NewzIntel.com

Category: Asia Pacific

  • UK to lower voting age to 16 in landmark electoral reform

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The British government said on Thursday it planned to give 16 and 17-year-olds the right to vote in all UK elections in a major overhaul of the country’s democratic system.

    The government said the proposed changes, which are subject to parliament approvals, would align voting rights across the UK with Scotland and Wales, where younger voters already participate in devolved elections.

    “We are taking action to break down barriers to participation that will ensure more people have the opportunity to engage in UK democracy,” Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said in a statement.

    Turnout at the 2024 general election was 59.7%, the lowest at a general election since 2001, according to a parliamentary report.

    According to the House of Commons library, research from countries that have lowered the voting age to 16 shows it has had no impact on election outcomes, and that 16-year-olds were more likely to vote than those first eligible at 18.

    Labour, whose popularity has fallen sharply in government after being elected by a landslide a year ago, had said it would lower the voting age if elected.

    The reforms would also expand acceptable voter ID to include UK-issued bank cards and digital formats of existing IDs, such as driving licences and Veteran Cards.

    To tackle foreign interference, the government said it also planned to tighten rules on political donations, including checks on contributions over 500 pounds ($670) from unincorporated associations and closing loopholes used by shell companies.

    (Reuters)

  • Monsoon update: IMD issues red alert for heavy rainfall in parts of UP, MP; Delhi likely to witness mild showers

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Thursday issued warning of extremely heavy rainfall (exceeding 21 cm) at isolated locations across several states, including parts of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh under the influence of depression over southeast UP.

    Western Uttar Pradesh is expected to receive significant rainfall on July 18, 20, and 21. Eastern Rajasthan may see heavy downpours on July 17, while other parts of Rajasthan are likely to experience extremely heavy downpour on July 18.

    In Devbhoomi Uttarakhand, very heavy rainfall is anticipated on July 17 and again from July 20 to 23.

    Himachal Pradesh is likely to see heavy showers during July 21 to 23.

    In the southern region, Kerala is also likely to receive extremely heavy rainfall on July 17, 19, and 20, along with coastal Karnataka on July 17 and south interior Karnataka on July 17 and 18.

    Other regions expected to witness very heavy rainfall between July 17 and 23 include Kerala, Mahe, Tamil Nadu, and both Coastal and South Interior Karnataka. Western Madhya Pradesh on July 18 and sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim on July 20 are also under watch.

    Over the past 24 hours until 8:30 AM on July 17, extremely heavy rainfall was recorded in isolated areas of Madhya Pradesh, eastern Uttar Pradesh, and coastal Karnataka. Heavy to very heavy rainfall also took place at scattered locations across Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, eastern Rajasthan, Marathwada, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Jharkhand, and coastal Andhra Pradesh. Isolated heavy rainfall was reported in Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Goa, central Maharashtra, sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Odisha, Assam, Mizoram, interior Karnataka, Rayalaseema, and Telangana.

    Delhi weather update:

    In Delhi-NCR, the weather is expected to remain generally cloudy on Thursday, with very light to light rain accompanied by thunderstorms or lightning. Maximum temperatures are likely to range between 32°C and 34°C, which is 1 to 2 degrees below normal. Light southeasterly winds are expected throughout the day.

    On July 18, the capital is likely to receive light to moderate rainfall with thunderstorms and occasional gusty winds reaching up to 40 kmph. Temperatures will remain slightly below normal, with maximums between 32°C and 34°C and minimums between 24°C and 26°C. Winds will shift from the southeast to the east in the afternoon before calming by evening.

    July 19 and 20 will see partly cloudy skies with intermittent light showers and possible thunderstorms. Maximum temperatures will rise slightly to 34°C–36°C, while minimums will stay between 24°C and 27°C. Winds will remain light and variable, shifting from southeast to west by July 20.

  • MIL-OSI Russia: We understand the same, but read differently: how native language affects reading in English

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: State University “Higher School of Economics” –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Researchers from the international MECO project, including specialists Center of Language and Brain HSE University has developed a tool to study English reading in speakers of more than 19 languages. In a large-scale experiment involving more than 1,200 people, scientists tracked eye movements while reading the same texts in English, and then analyzed the level of comprehension. The results showed that even with the same comprehension, the reading process – where the gaze lingers, where it returns, which words it skips – depends on the native language and level of English proficiency.Studypublished in Studies in Second Language Acquisition.

    Reading in a foreign language is a complex skill, especially if the reader’s native language is very different. To find out how native language affects reading in English, scientists from 36 universities, including HSE, have teamed up in an international projectMeco, created in 2020. As part of the project, they record the eye movements of native speakers of different languages while reading texts in their native language and in English, and then analyze how fluent the reading is, where the eyes stumble, and what strategies the reader uses.

    In the new wave of the MECO project, scientists added data on English reading from 660 people, collected in 16 labs in Europe, Asia, and South America. The experiment was conducted in two stages. First, participants completed behavioral tests: spelling, vocabulary, reading words and pseudowords, motivation, and nonverbal intelligence. Then they silently read 12 short texts in English from a computer screen (approximately at the level of American native-speaking students) and answered questions about their content. During this time, the participants’ eye movements were recorded using the EyeLink eye tracker. The study used both new results and information collected in previous stages of the project. In total, the scientists analyzed data from more than 1,200 participants.

    The results showed that most participants handled questions about the content of the texts equally well: they understood 70–75% of what they read. However, there was a large spread in the data regarding reading fluency. Native English speakers read the fastest: they had fewer fixations (gaze stops), skipped words more often, and reread less often. The German participants were the most similar to English speakers. However, native speakers of Spanish, Russian, Chinese, and other languages read less fluently and used different strategies.

    Interestingly, the level of text comprehension was almost independent of eye movements: participants showed the same results when answering questions on the content regardless of their reading speed. However, fluency was highly dependent on the level of English: the better the participant coped with language tests — vocabulary, grammar, and others — the more confidently their gaze behaved: fewer rereads, more skipped words, fewer fixations.

    “We now have a tool that allows us to assess English reading in 19 languages. MECO’s open data allows us to compare reading in different languages, compare native speakers and language learners, and track the influence of the native language’s writing system – Latin, Chinese characters, or ligature,” the authors of the article say. “Over the course of several years, more than 1,200 people have taken part in the project. These data are the basis for dozens of future studies on how native language affects text perception and English reading skills.”

    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 –

  • President urges citizens to adopt zero-waste practices, lauds school-level cleanliness drive

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday presented the Swachh Survekshan Awards at a ceremony organised by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs in the national capital. The awards, which recognise the cleanliness efforts of cities across the country, mark the culmination of the world’s largest cleanliness survey for the year 2024, with participation from state governments, urban local bodies and over 14 crore citizens.

    In her address, the President underscored the cultural and spiritual significance of cleanliness in Indian society. “Cleanliness has been a part of our way of life since ancient times. From our homes to places of worship, maintaining hygiene has always been seen as a virtue,” she said, adding that Mahatma Gandhi’s ideals of cleanliness continue to inspire the Swachh Bharat Mission.

    Recalling her own beginnings in public life, President Murmu said her work on sanitation as Vice President of a Notified Area Council laid the foundation for her political journey. “I used to visit municipal wards daily and oversee the cleaning work. That experience taught me the value of cleanliness in public life,” she said.

    She drew attention to the enduring relevance of traditional practices in addressing modern challenges of waste management. “The principles of reduce, reuse, and recycle – now recognised globally as pillars of a circular economy – are deeply embedded in our traditional lifestyles,” she noted.

    “The modern systems of circularity could be strengthened by adopting such behaviours and traditions,” she said, adding that minimising waste and repurposing resources had long been integral to Indian living.

    Underscoring the need for proper waste segregation, President Murmu emphasised that source segregation remains the first and most crucial step in the waste management value chain. Zero-waste colonies, she said, are setting commendable examples of responsible urban living.

    The President also lauded the School Level Assessment initiative, which aims to instil cleanliness as a core value among students. Such early interventions, she said, could have long-term benefits in shaping responsible citizens.

    Plastic and electronic waste, however, continue to pose a serious challenge, the President said. While the Central government banned certain single-use plastic items in 2022 and introduced Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) guidelines for plastic packaging the same year, effective implementation remains critical. “It is the responsibility of all stakeholders-producers, brand owners, and importers-to ensure that these guidelines are followed in letter and spirit,” she stated.

    President Murmu added that cleanliness is not just a matter of hygiene, but also has cultural, economic, and geographical implications. She expressed confidence that citizens across the country would continue to contribute to the Swachh Bharat Mission with dedication and commitment. With collective effort and strong resolve, she said, India can emerge as one of the cleanest nations by 2047, when the country marks 100 years of independence.

  • Praggnanandhaa upsets Magnus Carlsen with 39 moves in freestyle chess tournament

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Indian Grandmaster Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa defeated world number one Magnus Carlsen in Round 4 of the Las Vegas Chess Grand Slam Tour on Wednesday, marking one of the biggest wins of the tournament so far.

    Praggnanandhaa won the match in 39 moves, continuing his strong run in Group A with three straight victories from Rounds 2 to 4. He was the most consistent performer in the group, according to chess platform Chess.com.

    The 19-year-old outplayed Carlsen under a rapid time control of 10 minutes plus a 10-second increment per move.

    Praggnanandhaa shares the lead in Group A — also referred to as Group White — with Nodirbek Abdusattorov and Javokhir Sindarov, all on 4.5 points. His performance includes wins over Bibisara Assaubayeva and Vincent Keymer and a draw against Abdusattorov.

    Carlsen recovered to score 1.5 points from his final two games, finishing in a tie for fourth and entering a tiebreak against Levon Aronian for a place in the quarterfinals.

    Aronian defeated Carlsen 2-0 in the tiebreak on Wednesday, advancing to the knockout stage and sending the Norwegian to the lower bracket.

    Group A qualifiers Praggnanandhaa, Abdusattorov, Sindarov, and Aronian will be joined in the quarterfinals by Group B qualifiers Hikaru Nakamura, Hans Niemann, Arjun Erigaisi, and Fabiano Caruana.

    (With agency input)

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Secretary-General of ASEAN to welcome Foreign Minister of Indonesia to the ASEAN Headquarters/ASEAN Secretariat

    Source: ASEAN – Association of SouthEast Asian Nations

    At the invitation of H.E. Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, Secretary-General of ASEAN, H.E. Sugiono, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, will undertake his first official visit to the ASEAN Headquarters/ASEAN Secretariat, on 18 July 2025. H.E. Sugiono will have a guided tour of the premises, including the historic Heritage Building, and will hold a meeting with SG Dr. Kao Kim Hourn. There will also be a meet-and-greet between H.E. Sugiono and the Permanent Representatives to ASEAN, the Ambassador of Timor-Leste to ASEAN, and dedicated Ambassadors to ASEAN. This visit underscores Indonesia’s continued commitment to strengthening ASEAN and its institutions.
    The post Secretary-General of ASEAN to welcome Foreign Minister of Indonesia to the ASEAN Headquarters/ASEAN Secretariat appeared first on ASEAN Main Portal.

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New appointments to Board of the Office for Environmental Protection

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    News story

    New appointments to Board of the Office for Environmental Protection

    Two appointments and two re-appointments to the OEP Board

    Professor Elizabeth Fisher and Caroline May have been appointed as Non-Executive Directors of the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP), and Professor Dan Laffoley and Dr Paul Leinster CBE have been reappointed for second terms.

    Elizabeth Fisher’s and Caroline May’s new roles will run from 1 July 2025 until 30 June 2029. Dan Laffoley’s and Paul Leinster’s second terms will run from 1 July 2025 to 31 December 2026.

    The appointments have been made in accordance with the Ministerial Governance Code on Public Appointments published by the Cabinet Office. All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process.

    The Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) was created in November 2021 under the Environment Act. It is an independent statutory body with a remit to protect and improve the environment by holding government and other public authorities to account in England and Northern Ireland.

    Biographies

    Professor Elizabeth Fisher

    • Professor Elizabeth Fisher is Professor of Environmental Law at the Faculty of Law and a Fellow of Corpus Christi College, University of Oxford.

    • She has over three decades of experience as an environmental law academic and writes widely on environmental law and administrative law in national common law jurisdictions.

