NewzIntel.com

Category: China

  • MIL-OSI: Broadway Technology Inc Announces Entering into a Merger Agreement with Quartzsea Acquisition Corporation

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    HAINING, China, June 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Broadway Technology Inc (“Gaokai”), a leading manufacturer of high-quality PET (polyethylene terephthalate) cups and lids through its operating subsidiary Zhejiang Gaokai New Materials Co., Ltd., announced the execution of an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”) for a business combination with Quartzsea Acquisition Corporation (Nasdaq: QSEAU, QSEA, QSEAR) (“Quartzsea”), a publicly traded special purpose acquisition company.

    Upon consummation of the transaction contemplated by the Merger Agreement, (i) Quartzsea will be merged with and into Cuisine Universal Packaging Solution, a Cayman Islands exempted company and wholly owned subsidiary of Quartzsea (“Cuisine Universal”) (the “SPAC Merger”), and (ii) concurrently with the SPAC merger, CUPS Sub Limited, a Cayman Islands exempted company and wholly owned subsidiary of Cuisine Universal, will be merged with and into Gaokai, resulting in Gaokai being a wholly owned subsidiary of Cuisine Universal (the “Business Combination” and the transactions in connection with the Business Combination collectively, the “Transaction”). Upon the closing of the Transaction, the combined company Cuisine Universal expects to be Nasdaq-listed under the ticker symbol “CUPS.”

    Gaokai Overview

    Gaokai, through its operating subsidiary Zhejiang Gaokai New Materials Co., Ltd., is a high-tech enterprise specializing in the manufacture of high quality customized PET (polyethylene terephthalate) cups and PET lids, with products widely used in packaging markets of aviation, yogurt, juice, fruit tea, coffee, and cold beverage markets. Established in 2021 and located in Haining Jianshan New District, Zhejiang Province, the company operates within the PET industrial park in convenience for sourcing and developing advanced PET raw material.

    Gaokai’s core competitive advantages include stable and high-performance raw PET materials, comprehensive upstream sheet manufacturing capabilities, advanced equipment and automated production lines, and high-transparency, innovative product designs. The company offers comprehensive PET cup customization services, including advanced cup printing technology for custom logos, sizes, and shapes.

    With the comprehensive capabilities of material R&D, innovative design, advanced manufacturing and efficient operation, Gaokai has established itself as a professional PET cup manufacturing base managed by experienced cup manufacturing professionals.

    Key Transaction Terms

    Under the terms of the Merger Agreement, Quartzsea’s wholly owned subsidiary, Cuisine Universal, will acquire Gaokai, resulting in Cuisine Universal being a listed company on the Nasdaq Global Market. At the effective time of the Transaction, Gaokai’s shareholders will receive ordinary shares of Cuisine Universal. The shares held by certain Gaokai shareholders will be subject to lock-up agreements for a period of 180 days following the closing of the Transaction, subject to certain exceptions.

    The Transaction, which has been unanimously approved by the boards of directors of both Quartzsea and Gaokai, is subject to regulatory approvals, the approvals by the shareholders of Quartzsea and Gaokai, respectively, and the satisfaction of certain other customary closing conditions, including, among others, a registration statement, of which the proxy statement/prospectus forms a part, being declared effective by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), and the approval by Nasdaq of the listing application of the combined company.

    The description of the Business Combination contained herein is only a summary and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Merger Agreement relating to the Business Combination. A more detailed description of the Transaction and a copy of the Merger Agreement will be included in a Current Report on Form 8-K to be filed by Quartzsea with the SEC and will be available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

    Advisors

    Celine & Partners, PLLC, Ogier Global (Cayman) Limited, and B&D Law Firm serve as legal counsel to Quartzsea. Pryor Cashman LLP, Harney Westwood & Riegels, and Jingtian & Gongcheng, PLLC serve as legal counsel to Gaokai. Chain Stone Capital Limited (CTM) serves as the financial advisor to Gaokai.

    About Quartzsea Acquisition Corporation

    Quartzsea Acquisition Corp. is a blank check company incorporated as a Cayman Islands exempted company with limited liability for the purpose of entering into a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, recapitalization, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses or entities. The company’s efforts to identify a prospective target business will not be limited to a particular industry or geographic region.

    Participants in the Solicitation

    Cuisine Universal Packaging Solution, Quartzsea Acquisition Corporation, and their respective directors, executive officers and employees and other persons may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the holders of Quartzsea ordinary shares in respect of the proposed Transaction. Information about Quartzsea’s directors and executive officers and their ownership of Quartzsea’s ordinary shares is currently set forth in Quartzsea’s prospectus related to its initial public offering dated March 18, 2025, as modified or supplemented by any Form 10-K, Form 3 or Form 4 filed with the SEC since the date of such filing. Other information regarding the interests of the participants in the proxy solicitation will be included in a registration statement on Form F-4 (as may be amended from time to time) that will include a proxy statement and a registration statement/preliminary prospectus (the “Registration Statement”) pertaining to the proposed Transaction when it becomes available. These documents can be obtained free of charge from the sources indicated below.

    No Offer or Solicitation

    This press release is not a proxy statement or solicitation of a proxy, consent or authorization with respect to any securities or in respect of the Transaction and does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities of Quartzsea or a solicitation of any vote or approval, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offer of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

    Important Information about the Proposed Business Combination and Where to Find It

    In connection with the Transaction, Cuisine Universal will file relevant materials with the SEC, including the Registration Statement. Promptly after the Registration Statement is declared effective, the proxy statement/prospectus will be sent to all Quartzsea shareholders entitled to vote at the special meeting relating to the Transaction. Before making any voting decision, securities holders of Quartzsea are urged to read the proxy statement/prospectus and all other relevant documents filed or that will be filed with the SEC in connection with the Transaction as they become available because they will contain important information about the Transaction and the parties to the Transaction.

    Stockholders will also be able to obtain copies of the preliminary proxy statement/prospectus, the definitive proxy statement/prospectus, and other documents filed or that will be filed with the SEC through Quartzsea through the website maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov, or by directing a request to the contacts mentioned below.

    Contact Information:

    Quartzsea Acquisition Corporation:

    Qi Gong

    Chief Executive Officer

    M: +1(212) 612-1400

    E: qgong@quartzsea.com

    Zhejiang Gaokai New Materials Co., Ltd.:

    Chengji Zhang

    E: chengjizhang8@gmail.com

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Quartzsea’s and Gaokai’s actual results may differ from their expectations, estimates and projections and consequently, you should not rely on these forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. Words such as “expect,” “estimate,” “project,” “budget,” “forecast,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “may,” “will,” “could,” “should,” “believes,” “predicts,” “potential,” “might” and “continues,” and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, without limitation, Quartzsea’s and Gaokai’s expectations with respect to future performance and anticipated financial impacts of the Business Combination, the satisfaction of the closing conditions to the Business Combination and the timing of the completion of the Business Combination. These forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from expected results. Most of these factors are outside the control of Quartzsea or Gaokai and are difficult to predict. Factors that may cause such differences include, but are not limited to: (1) the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the termination of the Merger Agreement relating to the proposed Business Combination; (2) the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against Quartzsea or Gaokai following the announcement of the Merger Agreement and the transactions contemplated therein; (3) the inability to complete the Business Combination, including due to failure to obtain approval of the shareholders of Quartzsea or other conditions to closing in the Merger Agreement; (4) delays in obtaining or the inability to obtain necessary regulatory approvals (including approval from PRC regulators) required to complete the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement; (5) the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstance that could give rise to the termination of the Merger Agreement or could otherwise cause the transaction to fail to close; (6) the inability to obtain or maintain the listing of the post-acquisition company’s ordinary shares on Nasdaq following the Business Combination; (7) the risk that the Business Combination disrupts current plans and operations as a result of the announcement and consummation of the Business Combination; (8) the ability to recognize the anticipated benefits of the Business Combination, which may be affected by, among other things, competition, the ability of the combined company to grow and manage growth profitably and retain its key employees; (9) costs related to the Business Combination; (10) changes in applicable laws or regulations; (11) the possibility that Gaokai or the combined company may be adversely affected by other economic, business, and/or competitive factors; and (12) other risks and uncertainties to be identified in the Registration Statement filed by Quartzsea and Cuisine Universal (when available) relating to the Business Combination, including those under “Risk Factors” therein, and in other filings with the SEC made by Quartzsea and Gaokai. Quartzsea and Gaokai caution that the foregoing list of factors is not exclusive. Quartzsea and Gaokai caution readers not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. Neither Quartzsea nor Gaokai undertakes or accepts any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect any change in its expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based, subject to applicable law. The information contained in any website referenced herein is not, and shall not be deemed to be, part of or incorporated into this press release.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murphy Announces Upcoming Votes To Block Trump’s Corrupt Middle East Arms Deals

