks of international bonds, loans by banks outside the euro area to borrowers outside the euro area, deposits with banks outside the euro area from creditors outside the euro area, global foreign exchange settlements, global foreign exchange reserves and global exchange rate regimes. Estimates of the share of the euro in global exchange rate regimes from 2010 onwards are based on IMF data; pre-2010 shares are estimated using data from Ilzetzki, E., Reinhart, C. and Rogoff, K., “Exchange Arrangements Entering the Twenty-First Century: Which Anchor will Hold?”, The Quarterly Journal of Economics, Vol. 134, Issue 2, May 2019, pp. 599-646. The latest observation is for the fourth quarter of 2024.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Gully Premier League: Cricket, Camaraderie & Cheers at Samsung Chennai Plant

    Source: Samsung

     
    At Samsung Chennai plant, the workday recently took on a cheerful new twist. Amidst buzzing production lines and changing shifts, laughter and cheers echoed around the newly inaugurated Multi-Sports Arena. The occasion?
     
    The much-anticipated Gully Premier League—a cricket tournament designed not just to bring sports into the factory but to spark joy, nostalgia, and togetherness among workers.
     
    More than just a game, this initiative is part of Samsung’s larger mission to build a Great Place to Work, celebrating the spirit of collaboration and play across all shifts and teams.
     

    Cricket, but Make it Gully Style
    Forget stadiums and white kits. Here, cricket is played the gully way—with deft flicks and swinging deliveries, hand-made scoreboards, enthusiastic commentary from colleagues, and rules that changed with the wind and umpire’s sense of humour. The format was simple and inclusive:
     
    Each shift could nominate one team of six players
    Larger departments could nominate more teams
    All shift employees were encouraged to participate
     
    The response was electrifying—48 teams, 72 league matches, and 288 employees who left their work shoes at the door and stepped into sneakers and spirit.
     
    “I haven’t played cricket since school. But the moment I picked up the bat, it all came rushing back,” said Karthik from Washing Machine Line. “The crowd, the cheers, the chaos—it felt like home.”
     

     
    Making Room for Everyone
    What made this league even more special was the focus on the sense of togetherness. Alongside the main matches, there are dedicated categories being planned for all lines—ensuring everyone felt welcomed on the pitch.
     
    Gopi, from Refrigerator Line, said, “It wasn’t just about who hit the most runs or took the best catch. It was about seeing a usually quiet colleague take on captaincy, or someone from admin stepping in as a last-minute substitute and bowling the match-winning over.”
     

     
    New Grounds, New Bonds
    The Gully League also marked the inauguration of the new Multi-Sports Arena, a vibrant space that now stands as a symbol of wellness, fun, and shared purpose. From laughter-filled team huddles to last-ball thrillers, the Arena quickly became the new favourite hangout for employees.
     
    “For me, the best part was the crowd. People from all shifts came to watch, cheer, and even bring snacks,” said Sivabalan from the Smart Facility Group (SFG). One team even had cheer slogans printed for fun. We all forgot the Chennai heat and just had a blast.”
     

     
    Bringing Samsung Values to Life
    Events like the Gully Premier League aren’t just recreational—they reflect Samsung’s core values: People, Excellence, Change, Integrity, and Co-Prosperity. They encourage employees to lead with energy, grow through collaboration, and build bonds beyond the workstation.
     
    “It’s easy to say we’re one team. But on the field, you feel it,” said Srinath from R&D team. “We high-fived, strategized, laughed—and went back to work feeling lighter.”

    And the Game Goes On
    With 24 teams moving into the knockout stage, anticipation is building up for the quarterfinals, semifinals, and the much-awaited grand finale. And while one team will eventually lift the trophy, everyone walks away with memories, smiles, and a stronger sense of belonging.
     
    So, here’s to the gully spirit that brings us closer—and many more innings of fun, teamwork, and friendly banter at Samsung!

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Perry Hall rated Good with Outstanding features

    Source: City of Wolverhampton

    Inspectors visited the school in April and, in their report published recently, describe Perry Hall as a ‘happy and welcoming school’ where ‘pupils feel safe and flourish in its supportive atmosphere.’

    Staff ‘take the time to get to know pupils and their families well’, meaning that, from Early Years onwards, ‘pupils thrive in this nurturing environment’.

    Staff have ‘high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and academic success’. Pupils ‘achieve well across a range of subjects’ and are ‘respectful to staff, visitors and each other’.

    The school has developed a ‘broad, balanced and ambitious curriculum’ which pupils learn well while an effective reading programme with ‘high quality phonics teaching’ means ‘pupils quickly develop the skills that they need to become fluent, confident and independent readers’.

    Children follow clear routines, ‘listen carefully to one another and treat each other with kindness’, which gives them ‘an exceptionally strong foundation to behave positively and collaborate together’. As a result, children are ‘very well prepared’ for the next stage of their education.

    Staff identify the needs of pupils with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND) effectively, and pupils are able to successfully progress through the curriculum and to ‘achieve well because staff make useful adaptations to the curriculum where necessary’.

    The provision for pupils’ personal development is ‘effective and underpinned by the school’s values’, while a wide range of before and after school clubs ‘cater for many interests’. Pupils also benefit from a range of educational visits to enhance their learning and older pupils are ‘keen to take on roles of responsibility that allow them to make a positive contribution to their school’.

    Leaders ‘understand the strengths and weaknesses of the school’ and are ambitious in developing their school and supporting pupils in achieving well. The school prioritises staff well being and fosters a supportive environment, which staff members appreciate. Meanwhile, governors provide ‘appropriate challenge and support for school leaders’.

    Inspectors concluded that the quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development and leadership and management at Perry Hall Primary is Good, and that its Early Years provision is Outstanding.

    Andrew Brocklehurst, Chair of Trustees at Perry Hall Multi-Academy Trust, said: “I am absolutely delighted to celebrate the fantastic achievement of Perry Hall Primary School. The dedication, talent, and teamwork shown by our incredible staff and wonderful children make us all extremely proud.

    “I know everyone will join me in sending heartfelt congratulations to the entire school community – staff, children, and parents alike. Thank you to each and every one of you for your part in this success. Together, we are creating something truly special and making a lasting, positive difference in our community.”

    Headteacher Lee Fellows added: “This wonderful outcome is a true reflection of the passion, perseverance, and teamwork of everyone involved. Every part of our school community – children, staff, parents, governors, and the Trust – has played a vital role in reaching this milestone.

    “The commitment to Perry Hall shines through in every aspect of this achievement, and I want to extend a sincere thank you to all who have contributed. It’s a proud moment for us all and a clear sign of what we can accomplish together.”

    Councillor Jacqui Coogan, the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Education, added: “I would like to congratulate Lee Fellows and all the team at Perry Hall on this excellent inspection report, which demonstrates high quality provision across the school and particularly within Early Years, which inspectors found to be Outstanding.”

    Data shows that 97% of schools in Wolverhampton are currently rated either Good or Outstanding by Ofsted, the highest ever.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Beatty and Brown Demand Urgent Federal Response to Housing Crisis

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

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Joyce Beatty (OH-03) co-led a House Resolution with Congresswoman Shontel Brown (OH-11) calling for urgent, coordinated federal action to address the nation’s worsening housing crisis by preserving and expanding access to affordable housing. 

     

    The Resolution outlines the urgent need to address the housing crisis nationally and calls for a comprehensive approach to addressing it, including: expanding and preserving affordable housing units; strengthening Federal rental assistance programs; promoting equitable zoning and infrastructure alignment; and partnering across the public, private, and nonprofit sectors to protect tenants and spur innovation. 

     

    “Housing is a human right, full stop,” said Congresswoman Joyce Beatty. “The nation’s ongoing affordable housing shortage hits low-income and minority communities the hardest, making it virtually impossible for millions of families to stay healthy, pursue higher education, maintain steady employment, or achieve financial stability. This resolution recognizes the urgency of addressing the housing crisis in America and affirms a commitment to advancing federal legislation to support rental assistance and housing development so that every American family has a safe, affordable place to call home.”

    “In Northeast Ohio and across America, our housing crisis is pricing families out of stability. It’s harder than ever to find a place to live, pay the bills, keep our families safe and secure, and build wealth. Housing isn’t just having a roof over your head— it is the foundation for safety, security, and opportunity. This crisis is hitting families in every corner of the country, and it’s widening the wealth and racial gaps we’ve been trying to close for generations. I am proud to introduce this resolution with Congresswoman Beatty because it is time that we put the House of Representatives on record on this important issue. The housing crisis is impacting every congressional district, and we need a coordinated federal response,” said Congresswoman Shontel Brown.   

     

    The United States faces an estimated shortage of over 7 million affordable homes for extremely low-income renters and over 12 million spend more than 50 percent of their income on rent, often sacrificing food, health care, or transportation as a result. 

     

    Since 2020, rents have increased by more than 35%, while median incomes have not kept pace, fueling record-high homelessness and housing instability. Black households are substantially less likely to own a home than white households – 44% homeownership rate for Blacks versus 72% for whites – and the Black homeownership rate remains lower than in the year 2000.

     

    Text of the resolution is available HERE.

     

    This resolution is endorsed by: the National Affordable Housing Management Association, the Fair Housing Center for Rights and Research, Northwest Neighborhoods, Providence House, University Settlement, and Loretta’s Helping Hands.

     

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Pallone demands Trump Admin action on lifeguard, maintenance shortages at Sandy Hook

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Frank Pallone (6th District of New Jersey)

    NJ 6th District Congressman calls on Trump’s Interior Secretary to disclose staffing plans, lifeguard coverage by June 30

    Sandy Hook, New Jersey — With New Jersey’s beach season now in full swing, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) is sounding the alarm over dangerous staffing shortages at Sandy Hook in the Gateway National Recreation Area. In a letter sent today to Trump’s Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, Pallone demanded answers on why the National Park Service is failing to hire the lifeguards, maintenance staff, and other essential personnel needed to safely operate the beaches and facilities at Sandy Hook this summer.

    “For months, the Department of Interior has been blocking information regarding the consequences of new staffing policies from reaching Congress. This unprecedented situation extends to the staff of National Park Service units, who you have forbidden from communicating with Congressional offices without express permission from DOI headquarters – approval which never arrives. I am gravely concerned about the ramifications of the Trump Administration’s policies on Sandy Hook’s future as a place for safe recreation in a clean, natural environment,” Pallone wrote.

    Pallone’s letter cites multiple troubling factors behind the current staffing crisis:

    • Trump’s January 20 executive order freezing all federal hiring;
    • Cuts to National Park Service permanent and probationary staff ordered by Elon Musk’s “Department of Government Efficiency”;
    • Deferred resignation offers made to remaining permanent staff.

    Worse, the Interior Department has blocked basic information about staffing levels from reaching Congress — preventing oversight of whether the beaches and public facilities at Sandy Hook can be safely visited.

    “The government should protect the ability of parks such as Sandy Hook to serve Americans and contribute to the tourism economy, not create potentially dangerous and filthy conditions in the parks by failing to hire the necessary lifeguards and maintenance staff to clean bathrooms during the busiest season of the year. It is shameful to deprive American taxpayers of their right to the services their hard-earned dollars are paying for, in this case, the services provided by the National Park Service that preserves and steward natural resources for families to enjoy,” Pallone continued.

    In his letter, Pallone demanded Interior provide a full accounting of current staffing levels, beach openings, lifeguard coverage, and facility maintenance at Sandy Hook no later than June 30 before the Independence Day holiday – and called for immediate action to fill any staffing gaps.

    A copy of the full letter is linked here and available below: 

    Dear Secretary Burgum, 

    I write to express my urgent concern and to demand answers regarding the historically low staffing at the Sandy Hook Unit of the Gateway National Recreation Area (NRA) at the start of the summer beach season. For months, the Department of Interior (DOI) has been blocking information regarding the consequences of new staffing policies from reaching Congress. This unprecedented situation extends to the staff of National Park Service (NPS) units, who you have forbidden from communicating with Congressional offices without express permission from DOI headquarters – approval which never arrives.  

    I am gravely concerned about the ramifications of the Trump Administration’s policies on Sandy Hook’s future as a place for safe recreation in a clean, natural environment. These include President Trump’s misguided January 20thExecutive Order freezing all hiring of Federal employees, Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency cuts to NPS permanent and probationary staff, and the deferred resignation offers made to permanent staff.[1] From the limited public information available, it’s clear the cumulative impact of these policies have left Gateway NRA with a skeleton crew to run the fourth-most visited NPS unit in the country. If the Trump Administration is so proud of these unlawful and chaotic changes, you should not be so secretive about their outcome.

    This vacuum of information has created confusion and concern in our community. My constituents and the two million other Americans that visit Sandy Hook for a respite from the summer heat and from their busy lives deserve to know whether the park is ready to accept visitors for safe recreation.[2] The high levels of visitation that Sandy Hook experiences in the summer months are why the park needs to be fully staffed with year-round and seasonal employees. 

    Historically, despite warnings not to swim, there have been drowning incidents at Sandy Hook when the beaches are not open and fully staffed with lifeguards. We cannot let this situation repeat itself this summer, though I am concerned your disregard for the vital health and safety roles that NPS staff play may result in tragedy at Sandy Hook. 

    American families from across New Jersey, New York, and surrounding states flock to Sandy Hook’s beautiful beaches and recreational areas every summer to enjoy fishing, swimming, camping, and biking, among other activities.3 These visitors rely on Sandy Hook for their summer vacations, and their visits generate significant contributions to New Jersey’s economy.[5]

    To rectify this outrageous lack of information on whether the Gateway National Recreation Area is prepared for basic operations at Sandy Hook this summer, please provide written responses to the questions below by Monday, June 30, 2025: 

    1.      How many total staff currently work at Gateway NRA compared to this time last year?

    2.      How many total staff have been assigned to work at the Sandy Hook unit compared to this time last year?

    3.      How many seasonal employees have been hired at Sandy Hook for the summer season compared to this time last year?

    4.      How many permanent and seasonal positions are currently unfilled? 

    5.      Which Sandy Hook beaches will be open during the 2025 summer season? What are the dates and hours of each beach’s public access? 

    6.      Which Sandy Hook beaches will have lifeguards this summer? What are the dates and hours that each beach will have a lifeguard? How many total lifeguards will work this year compared to last year? 

    7.      Will there be staff to maintain facilities, including restrooms, at the Sandy Hook unit throughout the summer season? 

    8.      How many staff will be there to collect admission at the entrance to the park compared to this time last year? 

    For decades, I have proudly advocated to keep the beaches and facilities at the Sandy Hook Unit safe, clean, and accessible for all Americans and ensure it continues to be a place of safe harbor for the wildlife which bring delight to visitors. The National Park Service must hire qualified staff in a timely manner and clearly communicate the Sandy Hook’s ability to host the American public. Instead of working against Congress, I hope we can work together to ensure Sandy Hook, Gateway NRA, and the entire National Park Service continue to thrive for generations to come.

    Please contact my office immediately with an update on this important issue and formally reply by the date requested. 

    Sincerely, 

    FRANK PALLONE, JR. 

    Member of Congress

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Pallone joins 198 colleagues in bipartisan push to save Job Corps centers

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Frank Pallone (6th District of New Jersey)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) joined 198 of his colleagues in signing a bipartisan letter to Trump’s U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer urging the Department to reverse its decision to shut down Job Corps centers across the country. The letter calls on the Trump administration to preserve this critical program that helps young people build skills and secure stable employment.

    “Trump’s economic legacy is already marked by layoffs, chaos, and rising prices. Now he’s pulling the ladder up on the next generation at the very moment our economy needs more skilled workers. That’s why I’ve joined this bipartisan effort to fight back and save Job Corps. I’ll keep working to protect investments that help people get ahead,” Pallone said of the letter.

    The bipartisan letter emphasizes that nearly 20,000 young people nationwide rely on Job Corps to build vocational skills in fields like manufacturing, shipbuilding, and business services. With more than 120 centers nationwide, Job Corps provides one of the only targeted workforce development pipelines for Americans aged 16 to 24 who are neither in school nor employed – helping them access apprenticeships, higher education, and careers that fuel the country’s economic growth.

    The lawmakers warn that shutting down these centers would undermine both local communities and national workforce needs, particularly as industries seek skilled labor to meet growing demand.

    A copy of the letter to Trump’s Labor Secretary Chavez-DeRemer is here.

    MIL OSI USA News –