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Category: Business

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Official Launch of the African Union Fellowship Programme on Disarmament and Non- Proliferation

    Source: APO – Report:

    .

    The African Union Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Amb. Bankole Adeoye, on behalf of H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Chairperson of the Commission officially launched the African Union Fellowship Programme on Disarmament and Non-Proliferation on 15 July 2025. He was joined by Amb. Rebecca Amuge Otengo, Chairperson of the AU Peace and Security Council for the month of July and Amb. Parfait Onanga-Anyanga, Special Representative of the UN Secretary General and Head of the United Nations Office to the African Union.

    The AU Fellowship Programme was established following the decision by the AU Peace and Security Council in May 2024 and it represents not only a training initiative but a strategic investment in nurturing the next generation of African peacemakers, negotiators, and disarmament specialists.

    The programme is designed to equip participants with knowledge on multilateral arms control frameworks, sharpen their diplomatic negotiation skills, and strengthen their capacity to broker mutual agreements between and among states. These efforts are intended to advance regional stability, limit the proliferation of weapons and promote the peaceful use of nuclear technology in Africa with the over-arching view to contribute to global peace and security.

    The target groups for the programme include diplomats from AU Member States, AU Special Envoys, High Representatives, Special Representatives of the Chairperson of the Commission, AU Mediators, Heads of AU Missions and other Strategic-level Leaders. It also extends to individuals working in the disarmament field across Africa, as well as representatives from civil society, academia, policy makers, practitioners, and international partners.

    – on behalf of African Union (AU).

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI: Virtune launches Virtune Coinbase 50 Index ETP on Nasdaq Stockholm

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Stockholm, July 16, 2025 – Virtune, the Swedish regulated crypto asset manager, announces the listing of its latest exchange-traded product, the Virtune Coinbase 50 Index ETP, on Nasdaq Stockholm traded in SEK. This listing marks a major milestone for Virtune’s continued growth in its home market and reinforces its position as a leading issuer of regulated, physically backed crypto ETPs in the Nordics.

    The product is now available to Swedish and Nordic investors via brokers and banks such as Avanza, Nordnet, SAVR and Montrose and is traded in SEK.

    Virtune has worked closely with Coinbase since its inception, collaborating across all key areas – staking, trading, and custody. The launch of the Virtune Coinbase 50 Index ETP marks the next step in strengthening this partnership. It is the world’s first exchange-traded product to track the Coinbase 50 Europe Index – a broadly diversified benchmark of up to 50 leading crypto assets. The index is developed by Coinbase and administered by MarketVector Indexes™. The ETP currently holds 21 crypto assets, with the target to expand to all 50 assets pending regulatory and exchange approvals.

    The Coinbase 50 Europe Index aims to provide investors with representative exposure to the most significant and relevant digital assets in the market. The product is tailored for both institutional and retail investors seeking regulated, transparent, and professional exposure to the crypto market.

    Allocation as of 15th of July 2025:

    https://www.virtune.com/product/vcoin50

    Christopher Kock, CEO of Virtune:

    “Listing our Coinbase 50 Index ETP on Nasdaq Stockholm marks a significant milestone in our mission to provide secure and regulated access to digital assets investments in Sweden and the Nordics. We are thrilled to bring this flagship product to our home market, allowing investors to trade it in SEK on Nasdaq Stockholm.”

    The Virtune Coinbase 50 Index ETP is 100% physically backed by the underlying crypto assets, securely stored in cold-storage with Coinbase, and carries a competitive annual management fee of 0.95%.

    Learn more about the product here: www.virtune.com/product/vcoin50

    About Coinbase: 

    Crypto creates economic freedom by ensuring that people can participate fairly in the economy, and Coinbase (NASDAQ: COIN) is on a mission to increase economic freedom for more than 1 billion people. We’re updating the century-old financial system by providing a trusted platform that makes it easy for people and institutions to engage with crypto assets, including trading, staking, safekeeping, spending, and fast, free global transfers. We also provide critical infrastructure for onchain activity and support builders who share our vision that onchain is the new online. And together with the crypto community, we advocate for responsible rules to make the benefits of crypto available around the world.

    Brett Tejpaul, Head of Coinbase Institutional: 

    “With the launch of the Virtune Coinbase 50 Index ETP in Nordics, we’re making one of the most comprehensive benchmarks for the crypto market directly accessible to investors across the Nordics. This marks a major step forward in our mission to expand global access to digital assets and provide institutional-grade tools for navigating this evolving asset class. The introduction of this ETP reinforces our commitment to bridging traditional financial infrastructure with the growing demand for regulated, secure exposure to the digital economy.”

    About MarketVector:

    MarketVector Indexes™ (“MarketVector”) is a regulated Benchmark Administrator in Europe, incorporated in Germany and registered with the Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin). MarketVector maintains indexes under the MarketVector™, MVIS®, and BlueStar® names. With a mission to accelerate index innovation globally, MarketVector is best known for its broad suite of Thematic indexes, a long-running expertise in Hard Asset-linked Equity indexes, and its pioneering Digital Asset index family. MarketVector is proud to be in partnership with more than 25 Exchange-Traded Product (ETP) issuers and index fund managers in markets throughout the world, with more than USD 57 billion in assets under management.

    Martin Leinweber, Director, Digital Asset Research and Strategy, MarketVector: 

    “The Virtune Coinbase 50 Index ETP marks a significant step forward for crypto investment in Europe, offering broad, institutional-grade exposure to digital assets through a single, efficient product. This milestone combines MarketVector’s index expertise, Coinbase’s market infrastructure, and Virtune’s transparent, regulated approach. We’re proud to deepen our partnership with Virtune by becoming the index provider for their entire range of crypto ETPs across Europe. Together, we’re delivering the tools institutional and retail investors need to navigate the digital asset landscape with greater confidence and clarity.”

    Key Information about the Product:

    • Exposure: Up to 50 leading crypto assets in a single product
    • Underlying assets: 100% physically backed by the underlying crypto assets
    • Custody: Institutional-grade custody by Coinbase
    • Management fee: 0.95% per annum
    • Trading currency: SEK
    • First day of trading on Nasdaq Stockholm: Monday, July 14, 2025
    • Bloomberg Ticker: VCOIN50
    • ISIN: SE0024738389
    • WKN: A4A5D4
    • Exchange ticker: VCOIN50
    • Exchanges: Nasdaq Stockholm, Nasdaq Helsinki, Deutsche Börse Xetra, Euronext Amsterdam, Euronext Paris

    For inquiries, please contact:

    Christopher Kock, CEO & Member of the Board of Directors
    +46 70 073 45 64
     christopher@virtune.com

    About Virtune AB (Publ):

    Virtune, headquartered in Stockholm, is a regulated Swedish digital asset manager and issuer of crypto exchange-traded products on regulated European exchanges. Through regulatory compliance, strategic partnerships, and a highly experienced team, Virtune empowers global investors to access innovative and professional investment products aligned with the evolving global crypto market.

    Cryptocurrency investments are associated with high risk. Virtune does not provide investment advice. Investments are made at your own risk. Securities may increase or decrease in value, and there is no guarantee that you will recover your invested capital. Please read the prospectus, KID, terms at www.virtune.com.. The Coinbase 50 Europe Index (“Index”) is the exclusive property of MarketVector Indexes GmbH (“MarketVector”) and its Licensors and has been licensed for use by Virtune AB (Publ) (“Licensee”). MarketVector has contracted with CC Data Limited to maintain and calculate the Index. CC Data Limited uses its best efforts to ensure that the Index is calculated correctly. Irrespective of its obligations towards MarketVector, CC Data Limited has no obligation to point out errors in the Index to third parties. In particular, MarketVector is not responsible for the Licensee and/or for Licensee’s legality or suitability and/or for Licensee’s business offerings. Offerings by Licensee, may they be based on the Virtune Coinbase 50 Europe ETP (“Product”) or not, are not sponsored, endorsed, sold, or promoted by MarketVector and any of its affiliates, and MarketVector and any of its affiliates make no representation regarding the advisability of investing in Licensee and/or in Licensee’s business offerings. MARKETVECTOR AND ANY OF ITS AFFILIATES AND ANY OF ITS LICENSORS MAKE NO WARRANTIES AND BEAR NO LIABILITY WITH RESPECT TO LICENSEE.

    The MIL Network –

  • India launches talent hunt for young chefs to blend tradition with innovation

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI), in partnership with the Ministry of Tourism, on Wednesday launched the National Young Chef Competition (NYCC), a nationwide talent hunt designed to discover and nurture India’s next generation of culinary innovators.

    The grand curtain-raiser for the competition was held at PHD House in New Delhi, marking the beginning of a series of zonal rounds that will span the country. The initiative targets final-year hospitality students, providing them with a national platform to blend traditional Indian culinary practices with contemporary techniques.

    Speaking at the launch event as Chief Guest, Mr Suman Billa (IAS), Additional Secretary and Director General, Ministry of Tourism, underscored the importance of preserving India’s diverse culinary traditions. “Our culinary heritage is built on cultural memory and regional techniques. We must reinforce these traditions and expand India’s footprint in the global fine dining space,” he said, urging aspiring chefs to think creatively and represent India with pride on international platforms.

    The competition, themed ‘Celebrating Indian Culinary Heritage: Blending Tradition with Innovation’, is being organised in partnership with the Indian Federation of Culinary Associations (IFCA) and the Tourism & Hospitality Skill Council (THSC).

    The zonal rounds will be held as follows:

    * North Zone: 6 August 2025, AIHM Chandigarh
    * East Zone: 18 September 2025, IHM Kolkata
    * West Zone: November 2025, IHM Mumbai
    * South Zone: 18 December 2025, IHM Kovalam

    Winners from each region will compete in the grand finale, scheduled for January 2026 at IHM Pusa, New Delhi.

    In addition to the competition, the NYCC will host career sensitisation workshops for students of Classes 11 and 12 at each zonal venue. These workshops aim to address the declining enrolment in hospitality education and introduce young students to career opportunities in the culinary industry.

    Calling the NYCC a “movement” that brings together industry, academia and youth, Mr Rajan Sehgal, Co-Chair of the Tourism Committee, PHDCCI, said the initiative is vital for celebrating India’s gastronomic wealth. Dr Chef Manjit Gill, President of IFCA, added, “NYCC is not just a contest but a cultural revival. It’s a call to preserve and modernise India’s diverse food legacy.”

    The event also saw the presence of notable figures from the culinary and hospitality sector, including Chef Sudhir Sibal, Chef Anil Grover, Mr Rajan Bahadur (THSC), Prof Kamal Kant Pant (IHM Pusa), Mr Amarjit Singh Ahuja (Le Meridien), and Ms Shalini S Sharma of PHDCCI, who outlined the detailed roadmap for the competition.

    The NYCC has garnered support from over 130 hospitality institutions nationwide and is backed by leading industry partners such as Venus Industries, Nestlé Professional, Wagh Bakri Tea Group, Cremica, McCain Foods and others. Winners will receive cash prizes, internship opportunities, international exposure, and special recognition for the ‘Best Sustainable Dish’.

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Bribery in South Africa: law now puts a duty on companies to act

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Rehana Cassim, Professor in Company Law, University of South Africa

    Bribery is one of the most common forms of corruption in South African companies and state institutions. This has a number of harmful outcomes.

    Firstly, research shows that it weakens democracy and slows down economic growth. It also creates expensive barriers for honest businesses to succeed because it distorts fair competition. If bribery is not stopped or punished it has a demoralising effect, because it erodes trust and creates a culture where ethical conduct is undermined.

    In 2024 a new law came into force in South Africa that puts a duty on companies to take proactive steps to prevent bribery. This law falls under a broader law dealing with corruption in South Africa.

    The new provisions make it a crime for companies to fail to prevent bribery by an associated person. This is a major policy shift in South African anti-corruption law, and aligns with the United Kingdom’s anti-bribery legislation.

    An associated person is anyone who performs services for the company. This can include suppliers, joint venture partners, distributors, consultants, and other professionals advising the company. It can even be other companies, like subsidiaries.

    In my research I found that South Africa took inspiration from the United Kingdom (UK) Bribery Act 2010. The law makes it a criminal offence for commercial organisations to fail to prevent bribery by associated persons.

    Despite some successes, enforcement of the UK Bribery Act has been slow and the volume of prosecutions has been low.

    Based on my research into company conduct, given the current challenges in law enforcement and the low conviction rates for crimes of corruption, the new law might not work as well as hoped.

    But with improved enforcement, it has potential to reduce bribery in South Africa.

    What’s behind the new law?

    The new addition to the law was introduced after a commission of inquiry found evidence of widespread bribery and corruption under former president Jacob Zuma.

    For example, Angelo Agrizzi, former chief operating officer of African Global Operations (Pty) Ltd (formerly known as Bosasa), testified that Bosasa won about US$129 million in government tenders by paying about US$4 million in bribes to politicians and government officials. He said that every contract in which Bosasa was involved was linked to bribery and corruption.

    The new law is designed to prevent this from happening.

    If a person associated with a member of the private sector or an incorporated state-owned entity gives, agrees or offers to give a bribe (or gratification) to another person, the company could be held liable. This applies to companies as well as individuals, partnerships, trusts and other legal entities.

    The bribe must be given by the associated person to get business for the company or to gain a business advantage for it. Importantly, a company can be found guilty even if it didn’t know about the bribe.

    What counts as a bribe?

    A bribe (or gratification) is not just money. It includes avoiding a loss or other disadvantage, releasing any obligation or liability, or giving any favour or advantage.

    The bribe does not actually have to be given. It is enough if the associated person agrees or offers to give the bribe.

    It is not clear yet if hospitality or promotional expenditures count as bribes.

    Under the UK Bribery Act a hospitality payment is not regarded as a gratification unless it is disproportionate. In my view South Africa should follow the same approach.

    For example, if paying for transport from the airport to a hotel for an on-site visit, taking clients to dinner, or giving them tickets to an event aligns with the norms for the industry, this probably will not be seen as a bribe.

    Facilitation payments is another tricky area. These are small bribes made to minor officials to get routine administrative tasks done, such as applying for visas, clearing customs or getting licences.

    The new law doesn’t say whether facilitation payments are regarded as bribes. In my view, they should be.

    What companies need to do

    Companies can avoid liability under the new law if they can prove that they had adequate procedures in place to prevent bribery by associated persons.

    But the law doesn’t explain what “adequate procedures” are. Until the South African government provides guidance on this, it is useful to look at the guidance provided under the UK Bribery Act. It recommends the following:

    • Companies should adopt procedures that are proportionate to the bribery risks they face and the nature, scale and complexity of their activities.

    So a larger company operating in a high-risk market where bribery is known to be common must do more to prevent bribery than a smaller company in a low-risk market where bribery is less common.

    • The company’s board of directors should foster a culture where bribery is never acceptable.

    • Companies should periodically assess their exposure to potential bribery risks.

    • Companies should carry out due diligence procedures on their associated persons.

    • Companies should communicate their anti-bribery polices internally and externally. They should also provide training to ensure that everyone understands their anti-bribery position.

    • Companies should monitor their procedures and improve them where necessary.

    The way forward

    The South African government should urgently publish official guidelines to help companies understand what they must do to comply with the new law.

    The principles of South Africa’s corporate governance code, the King IV Report, can also be used to help companies comply with the new law. These principles promote ethical leadership, an ethical culture, risk management, accountability and transparency.

    Guidelines are also important for small and medium enterprises. They also have a legal duty to put in place adequate procedures to prevent bribery.

    Companies that have not already put in place anti-bribery procedures should act quickly. And they should check that their corporate hospitality policies are reasonable and proportionate to their businesses.

    Companies should also evaluate their relationships with the people associated with them.

    Setting up anti-bribery procedures may have cost implications. But not having them could cost far more. Having adequate procedures in place is the only defence under the new law.

    The Conversation

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

    – ref. Bribery in South Africa: law now puts a duty on companies to act – https://theconversation.com/bribery-in-south-africa-law-now-puts-a-duty-on-companies-to-act-260148

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Join the celebrations! Applications now open for the 2026 National Multicultural Festival

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    As part of ACT Government’s ‘One Government, One Voice’ program, we are transitioning this website across to our . You can access everything you need through this website while it’s happening.

    Released 16/07/2025

    Want to celebrate your culture, share your organisation’s valuable work, or take the stage at one of Canberra’s most beloved events? Applications are now open for performers and stallholders wishing to participate in the 2026 National Multicultural Festival, which will return from 6 – 8 February 2026.

    Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Michael Pettersson MLA, encouraged members of the community who are interested in being involved in the festival to participate in the open application process.

    “Canberra’s diverse community is the heartbeat of the National Multicultural Festival. I encourage individuals and organisations who want to help celebrate the ACT’s inclusiveness to apply to be part of the festivities,” Minister Pettersson said.

    “The fact that the National Multicultural Festival is community-led is what makes it such a vibrant and unique event, one that attracts hundreds of thousands of people to Canberra City each year,” Minister Pettersson said.

    “Participating in the National Multicultural Festival is a fantastic way to reach new audiences and make new community connections. In 2025, more households than ever attended the festival, with 83,420 – or 41% – of Canberra households attending.”

    The National Multicultural Festival promotes equality, social cohesion and the sharing of culture through music, dance, language, cultural displays, food, learning, and interaction.

    Stallholder applicants can apply under four different categories:

    • Community (Food and Beverage; Retail Cultural Market Items; or Club – Food and Beverage)
    • Information (Multicultural; Diplomatic; or General)
    • Commercial (Food and Drink; or Retail Market Items)
    • Market Stalls (Community; or Commercial)

    The festival team, which sits within the ACT Government’s Health and Community Services Directorate, will hold information sessions over the coming weeks to help prospective applicants.

    The festival also welcomes local, national and international performer applications from a wide range of genres, including music, dance, song, spoken word, performance art, roving performers and ceremonies. Community Groups, professional and volunteer performers are encouraged to apply in the following categories:

    • Cultural showcase
    • Stage performance
    • Community workshop
    • Cooking demonstration
    • Parade participation

    Minister Pettersson said non-profit community organisations could apply for grants ranging from $100 to $10,000 for projects that promote community participation, inclusion and cultural diversity at the festival. The ACT Government’s National Multicultural Festival Grant Program is available for community organisations to assist with performance costs, materials, costumes, performer and rehearsal fees, travel expenses and Public Liability Insurance.

    Applications to participate as a stallholder or performer at the festival close on 26 August.

    More information on the application process and information sessions is available at www.multiculturalfestival.com.au.

    For more information about the ACT Government’s National Multicultural Festival, go to www.multiculturalfestival.com.au and subscribe to the newsletter.

    Quote attributable to Canberra Juventus Football Club:
    “As a first-time entrant to the 2025 National Multicultural Festival, the experience of the many volunteers of the Canberra Juventus Football Club was both a memorable and special time for the club. The festival provided the opportunity and surroundings that brought together so many families and friends, as well as both past and present members and players of the long-established Italian based heritage of the Canberra football club. This coming together is what the club believes in and shows the true essence of the ‘community of Canberra Juventus’. The opportunity allowed us to showcase our Italian heritage and passion, through our specialty food and sweets, our famous Aperol Spritz with fun Italian music. Importantly, we were able to express our passion for family and football which encapsulates the club’s objectives in strengthening community. We certainly hope to do it all again in 2026!”

    Quote attributable to Robin Zirwanda, Founder of the Assyrian Australian band Azadoota:
    “The vibe of the National Multicultural Festival is really welcoming. The festival audience is really responsive and eager to experience the culture we share through our music. And because the festival attracts people from so many different cultures, there is a real sense of collaboration and sharing between the audience and the performers. It’s a great energy.”

    – Statement ends –

    Michael Pettersson, MLA | Media Releases

    «ACT Government Media Releases | «Minister Media Releases

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China and Australia sign memorandum of understanding on implementation and review of free trade agreement

    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 16 (Xinhua) — China and Australia on Tuesday signed a memorandum of understanding on the implementation and review of the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement (FTA), according to the Ministry of Commerce.

    The document was signed by Chinese Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao and Australian Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade Ian Adams in the presence of Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

    Since the China-Australia free trade agreement came into effect in 2015, it has greatly contributed to the fruitful development of trade and economic relations between the two countries, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce said.

    The year 2025 marks the 10th anniversary of the China-Australia FTA coming into force. The two sides will take this opportunity to maintain close cooperation, continue high-quality implementation of the FTA, and jointly review the FTA to identify areas for further improvement or expansion, the Commerce Ministry said.

    This will increase the level of liberalization and facilitation of trade and investment, thereby providing a higher level of institutional guarantees for trade and economic cooperation between the two countries, the department added. -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 Asia-Pac: CS visits Heilongjiang Province (with photos/video)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

        The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, arrived in Harbin, Heilongjiang Province yesterday afternoon (July 15), to continue his visit.

        Mr Chan met with the Secretary of the CPC Heilongjiang Provincial Committee, Mr Xu Qin, to exchange views on deepening co-operation between Hong Kong and Heilongjiang Province. Mr Chan said that over the past year, Hong Kong and Heilongjiang have had mutual engagements, close exchanges and co-operation efforts that have reached an unprecedented level. At the Heilongjiang-Hong Kong Investment Cooperation Conference held in Hong Kong in March this year, the two places signed Memoranda of Understanding for strengthening co-operation on education, economics and trade, culture and tourism, sports and youth, and other fields, breaking new ground and laying a solid foundation for future co-operation. He said that Hong Kong possesses the unique advantages under the “one country, two systems” principle and a business environment that is highly market-oriented and internationalised, underpinned by the rule of law and an array of global professional talent and services. Mr Chan said he eagerly looks forward to deepening co-operation in all aspects between Hong Kong and Heilongjiang, complementing each other’s strengths,and achieving mutual benefits to make greater contributions to building a great country and realising the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

        Afterwards, Mr Chan attended the launch ceremony of the Hong Kong Patriotic Education Heilongjiang Study Tour under the Strive and Rise Programme. On behalf of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government, he expressed gratitude to the Heilongjiang Provincial Government for its strong organisational support work for the study tour, which travelled to and from Harbin by chartered flights arranged by Greater Bay Airlines. With over 130 participants, this study tour is the largest tour in scale since the launch of the Strive and Rise Programme. Mr Chan said at the event that given the rapid advancements in the country’s science and technology sectors, Heilongjiang Province has also developed various high-tech industries. He encouraged the participants to engage in different activities on the study tour to deepen the understanding of the country’s history, culture and economic development, and experience fascinating technological innovations. These will help the participants set goals for their future and strive for upward mobility.

        This morning (July 16), Mr Chan and members of the study tour visited the Exhibition Hall of Evidences of Crime Committed by Unit 731 of the Japanese Imperial Army, which is one of the first batch of 100 demonstration bases for patriotic education in the country. The visit allowed the participants to gain a deeper understanding of the crimes of Unit 731 through the displayed objects, pictures, archives, multimedia materials etc. Mr Chan said that this year marks the 80th anniversary of victory in the War of Resistance, and the exhibition hall is an important place for patriotic education. He said he hopes that members of the study tour will take this opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the hardships in national development and building a strong nation, cultivate a deeper and firmer patriotic sentiment through recognising historical facts, and consciously shoulder the responsibility of safeguarding national security.

        In the afternoon, Mr Chan met with the Secretary of the CPC Harbin Municipal Committee, Mr Yu Hongtao. They exchanged views on promoting exchanges and co-operation in various aspects between the two places in the future. Noting that Harbin has been added as one of the Mainland cities eligible for the Individual Visit Scheme since May last year, and that direct flights between Hong Kong and Harbin have been launched, Mr Chan said that the partnerships between the two places have become closer. He expressed his hope for the two cities to work together to explore more co-operation opportunities. In addition, Mr Chan mentioned that the HKSAR Government is steadfastly carrying out the work of patriotic education, including organising more Mainland exchange and study tours. He said he expected more Hong Kong young people to visit Harbin for exchanges and study, with an aim of enhancing Hong Kong young people’s sense of identity with, sense of belonging to, and pride towards the country.

        Mr Chan will conclude his visit and return to Hong Kong this afternoon.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ 15: Formulating a comprehensive population policy

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Following is a question by the Hon Nixie Lam and a written reply by the Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Miss Alice Mak, in the Legislative Council today (July 16):
     
    Question:

    According to data from the Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong’s total fertility rate in 2024 was only 0.841, far below the 2.1 level required for population replacement. Furthermore, a survey by a youth service organisation indicated that only 36 per cent of young people in Hong Kong who had responded in the survey expressed a preference for marriage or childbearing. Another survey showed that just around 23.27 per cent of respondents aged between 19 and 29 expressed a desire to have children, ranking among the lowest levels globally. There are views that the Government should adopt measures to enhance marriage and fertility rates among young people and develop a comprehensive population policy to avoid population ageing and workforce shrinkage. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
     
    (1) whether it will commence a systematic survey and study on the marriage and fertility situation of young people in Hong Kong, so as to deeply analyse the core factors influencing their decisions regarding marriage and childbearing, particularly through assessment in areas such as financial burdens, housing difficulties and job stability, with a view to gaining a more precise understanding of their concerns and expectations; if so, of the direction and timetable of the survey and study; if not, the reasons for that;
     
    (2) as there are views pointing out that young people’s lack of knowledge and confidence in future planning and gender relations indirectly undermine their willingness to marry and have children, whether the Government will consider, through cross-departmental collaboration, integrating existing fertility support measures for young people (e.g. child-rearing subsidies, priority quotas for public housing allocation, and childcare services for working families) and consolidating such information within the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau’s “HKYouth+” mobile application, as well as adding a designated information corner to the application that covers topics such as reproductive health, sex education, and marriage and fertility support, with a view to strengthening support for young people in the aspects of affective education and reproductive health information; if so, of the timetable; if not, the reasons for that; and
     
    (3) as there are views pointing out that although the Government has established the Human Resources Planning Commission to follow up on population policy, Hong Kong’s current population policy still lacks comprehensiveness, whether the Government will review the Commission’s work or establish a task force coordinated by an official at the level of Secretary of Department to institutionally integrate cross-departmental resources, with a view to formulating more comprehensive population policy objectives for Hong Kong to address the long-term challenges of population development?
     
    Reply:
     
    President,
     
    In consultation with the Chief Secretary for Administration’s Office, the Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration’s Office, the Labour and Welfare Bureau (LWB), the Housing Bureau (HB), the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau (FSTB) and the Health Bureau (HHB), the consolidated reply to the questions raised by the Hon Nixie Lam is as follows:
     
    (1) & (2) The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) has been regularly collating data related to marriage and fertility trends across different age groups. The C&SD also publishes feature articles from time to time, giving a brief account of the marriage and fertility trends in Hong Kong and analysing the factors underlying such trends.
     
    Hong Kong and many countries or places worldwide are facing a decline in fertility rate. In the face of this challenge, the Government must formulate measures to raise fertility rate. As such, the Chief Executive (CE) announced in his 2023 Policy Address a host of measures to promote fertility and create a conducive environment for childbearing through a “combination punches” approach. These measures include providing Newborn Baby Bonus, giving families with newborns priority on flat selection and allocation, enhancing child care support and increasing tax concessions. Office/ bureaux implementing the measures include the Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration’s Office, the HB, the LWB, the HHB, the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau (HYAB) and the FSTB.
     
    The Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) has implemented the Families with Newborns Allocation Priority Scheme and the Families with Newborns Flat Selection Priority Scheme to encourage childbearing by giving incentives to family applicants of public rental housing (PRH) and subsidised sale flats (SSF) sale exercises.  
     
    Regarding the allocation of PRH, the HA has implemented the Families with Newborns Allocation Priority Scheme since April 1, 2024. PRH family applications with babies born on or after October 25, 2023 and aged one or below are credited one year of waiting time. As at end-June 2025, about 5 000 PRH applications have been credited one year of waiting time under the scheme, of which about 420 families have already been successfully housed to PRH.
     
    As for SSF, starting from the Sale of Home Ownership Scheme (HOS) Flats 2024 (HOS 2024), the HA has implemented the Families with Newborns Flat Selection Priority Scheme which was announced in the 2023 Policy Address. A quota of about 40 per cent of the new flats for sale (i.e. 2 900 flats) under HOS 2024 were set aside for eligible applicants under the Families with Newborns Flat Selection Priority Scheme and the Priority Scheme for Families with Elderly Members for balloting and priority flat selection. Family applicants of HOS with babies born on or after October 25, 2023 are eligible if their children are aged three or below on the closing day of the application.
     
    During the application period of HOS 2024, the HA received a total of around 106 000 applications. Among them, around 50 000 were family applicants, of which around 19 000 (i.e. about 40 per cent) applied under the Priority Scheme for Families with Elderly Members and Families with Newborns Flat Selection Priority Scheme. Among these 19 000 applicants, 800 applicants have successfully purchased flats through the Families with Newborns Flat Selection Priority Scheme. If eligible families applying under the Families with Newborns Flat Selection Priority Scheme fail to purchase a flat under HOS 2024, they may still apply under the Scheme for priority flat selection as long as their children are aged three or below on the closing day of the application in subsequent SSF sale exercises.
     
    The Government announced in the 2023 Policy Address that a cash reward of $20,000 will be provided to eligible parents for each baby born from October 25, 2023, for a period of three years. Starting from October 25, 2023, parents can submit an application for the bonus at the same time when registering the birth of their baby and applying for a birth certificate. As of end-June 2025, a total of 49 567 qualified applications have been received, and the bonus has been distributed to 48 984 applicants, at a total amount of approximately $979 million. The Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration’s Office is carrying out a review of the Newborn Baby Bonus Scheme.
     
    The Government has been supporting parents who cannot take care of their children temporarily through subsidising non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to provide a variety of day child care services, including Child Care Centres (CCCs), the After School Care Programme and the Neighbourhood Support Child Care Project (NSCCP). To strengthen support for working families in childbearing, the Government has announced the setting up of additional 11 aided standalone CCCs in phases, doubling the total number of service places to reach around 2 000. The Government is extending the After School Care Programme for pre-primary children to cover all districts in phases, and increasing the number of service places under the NSCCP to 2 500 with the estimated number of beneficiaries increasing to 25 000. The Social Welfare Department will also provide information and assistance to private organisations applying for registration to operate CCCs, and encourage private organisations to provide child care support for their employees. Meanwhile, the Government reviews the Working Family Allowance (WFA) Scheme from time to time. The rates of the household and child allowances under the WFA Scheme have been increased by 15 per cent across the board with effect from April 2024, benefiting all households receiving the WFA. The WFA Scheme provides additional allowances for relevant childbearing families, and increasing the rates of the WFA helps further alleviate the burden of grassroots working families. Taking a four-person household with two eligible children as an example, the maximum monthly WFA they may receive have increased from the original amount of $4,200 to $4,830 at present.
     
    As regards tax concessions, starting from the year of assessment (YA) 2023/24, the basic child allowance and the additional child allowance for each child born during the YA have been raised from $120,000 to $130,000. In addition, starting from YA 2024/25, for taxpayers who live with their children born on or after October 25, 2023 and meet the prescribed conditions, the deduction ceiling for home loan interest or domestic rents will be raised from $100,000 to $120,000 for a maximum of 19 YAs. These measures can encourage childbearing by helping taxpayers to alleviate their financial burden from raising children.
     
    As regards antenatal services, currently the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Departments of the Hospital Authority and the Maternal and Child Health Centres (MCHCs) of the Department of Health (DH) provide free antenatal services for all local pregnant women who are eligible persons (who generally refer to holders of Hong Kong Identity Cards or such other persons as may be approved by the Chief Executive of the Hospital Authority/ Director of Health) to ensure the health of the pregnant women and their foetuses. The scope of services includes the first antenatal check-up, personal and family medical history, as well as various investigations and vaccinations conducted by doctors according to the clinical needs of individual pregnant women.
     
    Besides, as announced in the 2024 Policy Address, the DH will revamp maternal and child health and family planning services to strengthen pre-pregnancy counselling and parental education and promote healthy fertility. The DH will provide the new pre-pregnancy health services to reproductive age group women at the MCHCs in phases, support women in preparing for pregnancy through health consultation and counselling, health assessments, arrangement of blood tests and other investigations, and provide nutritional dietary and lifestyle advice, to align with the Government’s policy of encouraging and promoting healthy fertility, as well as protecting and advancing maternal and child health. Details on the above initiatives will be announced at an appropriate juncture. In addition, the DH will review and adjust the scope of the subsidised family planning service currently provided by NGOs, so as to dovetail with the Government’s policy of encouraging and promoting healthy fertility.
     
