NewzIntel.com

Category: Business

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Spain: EIB and ULMA Group sign €45 million loan to support innovation and sustainability in the construction value chain

    Source: European Investment Bank

    EIB

    • The loan will boost investment by ULMA Group in new solutions to cut consumption and recycle materials, upgrade its facilities, and increase its energy efficiency.
    • It will also go towards building a new plant to develop advanced technologies for the production of materials.
    • The financing agreement supports the EIB’s strategic priorities for innovation and climate action, and its affordable and sustainable housing initiative.

    The European Investment Bank (EIB) and ULMA Group have signed a €45 million loan to finance the company’s innovation and sustainability activities. ULMA Group is a Spanish industrial cooperative group based in the Basque Country, with a strong international presence. Among its nine business lines, the manufacture of equipment, innovative materials and other solutions for the construction sector stands out.

    The EIB loan will finance the Group’s investments in advanced manufacturing technologies for its construction business line and polymer concrete architectural solutions. It will also help provide the investment needed for the construction of a plant to produce new, sustainable building materials. In addition, the EIB will support ULMA Group as it improves its energy efficiency, furthering its decarbonisation and sustainability strategy. The investments will be made in ULMA operations in the autonomous community of the Basque Country.

    Antonio Lorenzo, Head of Corporate Lending in the EIB for Spain and Portugal, said: “With this operation, the EIB is supporting the EU construction industry, contributing to its sustainability, innovation and competitiveness. Supporting this industry is also a key part of the Bank’s commitment to adopting innovative materials and technologies in construction, to increase access to affordable and sustainable housing for all Europeans.”

    The financing agreement supports innovation, climate action and environmental sustainability, and social infrastructure in the European Union, which are three of the eight core priorities set out in the EIB Group 2024-2027 Strategic Roadmap. Social infrastructure is being supported by the ULMA deal’s contribution to the EIB’s affordable and sustainable housing initiative.

    General Manager of ULMA Group Iñaki Gabilondo said: “This agreement will allow us to pursue innovative sustainability projects in the construction sector, with a clear positive impact for people and the world we live in. It bolsters our strong commitment to creating a more efficient, responsible and forward-looking industrial model. In addition, having the support of a prestigious organisation like the EIB is clear recognition of the value and robustness of this social business endeavour.”

    Background information

    European Investment Bank

    The EIB is the long-term lending institution of the European Union, owned by the Member States. Operating around eight core priorities, it finances investments that pursue EU policy objectives by bolstering climate action and the environment, digitalisation and technological innovation, security and defence, cohesion, agriculture and bioeconomy, social infrastructure, the capital markets union, and a stronger Europe in a more peaceful and prosperous world.

    The EIB Group, which also includes the European Investment Fund (EIF), signed nearly €89 billion in new financing for over 900 high-impact projects in 2024, boosting Europe’s competitiveness and security.

    All projects financed by the EIB Group are in line with the Paris Agreement, as pledged in its Climate Bank Roadmap. Almost 60% of the EIB Group’s annual financing supports projects that contribute directly to climate change mitigation and adaptation, and a healthier environment.

    In Spain, the EIB Group signed new financing worth €12.3 billion for over 100 high-impact projects in 2024, contributing to the country’s green and digital transition, economic growth, competitiveness and better services for its people.

    High-quality, up-to-date photos of the organisation’s headquarters for media use are available here.

    ULMA Group

    ULMA Group is made up of nine industrial cooperatives that employ 5 747 people and operate across 81 countries. With a total sales volume of €1.15 billion in 2024, ULMA Group is an illustration of success in the Basque cooperative movement.

    Since it was founded, it has been able to continuously grow and diversify its business lines and activities, as a social business project that works for the betterment of its surroundings.

    The nine companies that make up ULMA are exemplary operators in diverse industrial sectors, providing solutions for construction, packaging machinery, smart warehousing, forging, prefabricated systems for drainage and architecture, rollers for conveyor belts, maintenance services, greenhouse manufacturing and embedded electronics. The latest innovation out of ULMA Group applies artificial intelligence in the healthcare field for early detection of certain diseases.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Spain: EIB and ULMA Group sign €45 million loan to support innovation and sustainability in the construction value chain

    Source: European Investment Bank

    EIB

    • The loan will boost investment by ULMA Group in new solutions to cut consumption and recycle materials, upgrade its facilities, and increase its energy efficiency.
    • It will also go towards building a new plant to develop advanced technologies for the production of materials.
    • The financing agreement supports the EIB’s strategic priorities for innovation and climate action, and its affordable and sustainable housing initiative.

    The European Investment Bank (EIB) and ULMA Group have signed a €45 million loan to finance the company’s innovation and sustainability activities. ULMA Group is a Spanish industrial cooperative group based in the Basque Country, with a strong international presence. Among its nine business lines, the manufacture of equipment, innovative materials and other solutions for the construction sector stands out.

    The EIB loan will finance the Group’s investments in advanced manufacturing technologies for its construction business line and polymer concrete architectural solutions. It will also help provide the investment needed for the construction of a plant to produce new, sustainable building materials. In addition, the EIB will support ULMA Group as it improves its energy efficiency, furthering its decarbonisation and sustainability strategy. The investments will be made in ULMA operations in the autonomous community of the Basque Country.

    Antonio Lorenzo, Head of Corporate Lending in the EIB for Spain and Portugal, said: “With this operation, the EIB is supporting the EU construction industry, contributing to its sustainability, innovation and competitiveness. Supporting this industry is also a key part of the Bank’s commitment to adopting innovative materials and technologies in construction, to increase access to affordable and sustainable housing for all Europeans.”

    The financing agreement supports innovation, climate action and environmental sustainability, and social infrastructure in the European Union, which are three of the eight core priorities set out in the EIB Group 2024-2027 Strategic Roadmap. Social infrastructure is being supported by the ULMA deal’s contribution to the EIB’s affordable and sustainable housing initiative.

    General Manager of ULMA Group Iñaki Gabilondo said: “This agreement will allow us to pursue innovative sustainability projects in the construction sector, with a clear positive impact for people and the world we live in. It bolsters our strong commitment to creating a more efficient, responsible and forward-looking industrial model. In addition, having the support of a prestigious organisation like the EIB is clear recognition of the value and robustness of this social business endeavour.”

    Background information

    European Investment Bank

    The EIB is the long-term lending institution of the European Union, owned by the Member States. Operating around eight core priorities, it finances investments that pursue EU policy objectives by bolstering climate action and the environment, digitalisation and technological innovation, security and defence, cohesion, agriculture and bioeconomy, social infrastructure, the capital markets union, and a stronger Europe in a more peaceful and prosperous world.

    The EIB Group, which also includes the European Investment Fund (EIF), signed nearly €89 billion in new financing for over 900 high-impact projects in 2024, boosting Europe’s competitiveness and security.

    All projects financed by the EIB Group are in line with the Paris Agreement, as pledged in its Climate Bank Roadmap. Almost 60% of the EIB Group’s annual financing supports projects that contribute directly to climate change mitigation and adaptation, and a healthier environment.

    In Spain, the EIB Group signed new financing worth €12.3 billion for over 100 high-impact projects in 2024, contributing to the country’s green and digital transition, economic growth, competitiveness and better services for its people.

    High-quality, up-to-date photos of the organisation’s headquarters for media use are available here.

    ULMA Group

    ULMA Group is made up of nine industrial cooperatives that employ 5 747 people and operate across 81 countries. With a total sales volume of €1.15 billion in 2024, ULMA Group is an illustration of success in the Basque cooperative movement.

    Since it was founded, it has been able to continuously grow and diversify its business lines and activities, as a social business project that works for the betterment of its surroundings.

    The nine companies that make up ULMA are exemplary operators in diverse industrial sectors, providing solutions for construction, packaging machinery, smart warehousing, forging, prefabricated systems for drainage and architecture, rollers for conveyor belts, maintenance services, greenhouse manufacturing and embedded electronics. The latest innovation out of ULMA Group applies artificial intelligence in the healthcare field for early detection of certain diseases.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Final draft agenda – Tuesday, 8 July 2025 – Strasbourg

    Source: European Parliament

    84 Tackling China’s critical raw materials export restrictions     – Motions for resolutions Monday, 7 July 2025, 19:00     – Amendments to motions for resolutions; joint motions for resolutions Tuesday, 8 July 2025, 19:00     – Amendments to joint motions for resolutions Tuesday, 8 July 2025, 20:00     – Requests for “separate”, “split” and “roll-call” votes Wednesday, 9 July 2025, 16:00 55 The role of gas storage for securing gas supplies ahead of the winter season
    Borys Budka (A10-0079/2025)      – Amendments; rejection Wednesday, 2 July 2025, 13:00 39 Temporary derogation from certain provisions of Regulations (EU) 2017/2226 and (EU) 2016/399
    Assita Kanko (A10-0082/2025)      – Amendments; rejection Wednesday, 2 July 2025, 13:00 30 EU-Greenland and Denmark Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement: Implementing Protocol 2025-2030 (Resolution)
    Emma Fourreau (A10-0103/2025)      – Amendments Wednesday, 2 July 2025, 13:00 23 Financial activities of the European Investment Bank – annual report 2024
    Francisco Assis (A10-0112/2025)      – Amendments Wednesday, 2 July 2025, 13:00 44 Security of energy supply in the EU
    Beata Szydło (A10-0121/2025)      – Amendments by the rapporteur, 71 MEPs at least; Alternative motions for resolutions Wednesday, 2 July 2025, 13:00 19 2023 and 2024 reports on Albania
    Andreas Schieder (A10-0106/2025)      – Amendments Wednesday, 2 July 2025, 13:00 18 2023 and 2024 reports on Bosnia and Herzegovina
    Ondřej Kolář (A10-0108/2025)      – Amendments Wednesday, 2 July 2025, 13:00 46 2023 and 2024 reports on North Macedonia
    Thomas Waitz (A10-0118/2025)      – Amendments Wednesday, 2 July 2025, 13:00 17 2023 and 2024 reports on Georgia
    Rasa Juknevičienė (A10-0110/2025)      – Amendments Wednesday, 2 July 2025, 13:00 Separate votes – Split votes – Roll-call votes Texts put to the vote on Tuesday Friday, 4 July 2025, 12:00 Texts put to the vote on Wednesday Monday, 7 July 2025, 19:00 Texts put to the vote on Thursday Tuesday, 8 July 2025, 19:00 Motions for resolutions concerning debates on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law (Rule 150) Wednesday, 9 July 2025, 19:00