    • She was General Editor of the Journal of Environmental Law from 2012 to 2022 and from 2022 to 2025 she held a Leverhulme Major Research Fellowship for a project exploring legal imagination and environmental law.

    • She is a Delegate of Oxford University Press and has served as Vice Dean of the Oxford Law Faculty. She is also an Overseas Fellow of the Australian Academy of Law and has been a Member of the OEP’s Advisory Group on Environmental Principles since 2023.

    Caroline May

    • Caroline May has been a specialist environmental  lawyer for over 35 years. She is currently head of the environment, ESG and safety practice for Europe, Middle East and Asia at global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright, where she has been a partner since 2006.

    • She is Chair of the Law Society Climate Change Committee which produced the world’s first professional services guidance on climate change.

    • She is Honorary President of the Legal Sustainability Alliance and a former Director of leading sustainability NGO, the Aldersgate Group. She sat on the National Council of the United Kingdom Environmental Law Association (UKELA) for 6 years.

    • She is a Freeman of the City of London and is listed in the Ends Power List 2024, as a Green Ambassador for the UK by Legal 500, and in the Guide to the World’s Leading Environmental Lawyers.

    Professor Dan Laffoley

    • Professor Dan Laffoley is a scientist, communicator, explorer and marine biologist, with over four decades of experience in the UK, Europe and around the world.  He is a UK and international expert on Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and conservation.

    • He is Emeritus Marine Vice Chair of the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s World Commission on Protected Areas responsible for global targets and guidance on ocean protection.

    • Prior to that he led the development and scale-up of the marine conservation work of Natural England and English Nature. He has been responsible for the creation of many global, European and UK public and private sector partnerships, alliances and frameworks that underpin modern-day marine conservation.

    • This work includes creating the concept behind Blue Carbon, scaling up knowledge and action on ocean warming, acidification and deoxygenation, scaling-up work on marine World Heritage and conservation of the High Seas, and various global guidance on implementing MPAs and marine spatial planning.

    Dr Paul Leinster CBE

    • Dr Paul Leinster CBE has over 40 years of practical experience in environmental management, science, policy and regulatory development and implementation in the private and public sectors.

    • He is Chair of Water Resources East, the Cambridge Water Scarcity Group, the Bedfordshire Local Nature Partnership, the Great Ouse Rivers Trust, and the Upper and Bedford Ouse Catchment Partnership and is a Board Member of Delphic HSE.

    • He is a visiting professor at Cranfield University where from October 2015 to December 2020 he was Professor of Environmental Assessment and was a Member of the Government’s Natural Capital Committee.

    • Immediately prior to this, he was Chief Executive of the Environment Agency for more than seven years. Prior to joining the EA in 1998 he worked for more than 20 years in the private sector.

    Updates to this page

    Published 17 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Welfare cases drop 0.1% in June

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    The overall Comprehensive Social Security Assistance caseload dropped by 240 cases to 195,196 in June, down 0.1% from May, the Social Welfare Department announced today.

    The total number of recipients was 261,440.

    Low-earnings cases fell by 1.4% to 1,312 cases. Permanent disability cases decreased by 0.4% to 16,534 cases.

    Both ill-health cases and single parent cases declined by 0.2% to 27,723 cases and 18,842 cases respectively. Old age cases dropped by 0.1% to 110,691 cases.

    Meanwhile, unemployment cases remained steady at 16,150 cases.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: 16 year olds to be given right to vote through seismic government election reforms

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    16 year olds to be given right to vote through seismic government election reforms

    Sixteen year olds will be given the right to vote in all UK elections as part of seismic changes to modernise UK democracy

    • Modernisation of UK democracy will see 16 and 17 year olds able to vote in next general election
    • Voter ID to be extended to include bank cards to help more people exercise their democratic right
    • Tougher new rules to guard against foreign political interference and abuse of campaigners

    Sixteen year olds will be given the right to vote in all UK elections as part of seismic changes to modernise UK democracy, delivering a key manifesto commitment and helping to restore trust in politics through our Plan for Change.         

    This will mean young people, who already contribute to society by working, paying taxes and serving in the military, will be given the right to vote on the issues that affect them. This will bring UK-wide elections in line with Scotland and Wales and is a major step towards meeting a manifesto commitment, ushering in the biggest change to UK democracy in a generation. 

    The plans, published today [17 July] in a new strategy paper, will boost democratic engagement in a changing world, and help to restore trust in UK democracy.     

    As part of the plans, the government is going further to make sure eligible voters are not deterred from voting, by expanding voter ID to permit the use of UK-issued bank cards as an accepted form of ID at the polling station. This is alongside harnessing more digital options to support voters and polling station staff, including allowing accepted IDs such as the Veteran Card and UK driving licence to be used at polling stations when they become available in digital format.  

    A new digital Voter Authority Certificate will also be created to ensure Electoral Registration Officers can meet the digital needs of voters, reduce printing costs and ensure faster delivery.  

    An increasingly automated voter registration system will also make it easier for people to register to vote and reduce the need to fill out their details across different government services on multiple occasions.      

    Major new changes will boost transparency and accountability in politics by closing loopholes that would allow foreign donors via ‘shell companies’ to influence UK political parties. Meanwhile, new requirements on unincorporated associations will mandate checks on donations over £500 to tackle foreign interference and protect UK democracy from those who attempt to undermine it.   

    Alongside this, the reforms will allow the Electoral Commission to take action and enforce heavier fines of up to £500,000 on those who breach political finance rules, and enable tougher sentences for those who abuse election campaigners – stabilising the foundations of UK democracy.     

    Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner said:       

    “For too long public trust in our democracy has been damaged and faith in our institutions has been allowed to decline.       

    “We are taking action to break down barriers to participation that will ensure more people have the opportunity to engage in UK democracy, supporting our Plan for Change, and delivering on our manifesto commitment to give sixteen year olds the right to vote.   

    “We cannot take our democracy for granted, and by protecting our elections from abuse and boosting participation we will strengthen the foundations of our society for the future.”       

    Minister for Democracy, Rushanara Ali, said:    

    “We are modernising our democracy, so that it is fit for the 21st century. By delivering our manifesto commitment to extend the vote to 16 and 17 year olds, we are taking a generational step forward in restoring public trust and boosting engagement in UK democracy, supporting our Plan for Change.    

    “By reinforcing safeguards against foreign interference, we will strengthen our democratic institutions and protect them for future generations.”   

    Alongside expanding the right to vote, we are going further to restore and maintain public trust by ensuring elections are as accessible as possible for legitimate voters.      

    That’s why the government is making common sense changes to move towards an automated electoral registration system, stripping complexities and barriers for voters to make their lives easier. Learning from countries such as Australia and Canada, which have high rates of legitimate voter registration via automated systems, the government will bring the UK’s democracy into the 21st century.    

    At the same time, far too many people are being deterred from voting because of voter ID rules, with the Electoral Commission finding that 4% of non-voters at the 2024 General Election saying that a lack of voter ID was a key reason they didn’t vote, equating to around three quarters of a million people across Great Britain.   

    Boosting participation is crucial to restoring faith in democracy, and adding the Veteran ID card last year to the accepted forms of Voter ID was just the start of this. Through the new plans, the government is going further to allow UK-issued bank cards to be used as ID when voting, making it far easier for more voters to meet the requirements.     

    This change will allow us to continue to protect the integrity of the UK electoral system, while allowing greater accessibility. Bank cards, which are issued after the applicant has passed necessary security checks for a bank account, will add a widely and commonly carried item to the range of documents already accepted. Research on the ownership of bank cards shows that over 96% of the UK population has a bank account, with the majority expected to also have a bank card.   

    These measures will strike the right balance by continuing to protect voters from the risk of impersonation, while also removing barriers to ensure legitimate voters are not prevented or discouraged from exercising their right to vote.      

    Another key aspect of the reforms is ensuring UK democracy is protected and all voters, candidates, campaigners and electoral staff are safe from intimidation, harassment and abuse.    

    This behaviour is on the rise, particularly against women and ethnic minorities – with recent Electoral Commission research showing 55% of candidates at the 2024 General Election experienced abuse. The reforms will crack down on these unacceptable practices, delivering tougher sentences for those who intimidate campaigners and stronger protections for candidates in public life by removing the requirement for their home address to be published and openly available.    

    This supports ongoing work including through the Defending Democracy Taskforce, which was given a new mandate by the Prime Minister to coordinate and drive forward government’s response to the full range of threats to UK democracy.    

    That includes working across government with the police, parliamentary authorities, and the Electoral Commission to actively review our levers to tackle the harassment and intimidation of elected representatives, candidates, and electoral staff.  

    In relation to political finance, the changes being brought by the government will effectively meet an evolving and sophisticated threat of illicit money being funnelled from abroad to political parties. Tough new rules will ensure that in the future, ‘shell companies’ will not be permitted to make political donations to UK political parties.  

    This will end the status quo, where a new company registered today, owned by anyone, funded from anywhere, without even a single day of trade, can donate and have influence in UK politics.     

    The introduction of ‘Know your Donor’ checks will increase scrutiny of donations, requiring recipients to conduct enhanced checks to decrease the risk of illegitimate donations entering our system, guarding against foreign interference. This will close loopholes, reinforce our democracy and protect our citizens from those who seek to undermine and harm our society.    

    Further information:      

    • To deliver these changes, we will bring forward an elections bill. The bill will deliver the Government’s manifesto commitments and wider ambitions set out in this Strategy by putting in place the legislation required for these important reforms.
    • A subsequent programme of secondary legislation will set out the detail for implementation and we will provide more detail on implementation timings in due course.

    Updates to this page

    Published 17 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Mayor of London joins leaders in Accra to announce ‘historic’ new memorial site for victims of Transatlantic Slavery

    Source: Mayor of London

    • New memorial in Accra will stand testament to the one million people who were trafficked from the Gold Coast (present day Ghana) as part of the Transatlantic Slave Trade
    • Planned artwork in Accra and Freetown will be first of a global network linked to the landmark memorial planned in London & funded by the Mayor
    • Sadiq made the announcement during his trade mission to Africa

    The first of a global network of memorials to victims of Transatlantic Slavery will be created in Ghana, linked to the landmark memorial planned in London, the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan and Mayor of Accra Hon. Michael Kpakpo Allotey announced today.

    The Mayor of London joined his counterpart in Accra to unveil plans for the memorial, as part of his historic five-day trade mission to Africa, as he continues to strengthen ties with countries across the continent.

    Sadiq announced last year that ‘The Wake’ by Khaleb Brooks had been selected as the Memorial to Victims of Transatlantic Slavery in London, with £500,000 funding from the Mayor. The first of its scale and profile in the UK, the new memorial will be located in West India Quay in London Docklands. A number of smaller memorials will be installed at other locations that have connections to the trade of enslaved people, recognising that the legacy of Transatlantic Slavery is still present the capital.

    Accra in Ghana will host the first of these partner memorials at a site outside its City Hall, with plans led by local leaders and communities. It will kickstart a global network of memorials that will connect back to ‘The Wake’ design in London, a seven-metre tall sculpture in the shape of a bronze cowrie shell that includes the names of enslaved people inside and a wind-chime soundscape, which is expected to be installed in 2026. Freetown in Sierra Leone will also join this global network of memorial sites. Each international partner memorial will be marked by a smaller cowrie shell artwork also designed by Khaleb Brooks.

    London played a key role in the organisation and funding of the Transatlantic Slave Trade. While there are some monuments commemorating abolition in Ghana, and many statues and buildings reflecting the wealth and power the slave trade created internationally, more needs to be done to remember the millions of people who were enslaved and abused as a result – along with its impact on generations of Africans around the world.

    All of the partner memorials will involve programmes educating future generations about the connections between London’s wealth and the Transatlantic Slave Trade. The new partner memorial in Accra will recognise the lasting and devastating impact of the Transatlantic Slave Trade and stand testament to the one million people who were trafficked from the Gold Coast (present day Ghana) across the world.

    Sadiq is this week visiting Lagos in Nigeria, Accra in Ghana, and Johannesburg and Cape Town in South Africa to build on extensive connections between the countries and the capital’s growing African diaspora, and boost trade links with London.