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy

    June 06, 2025

    WASHINGTON–U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, announced on Thursday, during a Center for American Progress moderated discussion, that he is forcing a vote as early as next week on two joint resolutions of disapproval to block multi-billion dollar weapons sales to Qatar and the UAE. Murphy’s announcement comes in the wake of the two countries offering billions of dollars in luxury gifts and business deals to Trump, including a $400 million dollar luxury plane that he intends to keep for personal use. 
    Murphy exposed the historic threat that Trump’s corrupt business dealings pose to U.S. foreign policy: “What happened in the Middle East with Qatar and UAE is history making. Never before has a president just made the decision to trade U.S. national security secrets or preferential U.S. policy for cash payments, and that’s what he has done… There are, right now, two pending arms sales: one to Qatar, of predator drones, MQ-9s, and one of Chinook helicopters to the UAE.  Normally those might be deals that Congress would approve, but we cannot approve any security relationship today with countries in the Middle East that are engaged in the fundamental corruption of American foreign policy. The Trump administration is moving these sales forward as part of a broader scheme which enriches Donald Trump to the tune of billions of dollars.”
    He continued: “Senators will have a chance to vote up or down on whether they want to normalize this corruption. I think it will be an important moment, at the very least for Democrats, to signal to the country that we are going to put up a protest over this kind of thievery and that we are not going to sit back [and] allow for business as normal to be conducted with countries that are paying Donald Trump money straight to his pocket, that we won’t let this become normalized.”
    Murphy highlighted what Qatar and the UAE hope to gain from these transactions with Trump and his family: “Both these countries want something in exchange. The Qataris want to not be left out any longer and to be closely aligned with the Trump administration in a way they weren’t in the first term. The Emiratis want something very specific, which is our secrets. They want our highest technology: semiconductors that we generally are not willing to give countries like UAE, who have alliances with China. And it’s a test moment for the country, and for the Senate, as to whether we are going to look the other way when it comes to this corruption.”
    Murphy also discussed the role that cryptocurrency plays in Trump’s corrupt schemes and explained his opposition to the GENIUS Act as it is currently written: “We’ve got this bill on the floor of the Senate right now to regulate the crypto industry, and it has a specific exemption in it for one person, the President of the United States, to allow him to continue to market and issue the very stablecoin that he is using for his corruption in the Middle East. This is the stablecoin that the UAE gave him $2 billion for. The bill says, as a member of Congress, it is unethical for me to issue a stablecoin. The bill says it is okay for the President of the United States. […] If you don’t stop the corruption, if you don’t stop the destruction of the democracy, the bills you pass are dead letter. Because the president is going to govern by decree, not by following the words on the page of the bill that you passed.”
    Murphy filed these joint resolutions of disapproval last month. Click Here to Watch the Full Event.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: NDB signs 1.2 bln yuan loan agreement to finance environmental projects in China

    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

    SHANGHAI, June 6 (Xinhua) — The BRICS New Development Bank (NDB) on Friday announced the signing of a 1.2 billion yuan (about 167 million U.S. dollars) syndicated loan agreement to support environmental projects in China.

    As noted by the NBR, the agreement, concluded jointly with the Bank of China and the Chinese company Haitong Unitrust International Financial Leasing Co., Ltd., is aimed at financing green leasing sub-projects focused on environmental goals and climate commitments of the PRC.

    Under the agreement, the NDB will provide more than 713.32 million yuan, while the Bank of China will provide an additional 500 million yuan. Haitong Unitrust, in turn, will use the funds to purchase and lease equipment for projects in areas such as wastewater treatment, solid waste management and power generation from iron and steel exhaust gases.

    To promote balanced regional development, eligible sub-projects will be implemented outside China’s first-tier cities, bringing investment to less developed areas of the country.

    “This initiative meets the needs for climate resilience and environmental protection, and also helps increase investment in less developed regions of China,” said Vladimir Kazbekov, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the NDB.

    The NDB was established in 2015 by Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. It is a multilateral development bank that aims to mobilize resources for infrastructure and sustainable development projects in the BRICS region and other emerging market and developing economies. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China’s maritime arbitration continues to expand internationally: CCPIT chairman

    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

    BEIJING, June 6 (Xinhua) — China’s international influence in maritime arbitration continues to grow steadily, with a marked increase in the number of cases involving other countries and regions and a growing degree of internationalization, said Ren Hongbin, chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT).

    Ren Hongbin, also head of the China Maritime Arbitration Commission (CMAC), made the remarks during a high-level dialogue on maritime and commercial arbitration held in Beijing on Friday.

    In 2024, CMAC ranked among the world’s leading maritime arbitration institutions in terms of caseload. According to Ren Hongbin, the number of disputes it handled involving other countries and regions increased by 55 percent compared with 2023, accounting for 39 percent of its total cases, with disputes covering 40 countries and regions.

    There are currently 284 arbitration institutions in China, which have handled more than 5 million cases with a total value of over 9 trillion yuan (about 1.25 trillion US dollars) involving parties from more than 100 countries and regions.

    Looking to the future, Ren Hongbin called for the development of arbitration services based on innovation and urged arbitration institutions to actively explore the application of scientific and technological methods such as digital technology and artificial intelligence.

    According to him, the use of information technology will reduce costs and increase efficiency and transparency, which will contribute to the continuous increase in the authority and competitiveness of arbitration services in the global arena. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: WTO members focus on TFA implementation, transit issues and capacity-building

    Source: WTO

    Headline: WTO members focus on TFA implementation, transit issues and capacity-building