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Final draft agenda – Tuesday, 8 July 2025 – Strasbourg

    Source: European Parliament

    84 Tackling China’s critical raw materials export restrictions     – Motions for resolutions Monday, 7 July 2025, 19:00     – Amendments to motions for resolutions; joint motions for resolutions Tuesday, 8 July 2025, 19:00     – Amendments to joint motions for resolutions Tuesday, 8 July 2025, 20:00     – Requests for “separate”, “split” and “roll-call” votes Wednesday, 9 July 2025, 16:00 55 The role of gas storage for securing gas supplies ahead of the winter season
    Borys Budka (A10-0079/2025)      – Amendments; rejection Wednesday, 2 July 2025, 13:00 39 Temporary derogation from certain provisions of Regulations (EU) 2017/2226 and (EU) 2016/399
    Assita Kanko (A10-0082/2025)      – Amendments; rejection Wednesday, 2 July 2025, 13:00 30 EU-Greenland and Denmark Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement: Implementing Protocol 2025-2030 (Resolution)
    Emma Fourreau (A10-0103/2025)      – Amendments Wednesday, 2 July 2025, 13:00 23 Financial activities of the European Investment Bank – annual report 2024
    Francisco Assis (A10-0112/2025)      – Amendments Wednesday, 2 July 2025, 13:00 44 Security of energy supply in the EU
    Beata Szydło (A10-0121/2025)      – Amendments by the rapporteur, 71 MEPs at least; Alternative motions for resolutions Wednesday, 2 July 2025, 13:00 19 2023 and 2024 reports on Albania
    Andreas Schieder (A10-0106/2025)      – Amendments Wednesday, 2 July 2025, 13:00 18 2023 and 2024 reports on Bosnia and Herzegovina
    Ondřej Kolář (A10-0108/2025)      – Amendments Wednesday, 2 July 2025, 13:00 46 2023 and 2024 reports on North Macedonia
    Thomas Waitz (A10-0118/2025)      – Amendments Wednesday, 2 July 2025, 13:00 17 2023 and 2024 reports on Georgia
    Rasa Juknevičienė (A10-0110/2025)      – Amendments Wednesday, 2 July 2025, 13:00 Separate votes – Split votes – Roll-call votes Texts put to the vote on Tuesday Friday, 4 July 2025, 12:00 Texts put to the vote on Wednesday Monday, 7 July 2025, 19:00 Texts put to the vote on Thursday Tuesday, 8 July 2025, 19:00 Motions for resolutions concerning debates on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law (Rule 150) Wednesday, 9 July 2025, 19:00

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Final draft agenda – Monday, 7 July 2025 – Strasbourg

    Source: European Parliament

    23 Financial activities of the European Investment Bank – annual report 2024
    Francisco Assis (A10-0112/2025) 
        – Amendments Wednesday, 2 July 2025, 13:00
    27 Product safety and regulatory compliance in e-commerce and non-EU imports
    Salvatore De Meo (A10-0133/2025) 
        – Amendments by the rapporteur, 71 MEPs at least; Alternative motions for resolutions Thursday, 3 July 2025, 13:00
        – Joint alternative motions for resolutions Friday, 4 July 2025, 12:00
    Texts put to the vote on Tuesday Friday, 4 July 2025, 12:00
    Texts put to the vote on Wednesday Monday, 7 July 2025, 19:00
    Texts put to the vote on Thursday Tuesday, 8 July 2025, 19:00
    Motions for resolutions concerning debates on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law (Rule 150) Wednesday, 9 July 2025, 19:00

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Invest Hong Kong strengthens Web3 and fintech ties between Hong Kong and Japan (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

    Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) has successfully concluded an impactful visit to Japan, deepening business ties between the two places. The delegation’s primary objectives were to promote two-way business opportunities in Web3 and fintech, and to facilitate strategic technology investments that benefit bothplaces.

    From June 30 to July 4, Senior Vice President of Fintech at InvestHK Ms Pauline Fan led a delegation of 16 Hong Kong companies, organisations, universities and a family office to Japan. These included Hong Kong Baptist University, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and Web3 Harbour. Meetings and events were held in Osaka and Kyoto together with partners in Japan, including HashPort, Headline Asia, and IVC.

    In Osaka on June 30 and July 1, delegates engaged with key players in innovation and digital transformation. They met with members of the Osaka Prefectural Government, the Osaka Digital Exchange, the Japan External Trade Organization, SBI Corporation, Plug and Play Japan, the NTT West Corporate Innovation Center and more. These meetings facilitated meaningful exchanges and explorations of new business partnerships and investments. The momentum continued in Kyoto from July 2 to 4 at IVS 2025, the largest start-up conference in Japan, organised by Headline Asia and IVC. Industry leaders and emerging start-ups exchanged insights on fundraising, business partnerships, and breakthrough trends in Web3 and more.

    Associate Director-General of Investment Promotion at InvestHK Mr Arnold Lau said “This delegation marks a significant milestone in solidifying the collaboration between Hong Kong and Japan in innovation and technology. With a strong influx of innovative ideas and investment flows between both sides, we are entering a pioneering era where groundbreaking technologies in Web3 and fintech are poised to redefine the future of digital economies.”

    This delegation visit came at a perfect time following the Policy Statement 2.0 on the Development of Digital Assets in Hong Kong, issued by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government on June 26. It reinforces the HKSAR Government’s commitment to establishing Hong Kong as a global hub for innovation in the digital asset (DA) field. The statement introduces the “LEAP” framework: Legal and regulatory streamlining, expanding the suite of tokenised products, advancing use cases and cross-sectoral collaboration, and people and partnership development. It sets out a vision for a trusted and innovative DA ecosystem that prioritises risk management and investor protection, while delivering concrete benefits to the real economy and financial markets.

    “Our dedicated team at InvestHK is ready to support players in the DA ecosystem, connecting prospective DA service providers with banks and professional services to facilitate their business setup and expansion in Hong Kong,” Mr Lau added.

    Two-way business success driving the agenda forward

    Japanese firm Zaiko was the first company to establish a presence in Hong Kong through a similar delegation to Japan in 2024, facilitated by InvestHK. As a key portfolio company of Headline Asia, Zaiko serves as a platform that connects creators directly with people through digital events, video streaming, and data analytics. This inward investment exemplifies the potential for Japanese technology expertise to seamlessly merge with the vibrant economic sectors of Hong Kong, such as creative and event industries.

    Waffo established a Hong Kong office in 2023 as its strategic hub for Asia and immediately joined the 2024 InvestHK Japan delegation. The company uncovered new opportunities and successfully entered the Japanese market by opening representative offices, collaborating with multiple Japanese clients and launching innovative cross-border payment and risk-management solutions. Leveraging Hong Kong as its launch pad, Waffo once again participated in this year’s delegation to further accelerate its growth in Japan.

    The Goldian Group is a diversified conglomerate headquartered in Hong Kong with a strong background in real estate development. In recent years, its family office has strategically pivoted towards the fast-evolving field of digital assets. With the support and facilitation from InvestHK, the Group has gained access to cutting-edge market intelligence, advanced fintech applications and high-potential business opportunities in Hong Kong’s financial ecosystem. Leveraging these advantages, the Goldian Group joined this year’s delegation and formally launched a real estate tokenisation initiative in Japan, marking a key step in cross-border digital asset innovation and regional collaboration.

    With these achievements, InvestHK’s latest delegation clearly illustrates the rising synergy between Hong Kong and Japan’s Web3 and fintech industries, a collaboration that promises a new chapter of ingenuity, growth, and mutual prosperity. As both markets continue to harness innovation and investment, the future looks brighter than ever for such two-way partnerships in the digital economy.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Invest Hong Kong strengthens Web3 and fintech ties between Hong Kong and Japan (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

    Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) has successfully concluded an impactful visit to Japan, deepening business ties between the two places. The delegation’s primary objectives were to promote two-way business opportunities in Web3 and fintech, and to facilitate strategic technology investments that benefit bothplaces.

    From June 30 to July 4, Senior Vice President of Fintech at InvestHK Ms Pauline Fan led a delegation of 16 Hong Kong companies, organisations, universities and a family office to Japan. These included Hong Kong Baptist University, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and Web3 Harbour. Meetings and events were held in Osaka and Kyoto together with partners in Japan, including HashPort, Headline Asia, and IVC.

    In Osaka on June 30 and July 1, delegates engaged with key players in innovation and digital transformation. They met with members of the Osaka Prefectural Government, the Osaka Digital Exchange, the Japan External Trade Organization, SBI Corporation, Plug and Play Japan, the NTT West Corporate Innovation Center and more. These meetings facilitated meaningful exchanges and explorations of new business partnerships and investments. The momentum continued in Kyoto from July 2 to 4 at IVS 2025, the largest start-up conference in Japan, organised by Headline Asia and IVC. Industry leaders and emerging start-ups exchanged insights on fundraising, business partnerships, and breakthrough trends in Web3 and more.

    Associate Director-General of Investment Promotion at InvestHK Mr Arnold Lau said “This delegation marks a significant milestone in solidifying the collaboration between Hong Kong and Japan in innovation and technology. With a strong influx of innovative ideas and investment flows between both sides, we are entering a pioneering era where groundbreaking technologies in Web3 and fintech are poised to redefine the future of digital economies.”

    This delegation visit came at a perfect time following the Policy Statement 2.0 on the Development of Digital Assets in Hong Kong, issued by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government on June 26. It reinforces the HKSAR Government’s commitment to establishing Hong Kong as a global hub for innovation in the digital asset (DA) field. The statement introduces the “LEAP” framework: Legal and regulatory streamlining, expanding the suite of tokenised products, advancing use cases and cross-sectoral collaboration, and people and partnership development. It sets out a vision for a trusted and innovative DA ecosystem that prioritises risk management and investor protection, while delivering concrete benefits to the real economy and financial markets.

    “Our dedicated team at InvestHK is ready to support players in the DA ecosystem, connecting prospective DA service providers with banks and professional services to facilitate their business setup and expansion in Hong Kong,” Mr Lau added.

    Two-way business success driving the agenda forward

    Japanese firm Zaiko was the first company to establish a presence in Hong Kong through a similar delegation to Japan in 2024, facilitated by InvestHK. As a key portfolio company of Headline Asia, Zaiko serves as a platform that connects creators directly with people through digital events, video streaming, and data analytics. This inward investment exemplifies the potential for Japanese technology expertise to seamlessly merge with the vibrant economic sectors of Hong Kong, such as creative and event industries.