    The Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said: “I’m honoured to join the Mayor of Accra to announce the first partner memorial to Victims of Transatlantic Slavery. This painful history continues to shape global society, and remembering the horrors of the Transatlantic Slave Trade is essential for us to understand ongoing inequalities today.

    “This historic artwork will directly connect to the landmark memorial we are creating in London, providing a place to educate people about of the capital’s role in this terrible episode in human history.

    “It’s now more important than ever that we commit to confronting these difficult parts of our history so that we can remember the millions of lives that were changed forever, but also learn from it.”

    Hon. Michael Kpakpo Allotey, Mayor of Accra, said: “The new memorial to be mounted in Accra marks an important and solemn moment for our city and for Ghana as a whole and will stand as a powerful reminder of the resilience of those who were enslaved and of our shared responsibility to remember and honour their lives.

    “Hosting the first of these partner memorials in Accra, we hope to create a space for reflection, education, and healing to educate future generations of the painful chapter of our history and its enduring impact. This initiative, in partnership with the Mayor of London, will no doubt help in fostering dialogue and building stronger connections between the two communities.

    “On behalf of the city of Accra, we are grateful to Mayor Sadiq Khan and the people of London for their commitment to telling this story in a way that transcends borders.”

    Dr Debbie Weekes-Bernard, Deputy Mayor for Communities and Social Justice, said: “I welcome the official plans for the first partner memorial site in Accra, Ghana which will link back to the memorial being created for London as part of a global network of locations educating future generations on the history and legacy of the Transatlantic Slave Trade.

    “When complete, this memorial will bring to light a history that should never be forgotten, marks a past that we must learn from, and reminds us of our collective duty to creating a better society. Only by educating our current and future generations and actively working to tackle the inequalities of today, can we build a fairer London and world for all.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Webinar on Building Resilient Workplaces: Mental Health Awareness and Support in NSOs

    Source: United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

    With more than 10% of the global population living with a mental disorder (WHO, 2019), and clear effects on staff wellbeing and performance, proactively addressing mental health has become a crucial issue in building a resilient workplace.

    This webinar aims to explore mental health challenges in the workplace, sharing experiences from various statistical offices —particularly the establishment of a mental health counselling centre.

    Please register by 15 September by following this link: https://forms.office.com/e/hme0AMr044

    If you registration is approved, you will receive a link to the webinar after the registration deadline. 

    Document Title

    Documents

    Information Flyer

     

    Opening

    Welcome speech from Indonesia Chief Statistician 

    		  

    Overview of the mental health in the workplace – WHO

    		  
    Recongizing common challenges – Professor José Guimarães Magalhães, Portugal  

    Experiences from national statistics offices

    		  

    Statistics Indonesia experience in establishing counselling centres

    • Overview of Counseling Centre – Dr. Eni Lestariningsih, S.Si, M.A b.
    • Technical Method of Counseling Centre: Yulias Untari, S.Psi, Psi c
    • Case Study & Mental Health Insight based on Counseling Centre result: Rany Komala Dewi, S.Psi, M.Psi.T & Siti Fani Daulay, S.Psi, M.Psi.T
    		  
    Addressing mental health stigma in the workplace – Philip O’Callaghan, Irish Civil Service Employee Assistance Service  
    Activities in the area of mental health done under umbrella of the Corporate Social Responsibility – Statistics Poland  

    Panel discussion

    		  
    Panel discussion  

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI: 21Shares Releases Mid-Year 2025 State of Crypto: Predictions Realised, Trends Solidified

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    21Shares reflects on a transformative first half – where bold forecasts became reality

    Zurich, 17 July 2025 – 21Shares, one of the world’s leading providers of cryptocurrency exchange-traded products (ETPs), today published its mid-year 2025 edition of the State of Crypto, offering a comprehensive, data-driven assessment of market performance and trends across the digital asset ecosystem.

    The report revisits 21Shares’ bold predictions for 2025, first laid out in December 2024, and evaluates how each thesis has unfolded across key narratives – from nation-state adoption of Bitcoin to stablecoins leading crypto’s real-world adoption. Many of the forward-looking theses put forward at the end of 2024 have already materialised, and the report highlights how early conviction in structural shifts around crypto has proven prescient.

    Among the standout findings:

    • Nation-states are adopting Bitcoin as a strategic reserve asset: Our prediction that another nation would adopt Bitcoin as a strategic reserve asset in 2025 has largely come to fruition. By launching its Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, the U.S. became the largest public Bitcoin holder with over 200,000 BTC. Countries like Bhutan and El Salvador continue to maintain sizable Bitcoin holdings, Japan and the Czech Republic are now actively exploring Bitcoin reserve strategies, and Pakistan recently announced the creation of its own Strategic Bitcoin Reserve.
    • Crypto ETPs will drive further institutional adoption, and will reach $250 billion in AUM globally: Total AUM in global crypto ETPs has already reached $180 billion, and, if macro conditions improve, a 38% rise in valuations alone would push global AUM past our prediction of $250 billion. Another key sub-prediction has also come to pass – one Bitcoin ETF has officially entered the world’s top 25 ETFs by AUM.
    • Solana will continue to eat Ethereum’s market share and will reach an all-time high in total value locked: Our prediction that Solana would cement its position as Ethereum’s top challenger has been decisively confirmed. Real economic value, a measure of actual blockchain usage via user-paid fees shows a shifting landscape. Solana has narrowed the gap with Ethereum from $73M vs. $142M in October 2024 to $30.5M vs. $39M in June 2025. Despite softer market activity, the reality is that Solana is gaining momentum and biting into Ethereum’s market share.
    • Many jurisdictions are reconsidering retail crypto bans: We predicted that 2025 would mark a turning point in global retail access to crypto, and that shift is now visibly underway. In the UK, regulators are moving to lift the retail ban on crypto ETNs, exactly as forecasted. Japan has proposed legalizing Bitcoin ETFs, while South Korea lifted its corporate crypto trading ban and is preparing to open the door to crypto ETFs. 
    • Stablecoins lead crypto’s real-world adoption: Stablecoin AUM stands at an all-time high of $252 billion, with 35.7 million active addresses. Our prediction that nation-states, financial institutions, and Web2 companies would deepen their stablecoin adoption is playing out. In the US, stablecoin legislation through the GENIUS Act is gaining momentum. Internationally, Hong Kong has launched a stablecoin sandbox alongside a licensing regime, and Thailand is piloting a retail baht-backed stablecoin. In traditional finance, global banks are beginning to step in. 

    “This report reflects just how much the industry has matured,” said Adrian Fritz, Head of Research at 21Shares. “We’re seeing Bitcoin redefined as a macro asset, Solana leading real-world adoption, and stablecoins transforming global finance – all while institutional and regulatory frameworks finally catch up.”

    The State of Crypto is produced by 21Shares’ research team and is part of the firm’s broader commitment to investor education.

    To read the full report, click here.

    About 21Shares

    21Shares is one of the world’s leading cryptocurrency exchange traded product providers and offers the largest suite of crypto ETPs in the market. The company was founded to make cryptocurrency more accessible to investors, and to bridge the gap between traditional finance and decentralized finance. 21Shares listed the world’s first physically-backed crypto ETP in 2018, building a seven-year track record of creating crypto exchange-traded funds that are listed on some of the biggest, most liquid securities exchanges globally. Backed by a specialised research team, proprietary technology, and deep capital markets expertise, 21Shares delivers innovative, simple and cost-efficient investment solutions.

    21Shares is a member of 21.co, a global leader in decentralised finance. For more information, please visit www.21Shares.com

    Contact: matteo.valli@21shares.com

    DISCLAIMER

    This report has been prepared and issued by 21Shares AG for publication globally. All information used in the publication of this report has been compiled from publicly available sources that are believed to be reliable, however we do not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of this report. Crypto asset trading involves a high degree of risk. The crypto asset market is new to many and unproven and may have the potential to not grow as expected.

    Currently, there is relatively small use of crypto assets in the retail and commercial marketplace in comparison to relatively large use by speculators, thus contributing to price volatility that could adversely affect an investment in crypto assets. In order to participate in the trading of crypto assets, you should be capable of evaluating the merits and risks of the investment and be able to bear the economic risk of losing your entire investment.

    Nothing should be considered as an offer by 21Shares AG and/or its affiliates to sell or solicitation by 21Shares AG or its parent of any offer to buy bitcoin or other crypto assets or derivatives. This report is provided for information and research purposes only and should not be construed or presented as an offer or solicitation for any investment. The information provided does not constitute a prospectus or any offering and does not contain or constitute an offer to sell or solicit an offer to invest in any jurisdiction.

    Readers are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties, and that actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors. The information contained herein may not be considered as economic, legal, tax, or other advice and users are cautioned against basing investment decisions or other decisions solely on the content hereof.

    ###

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-Evening Report: 12 countries agree to confront Israel collectively over Gaza after Bogotá summit

    ANALYSIS: By Mick Hall

    Collective measures to confront Israel’s genocide of the Palestinian people have been agreed by 12 nations after an emergency summit of the Hague Group in Bogotá, Colombia.

    A joint statement today announced the six measures, which it said were geared to holding Israel to account for its crimes in Palestine and would operate within the states’ domestic legal and legislative frameworks.

    Nearly two dozen other nations in attendance at the summit are now pondering whether to sign up to the measures before a September deadline set by the Hague Group.

    New Zealand and Australia stayed away from the summit.

    The measures include preventing the provision or transfer of arms, munitions, military fuel and dual-use items to Israel and preventing the transit, docking or servicing of vessels if there is a risk of vessels carrying such items. No vessel under the flag of the countries would be allowed to carry this equipment.

    The countries would also “commence an urgent review of all public contracts, in order to prevent public institutions and public funds, where applicable, from supporting Israel’s illegal occupation of the Palestinian Territory which may entrench its unlawful presence in the territory, to ensure that our nationals, and companies and entities under our jurisdiction, as well as our authorities, do not act in any way that would entail recognition or provide aid or assistance in maintaining the situation created by Israel’s illegal presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory”.

    The countries will prosecute “the most serious crimes under international law through robust, impartial and independent investigations and prosecutions at national or international levels, in compliance with our obligation to ensure justice for all victims and the prevention of future crimes”.

    They agreed to support universal jurisdiction mandates, “as and where applicable in our legal constitutional frameworks and judiciaries, to ensure justice for all victims and the prevention of future crimes in the Occupied Palestine Territory”.

    This will mean IDF soldiers and others accused of war crimes in Palestine would face arrest and could go through domestic judicial processes in these countries, or referrals to the ICC.

    The statement said the measures constituted a collective commitment to defend the foundational principles of international law.

    It also called on the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) to commission an immediate investigation of the health and nutritional needs of the population of Gaza, devise a plan to meet those needs on a continuing and sustained basis, and report on these matters before the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in September.

    Following repeated total blockades of Gaza since October 7, 2023, Gazans have been dying of starvation as they continue to be bombed and repeatedly displaced and their means of life destroyed.

    The official death toll stands at nearly 59,000, mostly women and children, although some estimates put that number at over 200,000.

    The joint statement recognised Israel as a threat to regional peace and the system of international law and called on all United Nations member states to enforce their obligations under the UN charter.

    It condemned “unilateral attacks and threats against United Nations mandate holders, as well as key institutions of the human rights architecture and international justice” and committed to build “on the legacy of global solidarity movements that have dismantled apartheid and other oppressive systems, setting a model for future co-ordinated responses to international law violations”.

    Countries face wrath of US
     Ministers, high-ranking officials and envoys from 30 nations attended the two-day event, from July 15-16, called to come up with the measures. It is now hoped some of those attendees will sign up to the statement by September.

    For countries like Ireland, which sent a delegation, signing up would have profound implications. The Irish government has been heavily criticised by its own citizens for continuing to allow Shannon Airport as a transit point for military equipment from the United States to be sent to Israel.

    It would also face the prospect of severe reprisals by the US, as would others thinking of adding their names to the collective statement. The US is now expected to consult with nations that attended and warn them of the consequences of signing up.

    The summit had been billed by the UN Rapporteur for Human Rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Francesca Albanese, as “the most significant political development of the last 20 months”.

    Albanese had told attendees that “for too long, international law has been treated as optional — applied selectively to those perceived as weak, ignored by those acting as the powerful”.

    “This double standard has eroded the very foundations of the legal order. That era must end,” she said.

    Co-chaired by Colombia and South Africa, the Hague group was established by nine nations in late January at The Hague in the Netherlands to hold Israel to account for its crimes and push for Palestinian self-determination.

    Colombia last year ended diplomatic relations with Israel, while South Africa in late December 2023 filed an application at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) accusing Israel of genocide, which was joined by nearly two dozen countries.

    The ICJ has determined a plausible genocide is taking place and issued orders for Israel to protect Palestinians and take measures to stop genocide taking place, a call ignored by the Zionist state.

    Representatives from the countries arrived in Bogota this week in defiance of the United States, which last week sanctioned Albanese for attempts to have US and Israeli political officials and business leaders prosecuted by the ICC over Gaza.

    Secretary of State Marco Rubio called it an illegitimate “campaign of political and economic warfare”.

    It followed the sanctioning of four ICC judges after arrest warrants were issued in November last year for Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant, for crimes against humanity and war crimes.

    Ahead of the Bogota meeting, the US State Department accused The Hague Group of multilateral attempts to “weaponise international law as a tool to advance radical anti-Western agendas” and warned the US would “aggressively defend” its interests.

    Signs of division in the West
     Most of those attending came from nations in the Global South, but not all.

    Founding Hague Group members Belize, Bolivia, Colombia, Cuba, Honduras, Malaysia, Namibia, Senegal and South Africa attended the Summit. Joining them were Algeria, Bangladesh, Botswana, Brazil, Chile, China, Djibouti, Indonesia, Iraq, Republic of Ireland, Lebanon, Libya, Mexico, Nicaragua, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Qatar, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Uruguay, and Venezuela.

    However, in a sign of increasing division in the West, NATO members Spain, Portugal, Norway, Slovenia and Turkey also attended.

    Inside the summit, former US State Department official Annelle Sheline, who resigned in March over Gaza, defended the right of those attending “to uphold their obligations under the UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide”.

    “This is not the weaponisation of international law. This is the application of international law,” she told delegates.

    The US and Israel deny accusations that genocide is taking place in Gaza, while Western media have collectively refused to adjudicate the claims or frame stories around Israel’s ethnic cleansing of the strip, despite ample evidence by the UN and genocide experts.

    Since 7 October 2023, US allies have offered diplomatic cover for Israel by repeating it had “a right to defend itself” and was engaged in a legitimate defensive “war against Hamas”.

    Israel now plans to corral starving Gazans into a concentration camp in the south of the strip, with many analysts expecting the IDF to exterminate anyone found outside its boundaries, while preparing to push those inside across the border into Egypt.

    Asia Pacific and EU allies shun Bogota summit
     Addressing attendees at the summit yesterday, Albanese criticised the EU for its neo-colonialism and support for Israel, criticisms that can be extended to US allies in the Asia Pacific region.

    Independent journalist Abby Martin reported Albanese as saying: “Europe and its institutions are guided more by colonial mindset than principle, acting as vessels to US Empire even as it drags us from war to war, misery to misery.

    “The Hague Group is a new moral centre in world politics. Millions are hoping for leadership that can birth a new global order, rooted in justice, humanity and collective liberation. It’s not just about Palestine. This is about all of us.”

    The Australian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade was asked why Foreign Minister Penny Wong did not take up an invite to attend the Hague Group meeting. In a statement to Mick Hall in Context, a spokesperson said she had been unable to attend, but did not explain why.

    She said Australia was a “resolute defender of international law” and added: “Australia has consistently been part of international calls that all parties must abide by international humanitarian law. Not enough has been done to protect civilians and aid workers.

    “We have called on Israel to respond substantively to the ICJ’s advisory opinion on the legal consequences arising from Israel’s policies and practices in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

    “We have also called on Israel to comply with the binding orders of the ICJ, including to enable the unhindered provision of basic services and humanitarian assistance at scale.”

    When asked why New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Winston Peters had failed to take up the invitation or send any of his officials, a Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) spokesperson simply refused to comment.

    She said MFAT media advisors would only engage with “recognised news media outlets”.

    Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and New Zealand’s Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, as well as a number of his ministers, have been referred to the ICC by domestic legal teams, accused of complicity in the genocide.

    Evidence against Albanese was accepted into the ICC’s wider investigation of crimes in Gaza in October last year, while Luxon’s referral earlier this month is being assessed by the Chief Prosecutor’s Office.

    Delegates told humanity at stake
     Delegates heard several impassioned addresses from speakers on what was at stake during the two-day event in Bogota.

    Palestinian-American trauma surgeon, Dr Thaer Ahmad, told the gathering that Palestinians seeking food were being met with bullets, describing aid distribution facilities set up by the US contractor-run Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) as “slaughterhouses”. More than 800 starving Gazans have been killed at the GHF aid points so far.

    “People know they could die but cannot sit idly by and watch their families starve,” he said.

    “The bullets fired by GHF mercenaries are just one part of the weaponisation of aid, where Palestinians are ghettoised into areas where somebody in military fatigues decides if you are worthy of food or not.”

    Palestinian diplomat Riyad Mansour had urged the summit attendees to take decisive action to not only save the Palestinian people, but redeem humanity.

    “Instead of outrage at the crimes we know are taking place, we find those who defend, normalise, and even celebrate them,” he said.

    “The core values we believed humanity agreed were universal are shattered, blown to pieces like the tens of thousands of starved, murdered and injured civilians in Palestine.

    “The mind and heart cannot fathom or process the immense pain and horror that has taken hold of the lives of an entire people. We must not fail — not just for Palestine’s sake — but for humanity’s sake.”

    At the beginning of the summit, Colombian Deputy Foreign Minister Mauricio Jaramillo Jassir told summit delegates the Palestinian genocide threatened the entire international system.

    Colombian President Gustavo Petro wrote in The Guardian last week: “We can either stand firm in defence of the legal principles that seek to prevent war and conflict, or watch helplessly as the international system collapses under the weight of unchecked power politics.”

    Meanwhile, EU foreign ministers, as well as Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar and Syrian counterpart, Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani, met in Brussels at the same time as the Bogota summit, to discuss Middle East co-operation, but also possible options for action against Israel.

    At the EU–Southern Neighbourhood Ministerial Meeting, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas put forward potential actions after Israel was found to have breached the EU economic cooperation deal with the bloc on human rights grounds. As expected, no sanctions, restricted trade or suspension of the co-operation deal were agreed.

    The EU has been one of Israel’s most strident backers in its campaign against Gaza, with EU members Germany and France in particular supplying weapons, as well as political support.

    The UK government has continued to supply arms and operate spy planes over Gaza over the past 21 months, launched from bases in Cyprus, while its military has issued D-Notices to censor media reports that its special forces have been operating inside the occupied territories.

    Mick Hall is an independent Irish-New Zealand journalist, formerly of RNZ and AAP, based in New Zealand since 2009. He writes primarily on politics, corporate power and international affairs. This article is republished from his substack Mick Hall in Context with permission.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: 12 countries agree to confront Israel collectively over Gaza after Bogotá summit

    ANALYSIS: By Mick Hall

    Collective measures to confront Israel’s genocide of the Palestinian people have been agreed by 12 nations after an emergency summit of the Hague Group in Bogotá, Colombia.

    A joint statement today announced the six measures, which it said were geared to holding Israel to account for its crimes in Palestine and would operate within the states’ domestic legal and legislative frameworks.

    Nearly two dozen other nations in attendance at the summit are now pondering whether to sign up to the measures before a September deadline set by the Hague Group.

    New Zealand and Australia stayed away from the summit.

    The measures include preventing the provision or transfer of arms, munitions, military fuel and dual-use items to Israel and preventing the transit, docking or servicing of vessels if there is a risk of vessels carrying such items. No vessel under the flag of the countries would be allowed to carry this equipment.

    The countries would also “commence an urgent review of all public contracts, in order to prevent public institutions and public funds, where applicable, from supporting Israel’s illegal occupation of the Palestinian Territory which may entrench its unlawful presence in the territory, to ensure that our nationals, and companies and entities under our jurisdiction, as well as our authorities, do not act in any way that would entail recognition or provide aid or assistance in maintaining the situation created by Israel’s illegal presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory”.

    The countries will prosecute “the most serious crimes under international law through robust, impartial and independent investigations and prosecutions at national or international levels, in compliance with our obligation to ensure justice for all victims and the prevention of future crimes”.

    They agreed to support universal jurisdiction mandates, “as and where applicable in our legal constitutional frameworks and judiciaries, to ensure justice for all victims and the prevention of future crimes in the Occupied Palestine Territory”.

    This will mean IDF soldiers and others accused of war crimes in Palestine would face arrest and could go through domestic judicial processes in these countries, or referrals to the ICC.

    The statement said the measures constituted a collective commitment to defend the foundational principles of international law.

    It also called on the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) to commission an immediate investigation of the health and nutritional needs of the population of Gaza, devise a plan to meet those needs on a continuing and sustained basis, and report on these matters before the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in September.

    Following repeated total blockades of Gaza since October 7, 2023, Gazans have been dying of starvation as they continue to be bombed and repeatedly displaced and their means of life destroyed.

    The official death toll stands at nearly 59,000, mostly women and children, although some estimates put that number at over 200,000.

    The joint statement recognised Israel as a threat to regional peace and the system of international law and called on all United Nations member states to enforce their obligations under the UN charter.

    It condemned “unilateral attacks and threats against United Nations mandate holders, as well as key institutions of the human rights architecture and international justice” and committed to build “on the legacy of global solidarity movements that have dismantled apartheid and other oppressive systems, setting a model for future co-ordinated responses to international law violations”.

    Countries face wrath of US
     Ministers, high-ranking officials and envoys from 30 nations attended the two-day event, from July 15-16, called to come up with the measures. It is now hoped some of those attendees will sign up to the statement by September.

    For countries like Ireland, which sent a delegation, signing up would have profound implications. The Irish government has been heavily criticised by its own citizens for continuing to allow Shannon Airport as a transit point for military equipment from the United States to be sent to Israel.

    It would also face the prospect of severe reprisals by the US, as would others thinking of adding their names to the collective statement. The US is now expected to consult with nations that attended and warn them of the consequences of signing up.

    The summit had been billed by the UN Rapporteur for Human Rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Francesca Albanese, as “the most significant political development of the last 20 months”.

    Albanese had told attendees that “for too long, international law has been treated as optional — applied selectively to those perceived as weak, ignored by those acting as the powerful”.

    “This double standard has eroded the very foundations of the legal order. That era must end,” she said.

    Co-chaired by Colombia and South Africa, the Hague group was established by nine nations in late January at The Hague in the Netherlands to hold Israel to account for its crimes and push for Palestinian self-determination.

    Colombia last year ended diplomatic relations with Israel, while South Africa in late December 2023 filed an application at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) accusing Israel of genocide, which was joined by nearly two dozen countries.

    The ICJ has determined a plausible genocide is taking place and issued orders for Israel to protect Palestinians and take measures to stop genocide taking place, a call ignored by the Zionist state.

    Representatives from the countries arrived in Bogota this week in defiance of the United States, which last week sanctioned Albanese for attempts to have US and Israeli political officials and business leaders prosecuted by the ICC over Gaza.

    Secretary of State Marco Rubio called it an illegitimate “campaign of political and economic warfare”.

    It followed the sanctioning of four ICC judges after arrest warrants were issued in November last year for Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant, for crimes against humanity and war crimes.

    Ahead of the Bogota meeting, the US State Department accused The Hague Group of multilateral attempts to “weaponise international law as a tool to advance radical anti-Western agendas” and warned the US would “aggressively defend” its interests.

    Signs of division in the West
     Most of those attending came from nations in the Global South, but not all.

    Founding Hague Group members Belize, Bolivia, Colombia, Cuba, Honduras, Malaysia, Namibia, Senegal and South Africa attended the Summit. Joining them were Algeria, Bangladesh, Botswana, Brazil, Chile, China, Djibouti, Indonesia, Iraq, Republic of Ireland, Lebanon, Libya, Mexico, Nicaragua, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Qatar, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Uruguay, and Venezuela.

    However, in a sign of increasing division in the West, NATO members Spain, Portugal, Norway, Slovenia and Turkey also attended.

    Inside the summit, former US State Department official Annelle Sheline, who resigned in March over Gaza, defended the right of those attending “to uphold their obligations under the UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide”.

    “This is not the weaponisation of international law. This is the application of international law,” she told delegates.

    The US and Israel deny accusations that genocide is taking place in Gaza, while Western media have collectively refused to adjudicate the claims or frame stories around Israel’s ethnic cleansing of the strip, despite ample evidence by the UN and genocide experts.

    Since 7 October 2023, US allies have offered diplomatic cover for Israel by repeating it had “a right to defend itself” and was engaged in a legitimate defensive “war against Hamas”.

    Israel now plans to corral starving Gazans into a concentration camp in the south of the strip, with many analysts expecting the IDF to exterminate anyone found outside its boundaries, while preparing to push those inside across the border into Egypt.

    Asia Pacific and EU allies shun Bogota summit
     Addressing attendees at the summit yesterday, Albanese criticised the EU for its neo-colonialism and support for Israel, criticisms that can be extended to US allies in the Asia Pacific region.

    Independent journalist Abby Martin reported Albanese as saying: “Europe and its institutions are guided more by colonial mindset than principle, acting as vessels to US Empire even as it drags us from war to war, misery to misery.

    “The Hague Group is a new moral centre in world politics. Millions are hoping for leadership that can birth a new global order, rooted in justice, humanity and collective liberation. It’s not just about Palestine. This is about all of us.”

    The Australian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade was asked why Foreign Minister Penny Wong did not take up an invite to attend the Hague Group meeting. In a statement to Mick Hall in Context, a spokesperson said she had been unable to attend, but did not explain why.

    She said Australia was a “resolute defender of international law” and added: “Australia has consistently been part of international calls that all parties must abide by international humanitarian law. Not enough has been done to protect civilians and aid workers.

    “We have called on Israel to respond substantively to the ICJ’s advisory opinion on the legal consequences arising from Israel’s policies and practices in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

    “We have also called on Israel to comply with the binding orders of the ICJ, including to enable the unhindered provision of basic services and humanitarian assistance at scale.”

    When asked why New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Winston Peters had failed to take up the invitation or send any of his officials, a Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) spokesperson simply refused to comment.

    She said MFAT media advisors would only engage with “recognised news media outlets”.

    Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and New Zealand’s Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, as well as a number of his ministers, have been referred to the ICC by domestic legal teams, accused of complicity in the genocide.

    Evidence against Albanese was accepted into the ICC’s wider investigation of crimes in Gaza in October last year, while Luxon’s referral earlier this month is being assessed by the Chief Prosecutor’s Office.

    Delegates told humanity at stake
     Delegates heard several impassioned addresses from speakers on what was at stake during the two-day event in Bogota.

    Palestinian-American trauma surgeon, Dr Thaer Ahmad, told the gathering that Palestinians seeking food were being met with bullets, describing aid distribution facilities set up by the US contractor-run Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) as “slaughterhouses”. More than 800 starving Gazans have been killed at the GHF aid points so far.

    “People know they could die but cannot sit idly by and watch their families starve,” he said.

    “The bullets fired by GHF mercenaries are just one part of the weaponisation of aid, where Palestinians are ghettoised into areas where somebody in military fatigues decides if you are worthy of food or not.”

    Palestinian diplomat Riyad Mansour had urged the summit attendees to take decisive action to not only save the Palestinian people, but redeem humanity.

    “Instead of outrage at the crimes we know are taking place, we find those who defend, normalise, and even celebrate them,” he said.

    “The core values we believed humanity agreed were universal are shattered, blown to pieces like the tens of thousands of starved, murdered and injured civilians in Palestine.

    “The mind and heart cannot fathom or process the immense pain and horror that has taken hold of the lives of an entire people. We must not fail — not just for Palestine’s sake — but for humanity’s sake.”

    At the beginning of the summit, Colombian Deputy Foreign Minister Mauricio Jaramillo Jassir told summit delegates the Palestinian genocide threatened the entire international system.

    Colombian President Gustavo Petro wrote in The Guardian last week: “We can either stand firm in defence of the legal principles that seek to prevent war and conflict, or watch helplessly as the international system collapses under the weight of unchecked power politics.”

    Meanwhile, EU foreign ministers, as well as Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar and Syrian counterpart, Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani, met in Brussels at the same time as the Bogota summit, to discuss Middle East co-operation, but also possible options for action against Israel.

    At the EU–Southern Neighbourhood Ministerial Meeting, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas put forward potential actions after Israel was found to have breached the EU economic cooperation deal with the bloc on human rights grounds. As expected, no sanctions, restricted trade or suspension of the co-operation deal were agreed.

    The EU has been one of Israel’s most strident backers in its campaign against Gaza, with EU members Germany and France in particular supplying weapons, as well as political support.

    The UK government has continued to supply arms and operate spy planes over Gaza over the past 21 months, launched from bases in Cyprus, while its military has issued D-Notices to censor media reports that its special forces have been operating inside the occupied territories.

    Mick Hall is an independent Irish-New Zealand journalist, formerly of RNZ and AAP, based in New Zealand since 2009. He writes primarily on politics, corporate power and international affairs. This article is republished from his substack Mick Hall in Context with permission.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Africa’s Crude Export Landscape is Shifting – What It Means for the Continent and the Industry

    Source: APO – Report:

    .

    Africa is repositioning itself in the global oil market – not merely as a supplier to international markets, but as a rising energy consumer and industrial growth hub. The newly released OPEC World Oil Outlook 2025 underscores a continent in transition, leveraging its natural resources to meet domestic demand, expand refining capacity and strengthen regional energy security. These shifts signal a maturing energy profile, one that will be at the forefront of discussions during African Energy Week 2025 (AEW): Invest in African Energies, where policymakers, investors and industry leaders will shape the future of African energy on African terms.

    Crude Exports Plateau Before Gradual Decline

    OPEC projects that Africa’s total crude and condensate exports will remain stable at around 5.2 million barrels per day (bpd) through 2035, thanks to modest increases in production. However, this steady supply will increasingly be used at home. By 2050, exports are expected to decline to 4.2 million bpd – not due to market loss, but as a result of rising domestic demand and strategic value addition on the continent.

    One of the most significant insights from the report is the continent’s growing internal energy appetite. Domestic crude use is expected to rise from 1.8 million bpd in 2024 to 4.5 million bpd by 2050, nearly tripling over the outlook period. This growth is tied to Africa’s demographic boom, industrial expansion and a concerted push to enhance local refining and downstream infrastructure. As African governments invest in capacity to process more of their own crude and produce their own fuels, the continent is taking steps toward energy independence and job creation across the value chain.

    Europe and Asia: Changing Trade Patterns

    Meanwhile, global trade patterns are shifting in ways that present new opportunities for African producers. Exports to Europe are expected to increase to a peak of 3 million bpd in 2030, before gradually tapering to 2.3 million bpd by 2050, in line with Europe’s broader energy transition and shrinking reliance on imported oil. The Asia-Pacific region is emerging as a more prominent long-term partner, with African crude exports remaining stable at 1.9 million bpd through 2030, then rising modestly to 2.2 million bpd by 2040 before easing to 1.8 million bpd by 2050.

    Trade with the U.S. and Canada, which stood at 400,000 bpd in 2024, is expected to fall to 100,000 bpd by 2045, as competition from Latin America intensifies. Yet rather than signaling decline, this trend underscores the importance of market diversification and deeper regional cooperation – a direction many African producers are already pursuing through integrated trade corridors, cross-border pipelines and African Continental Free Trade Area initiatives.

    What This Means for Africa’s Energy Strategy — and AEW

    These evolving dynamics will be a core focus at AEW 2025: Invest in African Energies, the continent’s premier platform for energy dialogue, investment and policy alignment. AEW will provide a stage for African countries to present their long-term energy strategies and forge partnerships aimed at building capacity, securing financing and scaling infrastructure. Rather than reacting to global shifts, Africa is asserting its own agenda centered on energy access, industrialization and sustainable growth.

    A dedicated OPEC roundtable at AEW will also explore the implications of the World Oil Outlook 2025 in greater depth. This forum will offer African producers and OPEC member states a chance to align on market expectations, explore new trade frameworks and identify areas for collaboration across production, refining and investment.

    “As demand at home accelerates and global market dynamics evolve, the continent is stepping into a more self-directed and strategic role in the energy world. AEW 2025 will be a critical moment to chart that course, ensuring that Africa’s oil and gas resources are harnessed not only for global supply but for African prosperity,” says NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman, African Energy Week.

    – on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

    About AEW: Invest in African Energies: 
    AEW: Invest in African Energies is the platform of choice for project operators, financiers, technology providers and government, and has emerged as the official place to sign deals in African energy. Visit www.AECWeek.com for more information about this exciting event.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Trade – Premium Beverages from Around the World Make Their Mark in China with Gebrüder Weiss

    Source: Gebrüder Weiss

    From Australian Ginger Beer to Fiji Water, and Vita Coconut Water: Jebsen Group relies on Gebrüder Weiss’s logistics expertise for nationwide beverage distribution across China.

    Shanghai / Lauterach, July 17, 2025. The international transport and logistics company Gebrüder Weiss is driving the dynamic growth of Jebsen Group’s beverage business line in China through comprehensive warehousing and distribution solutions. 

    Headquartered in Hong Kong, Jebsen Group is a well-established trading company known for bringing international premium brands to Greater China and marketing them across the region. 

    Featured brands include renowned products such as Bundaberg Ginger Beer, Fiji Water, and Vita Coconut Water. From Shanghai, the brands are distributed nationwide to supermarkets, wholesalers, and e-commerce platforms.

    “Thanks to Gebrüder Weiss’s modern supply chain infrastructure and professional team, we’ve been able to significantly expand our market position,” said Gary Chan, Head of Supply Chain, Beverage at Jebsen. Customers include leading retailers such as Hema – the Alibaba-owned supermarket chain, as well as JD.com and numerous other retailers and wholesalers throughout China.

    The partnership dates back to 2017, when Gebrüder Weiss provided Sanyi Wine Trading with a warehouse solution to support the market entry of the Australian Bundaberg brand. Following Jebsen Group’s acquisition of Sanyi in 2022, the focus shifted to the premium beverage segment in Greater China. Since then, the collaboration with Gebrüder Weiss has evolved into a comprehensive logistics solution, currently handling over 2,700 orders annually – and growing.

    At the company’s 4,000-square-meter logistics facility in Shanghai, specialized professionals ensure seamless operations. The warehouse was recently certified at Security Level 3 for meeting high safety standards. Services include temperature- and humidity-controlled storage, order processing using the First-In-First-Out (FIFO) method, expiry date monitoring, labeling and packaging, as well as inventory management.

    “The beverage market in China is fast-paced and highly demanding. Our goal is to work closely with the Jebsen team to develop tailored solutions and respond flexibly to changing needs,” said Yongquan Chen, General Manager of Gebrüder Weiss China. Looking ahead, Gebrüder Weiss and Jebsen Group plan to further deepen their successful collaboration and expand their beverage portfolio.

    With extensive experience in beverage logistics in China, Gebrüder Weiss also operates a second logistics hub in Chengdu. There, the company supports leading Baijiu brands – China’s most well-known and best-selling spirit – with customized e-commerce and fulfillment solutions.

    About Gebrüder Weiss

    Gebrüder Weiss Holding AG, based in Lauterach, Austria, is a globally operative full-service logistics provider with about 8,600 employees at 180 company-owned locations. The company generated revenues of 2.71 billion euros in 2024. Its portfolio encompasses transport and logistics solutions, digital services, and supply chain management. The twin strengths of digital and physical competence enable Gebrüder Weiss to respond swiftly and flexibly to customers’ needs. The family-run organization – with a history going back more than half a millennium – has implemented a wide variety of environmental, economic, and social initiatives. Today, it is also considered a pioneer in sustainable business practices. www.gw-world.com

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Trade – Premium Beverages from Around the World Make Their Mark in China with Gebrüder Weiss

    Source: Gebrüder Weiss

    From Australian Ginger Beer to Fiji Water, and Vita Coconut Water: Jebsen Group relies on Gebrüder Weiss’s logistics expertise for nationwide beverage distribution across China.

    Shanghai / Lauterach, July 17, 2025. The international transport and logistics company Gebrüder Weiss is driving the dynamic growth of Jebsen Group’s beverage business line in China through comprehensive warehousing and distribution solutions. 

    Headquartered in Hong Kong, Jebsen Group is a well-established trading company known for bringing international premium brands to Greater China and marketing them across the region. 

    Featured brands include renowned products such as Bundaberg Ginger Beer, Fiji Water, and Vita Coconut Water. From Shanghai, the brands are distributed nationwide to supermarkets, wholesalers, and e-commerce platforms.

    “Thanks to Gebrüder Weiss’s modern supply chain infrastructure and professional team, we’ve been able to significantly expand our market position,” said Gary Chan, Head of Supply Chain, Beverage at Jebsen. Customers include leading retailers such as Hema – the Alibaba-owned supermarket chain, as well as JD.com and numerous other retailers and wholesalers throughout China.

    The partnership dates back to 2017, when Gebrüder Weiss provided Sanyi Wine Trading with a warehouse solution to support the market entry of the Australian Bundaberg brand. Following Jebsen Group’s acquisition of Sanyi in 2022, the focus shifted to the premium beverage segment in Greater China. Since then, the collaboration with Gebrüder Weiss has evolved into a comprehensive logistics solution, currently handling over 2,700 orders annually – and growing.

    At the company’s 4,000-square-meter logistics facility in Shanghai, specialized professionals ensure seamless operations. The warehouse was recently certified at Security Level 3 for meeting high safety standards. Services include temperature- and humidity-controlled storage, order processing using the First-In-First-Out (FIFO) method, expiry date monitoring, labeling and packaging, as well as inventory management.

    “The beverage market in China is fast-paced and highly demanding. Our goal is to work closely with the Jebsen team to develop tailored solutions and respond flexibly to changing needs,” said Yongquan Chen, General Manager of Gebrüder Weiss China. Looking ahead, Gebrüder Weiss and Jebsen Group plan to further deepen their successful collaboration and expand their beverage portfolio.

    With extensive experience in beverage logistics in China, Gebrüder Weiss also operates a second logistics hub in Chengdu. There, the company supports leading Baijiu brands – China’s most well-known and best-selling spirit – with customized e-commerce and fulfillment solutions.

    About Gebrüder Weiss

    Gebrüder Weiss Holding AG, based in Lauterach, Austria, is a globally operative full-service logistics provider with about 8,600 employees at 180 company-owned locations. The company generated revenues of 2.71 billion euros in 2024. Its portfolio encompasses transport and logistics solutions, digital services, and supply chain management. The twin strengths of digital and physical competence enable Gebrüder Weiss to respond swiftly and flexibly to customers’ needs. The family-run organization – with a history going back more than half a millennium – has implemented a wide variety of environmental, economic, and social initiatives. Today, it is also considered a pioneer in sustainable business practices. www.gw-world.com

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China’s rail passenger traffic hits record high in first half of 2025

    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 17 (Xinhua) — China’s rail passenger traffic rose 6.7 percent year-on-year to a record 2.24 billion person-times in the first half of 2025, hitting a new all-time high, data released by China State Railway Corporation (CSRC) showed Thursday.

    According to the KGZhK, in the period from January to June of this year, the average daily number of passenger trains running in the country was 11,183, which is 7.5 percent more than a year earlier.

    The highest average daily passenger traffic was recorded on May 1, the first day of the May Day holidays, when more than 23 million passengers were carried in one day, which is a record figure, the company said in a statement.

    China Railways also saw a rapid increase in the number of foreign passengers as visa policies were further relaxed. In the first half of 2025, foreign travelers took nearly 9.15 million train trips in China, up 30.1 percent from a year earlier.

    In the first half of 2025, the passenger traffic on the China-Laos railway reached 139,000 person-times, an increase of 19.1 percent year-on-year. -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: The first freight train departed from Hubei Province as part of the multimodal cargo transportation “China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan”

    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

    WUHAN, July 17 (Xinhua) — The first China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan multimodal international freight train departed from Wujiashan Station in Wuhan, central China’s Hubei Province on Wednesday.

    The train, number 75179, loaded with food containers and other goods, is expected to arrive in Kashgar in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, where the containers will be transferred to trucks and leave China via the Irkeshtan checkpoint, after which they will be delivered to the Uzbek capital Tashkent.

    In recent years, trade between Hubei Province and Central Asian countries has gradually increased. In 2021, China Railways Wuhan launched the first freight train service from Wuhan to Almaty. In April this year, freight trains from Wuhan to Central Asia were included in regular routes, achieving a monthly throughput of up to 440 standard containers /TEU, twenty-foot equivalent units/ and more than 7,500 tons of cargo.

    According to Zhang Lin, a responsible representative of the international transport and logistics company Hubei Railway Corporation, thanks to the new logistics scheme, products from Hubei Province will be able to reach customers in Central Asian countries faster. The new logistics scheme will reduce the cost of transportation and insurance by 30 percent, and reduce the transportation time from about 20 to 10 days.

    The Wuhan branch of China Railway said the launch of the new cargo route will be an opportunity to further work together with stakeholders to optimize transportation procedures, expand the logistics network and build highly efficient international logistics corridors. -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: China’s rail passenger traffic hits record high in first half of 2025

    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 17 (Xinhua) — China’s rail passenger traffic rose 6.7 percent year-on-year to a record 2.24 billion person-times in the first half of 2025, hitting a new all-time high, data released by China State Railway Corporation (CSRC) showed Thursday.

    According to the KGZhK, in the period from January to June of this year, the average daily number of passenger trains running in the country was 11,183, which is 7.5 percent more than a year earlier.

    The highest average daily passenger traffic was recorded on May 1, the first day of the May Day holidays, when more than 23 million passengers were carried in one day, which is a record figure, the company said in a statement.

    China Railways also saw a rapid increase in the number of foreign passengers as visa policies were further relaxed. In the first half of 2025, foreign travelers took nearly 9.15 million train trips in China, up 30.1 percent from a year earlier.

    In the first half of 2025, the passenger traffic on the China-Laos railway reached 139,000 person-times, an increase of 19.1 percent year-on-year. -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 Submissions: Economy – India gains trade momentum amid tariff and global supply chain shakeup, says GlobalData

    Source: GlobalData

    In a rapidly evolving global trade landscape, India stands out with its competitive advantage stemming from relatively lower tariff rates compared to several key trading partners. With a tariff rate of 26%, as of July 2025, which might reduce to below 20% amid speculations of a trade deal with the US, India is positioned to leverage its trade potential, particularly in sectors such as chemicals, electrical machinery, pharmaceuticals, textiles and agricultural goods, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

    Ramnivas Mundada, Director of Economic Research and Companies at GlobalData, comments: “India’s tariff rate is relatively lower than other countries, including China (30%), Mexico (30%), and the EU (30%). This favorable environment not only presents a unique opportunity for Indian exporters to but also enhances the price competitiveness of Indian goods and encourages foreign investment, fostering innovation and growth. Against this backdrop, GlobalData forecasts an average growth rate of 6.5% from 2025 to 2027, positioning India to become the third-largest economy by 2027.”

    According to NITI Aayog, India can capitalize on 78 product categories (HS 4 codes) for exports to the US, accounting for 52% of its current exports. In the HS 2 code category, India enjoys lower tariffs than competitors in 22 of the top 30 products. This advantage arises from significant tariff hikes on goods from China, Canada, and Mexico. Although India faces slightly higher tariffs in six product categories, there remains a substantial growth potential, particularly in sectors like pharmaceuticals, textiles, and electrical machinery, enhancing India’s export competitiveness.

    Data from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry reveals that India’s exports to the US increased by 23.5% in June 2025 and by 22.2% from April to June 2025 compared to the same period last year. This growth has positioned the US as India’s largest trading partner for the quarter.

    Sector-wise opportunities

    India has a notable comparative advantage in the chemicals and pharmaceuticals sectors. With China facing increased tariffs, Indian exporters have a prime opportunity to capture the US chemical import market.

    India accounted for about 5% of the US apparel and clothing accessories imports in 2024, according to the ITC Trade Map. With new tariffs affecting Bangladesh, Cambodia, and Indonesia, Indian manufacturers have a significant opportunity. To achieve this, improvements in cost efficiency, lead times, and support for large-scale textile manufacturers will be essential.

    The tariff hikes on Asian countries create an opportunity for India to boost its agricultural exports to the US. With relatively lower tariffs, India can position itself as a viable alternative supplier of a range of products, including agricultural goods, livestock, processed foods, and scrap materials.

    Companies shifting operations to India

    In the first half of 2025, several multinational companies have begun shifting their manufacturing bases to India to capitalize on tariff advantages and reduce reliance on China. Notably, Apple rerouted 97% of Foxconn’s Indian iPhone exports to the US during March to May 2025, up from 50.3% in 2024, reflecting a strategic pivot amid US-China trade tensions. Similarly, in July 2025, Samsung Electronics announced plans to diversify smartphone production by moving some manufacturing from Vietnam to India.

    India’s trade competitiveness

    To capitalize on the evolving trade dynamics, India must extend Production-Linked Incentive schemes to labor-intensive sectors like leather and handicrafts, while rationalizing electricity tariffs to enhance competitiveness. Additionally, pursuing a services-centric trade agreement with the US is essential, focusing on IT, finance, and digital trade. Addressing non-tariff barriers in sectors like pharmaceuticals is also crucial for unlocking export potential.

    In June 2025, India urged the WTO to address non-tariff barriers impacting its merchandise exports, highlighting issues like opaque regulations and delays in dispute resolution that hinder competitiveness for Indian exporters, particularly MSMEs.

    Mundada concludes: “Even if India’s anticipated trade deal with the US falls short of expectations, the broader shifts in global tariffs present a strategic opportunity for India to reposition itself as a key export partner. With its resilience and sectoral strengths, India is well-equipped to diversify its export base. By implementing supportive trade and industrial policies, India can transform global tariff challenges into significant economic advantages. As the world navigates these changing trade landscapes, India’s potential as a competitive exporter remains bright, promising growth and resilience in the face of adversity.”

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Tender of 10-year HKD HKSAR Institutional Government Bonds to be held on July 23

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

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

    The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA), as representative of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government (HKSAR Government), announced today (July 17) that a tender of 10-year HKD Institutional Government Bonds (Bonds) under the Infrastructure Bond Programme will be held on Wednesday, July 23, 2025, for settlement on Thursday, July 24, 2025.
     
    A total of HK$2.0 billion 10-year HKD Bonds will be tendered. The Bonds will mature on July 24, 2035 and will carry interest at the rate of 3.17 per cent per annum payable semi-annually in arrear.
     
    Tender is open only to Primary Dealers appointed under the Infrastructure Bond Programme. Anyone wishing to apply for the Bonds on offer can do so through any of the Primary Dealers on the latest published list, which can be obtained from the Hong Kong Government Bonds website at www.hkgb.gov.hk. Each tender must be for an amount of HK$50,000 or integral multiples thereof. 
     
    Tender results will be published on the HKMA’s website, the Hong Kong Government Bonds website, Bloomberg (GBHK ) and Refinitiv (IBPGSBPINDEX). The publication time is expected to be no later than 3pm on the tender day.

    HKSAR Institutional Government Bonds Tender Information

    Tender information of 10-year HKD HKSAR Institutional Government Bonds:
     

    Issue Number : 10GB3507001
    Stock Code : 4294 (HKGB 3.17 3507)
    Tender Date and Time : Wednesday, July 23, 2025
    9.30am to 10.30am
    Issue and Settlement Date : Thursday, July 24, 2025
    Amount on Offer : HK$2.0 billion
    Maturity : 10 years
    Maturity Date : Tuesday, July 24, 2035
    Interest Rate : 3.17 per cent p.a. payable semi-annually in arrear
    Interest Payment Dates : 24 January and 24 July in each year, commencing on the Issue Date up to and including the Maturity Date, subject to adjustment in accordance with the terms of the Institutional Issuances Information Memorandum of the Infrastructure Bond Programme and Government Sustainable Bond Programme (Information Memorandum) published on the Hong Kong Government Bonds website.
    Method of Tender : Competitive tender
    Tender Amount : Each competitive tender must be for an amount of HK$50,000 or integral multiples thereof. Any tender applications for the Bonds must be submitted through a Primary Dealer on the latest published list.
    Other Details : Please see the Information Memorandum available on the Hong Kong Government Bonds website or approach Primary Dealers.
    Expected commencement date of dealing on
    the Stock Exchange
    of Hong Kong Limited    		 : Friday, July 25, 2025 
    Use of Proceeds : The Bonds will be issued under the institutional part of the Infrastructure Bond Programme. Proceeds will be invested in infrastructure projects in accordance with the Infrastructure Bond Framework published on the Hong Kong Government Bonds website.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Unemployment and underemployment statistics for April – June 2025

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Unemployment and underemployment statistics for April – June 2025 
    Comparing April – June 2025 with March – May 2025, movements in the unemployment rate (not seasonally adjusted) in different industry sectors varied. Decreases were mainly seen in arts, entertainment and recreation sector; and professional and business services sector (excluding cleaning and similar activities) while increases were mainly seen in construction sector and food and beverage service activities sector. Movements in the underemployment rate in different industry sectors also varied, but the magnitudes were generally not large.
     
    Total employment decreased by around 7 400 from 3 664 700 in March – May 2025 to 3 657 300 in April – June 2025. Over the same period, the labour force also decreased by around 7 000 from 3 800 500 to 3 793 500.
     
    The number of unemployed persons (not seasonally adjusted) in April – June 2025 was 136 200, about the same as that in March – May 2025 (135 800). The number of underemployed persons decreased by around 1 000 from 53 600 in March – May 2025 to 52 600 in April – June 2025.
     
    Commentary
     
    The Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, said, “While the unemployment and underemployment rates in April – June 2025 remained the same as those of the preceding three-month period, various industries in Hong Kong are undergoing transition and their respective unemployment rates have different trends.” Looking ahead, he said, “The trend of unemployment rate will hinge on the overall economic performance. The entry of fresh graduates and school leavers during the summer may impact the overall employment situation. Nevertheless, the continued expansion of the Hong Kong economy should provide support to the labour market.”
     
    Further information
     
    The unemployment and underemployment statistics were compiled from the findings of the continuous General Household Survey.
     
    In the survey, the definitions used in measuring unemployment and underemployment follow closely those recommended by the International Labour Organization. The employed population covers all employers, self-employed persons, employees (including full-time, part-time, casual workers, etc.) and unpaid family workers. Unemployed persons by industry (or occupation) are classified according to their previous industry (or occupation).
     
    The survey for April – June 2025 covered a sample of some 26 000 households or 68 000 persons, selected in accordance with a scientifically designed sampling scheme to represent the population of Hong Kong. Labour force statistics compiled from this sample represented the situation in the moving three-month period of April to June 2025.
     
    Data on labour force characteristics were obtained from the survey by interviewing each member aged 15 or over in the sampled households.
     
    Statistical tables on the latest labour force statistics can be downloaded at the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/scode200.html 
    For enquiries about labour force statistics, please contact the General Household Survey Section (3) of the C&SD (Tel: 2887 5508 or email:     ghs@censtatd.gov.hkIssued at HKT 16:30

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: 12 building plans approved in May

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    The Buildings Department approved 12 building plans in May – four on Hong Kong Island, four in Kowloon and four in the New Territories.

    Of the approved plans, seven were for apartment and apartment-commercial developments, two were for commercial developments, two were for factory and industrial developments, and one was for community services development.

    Consent was given for works to start on seven building projects, which, when completed, will provide 80,640 sq m of gross floor area for domestic and 34,679 sq m of gross floor area for non-domestic use.

    Additionally, the department received notification of commencement of superstructure works for 11 building projects.

    It also issued nine occupation permits – four on Hong Kong Island, three in Kowloon and two in the New Territories.

    The buildings certified for occupation comprise 22,041 sq m of gross floor area for domestic use, involving 330 units, and 35,352 sq m for non-domestic use.

    Meanwhile, the department received 3,481 reports about unauthorised building works in May and issued 985 removal orders.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China-Malaysia mutual visa-free agreement comes into force

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

    China’s mutual visa-exemption agreement with Malaysia officially took effect on Thursday, further expanding the country’s visa-free travel policy.

    Under the policy, Chinese and Malaysian citizens holding valid ordinary passports can enter, exit or transit through the other country for travel without a visa. Each stay should not exceed 30 days, with a cumulative limit of 90 days within any 180-day period.

    The policy comes into effect three months after China and Malaysia signed a mutual visa-free agreement, marking another step forward in China’s efforts to ease travel and boost international exchanges.

    As of May, China had signed mutual visa-exemption agreements with 157 countries, covering different types of passports. In November 2024, it extended the visa-free entry stay period to 30 days.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: US to impose uniform tariff rate on over 150 economies: Trump

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

    U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday unveiled a plan to impose a unified tariff rate on more than 150 countries and regions, according to a report by Politico.

    “It’s all going to be the same for everyone, for that group,” Trump told reporters during talks with Bahrain’s Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa at the White House.

    Those to be covered under the new measure are described by Trump as “not big,” and ones that “don’t do that much business.”

    In April, the Trump administration introduced a baseline tariff of 10 percent on economies not covered by bilateral deals. Although Trump has previously suggested the new baseline could be raised to 15 percent or 20 percent, he did not specify a new rate on Wednesday.

    The U.S. government has already sent letters to about two dozen economies — including the European Union, Japan and South Korea — outlining the tariff rates they will face starting Aug. 1, the report said. The announcement has prompted intensified negotiations as affected trading partners seek more favorable terms.

    However, analysts and observers continue to express doubts about whether the new tariff schedule will take effect as planned on Aug. 1, amid concerns about its potential impact on the U.S. economy and domestic politics, according to the report.

    Countries and regions such as Switzerland and India, which accounted for more than 3 percent of the U.S. trade deficit in 2024 but have not yet received official notices, remain in negotiation with Washington.

    Trump sent mixed messages Wednesday on U.S.-India trade talks, first stating “we have another (deal) coming up,” then later asserting “we’re very close to a deal.”

    Regarding Japan, Trump said negotiations are underway but expressed doubt about the outcome.

    “I think we’ll probably live by the letter with Japan,” he said, referring to a previously issued tariff notification.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • PM to visit Bihar and West Bengal; inaugurate key infrastructure projects

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Bihar and West Bengal on Friday to launch a series of development projects worth over ₹12,000 crore, aimed at strengthening infrastructure, connectivity, and socio-economic growth in the two states.

    PM in Bihar

    Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone, inaugurate and dedicate to the nation development projects catering to Rail, Road, Rural Development, Fisheries, Electronics and Information Technology sectors.

    In line with his commitment to boost connectivity and infrastructure, Prime Minister will dedicate to the nation multiple rail projects. It includes automatic signalling between Samastipur-Bachhwara rail line that will enable efficient train operations in this section. Doubling of Darbhanga-Thalwara and Samastipur-Rambhadrapur rail line part of Darbhanga-Samastipur doubling project worth over Rs 580 crore that will enhance the capacity of train operations and reduce delays.

    The Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone for multiple rail projects. These include the development of infrastructure for the maintenance of Vande Bharat trains at Patliputra, and the installation of automatic signalling on the 114 km Bhatni–Chhapra Gramin rail line to enable streamlined train operations. The upgradation of the traction system in the Bhatni–Chhapra Gramin section will allow higher train speeds by strengthening traction infrastructure and optimising energy efficiency. Additionally, the Darbhanga–Narkatiaganj rail line doubling project, worth around ₹4,080 crore, will increase sectional capacity, enable the operation of more passenger and freight trains, and strengthen connectivity between North Bihar and the rest of the country.

    Furthering road connectivity in the region, Prime Minister Modi will lay the foundation stone for the four-laning of the Ara bypass of NH-319 and inaugurate the Parariya to Mohania section of NH-319. This corridor, which connects Ara Town to the Golden Quadrilateral, is expected to enhance both passenger and freight transport. He will also inaugurate a two-lane paved shoulder road from Sarwan to Chakai under NH-333C, which serves as a vital link between Bihar and Jharkhand.

    In the digital infrastructure sector, the Prime Minister will inaugurate a new Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) facility in Darbhanga and a state-of-the-art incubation centre in Patna. These facilities are designed to support the growth of the IT and startup ecosystem in Bihar, promoting software exports and fostering innovation and entrepreneurship.

    Under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), several fisheries development projects will also be inaugurated. These projects include the setting up of hatcheries, biofloc units, ornamental fish farming units, and integrated aquaculture infrastructure. The new projects are expected to generate employment and uplift the rural economy through increased fish production and entrepreneurship.

    In line with the vision for a modern and accessible railway network, the Prime Minister will flag off four new Amrit Bharat trains connecting key cities such as Patna, Motihari, Darbhanga, and Malda Town with major destinations like New Delhi and Lucknow, enhancing regional and interstate rail connectivity.

    Further, the Prime Minister will release ₹400 crore to approximately 61,500 Self-Help Groups (SHGs) in Bihar under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM). He will also hand over keys to beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana-Gramin as part of a Griha Pravesh event for 12,000 families, and release over ₹160 crore to 40,000 beneficiaries of the scheme.

    PM in West Bengal

    Later in the day, around 3 PM, the Prime Minister will visit Durgapur in West Bengal, where he will launch and dedicate several development projects in Oil and Gas, Power, Road, and Rail sectors, cumulatively worth over ₹5,000 crore.

    In a major push to energy infrastructure, he will lay the foundation stone for the Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) City Gas Distribution project in Bankura and Purulia districts. The ₹1,950 crore project aims to provide piped natural gas to households and CNG for vehicles, boosting employment and supporting clean energy usage.

    He will also dedicate the 132-km Durgapur to Kolkata section of the Durgapur-Haldia Natural Gas Pipeline to the nation. This segment, worth over ₹1,190 crore, is part of the Pradhan Mantri Urja Ganga project and will facilitate the supply of natural gas across multiple districts including Purba Bardhaman, Hooghly, and Nadia.

    In keeping with the focus on clean energy, the Prime Minister will inaugurate Flue Gas Desulphurization (FGD) systems at Durgapur Steel Thermal Power Station and Raghunathpur Thermal Power Station under the Damodar Valley Corporation. These pollution control systems, worth over ₹1,457 crore, are expected to improve air quality and support sustainable power generation in the region.

    Rail infrastructure in West Bengal will also see enhancement with the inauguration of the doubling of the Purulia-Kotshila rail line, a 36-km stretch worth over ₹390 crore. The project will boost industrial connectivity from Jamshedpur, Bokaro, and Dhanbad to Ranchi and Kolkata, improving logistics and reducing transit time.

    The Prime Minister will also inaugurate two road overbridges at Topsi and Pandabeshwar in Paschim Bardhaman, constructed under the Setu Bharatam programme at a cost of over ₹380 crore. These bridges are expected to ease traffic flow and reduce accidents at railway level crossings.

  • Cricket to return at LA28 Olympics after 128 years, T20 format confirmed

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Cricket will return to the Olympic stage after more than a century, with the sport set to feature in the Los Angeles 2028 Games in the fast-paced Twenty20 (T20) format.

    The men’s and women’s competitions will each feature six teams, with matches scheduled to begin on July 12 at Fairgrounds Stadium in Pomona, a temporary venue located roughly 50km east of downtown Los Angeles. The women’s medal match is slated for July 20, while the men’s final will be held on July 29.

    A total of 180 players will participate across the two events, with each team allowed to name a 15-member squad. Most match days will feature double-headers, starting at 9:00 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. local time. No games are scheduled on July 14 and 21.

    Cricket last featured in the Olympics at the 1900 Paris Games, when Great Britain defeated France in the only match played. Its return comes alongside four other sports — baseball/softball, flag football, lacrosse, and squash — approved by the International Olympic Committee for LA28.

    “This is a Games for all, and cricket’s inclusion reflects that spirit,” Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said in a statement. She also cited the success of the city’s PlayLA youth sports initiative, which recently surpassed one million enrollments.

    The Fairgrounds Stadium, located at the Fairplex complex in Pomona, spans nearly 500 acres and regularly hosts large-scale events including the LA County Fair. It will serve as the sole venue for the cricket tournament.

    Cricket’s addition follows growing interest in the sport in the United States, particularly after the country co-hosted the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 with the West Indies. Matches were held in Grand Prairie, Lauderhill, and New York.

    Women’s cricket has seen increased visibility in recent years, debuting at the Commonwealth Games in 2022 and featuring in three Asian Games editions (2010, 2014, 2023) alongside the men’s tournament.

    The International Cricket Council (ICC), in coordination with national boards, is now working on creating a fair and transparent qualification pathway to ensure that top-performing teams get a chance to compete at LA28.

    (With agency input)

  • MIL-OSI Banking: GhostContainer backdoor: malware compromising Exchange servers of high-value organizations in Asia

    Source: Securelist – Kaspersky

    Headline: GhostContainer backdoor: malware compromising Exchange servers of high-value organizations in Asia

    In a recent incident response (IR) case, we discovered highly customized malware targeting Exchange infrastructure within government environments. Analysis of detection logs and clues within the sample suggests that the Exchange server was likely compromised via a known N-day vulnerability. Our in-depth analysis of the malware revealed a sophisticated, multi-functional backdoor that can be dynamically extended with arbitrary functionality through the download of additional modules. Notably, the attackers leveraged several open-source projects to build this backdoor. Once loaded, the backdoor grants the attackers full control over the Exchange server, allowing them to execute a range of malicious activities. To evade detection by security products, the malware employs various evasion techniques and disguises itself as a common server component to blend in with normal operations. Furthermore, it can function as a proxy or tunnel, potentially exposing the internal network to external threats or facilitating the exfiltration of sensitive data from internal devices. Our telemetry data indicates that this malware may be part of an APT campaign targeting high-value organizations, including high-tech companies, in Asia. Our team is currently investigating the scope and extent of these attack activities to better understand the threat landscape.

    GhostContainer: the backdoor

    MD5 01d98380dfb9211251c75c87ddb3c79c
    SHA1 2bb0a91c93034f671696da64a2cf6191a60a79c5
    SHA256 87a3aefb5cdf714882eb02051916371fbf04af2eb7a5ddeae4b6b441b2168e36
    Link time 1970-01-01 12:00 AM UTC
    File type PE32 executable (EXE) (CLI) Intel 80386, for MS Windows Mono/.Net assemblys
    File size 32.8 KB
    File name App_Web_Container_1.dll

    The name of this file is App_Web_Container_1.dll. As the file name suggests, it serves as a “container”. It contains three key classes (Stub, App_Web_843e75cf5b63, and App_Web_8c9b251fb5b3) and one utility class (StrUtils). Once the file is loaded by the Exchange service, the Stub class is executed first. It acts as a C2 command parser, capable of executing shellcode, downloading files, running commands, and loading additional .NET byte code. One of the most notable features is that it creates an instance of the App_Web_843e75cf5b63, which serves as a loader for the web proxy class (App_Web_8c9b251fb5b3) via a virtual page injector.

    Stub: C2 parser and dispatcher

    At the beginning of execution, The Stub class attempts to bypass AMSI (Antimalware Scan Interface) and Windows Event Log. This is accomplished by overwriting specific addresses in amsi.dll and ntdll.dll, which allows evading AMSI scanning and Windows event logging.

    Next, it retrieves the machine key from the ASP.NET configuration, specifically the validation key, and converts it to a byte array. The code used to generate the validation key was simply copied from the open-source project machinekeyfinder-aspx. The validation key is then hashed using SHA-256 to ensure it is 32 bytes long, and the resulting byte array is returned for use in AES encryption and decryption (to protect the data transferred between the attacker and the Exchange server).

    The malware’s primary functionality is to receive requests from the attacker and parse them as follows:

    • Receive the value of x-owa-urlpostdata from the attacker’s request data and then decode it as Base64.
    • Utilize the AES key generated above to perform AES decryption on decoded data. The first 16 bytes of the decoded data are used as the initialization vector (IV).
    • Decompress the decrypted data and dispatch operations based on the command ID (first byte).

    To execute commands, Stub checks if the current user is a system account. If it is not, it attempts to impersonate a user by utilizing a token stored in the application domain’s data storage. This allows the application to perform actions under a different identity.

    C2 commands and functionality:

    Command ID Description
    0 Get the architecture type (e.g., x86 or x64) |
    1 Run received data as a shell code
    2 Execute a command line
    3 Load .NET byte code in a child thread
    4 Send a GET request
    5 Download and save a file
    6 Save provided raw data to a file
    7 Delete a file
    8 Read file contents
    9 Execute a .NET program with output
    10 Invoke a virtual page injector (create an instance of class App_Web_843e75cf5b63)
    11 Iterate and delete files whose names contain App_Global in the defined folder and its subdirectories
    14 Perform HTTP POST requests to multiple URLs concurrently

    Each time the command is executed, an XML-formatted response is generated, containing the execution result or return value. The value element in the XML starts with a hardcoded string /wEPDwUKLTcyODc4, and the same string is used in another open-source project, ExchangeCmdPy.py, to exploit the Exchange vulnerability CVE-2020-0688.

    By further comparing the code of GhostContainer with the ExchangeCmdPy.py open-source project, we observe a high degree of similarity in their entry function structures and keyword strings. This leads us to speculate that the code of the Stub class was developed based on the open-source project. We suspect that the vulnerability exploited in the Exchange attack may be related to CVE-2020-0688.

    App_Web_843e75cf5b63: virtual page injector

    This class is based on yet another open-source project, PageLoad_ghostfile.aspx, and it is designed to create ghost pages using classes like VirtualProvider. It contains a few classes which inherit from multiple system classes responsible for creating virtual ASPX pages and override some of their methods. It will create a virtual page using the two provided arguments: fakePageName and fakePath. The purpose of this approach is to run a .NET reflection loader (the fake page – see Appendix II) and bypass file checks. The loader is hardcoded into the program as a Base64-encoded .aspx source code.

    This fake page is used to locate the web proxy class App_Web_8c9b251fb5b3 in the current domain and execute its static method AppWebInit. As soon as it is created, the attacker starts sending requests to it, which will then be received and parsed by App_Web_8c9b251fb5b3.

    App_Web_8c9b251fb5b3: web proxy

    App_Web_8c9b251fb5b3 is one core component in the GhostContainer sample, typically loaded indirectly through the fake page (App_Web_843e75cf5b63). This class includes web proxy, socket forwarding, and covert communication capabilities, serving as a typical example of a combined web proxy and tunneling module.

    When an instance of this class is created, the static value utcDate is initialized with the current date and time. To identify the current version of the class, the fake page selects and invokes the one with the maximum utcDate value.

    There are only two functions in this class. The AppWebInit() function serves as the actual entry point of the module, and it is dynamically invoked through reflection in the fake .aspx page. In the function StrTr, it implements a custom string translation mechanism before decoding Base64-encoded strings.

    Again, we linked this algorithm to an open-source project, this time Neo-reGeorg. The function name StrTr and its code are identical. By comparing the code, it becomes clear that this class is a highly customized version of Neo-reGeorg.

    The primary behavior of the module is focused on parsing requests the attacker sends to the fake web page. When receiving a request, it first inspects the header. Its further behavior may vary depending on the identified header:

    • The Qprtfva header: identifies proxy forwarding requests.
    • The Dzvvlnwkccf header: identifies socket communication requests.
    • In other cases, the malware will respond with the string "".

    If the header is Qprtfva, the malware establishes a web proxy by completing the following steps:

    • Decode a Base64-encoded string to obtain the target URL.
    • Clone the original request content (headers other than Qprtfva and body).
    • Forward the request to the decoded target address.
    • Return the target response content as the local response.

    If the header is Dzvvlnwkccf, the malware establishes or manages a long-lived TCP tunnel connection between the internet and intranet. In order to identify and maintain different socket objects simultaneously, it defines a name for each socket object and then saves that name in pairs with the socket object in global storage. The name of the socket is contained in the first 22 bytes of the value of the header Dzvvlnwkccf. The exact activity is contained in the command section of the request, which starts from byte 23. The module accepts the following socket communication commands.

    Command Description
    1iGBIM1C5PmawX_1McmR7StamYn23jpfQoENPlm19cH42kceYkm8ch4x2 Extracts the IP and port from an encrypted header, attempts to connect, and saves the socket.
    vfhafFQZ4moDAvJjEjplaeySyMA Closes the socket and removes it from the global storage.
    M4LubGO0xaktF_YgZpsiH3v1cJ4dloAPOZKdG8AK4UxM Converts HTTP request body content to socket data and sends it to the internal host.
    NYIJVBf2PXRn7_BWxFyuheu1O0TuE9B0FtF0O Receives data from the internal network, encodes it, and sends it back to the attacker as an HTTP response body.

    StrUtils: string and XML format processing class

    StrUtils looks like a utility class for splitting and trimming strings, as well as splitting, extracting, and unescaping XML elements. However, only a few functions are currently referenced by the other three classes, namely the functions responsible for:

    • Splitting the received data into multiple parts
    • Trimming the closing character of the file path

    We found no references to the XML unescaping functions in any class.

    Infrastructure

    The GhostContainer backdoor does not establish a connection to any C2 infrastructure. Instead, the attacker connects to the compromised server from the outside, and their control commands are hidden within normal Exchange web requests. As a result, we have not yet identified any relevant IP addresses or domains.

    Victims

    So far, we have identified two targets of this campaign: a key government agency and a high-tech company. Both organizations are located in the Asian region.

    Attribution

    The sample used in this APT attack does not share structural similarities with any known malware. It incorporates code from several open-source projects, which are publicly accessible and could be utilized by hackers or APT groups worldwide. As a result, attribution based on code similarity is not reliable. Based on our telemetry, the attack could not be correlated with other attack campaigns because the attackers did not expose any infrastructure.

    Conclusions

    Based on all the analysis conducted, it is evident that attackers are highly skilled in exploiting Exchange systems and leveraging various open-source projects related to infiltrating IIS and Exchange systems. They possess an in-depth understanding of how Exchange web services operate and show remarkable expertise in assembling and extending publicly available code to create and enhance sophisticated espionage tools. We believe this is a mature and highly professional team. We continue tracking their activity.

    Indicators of compromise

    01d98380dfb9211251c75c87ddb3c79c       App_Web_Container_1.dll

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Mutual visa-free regime comes into force between China and Azerbaijan

    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 17 (Xinhua) — A mutual visa-free regime between China and Azerbaijan took effect on Wednesday, a move that experts say will greatly boost people-to-people exchanges between the two countries and once again demonstrate China’s determination to expand its external opening-up.

    On the same day, Tianshan International Airport in Urumqi /the administrative center of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, Northwest China/ welcomed the first batch of Chinese and Azerbaijani citizens who flew on a direct flight from Urumqi to Baku within the framework of the visa-free policy, China Central Television reports.

    According to the intergovernmental agreement between the People’s Republic of China and the Republic of Azerbaijan, a holder of an ordinary Chinese passport and a holder of an ordinary Azerbaijani passport can enter each other’s country without a visa for up to 30 days per visit and stay for no more than 90 days within a six-month period. A visa is still required for long-term stays for the purpose of residence, work and study.

    Let us recall that China is experiencing rapid growth in inbound and outbound travel, thanks in particular to the continuous optimization of the visa-free policy. According to the latest data from the State Immigration Administration of the People’s Republic of China, in the first half of 2025, the number of border crossings by foreign citizens in both directions through Chinese checkpoints increased by 30.2 percent year-on-year to 38.05 million person-times, while the number of foreigners who entered China under the visa-free regime reached 13.64 million people, an increase of 53.9 percent.

    In its latest round of moves to expand its “visa-free circle of friends,” China signed mutual visa waiver agreements with Uzbekistan, Malaysia and Azerbaijan, and introduced unilateral visa-free travel to nine more countries, including Brazil, Argentina and Saudi Arabia.

    At present, China has introduced a unilateral visa-free regime for 47 countries and a 240-hour visa-free transit policy for citizens of 55 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 –