    The TFA — which contains provisions for expediting the movement, release and clearance of goods, including goods in transit — is the first WTO agreement in which developing and LDC members can determine their own implementation schedules, in accordance with their national priorities and capacities, and seek to acquire implementation capacity through the provision of related assistance and support.
    The WTO Secretariat reported that 80 per cent of implementation commitments by developing and LDC members have been reached, with 65 members committed to implementing Category C measures requiring technical assistance and capacity-building over the next two years. Developed members were required to implement all provisions of the TFA from its entry into force. More information is available in the TFA database.
    Developing greater transparency on TFA implementation
    The WTO Secretariat reported on member notifications related to TFA implementation efforts and requests for extensions of implementation schedules. While member notifications on donor arrangements and their progress currently contain limited information and may not reflect the present situation, the TFA Facility (TFAF) is collecting survey data on capacity-building partners and assistance gaps at the member level. Members also supported several tools the WTO Secretariat has deployed through the TFA Database to enable them to track deadlines and to request extensions for implementation dates, where needed.
    The Committee also took note of the WTO Secretariat report “Notification Status of Regular/Period and One-Time Only Notifications in the Goods Area (1995-2024)” (G/C/W/859 ). The document found that while the overall membership had a submission rate of TFA transparency notifications of over 80 per cent, this figure was less than 60 per cent for LDCs. The Chair signalled his availability for consultations on this matter.
    Improving transit corridors and technical assistance coordination
    The Committee held a dedicated session on transit, with the WTO Secretariat presenting preliminary findings from a study on transit corridors serving landlocked developing countries (LLDCs). Coordinated by Botswana as the LLDC coordinator, the study examines how corridors efficiently implement TFA measures to lower trade costs in landlocked countries which face trade costs 1.4 times higher than coastal economies.
    The study covers 19 corridors across Africa, Asia, Eurasia and South America, showing transit time reductions of 20-40 per cent through digital tools and coordination mechanisms. As an example, the Northern Corridor connecting Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan through Mombasa reduced transit times from 11 to 5 days. The updated report will be circulated before the October Committee meeting, with the WTO Secretariat organizing a side event at the UN LLDC-3 Conference in Turkmenistan (5-8 August 2025).
    The African Group also issued a call for strengthened coordination mechanisms to address technical assistance and capacity-building challenges in implementing Category C measures (measures for which members have identified the need for assistance and capacity building), particularly amidst reduced development aid budgets. The Chair signalled a willingness to hold consultations ahead of the October 2025 dedicated session on technical assistance and capacity building to prepare for comprehensive discussions on strengthening coordination mechanisms.
    Experience sharing showcases digital innovations
    Members conducted productive experience-sharing sessions covering digitalization and Authorized Economic Operators (AEOs). China shared a presentation on “Cross-Border E-Commerce,” while the European Union highlighted the importance of digital trust-building through customs “single windows” and electronic identification systems. The United States and the OECD made a presentation on “The digitalization of trade documents and processes: going paperless today, going paperless tomorrow”.
    Japan, Moldova, Mongolia and Paraguay shared national and regional AEO experiences, and Bangladesh shared a presentation on Time Release Study effectiveness, while the United Kingdom and UNCTAD discussed forthcoming publications on National Trade Facilitation Committees (NTFCs).
    During the dedicated transit session, Mozambique shared its experience on transit issues while the European Union explained how corridor and transit issues are integrated into a strategy to support developing and least developed members strengthen connectivity and trade facilitation.
    All presentations are available here.
    Other Committee work
    The Committee continued its exchanges on customs procedures, with several members maintaining engagement with Indonesia on two measures regarding customs procedures for intangible products. The United States also raised a new specific trade concern regarding Indonesia’s customs penalty regime.
    Capacity building and learning sessions
    Several learning sessions also took place alongside the Committee meeting. The World Bank and the World Customs Organization, in collaboration with TFAF, organized a Time Release Study methodology session on 4 June, covering measurement techniques and resource requirements.
    The TFAF and certain Annex D+ organisations (consisting of ITC, OECD, UNCTAD, the World Bank, and the WCO) held an in-person training session on 2-3 June on mobilizing technical assistance and capacity building for TFA implementation. The training activity brought together 15 capital-based delegates from LDC and developing members to discuss how to better coordinate resource mobilization and to be more effective when engaging with development partners. Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation (GATF)/German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) and TradeMark Africa also participated in the training session on 3 June.
    If you would like to receive news on trade facilitation, subscribe to the TFA Newsbytes here.

    Share

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Hong Kong: New charges against Joshua Wong designed to prolong his stay behind bars

    Source: Amnesty International –

    Responding to jailed Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong being newly charged with “conspiring to collude with foreign forces” under the city’s National Security Law, Amnesty International’s China Director Sarah Brooks said:

    “Hong Kong’s National Security Law is turning five years old at the end of the month, and these new charges against Joshua Wong show that its capacity to be used by the Hong Kong authorities to threaten human rights in the city is as potent and present as ever.

    “Once again, the vague and sweeping offence of ‘collusion with foreign forces’ is being weaponized to justify an attack on the freedoms of expression and association.

    “Wong, already jailed for his participation in informal primaries, would have been released in a year and a half. But if this case goes forward, he could face as much as a life sentence.

    “This latest charge against him underscores the authorities’ fear of prominent dissidents and shows the lengths they will go to keep them behind bars for as long as possible – in so doing, continuing a chilling effect on civic activism in the city. The Hong Kong government must drop these charges and cease enforcing the National Security Law immediately, as called for by UN bodies. All people jailed simply for exercising their human rights must be set free.”

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China’s public security minister calls for consistency in fighting organized crime

    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

    BEIJING, June 6 (Xinhua) — Chinese Minister of Public Security Wang Xiaohong on Friday stressed the need to make the fight against organized crime regular and continuous, improving mechanisms and enhancing the effectiveness of methods in this fight.

    At a meeting on the sustained campaign to combat organized crime, Wang Xiaohong, also a member of the CPC Central Committee Secretariat, said it was necessary to “crush all crime, eliminate all villains, expose all patrons, combat all forms of corruption, and restore order wherever chaos reigns.”

    Wang Xiaohong called for intensifying targeted strikes against crime, maintaining the principle of “zero tolerance,” emphasizing “efficiency, precision and toughness,” and not giving criminal structures a second’s respite.

    The Minister also called for the creation of an effective mechanism for long-term prevention and combating organized crime, decisively destroying the breeding ground for such structures. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The President of the Republic of Korea held a telephone conversation with D. Trump

    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

    SEOUL, June 6 (Xinhua) — President of the Republic of Korea (ROK) Lee Jae-myung held a telephone conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump at 10 p.m. local time on Friday, the South Korean leader’s office said.

    As noted by the presidential office, the call lasted about 20 minutes, during which the leaders discussed a number of issues, including ways to develop the alliance between the Republic of Korea and the United States.

    In addition, D. Trump invited Lee Jae-myung to visit the United States, the presidential administration said. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: A magnitude 6.5 earthquake has struck 107 km west-southwest of Diego de Almagro, Chile – USGS

    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

    NEW YORK, June 6 (Xinhua) — An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.5 jolted 107 km west-southwest of Diego de Almagro, Chile, at 17:15:04 GMT on Friday, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

    According to initial data, the epicenter of the tremors was located at a point with coordinates 26.60 degrees south latitude and 71.10 degrees west longitude. The hypocenter was located at a depth of 96 km. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Chinese Foreign Minister Holds Phone Talk with French Foreign 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

    BEIJING, June 6 (Xinhua) — Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a telephone conversation with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot on Friday.

    Wang Yi, also a member of the Politburo of the CPC Central Committee, recalled that Chinese President Xi Jinping and French President Emmanuel Macron recently held a telephone conversation during which an important consensus was reached on strengthening strategic coordination between the two countries.

    The two sides should make proper preparations for further exchanges at all levels, and China invites senior French officials to attend the World Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Shanghai in 2025, the Chinese Foreign Minister said.

    Noting that the two sides have reached consensus on resolving trade and economic issues through dialogue and consultation, Wang Yi stressed the need to expand cultural, humanitarian and educational exchanges to promote the healthy development of the China-France comprehensive strategic partnership and China-EU ties.

    Wang Yi noted that China and France, adhering to the traditions of independence and self-reliance, should strengthen strategic mutual trust and respect each other’s core interests.

    He stressed that the Taiwan issue is an internal matter of China, which affects the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country and is fundamentally different from the Ukrainian problem. China attaches great importance to France’s commitment to the one-China policy, the diplomat noted, adding that China believes that France will implement this commitment.

    Wang expressed hope that France will take a correct stance and oppose NATO’s interference in the Asia-Pacific region, stressing that the two countries should jointly adhere to multilateralism and safeguard free trade, and oppose the practice of unilateral bullying.

    J.-N. Barrot, for his part, said that Vice President of the People’s Republic of China Han Zheng has been invited to attend the upcoming UN Ocean Conference in France, noting that in the context of growing global uncertainty, French-Chinese relations are taking on particular importance.

    France always regards China as a friend and partner, firmly adheres to the one-China policy, and hopes to maintain high-level exchanges and enhance strategic communication with China, the French diplomat assured.

    Strengthening bilateral cultural and humanitarian exchanges will send a strong signal of openness, which is particularly relevant in the current circumstances, continued Jean-Nicolas Barrot, adding that France is against trade and tariff wars and is ready to continue to properly resolve trade and economic frictions through consultations.