    Waffo established a Hong Kong office in 2023 as its strategic hub for Asia and immediately joined the 2024 InvestHK Japan delegation. The company uncovered new opportunities and successfully entered the Japanese market by opening representative offices, collaborating with multiple Japanese clients and launching innovative cross-border payment and risk-management solutions. Leveraging Hong Kong as its launch pad, Waffo once again participated in this year’s delegation to further accelerate its growth in Japan.

    The Goldian Group is a diversified conglomerate headquartered in Hong Kong with a strong background in real estate development. In recent years, its family office has strategically pivoted towards the fast-evolving field of digital assets. With the support and facilitation from InvestHK, the Group has gained access to cutting-edge market intelligence, advanced fintech applications and high-potential business opportunities in Hong Kong’s financial ecosystem. Leveraging these advantages, the Goldian Group joined this year’s delegation and formally launched a real estate tokenisation initiative in Japan, marking a key step in cross-border digital asset innovation and regional collaboration.

    With these achievements, InvestHK’s latest delegation clearly illustrates the rising synergy between Hong Kong and Japan’s Web3 and fintech industries, a collaboration that promises a new chapter of ingenuity, growth, and mutual prosperity. As both markets continue to harness innovation and investment, the future looks brighter than ever for such two-way partnerships in the digital economy.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Secretary for Housing continues Portugal visit to promote development opportunities in GBA (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

    The Secretary for Housing, Ms Winnie Ho, continued her visit to Lisbon, Portugal, yesterday (July 3, Lisbon time).

    Ms Ho attended a business luncheon co-organised by the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Development Office under the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau and the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Brussels to promote the vast opportunities for Portuguese companies arising from the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), and how Hong Kong can play its important roles as a “super connector” and “super value-adder” between the two places with its unique advantages of having the strong support of the motherland while maintaining unparalleled connectivity with the world. Around 130 participants attended the luncheon, with representatives from over 80 Portuguese enterprises from the construction sector, information technology sector, commercial sector and professional organisations, as well as representatives from 17 relevant Hong Kong enterprises.

    During the luncheon, Ms Ho highlighted that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has been actively promoting the use of innovative construction technologies to enhance the speed, quantity, quality and efficiency in increasing the supply of affordable housing. Under the Housing•I&T initiative this year, the Housing Bureau (HB) will organise a series of activities to foster exchanges between Hong Kong and other countries and regions in areas such as smart construction, smart estate management, energy saving and green buildings. She encouraged Portuguese enterprises to seize these opportunities and strengthen collaborations with the Mainland and Hong Kong.

    Ms Ho expressed her gratitude in particular to the trade representatives from Hong Kong, including those participating in the construction of public housing, Light Public Housing (LPH) and transitional housing, for attending the luncheon in Lisbon and taking the opportunity to share in person with the participants Hong Kong’s opportunities and advantages in connecting the Mainland and the world. By complying with international standards, stipulating local regulations and harnessing the strengths of the GBA in smart construction, Hong Kong can further advance in its development of Modular Integrated Construction (MiC), the transfer of on-site construction processes to factories and the application of construction robotics. With the expeditious building of LPH and transitional housing, the living conditions and quality of life of people living in inadequate housing can be improved as soon as practicable. The significant housing production target of 308 000 public housing units over the next 10 years also enables the HB and the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HKHA) to promote the adoption of innovative technologies and advance public housing developments in a new era of smart construction.

    Earlier in the day, Ms Ho visited EntreCampos, a local redevelopment project jointly developed by the public and private sectors, comprising social housing for middle-class residents, offices, retail, community facilities and green spaces. The project adopted Building Information Modelling (BIM) during construction. She also visited the new headquarters of an insurance company in the project. The building employs smart technologies and innovative sustainable energy systems to enhance energy efficiency. Ms Ho stated that the HKHA has strived to promote greener and more energy-efficient designs, aiming to attain a “gold” rating or above under BEAM Plus for all new housing developments. The measures include adopting MiC in construction with modules manufactured accurately and effectively in factories, and other innovative technologies such as BIM to facilitate planning throughout the construction process and enhance management, which can save energy, reduce waste and make the construction process more environmentally friendly. To improve energy efficiency, the HKHA has also implemented various green initiatives such as smart lighting control systems, light emitting diode lighting and solar photovoltaic systems. In estate management, the application of the Internet of Things and AI for collecting and analysing data has also enhanced estate management quality and efficiency. She said she looked forward to continued exchanges between Hong Kong and Portugal on innovative construction technologies and green building designs.

    Ms Ho has arrived in Barcelona, Spain, last night and will begin her visit there today (July 4, Barcelona time).

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Secretary for Justice to visit Europe

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

    The Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC, will depart for Europe tomorrow (July 5) to begin his visit to the Netherlands, France and Italy. He will meet with local senior government officials and leaders of various international organisations to introduce Hong Kong’s latest legal developments, strengthen exchanges and co-operation with all parties, promote Hong Kong’s strengths in legal and dispute resolution services, and explore collaboration on international capacity building.

    During his visit, Mr Lam will attend local seminars organised by the Department of Justice and other exchange sessions. He will deliver speeches to the local legal and business sectors to introduce Hong Kong’s unique advantages in the practice of the common law system under the “one country, two systems” principle, its strategic positioning as an international legal and dispute resolution services centre in the Asia-Pacific region, and its important role as a “super connector” and “super value-adder” between the Mainland and the rest of the world.

    Accompanying Mr Lam on the visit will be the Law Officer (International Law) of the Department of Justice (DoJ), Dr James Ding, the Director of the Hong Kong International Legal Talents Training Office of the DoJ, Dr Yang Ling, and government counsel.

    ​Mr Lam will conclude his visit in Rome, Italy, and return to Hong Kong on the morning of July 13. During his absence, the Deputy Secretary for Justice, Dr Cheung Kwok-kwan, will be the Acting Secretary for Justice.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • Government extends NPS tax benefits to new Unified Pension Scheme

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The Finance Ministry on Friday announced that all tax benefits currently available under the National Pension System (NPS) will also be extended to the newly introduced Unified Pension Scheme (UPS).

    The decision aims to make the Unified Pension Scheme more attractive for central government employees, providing parity between the two pension options.

    Introduced earlier this year, the UPS is available to new recruits joining the central government civil services from April 1, 2025. Existing government employees covered under the NPS have also been given a one-time option to switch to the new scheme.

    In March, the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) notified the rules and procedures to operationalise the scheme. With the Finance Ministry’s latest decision, employees choosing UPS will now be entitled to the same tax deductions on contributions and other tax-saving incentives as those opting for the NPS.

    The UPS has been designed to offer a more predictable retirement income by assuring a defined pension. Under the scheme, the government contributes 18.5 per cent of an employee’s basic pay and dearness allowance, while the employee contributes 10 per cent.

    By contrast, the National Pension System, which remains in place for other subscribers, operates as a defined contribution scheme without guaranteed returns.

    The Finance Ministry described the tax parity as an effort to strengthen retirement security for central government staff through “transparent, flexible and tax-efficient options”.

    The PFRDA will continue to oversee both pension schemes. Officials said the move is expected to encourage more employees to exercise their option to switch, and help the government address concerns about old-age income security.

  • Government extends NPS tax benefits to new Unified Pension Scheme

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The Finance Ministry on Friday announced that all tax benefits currently available under the National Pension System (NPS) will also be extended to the newly introduced Unified Pension Scheme (UPS).

    The decision aims to make the Unified Pension Scheme more attractive for central government employees, providing parity between the two pension options.

    Introduced earlier this year, the UPS is available to new recruits joining the central government civil services from April 1, 2025. Existing government employees covered under the NPS have also been given a one-time option to switch to the new scheme.

    In March, the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) notified the rules and procedures to operationalise the scheme. With the Finance Ministry’s latest decision, employees choosing UPS will now be entitled to the same tax deductions on contributions and other tax-saving incentives as those opting for the NPS.

    The UPS has been designed to offer a more predictable retirement income by assuring a defined pension. Under the scheme, the government contributes 18.5 per cent of an employee’s basic pay and dearness allowance, while the employee contributes 10 per cent.

    By contrast, the National Pension System, which remains in place for other subscribers, operates as a defined contribution scheme without guaranteed returns.

    The Finance Ministry described the tax parity as an effort to strengthen retirement security for central government staff through “transparent, flexible and tax-efficient options”.

    The PFRDA will continue to oversee both pension schemes. Officials said the move is expected to encourage more employees to exercise their option to switch, and help the government address concerns about old-age income security.

  • Government extends NPS tax benefits to new Unified Pension Scheme

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The Finance Ministry on Friday announced that all tax benefits currently available under the National Pension System (NPS) will also be extended to the newly introduced Unified Pension Scheme (UPS).

    The decision aims to make the Unified Pension Scheme more attractive for central government employees, providing parity between the two pension options.

    Introduced earlier this year, the UPS is available to new recruits joining the central government civil services from April 1, 2025. Existing government employees covered under the NPS have also been given a one-time option to switch to the new scheme.

    In March, the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) notified the rules and procedures to operationalise the scheme. With the Finance Ministry’s latest decision, employees choosing UPS will now be entitled to the same tax deductions on contributions and other tax-saving incentives as those opting for the NPS.

    The UPS has been designed to offer a more predictable retirement income by assuring a defined pension. Under the scheme, the government contributes 18.5 per cent of an employee’s basic pay and dearness allowance, while the employee contributes 10 per cent.

    By contrast, the National Pension System, which remains in place for other subscribers, operates as a defined contribution scheme without guaranteed returns.

    The Finance Ministry described the tax parity as an effort to strengthen retirement security for central government staff through “transparent, flexible and tax-efficient options”.

    The PFRDA will continue to oversee both pension schemes. Officials said the move is expected to encourage more employees to exercise their option to switch, and help the government address concerns about old-age income security.

  • Government extends NPS tax benefits to new Unified Pension Scheme

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The Finance Ministry on Friday announced that all tax benefits currently available under the National Pension System (NPS) will also be extended to the newly introduced Unified Pension Scheme (UPS).

    The decision aims to make the Unified Pension Scheme more attractive for central government employees, providing parity between the two pension options.

    Introduced earlier this year, the UPS is available to new recruits joining the central government civil services from April 1, 2025. Existing government employees covered under the NPS have also been given a one-time option to switch to the new scheme.

