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Category: AM-NC

  • PM Modi extends birthday greetings to Maha CM Fadnavis, Deputy CM Ajit Pawar

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday extended warm birthday wishes to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, lauding their contributions to the state and wishing them long and healthy lives.

    Fadnavis, born on July 22, 1970, in Nagpur and Pawar, born on the same date in 1959 in Maharashtra’s Ahmednagar district, received praise and blessings from leaders across the political spectrum.

    Taking to X, PM Modi wrote, “Best wishes to Maharashtra Chief Minister, Shri Devendra Fadnavis Ji on his birthday. He’s working tirelessly for Maharashtra’s progress and empowering the poor and downtrodden. May he lead a long and healthy life in service of the people.”

    For Ajit Pawar, who leads the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) faction aligned with the Mahayuti, PM Modi posted, “Birthday greetings to Shri Ajit Pawar Ji. He is making a valuable contribution to strengthening the NDA’s good governance agenda in Maharashtra. May he be blessed with a long and healthy life.”

    Union Home Minister Amit Shah also extended heartfelt greetings. “Happy birthday to Chief Minister of Maharashtra Shri Devendra Fadnavis. Under the leadership of Modi ji, you are continuously doing commendable work towards public welfare and revival of cultural heritage in Maharashtra,” Shah wrote on X.

    “We are also moving forward firmly on the path of public welfare by providing basic facilities to the poor, deprived and exploited in a transparent manner. May Ganpati Bappa grant you long life and healthy life,” he added.

    For Ajit Pawar, Shah wrote, “Heartiest birthday wishes to Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. You are playing a commendable role in bringing the work of the Mahayuti government to the ground in Maharashtra. I pray to God for your good health and long life.”

    Joining in the celebrations, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde offered his wishes to both leaders.

    In a message posted in Marathi (loosely translated into English), he wrote, “Heartfelt birthday wishes to the Honourable Chief Minister Devendraji Fadnavis, the steadfast warrior of Maharashtra’s development journey! A trusted friend and colleague of the Mahayuti alliance, leading all comrades with strength, a leader who amplifies the voice of the people, taking bold steps in Maharashtra’s journey toward prosperity.”

    He further praised Fadnavis as “an excellent administrator, a wise leader with expertise in economics and law, and a visionary leader,” and prayed for his long and healthy life.

    Wishing his counterpart Ajit Pawar, Shinde wrote, “Heartfelt birthday wishes to Deputy Chief Minister Hon. Ajitdada Pawar, who steadfastly supports the Mahayuti! An exceptional administrator with a remarkable grasp of economics, a steadfast companion of visionary development, and a sensitive and punctual leader who carries the aspirations of Maharashtra’s progress — that’s our Ajitdada.”

    He added, “To our friend who firmly believes nothing comes before Maharashtra’s development and walks this path with conviction, we pray at the feet of the Almighty for a long and healthy life!”

    (IANS)

  • PM Modi extends birthday greetings to Maha CM Fadnavis, Deputy CM Ajit Pawar

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday extended warm birthday wishes to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, lauding their contributions to the state and wishing them long and healthy lives.

    Fadnavis, born on July 22, 1970, in Nagpur and Pawar, born on the same date in 1959 in Maharashtra’s Ahmednagar district, received praise and blessings from leaders across the political spectrum.

    Taking to X, PM Modi wrote, “Best wishes to Maharashtra Chief Minister, Shri Devendra Fadnavis Ji on his birthday. He’s working tirelessly for Maharashtra’s progress and empowering the poor and downtrodden. May he lead a long and healthy life in service of the people.”

    For Ajit Pawar, who leads the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) faction aligned with the Mahayuti, PM Modi posted, “Birthday greetings to Shri Ajit Pawar Ji. He is making a valuable contribution to strengthening the NDA’s good governance agenda in Maharashtra. May he be blessed with a long and healthy life.”

    Union Home Minister Amit Shah also extended heartfelt greetings. “Happy birthday to Chief Minister of Maharashtra Shri Devendra Fadnavis. Under the leadership of Modi ji, you are continuously doing commendable work towards public welfare and revival of cultural heritage in Maharashtra,” Shah wrote on X.

    “We are also moving forward firmly on the path of public welfare by providing basic facilities to the poor, deprived and exploited in a transparent manner. May Ganpati Bappa grant you long life and healthy life,” he added.

    For Ajit Pawar, Shah wrote, “Heartiest birthday wishes to Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. You are playing a commendable role in bringing the work of the Mahayuti government to the ground in Maharashtra. I pray to God for your good health and long life.”

    Joining in the celebrations, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde offered his wishes to both leaders.

    In a message posted in Marathi (loosely translated into English), he wrote, “Heartfelt birthday wishes to the Honourable Chief Minister Devendraji Fadnavis, the steadfast warrior of Maharashtra’s development journey! A trusted friend and colleague of the Mahayuti alliance, leading all comrades with strength, a leader who amplifies the voice of the people, taking bold steps in Maharashtra’s journey toward prosperity.”

    He further praised Fadnavis as “an excellent administrator, a wise leader with expertise in economics and law, and a visionary leader,” and prayed for his long and healthy life.

    Wishing his counterpart Ajit Pawar, Shinde wrote, “Heartfelt birthday wishes to Deputy Chief Minister Hon. Ajitdada Pawar, who steadfastly supports the Mahayuti! An exceptional administrator with a remarkable grasp of economics, a steadfast companion of visionary development, and a sensitive and punctual leader who carries the aspirations of Maharashtra’s progress — that’s our Ajitdada.”

    He added, “To our friend who firmly believes nothing comes before Maharashtra’s development and walks this path with conviction, we pray at the feet of the Almighty for a long and healthy life!”

    (IANS)

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Mong Kok fair to offer 2,300 jobs

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    The Labour Department (LD) announced today that it will hold the Building a Multicultural Workplace Job Fair at MacPherson Stadium in Mong Kok on Thursday and Friday, offering more than 2,300 vacancies.

    The fair is jointly organised by the LD and the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment & Progress of Hong Kong (DAB) Ethnic Minorities Committee, with the Equal Opportunities Commission as the co-organiser.

    It aims to enhance the employment opportunities of job seekers, including those from ethnic minorities, and promote the LD’s employment services.

    About 50 organisations will participate in the fair, with around half of them setting up booths on-site and conducting on-the-spot recruitment each day.