    The parties also exchanged views on issues related to Ukraine, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, and the Iranian nuclear program. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Suspected use of fraudulent life-saving attendants certificates at swimming pool of San Francisco Towers, Happy Valley

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Suspected use of fraudulent life-saving attendants certificates at swimming pool of San Francisco Towers, Happy ValleyIssued at HKT 22:40

    ​The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) said today (June 6) that a life-saving attendant at the swimming pool of San Francisco Towers, located at 29-35 Ventris Road, Happy Valley, is suspected of using a fraudulent life-saving attendant certificate. As the qualification of the life-saving attendant is in doubt and the swimming pool has allegedly failed to provide a sufficient number of qualified life-saving attendants as required by law, the department has ordered the immediate closure of the pool and is considering prosecuting its licensee. The incident has been reported to the Police, and the FEHD has also notified the Property Management Services Authority to take parallel follow-up action.

    Officers from the FEHD today verified a batch of lifeguard records with the Hong Kong China Life Saving Society, and discovered that the credentials of a life-saving attendant on duty at the aforementioned swimming pool on June 4 did not match the records of the Hong Kong China Life Saving Society. The FEHD immediately took action regarding the pool.

    The FEHD has implemented a series of enhancement measures from May 19 to further prevent the employment of unqualified life-saving attendants at private swimming pools. During May, the FEHD officers conducted inspections at 713 licensed swimming pools and verified the qualifications of 1 041 life-saving attendants with the Hong Kong China Life Saving Society. Apart from the suspected case of fraudulent certification discovered today, no other irregularities regarding suspected employment of unqualified life-saving attendants have been identified by the FEHD.

    The FEHD will continue to implement the relevant measures straightly to enhance the safety standards of licensed swimming pools and safeguard the safety of swimming pool users. Members of the public are called on to take part in the monitoring and report suspected cases of irregularities to the department.

    Ends/Friday, June 6, 2025
    Issued at HKT 22:40

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Hickenlooper Chairs Small Business Committee Field Hearing Highlighting Tariff Threat to Outdoor Rec Industry

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Colorado John Hickenlooper
    Hickenlooper: “We’re sustaining losses here that are needless, and they’re going to be long lasting, and they affect every aspect of our country.”
    WASHINGTON – In case you missed it, U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper recently chaired a field hearing of the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee in Denver to underline the strain the outdoor recreation industry is facing under the Trump administration’s chaotic tariffs. 
    Watch the full field hearing HERE
    During the hearing, Hickenlooper emphasized that the Trump administration’s blanket tariffs are disproportionally hurting working people across the country:
    “Certainly, the people that are going to elegant dinners in Mar-a-Lago or anywhere, this isn’t as much of an issue for them,” Hickenlooper said at the hearing. “But many small businesses are really caught up in this storm and struggling to survive.”
    Hickenlooper was joined by witnesses representing three Colorado outdoor recreation businesses including Travis Campbell, the owner and CEO of Eagle Creek, an adventure travel gear company based in Steamboat Springs; Mike Mojica, the Founder of Outdoor Element, an adventure gear company based in Englewood; and Trent Bush, Founder and Co-CEO of ARTILECT Studio, a performance apparel studio based in Boulder.
    “In our 50th year of operations we could be possibly put out of business through these ill-conceived tariff plans,” said Campbell. “Eagle Creek immediately took dramatic steps to stay afloat. We froze salary increases that we had just implemented to our teams, we halted the hiring of two exceptional new people that we planned to bring on board, we cut spending across the board…” 
    “We just came off our best year ever. And then, a couple months ago happened. Overnight, tariffs on our core products jumped to 145%…What I thought was an approachable path to the American dream has suddenly turned into quicksand,” said Mojica. “We had to pause production — tell factories to hold the goods and not ship them…I’ve lost a wholesale account, I had to lay off team members, I’ve asked others to work less hours…”
    “I held on to producing in the U.S. as long as I possibly could. And I feel I’ve done everything I was asked to do since, including moving production out of China six years ago,” said Bush. “Now even those staggering high tariffs outside China may force my business to close. This just isn’t the American dream I’ve believed in and I’ve tried so hard over all those years to achieve.”
    Check out the coverage below:
    Colorado Sun: Colorado outdoor companies limping through uncertainty in trade war
    Hickenlooper’s committee hearing — held at History Colorado and titled “Beyond the Trailhead: Supporting Outdoor Recreation in an Uncertain Economy” — included Mike Mojica, the founder and CEO of Outdoor Element, which designs adventure survival equipment in Englewood, and outdoor apparel veteran Trent Bush, the founder and co-CEO the new Artilect Studio in Boulder.
    Mojica, a mechanical engineer who fine-tuned his survival gear business in theMoosejaw Business Accelerator program in 2022, said his company posted a record year in 2024.
    “What I thought was a path to the American dream has become quicksand,” he said of tariffs that have forced him to sell his gear for zero profit. “Trade policy is supposed to provide business with the certainty we need to make long-term decisions and right now that certainty is missing. I’m no longer trying to thrive. I’m trying to survive.”
    AXIOS Denver: Colorado’s outdoor industry suffering from trade war
    Travis Campbell shelled out an additional $580,000. Mike Mojica raised prices and laid off workers. Trent Bush is worried he may go out of business.
    What they’re saying: “When you add that all up, the [impacts of tariffs] mean lower wages, fewer jobs and less spending in the economy,” Campbell said at a congressional hearing Friday in Denver hosted by U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper. “I don’t think that’s what we’re aiming for.”
    E&E News: Outdoor recreation field hearing to focus on tariff impacts
    The Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee will hold a hearing in Colorado on Friday focused on the outdoor recreation economy in tough times.
    Titled “Beyond the Trailhead: Supporting Outdoor Recreation in an Uncertain Economy,” the hearing will focus on ways Congress can support the outdoor recreation industry, which is valued at more than $1 trillion and has grown significantly since the Covid-19 pandemic.
    The field hearing, hosted by Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), will hear testimony from three outdoor recreation retailers that have been saddled by the Trump administration’s tariff regime.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The Chinese market will always be a point of attraction for foreign investment – Chinese Foreign Ministry

    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

    BEIJING, June 6 (Xinhua) — Regardless of the challenges in the external environment, Chinese manufacturing is still needed by the world and the Chinese market will always be a magnet for foreign investment, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said at a press briefing in Beijing on Friday.

    As pointed out by one of the journalists during the event, China’s economic and trade ties with the rest of the world remain strong amid the tense international economic environment. It is reported that in the first five months of this year, China opened a total of 101 international cargo air routes, adding more than 195 round-trip flights per week. In addition, from January to April, the cargo throughput of Chinese ports amounted to 5.755 billion tons, up 3.7 percent year-on-year, and their container throughput exceeded 110 million TEU (20-foot equivalent unit), up 7.9 percent year-on-year.

    Commenting on the data, Lin Jian said that in the first four months of this year, China’s total import and export volume of goods grew by 2.4 percent year-on-year, with the growth in April being 4.3 percentage points higher than in the first quarter.

    The official noted that China’s economy continues to unleash its vitality and trade resilience is continuously strengthened. This fully demonstrates that, regardless of the challenges arising in the external environment, Chinese manufacturing is still needed by the world, and the Chinese market will always be a magnet for foreign investment.

    “Unilateralism and protectionism are unsustainable. ‘Building walls and erecting barriers’ will not stop China’s decisive steps toward opening up and cooperating with the rest of the world for common development,” Lin Jian concluded. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Former NPC Standing Committee Vice Chairman Zhedi Dies at 87

    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

    BEIJING, June 6 (Xinhua) — Zhedi, a former vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC), China’s top legislative body, died of illness at the age of 87 in Beijing at 2:15 a.m. on Friday, an official statement said.

    The statement said Zhedi, who served as vice chairman of the 10th NPC Standing Committee, was “an outstanding member of the Communist Party of China, a dedicated fighter for communism, a talented leader in ethnic affairs and the development of the socialist legal system, and a worthy son of the Tibetan people.” –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • India assumes chair of 12th BRICS parliamentary forum as member nations unite against terrorism

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The 11th BRICS Parliamentary Forum concluded in Brasilia, Brazil, on June 5, with participating parliaments from all 10 BRICS member countries unanimously condemning the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, India. The forum also saw India assume the chairmanship of the 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum, to be hosted next year.

    Led by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, the Indian delegation played a key role in shaping the joint declaration. The expanded BRICS parliamentary forum now includes India, Brazil, Russia, China, South Africa, Iran, the UAE, Egypt, Ethiopia, and Indonesia.