    In March, the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) notified the rules and procedures to operationalise the scheme. With the Finance Ministry’s latest decision, employees choosing UPS will now be entitled to the same tax deductions on contributions and other tax-saving incentives as those opting for the NPS.

    The UPS has been designed to offer a more predictable retirement income by assuring a defined pension. Under the scheme, the government contributes 18.5 per cent of an employee’s basic pay and dearness allowance, while the employee contributes 10 per cent.

    By contrast, the National Pension System, which remains in place for other subscribers, operates as a defined contribution scheme without guaranteed returns.

    The Finance Ministry described the tax parity as an effort to strengthen retirement security for central government staff through “transparent, flexible and tax-efficient options”.

    The PFRDA will continue to oversee both pension schemes. Officials said the move is expected to encourage more employees to exercise their option to switch, and help the government address concerns about old-age income security.

  • Government extends NPS tax benefits to new Unified Pension Scheme

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The Finance Ministry on Friday announced that all tax benefits currently available under the National Pension System (NPS) will also be extended to the newly introduced Unified Pension Scheme (UPS).

    The decision aims to make the Unified Pension Scheme more attractive for central government employees, providing parity between the two pension options.

    Introduced earlier this year, the UPS is available to new recruits joining the central government civil services from April 1, 2025. Existing government employees covered under the NPS have also been given a one-time option to switch to the new scheme.

    In March, the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) notified the rules and procedures to operationalise the scheme. With the Finance Ministry’s latest decision, employees choosing UPS will now be entitled to the same tax deductions on contributions and other tax-saving incentives as those opting for the NPS.

    The UPS has been designed to offer a more predictable retirement income by assuring a defined pension. Under the scheme, the government contributes 18.5 per cent of an employee’s basic pay and dearness allowance, while the employee contributes 10 per cent.

    By contrast, the National Pension System, which remains in place for other subscribers, operates as a defined contribution scheme without guaranteed returns.

    The Finance Ministry described the tax parity as an effort to strengthen retirement security for central government staff through “transparent, flexible and tax-efficient options”.

    The PFRDA will continue to oversee both pension schemes. Officials said the move is expected to encourage more employees to exercise their option to switch, and help the government address concerns about old-age income security.

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Austrian State Visit an opportunity to strengthen relations

    Source: Government of South Africa

    The State Visit to South Africa by Austria President Alexander van der Bellen and his delegation presents an opportunity for the two countries to deepen trade and investment relations.

    This according to President Cyril Ramaphosa who welcomed the delegation at the Union Buildings on Friday morning.

    In his opening remarks, President Ramaphosa described the visit as a “new chapter in relations”.

    “Through the bilateral consultations we have maintained cordial relations rooted in mutual respect, shared values and a common commitment to multilateralism. We are also committed to deepening investment and trade between our two countries.

    “South Africa is Austria’s largest economic and trade partner in Africa. Our country accounts for almost a third of Austria’s total exports to the continent. There are more than 70 Austrian companies with subsidiaries or agencies in South Africa across a range of sectors.

    “There is significant potential to deepen investment and trade links in areas such as the green economy, energy, manufacturing, infrastructure development and tourism,” President Ramaphosa said.

    He highlighted the two countries’ commitment to a transition towards low carbon climate economies – noting the European country’s move towards green hydrogen which South Africa is also pursuing.

    “As South Africa strives to achieve energy security through investment in renewable and clean energy, we look forward to expanding our cooperation with Austria.

    “We noted with interest the launch of Austria’s first green hydrogen production facility in 2023. We are eager to share our Green Hydrogen Economy Strategy and explore avenues for cooperation,” he said.

    The global environment

    President Ramaphosa noted that the state visit takes place at a time of “heightened global insecurity, exacerbated by geopolitical tensions, the climate emergency and conflicts in many parts of the world”.

    “These events reinforce the need for multilateralism to remain at the centre of world affairs. They further underscore the need for the urgent reform of the institutions of global governance, including the United Nations Security Council.

    “South Africa and Austria share a common commitment to a world free of conflict and war, where sustainable development is a reality for all,” he said.

    The President reflected on South Africa’s presidency of the Group of 20 (G20) under the theme ‘Solidarity, Equality and Sustainability’.

    “It reflects our commitment to advancing the African Agenda, multilateral cooperation and the interests of all countries and peoples.

    “Austria is a valued partner of South Africa and we look forward to taking this partnership to even greater heights,” President Ramaphosa concluded.

    The state visit will culminate in the South Africa-Austria Business Forum to be held later on Fridaya. – SAnews.gov.za
     

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Palestine protesters target NZ businesses ‘complicit’ with Israel’s Gaza genocide

    Asia Pacific Report

    Protesters against the Israeli genocide in Gaza and occupied West Bank targeted three business sites accused of being “complicit” in Aotearoa New Zealand today.

    The Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa’s “End Rocket Lab Genocide Complicity” themed protest picketed Rocket Lab’s New Zealand head office in Mt Wellington.

    Simultaneously, protesters also picketed a site in Warkworth where Rocket Lab equipment is built and Mahia peninsula where satellites are launched.

    In a statement on the PSNA website, it was revealed this week that the advocacy group’s lawyers have prepared a 103-page “indictment” against two business leaders, including the head of Rocket Lab, along with four politicians, including Prime Minister Christopher Luxon.

    They have been referred to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague for investigation on an accusation of complicity with Israel’s genocide in Gaza.

    Rocket Lab chief executive Sir Peter Beck is one of the six people named in the legal brief.

    “Rocket Lab has recently launched geospatial intelligence satellites for BlackSky Technology,” said PSNA co-chair John Minto in a statement.

    High resolution images
    “These satellites provide high resolution images to Israel which are very likely used to assist with striking civilians in Gaza. Sir Peter has proceeded with these launches in full knowledge of these circumstances”

    A “Genocide Lab” protest against Rocket Lab in Mt Wellington today. Image: PSNA

    “When governments and business leaders can’t even condemn a genocide then civil society groups must act.”

    The other business leader named is Rakon Limited chief executive officer Dr Sinan Altug.

    “Despite vast weapons transfers from the United States to Israel since the beginning of its war on Gaza, Rakon has continued with its longstanding supply of crystal oscillators to US arms manufacturers for use in guided missiles which are then available to Israel for the bombing of Gaza, as well as Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and Iran with consequential massive loss of life,” Minto said.

    “Rakon’s claims that it has no responsibility over how these ‘dual-use’ technologies are used are not credible.”

    Rocket Lab and Rakon have in the past rejected claims over their responsibility.

    Speakers at Mount Wellington included the Green Party spokesperson for foreign affairs Teanau Tuiono; Dr Arama Rata, a researcher and lecturer from Victoria University; and Sam Vincent, the legal team leader for the ICC referral.

    Law academic Professor Jane Kelsey spoke at the Warkworth picket.

    Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, leading international scholars and the UN Special Committee to investigate Israel’s practices have all condemned Israel’s actions as genocide.

    Protesters against Rocket Lab’s alleged complicity with Israel’s genocide in Gaza today. Image: Del Abcede/APR

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Deaf people can now feel music as future of innovation unveiled at Samsung Solve for Tomorrow competition

    Source: Samsung

     
    LONDON, UK – 4 July – Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. has announced the winners of its fifth annual Solve for Tomorrow competition, which aims to uncover the most promising tech inventions from young people by asking 16-25 year olds to come up with ideas that help solve societal challenges.
     
    The ideas showcased the passion young people have for future innovation and their drive to design a better world – exploring how technology can solve the issues they care about while tackling broader societal challenges. Nottingham based Eseose Okotako (23) of team Athena was announced as the winner in the 18-25 category with their impressive idea, a haptic collar that syncs with any audio to translate music into tailored vibrations, allowing deaf users to feel melody, rhythm and emotion.
     
    Meanwhile, in the 16-18 category, Manchester based trio Daniel Aju (18), Harris Asif (18) and Nahom Ghirmay (18) of team Sanoband were announced in first place following their idea of a device that aims to help individuals with alcohol addiction by detecting cravings early, preventing relapse and supporting long-term recovery.
     
    This year marked the first time the competition shortlisted 100 young people for workshops and mentoring stage, an increase from 24 to 49 teams in total, nearly doubling the number of participants. Samsung also supported every shortlisted young person with Samsung products.
     
    Entries this year ranged from an assistive glove that replaces the lost dexterity within people with immobile hands, to an AI-driven breast health app that syncs with wearables to guide self-exams, track changes, and generate clinician-ready reports. An app, designed by team HeartAware that uses an AI-powered tool on your phone to detect heart risks, also received critical acclaim from the judges.
     
    On top of this, team Zera, who designed a thermoelectric device to ease menopausal symptoms also won the People’s Choice Award – the best of the finalist submissions, which was voted on by over 2,000 people on Samsung’s social channels.
     
    The 100 were shortlisted by a panel of Samsung experts and tech-for-good founders who reviewed submissions from 508 eligible applicants across the country, 49 teams took part in a programme of design thinking, market research and a newly introduced physical and digital prototyping workshop. Throughout the process, they also received mentoring, support and guidance from Samsung colleagues to help bring their ideas to life.
     
    The programme follows statistics released that show nearly two-thirds (60%) of young people across the UK are considering a career in technology. Yet, 96% of respondents believe there are barriers to entering the industry and 65% feel their personal background impacts their ability to harness their creativity through tech.[1] The Solve for Tomorrow programme exists to prove that young people from all walks of life can come up with ideas that can make a difference in the world through the use of technology.
     
    The existing partnerships between Samsung UK and organisations such as InnovateHer and the Social Mobility Foundation are essential to this mission, helping to reach and support young people who aren’t currently in education, employment or training.
     
    The shortlisted ten teams were invited to Samsung’s head offices to showcase their ideas and formally pitch to a panel of Samsung experts and tech entrepreneurs. This was followed by the annual Solve for Tomorrow awards ceremony, where the winners were crowned.
     
    Speaking about this year’s Solve for Tomorrow competition, Soohyun Jessie Park, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility at Samsung Electronics UK, said: “Solve for Tomorrow continues to empower young people to reflect on what truly matters to them whilst simultaneously channelling these passions into tangible action. It’s phenomenal to witness what young people are capable of even within the space of four months on the programme. Their commitment and passion is an inspiration and we’re so excited to support Eseose and team Sanoband to bring their ideas closer to the communities they care about.”
     