    The HYAB has been supporting the work of the Family Council (the Council) in promoting a culture of loving families to the general public through organising different publicity programmes and activities. In October 2024, the HYAB and the Council launched the five-year Funding Scheme on the Promotion of Family Education (the Scheme). With an annual funding of $8 million, the Scheme subsidises non-profit-making community projects in promoting family education. NGOs may, based on societal needs, apply to the Scheme for funding to implement projects related to topics such as family building, new parents, and marriage-related. On the other hand, the Council has been encouraging the wider adoption of more diversified and flexible family-friendly employment practices (FFEPs) in the community. Measures include launching promotional videos entitled “Family-friendly Workplace”, which feature various FFEPs adopted by local companies, and collaborating with the Radio Television Hong Kong to produce radio programmes to promulgate different types of FFEPs. These measures will also help foster a pro-family environment.
     
    The HYAB launched the first release of the “HKYouth+” youth mobile application in March 2024, and has been continuously updating it to cater to the needs of young people. Its content cover various areas, including personal development opportunities, local hot topics, national development, world news, arts and leisure, innovation and technology, physical and mental wellness. It aims to help young people expand their knowledge, explore interests and enrich themselves in different aspects. The HYAB will work with relevant bureaux and departments to encourage them to make use of “HKYouth+” for strengthening promotion of various support measures to the youth community.
     
    (3) The population policy straddles a wide range of policy areas, involving various bureaux. For the current term of the HKSAR Government, in addition to the standing committees, the CE and Secretaries and Deputy Secretaries of Departments are now providing high-level steer as necessary through various channels, such as working groups and inter-departmental meetings, to coordinate relevant inter-departmental work.
     
    Chaired by the Chief Secretary for Administration, the Human Resources Planning Commission (HRPC) consolidates resources and efforts of the Government and various sectors to examine, review and holistically co-ordinate policies and measures on human resources, including issues pertaining to the population policy. The HRPC is a high-level policy platform, with eight policy secretaries, including Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Secretary for Education, Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Secretary for Health, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Secretary for Labour and Welfare and Secretary for Security; the Government Economist; the Commissioner for Census and Statistics and the Chairmen of the Employees Retraining Board, the Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications and the Vocational Training Council as ex-officio members; and non-official members drawn from a diverse mix of experts and stakeholders from different fields and sectors. Since its establishment in 2018, the HRPC has looked into a number of issues to tackle the demographic challenges, facilitating the Government to formulate and refine the relevant policies and measures.
     
    Currently, population policy measures have been subsumed under the portfolios of various bureaux as part of the ongoing efforts. As the Government’s existing steering and inter-departmental co-ordination mechanism are flexible and effective, the Government does not consider it necessary to set up a separate structure for the work on the population policy.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ3: Facilitating enterprises to list in Hong Kong

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    LCQ3: Facilitating enterprises to list in Hong Kong 
    Question:
     
         To dovetail with the latest economic trends and corporate needs, the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) and Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEX) are conducting a comprehensive review of the listing regime, including reviewing the listing requirements, improving the vetting process and optimising the thresholds for dual listings, so as to further facilitate the emerging sector and overseas enterprises to raise capital in Hong Kong. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
     
    (1) whether it will drive the HKEX and the SFC to adjust the listing thresholds for companies with weighted voting right structures and enterprises from the innovative sector, so as to further attract new economy as well as innovation and technology companies to list in Hong Kong;
     
    (2) whether it will consider driving the HKEX to enhance the public float and market capitalisation requirements for listed companies, so as to facilitate more large-scale and overseas enterprises to list in Hong Kong; and
     
    (3) whether it knows the strategies put in place by the HKEX to enhance the efficiency and flexibility of the vetting process for listing, as well as to provide stronger support and clearer guidance for overseas quality enterprises, in response to the increasingly competitive environment of the international capital market?
     
    Reply:
     
    President,
     
         As an international financial centre, Hong Kong has been taking forward high-quality development of its capital market through institutional innovation, thereby enhancing the role as a global fundraising hub. In recent years, the Government has driven the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) and the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEX) to introduce a series of reforms to the listing regime. These include tailored listing mechanisms for new economy enterprises with weighted voting rights (WVR) structures and technology companies, the establishment of a regulatory framework to facilitate dual primary or secondary listing of overseas listed issuers in Hong Kong, etc.
     
         With the implementation of the series of listing reforms, the primary market has shown notable vibrancy this year. In the first half of the year, Hong Kong recorded 42 initial public offerings (IPOs), raising over HK$107 billion in total, approximately 22 per cent more than the full-year total for last year and ranking first globally in the year-to-date. The number of listing applications is also increasing rapidly. At the end of June, the HKEX was processing over 200 listing applications, the highest level since the same period in 2021. Riding on the positive momentum in 2025, the HKEX and the SFC are taking forward further enhancements to the listing regime so as to boost the vitality and competitiveness of Hong Kong’s listing platform.
     
         In consultation with the SFC and the HKEX, my response to the three parts of the question is as follows:
     
    (1) and (2) To closely follow market developments, the SFC and the HKEX continuously review their listing regime and related requirements, with a view to attracting more high-quality enterprises including overseas and new economy companies to list in Hong Kong, while balancing relevant risks and investor protection. Notably, the HKEX relaxed the market capitalisation requirement for Greater China issuers seeking secondary listing in Hong Kong and removed the relevant condition of being an “innovative company”. “Grandfathered Greater China issuers” and “non-Greater China issuers” with WVR or variable interest entity structures that meet the secondary listing requirements have also been provided with greater flexibility to obtain primary listing status in Hong Kong.
     
         In September 2024, the HKEX and the SFC lowered the market capitalisation threshold at the time of listing for specialist technology companies to enhance the flexibility of the relevant listing framework. In addition, a dedicated “technology enterprises channel” (TECH) was launched in May this year to provide tailored guidance to specialist technology and biotechnology companies before they submit their listing applications, thereby providing support to issuers in their listing preparation process. The issuers may also submit listing applications confidentially, taking into account the unique characteristics of relevant enterprises. These measures are also applicable to overseas technology companies. The HKEX and the SFC will allocate resources flexibly based on application volumes to ensure efficient processing.
     
         The HKEX and the SFC are committed to improving Hong Kong’s listing regime to facilitate listing of more high-quality companies, thereby enhancing the overall competitiveness and vibrancy of Hong Kong as a listing venue. We are conducting a comprehensive review, with the scope of review to cover multiple aspects of the listing regime. In addition to supporting fundraising by enterprises, it also has to safeguard protection of investors’ interests and the overall market quality so as to attract more investors to invest in Hong Kong, which requires in-depth engagement with different stakeholders. We are aware that Dr the Hon Starry Lee and two other Members published a report last week putting forward various recommendations to further enhance the Listing Rules to attract listing of high-quality overseas issuers in Hong Kong. The relevant areas such as reviewing the specific requirements for primary, secondary and dual primary listing, as well as post-listing continuing obligations, etc, are already covered in the scope of the ongoing review by the HKEX and the SFC. Specific proposals will be considered as part of the process. The HKEX will announce relevant enhancement measures with public consultation to be conducted as appropriate once they are ready.
     
         In addition, the HKEX launched a consultation on proposals to enhance IPO price discovery and open market regulation in December 2024, which include a tiered approach to minimum public float requirements at the time of listing based on issuers’ market capitalisation, and seeking views on whether issuers should be allowed greater flexibility to maintain a lower public float post-listing. The HKEX is currently consolidating and reviewing the feedback received, and will conduct further consultation on specific proposals regarding the ongoing public float requirements.
     
    (3) We are committed to attracting companies of various sizes and with growth potential from around the world to list and raise funds in Hong Kong. To this end, the HKEX has streamlined the listing requirements for overseas issuers and introduced a set of core shareholder protection standards applicable to all issuers to facilitate compliance. The HKEX has also issued guidance for overseas issuers seeking to list in Hong Kong and published further jurisdiction-specific explanatory notes on a need basis. To facilitate fundraising by more high-quality companies in Hong Kong, the SFC and the HKEX implemented the enhanced timeframe for approval of new listing applications last year (Note), thereby improving the transparency and efficiency of the listing application process, and providing greater certainty on the vetting time. Enterprises with dual primary listing that meet the relevant eligibility criteria are currently also eligible for inclusion in Southbound trading of Stock Connect.
     
         Building on the various enhancements to the listing regime for overseas issuers, HKEX continues to review the scope of recognised stock exchanges to enable companies listed on overseas main markets to seek secondary listing in Hong Kong. Following the inclusion of the Saudi Exchange, the Indonesia Stock Exchange, the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange and the Dubai Financial Market onto the list of recognised stock exchanges in 2023 and 2024, the HKEX further added the Stock Exchange of Thailand in March this year, bringing the total number of recognised overseas exchanges on the list to 20.
     
         Looking ahead, the Government, together with the SFC and the HKEX, will continue to step up external promotion efforts to showcase the latest developments and strengths of Hong Kong’s financial services sector, including the listing platform. Meanwhile, the HKEX will explore further expansion of the scope of recognised stock exchanges and simplification of the listing process for overseas issuers, while more proactively providing guidance to facilitate their preparations for listing in Hong Kong.
     
         Thank you, President.
     
    Note: Including confirmation within 40 business days for general new listing applications, or within 30 business days for eligible A-share companies, on whether there are any major regulatory concerns.
    Issued at HKT 14:50

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI: Second Quarter Report 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    April – June 2025 Serstech Group

    • Net sales amounted to KSEK 4 563 (21 369).
    • EBITDA amounted to KSEK – 8 875 (5 595).
    • EBIT amounted to KSEK -10 992 (3 715).
    • Cash flow from operating activities amounted to KSEK -11 631 (-1 112).
    • Earnings per share amounted to SEK -0.04(0.02).
    • Earnings per average number of shares amounted to SEK -0.04 (0.02).

    January – June 2025 Serstech Group

    • Net sales amounted to KSEK 24 455 (35 543).
    • EBITDA amounted to KSEK – 8 204 (6 963).
    • EBIT amounted to KSEK -12 329 (3 194).
    • Cash flow from operating activities amounted to KSEK -14 772 (515).
    • Earnings per share amounted to SEK -0.05 (0.01).
    • Earnings per average number of shares amounted to SEK -0.05 (0.01).

    Message from the CEO

    The second quarter of 2025 showed lower sales, amounting to approximately 4.5 MSEK (21.4 MSEK). The lower sales in Q2 are in line with the broader market, as several companies in our sector have reported a slow quarter, largely due to geopolitical uncertainty and delayed procurement processes — particularly in the US, where several planned purchases have been put on hold. We have also seen limited customer participation at key US industry exhibitions, reflecting a cautious market sentiment.

    Despite the short-term challenges, we have continued to execute on our strategic plan. Our expanded sales team is now largely in place, with the final addition for this year starting in September. Compared to the beginning of the year, we have doubled the size of the sales team, which now consists of six dedicated sales professionals. This expanded capacity is a critical enabler for our growth ambitions, and we are already seeing positive effects in terms of opportunity pipeline development.

    In parallel, we have made strong progress on cost efficiency. Our transition to in-house production is proceeding according to plan, with pilot production starting in late summer and volume production expected to begin in Q4. All systems, suppliers, and processes are in place. This shift will reduce our cost of goods sold (COGS) significantly — well timed given the intensified price pressure we now see in the market. We have recently lost a few minor tenders on price, which reinforces the importance of our ongoing cost reduction initiatives.

    Having a production site in-house, in addition to the third-party one, will increase production capacity and resilience, and strengthen the collaboration between R&D and production. We have already made several improvements to both the product design and production process to improve quality and yield, while reducing COGS significantly.

    Our opportunity pipeline for the second half of the year remains strong. With the new sales team in place, we expect pipeline growth to accelerate further. Until now, our limited sales capacity has been the main bottleneck, requiring me to focus almost exclusively on field sales and international travel to support customer engagements.

    We successfully closed our Romanian office during the quarter and completed key recruitments in Lund. Consolidating the team under one roof will not only reduce overall costs but also improve collaboration, efficiency, and innovation. We are already seeing the benefits, with several new patent applications scheduled to be filed in the near term.

    With a stronger team, a more competitive cost structure, and a growing market need, we are well positioned for a strong second half of the year.

    Stefan Sandor, CEO
    April 2025

    For further information, please contact:
    Stefan Sandor,
    CEO, Serstech AB Phone: +46 739 606 067
    Email: ss@serstech.com

    or

    Thomas Pileby,
    Chairman of the Board, Serstech AB Phone: +46 702 072 643
    Email: tp@serstech.com
    or visit: www.serstech.com

    This is information that Serstech AB (publ.) is obliged to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out above at 08:45 CET on July 16, 2025.

    Certified advisor to Serstech is Svensk Kapitalmarknadsgranskning AB (SKMG).

    About Serstech

    Serstech delivers solutions for chemical identification and has customers around the world, mainly in the safety and security industry. Typical customers are customs, police authorities, security organizations and first responders. The solutions and technology are however not limited to security applications and potentially any industry using chemicals of some kind could be addressed by Serstech’s solution. Serstech’s head office is in Sweden and design, development and production are done in Sweden.

    Serstech is traded at Nasdaq First North Growth Market and more information about the company can be found at www.serstech.com

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    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Quadient Announces Supplier Agreement with Vizient, Enhancing Access to the U.S. Healthcare Market

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Quadient Announces Supplier Agreement with Vizient, Enhancing Access to the U.S. Healthcare Market

    Quadient (Euronext Paris: QDT), a global automation platform powering secure and sustainable business connections, has entered into a supplier agreement with Vizient, the largest provider-driven healthcare performance improvement company in the U.S. Vizient’s diverse client base includes some of the country’s most prestigious hospitals and integrated health delivery networks. The agreement enhances opportunities for Quadient to serve healthcare providers across the continuum of care, offering contracted pricing for a wide range of the company’s digital software, mail and automated locker solutions.

    Vizient provides network-powered insights into the critical areas of clinical, operational and spend management performance and empowers clients to deliver exceptional, cost-effective care. Serving more than 65% of U.S. acute care providers and more than 35% of the non-acute market, Vizient’s contract portfolio represents $140 billion in annual purchasing volume. Through the new contract, healthcare providers have greater access to Quadient’s cutting-edge solutions designed to enhance digital patient interactions, optimize the sending and receiving of mail and packages, improve operational efficiency, increase document security and ensure regulatory compliance.

    “We are thrilled to be awarded a contract from Vizient to help healthcare organizations improve performance through more streamlined and automated workflows, leading to better patient and staff experiences” said Geoffrey Godet, CEO at Quadient. “Our strategic approach to supply chain and procurement in the mailing and communications space is rooted in a comprehensive, assessment-based process that identifies key assets and opportunities to drive efficiency and transformation for healthcare providers. We are excited to support Vizient clients with innovative, results-driven solutions that enhance operational performance and elevate the overall healthcare experience.”

    For more information about Quadient’s solutions and contract with Vizient, visit www.quadient.com and mail.quadient.com/en/healthcare-contracts/Vizient.

    About Quadient®
    Quadient is a global automation platform powering secure and sustainable business connections through digital and physical channels. Quadient supports businesses of all sizes in their digital transformation and growth journey, unlocking operational efficiency and creating meaningful customer experiences. Listed in compartment B of Euronext Paris (QDT) and part of the CAC® Mid & Small and EnterNext® Tech 40 indices, Quadient shares are eligible for PEA-PME investing. For more information about Quadient, visit http://www.quadient.com/en/.

    Media Contacts
    Joe Scolaro, Quadient
    Global Press Relations Manager
    +1 203-301-3673
    jscolaro@quadient.com

    Kiley Ribordy, Walker Sands
    Senior PR Director
    quadientpr@walkersands.com

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    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI China: US launches section 301 probe against Brazil

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

    The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative announced Tuesday that it will open an investigation into Brazil’s trade policies under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974.

    The investigation, launched under U.S. President Donald Trump’s direction, will look into “Brazil’s attacks on American social media companies as well as other unfair trading practices that harm American companies, workers, farmers, and technology innovators,” said the office in a statement, citing U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.

    Greer determined that Brazil’s tariff and non-tariff barriers “merit a thorough investigation, and potentially, responsive action” after consulting with other government agencies, cleared advisers and Congress.