    A major outcome of the two-day event was the collective agreement among member nations to adopt a zero-tolerance policy on terrorism. India’s firm stance on countering terrorism—through enhanced intelligence sharing, curbing financial support to terror groups, and preventing the misuse of emerging technologies—received widespread support.

    During his address, Birla strongly condemned the Pahalgam attack and emphasized India’s long-standing commitment to a “strong and befitting response” to terrorism. He reiterated Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for a united global front against terror and underlined the need for a balanced international order, technological cooperation, and democratic dialogue among nations.

    Apart from terrorism, the BRICS delegates discussed key issues such as the responsible use of Artificial Intelligence, inter-parliamentary cooperation, global trade, economic development, and peace and security. India’s approach to these matters was lauded and incorporated into the final declaration.

    At the closing ceremony, India was officially handed over the chairmanship of the 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum, scheduled to be held in 2026. Shri Birla said India would work to deepen collaboration between BRICS parliaments and build consensus on addressing global challenges.

    The Indian delegation also included Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha Harivansh, Members of Parliament Surendra Singh Nagar, Vijay Baghel, Shri Vivek Thakur, Dr. Shabari Byreddy, and senior parliamentary officials including Lok Sabha Secretary General Utpal Kumar Singh and Rajya Sabha Secretary General P.C. Mody.

  • MIL-OSI Global: It’s time to stop debating whether AI is genuinely intelligent and focus on making it work for society

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Andrew Rogoyski, Innovation Director, Surrey Institute of People-Centred AI, University of Surrey

    ‘Pleased to beat you.’ Aileenchik

    Half of entry-level white collar jobs might cease to exist in the near future, according to Dario Amodei, the CEO of leading AI company Anthropic. Amodei, whose company is behind the Claude platform, has since called for transparency standards requiring companies making AI models to demonstrate how they are handling risks such as the AI enabling cyberattacks or helping to make bioweapons.

    Time and again, such claims suggest the pace of development in artificial intelligence is vastly outstripping our ability to adapt and adopt, creating a series of short-term crises.

    Yet the debate between AI doomers, accelerationists, utopians and other factions is largely trapped in arguments about whether current AIs are truly demonstrating creativity, problem solving, planning and other intelligent characteristics. It’s as if we’re collectively in denial.

    AI is arguably the most important technology humankind will ever invent. We owe it to ourselves, and future generations, to make conscious decisions about introducing AI into everything we do, ensuring that humanity benefits.

    Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.

    We know that AI is threatening the creative industries, for example. We can argue about whether AI is truly creative or we can set about preserving human creativity, originality and income security.

    For instance, the new CREAATIF report from Queen Mary University of London lays out a series of recommendations, such as treating creatives as co-designers along with AIs, not victims. It calls for clear disclosures about AI-generated creative works, and ensuring creatives can opt out of having their work in AI training datasets.

    We know that AI is being used in warfare. We can argue about what it means for a human to still take crucial battlefield decisions – the idea of “human in the loop”. Or we can set down explicit rules of war, as hinted at by the UN meeting in May on possible restrictions in the use of lethal autonomous systems.

    We know that AI is being used in medicine, from screening blood tests to virtual hospitals – as created by Tsinghua University in China. We can argue about whether AI can ever replace doctors, or we can actively explore where it is most appropriate and desirable to supplement human healthcare expertise with AI.

    Jobs and knowledge

    We also strongly suspect that AI will displace human jobs more broadly. Besides Amodei’s warnings, certain companies are already adopting “AI first” strategies. These treat AIs as the core driver of company operations, not just support tools.

    The canary in the coalmine may be graduate jobs, since companies will likely initially use AI for jobs requiring the least experience. Graduate hiring in the UK is falling. We can argue about whether there is a link with AI, or we can start putting serious thought into the future of education, skills and the meaning of a career in the 21st century.

    Finally, we know that AI is being used to mediate human access to knowledge, whether it’s the recommendation engines in platforms like TikTok and X, or search engines like Google and Bing providing AI summaries in preference to linked websites.

    Misinformation, disinformation and fakery is rife, often enabled by AI tools. And a more insidious side-effect of AI-mediated access to knowledge is the potential decline in how we know what’s true or reliable.

    We can argue about whether this is happening or we can focus on protecting reliable sources of information, and making sure everyone can access them. For example, the US-based Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA) develops standards to verify where digital media comes from and whether it has been tampered with.

    What you can do

    AI is not going away, and there will be positives as well as negatives. For instance, AI will undoubtedly help to solve the hard problems of global health, energy generation and climate change.

    We need to recognise the power of existing AI technologies, and acknowledge that AI is likely to get even more advanced very quickly and that we need to act personally and collectively. And there are several things we can do now.

    First, take a personal interest. AI literacy is fast becoming a life skill. Leading AI platforms like ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini can create, summarise or rewrite text for you, compile research reports, jazz up presentations, create music, do data analysis, come up with new cooking recipes – the options are endless.

    The future is here.
    Aileenchik

    I’ve seen schoolteachers create AI mentors for students, pensioners create songs and presentations, children transform their artwork into historical contexts, all with no technical skills. Similarly, anyone can now use AI to code. So-called “vibe-coding” allows anyone to describe, in words, what they want a piece of software to do, and the AI will create a version of it – to an increasingly good level of completeness.

    The ability to adapt and adopt is key. Knowing and practising how to use AI will not only position you for future opportunities and changes, but may allow you to steer your workplace to a better outcome too.

    Second, become an advocate for how AI should be used. AI developments in the US and China will continue to drive AI innovation, but we have some choices when it comes to adoption and use.

    So become an “informed buyer”, actively selecting AI technology from companies which have strong ethical, security and privacy standpoints. For instance, I prefer Anthropic’s Claude to OpenAI’s ChatGPT, largely because of the former’s constitutional approach, which means its AIs are trained on a set of principles rather than on what it thinks the user will prefer.

    I like Meta’s track record on publishing detailed papers of how it trained and tested its LLMs (a type of AI model), and the fact that it open-sources them. This makes the best models available to a wider and more diverse range of people or organisations, not just to the wealthiest companies. I’m uncomfortable with the way that OpenAI sought to change its non-profit status recently. These are personal opinions and we should each form our own views.

    Third, voice your advocacy, to your boss, your local MP, and other decision makers you may come across. It’s only by making AI an everyday topic that we can influence the world we live in. As Tim Cook, CEO of Apple once said, “Artificial intelligence is the future, but we must ensure it is a future that we want.”

    Andrew Rogoyski’s department receives research funding from UKRI. He acts as an advisor to TechUK, one of the UK’s leading tech industry trade associations, as is a member of the NatWest Technology Advisory Board.

    – ref. It’s time to stop debating whether AI is genuinely intelligent and focus on making it work for society – https://theconversation.com/its-time-to-stop-debating-whether-ai-is-genuinely-intelligent-and-focus-on-making-it-work-for-society-258430

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Recognition of the One-China Principle is in Guatemala’s Fundamental Interests – Chinese Foreign Ministry

    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

    BEIJING, June 6 (Xinhua) — Recognizing the one-China principle and developing relations with China are in the fundamental interests of Guatemala and its people, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said on Friday.

    Lin Jian made the statement at a regular briefing for journalists, commenting on recent statements by Guatemalan President Bernardo Arevalo during his visit to the Chinese region of Taiwan.

    The official representative recalled that there is only one China in the world, Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory, and the government of the People’s Republic of China is the sole legitimate government representing all of China.

    “This is the broad consensus of the international community and cannot be disputed,” Lin Jian stressed.

    He noted that the Democratic Progressive Party administration in Taiwan is trying to use so-called “diplomatic allies” for political manipulation, but these self-deceptive tricks will not be able to stop the historical trend toward China’s inevitable reunification.

    Currently, 183 countries have diplomatic relations with China, which fully demonstrates that adherence to the one-China principle is the universally recognized supreme truth, the common aspiration of the people and the general trend of the times, Lin Jian noted.