    Eseose from team Athena, said: “It was an amazing experience being a part of this year’s Samsung Solve for Tomorrow competition. You don’t need qualifications or a team to enter – just a great idea! The experience has been incredibly valuable and helped with my confidence, and I strongly encourage anyone who is interested to give it a go. I’m glad I did!”
     
    More details on how to enter the next Solve for Tomorrow competition will be announced later this year.
     
    For more information on Solve for Tomorrow visit: https://www.samsung.com/uk/solvefortomorrow/
     
     
    [1] Consumer research was commissioned to 1,000 UK teenagers aged 13-19 between the 4th and 10th October 2024 by OnePoll. Onepoll are members of ESOMAR and comply with the ESOMAR guidelines for online research.

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Secretary-General of ASEAN to participate in the 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and Related Meetings in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    Source: ASEAN

    At the invitation of The Honourable Dato’ Seri Utama Haji Mohamad bin Haji Hasan, Chair of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in 2025 and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Malaysia, Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, will lead the ASEAN Secretariat delegation to participate in the 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, the ASEAN Post Ministerial Conferences, the 26th ASEAN Plus Three Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, the 15th East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, the 32nd ASEAN Regional Forum, and the meeting of the SEANWFZ Commission. The series of meetings hosted by Malaysia, as ASEAN Chair for 2025, will take place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on 8-11 July 2025, under the theme “Inclusivity and Sustainability.” While in Malaysia, Dr. Kao will hold bilateral meetings with Foreign Ministers from ASEAN Member States and ASEAN’s external partners to exchange views on recent regional and global developments, and to explore new ideas for strengthening and broadening cooperation and partnerships in support of the implementation of ASEAN 2045: Our Shared Future. Dr. Kao is also scheduled to hold an interface with AICHR Representatives on the margins of the 58th AMM and Related Meetings.
    The post Secretary-General of ASEAN to participate in the 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and Related Meetings in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia appeared first on ASEAN Main Portal.

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: All-Russian Congress of Young Scientists: Focus on Technological Leadership

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    At the XIII All-Russian Congress of Councils of Young Scientists and Student Scientific Societies, which is taking place in Ufa, one of the key events was the panel discussion “Youth and Technologies of Tomorrow: Development of New Ideas in Industrial Business”. The moderator was Vice-Rector for Research at SPbPU Yuri Fomin.

    Starting the conversation, Yuri Fomin recalled the definition of technological leadership, which consists of the superiority of technologies and products in key parameters (functional, technical, economic) over foreign analogues. Then, representatives of business and science discussed the moderator’s questions about how technological leadership is achieved and why business needs science.

    Heads of departments of PJSC Rostelecom, JSC Valenta Pharm, JSC UEC, PJSC Aeroflot, and OOO SIBUR Innovations told how they implement science in their companies. The main conclusion is that science is necessary for business, but it does not necessarily have to be within its structure. Then the participants discussed how to attract young scientists to this process and what measures are needed for effective interaction.

    Deputy Director General of the Roscongress Directorate for Scientific and Technological Programs Oleg Karasev spoke about measures of state support for such interaction. Participants named the main qualities that enterprises in various fields need from young scientists: communication skills, experience, energy, a clear goal in research, and focus on the development tasks of a specific business.

    Among the most popular areas discussed by company representatives at the panel discussion were quantum technologies, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, pharmaceutical production, polymer and composite materials, additive technologies and predictive analysis.

    Summing up, Yuri Fomin noted that all companies, regardless of their field of activity, are united by the need to implement artificial intelligence technologies. It is logical to assume that projects using AI will be most in demand, and young scientists need to take this into account.

    The congress included a ceremony to award diplomas to the winners of the competition for grants from the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation in support of student scientific communities. Among those awarded was Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University. Diplomas were received by the curator of the Student Scientific Society Victoria Brazovskaya, the secretary of the SPbPU SSS Grigory Romanov and the representative of the SSS of the Humanitarian Institute Mikhail Murashko.

    The congress will last until July 4 and has gathered about 1,300 participants from all over Russia, including new regions – the DPR, LPR, Zaporizhzhya and Kherson regions. Representatives from Belarus, China, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan are also participating in the event.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: AI as an Industrial Driver: Experts Discuss Challenges and Solutions at Polytechnic Conference

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    A large-scale All-Russian scientific and practical conference with international participation “Industrial Artificial Intelligence” is taking place at Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University. The event is organized with the support of the St. Petersburg Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences and in cooperation with St. Petersburg State University.

    Over 150 participants from over 25 universities and research organizations, about 20 enterprises and companies — developers of the real sector of the economy — registered for the conference. Representatives of various regions of Russia — St. Petersburg, Moscow, Tyumen, Novosibirsk, Orenburg, Tomsk, Kazan, Murmansk, Veliky Novgorod, Samara and other cities — are participating in the conference. Foreign participants are also involved — from Belarus and China, the latter is represented by postgraduate students.

    The conference brought together the academic community from leading universities and research centers working in the field of intelligent control systems: SPbPU, SPbSU, IPU named after Trapeznikov RAS, MAI, MIPT, FRC RAS, IPME RAS, LETI, ITMO, Tyumen State University, Omsk State Technical University and others. Representatives of the industry also participate in it — industrial companies and developers, including PJSC Gazprom Neft, JSC Kola MMC (Norilsk Nickel), JSC Atomic Soft, LLC Rakurs Engineering, as well as developers of software solutions and young researchers.

    Co-chairman of the conference program committee and moderator of the plenary session, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Vice-Rector for International Affairs of SPbPU Dmitry Arsenyev, opening the event, emphasized: The strategy of technological leadership requires us to move from abstract reasoning to the creation of “strong” industrial AI – systems capable of managing structurally complex objects in conditions of uncertainty. Today we have tried to unite the academic and university community, as well as leading Russian industrial companies to discuss the most pressing issues of development and implementation of promising breakthrough solutions in the field of industrial artificial intelligence, intelligent control systems, automation and robotics technologies.

    First Vice-Rector of SPbPU, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Vitaly Sergeev welcomed the conference participants: Artificial intelligence is a new level of development of automation systems. It is the synergy of industry, science and education that will lead to the creation of breakthrough products, where AI will become the basis for design, optimization and work with big data, which is beyond the control of the human brain.

    The first day’s program opened with a series of key plenary presentations devoted to discussing the current state, main challenges and current tasks in the development and implementation of advanced solutions in the field of industrial artificial intelligence, intelligent control systems, as well as automation and robotics technologies.

    Dmitry Arsenyev, together with Vyacheslav Shkodyrev, professor at the Higher School of Cyber-Physical Systems Management at SPbPU, opened the scientific discussion with a report entitled “Strong Industrial Artificial Intelligence: Principles of Cognitive Science and Knowledge Structuring in Management Systems,” setting the tone for the entire forum.

    Director of Science at Gazprom Neft PJSC, Professor Mars Khasanov, presented the industry’s challenges and ways to solve them in his speech “Engineering Artificial Intelligence: Challenges and Responses to Them.”

    Engineering AI is the answer to a fundamental problem: 90% of profit is generated in the early stages of projects, where we have almost no data. We need hybrid neurosymbolic systems that combine expert knowledge with generative technologies to overcome the “closure defect” of human thinking and find non-obvious solutions, he noted.

    Director of the Center for Intelligent Robotic Systems of the V. A. Trapeznikov Institute of Control Sciences of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Professor of the Russian Academy of Sciences Roman Meshcheryakov spoke about fundamental approaches to creating complex autonomous systems in his report “Intelligent Robotic Systems. General Approaches”: Robot teams are systems where stability is achieved through the synergy of “rigid” algorithms and adaptive machine learning. Our experiments prove that effective group management is possible – the main thing is to create an architecture that imitates natural cooperation.

    A practical view on replacing foreign solutions was voiced by Leonid Chernigov, CEO of Rakurs Engineering LLC, who discussed in detail the topic of “Import substitution in control and monitoring systems, diagnostic issues using artificial intelligence at power engineering facilities.” The plenary session was concluded by Dmitry Sannikov, Director of the Innovation Department of JSC Kola MMC Norilsk Nickel, who shared the company’s real experience in the report “Using AI at industrial enterprises of PJSC MMC Norilsk Nickel. Challenges and approaches.” Thus, leading experts covered a range of topics from the concepts of “strong” and engineering AI to specific cases of implementation and import substitution in APCS.

    The section “Software and hardware platforms and artificial intelligence technologies in automation and control systems” discussed physically-aware models of machine learning and neurosymbolic artificial intelligence as the basis for digital twins of energy pipeline systems, an intelligent control system for the process chain, technologies for automation and intellectualization of proactive control of complex objects and other equally important issues. The report by Marina Bolsunovskaya, head of the laboratory “Industrial systems for streaming data processing” of the Advanced Engineering School of SPbPU “Digital Engineering”, reflected the experience of the Polytechnic University in implementing real projects in the field of artificial intelligence, practical cases and lessons learned at the stage of implementing theoretical solutions.

    Students and postgraduates from SPbPU, SPbSU, MIPT, ITMO, Tyumen State University, BRU and other universities presented the results of their research and developments in the field of AI at the youth section at the Polytech-Cyberphysics center. The issues of creating mechanisms and models to increase the transparency of AI decisions, the use of various neural network models to solve not only engineering problems, but also in medicine and education were discussed.

    The plenary session on the second day of the conference was opened by the moderator, co-chairman of the program committee, corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, doctor of physical and mathematical sciences, professor, head of the Department of Applied Cybernetics at St. Petersburg State University Nikolay Kuznetsov. In his report, he noted the innovative approach of St. Petersburg State University to training personnel, telling about the first specialist in the field of artificial intelligence mathematics in Russia, emphasizing the need for a close connection between fundamental science and industry demands. The topic found a wide response from the audience and was supported by the report “Prohibit cannot be used”. The report of the Vice-Rector for Digitalization of MAI Sergey Popov – “Application of Large Language Models in the Educational Process” – was devoted to finding a balance between the capabilities of AI and compliance with the principles of academic integrity.

    The experts discussed issues of distributed and hybrid group intelligence, predictive analytics and intelligent systems, industrial security. Valery Odegov, CEO of Atomic Soft JSC, emphasized technological sovereignty in industrial automation, presenting domestic solutions for automated process control systems and their role in ensuring the independence of critical industries. Maxim Kalinin, professor at SPbPU, touched upon the vital issue of cyber resilience of digital electrical substations in the face of growing cyber threats.

    Summing up the conference, the participants and organizers noted the high scientific and practical level of the reports presented, the relevance of the topics raised – from fundamental research to specific implementation solutions in industry. The importance of the platform for dialogue between science, education and business in such a strategically important area as industrial artificial intelligence was especially emphasized.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Winnie Ho promotes GBA in Portugal

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    Secretary for Housing Winnie Ho attended a business luncheon during her visit to Lisbon, Portugal, to promote development opportunities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA).

    At the business luncheon co-organised by the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Development Office under the Constitutional & Mainland Affairs Bureau and the Hong Kong Economic & Trade Office in Brussels, Ms Ho promoted the vast opportunities for Portuguese companies arising from the development of the GBA, and how Hong Kong can play its important roles as a “super connector” and “super value-adder” between the two places with its unique advantages of having the strong support of the motherland while maintaining unparalleled connectivity with the world.

    Around 130 participants attended the luncheon, with representatives from over 80 Portuguese enterprises from the construction sector, information technology sector, commercial sector and professional organisations as well as representatives from 17 relevant Hong Kong enterprises.

    During the luncheon, Ms Ho highlighted that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has been actively promoting the use of innovative construction technologies to enhance the speed, quantity, quality and efficiency in increasing the supply of affordable housing.

    Under the Housing • I&T initiative this year, the Housing Bureau will organise a series of activities to foster exchanges between Hong Kong and other countries and regions in areas such as smart construction, smart estate management, energy saving and green buildings. She encouraged Portuguese enterprises to seize these opportunities and strengthen collaborations with the Mainland and Hong Kong.

    Ms Ho expressed her gratitude to the trade representatives from Hong Kong, including those participating in the construction of public housing, Light Public Housing (LPH) and transitional housing, for attending the luncheon in Lisbon and taking the opportunity to share in person with the participants Hong Kong’s opportunities and advantages in connecting the Mainland and the world.

    By complying with international standards, stipulating local regulations and harnessing the strengths of the GBA in smart construction, Hong Kong can further advance in its development of Modular Integrated Construction (MiC), the transfer of on-site construction processes to factories and the application of construction robotics.

    With the expeditious building of LPH and transitional housing, the living conditions and quality of life of people living in inadequate housing can be improved as soon as practicable. The significant housing production target of 308,000 public housing units over the next 10 years also enables the bureau and the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HKHA) to promote the adoption of innovative technologies and advance public housing developments in a new era of smart construction.

    Earlier in the day, Ms Ho visited EntreCampos, a local redevelopment project jointly developed by the public and private sectors, comprising social housing for middle-class residents, offices, retail, community facilities and green spaces. The project adopted Building Information Modelling (BIM) during construction. She also visited the new headquarters of an insurance company in the project. The building employs smart technologies and innovative sustainable energy systems to enhance energy efficiency.

    Ms Ho stated that the HKHA has strived to promote greener and more energy-efficient designs, aiming to attain a gold rating or above under BEAM Plus for all new housing developments.

    The measures include adopting MiC in construction with modules manufactured accurately and effectively in factories, and other innovative technologies such as BIM to facilitate planning throughout the construction process and enhance management, which can save energy, reduce waste and make the construction process more environmentally friendly.

    The housing chief said she looked forward to continued exchanges between Hong Kong and Portugal on innovative construction technologies and green building designs.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI: Bitget Wallet Partners with Mastercard and Immersve to Introduce Zero-Fee Crypto Card

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador, July 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bitget Wallet has teamed up with payments leader Mastercard and infrastructure provider Immersve to launch a new crypto-linked card that allows users to make payments directly from their digital wallets at the more than 150 million merchants that accept Mastercard globally. The product aims to drive ease of use and efficiency in the crypto card space.

    The card will be available through the Bitget Wallet app and supports real-time funding via onchain swaps and deposits. Leveraging Mastercard Digital First technology, users can apply for the card digitally and within minutes add it to their mobile wallets for use at both physical and online merchants.

    Powered by Immersve, a Mastercard-licensed issuer, transactions are settled onchain through crypto to fiat conversion while adhering to Mastercard’s regulatory framework, including KYC and AML requirements. The card will first be rolled out in the United Kingdom and European Union, with plans to expand to Latin America, Australia, and New Zealand in the coming months.

    The launch comes amid continued interest in practical crypto applications and efforts by the payments ecosystem to connect blockchain-enabled solutions to the financial mainstream. Bitget Wallet, which reports over 80 million users globally, is positioning the card as a way to extend self-custodied assets into everyday commerce. The product also includes optional incentives such as transaction-based rewards, yield on idle balances in wallet, and one-time bonuses for completing identity verification.

    “Crypto payments should be as seamless and secure as traditional transactions. With this partnership, Bitget Wallet users can now pay with crypto anywhere Mastercard is accepted,” said Jamie Elkaleh, CMO at Bitget Wallet. “We’re seeing massive demand for real-world crypto utility, and this collaboration with Mastercard and Immersve provides the infrastructure to make that vision a reality.”

    “Digital wallets are quickly becoming as ubiquitous as email addresses. At Mastercard, we’re committed to working with innovative companies like Bitget Wallet and Immersve to make crypto transactions simple, secure, and accessible at scale,” said Scott Abrahams executive vice president, Global Partnerships at Mastercard. “This is a critical step in bringing digital assets closer to mainstream utility.”

    “Partnering with forward-thinking teams like Mastercard and Bitget Wallet is exactly how we scale real-world crypto use,” said Jerome Faury, CEO of Immersve. “We’re bridging the gap between Web3 and traditional finance, allowing users to spend crypto as easily as they spend fiat—on a global scale.”

    For more information on how Bitget Wallet is enabling seamless crypto payments, visit Bitget Wallet website web3.bitget.com and blog.

    About Bitget Wallet
    Bitget Wallet is a non-custodial crypto wallet designed to make crypto simple, seamless and secure for everyone. With over 80 million users, it brings together a full suite of crypto services, including swaps, market insights, staking, rewards, a DApp browser, and crypto payment solutions. Supporting 130+ blockchains, 20,000+ DApps, and a million 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

    About Immersve
    Immersve is a principal member of the Mastercard network. Its issuing-as-a-service platform supports both centralised and decentralised payment experiences. Exchanges, web3 wallets and DeFi protocols can easily integrate with Immersve’s APIs and smart contracts to transact anywhere Mastercard is accepted. Immersve is a registered Financial Services Provider. For more information on the APIs go to docs.immersve.com.

    Join our waitlist and Discord community for more information: https://discord.gg/HZZJjsBk

    About Mastercard www.mastercard.com
    Mastercard powers economies and empowers people in 200+ countries and territories worldwide. Together with our customers, we’re building a resilient economy where everyone can prosper. We support a wide range of digital payments choices, making transactions secure, simple, smart and accessible. Our technology and innovation, partnerships and networks combine to deliver a unique set of products and services that help people, businesses and governments realize their greatest potential.

    Media Contacts:
    Mastercard Communications Contact: Biz.Cozine@mastercard.com
    Bitget Communications Contact: media.web3@bitget.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/eca20f1d-d156-4594-a96b-dc99ee024060

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Chevron Reaffirms Long-Term Commitment to Africa as Diamond Sponsor of African Energy Week (AEW) 2025

    Source: APO

    Chevron’s return as a Diamond Sponsor at African Energy Week (AEW): Invest in African Energies 2025 comes as the energy major deepens its footprint across Africa, marking a renewed commitment to unlocking long-term growth opportunities in both mature and emerging markets. Chevron is ramping up its activities across the continent – securing new acreage, expanding gas infrastructure and advancing exploration efforts in high-potential basins across the continent.  

    In Nigeria, Chevron’s plan to scale up oil exploration follows a recent discovery in the Niger Delta – the Meji NW-1 well. In February 2025, Chevron extended its contract with Shelf Drilling for the Scepter jack-up rig offshore Nigeria, ensuring continuity of drilling operations through mid-2026. In Equatorial Guinea (EG), Chevron has stakes in three fields and recently entered into two production-sharing contracts for the EG-06 and EG-11 blocks. Chevron is engaged in discussions to monetize gas from the Aseng field and to develop a transboundary field between Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon.  The company has also indicated it is considering drilling an exploration well in PEL 82 in Namibia’s offshore Walvis Basin in 2026 or 2027, activating its growing African exploration portfolio. 

    In Angola, Chevron has expanded its footprint with new deepwater concessions and the Sanha Lean Gas Connection Project, which achieved first gas in December 2024 and links gas fields in Blocks 0 and 14 to the Angola LNG plant – enhancing monetization of associated gas and strengthening energy security. In 2024, the company signed two Risk Service Contracts for Blocks 49 and 50 in ultra-deepwater acreage in Angola’s Lower Congo Basin, laying the foundation for future development. Chevron’s active participation in Angola LNG, which is set to undergo expansion to accommodate new gas supplies, and as partner of New Gas Consortium underscores its commitment to the country’s gas value chain. 

    Meanwhile, in Egypt Chevron remains excited about its exploration portfolio where it has 3 blocks — including operatorship of Nargis and North el Dabaa – and continues to look for new opportunities. Chevron recognizes that Algeria holds a world-class hydrocarbon system with the potential for significant oil and gas resources. Earlier this year Chevron signed a study agreement with Algeria’s national hydrocarbons agency, Alnaft to assess potential offshore hydrocarbon resources. This expansion supports Algeria’s broader objective of boosting foreign investment and developing new reserves to sustain its export-driven energy economy. 

    “Chevron’s commitment to Africa is more than just operational – it’s strategic. Their continued investment across Nigeria, Angola and now Algeria and Namibia shows real confidence in the future of African energy. As a Diamond Sponsor of AEW 2025, Chevron is not only driving upstream and gas development, but helping shape the dialogue around sustainability, infrastructure and long-term energy security for the continent,” said Tomás Gerbasio, Vice President of Commercial and Strategic Engagement at the African Energy Chamber.  

    The energy major’s presence at AEW 2025: Invest in African Energies in Cape Town – where it will headline as a Diamond Sponsor – reflects this dual focus on opportunity and responsibility. As delegates gather to shape the future of African energy, Chevron brings to the table a proven track record, fresh investment and a long-term view of Africa as a critical pillar in the global energy mix. 

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

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

    Media files

    .

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Tourism Deputy Minister G20 Tourism Priorities programme in the Northern Cape

    Source: Government of South Africa

    Tourism Deputy Minister Maggie Sotyu has engaged with communities in the Northern Cape on the G20 Tourism Priorities and their potential to advance tourism growth and sustainability.

    The Tourism G20 Community Outreach in the Northern Cape was the first in a number of planned events that will bring the G20 agenda closer to tourism communities in the country. 

    In the quest for global sustainable development, the Deputy Minister emphasised the importance of balancing the need for economic growth with social inclusion to meet present and future needs.

    “Bringing the G20 agenda closer to our communities is critical to enable us to chart a path for inclusive global sustainable development. The G20 Tourism Working Group (TWG) has been hard at work, meeting with senior officials, authorities and experts to recommend decisions in line with the agenda and priorities identified by the G20 Presidency,” Sotyu said.

    These recommendations will play a critical part in the overall goal of addressing the global socioeconomic challenges of poverty, unemployment and inequality.

    “It is therefore imperative that we engage the communities we serve to align our proposed recommendations with their present and future needs,” Sotyu said.

    The Northern Cape province is South Africa’s largest province and the most sparsely populated. Renowned for its red dunes and black-maned lions, the province is a popular tourism destination, and a haven for nature and adventure enthusiasts who enjoy exploring its diverse attractions within its national parks. 

    The province’s rich Khoi-San heritage is evident in ancient rock art sites scattered across the region. Its natural wonders, historical landmarks or the warm hospitality of its people makes the Northern Cape a must-see destination for all visitors.

    The Tourism G20 Community Outreach was held in partnership with the Northern Cape Department of Economic Development and Tourism. 

    The community engagement featured presentations on skills and empowerment programmes and tourism incentive initiatives from the Department of Tourism. 

    Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) from the local communities were afforded an opportunity to showcase and sell their crafts and products at the event.

    The communities in the Northern Cape were introduced to the four G20 Tourism Priorities that will inform the 2025 G20 Action Plan on Tourism Development, namely:

    • A People-Centered Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Innovation to enhance Travel and Tourism Start-Ups and SMMEs;

    • Tourism Financing and Investment to Enhance Equality and Promote Sustainable Development;

    • Air Connectivity for Seamless Travel, and

    • Enhanced Resilience for Inclusive, Sustainable Tourism Development.

    The G20 Tourism Priorities facilitated robust discussion with the community on the need for greater consultation and collaboration between government and communities. 

    Frequent and continuous engagement will serve to better align the socio-economic needs of tourism communities to domestic and international developmental policies.

    Echoing the community’s sentiments, Sotyu affirmed government’s national development plans that reinforce increased partnerships with communities to build sustainable societies. 

    “Frequent and continuous engagement with our communities will enable us to work towards a people-centred, progressive, and solution-driven policies that find solutions to our domestic and global challenges, whilst accelerating global cooperation and multilateralism.

    “The G20 provides a significant opportunity for our provinces, cities and communities to work together to promote our culture, heritage, tourism and industrial and commercial advances.

    “I also encourage our communities to actively participate in the empowerment programmes that are offered by the three spheres of our government and help us build a nation that works for all,” Sotyu said. – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Indonesian Court Delivers Blow to South Sumatra Smoke Haze Victims and to Environmental Justice

    Source: Greenpeace Statement –

    Palembang – July 4, 2025 – In a deeply disappointing decision, the Palembang District Court in Sumatra has rejected a lawsuit filed by dozens of smoke haze victims and a supporting intervention by Greenpeace Indonesia against three pulpwood plantation companies – PT Bumi Mekar Hijau, PT Bumi Andalas Permai, and PT Sebangun Bumi Andalas Wood Industries. The ruling is a setback in the fight for public health and a clean environment in South Sumatra.

    Haze victims staged a peaceful protest in front of the Palembang District Court, South Sumatra, Indonesia. © Abriansyah Liberto / Greenpeace

    The court’s decision to reject the lawsuit – apparently by finding that the plaintiffs lacked standing to sue – disregards the community’s fundamental right to a clean and healthy environment. It also severely curtails the public’s ability to seek justice.[1] The lawsuit, brought by the victims, was a legitimate exercise of their constitutional and legal rights, aiming to achieve accountability for their suffering from the recurring forest and land fires enabled by peatland drainage carried out by the plantation companies.”

    The plaintiffs are members of the community who are clearly and directly impacted by the smoke haze resulting from peatland fires within the defendants’ concessions. They have endured both material and immaterial losses, and now they face this heartbreaking news,” said Belgis Habiba, Forest Campaigner for Greenpeace Indonesia. “Furthermore, the intervening plaintiff, Greenpeace Indonesia, also has the established right to demand the restoration of the environment damaged by the defendants’ peatland drying activities. The court appears to have ignored witness and expert testimonies, previous cases on environmental standing to sue, as well as the undeniable fact that the dangers of peatland fires and smoke haze continue to loom over South Sumatra.”

    This ruling comes at a time of escalating peatland fire risks, with the South Sumatra Provincial Government having just declared an “Emergency Haze Alert” status. By dismissing this lawsuit, the panel of judges has ironically weakened the nation’s commitment to mitigating and tackling the annual fire and haze crisis.

    The plaintiffs’ legal team has announced they will thoroughly review the full ruling, which has yet to be published, and are considering an appeal. “We believe that the people of South Sumatra have an undeniable right to clean and healthy air, and this must be tirelessly fought for,” said Ipan Widodo, representing the plaintiffs’ legal team. “If the panel of judges allows plantation companies responsible for producing haze to escape accountability, then the devastating impact of smoke haze will continue to haunt the residents of South Sumatra.”

    In a display of disappointment, victims of the smoke haze and community members in South Sumatra held a flower-scattering protest in front of the Palembang District Court. Messages of “Justice for Haze Victims,” “Deepest Condolences for the Demise of Justice at Palembang District Court,” and “Palembang District Court Makes It Even Harder to Breathe” adorned the court building’s front fence. Dressed entirely in black, the protestors symbolized the denial of justice for the haze victims.

    “Amidst the South Sumatra Provincial Government’s declaration of an emergency haze alert, this decision seems to contradict the commitment of law enforcement and the government in combating forest and peatland fires and smoke haze,” said Muhkamat Arif, one of the eleven plaintiffs. “Naturally, the judges’ decision is incredibly disappointing, but it will not diminish our spirit to keep fighting until we win.”

    Referring to Supreme Court Circular Letter No. 1 of 2017, the panel of judges should have upheld a crucial principle of the judicial system: that substantive justice – which relates to the essence and purpose of law in realizing true justice for society – must take precedence over formal justice, which only adheres to procedural or technical rules in court proceedings. This case dismissal signals a crisis of judicial partiality regarding the right to a healthy environment in the midst of a climate emergency. Therefore, the South Sumatra Smoke Suit Initiative (Inisiasi Sumatera Selatan Penggugat Asap – ISSPA) urges the Supreme Court Supervisory Body and the Judicial Commission of the Republic of Indonesia to evaluate the handling of this lawsuit and increase scrutiny of similar rulings that could exacerbate the national ecological crisis.

    Notes to editor
    [1] The full text of the judgement has not yet been released by the court, but the respondent companies’ argument that the community lacked standing was apparently accepted, according to the brief note uploaded to the court website.

    [2] PT Bumi Mekar Hijau, PT Bumi Andalas Permai, and PT Sebangun Bumi Andalas Wood Industries are listed as part of the APP Business Group in documents submitted during the company’s application to re-associate with the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).

    [3] Photos and videos from today’s action outside the court are available for media use.

    Media Contacts
    Belgis Habiba, Greenpeace Indonesia, +62 897 0005 629
    Yolanda Pradinata, LBH Palembang, +62 821 7764 1251
    Igor O’Neill, Greenpeace Indonesia – [email protected], +61 414 288 424

    South Sumatra Smoke Suit Initiative (Inisiasi Sumatera Selatan Penggugat Asap – ISSPA):
    Greenpeace Indonesia, Pantau Gambut, Yayasan Lembaga Bantuan Hukum Indonesia (YLBHI), YLBHI-LBH Palembang, Indonesian Centre for Environmental Law (ICEL), Public Interest Lawyer Network (PIL-Net) Indonesia, Spora Institute, Perkumpulan Rawang, Perkumpulan Tanah Air, Dewan Pimpinan Wilayah Serikat Petani Indonesia Sumatera Selatan, Konsorsium Pembaruan Agraria (KPA) Wilayah Sumatera Selatan, Solidaritas Perempuan Palembang, Sarekat Hijau Indonesia Sumatera Selatan, Spektakel Klab, Kontra Visual, Diskomik, Himpunan Mahasiswa Pertanian Universitas Sriwijaya (Himasperta UNSRI), Aksi Kamisan Sriwijaya, Badan Eksekutif Mahasiswa Fakultas Hukum Universitas Sriwijaya (BEM FH UNSRI), Badan Eksekutif Mahasiswa Fakultas Ekonomi Universitas Sriwijaya (BEM FE UNSRI), Pergerakan Mahasiswa Islam Indonesia Universitas Islam Negeri Raden Fatah (PMII UIN Raden Fatah).

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Trump administration has ‘shaken’ world order in three key respects – Italian minister

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    ROME, July 4 (Xinhua) — The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has “shaken” the world order in three key areas: tariffs, international taxation and the financial dimension linked to the U.S. dollar, Italian Economy and Finance Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti said on Thursday.

    “The first is tariffs, the second is international taxation. The third is the financial dimension and the relative strength of the US dollar, which is a form of implicit tariff,” he said. “We need to pay attention to these three aspects,” the official added.

    The minister stressed that a weak dollar effectively acts as an implicit tariff, making American goods cheaper and imported goods more expensive and disrupting international trade flows.

    Giorgetti’s comments come amid ongoing trade tensions between the United States and the European Union that have arisen since D. Trump’s return to the White House at the beginning of the year.

    Market data reflect the minister’s concerns. The euro was trading at around $1.175 apiece at the end of the day on Thursday, down about 14 percent since the start of the year.

    Against a broader basket of currencies, the US dollar has fallen 10.8 per cent this year, the worst first six months since 1973 and the worst half-year since the second half of 1991, the Guardian newspaper reports.

    According to Italy’s National Institute of Statistics, the country’s imports from the United States rose 18.5 percent year-on-year in May, while Italian exports to the United States increased by just 2.5 percent. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Applications open for auction of spectrum in 2.5/2.6 GHz band

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Applications open for auction of spectrum in 2.5/2.6 GHz band 
         A spokesperson for OFCA said, “As announced in the 2024 Policy Address, the Government will continue to make available more suitable radio spectrum to the market in a timely manner to support wider and more advanced applications of communications technology (including 6G). The Communications Authority (CA) and the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development (SCED) issued a joint statement in April this year, announcing the decision to reassign a total of 50 MHz of spectrum in the aforementioned band through auction in the fourth quarter of this year. The mid-band spectrum balances the needs of both network coverage and capacity and has the potential to support mobile broadband services and other innovative applications using 5G or more advanced mobile services.”
     
         The CA will conduct the auction of the 50 MHz of spectrum in the aforementioned band on October 20. The spectrum will be reassigned to the successful bidders under unified carrier licences with a new assignment period of about 10 years and 10 months. The arrangement enables all 140 MHz of spectrum in the 2.5/2.6 GHz band to expire together on March 30, 2039, so that the CA can carry out holistic spectrum planning and reassign relevant spectrum more flexibly having regard to future mobile technology development to enhance spectral efficiency. Parties interested in participating in the auction may submit their applications to OFCA from September 4 to 5.
     
         The SCED has set the auction reserve price for the use of the spectrum in the 2.5/2.6 GHz band, i.e. $4 million per MHz. The actual amount of spectrum utilization fees payable will be determined through the auction.
     
         Detailed arrangements for the auction are set out in the information memorandumIssued at HKT 16:25

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Winter in the City brings the heat with delicious food, fire and free world-class entertainment

    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 04/07/2025

    With free daily entertainment, spectacular fire shows, and a celebration of local food and culture, the City Renewal Authority and local businesses have made Canberra’s City Centre the hottest spot in town these July school holidays.

    From Saturday 5 July to Saturday 19 July 2025, City Walk will feature a 14-metre-wide stage hosting free performances up to five times a day including circus, theatre, musical comedy acts. Each evening is capped off by choreographed fire performances.

    During the day, families can enjoy a variety of performances. Week one features the space-themed adventure of Mission to the Moon and the clever, acrobatic comedy of the Circus Firemen. In week two, the stage comes alive with the playful music of Lucky Jim and the renowned high-energy spectacle of Circus Oz ‘Non-Stop’.

    After dark, the City Centre will light up with three fire performances. Local amateurs will open the show, followed by the headline display from Flux Entertainment, whose pyrotechnics have captivated audiences nationwide since their appearance on Australia’s Got Talent.

    Winter in the City will wrap up in a special edition of The Forage on Saturday 19 July, bringing together Canberra’s best street food, live music, fire performances and shows from Circus Oz. From 12pm to 9pm, City Walk will be filled with the sounds, smells, and tastes of winter.

    A marketing campaign highlighting the best of City and Braddon’s hospitality and retail businesses will run alongside the free entertainment program, encouraging Canberrans to enjoy a day or night out and support local traders.

    Winter in the City is supported by the City Centre Marketing and Improvements Levy. More program information including show times is available at winter.inthecity.com.au .

    Winter in the City

    • What: Free daytime family entertainment and nightly fire performances.
    • Where: City Walk, next to the City Centre merry-go-round.
    • When: 2pm–8pm daily, Saturday 5 July – Saturday 19 July 2025.
    • Cost: Free to attend. No bookings required.
    • More info: winter.inthecity.com.au

    Quotes attributable to Michael Pettersson, Minister for Business, Arts and Creative Industries

    “Last year, Winter in the City contributed an estimated $2.72 million to the City Centre’s economy. This is money spent in our local cafes, restaurants, retailers and bars. We hope to see an even greater contribution this year.”

    This year’s program of free, world-class entertainment on offer, encourages people to come into the City Centre to shop, eat, and celebrate winter.”

    “It’s all about creating a lively, welcoming atmosphere that Canberrans can enjoy and that benefits our city businesses.”

    Quotes attributable to Belinda Neame, Founder, The Forage

    “The Forage is back for its eleventh year and is teaming up with Winter in the City to bring an unforgettable mid-winter feast to Canberra’s City Centre.”

    “This exciting collaboration will transform the city into a hub of sizzling street eats, cosy firepits, and live entertainment. Visitors can explore a curated lineup of food from some of Canberra’s best restaurants and mobile food and beverage vendors.”

    – Statement ends –

    Michael Pettersson, MLA | Media Releases

    «ACT Government Media Releases | «Minister Media Releases

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: From Theory to Practice: How Polytechnic Students Mastered Real IT Projects

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    This spring, SPbPU began distributing the autumn stream of students of the Formula IT programs, implemented within the framework of the Digital Department project, to practical training. The “Practice” module is a mandatory part of the training programs and is dedicated to the practical application of acquired knowledge and skills on real tasks. The event was attended by 625 students who formed more than 60 teams, uniting both Polytechnic students and representatives of other universities. For several months, the guys immersed themselves in the technologies and tasks of the Rostelecom IT company, developing team solutions for the cases provided.

    In 2025, Polytechnic University provided students with several different options for internships.

    Course “Fundamentals of Project Activity”. More than 1,500 second-year students chose this option for completing their internship, implementing projects of various focus areas in interdisciplinary teams. Project “Development of a board game dedicated to the history of the university”. This project, under the supervision of Alexander Perin, took second place in the nomination “Creative projects” in the final of the annual competition of the course “Fundamentals of Project Activity”. Case championship “IT Perspective”. It was held with the support of Rostelecom IT.

    The tasks proposed for implementation allowed students to apply and expand their skills in various areas of IT, from WEB application development/DevOps development to user interface design and data analysis.

    The championship involved students from different programs, which allowed the creation of interdisciplinary teams. This facilitated the exchange of ideas and a better understanding of different approaches to solving the case, which in turn improved the quality of the developed product. In addition, the participants were able to develop teamwork and communication skills, which is an important aspect of their future professional activities.

    The award ceremony for the best teams of the case championship took place in the Polytech Tower. Rostelecom IT provided the guys with letters of recommendation and valuable prizes.

    The traditional option for completing an internship is to complete a project or solve a problem assigned by the program partners.

    Most students in the program “Digital Modeling Tools for Power Generating Enterprises” chose to practice a case from the IT company NEMO, which provided a demo version of its information system for monitoring and optimization used in PJSC “TGK-1”. In this system, students loaded digital models of the thermal power plant, which they created as part of the course, set up calculations for them, wrote forecast scenarios in a special open code and visualized the results of the calculations on marked mnemonic schemes.

    Students of the Digital Marketing and Social Networks program had the opportunity to complete an internship and write a final project on the topic of SMM and project promotion on the VKontakte social network at the Grand Media Service communications agency (a certified Yandex.Direct agency, a VK Advertising partner).

    The laboratories “Industrial Systems of Streaming Data Processing” of the PISh “CI” and “Digital Modeling of Industrial Systems” of the PISh “CI SPbPU” offered their tasks on assessing the effectiveness of advertising campaigns, analyzing customer reviews on social networks and analyzing competitors to students of the “Python. Data Analysis in Marketing” program.

    The internship under the program “System and Network Administration of Linux” was conducted in close cooperation with the company “Bazalt SPO”, the developer of the domestic operating system based on GNU/Linux – Alt OS.

    The following tracks were available for students of the programs “1C Business Analyst” and “Development of Digital Solutions Based on 1C Technologies”:

    “Design and automation of business processes at a manufacturing enterprise based on “1C: ERP Enterprise Management 2.0.” from Omega; “Advanced modeling of business processes and work with requirements for information systems” from Dialog IT; Mobile development in the “1C: Enterprise” environment from Implementers and Programmers.

    Pavel Korolev, technical architect of the 1C department, author and instructor of the course, spoke about the possibility of completing an internship at the company GC “KORUS Consulting” (partner of 1C programs).

    Our practice is distinguished by its unique technology. We use the new platform “1C:Enterprise.Element” to solve problems. Each student creates their own application on this platform. One of the key tasks is to develop an API for a web application. This allows third-party services to interact with the student’s application via the HTTP protocol. “1C:Enterprise.Element” is an excellent starting point for students who want to enter the IT sphere. Thanks to the availability of the platform, you can start with easier tasks and gradually move on to large-scale projects. We also support students in the implementation of coursework, diploma and competition papers. It is important for me to be part of the process that helps young professionals take their first steps in the profession, – said Pavel Viktorovich.

    Another interesting format of practice is participation in the Student Startup competition. Its goal is to support students working on projects at an early stage: creating new products, technologies or services based on scientific and technical developments with commercialization potential. The winners receive a grant of up to 1 million rubles to implement their idea.

    The internship within the framework of the Formula IT programs became for students not just a formal stage of training, but an important step in professional development. Students were able to apply theoretical knowledge to real tasks and immerse themselves in current industry processes, get acquainted with market requirements and employers’ expectations, and also gain valuable experience.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: B2Gold Namibia to Spotlight Expansion Strategy at African Mining Week

    Source: APO


    .

    John Roos, Country Manager of B2Gold Namibia, has confirmed his participation as a speaker at African Mining Week (AMW) 2025 – Africa’s premier event for the mining sector. Roos will join a high-level panel during AMW’s Gold Summit, which brings together stakeholders to explore investment and partnership opportunities in Africa’s gold-rich regions, including Namibia.

    B2Gold’s participation at AMW aligns with the company’s ongoing contribution to Namibia’s mining industry and broader economic development through its flagship Otjikoto Mine – the country’s largest gold producer. Under Roos’ leadership, the company continues to pursue strategies focused on production optimization, exploration and infrastructure development. In 2024, Otjikoto generated $486 million in revenue, contributed to national GDP through taxes and royalties and supported employment in local communities.

    AMW serves as a premier platform for exploring the full spectrum of mining opportunities across Africa. The event is held alongside the African Energy Week: Invest in African Energies 2025 conference from October 1-3 in Cape Town. Sponsors, exhibitors and delegates can learn more by contacting sales@energycapitalpower.com.

    Looking ahead, B2Gold has allocated $7 million for exploration at Otjikoto in 2025 and an additional $10 million to de-risk the recently discovered Antelope prospect. With a pre-production capital cost of $129 million, Antelope is expected to produce 65,000 ounces of gold annually over five years. If developed, it could boost Otjikoto’s output to 110,000 ounces per year between 2029 and 2032. A final investment decision is anticipated in Q3 2025.

    The company is also advancing development at the Wolfshag underground deposit to ensure continued gold production after Otjikoto’s open-pit operations conclude later this year. Current stockpiles are expected to sustain output through 2032.

    As AMW convenes leaders and investors from across Africa’s mining value chain, B2Gold’s presence will underscore its long-term commitment to responsible investment, sustainable gold production and local beneficiation in Namibia.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.

    MIL OSI Africa –