    The investigation will seek to determine “whether acts, policies, and practices of the Government of Brazil related to digital trade and electronic payment services; unfair, preferential tariffs; anti-corruption interference; intellectual property protection; ethanol market access; and illegal deforestation are unreasonable or discriminatory and burden or restrict U.S. commerce,” said the statement. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI: Trust and human-AI collaboration set to define the next era of agentic AI, unlocking $450 billion opportunity by 2028

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Press contact: 
    Mollie Mellows
    Tel: +44 7342 709384
    Email: mollie.mellows@capgemini.com

    Trust and human-AI collaboration set to define the next era of agentic AI, unlocking $450 billion opportunity by 2028

    • AI agents are poised to deliver up to $450 billion in economic value by 2028 through revenue gains and cost savings, yet the path to scale is currently elusive
    • Confidence in fully autonomous AI agents dropped from 43% to 27% in the past year amidst privacy and ethical concerns
    • However, AI agents are expected to be involved in most business tasks within three years, with effective human-agent collaboration projected to increase human engagement in high-value tasks by 65%

    Paris, July 16, 2025 – Agentic AI is poised to deliver up to $450 billion in economic value by 2028 yet, despite strong momentum, only 2% of organizations have fully scaled deployment and trust in AI agents is declining. Organizations are discovering that AI agents deliver the greatest impact when humans remain actively involved. Nearly three-quarters of executives say the benefits of human oversight outweigh the costs, and 90% view human involvement in AI-driven workflows as either positive or cost-neutral. This is according to the Capgemini Research Institute’s latest report “Rise of agentic AI: How trust is the key to human-AI collaboration”, that finds trust and human oversight are critical factors in realizing the potential of agentic AI, and the gap between intent and readiness is now one of the biggest barriers to realizing the $450 billion opportunity.

    Agentic AI is one of the fastest-emerging technological trends, but organizations are still in the early stages of application. While nearly a quarter have already launched pilots and a small number have begun implementation (14%), the majority remain in planning mode. This steady progress stands in contrast to executive ambition – nearly all (93%) business leaders believe that scaling AI agents over the next 12 months will provide a competitive edge, yet nearly half of organizations still lack a strategy for implementing them.

    “The economic potential of AI agents is significant but realizing this value depends on more than just the technology, it requires a comprehensive and strategic transformation across people, processes and systems,” said Franck Greverie, Chief Portfolio & Technology Officer, Head of Global Business Lines, and Group Executive Board Member at Capgemini. “To succeed, organizations must remain focused on outcomes, reimagining their processes with an AI-first mindset. Central to this transformation is the need to build trust in AI by ensuring it is developed responsibly, with ethics and safety baked in from the outset. It also means reshaping organizations to support effective human-AI chemistry, creating the right conditions for these systems to enhance human judgment and help deliver superior business outcomes.”

    Organizations prioritize transparency as the agentic AI trust gap widens
    Trust in fully autonomous AI agents has dropped sharply, from 43% to 27% in the past year alone, with nearly two in five executives believing that the risks of implementing AI agents outweigh the benefits. Only 40% of organizations say they trust AI agents to manage tasks and processes autonomously, while most do not fully trust the technology.

    The report finds that as organizations move from exploration to implementation, trust in AI agents grows: for organizations in implementation phase, 47% have an above average level of trust, compared to 37% in exploratory phase. Therefore, organizations are prioritizing transparency, clarity around how AI agents make decisions, and ethical safeguards to drive greater adoption.

    Human-AI chemistry is key to lasting adoption
    The real promise of agentic AI lies in tackling core business challenges and reimagining how work gets done. Within the next 12 months, over 60% of organizations expect to form human-agent teams where AI agents function as subordinates or enhance human capabilities. This means that AI agents can no longer be considered tools, they are becoming active participants in the team.

    70% of organizations believe AI agents will necessitate organizational restructuring, prompting leaders to rethink roles, team structures, and workflows. Enterprises are discovering AI agents deliver most value when humans remain in the loop. With effective human-AI collaboration, organizations expect a 65% increase in human engagement in high-value tasks, a 53% rise in creativity, and a 49% boost in employee satisfaction.

    The time to scale is now
    The $450 billion dollar opportunity for AI agents to deliver new economic value by 2028 includes both revenue uplift and cost savings, driven by the implementation of semi to fully autonomous AI agents. Scaled adoption is found to hold far greater potential, as organizations with scaled implementation are projected to generate approximately $382 million on average over the next three years, while others may realize around $76 million.

    In the near term, AI agents are expected to see most extensive adoption in customer service, IT, and sales, expanding into operations, R&D, and marketing over the next three years. However, most deployments remain at early stages of autonomy with only 15% of all business processes operating at semi-autonomous to fully autonomous levels in a year. While this is expected to rise to 25% by 2028, most agents today function as assistants or copilots, supporting routine tasks rather than independently managing complex workflows.

    AI-readiness remains a challenge
    Today, most organizations are not equipped to scale agentic AI effectively cites the report. 80% lack mature AI infrastructure and fewer than one in five report high levels of data-readiness. Ethical concerns such as data privacy, algorithmic bias, and lack of explainability remain widespread, yet few organizations are taking decisive action. For example, privacy is the primary concern for over half of organizations (51%), yet only 34% are actively taking steps to mitigate it. Compounding this, only half of business leaders say they understand what AI agents are capable of, and even fewer can identify where these systems outperform traditional automation.

    To harness the full potential of AI agents, organizations must move beyond the hype, recommends the report – working toward redesigning processes and reimagining business models, transforming organizational structure, and striking the right balance between agent autonomy and human involvement.

    For more information and to download the full report, click here.

    Report methodology
    The Capgemini Research Institute conducted a global survey of 1,500 executives at organizations each with more than $1 billion in annual revenue across 14 countries. Organizations operate across 13 sectors and all have started to explore Agentic AI. The global survey took place in April 2025. Executives surveyed are at director level and above, and of these, 60% are from data and AI functions, while 40% are from diverse business functions.

    About Capgemini
    Capgemini is a global business and technology transformation partner, helping organizations to accelerate their dual transition to a digital and sustainable world, while creating tangible impact for enterprises and society. It is a responsible and diverse group of 340,000 team members in more than 50 countries. With its strong over 55-year heritage, Capgemini is trusted by its clients to unlock the value of technology to address the entire breadth of their business needs. It delivers end-to-end services and solutions leveraging strengths from strategy and design to engineering, all fueled by its market leading capabilities in AI, generative AI, cloud and data, combined with its deep industry expertise and partner ecosystem. The Group reported 2024 global revenues of €22.1 billion.

    Get The Future You Want | www.capgemini.com

    About the Capgemini Research Institute
    The Capgemini Research Institute is Capgemini’s in-house think-tank on all things digital. The Institute publishes research on the impact of digital technologies on large traditional businesses. The team draws on the worldwide network of Capgemini experts and works closely with academic and technology partners. The Institute has dedicated research centers in India, Singapore, the United Kingdom and the United States. It was ranked #1 in the world for the quality of its research by independent analysts for six consecutive times – an industry first.

    Visit us at https://www.capgemini.com/researchinstitute/

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    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Why is Israel bombing Syria?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ali Mamouri, Research Fellow, Middle East Studies, Deakin University

    Conflict in Syria has escalated with Israel launching bombing raids against its northern neighbour.

    It follows months of fluctuating tensions in southern Syria between the Druze minority and forces aligned with the new government in Damascus. Clashes erupted in the last few days, prompting Israeli airstrikes in defence of the Druze by targeting government bases, tanks, and heavy weaponry.

    Israel Minister Amichai Chikli has called the Syrian president Ahmed al-Sharaa –

    a terrorist, a barbaric murderer who should be eliminated without delay.

    Despite the incendiary language, a ceasefire has been reached, halting the fighting – for now.

    Syrian forces have begun withdrawing heavy military equipment from the region, while Druze fighters have agreed to suspend armed resistance, allowing government troops to regain control of the main Druze city of Suwayda.

    What do the Druze want?

    The Druze are a small religious minority estimated at over one million people, primarily concentrated in the mountainous regions of Lebanon, Syria, Israel, and Jordan.

    In Syria, their population is estimated at around 700,000 (of around 23 million total Syrian population), with the majority residing in the southern As-Suwayda Governorate – or province – which serves as their traditional stronghold.

    Since the 2011 uprising against the Assad regime, the Druze have maintained a degree of autonomy, successfully defending their territory from various threats, including ISIS and other jihadist groups.

    Following Assad’s fall late last year, the Druze — along with other minority groups such as the Kurds in the east and Alawites in the west — have called for the country to be federalized.

    They advocate for a decentralised model that would grant greater autonomy to regional communities.

    However, the transitional government in Damascus is pushing for a centralised state and seeking to reassert full control over the entire Syrian territory. This fundamental disagreement has led to periodic clashes between Druze forces and government-aligned troops.

    Despite the temporary ceasefire, tensions remain high. Given the core political dispute remains unresolved, many expect renewed conflict to erupt in the near future.

    Why is Israel involved?

    The ousting of the Assad regime created a strategic opening for Israel to expand its influence in southern Syria. Israel’s involvement is driven by two primary concerns:

    1. Securing its northern border

    Israel views the power vacuum in Syria’s south as a potential threat, particularly the risk of anti-Israeli militias establishing a foothold near its northern border.

    During the recent clashes, the Israeli military declared

    The Israeli Defence Forces will not allow a military threat to exist in southern Syria and will act against it.

    Likewise, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has stated he will not allow Syrian forces south of Damascus:

    We are acting to prevent the Syrian regime from harming them [the Druze] and to ensure the demilitarisation of the area adjacent to our border with Syria.

    In line with these warnings, the Israeli Air Force has conducted extensive strikes against Syrian military infrastructure, targeting bases, aircraft, tanks, and heavy weaponry.

    These operations are intended to prevent any future buildup of military capacity that could be used against Israel from the Syrian side of the border.

    2. Supporting a federated Syria

    Israel is backing the two prominent allied minorities in Syria — the Kurds in the northeast and the Druze in the south — in their push for a federal governance model.

    A fragmented Syria, divided along ethnic and religious lines, is seen by some Israeli policymakers as a way to maintain Israeli domination in the region.

    This vision is part of what some Israeli officials have referred to as a “New Middle East” — one where regional stability and normalisation emerge through reshaped borders and alliances.

    Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar recently echoed this strategy, stating:

    A single Syrian state with effective control and sovereignty over all its territory is unrealistic.

    For Israel, the logical path forward is autonomy for the various minorities in Syria within a federal structure.

    The United States’ role?

    According to unconfirmed reports, Washington has privately urged Israel to scale back its military strikes on Syria in order to prevent further escalation and preserve regional stability.

    The US is promoting increased support for Syria’s new regime in an effort to help it reassert control and stabilise the country.

    There are also indications the US and its allies are encouraging the Syrian government to move toward normalisation with Israel. Reports suggest Tel Aviv has held talks with the new Sharaa-led regime about the possibility of Syria joining the Abraham Accords (diplomatic agreements between Israel and several Arab states), which the regime in Damascus appears open to.

    US Special Envoy Tom Barrack has described the recent clashes as “worrisome”, calling for de-escalation and emphasising the need for

    a peaceful, inclusive outcome for all stakeholders – including the Druze, Bedouin tribes, the Syrian government, and Israeli forces.

    Given the deep-rooted political divisions, competing regional agendas, and unresolved demands from minority groups, the unrest in southern Syria is unlikely to end soon.

    Despite another temporary ceasefire, underlying tensions remain. Further clashes are not only possible but highly probable.

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

    – ref. Why is Israel bombing Syria? – https://theconversation.com/why-is-israel-bombing-syria-261259

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Why is Israel bombing Syria?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ali Mamouri, Research Fellow, Middle East Studies, Deakin University

    Conflict in Syria has escalated with Israel launching bombing raids against its northern neighbour.

    It follows months of fluctuating tensions in southern Syria between the Druze minority and forces aligned with the new government in Damascus. Clashes erupted in the last few days, prompting Israeli airstrikes in defence of the Druze by targeting government bases, tanks, and heavy weaponry.

    Israel Minister Amichai Chikli has called the Syrian president Ahmed al-Sharaa –

    a terrorist, a barbaric murderer who should be eliminated without delay.

    Despite the incendiary language, a ceasefire has been reached, halting the fighting – for now.

    Syrian forces have begun withdrawing heavy military equipment from the region, while Druze fighters have agreed to suspend armed resistance, allowing government troops to regain control of the main Druze city of Suwayda.

    What do the Druze want?

    The Druze are a small religious minority estimated at over one million people, primarily concentrated in the mountainous regions of Lebanon, Syria, Israel, and Jordan.

    In Syria, their population is estimated at around 700,000 (of around 23 million total Syrian population), with the majority residing in the southern As-Suwayda Governorate – or province – which serves as their traditional stronghold.

    Since the 2011 uprising against the Assad regime, the Druze have maintained a degree of autonomy, successfully defending their territory from various threats, including ISIS and other jihadist groups.

    Following Assad’s fall late last year, the Druze — along with other minority groups such as the Kurds in the east and Alawites in the west — have called for the country to be federalized.

    They advocate for a decentralised model that would grant greater autonomy to regional communities.

    However, the transitional government in Damascus is pushing for a centralised state and seeking to reassert full control over the entire Syrian territory. This fundamental disagreement has led to periodic clashes between Druze forces and government-aligned troops.

    Despite the temporary ceasefire, tensions remain high. Given the core political dispute remains unresolved, many expect renewed conflict to erupt in the near future.

    Why is Israel involved?

    The ousting of the Assad regime created a strategic opening for Israel to expand its influence in southern Syria. Israel’s involvement is driven by two primary concerns:

    1. Securing its northern border

    Israel views the power vacuum in Syria’s south as a potential threat, particularly the risk of anti-Israeli militias establishing a foothold near its northern border.

    During the recent clashes, the Israeli military declared

    The Israeli Defence Forces will not allow a military threat to exist in southern Syria and will act against it.

    Likewise, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has stated he will not allow Syrian forces south of Damascus:

    We are acting to prevent the Syrian regime from harming them [the Druze] and to ensure the demilitarisation of the area adjacent to our border with Syria.

    In line with these warnings, the Israeli Air Force has conducted extensive strikes against Syrian military infrastructure, targeting bases, aircraft, tanks, and heavy weaponry.

    These operations are intended to prevent any future buildup of military capacity that could be used against Israel from the Syrian side of the border.

    2. Supporting a federated Syria

    Israel is backing the two prominent allied minorities in Syria — the Kurds in the northeast and the Druze in the south — in their push for a federal governance model.

    A fragmented Syria, divided along ethnic and religious lines, is seen by some Israeli policymakers as a way to maintain Israeli domination in the region.

    This vision is part of what some Israeli officials have referred to as a “New Middle East” — one where regional stability and normalisation emerge through reshaped borders and alliances.

    Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar recently echoed this strategy, stating:

    A single Syrian state with effective control and sovereignty over all its territory is unrealistic.

    For Israel, the logical path forward is autonomy for the various minorities in Syria within a federal structure.

    The United States’ role?

    According to unconfirmed reports, Washington has privately urged Israel to scale back its military strikes on Syria in order to prevent further escalation and preserve regional stability.

    The US is promoting increased support for Syria’s new regime in an effort to help it reassert control and stabilise the country.

    There are also indications the US and its allies are encouraging the Syrian government to move toward normalisation with Israel. Reports suggest Tel Aviv has held talks with the new Sharaa-led regime about the possibility of Syria joining the Abraham Accords (diplomatic agreements between Israel and several Arab states), which the regime in Damascus appears open to.

    US Special Envoy Tom Barrack has described the recent clashes as “worrisome”, calling for de-escalation and emphasising the need for

    a peaceful, inclusive outcome for all stakeholders – including the Druze, Bedouin tribes, the Syrian government, and Israeli forces.

    Given the deep-rooted political divisions, competing regional agendas, and unresolved demands from minority groups, the unrest in southern Syria is unlikely to end soon.

    Despite another temporary ceasefire, underlying tensions remain. Further clashes are not only possible but highly probable.

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

    – ref. Why is Israel bombing Syria? – https://theconversation.com/why-is-israel-bombing-syria-261259

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Investor to build school near Belomorskaya metro station

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    A school for a thousand students will be built in the Left Bank District in the north of the capital. Land use and development rules have been changed for this purpose, said the Deputy Mayor of Moscow for Urban Development Policy and Construction Vladimir Efimov.

    “The new school building will appear on a 1.65-hectare site. It will be able to accommodate a thousand students. The building will have universal and specialized classrooms. The project also provides for the creation of a media library, a dining and sports hall, and an event hall. The adjacent territory will be equipped with sports and recreation areas. The investor will be responsible for the construction of the facility,” said Vladimir Efimov.