    “We urge the governments of the relevant countries to clearly understand the overall trend, listen to public sentiment, and make the right choice as soon as possible,” the Chinese Foreign Ministry official concluded. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Central Leading Groups Hold Working Meeting in Beijing on Party-Wide Publicity Campaign to Strictly Implement the Eight-Point Rules

    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

    BEIJING, June 6 (Xinhua) — A working meeting of central leading groups was held in the Chinese capital on Friday to discuss the Party-wide education campaign on strictly abiding by the “Eight-Point Rules” issued by the CPC Central Committee to improve the behavior style of Party cadres and civil servants.

    Shi Taifeng, a member of the Politburo of the CPC Central Committee and deputy head of the Central Leading Group for Party Building, attended the meeting and delivered a speech.

    The participants at the event stressed the need to ensure more thorough and visible results in the Party-wide educational campaign and encourage Party members and cadres to maintain a solid foundation for their beliefs.

    The meeting also called on local authorities and departments to effectively address such prominent problems as the practice of holding lavish banquets and feasts, improve relevant rules and regulations, eliminate institutional shortcomings, and enhance accountability and coordination in their work. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China’s car trade-in subsidies are driving NEV growth, report says

    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

    TIANJIN, June 6 (Xinhua) — China’s vehicle trade-in subsidies are accelerating the adoption of new energy vehicles (NEVs), with the monthly penetration rate of NEVs in the passenger car market expected to exceed 60 percent in 2025, according to a report released Friday by Automotive Data of China (Tianjin) Co., Ltd.

    The report, compiled jointly by the company and automotive information, trading and service platform Dongchedi (DCar), noted that more than 70 percent of consumers surveyed said the subsidies had increased their intentions to purchase a car.

    In the first quarter of 2025, the volume of light-duty vehicle purchases under trade-in programs in China reached 2.79 million units, up more than 1 million units from the same period last year. The report also noted that the volume of vehicle purchases under the vehicle-exchange program exceeded that of the scrappage program, reaching 2.03 million units.

    A survey conducted by Dongchedi found that consumers prefer subsidies for new car purchases and replacements through trade-in programs with lower participation thresholds. As subsidies become more widespread, applying for them before buying a car has become a common practice among consumers, with more than 50 percent relying on offline 4S stores to obtain information about subsidies, the report said. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Belarus’s gold and foreign exchange reserves exceeded USD 11 billion — National Bank

    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

    MINSK, June 6 (Xinhua) — Belarus’ gold and foreign exchange reserves as of June 1, 2025, according to preliminary data, amounted to 11.158 billion US dollars in equivalent. The relevant information was published by the Belarusian National Bank on Friday.

    In May 2025, gold and foreign exchange reserves grew by USD 215.7 million, or 2 percent, after growing by USD 872.8 million (8.7 percent) in April.

    The largest share in the structure of international reserve assets of Belarus is occupied by assets in foreign currency and monetary gold. According to the Belarusian National Bank, the volume of foreign currency in reserves as of June 1 of this year amounted to 4.0882 billion US dollars, having increased by 267.9 million US dollars in May. In turn, the volume of monetary gold amounted to 5.6723 billion US dollars, having decreased by 47 million US dollars in the previous month.

    According to the targets of Belarus’s monetary policy, the country’s international reserve assets should amount to at least USD 7.1 billion by the end of 2025. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Lois Frankel Warns Trump’s Foreign Aid Cuts Are Dangerous and Self-Defeating

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Lois Frankel (FL-21)

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Lois Frankel (FL-22) issued the following statement in response to President Trump’s proposal to drastically slash international affairs funding—endangering Americans’ safety, economic security, and global standing:

    “President Trump’s extreme plan to gut diplomacy and foreign assistance isn’t fiscal responsibility—it’s reckless and short-sighted. It will raise costs for American families, fuel global instability, and weaken our leadership in the world. Foreign assistance—less than one percent of our federal budget—prevents deadly diseases from reaching our shores, creates markets for American businesses, and helps keep our troops out of costly conflicts by addressing the root causes of violence and extremism. Meanwhile, China and other adversaries are ready to step in and fill the void we would leave behind.

    Instead of rubber-stamping these dangerous cuts, Congress must work in a bipartisan, responsible way to pass a budget that reflects our values, protects our national interests, and strengthens our global leadership,”  said Rep. Frankel.

    Rep. Frankel is a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee and serves as Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs, which oversees funding for the State Department and foreign assistance.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: New features in Microsoft Store on Windows focus on personalization, faster search

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: New features in Microsoft Store on Windows focus on personalization, faster search

    The Microsoft Store on Windows is used by over 250 million users each month – and we take the responsibility we have to you, our customers, seriously. We use the feedback you send to ensure we’re focusing on the most important things our customers care about. Last December, we announced a variety of product quality improvements, and in February, we shared how we’re evolving our Store into an AI marketplace. And we’re excited to keep the momentum going, with many more updates planned for this year.

    Today, we’re excited to announce a variety of newly available features that we believe will level up your Store experience.

    Let’s jump in!

    Home page, curated for you

    The Microsoft Store homepage will now be personalized for you. Whether you’re a gamer chasing the next big hit, a productivity enthusiast looking for time-hacks or a developer in search of tools, the newly redesigned homepage will elevate the content most meaningful to you. In the coming weeks, you’ll see fresh recommendations based on recent activities, what’s trending in your region and the most recent deals. Personalized recommendations are controlled by your Store settings.

    Find what you’re looking for, faster

    We are making four big improvements to help you to search for and discover new content faster. First, search in Store just got a whole lot smarter. We have rearchitected how search works – it is now more intent-aware, leverages signals like app updates and ratings more diligently for ranking and addresses language-specific nuances. This translates to results that are more relevant to what you are looking for – try it out today!

    Second, for users in the United States, Copilot is now available in the bottom right corner to answer questions while you’re browsing product pages. You can open it up to ask questions about the page you’re viewing or select two products for comparisons.

    Third, when you’re browsing product pages, you’ll now see a new “Discover More” section that includes related content that you may be interested in. And fourth, we have added product page badges to help you easily tell which apps have AI features, and which apps are great for Copilot+ PCs.

    Deeper Windows integration

    One of the superpowers of Store apps is their ability to integrate into the rest of Windows – so here are two new ways we’re trying to meet you where you are. First, if you’re like us and use Windows search to look for most things on your PC, we have exciting news! You’ll now be able to launch Windows search, search for an app or game from the Store and install it quickly1.

    Second, we’re experimenting with offering app suggestions to open select file extensions, which is particularly helpful if you don’t have an app for that extension, or haven’t selected a default app. If you’re a Windows Insider in the U.S. or China regions, you’ll soon be able to try this out by using the context menu to select an app to “Open With” and browsing our recommendations. If you’ve already selected a default app, that will show up first.

    More fixes under the hood

    The Store is getting faster. After rigorous performance investments, the Store launches two times faster than it did six months ago2. We have also significantly improved installation reliability and speed over the last six months. To make sure you see the latest improvements, please ensure you have the latest Windows update.

    Other goodies in Store

    There’s a long list of fit and finish improvements for you to go try, including: a new capability that lets you install individual components for games; faster in-apps rating dialogs for when you want to share your feedback with developers; and a new field on product pages to let you know when an app or game was last updated.

    And we would be remiss if we did not acknowledge the importance of our Store developers. Since last December, we’ve welcomed new partners like Notion, Perplexity, Docker and Day One. And more are on the way – including Manus, an autonomous AI agent (productivity tool) designed to perform and deliver complex tasks for knowledge workers across various domains – so please keep checking for new releases.

    Built with care and tested with precision, the Microsoft Store on Windows is here to help you find what you’re looking for. As always, we are listening to your feedback, so please submit via Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Microsoft Store. We still have a lot more in the pipeline, so visit the “What’s New” section in the Store to stay connected on new releases.

    1Feature availability varies by market.