    The positions being offered include engineer, accountant, human resources officer, guest services officer, administrative assistant, clerk, aircraft maintenance mechanic trainee, railway technical trainee, technical manager, system analyst, equestrian assistant, barista, spa therapist, nail technician trainee and lifeguard.

    The Correctional Services Department, the Fire Services Department, Police and the Immigration Department plan to set up counters to introduce their career opportunities and entry requirements.

    In addition to providing on-site interpretation services in Hindi, Urdu and Nepali at the fair, the DAB Ethnic Minorities Committee will introduce its support services for people from ethnic minorities.

    Furthermore, career talks on various professions will be held during the event on Thursday.

    Around 93% of the vacancies at the fair are full-time jobs, with most of them offering monthly salaries ranging from $12,000 to $22,000.

    Among the vacancies, about 90% require a Secondary 7 education level or below and around 66% are open to job seekers without relevant work experience.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: May crime statistics

    Source: New South Wales – News

    Property related crime including house break-ins, shop theft and car theft have continued to decline considerably in South Australia, the latest crime statistics have revealed.

    The May rolling year crime statistics reveal the total number of property related offences has decreased by eight per cent – or 7,604 offences – in the period with significant reductions in most offences within the category.

    Robbery and related offences have also continued to fall with a 10 per cent decline in offences recorded in the period – 80 offences – which is the sixteenth successive decrease in offences within that category.

    The May figures reveal aggravated robberies declined by 14 per cent – from 490 to 432 offences reported and non-aggravated robberies rose by three per cent – from 75 to 77 offences reported.

    Within the property related offences category theft and related offences recorded a 10 per cent decline in the period with a reduction in 5,709 offences – from 56,630 to 50,921.

    Car theft recorded a six per cent decline – from 3,725 to 3,513 offences – and theft from a vehicle recorded a 20 per cent drop in offences – from 9,567 to 7,639 offences. This followed similar falls in the previous three reporting periods.

    Shop theft has continued to fall in South Australia as ongoing proactive operations targeting recidivist offenders pay dividends with a seven per cent decline in the May period when 1,224 fewer offences were reported – from 18,405 to 17,181 incidents. This is the seventh successive decline in reported offences.

    House break-ins have also continued to decline with a 10 per cent decrease recorded in the May period – from 5,822 to 5,228 offences – or 594 fewer incidents reported. This followed an 11 per cent decrease in the April period, eight per cent in March and seven per cent in February.

    Non-residential break-ins also showed another healthy decrease with 318 fewer offences reported – from 3,708 to 3,390. The nine per cent drop followed a seven per cent decline in the April period and five per cent reductions in March and February.

    The May rolling year statistics reveal acts intended to cause injury, which includes serious assault resulting in injury and common assault, increased by four per cent from 23,546 to 24,428 incidents reported.

    Within that category the number of assault police incidents reported decreased by four per cent -from 626 to 601 incidents.

    Reported homicides have returned to traditional levels with 10 recorded in the rolling year period compared with 23 in the corresponding period. A similar number were reported in the March and April periods.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Pāua poacher jailed for 2 and a half years

    Source: NZ Ministry for Primary Industries

    A Porirua poacher found with 619 pāua he intended to sell, has been sent to prison for 2 years and 6 months. 

    Ruteru Sufia (63) was sentenced in the Porirua District Court today on 4 charges under the Fisheries Act and one charge under the Fisheries (Amateur Fishing) Regulations, following a successful prosecution by the Ministry for Primary Industries. The Court also banned him from all forms of fishing for 3 years.

    In November 2022, Fishery Officers carried out a search warrant at Mr Sufia’s home and found 65 pāua in a freezer along with 554 shucked pāua in another freezer.

    “This was a large amount of pāua, more than 60 times the daily catch limit and more than 30 times the accumulation limit. Also, 45 of the pāua found were undersize. 

    While on bail on those charges, Mr Sufia was caught with a further 48 pāua, with 29 less than the minimum legal size. Mr Sufia was sentenced today on all matters.

    “Mr Sufia intended to sell this seafood, which is also illegal. We have zero tolerance for poachers – they affect the sustainability of our shared fisheries, and they affect people who legitimately trade in seafood,” says Fisheries New Zealand regional manager, Fisheries Compliance, Phil Tasker.

    “Mr Sufia claimed the pāua in his freezer was for a wedding in Auckland, an explanation the court didn’t believe. Mr Sufia’s offending was deliberate. He wasn’t concerned with legal size and catch limits; he was driven by financial gain from poaching this pāua. 

    When we find evidence of illegal fishing – you can be assured that we will investigate and depending on the circumstances, place the matter before the court,” Mr Tasker says.

    Ruteru Sufia has a long record of breaking fisheries rules with over 35 offences dealt with by MPI over a number of years.

    MPI encourages people to report suspected illegal activity through the ministry’s 0800 4 POACHER number (0800 476 224)

    For further information and general enquiries, call MPI on 0800 008 333 or email info@mpi.govt.nz

    For media enquiries, contact the media team on 029 894 0328

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Secretary-General of ASEAN delivers Pre-Recorded Remarks at the 20th Asia Media Summit

    Source: ASEAN – Association of SouthEast Asian Nations

    Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today delivered Pre-Recorded Remarks at the Opening Ceremony of the 20th Asia Media Summit held in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Under the theme of “Celebrating Two Decades of Excellence and Beyond,” the summit gathers broadcasters, decision makers, media professionals, regulators, scholars, and stakeholders from within and outside the region to address challenges and opportunities in the media industry. In his remarks, Dr. Kao reflected on the achievements of the Asia Media Summit, and highlighted ASEAN’s developments in response to the evolving information and media landscape.
     

    The post Secretary-General of ASEAN delivers Pre-Recorded Remarks at the 20th Asia Media Summit appeared first on ASEAN Main Portal.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • Sensex, Nifty open higher as banking stocks continue to gain

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The Indian stock market opened in the green on Tuesday as heavyweight banking stocks continued to lead amid mixed global cues.

    At 9.23 am, Sensex was up 152 points or 0.19 per cent at 82,359 and Nifty was up 38 points or 0.15 per cent at 25,129.

    Banking stocks were leading the market. Nifty Bank was up 0.30 per cent, higher than the main indices.

    Buying was also seen in the midcap and smallcap stocks. Nifty midcap 100 index was up 45 points or 0.08 per cent at 59,514 and Nifty smallcap 100 index was up 80 points or 0.42 per cent at 19,038.

    Among the sectoral indices, PSU bank, financial services, metal, media, energy and private bank were in the green. Pharma, IT, auto and FMCG were in the red.

    In the Sensex pack, Eternal, Trent, Tata Steel, ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, TCS, BEL, HCLTech, NTPC and SBI were top gainers. Tata Motors, Bajaj Finserv, Sun Pharma, M&M, Bharti Airtel, Maruti Suzuki, L&T, HUL and Asian Paints were top losers.

    “The Nifty 50, after a strong rebound from its intraday low of 24,900, surged nearly 225 points to close above the 25,000 mark, forming a bullish candlestick pattern. The rebound from the 50-day EMA indicates a potential trend reversal, though confirmation through follow-up buying is awaited,” said Mandar Bhojane of Choice Equity Broking Private Limited.

    On the upside, a sustained move above 25,150 could pave the way toward 25,250. Key support levels remain at 25,000 and 24,900, which may offer favourable risk-reward opportunities for long positions, he added.

    Most Asian markets kept to a tight range. Tokyo and Seoul were in the red while Shanghai, Hong Kong and Jakarta were in the green. US markets closed in the mixed zone. Dow Jones was in the red and Nasdaq was in the green.

    On July 21, foreign institutional investors (FIIs) were net sellers for the third consecutive session, offloading equities worth Rs 1,681 crore. In contrast, domestic institutional investors (DIIs) remained strong buyers for the 11th straight day, purchasing equities worth Rs 3,578 crore.

    (IANS)

  • Amarnath Yatra sees huge rush of pilgrims, 3.21 lakh had ‘darshan’ in 19 days

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The ongoing Amarnath Yatra has witnessed an overwhelming turnout, with more than 3.21 lakh devotees having undertaken the pilgrimage in the last 19 days since it commenced on July 3. On Tuesday, another batch of 3,536 pilgrims departed from Jammu for the holy cave in Kashmir.

    According to officials, “A fresh batch of 3,536 Yatris left the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in Jammu today in two escorted convoys headed for the Valley. The first convoy of 48 vehicles, carrying 1,250 pilgrims, departed at 3:33 a.m. for the Baltal base camp, while the second convoy of 84 vehicles, with 2,286 pilgrims, left at 4:06 a.m. for the Pahalgam base camp.”

    “There is a huge rush of Yatris, with thousands arriving daily from across the country at the twin base camps to undertake the Yatra,” added the officials.

    Extensive multi-tier security arrangements have been put in place to ensure the safety of pilgrims. An additional 180 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) have been deployed to strengthen the existing presence of the Army, BSF, CRPF, SSB, and local police. The Army has stationed over 8,000 special commandos along the route to secure the pilgrimage.

    The Amarnath Yatra 2025 will continue for 38 days, concluding on August 9, which coincides with Shravan Purnima and Raksha Bandhan.

    (With inputs from IANS)

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Hongkong Post reports cyberattack

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    Hongkong Post has reported an information security incident involving robotic access to information in the address books of its EC-Ship account holders.

    Condemning the attack, its stressed that it will work closely with Police on its investigation into the matter.

    Upon identifying the incident, Hongkong Post took immediate measures to block the unauthorised access. It also followed established guidelines and reported the case to Police, the Digital Policy Office, the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data and the Security Bureau on the same day. The EC-Ship service has resumed as normal.

    Hongkong Post said that based on a preliminary assessment, the incident could involve information in the address books of EC-Ship account holders, including senders’ and recipients’ names, addresses, phone numbers, fax numbers and email addresses. Investigations are ongoing to ascertain the number of account holders affected and whether any personal data leakage is involved. When further updates are available, Hongkong Post will inform affected account holders.

    The service added that it is seeking advice from the Digital Policy Office to assist with its investigations, and will further strengthen system security measures.

    Hongkong Post also reiterated that it does not send embedded hyperlinks via emails, SMS messages or social media pages for the collection of personal information or requesting for payment. Citizens are advised to refrain from clicking on any embedded links or providing any personal or financial data, and from making payments via suspicious emails or SMS messages alleged to be sent by Hongkong Post.

    For enquiries, call 2921 2222.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • South Korea finance minister, trade envoy to hold tariff talks with US counterparts

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    South Korea’s new finance minister and the country’s top trade envoy will meet in Washington with U.S. counterparts on Friday for talks on U.S. tariffs, Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol said on Tuesday.

    The country’s foreign and industry ministers will also visit the U.S. for trade discussions as early as this week, Koo told reporters after a meeting of economic ministers.

    Koo took office on Monday.

    The four officials complete a new cabinet team under President Lee Jae Myung who was sworn in on June 4 after winning a snap election called after his predecessor’s ouster for trying to declare martial law.

    The political turmoil that ensued delayed South Korea’s response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s punishing tariff regime imposed on dozens of trade partners, including key industrial powerhouses that are also security allies.

    Koo and Minister for Trade Yeo Han-koo will hold talks with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer on Friday at the request of the U.S. officials, the finance minister said.

    “We’ve had discussions from the perspective of national interest and pragmatism and we’ll do our best to prepare a meticulous strategy until we’re leaving,” Koo said, declining to say whether Seoul was hoping to push back the August 1 deadline before reciprocal tariffs set by Trump are due to come in.

    Yeo said on Tuesday he would seek to base the talks around forming a manufacturing partnership with the United States.

    On Monday, South Korea’s new Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan said tariff talks were in a critical phase that could result in a range of possible outcomes and pledged an all-out effort to wrap up negotiations by August 1.

    Trump has vowed to slap tariffs on a range of countries including South Korea to reduce what he called unfair trade imbalances.

    On Saturday, Japan’s top tariff negotiator, Ryosei Akazawa, said he planned to visit Washington this week to hold further ministerial-level talks, as Tokyo hopes to clinch a deal by its August 1 deadline.

    (Reuters)

  • Trump releases Martin Luther King assassination files

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The U.S. Justice Department on Monday released more than 240,000 pages of documents related to the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., including records from the FBI, which had surveilled the civil rights leader as part of an effort to discredit the Nobel Peace Prize winner and his civil rights movement.

    Files were posted on the website of the National Archives, which said more would be released.

    King died of an assassin’s bullet in Memphis, Tennessee, on April 4, 1968, as he increasingly extended his attention from a nonviolent campaign for equal rights for African Americans to economic issues and calls for peace. His death shook the United States in a year that would also bring race riots, anti-Vietnam war demonstrations and the assassination of presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy.

    Earlier this year, President Donald Trump’s administration released thousands of pages of digital documents related to the assassinations of Robert Kennedy and former President John F. Kennedy, who was killed in 1963.

    Trump promised on the campaign trail to provide more transparency about Kennedy’s death. Upon taking office, he also ordered aides to present a plan for the release of records relating to the assassinations of Robert Kennedy and King.

    The FBI kept files on King in the 1950s and 1960s – even wiretapping his phones – because of what the bureau falsely said at the time were his suspected ties to communism during the Cold War between the U.S. and Soviet Union. In recent years, the FBI has acknowledged that as an example of “abuse and overreach” in its history.

    The civil rights leader’s family asked those who engage with the files to “do so with empathy, restraint, and respect for our family’s continuing grief,” and condemned “any attempts to misuse these documents.”

    “Now more than ever, we must honor his sacrifice by committing ourselves to the realization of his dream – a society rooted in compassion, unity, and equality,” they said in a statement.

    “During our father’s lifetime, he was relentlessly targeted by an invasive, predatory, and deeply disturbing disinformation and surveillance campaign orchestrated by J. Edgar Hoover through the Federal Bureau of Investigation,” the family, including his two living children, Martin III, 67, and Bernice, 62, said, referring to the then-FBI director.

    James Earl Ray, a segregationist and drifter, confessed to killing King but later recanted. He died in prison in 1998.

    King’s family said it had filed a wrongful death civil lawsuit in Tennessee in 1999 that led to a jury unanimously concluding “that our father was the victim of a conspiracy involving Loyd Jowers and unnamed co-conspirators, including government agencies as a part of a wider scheme. The verdict also affirmed that someone other than James Earl Ray was the shooter, and that Mr. Ray was set up to take the blame. Our family views that verdict as an affirmation of our long-held beliefs.”

    Jowers, once a Memphis police officer, told ABC’s Prime Time Live in 1993 that he participated in a plot to kill King. A 2023 Justice Department report called his claims dubious.

    (Reuters)

  • IMF’s Gita Gopinath to step down in August, return to Harvard University

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Gita Gopinath, the No. 2 official at the International Monetary Fund, will leave her post at the end of August to return to Harvard University, the IMF said in a statement on Monday.

    IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva will name a successor to Gopinath in “due course,” the IMF said.

    Gopinath joined the fund in 2019 as chief economist – the first woman to serve in that role – and was promoted to first deputy managing director in January 2022.

    No comment was immediately available from the U.S. Treasury, which manages the dominant U.S. shareholding in the IMF. While European countries have traditionally chosen the Fund’s managing director, the U.S. Treasury has traditionally recommended candidates for the first deputy managing director role.

    Gopinath is an Indian-born U.S. citizen.

    The timing of the move caught some IMF insiders by surprise, and appears to have been initiated by Gopinath.

    Gopinath, who had left Harvard to join the IMF, will return to the university as a professor of economics.

    Gopinath’s departure will offer Treasury a chance to recommend a successor at a time when U.S. President Donald Trump is seeking to restructure the global economy and end longstanding U.S. trade deficits with high tariffs on imports from nearly all countries.

    She will return to a university that has been in the Trump administration’s crosshairs after it rejected demands to change its governance, hiring, and admissions practices.

    Georgieva said Gopinath joined the IMF as a highly respected academic and proved to be an “exceptional intellectual leader” during her time, which included the pandemic and global shocks caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

    “Gita steered the Fund’s analytical and policy work with clarity, striving for the highest standards of rigorous analysis at a complex time of high uncertainty and rapidly changing global economic environment,” Georgieva said.

    Gopinath has also overseen the fund’s multilateral surveillance and analytical work on fiscal and monetary policy, debt, and international trade.

    Gopinath said she was grateful for a “once in a lifetime opportunity” to work at the IMF, thanking both Georgieva and the previous IMF chief, Christine Lagarde, who appointed her as chief economist.

    “I now return to my roots in academia, where I look forward to continuing to push the research frontier in international finance and macroeconomics to address global challenges, and to training the next generation of economists,” she said in a statement.

    (Reuters)

  • IMF’s Gita Gopinath to step down in August, return to Harvard University

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Gita Gopinath, the No. 2 official at the International Monetary Fund, will leave her post at the end of August to return to Harvard University, the IMF said in a statement on Monday.

    IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva will name a successor to Gopinath in “due course,” the IMF said.

    Gopinath joined the fund in 2019 as chief economist – the first woman to serve in that role – and was promoted to first deputy managing director in January 2022.

    No comment was immediately available from the U.S. Treasury, which manages the dominant U.S. shareholding in the IMF. While European countries have traditionally chosen the Fund’s managing director, the U.S. Treasury has traditionally recommended candidates for the first deputy managing director role.

    Gopinath is an Indian-born U.S. citizen.

    The timing of the move caught some IMF insiders by surprise, and appears to have been initiated by Gopinath.

    Gopinath, who had left Harvard to join the IMF, will return to the university as a professor of economics.

    Gopinath’s departure will offer Treasury a chance to recommend a successor at a time when U.S. President Donald Trump is seeking to restructure the global economy and end longstanding U.S. trade deficits with high tariffs on imports from nearly all countries.

    She will return to a university that has been in the Trump administration’s crosshairs after it rejected demands to change its governance, hiring, and admissions practices.

    Georgieva said Gopinath joined the IMF as a highly respected academic and proved to be an “exceptional intellectual leader” during her time, which included the pandemic and global shocks caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

    “Gita steered the Fund’s analytical and policy work with clarity, striving for the highest standards of rigorous analysis at a complex time of high uncertainty and rapidly changing global economic environment,” Georgieva said.

    Gopinath has also overseen the fund’s multilateral surveillance and analytical work on fiscal and monetary policy, debt, and international trade.

    Gopinath said she was grateful for a “once in a lifetime opportunity” to work at the IMF, thanking both Georgieva and the previous IMF chief, Christine Lagarde, who appointed her as chief economist.

    “I now return to my roots in academia, where I look forward to continuing to push the research frontier in international finance and macroeconomics to address global challenges, and to training the next generation of economists,” she said in a statement.

    (Reuters)

  • Meri Panchayat App secures WSIS Champion Award 2025 for Digital Governance Excellence

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The “Meri Panchayat” mobile application, a transformative digital governance initiative by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj and the National Informatics Centre (NIC), has been honored with the prestigious World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Prizes 2025 Champion Award. The accolade, awarded under the Action Line Category for Cultural Diversity and Identity, Linguistic Diversity, and Local Content, was presented at the WSIS+20 High-Level Event 2025 in Geneva, Switzerland, organized by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). The WSIS Champion Certificate was formally handed over to Union Minister of Panchayati Raj, Rajiv Ranjan Singh, during a ceremonial event in New Delhi, attended by Minister of State for Panchayati Raj, Prof. S. P. Singh Baghel, and Secretary MoPR, Vivek Bharadwaj, among other senior officials.

    Rajiv Ranjan Singh praised the Meri Panchayat initiative for advancing citizen-centric governance through digital innovation. He highlighted the importance of leveraging such tools to enhance transparency, promote participatory democracy, and bridge the knowledge divide at the grassroots level. The app, recognized as a WSIS Prizes 2025 Champion Project, exemplifies India’s global leadership in digital governance.

    The WSIS+20 High-Level Event, held from July 7 to 11 in Geneva, marked two decades since the original WSIS. Co-hosted by ITU and the Swiss Confederation, and co-organized by ITU, UNESCO, UNDP, and UNCTAD, the forum served as a platform to evaluate progress and address challenges in building inclusive information societies. Sunita Jain, Senior Director, NIC/MoPR, accepted the Champion Award on behalf of the Government of India on July 10 during the event.

    The Meri Panchayat app empowers over 25 lakh elected representatives and approximately 950 million rural residents across India’s 2.65 lakh Gram Panchayats. It provides real-time access to panchayat budgets, receipts, payments, and development plans, along with details of elected representatives, public infrastructure, and civic services. The app also offers access to Gram Panchayat Development Plans (GPDPs), project tracking, weather forecasts at the Gram Panchayat level, social audit tools, fund utilization data, and grievance redressal with geo-tagged and geo-fenced features. Supporting over 12 Indian languages, the app ensures inclusivity through its multilingual interface. Citizens can propose new projects, review and rate implemented works, and access Gram Sabha agendas and decisions, fostering greater civic engagement and transparency in rural governance.

  • Meri Panchayat App secures WSIS Champion Award 2025 for Digital Governance Excellence

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The “Meri Panchayat” mobile application, a transformative digital governance initiative by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj and the National Informatics Centre (NIC), has been honored with the prestigious World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Prizes 2025 Champion Award. The accolade, awarded under the Action Line Category for Cultural Diversity and Identity, Linguistic Diversity, and Local Content, was presented at the WSIS+20 High-Level Event 2025 in Geneva, Switzerland, organized by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). The WSIS Champion Certificate was formally handed over to Union Minister of Panchayati Raj, Rajiv Ranjan Singh, during a ceremonial event in New Delhi, attended by Minister of State for Panchayati Raj, Prof. S. P. Singh Baghel, and Secretary MoPR, Vivek Bharadwaj, among other senior officials.

    Rajiv Ranjan Singh praised the Meri Panchayat initiative for advancing citizen-centric governance through digital innovation. He highlighted the importance of leveraging such tools to enhance transparency, promote participatory democracy, and bridge the knowledge divide at the grassroots level. The app, recognized as a WSIS Prizes 2025 Champion Project, exemplifies India’s global leadership in digital governance.

    The WSIS+20 High-Level Event, held from July 7 to 11 in Geneva, marked two decades since the original WSIS. Co-hosted by ITU and the Swiss Confederation, and co-organized by ITU, UNESCO, UNDP, and UNCTAD, the forum served as a platform to evaluate progress and address challenges in building inclusive information societies. Sunita Jain, Senior Director, NIC/MoPR, accepted the Champion Award on behalf of the Government of India on July 10 during the event.

    The Meri Panchayat app empowers over 25 lakh elected representatives and approximately 950 million rural residents across India’s 2.65 lakh Gram Panchayats. It provides real-time access to panchayat budgets, receipts, payments, and development plans, along with details of elected representatives, public infrastructure, and civic services. The app also offers access to Gram Panchayat Development Plans (GPDPs), project tracking, weather forecasts at the Gram Panchayat level, social audit tools, fund utilization data, and grievance redressal with geo-tagged and geo-fenced features. Supporting over 12 Indian languages, the app ensures inclusivity through its multilingual interface. Citizens can propose new projects, review and rate implemented works, and access Gram Sabha agendas and decisions, fostering greater civic engagement and transparency in rural governance.

  • Death toll rises to 27 in Bangladesh air force jet crash, official says

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    At least 27 people were killed after a Bangladesh Air Force training jet crashed into a college and school campus in Dhaka, officials said on Tuesday, with 88 people, including children, being treated in hospital.

    The F-7 BGI aircraft crashed soon after it took off at 1:06 p.m. (0706 GMT) on Monday from the airbase in Kurmitola in the capital on a routine training mission. The military said the plane experienced a mechanical failure.

    Sayedur Rahman, special assistant to the chief adviser on health, told reporters that 27 people had died and 88 were admitted to hospital with burn injuries.

    The government announced a day of mourning, with flags at half-mast and special prayers at all places of worship.

    The pilot was among those killed in the incident, the military said, adding that a committee had been formed to investigate what happened.

    The F-7  BGI is the final and most advanced variant in China’s Chengdu J-7/F-7 aircraft family, according to Jane’s Information Group. Bangladesh signed a contract for 16 aircraft in 2011 and deliveries were completed by 2013.

    The crash comes weeks after an Air India plane crashed into a medical college hostel in Ahmedabad in neighbouring India, killing 241 of the 242 people on board and 19 on the ground in the world’s worst aviation disaster in a decade.

    (Reuters)

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Search for remains near Port Lincoln

    Source: New South Wales – News

    Detectives from Major Crime Investigation Branch and local Eyre Western police, with the assistance of local support services will conduct further searches at several locations over the coming days to locate the missing remains of murder victim Julian Story.

    Police will allege Julian was murdered by his partner, 34-year-old Port Lincoln woman Tamika Chesser on Tuesday 17 June 2025.

    Major Crime Investigation Branch, Detective Superintendent Darren Fielke said information received by the investigation team coupled with the use of specialist equipment has identified several additional search sites in and around Port Lincoln.

    “In the days following the murder, Major Crime Detectives, local police, Water Operations Unit and the SA State Emergency Service conducted extensive searches around Port Lincoln without success,” Detective Superintendent Fielke said.

    “New search areas have been identified and by undertaking these renewed searches, we hope to find Julian’s missing remains, which will give comfort to his family and allow them to peacefully lay him to rest.

    “Police have reviewed a significant amount of CCTV footage since the incident which has provided a number of investigational leads. We also appreciate the ongoing assistance the community of Port Lincoln has provided throughout the investigation.”

    Anyone with information that may assist the investigation is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online at www.crimestopperssa.com.au – you can remain anonymous.

    CO2500025517.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: A friendly football tournament between China and Russia has started in the Chinese city of Hunchun

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

    BEIJING, July 22 (Xinhua) — The first China-Russia friendly football tournament in 2025, the Friendship Cup, kicked off in Hunchun, northeast China’s Jilin Province on Monday, with 17 junior and youth teams from the two countries taking part, China’s Zhongxinshe News Agency reported.

    The competition, aimed at promoting sports exchanges between China and Russia, is organized by the Hunchun Municipal People’s Government, the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture Sports Administration, to which Hunchun is administratively subordinate, and the Jilin Provincial Association for Cultural Exchange with Foreign Countries.

    During the tournament, individual matches will be held among the abovementioned teams. It is planned that the competition among youth teams will end on July 23, and the juniors will last until July 24.

    “We are very grateful to the Chinese side for the invitation to participate in the competition and hope that all teams will be able to play at their best level and achieve good results,” Russian footballer Alexey told a Zhongxinshe correspondent.

    As Secretary General of the Hunchun Football Association Wang Liang noted, football competitions are an important part of cultural exchanges between China and Russia. Holding this football tournament is aimed at creating a platform for exchanging football experiences and strengthening friendship between teenagers and young people of the two countries. -0-

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

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Trump Administration Declassifies Martin Luther King Assassination Files

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

    WASHINGTON, July 21 (Xinhua) — The Donald Trump administration has released more than 230,000 pages of documents related to the assassination of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said on social media on Monday.

    She said the documents were released after questions about the murder had been swept under the rug for nearly 60 years.

    “The documents include details of the FBI’s investigation into M.L. King’s murder, discussions of potential leads, internal FBI memos detailing the investigation, information about a former cellmate of James Earl Ray who said he discussed the alleged murder plan with Ray, and more,” Gabbard wrote.

    On January 23, three days after taking office, D. Trump signed an order to declassify all remaining documents related to the assassinations of former President John F. Kennedy, his brother Robert, and M.L. King.

    M. L. King is one of the most prominent figures in the American civil rights movement. He is widely known for his commitment to nonviolent campaigns against racial segregation and inequality, and for his famous “I Have a Dream” speech. –0–

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

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Nearly 20 people trapped after jade mine collapses in northern Myanmar

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

    YANGON, July 22 (Xinhua) — About 20 people were trapped after a jade mine collapsed in northern Myanmar’s Kachin State, a local police official told Xinhua.

    The incident took place in Hpakant township on Monday morning. “Two bodies have been found so far and rescue efforts are ongoing,” a local rescue official said.

    The death toll could exceed 10 people, he said, adding that the incident led to the destruction of nearby houses. –0–

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

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Afghanistan Begins Polio Vaccination of 7.3 Million Children

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

    KABUL, July 22 (Xinhua) — The Afghan interim government’s Ministry of Health on Monday announced a four-day polio vaccination campaign to target 7.3 million children under five.

    Children in 19 of the country’s 34 provinces will be vaccinated against polio as part of the campaign, which runs from Monday to Thursday, ministry spokesman Sharafat Zaman Amarkhil said.

    He called on tribal elders, religious leaders and parents to actively participate and fully cooperate with health workers for the proper conduct of the campaign.

    “The Ministry of Health is committed to combating infectious diseases by taking all preventive measures. Through the polio vaccination campaign, we are aiming to prevent the spread of polio in Afghanistan,” said M. Z. Amarkhil. –0–

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

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Belarus used $7.25 billion in fixed capital investments in January-June 2025 — Belstat

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

    MINSK, July 22 (Xinhua) — Belarus spent 23.7 billion Belarusian rubles (7.25 billion U.S. dollars) in fixed capital investments in the first half of 2025, the country’s National Statistical Committee (Belstat) reported on Monday.

    The share of Minsk region in the total volume of investments in fixed capital of the country was 25.5%. In Minsk, 21.2% of investments were used, in Gomel region – 13.3%, in Brest region – 13%, in Grodno region – 9.6%, in Vitebsk region – 8.8%, in Mogilev region – 8.7%.

    In the technological structure of investments in fixed capital, 48.2% were spent on construction and installation works, 38% on machinery, equipment, and vehicles, 11.4% on other works and costs, and 2.4% on intellectual property.

    By type of ownership, 38.4 percent of the total investment in fixed capital was state-owned. In turn, 55.4 percent was investment in private property, and 6.2 percent in foreign property.

    In terms of sources of financing, the consolidated budget accounted for 20.2% of the total investment in fixed capital, while organizations’ own funds accounted for 43.6%. Borrowed funds from other organizations accounted for 0.6%, foreign investment – 1.9%, bank loans/borrowings – 13.6%, household funds – 12.7%, off-budget funds – 0.3%, and other sources – 7%.

    In terms of the main types of economic activity, real estate transactions accounted for 22.6 percent of the total investment in fixed capital, manufacturing accounted for 18.7 percent, and agriculture, forestry and fisheries accounted for 14.7 percent. Transportation, warehousing, postal and courier services accounted for 6.8 percent, and the supply of electricity, gas, steam, hot water and air conditioning accounted for 6.3 percent. –0–

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

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Outage advice – Saturday July 26, 2025

    Source: New South Wales Ministerial News

    Please be aware that our Payment Portal, Online Customer Requests and Building Application lodgment portal will be unavailable between:

    Starts: 7:00am on Saturday July 26, 2025

    Ends: 12:00pm on Saturday July 26, 2025

    For any payments please refer to your invoice or statement for other payment options during this period.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Zelensky says Ukraine, Russia to hold talks in Türkiye on Wednesday

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

    The next round of peace talks between Russia and Ukraine will be held Wednesday in Türkiye, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Monday.

    In his daily address, Zelensky said he discussed with Rustem Umerov, secretary of the National Security and Defense Council, about the meeting. “Umerov said the meeting was scheduled for Wednesday. There will be more details tomorrow.”

    Umerov, the former defense minister, was appointed to his current position last week and headed the Ukrainian delegation in the previous two talks in Istanbul, Türkiye.

    However, Russia’s TASS news agency quoted a source as saying that the third round of talks will take place on Thursday. “The meeting is scheduled for July 24, the delegations may arrive in Istanbul on the 23rd,” the source said.

    Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Sunday that Russia is ready to move quickly toward a settlement on Ukraine, but the main objective is to achieve its goals. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: 28 countries condemn Israel over ‘suffering of civilians in Gaza’

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

    Twenty-eight countries and the European Union Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management issued a joint statement on Monday, condemning Israel for the suffering of civilians in Gaza.

    “The suffering of civilians in Gaza has reached new depths. We condemn the drip feeding of aid and the inhumane killing of civilians,” said the statement. “It is horrifying that over 800 Palestinians have been killed while seeking aid.”

    “The Israeli Government’s denial of essential humanitarian assistance to the civilian population is unacceptable. Israel must comply with its obligations under international humanitarian law,” the statement added, urging an immediate end to the war in Gaza.

    The statement called on the Israeli government to “immediately lift restrictions on the flow of aid and to urgently enable the UN and humanitarian NGOs to do their life-saving work safely and effectively.”

    Signed by the foreign ministers of Britain, France, Italy, Canada, Japan, and other Western countries, the statement also opposes any attempts to alter the territorial or demographic status of the occupied Palestinian territories.

    In response, the Israeli Foreign Ministry rejected the statement as being “disconnected from reality” and accused Hamas of being “the only party responsible for the lack of a deal for the release of hostages and a ceasefire.”

    “The statement fails to focus the pressure on Hamas and fails to recognize Hamas’s role and responsibility for the situation,” the ministry said in an announcement. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Money Market Operations as on July 21, 2025

    Source: Reserve Bank of India
    (Amount in ₹ crore, Rate in Per cent)
      Volume
    (One Leg)    		 Weighted
    Average Rate    		 Range
    A. Overnight Segment (I+II+III+IV) 6,19,575.62 5.51 4.75-6.50
         I. Call Money 18,053.92 5.48 4.75-5.70
         II. Triparty Repo 4,14,235.80 5.51 5.32-5.90
         III. Market Repo 1,84,961.35 5.51 5.00-6.00
         IV. Repo in Corporate Bond 2,324.55 5.65 5.50-6.50
    B. Term Segment      
         I. Notice Money** 338.19 5.36 5.00-5.53
         II. Term Money@@ 409.00 – 5.50-5.75
         III. Triparty Repo 1,299.40 5.71 5.40-6.47
         IV. Market Repo 1,492.83 5.57 5.44-5.64
         V. Repo in Corporate Bond 0.00 – –
      Auction Date Tenor (Days) Maturity Date Amount Current Rate /
    Cut off Rate
    C. Liquidity Adjustment Facility (LAF), Marginal Standing Facility (MSF) & Standing Deposit Facility (SDF)
    I. Today’s Operations
    1. Fixed Rate          
    2. Variable Rate&          
      (I) Main Operation          
         (a) Repo          
         (b) Reverse Repo          
      (II) Fine Tuning Operations          
         (a) Repo          
         (b) Reverse Repo          
    3. MSF# Mon, 21/07/2025 1 Tue, 22/07/2025 10,750.00 5.75
    4. SDFΔ# Mon, 21/07/2025 1 Tue, 22/07/2025 56,852.00 5.25
    5. Net liquidity injected from today’s operations [injection (+)/absorption (-)]*       -46,102.00  
    II. Outstanding Operations
    1. Fixed Rate          
    2. Variable Rate&          
      (I) Main Operation          
         (a) Repo          
         (b) Reverse Repo          
      (II) Fine Tuning Operations          
         (a) Repo          
         (b) Reverse Repo Fri, 18/07/2025 7 Fri, 25/07/2025 2,00,027.00 5.49
    3. MSF#          
    4. SDFΔ#          
    D. Standing Liquidity Facility (SLF) Availed from RBI$       6,511.19  
    E. Net liquidity injected from outstanding operations [injection (+)/absorption (-)]*     -1,93,515.81  
    F. Net liquidity injected (outstanding including today’s operations) [injection (+)/absorption (-)]*     -2,39,617.81  
    G. Cash Reserves Position of Scheduled Commercial Banks          
         (i) Cash balances with RBI as on July 21, 2025 9,37,144.49  
         (ii) Average daily cash reserve requirement for the fortnight ending July 25, 2025 9,63,288.00  
    H. Government of India Surplus Cash Balance Reckoned for Auction as on¥ July 21, 2025 0.00  
    I. Net durable liquidity [surplus (+)/deficit (-)] as on June 27, 2025 5,79,904.00  

    @ Based on Reserve Bank of India (RBI) / Clearing Corporation of India Limited (CCIL).

    – Not Applicable / No Transaction.

    ** Relates to uncollateralized transactions of 2 to 14 days tenor.

    @@ Relates to uncollateralized transactions of 15 days to one year tenor.

    $ Includes refinance facilities extended by RBI.

    * Net liquidity is calculated as Repo+MSF+SLF-Reverse Repo-SDF.

    Ajit Prasad          
    Deputy General Manager
    (Communications)    

    Press Release: 2025-2026/758

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI USA: DOD Raises Ceiling of Contract with General Dynamics for Vital Work in Grand Forks

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) announced it has increased the size of its contract with General Dynamics, a global aerospace and defense company, by $34,273,921 to reflect growing numbers of test activities and missile track fusion work performed at Grand Forks and other sites for the Space Development Agency (SDA). This announcement brings the total cumulative value of the contract, which is expected to be completed by Sep. 30, 2029, to $1,106,722,296.

    As chair of the Senate Armed Services (SASC) Airland Subcommittee, U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) leads the effort to advance space-based capabilities and missions, both in North Dakota and across the nation.

    “With the 319th Reconnaissance Wing flying RQ-4 Global Hawks and providing vital warfighting and ground-based capabilities, the innovative defense ecosystem at Grand Forks Air Force Base is unmatched,” said Cramer. “Raising the contract ceiling will allow General Dynamics to better support our Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture ground management, integration, operation, and sustainment efforts. This crucial investment is proof of the global expertise that resides right here in Grand Forks.”

    In April, General Michael Guetlein, the DOD’s Golden Dome leader, joined Cramer and SDA Director Derek Tournear in touring North Dakota’s defense capabilities. The group saw recent updates at SDA Operations Center North and visited Cavalier Space Force Station. During the visit, the group viewed on-going U.S. Space Force activities throughout the state.

    Last year, Cramer flipped the switch to bring the SDA Operations Center North online at Grand Forks Air Force Base (GFAFB), participated in a Grand Forks Base Retention Committee meeting, toured the University of North Dakota (UND) National Security Corridor, and announced new Navy personnel at GFAFB. Cramer also joined E-Space CEO Greg Wyler in meeting with UND faculty and SDA staff to discuss workforce development and initiatives, and announced educational initiatives between SDA and UND.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Nantong Railway Station under construction in east China’s Jiangsu

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

    Nantong Railway Station under construction in east China’s Jiangsu

    Updated: July 22, 2025 10:43 Xinhua
    An aerial drone photo shows the construction site of the Nantong Railway Station in Nantong, east China’s Jiangsu Province, July 21, 2025. The station is along a high-speed railway linking Shanghai, Nanjing of Jiangsu Province and Hefei of Anhui Province in east China. [Photo/Xinhua]
    An aerial drone photo shows workers working at the construction site of the Nantong Railway Station in Nantong, east China’s Jiangsu Province, July 21, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    An aerial drone photo shows the construction site of the Nantong Railway Station in Nantong, east China’s Jiangsu Province, July 21, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    An aerial drone photo shows the construction site of the Nantong Railway Station in Nantong, east China’s Jiangsu Province, July 21, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    An aerial drone photo shows the construction site of the Nantong Railway Station in Nantong, east China’s Jiangsu Province, July 21, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Rally Estonia: Day 4 Sensational Solberg debut secures 100th WRC triumph for TOYOTA

    Source: Toyota

    Headline: Rally Estonia: Day 4
    Sensational Solberg debut secures 100th WRC triumph for TOYOTA

    Oliver Solberg has secured a sensational victory on debut for TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Team at Rally Estonia, claiming both his first win as well as the 100th for TOYOTA in the history of the FIA World Rally Championship.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Business Leaders Urge Recommitment to Open, Rules-based and Predictable Trade, Call for Bold Action to Secure Future Growth Hai Phong, Viet Nam | 22 July 2025 APEC Business Advisory Council

    Source: APEC – Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation

    aRepresentatives of the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) met in Hai Phong, Viet Nam to finalize their recommendations to APEC Leaders and seven Sectoral Ministerial Meetings to be held in Korea later this year. During the meeting, ABAC members reiterated an urgent call to APEC Leaders to reaffirm their commitment to open, rules-based, non-discriminatory, predictable and competitive markets in the face of mounting trade tensions, policy volatility and global uncertainty.

    APEC’s prosperity has long rested on reducing distortions and opening markets, anchored by transparent, rules-based trade but today, that foundation is under threat.

    Escalating trade frictions and uncertainty are disrupting supply chains, inflating costs, shaking business confidence and threatening jobs and living standards. This is throttling growth and distracting from the critical work of revitalizing businesses and our economies. In a ‘Statement on Open Markets’, ABAC underscored that the business community needs a return to the stable trade and economic environment that has underpinned decades of prosperity for every APEC economy.

    As leaders of the Asia-Pacific business community, ABAC recognizes that artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping our economies, societies and daily lives. Yet the full benefits of AI cannot be realized without robust, efficient and sustainable infrastructure to support its development and deployment. In its Declaration on Sustainable AI Infrastructure and Investment, ABAC reaffirmed its commitment to shaping an AI-powered future that is not only innovative and inclusive, but also environmentally responsible.

    Priorities for Inclusive and Sustainable Growth

    In the 2025 Report to APEC Leaders, ABAC finalized the recommendations it will present later this year to drive sustainable and inclusive growth in the region including the following:

    • Accelerating the realization of the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP), with early deliverables like the APEC Centre of Excellence on Paperless Trade, a new equal pay framework and a Greener Trade Framework.
    • Reforming and modernizing the WTO including making permanent the E-Commerce Moratorium for digital products.
    • Mobilizing investment to fund energy transitions, digital infrastructure, and disaster response.
    • Leading in Digital Transformation by ensuring equitable access to secure, sustainable digital infrastructure, shaping responsible AI deployment and governance and developing interoperable digital trade rules.
    • Strengthening healthcare supply chains and market access for innovations like genomics and AI.
    • Tackling demographic shifts by promoting workforce participation, labor mobility, skills recognition, pensions reform and leveraging emerging technologies.

    ABAC’s work and recommendations are guided by the theme this year—“Bridge. Business. Beyond.” This reflects what is needed to deliver ABAC’s vision: bridge divides, empower businesses to drive growth and look beyond short-term challenges to long-term prosperity. 

    ABAC stands ready to work with APEC Leaders to shape a future of inclusive, sustainable growth for all.

    ABAC 2025 Chairman H.S. Cho thanked His Excellency Luong Cuong, President of Viet Nam, who opened the ABAC meeting.

    ABAC expressed its appreciation to ABAC Viet Nam for the excellent arrangements and the leaders of Hai Phong City for supporting the meeting. Prior to the start of the ABAC meeting, members joined participants to the Hai Phong Investment Promotion Conference held prior to their Meeting where they engaged with H.E. President of Viet Nam, Hai Phong City Leaders and local business owners.  

    For further information, please contact:

    Hyungkon Park (Mr), ABAC Executive Director 2025  at +82 2 6050 3686 and [email protected]
    Antonio Basilio (Mr), Director of the ABAC Secretariat at +63 917 849 3351 and [email protected]

    MIL OSI Economics –