    Land use and development regulations set requirements for design and construction, determine how a site can be used and what objects are permitted to be built on it.

    “The educational institution will be located near the Belomorskaya station of the Zamoskvoretskaya metro line on land plot 57/10. This will allow teachers and students to easily get to the school from other areas of the city,” she added.

    Juliana Knyazhevskaya, Chairman of the Committee for Architecture and Urban Development of the City of Moscow.

    Earlier, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said that a new building would be built in the Sokolinaya Gora district. kindergarten.

    The construction of social facilities in Moscow corresponds to the goals and initiatives of the national project “Infrastructure for life”.

    Get the latest news quicklyofficial telegram channel the city of Moscow.

    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: Q1 Trading Statement for the three months ended 30 June 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

         
         
      Intermediate Capital Group plc

    16 July 2025

    Q1 Trading Statement for the three months ended 30 June 2025

    Highlights

    • AUM of $123bn; fee-earning AUM of $82bn; AUM not yet earning fees of $19bn
    • Fee-earning AUM up 4%1 in the quarter, up 11%1 year-on-year
    • Fundraising in the quarter of $3.4bn, driven by Europe IX ($1.5bn / €1.3bn) and Infrastructure Europe II ($1.2bn / €1.0bn). Focus from LPs on liquidity and investment performance is continuing to drive manager selection
    • Infrastructure Europe has shown strong momentum into its final close, with Fund II receiving substantially more client capital than the prior vintage: at 30 June 2025 Infrastructure Europe II had a Total Fund Size of €2.5bn (Fund I: €1.5bn), and we expect to close a further €0.6bn before the end of the current quarter, reaching the hard cap for the strategy
    • Europe IX has had an impressive start to the fundraise, with global demand from current and new clients attracted by the strategy’s track record of private equity-like returns with downside protection and high DPI. At 30 June 2025 the Total Fund Size was €5.8bn (Europe VIII: €8.1bn)
    • Investment landscape remains very attractive for a number of strategies, including structured capital, secondaries and real assets equity
    • FY25 Sustainability and People Report published in June 2025, available here

    Unless otherwise stated the financial results discussed herein are on the basis of alternative performance measures (APM) basis; see full year results
    1 On a constant currency basis

    		  

    PERFORMANCE REVIEW

      AUM        
          Growth1
        30 June 2025 Last three months Year-on-year Last five years (CAGR)
      AUM $123bn         3%                 15%                 18%        
      Fee-earning AUM $82bn         4%                 11%                 14%        
               
      1 On a constant currency basis
      Business activity                
                       
      $bn Fundraising   Deployment1   Realisations1,2
      Q1 FY26 LTM   Q1 FY26 LTM   Q1 FY26 LTM
      Structured Capital and Secondaries 1.9 13.3   1.0 9.8   0.4 2.0
      Real Assets 1.3 3.2   0.5 2.7   0.3 1.6
      Debt3 0.2 5.8   1.3 3.8   0.4 3.9
      Total 3.4 22.3   2.8 16.3   1.1 7.5
                       
      1 Direct investment funds; 2 Realisations of fee-earning AUM; 3 Includes Deployment and Realisations for Private Debt only.

    PERIOD IN REVIEW

    AUM and FY26 fundraising

    At 30 June 2025, AUM stood at $123bn, fee-earning AUM at $82bn and dry powder at $34bn. The bridge between AUM and fee-earning AUM is as follows:

    $m Structured Capital and Secondaries Real Assets Debt Seed investments Total
    Fee-earning AUM 39,347 9,375 33,472   82,194
    AUM not yet earning fees 3,278 1,187 14,639 — 19,104
    Fee-exempt AUM 10,686 5,918 1,393 — 17,997
    Balance sheet investment portfolio1 2,412 563 (53) 360 3,282
    AUM 55,723 17,043 49,451 360 122,577
    1 Includes elimination of $657m (£479m) within Credit due to how the balance sheet investment portfolio accounts for and invests into CLO’s managed by ICG and its affiliates

    AUM of $123bn

    AUM ($m) Structured Capital and Secondaries Real Assets Debt Seed investments Total
    At 1 April 2025 51,499 12,922 47,557 379 112,357
    Fundraising 1,933 1,355 154 — 3,442
    Other additions1 202 2,050 75 — 2,327
    Realisations (471) (233) (585) — (1,289)
    Market and other movements 2,607 889 2,218 — 5,714
    Balance sheet movement (47) 60 32 (19) 26
    At 30 June 2025 55,723 17,043 49,451 360 122,577
    Change $m 4,224 4,121 1,894 (19) 10,220
    Change %         8%                 32%                 4%                 (5)        %         9%        
    Change % (constant exchange rate)         3%                 21%                 (1)        %         —                 3%        
    1 Other additions within Real Assets includes $1.9bn non fee-eligible leverage capacity within certain Real Estate strategies

    Fee-earning AUM of $82bn

    Fee-earning AUM ($m) Structured Capital and Secondaries Real Assets Debt Total
    At 1 April 2025 36,086 7,711 31,330 75,127
    Funds raised: fees on committed capital 1,470 1,242 — 2,712
    Deployment of funds: fees on invested capital 281 162 1,235 1,678
    Total additions 1,751 1,404 1,235 4,390
    Realisations (456) (279) (774) (1,509)
    Net additions / (realisations) 1,295 1,125 461 2,881
    Stepdowns — — — —
    FX and other 1,966 539 1,681 4,186
    At 30 June 2025 39,347 9,375 33,472 82,194
    Change $m 3,261 1,664 2,142 7,067
    Change %         9%                 22%                 7%                 9%        
    Change % (constant exchange rate)         4%                 13%                 1%                 4%        

    FY26 fundraising1

    At 30 June 2025, closed-end funds and associated SMAs that were actively fundraising2 included Europe IX, Asia-Pacific Infrastructure I and Real Estate equity. We anticipate launching LP Secondaries II during FY26.

    1 The timings of launches and closes depend on a number of factors, including the prevailing market conditions
    2 Excluding Credit (CLOs and Liquid Credit)

     
    Balance sheet

    • Balance Sheet Investment Portfolio valued at £2.9bn
    • Total available liquidity of £1.1bn (FY25: £1.1bn) and net financial debt of £477m (FY25: £629m)

    FOREIGN EXCHANGE RATES

      Average rate Period end
      Q1 FY25 Q1 FY26 31 March 2025 30 June 2025
    GBP:EUR 1.1753 1.1759 1.1944 1.1652
    GBP:USD 1.2626 1.3507 1.2918 1.3732
    EUR:USD 1.0743 1.1488 1.0815 1.1785

    COMPANY TIMETABLE

    Half year results announcement 13 November 2025

    ENQUIRIES

    Shareholders and debtholders / analysts:  
    Chris Hunt, Head of Corporate Development and Shareholder Relations, ICG +44(0)20 3545 2020
    Media:  
    Clare Glynn, Head of Corporate Communications, ICG +44(0)79 3435 7794

    This results statement may contain forward looking statements. These statements have been made by the Directors in good faith based on the information available to them up to the time of their approval of this report and should be treated with caution due to the inherent uncertainties, including both economic and business risk factors, underlying such forward looking information.

    ABOUT ICG

    ICG (LSE: ICG) is a global alternative asset manager with $123bn* in AUM and more than three decades of experience generating attractive returns. We operate from over 20 locations globally and invest our clients’ capital across Structured Capital; Private Equity Secondaries; Private Debt; Credit; and Real Assets.

    Our exceptional people originate differentiated opportunities, invest responsibly, and deliver long-term value. We partner with management teams, founders, and business owners in a creative and solutions-focused approach, supporting them with our expertise and flexible capital. For more information visit our website and follow us on LinkedIn.

    *As at 30 June 2025.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Bitget Launchpool to List Eclipse (E) with over 1.5M in Token Rewards

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    VICTORIA, Seychelles, July 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bitget, the leading cryptocurrency exchange, and Web3 company has announced the listing of Eclipse (ES) in the Innovation Zone, for spot trading. Besides being available for spot trading, Bitget will launch an exclusive Launchpool rewards campaign with up to 1,511,494 ES up for grabs.

    Spot trading for Eclipse (ES) under the ES/USDT trading pair will begin on 16 July 2025, 10:00 (UTC) with withdrawals will be available starting 17 July 2025, 11:00 (UTC).

    To celebrate the listing, Bitget will launch a Launchpool campaign offering 1,295,600 ES in total rewards. Eligible users can participate by locking either BGB or ES tokens during the event, which runs from 17 July 2025, 10:00 to 21 July 2025, 10:00 (UTC). In the BGB pool, users can lock between 5 and 50,000 BGB, with maximum limits determined by their VIP tier, for a chance to earn a share of 1,261,000 ES. In the ES pool, participants can lock between 8 and 800,000 ES to receive a portion of 34,600 ES in rewards.

    Additionally, Bitget will launch a CandyBomb campaign with 166,000 ES available through a trading-based airdrop. Of the total, 99,600 ES will be allocated to the ES trading pool, while 66,400 ES will be available in the combined BTC, SOL, and ES trading pool.

    Bitget will also run an X Giveaway, where 750 qualified users will have the chance to win a share of 24,947 ES. The campaign runs from 16 July 2025, 10:00 to 23 July 2025, 10:00 (UTC). To participate, users must follow Bitget and Eclipse on X, quote the giveaway post with the hashtag #ESlistBitget, tag a friend, sign up, deposit or trade ES on Bitget, and complete the form linked in the post.

    In addition, a community campaign will run during the same period, offering another 24,947 ES to be shared among 750 qualified users. To join, users need to become members of both the Bitget Discord and BGB Holders Group, sign up, make a net deposit of over 100 USDT, and complete any ES/USDT spot trade.

    Eclipse is a modular L2 network built to deliver fast, low-cost, and scalable blockchain performance by integrating the strengths of multiple ecosystems. It leverages Ethereum for settlement, the Solana Virtual Machine (SVM) for speed, Celestia for data availability, and RISC Zero for zero-knowledge proofs. Positioning it to address the blockchain trilemma of scalability, security, and decentralization. With its developer-friendly design, Eclipse is optimized for high-performance use cases, from high-frequency DeFi transactions to complex decentralized applications, offering a seamless experience without compromising on speed or efficiency.

    Bitget continues to solidify its role as a top-tier cryptocurrency exchange, offering over 800 listed tokens across spot and derivatives markets. The addition of Eclipse to Launchpool aligns with Bitget’s ongoing effort to support innovative projects whose value continues to evolve the ecosystem.

    Find more details on Eclipse, visit here.

    About Bitget

    Established in 2018, Bitget is the world’s leading cryptocurrency exchange and Web3 company. Serving over 120 million users in 150+ countries and regions, the Bitget exchange is committed to helping users trade smarter with its pioneering copy trading feature and other trading solutions, while offering real-time access to Bitcoin price, Ethereum price, and other cryptocurrency prices. Formerly known as BitKeep, Bitget Wallet is a leading non-custodial crypto wallet supporting 130+ blockchains and millions of tokens. It offers multi-chain trading, staking, payments, and direct access to 20,000+ DApps, with advanced swaps and market insights built into a single platform.

    Bitget is driving crypto adoption through strategic partnerships, such as its role as the Official Crypto Partner of the World’s Top Football League, LALIGA, in EASTERN, SEA and LATAM markets, as well as a global partner of Turkish National athletes Buse Tosun Çavuşoğlu (Wrestling world champion), Samet Gümüş (Boxing gold medalist) and İlkin Aydın (Volleyball national team), to inspire the global community to embrace the future of cryptocurrency.

    Aligned with its global impact strategy, Bitget has joined hands with UNICEF to support blockchain education for 1.1 million people by 2027. In the world of motorsports, Bitget is the exclusive cryptocurrency exchange partner of MotoGP™, one of the world’s most thrilling championships.

    For more information, visit: Website | Twitter | Telegram | LinkedIn | Discord | Bitget Wallet

    For media inquiries, please contact: media@bitget.com

    Risk Warning: Digital asset prices are subject to fluctuation and may experience significant volatility. Investors are advised to only allocate funds they can afford to lose. The value of any investment may be impacted, and there is a possibility that financial objectives may not be met, nor the principal investment recovered. Independent financial advice should always be sought, and personal financial experience and standing carefully considered. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results. Bitget accepts no liability for any potential losses incurred. Nothing contained herein should be construed as financial advice. For further information, please refer to our Terms of Use.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2be7c95b-4d40-4d41-be8b-b35d7e57d9aa

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Sergei Sobyanin: Moscow is the largest center for the development of creative industries

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Moscow is the largest center for the development of creative industries in the country. Cinema, music, video games, publishing, design, theater and advertising not only make the lives of city residents brighter, but have also established themselves as the most important sector of the capital’s economy. Its share in the total volume of gross regional product in 2023 reached 10.1 percent, which is 3.3 trillion rubles. Sergei Sobyanin spoke about the development of creative industries in his blog.

    “Over the past five years, the number of organizations and individual entrepreneurs in this area has grown by 11.7 percent and has already exceeded 113 thousand. Accordingly, more and more Muscovites find themselves in creative professions. The revenue of companies is also growing steadily: last year, the creative industries sector earned 103.8 percent more than in 2019 — 6.7 trillion rubles,” the Moscow Mayor wrote.

    Movie

    Despite sanctions and other challenges of recent years, the capital’s film industry is on the rise. More than 80 percent of Russian films and TV series are shot in Moscow.

    Last year, about 120 projects were filmed on the sites of the Moscow film cluster, which is 2.5 times more than in 2023. Among them are the leaders of the distribution and film platforms of 2024-2025: “Not on the Lists”, “Kholop-2”, “The Master and Margarita”, “Led-3”, “Baba Yaga Saves the New Year”, “The Last Knight. Legacy”, “One Hundred Years Ago”, “The Flying Ship”, “The Word of a Boy. Blood on the Asphalt” and others.

    The Moscow Film Cluster, created on the initiative of the Moscow Government, currently unites several sites. Among them is the legendary Gorky Film Studio, where large-scale work on modernizing the historical territory on Sergei Eisenstein Street and the site in Valdaisky Proyezd will be completed by the end of the year. The modern full-cycle film factory Moskino on Ryazansky Prospekt has also become part of the film cluster. In addition, a super-modern complex has been created – the Moskino film park in TiNAO. Its construction is ongoing, now there are 24 natural sites in the film park, and by 2030 there will be 70. Any ideas of film crews can be realized here.

    In addition, the cluster includes a film platform. “Moschino”— a convenient service for professionals, where in a couple of clicks you can rent a location for filming not only at a film studio, but also in the city, as well as learn about grants, rent costumes, props and much more. Over the past year, the platform has been used 1.7 million times.

    In the new season of the project “Summer in Moscow” Anyone can get to know the films, the process of their creation, and learn more about the history of cinema. Guests are invited to the Moskino Cinema Park, the Gorky Film Studio, and many themed areas on the capital’s boulevards.

    The Moskino cinema park organizes exciting events for city residents and guests of the capital as part of the Cinema Weekend project. These are dozens of master classes, staged filming based on favorite Soviet and Russian films, creative evenings and lectures by film industry professionals, performances by musicians, plays and film screenings in the cinema of the same name.

    During tours of the oldest Gorky Film Studio, you can see authentic 20th century film cameras, more than 100 rare photographs from film sets, stills from your favorite films, unique costumes and props.

    IT and video games

    There are over 33,000 organizations involved in the capital’s IT and video game industry. Their total annual revenue last year exceeded 3.9 trillion rubles.

    “The industry is developing rapidly. And as usually happens, in such periods the main problem is a huge shortage of personnel. In one of the previous posts I already said that Moscow colleges offer new

    specialties, including a developer of computer games, augmented and virtual reality. At the same time, we provide support to professionals. The Agency for Creative Industries implemented 125 projects in 2024, including the accelerator for indie developers “Video Game Factory,” said Sergei Sobyanin.

    “Video Game Factory” provides full support for developers – from the idea to finding investors. The accelerator holds educational lectures and webinars, Q&A sessions, and works with curators. Currently, 60 pilot versions of games in different genres have been created. Among them are a detective story based on the works of Mikhail Bulgakov, an adventure quest based on the fairy tales of Alexander Pushkin, and a puzzle in the interiors of a spaceship.

    Moscow game developers have long needed their own space, so in 2025, the first video game and animation cluster in Russia will open in the Skolkovo Innovation Center. Its residents will be leading Russian development companies and animation studios. Uniting under one roof, they will be able to create video games of any type and complexity. The cluster will unite all stages of content production and promotion – from training specialists to support in promotion in foreign markets.

    Residents will have access to offices, meeting rooms, server rooms, a motion capture studio, a space for sound recording, a lecture hall, a conference hall, an exhibition area and much more.

    Publishing

    There are about 12 thousand organizations engaged in publishing activities in Moscow – this is 10.6 percent of all companies in the creative industries. Total revenue last year amounted to about 349.1 billion rubles.

    This industry also does not remain without city support. The Agency for Creative Industries is implementing the project “Publishing Seasons”: at the largest International Fair of Intellectual Literature Non/fiction, Moscow publishers and illustrators can present their products free of charge.

    Last year, the Moscow International Publishing Week was held for the first time in the capital. Over the course of four days, more than 45 publishers from 13 countries took part in it – Argentina, Brazil, China, Serbia and others. During this time, over 200 meetings of representatives of the book market took place, 34 export contracts were concluded for the publication of books with a total circulation of 55 thousand copies.

    Since 2023, under the auspices of the Moscow Agency for Creative Industries, a business mission of Moscow publishing houses to China has been carried out annually at the Shanghai International Children’s Book Fair.

    And now, as part of the project “Summer in Moscow” You can buy books in pavilions on Moscow boulevards.

    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 –

  • Nvidia’s resumption of AI chips to China is part of rare earths talks, says US

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Nvidia’s planned resumption of sales of its H20 AI chips to China is part of U.S. negotiations on rare earths, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said on Tuesday, and comes days after its CEO met President Donald Trump.

    “We put that in the trade deal with the magnets,” Lutnick told Reuters, referring to an agreement Trump made to restart rare earth shipments to U.S. manufacturers. He did not provide additional detail.

    Nvidia said late on Monday that it is filing applications with the U.S. government to resume sales to China of its H20 graphics processing unit, and has been assured by the U.S. it will get the licences soon.

    The planned resumption is a reversal of an export restriction imposed in April that is designed to keep the most advanced AI chips out of Chinese hands over national security concerns, an issue that has found rare bipartisan support. It drew swift questions and criticism from U.S. legislators on Tuesday.

    The decision “would not only hand our foreign adversaries our most advanced technologies, but is also dangerously inconsistent with this Administration’s previously-stated position on export controls for China,” Democratic Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, ranking member of the House of Representatives Select Committee on China, said in a statement.

    Republican John Moolenaar, chair of that committee, said in a statement he would seek “clarification” from the Commerce Department.

    “The H20 is a powerful chip that, according to our bipartisan investigation, played a significant role in the rise of PRC AI companies like DeepSeek,” Moolenaar said, referring to a Chinese startup that claims to have built AI models at a fraction of the cost paid by U.S. firms such as OpenAI. “It is crucial that the U.S. maintain its lead and keep advanced AI out of the hands of the CCP.”

    Shares of Nvidia, the world’s most valuable firm, closed up 4% and were nearly unchanged in after-market trading. Nvidia had estimated that the curbs would cut its revenue by $15 billion.

    Nvidia’s plan to resume sales has set off a scramble at Chinese firms to buy H20 chips, two sources told Reuters. The chips that Nvidia will resume selling are the best it can legally offer in China but lack much of the computing power of the versions for sale outside of China because of previous restrictions put in place by Trump’s first administration and then President Joe Biden’s administration.

    But critically, H20 chips work with Nvidia’s software tools, which have become a de facto standard in the global AI industry.

    CEO Jensen Huang, who is visiting Beijing and set to speak at an event on Wednesday, has argued that Nvidia’s leadership position could slip away if the company cannot sell to Chinese developers being courted by Huawei Technologies with chips produced in China.

    The significance of the shift depends on the volume of H20 chips that the U.S. allows to be shipped to China, said Divyansh Kaushik, an AI expert at Beacon Global Strategies, a Washington-based advisory firm.

    “If China is able to get a million H20 chips, it could significantly narrow, if not overtake, the U.S. lead in AI,” he said.

    CHINA IS CRUCIAL

    “The Chinese market is massive, dynamic, and highly innovative, and it’s also home to many AI researchers,” Huang told Chinese state broadcaster CCTV on Tuesday.

    China generated $17 billion in revenue for Nvidia in the fiscal year ending January 26, or 13% of total sales, based on its latest annual report.

    Internet giants ByteDance and Tencent 0700.HK are also in the process of submitting applications for H20 chips, the sources familiar with the matter said. Central to the process is an approved list put together by Nvidia for Chinese companies to register for potential purchases, one of the sources said.

    Tencent did not respond to a request for comment. ByteDance denied in a statement that it is currently submitting applications. Nvidia declined to comment on the approved list system.

    Asked at a regular foreign ministry briefing in Beijing about Nvidia’s plans to resume AI chip sales, a spokesperson said: “China is opposed to the politicisation, instrumentalisation and weaponisation of science, technology and economic and trade issues to maliciously blockade and suppress China.”

    China halted exports of rare earths in March following a trade spat with Trump that has shown some signs of easing. It dominates the market for rare earths, a group of 17 metals used in cellphones, weapons, electric vehicles, and more.

    Huang’s visit is being closely watched in both China and the United States, where a bipartisan pair of senators last week sent the CEO a letter asking him to abstain from meeting companies working with military or intelligence bodies.

    The senators also asked Huang to refrain from meeting with entities named on the United States’ restricted export list.

    Rival AI chipmaker AMD also said the Department of Commerce would review its licence applications to export its MI308 chips to China; it plans to resume those shipments when licences are approved, it said. Its shares gained 7% in trading on Tuesday.

    (Reuters)

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: UNESCO report warns of extracting activities near World Heritage sites

    Source: UNESCO World Heritage Centre

    UNESCO, the Church of England Pensions Board, Greenbank, the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and the World Wildlife Fund call on investors to adhere to industry commitments and ensure World Heritage Site protection.

    UNESCO and its partners today released a report which shows the extent to which extractive industries are encroaching upon UNESCO World Heritage sites.

    The report, “Extractive Activities in UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Commitments, Risks and Investment Implications”, offers the most comprehensive analysis to date on the presence and proximity of areas licenced for oil, gas, and mineral exploration and production in and around some of the world’s most treasured cultural and natural heritage sites.

    Jointly released by UNESCO, the Church of England Pensions Board, Greenbank, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the report also emphasizes the critical role investors can play in assessing their risk exposure and influencing extractive companies’ practices. The data and analysis in the report help investors identify and manage the risks, aligning their investment decisions with global heritage protection commitments.

    In addition, the report outlines several ways investors can identify, assess, and respond to risks arising from operations within and near UNESCO World Heritage sites. These guidelines rely on UNESCO policy standards, focusing on how investors can integrate these standards into their own processes.

    “World Heritage sites support millions of livelihoods through tourism, agriculture, and other vital sectors. Oil, gas, and mining companies – and their investors – have a crucial role to play in safeguarding these irreplaceable places from harm.”

    Extractive activities in UNESCO World Heritage sites

    Commitments, risks and investments implications

    Dowload the full report

    English

    Protected, but not safe

    According to the report, companies currently hold oil, gas, and mining assets – licensed areas for exploration or production – in 97 of the 266 assessed natural UNESCO World Heritage sites, representing 36 per cent of sites. These include mining claims in 58 sites, oil and gas wells in 27, awarded oil and gas blocks in 25, oil and gas bid blocks in 14, and mining projects in 10. More than 800 individual assets overlapping with natural and mixed sites have been identified worldwide, impacting every region.

    Updating a similar spatial analysis conducted by WWF in 2015, the report finds that more than half of the sites previously identified as affected by extractive overlaps remain so today, indicating persistent and unresolved pressure.

    The risks extend beyond the boundaries of sites themselves. Nearly half (48 percent) of natural sites lie within one kilometre of extractive activity, and 73 per cent are within 20 kilometres, placing them at increased risk of pollution, habitat destruction, and cultural disruption.

    For the first time, the report also evaluates risks to cultural World Heritage sites and  reveals that 17 per cent of them – 158 out of 925 – are within 500 metres of extractive activity. Oil and gas activities are found near 124 cultural sites, while mining activities affect 45.

    “Natural World Heritage sites are among nature’s most precious gifts to humanity yet, despite their status, they are still coming under ongoing pressure from oil, gas and mining companies. As hotspots of biodiversity and culture, these sites can help support sustainable development and tackle climate change – we should not put them at risk.”

    Extractives in World Heritage sites is an investment risk

    The overlap between extractive activities and World Heritage sites presents a serious investment risk as companies operating in sensitive locations face growing scrutiny from regulators, shareholders, civil society and the public. This can lead to project delays, fines, reputational damage, and even operational shutdowns, all of which can impact profit margins and undermine long-term investment value.

    The report urges investors and extractive companies to avoid operating in or near these high-risk areas and to ensure that their activities comply with internationally recognized environmental and social standards, including UNESCO’s guidance supporting the World Heritage ‘no-go’ commitment.

    “Investors must act as responsible stewards of capital by ensuring the companies they finance do not put World Heritage sites at risk. This is not just a conservation issue – it’s a matter of long-term financial and reputational risk investors need to manage.”

    A critical opportunity and a shared responsibility

    Despite the risks, a window of opportunity remains. Most of the identified extractive assets are still in the forms of claims and concessions rather than active mines or oil and gas wells. This provides a crucial chance to take preventive action before operations begin and irreversible damage occurs.

    Strong national legal protections, comprehensive impact assessments, and greater transparency of extractive licensing processes are essential. Licences that overlap with or threaten areas of high conservation value should be responsibly phased out.

    “Extractive activities have long been recognized as fundamentally incompatible with World Heritage status. It is essential that governments, investors, and companies respect these sites as off-limits to oil, gas and mineral concessions and operations.”

    To prevent harm to World Heritage sites, investors must integrate spatial, financial and reputational risks into their investment policies and decision-making. A growing number of companies and organizations have already taken this step, following the example of the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM), which was the first to adopt a World Heritage ‘no-go’ commitment.

    “We believe investors have a responsibility to recognise where clear limits to economic activities must be drawn and to support companies that operate with care and responsibility. At its heart, this is about protecting what cannot be replaced.”

    UNESCO thanks the Government of Flanders (Kingdom of Belgium) for its support in strengthening corporate sector engagement in the protection of World Heritage. Learn more at: https://whc.unesco.org/en/no-go-commitment/

    About UNESCO and the World Heritage Convention

    The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations dedicated to strengthening our shared humanity through the promotion of education, science, culture, and communication. It seeks to encourage the identification, protection and preservation of cultural and natural heritage around the world considered to be of outstanding value to humanity. This is embodied in an international treaty called the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, adopted by UNESCO in 1972.

    About the Church of England Pensions Board

    The Church of England Pensions Board provides retirement services to those who serve or work for the Church, managing pension schemes for over 43,000 members across 700 Church organizations. Managing around £3.4 billion in funds, it invests responsibly and sustainably for the long term to meet pension commitments. Guided by the ethics of the Church of England, it actively engages with companies and sectors to drive positive change alongside other investors, focusing on issues important to its members and their future. Find out more on their investment policy here.

    About Greenbank

    Greenbank provides investment management services for private investors, trusts and charities, and has been helping to drive change in finance, business and society through ethical and sustainable investment for over 20 years. As the sustainable investment specialists within Rathbones Group, Greenbank strives to be the natural home for investors seeking to align their investments with their values, providing sustainable investment as a standard, not an add on.

    About IUCN

    IUCN is the global authority on the state of the natural world and the measures needed to safeguard it. IUCN brings together 1,500 government and civil society members, over 17,000 affiliated experts, while also helping businesses implement practices that conserve nature and benefit people. Since 1972, IUCN has served as the official Advisory Body on nature under the World Heritage Convention, leading the technical evaluation of new nominations, monitoring existing sites, and supporting conservation action through our global network and granting tools. Learn more about IUCN’s World Heritage work here.

    About WWF

    WWF is an independent conservation organization, with over 35 million followers and a global network active through local leadership in over 100 countries. Its mission is to stop the degradation of the planet’s natural environment and to build a future in which people live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world’s biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption. Find out more at wwf.panda.org.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI: Bitget Wallet Offers $6,666 Top Prize in Pump.fun Tokens in Latest Weekly Staking Event

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador, July 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bitget Wallet, the leading non-custodial crypto wallet, has launched the fifth edition of its Fomo Thursdays weekly staking event, featuring PUMP, the native token of meme-token platform Pump.fun. This week’s event offers a $6,666 top prize in PUMP tokens, as interest in meme-token markets continues to grow.

    Fomo Thursdays is Bitget Wallet’s recurring token distribution event designed to simplify access to early-stage token projects. Participants stake $10 USDT, refundable after the event, to receive randomized token rewards distributed via onchain smart contracts. By removing trading and point-based entry requirements, the program lowers barriers to participation. Bitget Wallet reported that more than 50,000 users joined the previous round within 25 minutes of opening. In response to demand, this week’s event has expanded to 200,000 entry slots with a total of 10,001 winners.

    This edition also reflects increased market activity surrounding Pump.fun, a Solana-based platform enabling permissionless meme-token creation. Since early 2024, the platform has facilitated over 1.2 million token launches and recently raised over $500 million through a public token sale completed in 12 minutes, according to market data. The trend underscores growing retail interest in low-cost token issuance within the Solana ecosystem.

    “Fomo Thursdays offers a simple, wallet-native way for users to access new token ecosystems,” said Jamie Elkaleh, CMO of Bitget Wallet. “By featuring PUMP this week, we’re reflecting broader market interest in meme-token ecosystems as a growing segment of onchain activity.” The staking window runs from July 16 at 13:00 UTC to July 17 at 13:00 UTC, with PUMP token rewards available via Solana chain and USDT refunds available via BNB Chain from July 17 at 14:00 UTC.

    For more information, visit the Bitget Wallet official channels.

    About Bitget Wallet
    Bitget Wallet is a non-custodial crypto wallet designed to make crypto simple and secure for everyone. With over 80 million users, it brings together a full suite of crypto services, including swaps, market insights, staking, rewards, DApp exploration, and payment solutions. Supporting 130+ blockchains and millions of tokens, Bitget Wallet enables seamless multi-chain trading across hundreds of DEXs and cross-chain bridges. Backed by a $300+ million user protection fund, it ensures the highest level of security for users’ assets. Its vision is Crypto for Everyone — to make crypto simpler, safer, and part of everyday life for a billion people.

    For more information, visit: X | Telegram | Instagram | YouTube | LinkedIn | TikTok | Discord | Facebook

    For media inquiries, contact media.web3@bitget.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1133f6e4-90cc-474f-ba46-f193d02de1b1

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Interim report for Q2

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Guidance for pre-tax profit lifted by DKK 100 million supported by a solid insurance service result and improvement in the underlying business in Q2

    • Guidance for the insurance service result is lifted by DKK 50 million to DKK 1.6-1.8 billion excluding H2 run-offs.
    • Guidance for the investment result is lifted by DKK 50 million to DKK 250 million.
    • The insurance service result was a profit of DKK 520 million in Q2 2025 (DKK 312 million), which is the highest result realised to date. The result was driven by highly satisfactory premium growth, an improved claims experience and favourable developments in the expense ratio.
    • Insurance revenue grew at a highly satisfactory rate of 8% to DKK 2,950 million (DKK 2,725 million), driven in particular by strong premium growth of 11% in Personal Lines.
    • The undiscounted underlying claims experience improved by 5.2 percentage points to 62.2, driven by growth in both Personal Lines and Commercial Lines and reflecting, among other things, the results of profitability-enhancing measures and synergy gains.
    • The combined ratio was 82.3 (88.5), driven by fewer major claims, an improved underlying claims experience and a lower expense ratio.
    • The expense ratio improved significantly to 16.7 (18.0), reflecting the group’s objective of lowering the cost level.
    • The implementation of synergy initiatives is progressing according to plan and generated a positive accounting effect of DKK 151 million in Q2 2025.
    • Highly satisfactory investment result of DKK 102 million (DKK 65 million), with shares and bonds contributing favourably to the result.

    CEO Rasmus Werner Nielsen on the Q2 financial results:
    “We recorded a satisfactory performance in the second quarter, assisting customers with building, contents and motor claims in particular, and providing insurance advice to more than a quarter of a million customers in a period characterised by uncertainty on several fronts.

    In the second quarter, we once again onboarded many new customers, which contributed to the strong growth we recorded in insurance revenue. At the same time, we are on track to realise our ambitious plan to create a more efficient organisation and thereby strengthen our competitiveness for the benefit of our customers. The Q2 financial results underline the Group’s resilience, supported by satisfactory Personal and Commercial Lines, both contributing to the favourable development.

    Although the second quarter was characterised by relatively mild weather conditions, we continue our efforts to advise and assist our customers with protection against severe weather conditions in the future. Most recently, with the support of Alm. Brand Foreningen 1792, we launched a new offer to assist customers previously affected by weather-related claims with climate-proofing their houses.”

    This interim report and related materials are available at Alm. Brand Group’s investor website: Q2 2025

    Webcast and conference call
     Alm. Brand will host a conference call for investors and analysts today, Wednesday 16 July 2025 at 11:00 a.m. The conference call and presentation will be available on Alm. Brand Group’s investor website:

    Conference call dial-in numbers for investors and analysts (PIN: 490681):

    Denmark: +45 89 87 50 45
    UK: +44 20 3936 2999
    USA: +1 646 664 1960

    Link to webcast: Alm. Brand Group Q2 2025

    Contact
     Please direct any questions regarding this announcement to:

    Investors and equity analysts:                          

    Head of Investor Relations & ESG                    
    Mads Thinggaard                                
    Mobile no. +45 2025 5469               

    Press:                                                                                               

    Head of Communications and Media Relations
    Mikkel Luplau Schmidt
    Mobile no. +45 2052 3883

    Attachments

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Production Temporarily Suspended at DNO Kurdistan Fields Following Explosions

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Oslo, 16 July 2025 – DNO ASA, the Norwegian oil and gas operator, reports that operations at its Tawke license in the Kurdistan region of Iraq have been temporarily suspended following three explosions early this morning, one involving a small storage tank at Tawke and the other involving surface processing equipment at Peshkabir. There have been no injuries. The damage assessment is underway and the Company expects to restart production once the assessment is completed.

    For further information, please contact:
    Media: media@dno.no
    Investors: investor.relations@dno.no

    –

    DNO ASA is a leading Norwegian oil and gas operator active in the Middle East, the North Sea and West Africa. Founded in 1971 and listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange, the Company holds stakes in onshore and offshore licenses at various stages of exploration, development and production in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, Norway, the United Kingdom, Côte d’Ivoire and Yemen. More information is available at www.dno.no.

    This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to Section 5-12 the Norwegian Securities Trading Act

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Richemont posts solid start to the year for its first quarter ended 30 June 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    AD HOC ANNOUNCEMENT PURSUANT TO ART. 53 LR

    16 JULY 2025

    RICHEMONT POSTS SOLID START TO THE YEAR FOR ITS FIRST QUARTER ENDED 30 JUNE 2025

      
    Highlights for the quarter ended 30 June 2025

    • Group sales at € 5.4 billion, up by 6% at constant exchange rates and by 3% at actual exchange rates in a volatile macroeconomic and geopolitical context
    • Continued strength at Jewellery Maisons, up by 11% at constant exchange rates; softer sequential rate of decline at Specialist Watchmakers, down by 7%; ‘Other’, including Fashion & Accessories Maisons, at -1%
    • Double-digit growth in Europe, the Americas and Middle East & Africa; stable sales in Asia Pacific at constant exchange rates; Japan down on high comparatives in prior-year period
    • Consistent growth across all distribution channels, led by Jewellery Maisons
    • Robust net cash position at € 7.4 billion, after cash transferred to YNAP upon closing of the sales transaction with LuxExperience 
    April-June   2025 2024 Movement at:
        €m €m constant rates actual rates
    By region Europe 1 295 1 171 +11% +11%
      Asia Pacific 1 731 1 809 – -4%
      Americas  1 335 1 215 +17% +10%
      Japan  527 603 -15% -13%
      Middle East & Africa  524 470 +17% +11%
               
    By distribution channel Retail 3 734 3 631 +6% +3%
      Online retail  323 315 +6% +3%
      Wholesale and royalty income  1 355 1 322 +6% +2%
               
    By business area Jewellery Maisons 3 914 3 656 +11% +7%
      Specialist Watchmakers 824 911 -7% -10%
      Other 674 701 -1% -4%
    Total   5 412 5 268 +6% +3%

    Review of trading in the three-month period ended 30 June 2025 versus the prior-year period, at constant exchange rates

    Any long form references to Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan within this company announcement are Hong Kong SAR, China; Macau SAR, China; and Taiwan, China respectively.

    At constant exchange rates, Group sales in the quarter ended 30 June 2025 rose by 6% in a volatile global macroeconomic and geopolitical context.

    The growth was led by double digit increases in Europe, the Americas and Middle East & Africa, more than offsetting Japan’s sales decline against high prior-year comparatives; sales in the Asia Pacific region remained stable. In Europe, sales grew by 11%, driven by robust demand from local clients and overall positive tourist spend, supported by successful high jewellery events. Almost all main markets in the region saw an increase in sales this quarter, with notable performances in Italy and Germany. In the Americas, sales growth remained strong at +17%, driven by supportive local demand across all business areas and markets. Sales in the Middle East & Africa region rose by 17%, led by the United Arab Emirates market as well as higher tourist spend. In Japan, sales declined by 15% against a demanding +59% comparative in the prior-year period, with a strengthening Yen strongly reducing tourist spend, most notably from Chinese clientele, whilst local demand remained positive. Asia Pacific sales were stable overall versus the prior-year period, as a 7% decline in China, Hong Kong and Macau combined was fully compensated by robust growth in almost all other Asian markets. Of note, sales in Australia and South Korea were up double digits.

    Growth was consistent across all distribution channels, each up by 6%, led by Jewellery Maisons. Retail sales accounted for 69% of Group sales, with growth across all regions excluding Japan. Wholesale sales growth was driven by solid increases in the Americas, Europe and Middle East & Africa. Online retail sales showed robust growth across almost all regions.

    The Group’s four Jewellery Maisons – Buccellati, Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels and Vhernier – recorded an 11% rise in sales, marking a third consecutive quarter of double-digit growth, supported by both jewellery and watch product lines. All regions posted growth, except Japan that faced a very high comparative in the prior-year period. Specialist Watchmakers sales were 7% lower than the prior-year period, largely reflecting declines in sales in China, Hong Kong and Macau combined as well as in Japan, partly offset by double-digit growth in the Americas. The Group’s Other business area, which includes Fashion & Accessories Maisons, declined by 1% compared to the prior-year period. Notable highlights included continued solid momentum at Peter Millar and Alaïa, an encouraging performance at Chloé and robust growth at Watchfinder & Co.

    The Group’s net cash position at 30 June 2025 stood at € 7.4 billion (2024: € 7.3 billion) after accounting for the € 426 million cash-out upon completion of the sale of YNAP to Mytheresa on 23 April 2025.

    Corporate calendar

    The annual general meeting will be held on Wednesday 10 September 2025 in Geneva. The interim results for the current financial year will be announced on Friday 14 November 2025. The Group’s corporate calendar is available on https://www.richemont.com/investors/corporate-calendar/.

    About Richemont
    At Richemont, we craft the future. Our unique portfolio includes prestigious Maisons distinguished by their craftsmanship and creativity. Richemont’s ambition is to nurture its Maisons and businesses and enable them to grow and prosper in a responsible, sustainable manner over the long term.

    Richemont operates in three business areas: Jewellery Maisons with Buccellati, Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels and Vhernier; Specialist Watchmakers with A. Lange & Söhne, Baume & Mercier, IWC Schaffhausen, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Panerai, Piaget, Roger Dubuis and Vacheron Constantin; and Other, primarily Fashion & Accessories Maisons with Alaïa, Chloé, Delvaux, dunhill, G/FORE, Gianvito Rossi, Montblanc, Peter Millar, Purdey, Serapian as well as Watchfinder & Co. Find out more at https://www.richemont.com/ .

    Richemont ‘A’ shares are listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange, Richemont’s primary listing, and are included in the Swiss Market Index (‘SMI’) of leading stocks. The ‘A’ shares are also traded on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, Richemont’s secondary listing.


    Investor/analyst and media enquiries

    Alessandra Girolami, Group Investor Relations Director

    James Fraser, Investor Relations Executive

    Investors/analysts enquiries: +41 22 721 30 03; investor.relations@cfrinfo.net 

    Media enquiries: +41 22 721 35 07; pressoffice@cfrinfo.net; richemont@teneo.com 

    Disclaimer

    The financial information contained in this announcement is unaudited.

    This document contains forward-looking statements as that term is defined in the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Richemont’s forward-looking statements are based on management’s current expectations and assumptions regarding the Company’s business and performance, the economy and other future conditions and forecasts of future events, circumstances and results. Our retail stores are heavily dependent on the ability and desire of consumers to travel and shop and a decline in consumers traffic could have a negative effect on our comparable store sales and/or average sales per square foot and store profitability resulting in impairment charges, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition. Reduced travel resulting from economic conditions, retail store closure orders of civil authorities, travel restrictions, travel concerns and other circumstances, including disease epidemics and other health-related concerns, could have a material adverse effect on us, particularly if such events impact our customers’ desire to travel to our retail stores. International conflicts or wars, including resulting sanctions and restrictions on importation and exportation of finished products and/or raw materials, whether self-imposed or imposed by international countries, non-state entities or others, may also impact these forward-looking statements. If international tariffs are imposed or increased, materials and goods that Richemont imports may face higher prices, which could lead to reduced margins or increased prices that could cause decreased consumer demand. As with any projection or forecast, forward-looking statements are inherently susceptible to uncertainty and changes in circumstances. Actual results may differ materially from the forward-looking statements as a result of a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are outside the Group’s control. Richemont does not undertake to update, nor does it have any obligation to provide updates of, or to revise, any forward-looking statements.

    © Richemont 2025

    This announcement does not contain full details and should not be used as a basis for any investment decision in relation to the Company’s shares. Please find the full announcement available in PDF below:

    Richemont FY26 – Q1 Sales PDF EN

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: ASML reports €7.7 billion total net sales and €2.3 billion net income in Q2 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ASML reports €7.7 billion total net sales and €2.3 billion net income in Q2 2025
    Full-year 2025 expected total net sales growth of around 15% with gross margin around 52%

    VELDHOVEN, the Netherlands, July 16, 2025 – Today, ASML Holding NV (ASML) has published its 2025 second-quarter results.

    • Q2 total net sales of €7.7 billion, gross margin of 53.7%, net income of €2.3 billion
    • Quarterly net bookings in Q2 of €5.5 billion2 of which €2.3 billion is EUV
    • ASML expects Q3 2025 total net sales between €7.4 billion and €7.9 billion, and a gross margin between 50% and 52%
    • ASML expects a full-year 2025 total net sales increase of around 15% relative to 2024, with a gross margin of around 52%
    (Figures in millions of euros unless otherwise indicated) Q1 2025   Q2 2025
    Total net sales 7,742   7,692
    …of which Installed Base Management sales1 2,001   2,096
    New lithography systems sold (units) 73   67
    Used lithography systems sold (units) 4   9
    Net bookings2 3,936   5,541
    Gross profit 4,180   4,130
    Gross margin (%) 54.0   53.7
    Net income 2,355   2,290
    EPS (basic; in euros) 6.00   5.90
    End-quarter cash and cash equivalents and short-term investments 9,104   7,248

    (1) Installed Base Management sales equals our net service and field option sales.
    (2) Net bookings include all system sales orders and inflation-related adjustments, for which written authorizations have been accepted.
    Numbers have been rounded for readers’ convenience. A complete summary of US GAAP Consolidated Statements of Operations is published on www.asml.com.


    CEO statement and outlook
    “Our second-quarter total net sales came in at €7.7 billion, at the top end of our guidance. The gross margin was 53.7%, above guidance, primarily driven by higher upgrade business and one-offs resulting in lower costs.

    “We see continued progress in litho intensity, particularly in DRAM, and the introduction of the TWINSCAN NXE:3800E reinforces that momentum. Meanwhile, EUV adoption is advancing as planned, including High NA. This quarter, we shipped the first TWINSCAN EXE:5200B system.

    “Looking at 2026, we see that our AI customers’ fundamentals remain strong. At the same time, we continue to see increasing uncertainty driven by macro-economic and geopolitical developments. Therefore, while we still prepare for growth in 2026, we cannot confirm it at this stage.

    “We expect third-quarter total net sales between €7.4 billion and €7.9 billion, with a gross margin between 50% and 52%. We expect R&D costs of around €1.2 billion and SG&A costs of around €310 million. For the full year 2025, we expect a 15% increase in total net sales and a gross margin of around 52%,” said ASML President and Chief Executive Officer Christophe Fouquet.

    Update dividend and share buyback program
    An interim dividend of €1.60 per ordinary share will be made payable on August 6, 2025.

    In the second quarter, we purchased around €1.4 billion worth of shares under the current 2022–2025 share buyback program.

    Details of the share buyback program as well as transactions pursuant thereto, and details of the dividend are published on ASML’s website (www.asml.com/investors).

    Media Relations contacts Investor Relations contacts
    Monique Mols +31 6 5284 4418 Jim Kavanagh +31 40 268 3938
    Willem van Ewijk +31 6 2744 1187 Pete Convertito +1 203 919 1714
    Karen Lo +886 9 397 88635 Peter Cheang +886 3 659 6771
    Sarah de Crescenzo +1 925 899 8985  

      
    Quarterly video interview and investor call
    With this press release, ASML is publishing a video interview in which CEO Christophe Fouquet and CFO Roger Dassen discuss the 2025 second quarter and outlook for 2025. This video and the video transcript can be viewed on www.asml.com shortly after the publication of this press release.

    An investor call for both investors and the media will be hosted by CEO Christophe Fouquet and CFO Roger Dassen on July 16, 2025 at 15:00 Central European Time / 09:00 US Eastern Time. Details can be found on our website.

    About ASML
    ASML is a leading supplier to the semiconductor industry. The company provides chipmakers with hardware, software and services to mass produce the patterns of integrated circuits (microchips). Together with its partners, ASML drives the advancement of more affordable, more powerful, more energy-efficient microchips. ASML enables groundbreaking technology to solve some of humanity’s toughest challenges, such as in healthcare, energy use and conservation, mobility and agriculture. ASML is a multinational company headquartered in Veldhoven, the Netherlands, with offices across EMEA, the US and Asia. Every day, ASML’s more than 44,000 employees (FTE) challenge the status quo and push technology to new limits. ASML is traded on Euronext Amsterdam and NASDAQ under the symbol ASML. Discover ASML – our products, technology and career opportunities – at www.asml.com.

    US GAAP and IFRS Financial Reporting
    ASML’s primary accounting standard for quarterly earnings releases and annual reports is US GAAP, the accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. Quarterly US GAAP Consolidated Statements of Operations, Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows and Consolidated Balance Sheets are available on www.asml.com.

    The Consolidated Balance Sheets of ASML Holding N.V. as of June 29, 2025, the related Consolidated Statements of Operations and Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the quarter and six-month period ended June 29, 2025, as presented in this press release, are unaudited.

    Today, July 16, 2025, ASML also published its Statutory Interim Report for the six-month period ended June 29, 2025. The Statutory Interim Report is available on www.asml.com.

    Regulated information
    This press release contains inside information within the meaning of Article 7(1) of the EU Market Abuse Regulation.

    Forward Looking Statements

    This document and related discussions contain statements that are forward-looking within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements with respect to plans, strategies, expected trends, including trends in the semiconductor industry and end markets and business environment trends, expected growth in the semiconductor industry by 2030, our expectation that AI will be the key driver for the industry and the expected impact of AI demand on our business and results, our expectation that lithography will remain at the heart of customer innovation, expected demand, bookings, outlook of market segments, outlook and expected financial results including 2025 second-half outlook, expected results for Q3 2025, including net sales, Installed Base Management sales, gross margin, R&D costs, SG&A costs, outlook for full year 2025, including expected full year 2025 total net sales, gross margin, estimated annualized effective tax rate and expected IBM sales, expected full-year net sales growth percentage relative to 2024, current expectations relating to 2026 including expected drivers and uncertainties and preparation for growth in 2026, statements made at our 2024 Investor Day, including modelled revenue and gross margin opportunity for 2030, statements with respect to tariff announcements and the expected impact of such tariffs on our business and results, our expectation to continue to return significant amounts of cash to shareholders through growing dividends and share buybacks, statements with respect to our share buyback program, and statements with respect to dividends, statements with respect to expected performance and capabilities of our systems and customer plans, statements with respect to our ESG strategy and commitments and other non-historical statements. You can generally identify these statements by the use of words like “may”, “expect”, “will”, “could”, “should”, “project”, “believe”, “anticipate”, “expect”, “plan”, “estimate”, “forecast”, “potential”, “intend”, “continue”, “target”, “future”, “progress”, “goal”, “model”, “opportunity”, “commitment” and variations of these words or comparable words. These statements are not historical facts, but rather are based on current expectations, estimates, assumptions, plans and projections about our business and our future financial results and readers should not place undue reliance on them. Forward-looking statements do not guarantee future performance and involve a number of substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, risks relating to customer demand, semiconductor equipment industry capacity, worldwide demand for semiconductors and semiconductor manufacturing capacity, lithography tool utilization and semiconductor inventory levels, general trends and consumer confidence in the semiconductor industry, the impact of general economic conditions, including the impact of the current macroeconomic environment on the semiconductor industry, semiconductor market conditions, the ultimate impact of AI on our industry and business, the impact of inflation, interest rates, wars and geopolitical developments, the impact of pandemics, the performance of our systems, the success of technology advances and the pace of new product development and customer acceptance of and demand for new products, our production capacity and ability to adjust capacity to meet demand, supply chain capacity, timely availability of parts and components, raw materials, critical manufacturing equipment and qualified employees, our ability to produce systems to meet demand, the number and timing of systems ordered, shipped and recognized in revenue, risks relating to fluctuations in net bookings and our ability to convert bookings into sales, the risk of order cancellation, delays or push outs and restrictions on shipments of ordered systems under export controls, risks relating to the trade environment, import/export and national security regulations and orders and their impact on us, including the impact of changes in export regulations and the impact of such regulations on our ability to obtain necessary licenses and to sell our systems and provide services to certain customers, the impact of the tariff announcements, exchange rate fluctuations, changes in tax rates, available liquidity and free cash flow and liquidity requirements, our ability to refinance our indebtedness, available cash and distributable reserves for, and other factors impacting, dividend payments and share repurchases, the number of shares that we repurchase under our share repurchase program, our ability to enforce patents and protect intellectual property rights and the outcome of intellectual property disputes and litigation, our ability to meet ESG goals and commitments and execute our ESG strategy, other factors that may impact ASML’s business or financial results, and other risks indicated in the risk factors included in ASML’s Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2024 and other filings with and submissions to the US Securities and Exchange Commission. These forward-looking statements are made only as of the date of this document. We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements after the date of this report or to conform such statements to actual results or revised expectations, except as required by law.

    Attachments

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Experts from the Call Me Back project gave advice on how to protect yourself from deepfakes

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Cybercriminals are constantly inventing new ways to deceive citizens. For example, the number of cases of fraud using deepfake technology has been growing recently. Using artificial intelligence, attackers reproduce voice messages and video calls allegedly from relatives, friends or colleagues. Then, using synthesized voices and videos, they try to lure out personal information and gain access to citizens’ savings. At the project event “Call me back yourself” Experts talked about common techniques used by criminals who use deepfake technology and gave useful recommendations to help protect yourself and your loved ones.

    Today, one of the most common methods of fraud based on deepfake technology is fake video calls, audio and images generated using artificial intelligence. Criminals can send a message in a messenger and even make a video call on behalf of relatives, friends, bosses and colleagues. They use audio, photos and video materials from social networks recorded during the conversation to create realistic messages. Then, based on this data, a neural network creates a digital double. This is done by superimposing a face on top of another on a real video recording. In some cases, the message is completely generated by artificial intelligence.

    After creating a deepfake, criminals begin an attack on a person. They send him a voice message, call him on a messenger via video link under the guise of a relative, friend, colleague or boss. At first, the fake character has a normal, confidential conversation, but then moves on to luring personal information, asking for money for some needs, for example, for treatment, or demanding to transfer it to some mythical safe account.

    “Fraudsters play out their schemes in several stages: first, they collect and process information about a potential victim, then they establish contact with them and lead them to the final maneuver – a call or video message supposedly from a person the user trusts. Under stress and psychological pressure, they can believe the deepfake, transfer money to the attackers or transfer personal information. To protect yourself, you do not need to block all calling friends and colleagues on your phone: you can recognize synthesized speech and images even despite their high realism and accuracy. Signs of deception may include unnatural facial expressions, desynchronization of voice and video, suspicious elements in the photo, unusual wording or pronunciation errors, a mechanical, emotionless voice,” said Valentina Shilina, head of the “Call Back Yourself” project of the Moscow

    Department of Information Technology.

    There are other ways to recognize a deepfake. For example, if the call is not from the subscriber’s usual number. You also need to consider the manner of communication. An attempt to intimidate, evoke strong emotions, force prompt decision-making, and other methods of psychological pressure may indicate the actions of an intruder. If any of the signs are noticed, the video call and communication should be stopped. To find out whether the call was from a relative or friend, you should contact the subscriber in another way to clarify the details.

    Simple recommendations from experts will help protect you from fraudsters when communicating in messengers. So, when answering a suspicious call, do not say “yes”, “I agree”, “I confirm”. Criminals can record the moment these words are spoken, and then use them to confirm any transactions on behalf of the deceived person.

    In addition, to communicate with family and friends, it is worth thinking up a password or a security question with an answer in advance. In the future, this will help determine that the conversation is not a fraudster. Attackers collect basic information about their victims and may already know some details of a person’s life, so a funny, unusual or absurd question will help confuse criminals.

    Experts also remind that you should not share SMS codes to access confidential information with anyone. No organization or company will ask you to disclose the code; only scammers will do this. And a public figure, such as a famous artist, blogger, or TV presenter, will never call an ordinary person.

    In addition, government organizations, law enforcement agencies, and companies do not use personal numbers and messengers. To check the information, it is enough to find out the landline phone number on the official website of the organization and call it to clarify the details. As a rule, all issues are resolved during a personal meeting at the official representative office. Also, to protect the device and account from theft and hacking, the user should set up two-factor authorization wherever possible: in banking and official applications, messengers, accounts on the government services portal.

    Learn more about how scammers use deepfakes and get useful and clear recommendations from experts in the webinar recording “Call me back yourself”. The project website also contains a memo with basic information on the topic. “Deepfake Scams: How to Avoid Being Scammed?”.

    A free telegram bot will help you check the audio message you received for synthesized speech and signs of fraud “Stopfake”, created as part of the “Call Back Yourself” project. The service uses artificial intelligence to analyze sent text messages, screenshots of correspondence, and audio files, determining the likelihood of fraudulent schemes.

    The online information project “Call Back Yourself” was created in 2022. It helps city residents protect themselves and their loved ones from telephone and Internet fraud.project website information about upcoming in-person and online events is available, as well as memos and recommendations from experts, recordings of past webinars and other useful materials.

    You can learn more about the capital’s digital ecosystem and study the history of technology development over 30 years thanks to this popular science film “Moscow in Digital”.

    The creation and support of information security tools, as well as counteracting cyber fraud, are in line with the objectives of the national project “Data Economy and Digital Transformation of the State”.

    Get the latest news quicklyofficial telegram channel the city of Moscow.

    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 Asia-Pac: LCQ11: Facilitating re-domiciliation of non-Hong Kong-registered enterprises to Hong Kong

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         Following is a question by the Hon Edmund Wong and a written reply by the Acting Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Joseph Chan, in the Legislative Council today (July 16):
     
    Question:
     
         The Companies (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2024, which was passed on May 14 this year, seeks to introduce a company re-domiciliation regime (the Regime) that enables overseas-registered enterprises to transfer their domicile to Hong Kong without having to undergo winding-up procedures in their original domicile while preserving their legal identities. The Amendment Ordinance took effect on May 23 this year, and the Regime opened for applications on the same day. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
     
    (1) of the number of enquiries and applications received by the authorities from overseas enterprises regarding the Regime between May 23 and June 30 this year; the following information on such overseas enterprises applying for re-domiciliation to Hong Kong: (i) nature of business, (ii) company assets and scale, and (iii) original domicile;
     
    (2) whether it has estimated the average processing time from receipt of an application for re-domiciliation from an overseas enterprise to formal approval of the enterprise to establish a presence in Hong Kong (i.e. the successful transfer of its domicile to Hong Kong);
     
    (3) whether any overseas enterprises have successfully established a presence in Hong Kong through the Regime to date; if so, of the number of such enterprises, the nature of their business, their company assets and scale, as well as their original domicile; and
     
    (4) whether it will formulate a promotional plan to promote the Regime through Invest Hong Kong and overseas economic and trade offices to attract more overseas enterprises to apply for re-domiciliation to Hong Kong; if so, of the details of the plan (including the resources involved); if not, the reasons for that?
     
    Reply:
     
    President,
     
         The company re-domiciliation regime commenced on May 23, 2025. A company incorporated outside Hong Kong may apply to the Companies Registry (CR) for re-domiciliation to Hong Kong. The regime reduces the need to go through complicated and costly judicial procedures, and enables a re-domiciled company to maintain its legal identity as a body corporate, thereby ensuring business continuity. An applicant for company re-domiciliation is required to fulfil requirements concerning company background, integrity, member and creditor protection, solvency, etc.
     
         My consolidated reply to the four parts of the question is as follows:
     
         After the implementation of the re-domiciliation regime, two international insurance groups immediately announced their plans to re-domicile to Hong Kong, which is the best testament to the regime’s effectiveness in enhancing companies’ operational efficiency. As at July 11, 2025, the CR received 265 enquiries relating to re-domiciliation. The total number of visits and downloads at the thematic section of the CR’s website exceeded 22 000 and 42 000 respectively, reflecting the positive market response to the new company re-domiciliation regime in Hong Kong. As it takes time for companies planning to re-domicile to Hong Kong to prepare the application documents, and to fulfil the requirements of their place of incorporation and other relevant jurisdictions for the proposed re-domiciliation, the CR has not yet received any formal application for re-domiciliation to Hong Kong from non-Hong Kong enterprises. At the same time, some financial institutions and enterprises have contacted the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau (FSTB) and expressed that they are preparing to apply for re-domiciliation to Hong Kong. According to the enquiries received by the CR, most of the companies interested in re-domiciliation are from offshore economies such as Bermuda, the Cayman Islands and the British Virgin Islands.
     
         The FSTB, the CR and financial regulators will actively provide appropriate support to applicants to assist with their re-domiciliation. Under normal circumstances, the CR will complete the approval process within two weeks after an applicant has submitted all the required documents and information. On the day of issuance of a certificate of re-domiciliation, the applicant becomes a re-domiciled company and is regarded as a Hong Kong-incorporated company from the same date. The re-domiciled company is then required to complete the deregistration procedures at its place of incorporation within 120 days. The re-domiciled company may make an application to the CR to extend the 120-day period subject to any conditions the Registrar of Companies considers appropriate.
     
         The CR has set up a thematic section on its website, containing the Guide on Company Re-domiciliation, application form and frequently asked questions. The FSTB, in conjunction with the CR and the Inland Revenue Department, has proactively reached out to professional organisations and chambers of commerce, and organised briefings to introduce the content, application details and taxation arrangements of the company re-domiciliation regime. We will continue to work with Invest Hong Kong, the Economic and Trade Offices and the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited to conduct external publicity and promotion with a view to attracting major Hong Kong-listed companies and other companies registered outside Hong Kong to make good use of the company re-domiciliation regime, and to maximising the regime’s benefits of attracting more companies, capital and talents to Hong Kong, thereby contributing to the development of the local economy. The publicity work is currently undertaken by the FSTB and the relevant departments respectively with their existing staff establishment.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Van Orden Applauds Committee Passage of FY26 National Defense Authorization Act

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Derrick Van Orden (Wisconsin 3rd)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Navy SEAL veteran Congressman Derrick Van Orden (WI-03) released the following statement after voting to pass the Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) out of the House Armed Services Committee: 

    “Under the Biden administration, the world was a much more dangerous place due to sheer incompetence and mismanagement. The Department of Defense (DoD) had gone so far off mission it put our servicemembers, national security, allies, and every single American at grave risk. 

    “With President Trump as our Commander-in-Chief and Secretary Hegseth leading the DoD, we are restoring readiness and lethality in our Armed Forces. Passage of this year’s NDAA is a critical step to delivering on President Trump’s promise of delivering Peace through Strength and ensuring our servicemembers have every tool and resource they need to meet any challenge and defend our interests at home and abroad.”

    Rep. Van Orden championed multiple provisions in the FY26 NDAA:

    • Inclusion of the Strengthening Our Servicemembers with Milk Act, which requires milk be available at dining facilities on military installations.
    • Inclusion of the TAP Promotion Act to provide veterans with information on Veteran Service Organizations who assist with the transition into civilian life and help navigate benefits available to servicemembers and their families.
    • Dental care coverage under TRICARE for reservists.
    • Codifying the DoD authority for joint task forces to support law enforcement agencies and other federal agencies conducting counterterrorism and counter transnational organized crime activities.
    • Codifying and expanding the Individual Longitudinal Exposure Record (ILER) as a centralized database of servicemembers’ occupational and environmental exposure data.
    • Prohibiting the use of DoD funds to promote or endorse CRT in military academies, servicemember training, or professional military education.
    • Establishing formal contracting goals for DoD in contracting with small businesses owned and controlled by veterans.
    • Requiring DoD to produce a briefing on the access levels and obstacles, and recommend improvements to ensure innovative companies can fully participate in national defense modernization.

    Other priorities of Rep. Van Orden in the bill include:

    Modernizing the Armed Forces:

    • $10 million for robotic training targets to enhance National Guard lethality.
    • $2.5 million for modernization and manufacturing of engines for traditional Collaborative Combat Aircraft platforms.

    Enhancing Air Force Surveillance, Reconnaissance, and Tracking (SRT) Capabilities:

    • Requiring use of commercial data analytics to provide the Air Force with tactical SRT capability to the combatant commands.
    • Requiring the Air Force to establish the SRT commercial data analytics program as a program of record.

    Elevating Defense Technology:

    • Creating a pilot program to accelerate development and procurement of innovative technology and equipment to enhance operational capabilities of Special Forces.
    • Requiring briefing on enhancing operational lethality through AI-enabled unmanned systems. 

    Strengthening Cooperation Operations with Our Allies:

    • Establishing an emerging technology cooperation program with Israel and other partner countries.
    • Broadening the U.S.-Israel C-UAS cooperation to include unmanned systems in all domains and extends authority through 2028.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • US launches probe into Brazil’s trade practices, digital payment services

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said on Tuesday he had launched an investigation into Brazil’s “unfair” trading practices, a week after President Donald Trump threatened a 50% tariff on imports from Latin America’s largest economy.

    Trump’s trade war, launched since starting his second term in January, sets tariffs on nearly all U.S. trading partners, aiming to reorder the global economy and end decades of what he calls discrimination against the United States.

    The USTR investigation, announced last week by Trump, will decide if Brazil’s treatment of digital trade and preferential tariffs, among others, is “unreasonable or discriminatory and burdens or restrict” U.S. commerce, Greer said.

    “At President Trump’s direction, I am launching a Section 301 investigation into Brazil’s attacks,” he added in a statement.

    Among victims of such attacks he cited U.S. social media and other companies, as well as workers, farmers, and technology innovators he described as harmed by Brazil’s “unfair trading practices”.

    Following extensive consultations, Greer added, “I have determined that Brazil’s tariff and non-tariff barriers merit a thorough investigation, and potentially, responsive action.”

    Trump justified his 50% tariff from August 1, well above the rate of 10% initially proposed, with a demand for an end to the trial of former President Jair Bolsonaro for allegedly plotting a coup.

    The high tariff for Brazil surprised many trade experts since its U.S. goods imports exceed its exports, and because Trump linked the rate so clearly to Bolsonaro’s trial.

    Brazil offered no immediate reaction to news of the U.S. investigation. On Monday, Vice President Geraldo Alckmin said it had yet to receive a response from Washington to an offer it made in trade talks two months ago.

    During his first term, Trump used Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 to justify a spate of tariffs against China. It was also used to investigate other countries for digital services taxes on U.S. tech firms.

    In a statement, USTR said Brazil disadvantaged U.S. firms by setting lower tariffs on exports of other trading partners and accused it of failing to battle corruption.

    It added that Brazil also charged substantially higher tariffs on U.S. ethanol exports, and “appears to be failing” to enforce laws against illegal deforestation, which it said harmed the competitiveness of U.S. timber producers.

    (Reuters)