    2 Data based on internal testing and subject to factors such as device, location, Windows and Store app versions.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kaptur Condemns $3.7 Billion In DOE Cuts To American Manufacturing Nationwide

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09)

    Toledo, OH – Today, Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09) Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development released the following statement upon the news that the Department of Energy has cancelled 24 projects nationwide, totaling $3.7 Billion in investment in American manufacturing, including a $45.1 Million investment in an Industrial Demonstration Project for Libbey Glass LLC’s Toledo, Ohio facility.

    “The abrupt termination of $3.7 Billion in clean energy investment is shortsighted and malicious. This decision will raise energy costs for American families and undermine our nation’s competitive edge. In Northwest Ohio, it endangers jobs, and undermines manufacturing in our critical glass industry, while empowering China and our global competitors,” said Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09). “Nationwide, DOE is not only raising the cost of energy in Red Districts and Blue Districts — we’re ceding ground to global competitors racing ahead in innovation and energy efficiency. This decision undercuts American innovation, discourages private-sector investment, and harms workers like the ones I represent who are counting on these projects for jobs and economic revitalization. The American people deserve leadership that meets the moment — not one that backs away from the challenge of a clean, affordable energy future. If the Trump Administration was looking to give Communist China everything they wanted, they are well on their way.”

    Below are a list of actions Ranking Member Kaptur has taken related to DOE’s frozen funding and award cancelations

     since the start of the Trump Administration:

    1. Jan. 31, 2025: Sent letter to DOE Acting Secretary regarding funding freeze
      1. Kaptur, Murray Demand Answers on Trump Administration Freezing Energy Department Investments to Lower Americans’ Energy Costs
      2. Rep. Kaptur co-led a letter with Sen. Murray.
    2. Feb. 13, 2025: Released factsheets on funding freeze impacts
      1. Kaptur, DeLauro Release Seven Fact Sheets Detailing How Trump’s Funding Freeze is Raising Energy Prices and Undermining Energy Dominance
      2. Seven factsheets were released which detail how the funding freeze impacts each state for the programs listed below.
        1. Home energy rebate program
        2. Electric grid programs
        3. Hydrogen hubs program
        4. Battery manufacturing programs
        5. Industrial demonstrations program
        6. Weatherization assistance program
        7. Loan program
    3. Feb. 26, 2025: Sent follow-up letter to Jan. 31 letter on funding freeze
      1. Kaptur, Murray Follow-Up, Demand Answers from Trump DOE as it Continues to Block Investments to Lower Americans’ Energy Costs
      2. Rep. Kaptur again co-led a letter with Sen. Murray to Secretary Wright..
    4. Apr. 2, 2025: Sent letter to DOE Acting Inspector General regarding award cancelations
      1. House Energy Leaders Call for Investigation into Department of Energy’s Scheme to Cancel Awards and Contracts
      2. Rep. Kaptur co-led a letter with Rep. DeLauro, Rep. Pallone, Rep. Castor, Rep. Lofgren and Rep. Ross calling for an investigation into the agency’s scheme to cancel competitively awarded contracts and potential for political targeting.
    5. May 7, 2025: Pushed Secretary Wright at Department of Energy budget hearing on funding freezes and cuts at DOE
      1. Ranking Member Kaptur Remarks at Fiscal Year 2026 US Department of Energy Budget Hearing
      2. Transcript of Ranking Member Kaptur exchange with Secretary Wright:

    RANKING MEMBER MARCY KAPTUR:

    So one of the things I have to ask about is my own district. I don’t understand why there was a project that was to be awarded to a glass company. And for some reason, it was pulled or it’s sitting somewhere over there, and it has caused all kinds of problems for the company. You’re a businessman. You would understand this if I can find the right sheet here.

    There’s so many sheets of paper. It’s called Libbey glass and they have two furnaces. I come from an industrial part of America and life there has been hell for a long time because we forgot what the defense industrial base of this country really is. And we’ve been trying to catch up, but it’s been hard.

    And oh, here it is. OK. So the department had $6 billion in DOE investments that were leveraged with $14 billion of private sector investment. And one of those companies, Libbey Glass, which gave me permission to even use their — I’m even afraid to use their name in public. They’re a great company. They’re a legacy company in our community.

    I’ll start to cry. They’re generous and they work hard. And they are to replace four regenerative furnaces with two larger hybrid electric furnaces to reduce the carbon intensity of its Toledo Ohio facility by up to 50 percent. And the department is considering canceling more than 60 percent of their industrial demonstration projects, which would be devastating to our community.

    And this is a company that never left the city. They didn’t go out into the suburbs, OK, and break more ground. They’re a responsible company. And for this award review and cancellation process, how is DOE or any part of your administration assessing which DOE projects will be canceled or continued? What criteria are you using?

    And even if DOE chooses not to cancel any of these awards, these actions are creating mass confusion. Unemployment is going up in our area, by the way, and companies have canceled almost $8 billion in energy manufacturing projects so far just this year, five times more than was canceled last year. So given your private sector background, what can you do to help me understand what is happening to this particular company in the review process? Where are they?

    SECRETARY CHRIS WRIGHT:

    Representative Kaptur, I appreciate your passion for industrial America, keeping the industries we have, bringing new industries home. We are so aligned on that. It’s one of the things I’m excited about this administration. We’ve outsourced so many of those jobs overseas. I was lucky. I grew up in suburban America and got a great education.

    I’ve had a dreamy life. I could have been born somewhere else. I could have had a very different life. I share your passion.

    RANKING MEMBER MARCY KAPTUR:

    Thank you.

    SECRETARY CHRIS WRIGHT:

    I share your passion. So I think I mentioned briefly, I walk into a department that I am very passionate about energy and all that. I want to support as many activities and projects as we can, to save American industry and grow American industry. So fully aligned on that. I think I gave the numbers before, but I walked into a thing where $100 billion had been shoveled out the door in 76 days.

    SECRETARY CHRIS WRIGHT:

    I’m responsible for that money now, either in money out the door or committed to money to go out the door. I can’t look at American taxpayers, including taxpayers in your district and say, yes, we invested $2 billion and we built a bridge to nowhere. We built something and now it’s just closed because it had no marketplace, it had nowhere to go. So let me give you a quick little summary. So the answer is we haven’t canceled any projects because we’ve been slow and careful and deliberative. We’ve developed a process. And in the next few months, we will run hundreds of projects, including those through our thing.

    And if it’s viable and it’s going to create jobs and it’s going to do these great things, we’re going to support that project. And the simple little criterion we’re looking at is legal, um, that technology, is the technology viable? Is the engineering done competently? Is there a market for the thing that’s being built?

    Is there a financial model that that co-funding is coming in together with the DOE funding, so the project can be complete? And does it add to national or economic security? It sounds like that one, if all the other things work certainly would. And it is aligned with this agenda?

    RANKING MEMBER MARCY KAPTUR:

    Mr. Secretary, thank you for that, putting that on the record, but that was already approved. You are reviewing something that was — all the appropriated money was already there. Those decisions had been made. So that is a very — this is a very strange process because that — those dollars weren’t to be spent, um, already as we work toward the ’26 budget.

    1. May 12, 2025: Released factsheet highlighting Secretary Wright’s Lies at Hearing
      1. Kaptur and DeLauro Expose Energy Secretary’s Lies

    # # #

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Allen Continues to Stand with the American LSPTV Industry

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Rick Allen (R-GA-12)

    This week, Congressman Rick W. Allen (GA-12) led a bipartisan, bicameral group of his colleagues in sending letters to U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) Chair Amy Karpel in support of the American low-speed personal transportation vehicle (LSPTV) industry.

    In the letter to Secretary Lutnick, Congressman Allen, Congressman Joe Wilson (SC-02), and Senator Raphael Warnock (D-GA) write: “We commend the U.S. Department of Commerce for its hard work in conducting the antidumping and countervailing duty investigations on Low Speed Personal Transportation Vehicles from the People’s Republic of China. These investigations are critical to ensuring the unfairly traded Chinese imports do not continue to injure the American LSPTV industry.”

    The Members continue: “We are very concerned, however, by the actions being taken by Chinese LSPTV producers to circumvent and evade the trade relief needed by the domestic industry. It is clear to us that, since the Department’s preliminary determinations, Chinese LSPTV producers have responded, not by abiding U.S. trade rules, but rather by re-labeling and re-organizing their supply chains in an effort to skirt those very trade disciplines… We ask the Department to take all steps necessary to ensure that Chinese producers do not continue to erode U.S. trade measures, especially given the significant levels of dumping and subsidization that the agency has already found to exist among LSPTV imports from China.”

    In the letter to Chair Karpel, Congressman Allen and 24 of his colleagues write: “Facing large and increasing volumes of dumped and subsidized imports from China, the American LSPTV industry filed antidumping and countervailing duty cases in June 2024… With the aid of substantial Chinese government subsidies, these imported vehicles are being sold below U.S. market prices, taking sales and revenue from domestic producers and underselling and depressing U.S. prices.”

    The Members conclude: “In short, it is critical that our trade remedy laws accurately address unfair trade practices so that U.S. workers and businesses can compete on a level playing field. Domestic LSPTV manufacturers represent a quintessential American industry, and trade relief is crucial to ensuring that they do not continue to be injured by unfair Chinese import competition.”

    To read the full letter to Secretary Lutnick, CLICK HERE.
    To read the full letter to Chair Karpel, CLICK HERE.

    BACKGROUND: The Central Savannah River Area, encompassing Georgia and South Carolina, has long been the epicenter of U.S. golf cart manufacturing. It is home to two large producers that deliver electric vehicle models for personal and recreational transportation – PTVs, LSVs, and golf carts. Congressman Allen has been at the forefront of this issue since June 2024 and continues to seek relief for domestic LSPTV producers:

    • June 2024: Allen Leads Letter to USTR Urging Ambassador Tai to Expand Definition and Combat the Importation of Chinese-Subsidized Electric Vehicles
    • November 2024: Allen Leads Letter Urging Commerce Department to Stand by U.S. Manufacturers
    • December 2024: Commerce Department Finds China Unfairly Subsidized Low-Speed Transportation Vehicle Industry
    • January 2025: Commerce Department Establishes Antidumping Duties for Chinese LSPTV’s

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Unqualified lifeguard case addressed

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    The Food & Environmental Hygiene Department said today that a life-saving attendant at the San Francisco Towers swimming pool on Ventris Road, Happy Valley is suspected of using a fraudulent life-saving attendant certificate.

    The department elaborated that its officers, while verifying a batch of lifeguard records with the Hong Kong China Life Saving Society today, found that the credentials of a life-saving attendant on duty at the swimming pool on June 4 did not match the society’s records.

    As the life-saving attendant’s qualifications are in doubt, and the swimming pool has allegedly failed to provide a sufficient number of qualified life-saving attendants as required by law, the department ordered the immediate closure of the pool. It is also considering prosecuting the pool licensee.

    In addition to reporting the case to Police, the department notified the Property Management Services Authority to take parallel follow-up action.

    The Food & Environmental Hygiene Department has implemented a series of enhancement measures from May 19 to further prevent the employment of unqualified life-saving attendants at private swimming pools. In May, it inspected 713 licensed swimming pools and verified the qualifications of 1,041 life-saving attendants with the Hong Kong China Life Saving Society.

    Apart from the case in Happy Valley, no other irregularities regarding suspected employment of unqualified life-saving attendants have been identified, the department added.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Chinese authorities have allocated 580 million yuan to strengthen flood prevention measures.

    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

    BEIJING, June 6 (Xinhua) — Chinese authorities have allocated 580 million yuan (about 80.73 million U.S. dollars) to provincial-level regions to strengthen local flood control efforts, the Ministry of Finance said Friday.

    The funds, provided jointly by the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Water Resources, were sent to 29 provincial-level regions as well as the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps.

    Local authorities have been ordered to carry out in-depth inspections for hidden hazards at hydraulic structures that are critical to flood control, such as river and lake dams, reservoirs and key seawalls.

    They were also ordered to make every effort to work on flood prevention and preparation during China’s main flood season. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The Central Bank of the Russian Federation reduced the key rate from 21 to 20 percent.

    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

    Moscow, June 6 /Xinhua/ — The Board of Directors of the Bank of Russia on Friday decided to lower the key rate from 21 to 20 percent per annum.

    “Current inflationary pressure, including persistent inflation, continues to decline. While domestic demand continues to outpace the ability to expand the supply of goods and services, the Russian economy is gradually returning to a balanced growth trajectory,” the Central Bank of the Russian Federation said in a press release.

    The Bank of Russia predicts “a prolonged period of tight monetary policy.”

    “Further decisions on the key rate will be made depending on the speed and sustainability of the decline in inflation and inflation expectations,” the Central Bank of the Russian Federation said in a statement.

    According to the Bank of Russia’s forecast, given the current monetary policy, annual inflation will return to 4 percent in 2026. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Rosatom CEO Asks IAEA Director General to Become Mediator in Issues of Using American Fuel at Zaporizhzhya NPP

    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

    Moscow, June 6 /Xinhua/ — Rosatom CEO Alexey Likhachev has asked International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) head Rafael Grossi to mediate on the issue of using American fuel at the Zaporizhzhya NPP. He told reporters following talks with the IAEA chief in Kaliningrad.

    “An important point – we have spoken about it many times – is the issue of American fuel, fuel from Westinghouse… At today’s consultations, we discussed this topic with the IAEA leadership, and I asked Mr. Grossi to become a mediator in resolving this problem in cooperation with the American side – both in the person of the company and in the person of government bodies, in the person of nuclear supervision. We are grateful to the IAEA Director General for the positive steps in response. I very much hope that we will find this solution in cooperation directly with the fuel manufacturer and determine its future fate,” TASS quotes the head of Rosatom as saying.

    R. Grossi announced that the IAEA will take part in the World Atomic Week in Moscow, which will take place in September 2025.

    “The good news for the global nuclear industry is that a major event will be held in the second half of this year in September in Russia, in Moscow, and the IAEA is going to participate in this event. This is a major event for the development of the nuclear industry in the world,” said R. Grossi. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Ukraine Attacks Two Russian Military Airfields

    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

    Kyiv, June 6 /Xinhua/ – Ukraine attacked two airfields and other important military facilities in Russia on Friday night, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) reported on Telegram.

    The Engels airfield in the Saratov region in the southwest of the Russian Federation, which is a concentration site for Russian combat aircraft following an operation carried out by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) on June 1, came under attack.

    At least three fuel and lubricant tanks caught fire at the airfield and dozens of explosions were heard.

    The Dyagilevo airfield in the Ryazan region in western Russia, where air tankers and escort fighters are based, was also attacked. They are used to support missile strikes on Ukrainian territory. In addition, Russian strategic bombers fly out of Dyagilevo.

    According to preliminary data, a fire broke out in the target area; the information is being verified.

    In addition, a number of other Russian military facilities came under fire. In particular, a logistics point in the Kursk region of Russia was hit. The results of the attack are being clarified.

    All strikes were carried out by units of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine in cooperation with other components of the Defense Forces.

    On June 1, the SBU carried out a special operation called “Web”, during which it attacked airfields in several regions of the Russian Federation. According to the service’s estimates, 34 percent of Russian strategic aviation aircraft were damaged as a result of the strikes. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China’s foreign trade in services shows rapid growth in first four months of 2025

    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

    BEIJING, June 6 (Xinhua) — China’s foreign trade in services grew rapidly in the first four months of 2025, with travel-related services registering a sharp uptick, data from the Ministry of Commerce showed Friday.

    According to the agency, the volume of foreign trade in services in the country during the reporting period exceeded 2.63 trillion yuan (about 366.1 billion US dollars), increasing by 8.2 percent year-on-year.

    In particular, service exports reached nearly 1.13 trillion yuan, up 14.6 percent from a year earlier, while imports grew 3.9 percent to exceed 1.5 trillion yuan, leaving a trade deficit of 375.02 billion yuan.

    Trade in tourism-related services continued its rapid growth momentum, rising 14.7 percent year on year to 756.78 billion yuan, the data showed.

    At the same time, the volume of trade in knowledge-intensive services showed a 5.5 percent increase year-on-year and approached the mark of about 1.02 trillion yuan. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –