NewzIntel.com

Category: Commerce

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Committee highlights active engagement and thematic progress at Trade and Environment Week

    Source: WTO

    Headline: Committee highlights active engagement and thematic progress at Trade and Environment Week

    Trade and Environment Week 2025
    The WTO Secretariat report on the event highlighted the active engagement and vibrant discussions that took place throughout Trade and Environment Week as members and stakeholders explored the evolving relationship between trade and the environment. The 15 sessions, organized by WTO members, attracted high levels of participation, both in person and online.
    Key topics included agriculture and sustainability, climate resilience, carbon measures, deforestation and the circular economy, and decarbonizing supply chains. In addition, three WTO environmental initiatives – on fossil fuel subsidies, plastic pollution and sustainable development solutions – hosted events emphasizing inclusive approaches and developing country perspectives.
    Members hailed the event’s successful conclusion, acknowledging the breadth and depth of its discussions and its value as a platform for sharing experiences, generating new ideas and fostering collaboration among members and diverse stakeholders to better leverage trade policy in support of environmental sustainability and climate goals.
    The full programme and video recordings of the 2025 Trade and Environment Week are available here.
    Submissions
    At the 4 July meeting of the CTE, WTO members reviewed two submissions. The first was a joint submission by Japan and the Republic of Korea titled “Non-Binding Guidance on Methodologies for Measuring Embedded Emissions”, co-sponsored by Australia and the United Kingdom. Japan explained that the proposal aims to enhance transparency and interoperability around requirements for measuring embedded emissions in cross-border goods trade. It stressed that the proposal is intended to promote cooperation and to take on board the development dimension, and does not affect members’ existing WTO rights and obligations.
    A large number of delegations provided detailed and constructive comments on the new submission, and it was welcomed by many members who shared similar concerns over the high compliance costs – particularly for small businesses in developing economies and least-developed countries (LDCs) – caused by divergent approaches for measuring emissions. Several members underscored the importance of considering varying levels of development and climate responsibilities, and called for more inclusive consultations during the legislative processes.
    While welcoming the increased transparency envisaged in the proposal, some members emphasized that transparency should not replace or duplicate required notifications to relevant WTO bodies, nor place additional burdens on developing members. Many expressed openness to continuing work on the proposal with the co-sponsors.
    The second submission, tabled by Russia, was titled “Future Rules of Trade in Plastic Products and the WTO: Potential Conflict”. This paper raised concerns that future rules emerging from the ongoing UN plastics treaty negotiations – led by the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) – could create trade barriers, particularly for polymers and plastic products, and could conflict with WTO disciplines. The next round of INC negotiations is scheduled for August in Geneva.
    While some members emphasized the need to ensure that any legally binding treaties are consistent with WTO rules, others expressed support for the ongoing negotiations on plastic pollution and the mutual supportiveness between multilateral environmental agreements and the WTO.
    Follow-up to thematic sessions
    The Chair of the CTE, Ambassador Erwin Bollinger of Switzerland, reported to the Committee on the outcomes of his recent consultations with members regarding the path forward further to thematic sessions on three key topics: trade-related climate measures (TRCMs), technology transfer and sustainable agriculture. Launched in November 2023 at the request of members, the thematic session series serves as a platform to deepen understanding of specific issues through concrete case studies and the sharing of practical experiences.
    The Chair noted that members appreciated the fruitful exchanges in recent thematic sessions and expressed willingness to engage constructively in further discussions. On TRCMs, the exploration in greater depth of three sub-topics – transparency, development and coherence/interoperability – was seen as the right way forward. On the topic of technology transfer, members showed strong interest in continuing discussions to support developing members’ green transition. Regarding sustainable agriculture, members were in favour of organizing a thematic session in October, and Barbados and the United Kingdom were appointed as moderators to help shape the agenda.
    Members thanked the Chair for his report and exchanged views on the next steps. Many members underscored the need for further technical work, focused on the three sub-topics identified by the Chair, to better understand the impact of TRCMs. The new joint proposal by Japan, the Republic of Korea, Australia and the United Kingdom was cited as a valuable contribution to advancing work on improving interoperability and transparency.
    Members reaffirmed their interest in deepening discussions on technology transfer and proposed various formats for experience-sharing. Broad support was voiced for the upcoming thematic session on sustainable agriculture, with a focus on environmental aspects. Members also highlighted the importance of ensuring that thematic discussions complement rather than duplicate work underway in other WTO committees.
    Transparency and information-sharing
    At the CTE meeting, members were briefed on developments regarding the Dialogue on Plastics Pollution and Environmentally Sustainable Plastics Trade (DPP), the Trade and Environmental Sustainability Structured Discussions (TESSD), and the Fossil Fuels Subsidy Reform (FFSR).
    The WTO Secretariat presented the 2023 report of the WTO Environmental Database, issued on 8 May 2025, with a thematic focus on pollution. It also briefed members on recent and upcoming WTO technical assistance activities tailored to the requests of members, including the 2024 Advanced Thematic Course on Trade and Environment and an initiative by the WTO, World Bank Group and the World Economic Forum titled “Action on Climate and Trade” (ACT). ACT is part of the WTO technical assistance offering, and is designed to support developing economies and LDCs in leveraging trade policy to support their climate change mitigation and adaptation objectives, while also identifying opportunities for green trade-led growth.
    The Secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) provided an update on preparations for the 2025 Climate Change Conference (COP30), scheduled for November 2025 in Brazil. Brazil, which holds the COP30 Presidency, highlighted the COP30 Action Agenda, noting the inclusion of climate and trade as one of its key objectives. The WTO Secretariat briefed members, noting its collaboration with UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the International Trade Centre (ITC) and the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) to monitor COP30 developments, explore potential support for Brazil’s priorities in the context of the COP30 Presidency, and provide updates to members as they become available.
    Next meeting
    The next meeting of the Committee on Trade and Environment is scheduled for the week of 3 November 2025.

    Share

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Human Rights Council Concludes Fifty-Ninth Regular Session after Adopting 25 Resolutions and One Decision, Extending Six Country-Specific and Thematic Mandates

    Source: United Nations – Geneva

    The Human Rights Council today concluded its fifty-ninth regular session after adopting 25 resolutions and one decision. In these texts, among other things, the Council voted to extend six country-specific and thematic mandates.

    The Council extended one country mandate during the session, that of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea, whose mandate was extended for one year.

    The Council decided to extend, for a period of three years, the mandates of the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons, the Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, the Independent Expert on protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, and the Working Group on discrimination against women and girls.

    In a decision on the Implementation of activities mandated by the Human Rights Council in the context of the United Nations liquidity and financial crisis, the Council expressed its concern about the letter from the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights addressed to the President of the Human Rights Council, which indicated that certain activities mandated by the Council had been assessed by the Office of the High Commissioner as not deliverable in 2025 or 2026, owing to the liquidity and financial crisis affecting the United Nations.

    Further resolutions adopted concerned the situation of human rights of Rohingya Muslims and other minorities in Myanmar, the enhancement of international cooperation in the field of human rights, the negative impact of corruption on the enjoyment of human rights, access to medicines, vaccines and other health products in the context of the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, human rights and international solidarity, the right to education, civil society space, new and emerging digital technologies and human rights, the impact of arms transfers on human rights, the safety of journalists, the elimination of female genital mutilation, empowering women and girls in and through sport, the contribution of development to the enjoyment of all human rights, accelerating efforts to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls, human rights and climate change, cooperation with and assistance to Ukraine in the field of human rights, enhancing international cooperation, technical assistance, and capacity-building to strengthen national frameworks for the protection and empowerment of children in the digital space, and enhancement of technical cooperation and capacity-building in the field of human rights in Colombia to implement the recommendations of the Commission for the Clarification of Truth, Coexistence and Non-Repetition.

    The Council appointed Hee-Seok Shin (Republic of Korea) as a member of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, and Juana María Ibáñez Rivas (Peru) to the Expert Mechanism on the Right to Development, as the member from Latin American and Caribbean States.

    The Council also adopted, ad referendum, the draft report of the fifth-ninth session.

    Paul Empole Efambe, Rapporteur and Vice President of the Human Rights Council, presenting the session report, said during the fifty-ninth session, the Council had held 32 interactive dialogues; adopted 25 resolutions and one decision; had reviewed and adopted the results of the Universal Periodic Review of 14 countries; and had appointed two Special Procedures mandate holders.

    Jürg Lauber, President of the Human Rights Council, said the transparent sharing of figures ahead of the adoption of resolutions had allowed States to make well-informed decisions. Delegations in Geneva were therefore encouraged to follow up with counterparts in New York to ensure the Council’s decisions received the full budget for their implementation. The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights was also invited to continue to keep the Council updated on the status of its activities. The President and the Council were committed to finding solutions to the budget issues. In closing remarks, Mr. Lauber thanked all those who had made the session possible, including the members of the Bureau, the Secretariat, Conference Services and the Member States.

    The sixtieth regular session of the Human Rights Council is scheduled to be held from 8 September to 3 October 2025.

    Action on Resolutions

    Action on Resolutions Under Agenda Item One on Organizational and Procedural Matters 

    In a decision (A/HRC/59/L.37) on the Implementation of activities mandated by the Human Rights Council in the context of the United Nations liquidity and financial crisis , adopted without a vote, the Council expresses its concern about the letter dated 16 June 2025 from the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights addressed to the President of the Human Rights Council, indicating that certain activities mandated by the Council have currently been assessed by the Office of the High Commissioner as not deliverable in 2025 or 2026, owing to the liquidity and financial crisis affecting the United Nations; and invites the Office of the High Commissioner to provide, at the Organizational Meeting of the sixtieth session of the Council on 25 August 2025 and at the Organizational Session of the Council, on 8 December 2025, an updated and comprehensive assessment of the feasibility of implementing the above-mentioned activities, as well as any other activities mandated by the Council in the 2025-2026 period that might be affected by the liquidity and financial crisis.

    Action on Resolutions Under Agenda Item Two on the Annual Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and Reports of the Office of the High Commissioner and the Secretary-General 

    A resolution (A/HRC/59/L.1/Rev.1) on the Discontinuation of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea , was rejected by a vote of 4 in favour, 25 against and 18 abstentions.

    In a resolution (A/HRC/59/L.7) on the Situation of human rights in Eritrea, adopted by a vote of 23 in favour, 4 against and 20 abstentions, the Council decides to extend the mandate of Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea for a further period of one year; and requests the Special Rapporteur to submit and present a report to the Human Rights Council at its sixty-second session to be followed by an enhanced interactive dialogue on the situation of human rights in Eritrea with the participation of, inter alia, the Special Rapporteur, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, civil society, Indigenous Peoples, victims and survivors and other relevant stakeholders, and to the General Assembly at its eightieth session.

    An oral amendment to L.7 presented on the floor was rejected by a vote of 1 in favour, 24 against, and 19 abstentions.

    In a resolution (A/HRC/59/L.21) on the Situation of human rights of Rohingya Muslims and other minorities in Myanmar (as orally revised), adopted without a vote, the Council requests the High Commissioner for Human Rights to present a report at its sixty-third session, to be followed by an enhanced interactive dialogue with the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar; requests the High Commissioner to monitor and follow up on the implementation of the recommendations made by the independent international fact-finding mission on Myanmar, and to present an oral update to the Council at its sixty-fourth session, to be followed by an interactive dialogue, and a report at its sixty-sixth session, to be followed by an enhanced interactive dialogue with the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar, and a report to the General Assembly at its eighty-first session.

    Action on Resolutions Under Agenda Item Three on the Promotion and Protection of All Human Rights, Civil, Political, Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, including the Right to Development. 

    In a resolution (A/HRC/59/L.4) on Enhancement of international cooperation in the field of human rights , adopted by a vote of 30 in favour, 16 against and 1 abstention, the Council reiterates its request to the High Commissioner to organize a series of regional seminars, one for each of the five geographical regions, on the contribution of North-South, South-South and triangular cooperation to the enjoyment of all human rights, including the right to development, in order to allow States, relevant United Nations agencies, funds and programmes, international and regional organizations, national human rights institutions, civil society organizations and other stakeholders to augment their activities in identifying challenges and gaps and sharing good practices and experiences in this regard before the sixty-fifth session of the Council; requests the High Commissioner to prepare a summary report on the discussions held at the seminars and to present the report to the Human Rights Council at its sixty-fifth session; and requests the High Commissioner to prepare a new report on the work of the Office of the High Commissioner in the implementation and enhancement of international cooperation in the field of human rights, proposing possible ways to face the challenges to the promotion and protection of human rights, including the right to development, and to submit the report to the Human Rights Council at its sixty-second session.

    In a resolution (A/HRC/59/L.5) on The rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association , adopted without a vote, the Council decides to renew the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association for a period of three years; and requests the Special Rapporteur to continue to report annually to the Human Rights Council and the General Assembly.

    In a resolution (A/HRC/59/L.2) on theMandate of Independent Expert on protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, adopted by a vote of 29 in favour, 15 against and 3 abstentions, the Council decides to extend the mandate of the Independent Expert on protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity for a period of three years to enable the mandate holder to continue to work in accordance with the mandate established by the Human Rights Council; and requests the Independent Expert to continue to report annually on the implementation of the mandate to the Human Rights Council and the General Assembly in accordance with their respective programmes of work.

    In a resolution (A/HRC/59/L.6) on The negative impact of corruption on the enjoyment of human rights , adopted without a vote, the Council requests the Advisory Committee of the Human Rights Council to prepare a comprehensive study that develops concrete guidelines on implementing the existing procedural and substantive human rights obligations of States in the context of preventing and combatting corruption, and to present it to the Human Rights Council at its sixty-fourth session; requests that the above-mentioned study be developed in close cooperation and coordination with the Office of the High Commissioner, with a view to building on its existing work, supporting technical assistance, capacity building efforts and providing a strong foundation for policy development, information sharing and awareness raising at national, regional and international levels; and requests OHCHR to share the study with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.

    In a resolution (A/HRC/59/L.8) on Access to medicines, vaccines and other health products in the context of the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health , adopted by a vote of 32 in favour, 0 against and 15 abstentions, the Council requests the Office of the High Commissioner to continue its work, within its mandate, to provide technical assistance to States throughout the next three years on the human rights dimension of access to medicines and vaccines in the context of the right of everyone to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, and to present an analytical study on protection gaps of vulnerable segments of the population to the Human Rights Council at its sixty-second session, with a view to presenting to the Council, at its sixty-eighth session, a comprehensive report, including on the measures necessary to bridge protection gaps to ensure the accessibility and availability of medicines, vaccines and other health products.

    In a resolution (A/HRC/59/L.9) on Human rights and international solidarity, adopted by a vote of 27 in favour, 16 against and 4 abstentions, the Council requests the Independent Expert on human rights and international solidarity to continue to participate in relevant international forums and major events with a view to promoting the importance of international solidarity in the realization of all human rights, including the right to development and the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, especially those goals relating to economic, social and climate issues; and further requests the Independent Expert to hold two hybrid consultations between September and December 2025 and two in-person consultations between January and April 2026, in Geneva on the revised draft declaration on the right to international solidarity.

    In a resolution (A/HRC/59/L.11) on The right to education, adopted without a vote, the Council urges all States to give full effect to the right to education for all, including children, in all contexts, including in humanitarian emergencies and post-disaster phases, as well as in conflict situations and situations of occupation, by, inter alia, complying with their obligations to respect, protect and fulfil the right to education, and recognizing the right of every individual to be safe in education, understood as the right to be protected from any violation of their integrity, and to expand quality educational opportunities for all, by all appropriate means and without discrimination of any kind; recognizing the significant importance of investment in free, inclusive and equitable quality public education, at all levels; increasing and improving financing for education, including in humanitarian emergencies and conflict situations; ensuring that education policies and measures are consistent with human rights obligations, including those laid down in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and relevant international human rights instruments; and strengthening engagement with all relevant stakeholders.

    In a resolution (A/HRC/59/L.13) on Civil society space, adopted without a vote, the Council requests the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to prepare a thematic report in follow-up to the report containing practical recommendations for the creation and maintenance of a safe and enabling environment for civil society, based on good practices and lessons learned, submitted to the Council at its thirty-second session, and to review progress against the recommendations contained therein, identify new and emerging trends concerning civil society space, and provide an updated set of recommendations in the light of those trends, and to present the report to the Council at its sixty-third session.

    In a resolution (A/HRC/59/L.14) on New and emerging digital technologies and human rights, adopted without a vote, the Council requests the Office of the High Commissioner to prepare an analytical study, building on its previous report mapping the existing work of the Human Rights Council and the treaty bodies, outlining and clarifying States’ obligations under international human rights law, as well as relevant norms and commitments, and the human rights responsibilities of business enterprises in line with the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, across the life cycle of new and emerging digital technologies, identifying developments, gaps and recommendations on application and implementation, and to present the report to the Council at its sixty-second session; and further requests the Office of the High Commissioner to convene a multi-stakeholder intersessional meeting, ahead of the sixty-fourth session of the Human Rights Council, and to submit a summary report thereon to the Human Rights Council at its sixty-fourth session.

    In a resolution (A/HRC/59/L.15) on the Mandate of Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons , adopted without a vote, the Council decides to extend the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons for a period of three years, to work towards strengthening the international response to the complex problem of internal displacement; and requests the Special Rapporteur to continue to submit an annual report on the implementation of the mandate to the Council and to the General Assembly.

    In a resolution (A/HRC/59/L.16) on the Impact of arms transfers on human rights, adopted without a vote, the Council requests the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to prepare a study on the role of States and the private sector in preventing, addressing and mitigating the negative human rights impact of arms transfers, and to present the study to the Council at its sixty-sixth session; also requests the Office of the High Commissioner to organise a full-day intersessional workshop to inform the preparation of the aforementioned study, to be held before the sixty-fourth session of the Council and open to the participation of relevant stakeholders.

    In a resolution (A/HRC/59/L.18/Rev.1) on the Mandate of the Working Group on discrimination against women and girls , adopted without a vote, the Council decides to extend the mandate of the Working Group on discrimination against women and girls for a period of three years, and requests the Working Group to mainstream, across all its work, age and disability perspectives in the fulfilment of its mandate, and to examine the specific forms of discrimination that girls face; requests the Working Group to continue to present an oral report annually to the Commission on the Status of Women and the General Assembly; and decides to continue its consideration of the issue of the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women and girls as a matter of high priority, in conformity with its programme of work, at its sixty-second session.

    In a resolution (A/HRC/59/L.20) on The safety of journalists, adopted without a vote, the Council invites States and all other relevant stakeholders to follow up on the recommendations and outcomes from the tenth anniversary of the United Nations Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity; requests the High Commissioner for Human Rights to conduct a comprehensive study to assess the effectiveness of national frameworks for the protection of journalists, identify lessons learned, and make recommendations on how they should be adapted to respond to new threats, and to present the outcomes of the study in a report to be presented to the Council at its sixty-fifth session.

    In a resolution (A/HRC/59/L.22) on the Elimination of female genital mutilation, adopted without a vote, the Council decides to convene a high-level panel discussion, fully accessible for persons with disabilities, during the high-level segment of its sixty-first session on the role of new and emerging digital technologies in preventing and eliminating female genital mutilation, inviting relevant stakeholders to share good practices and lessons learned for the continuous improvement of digital approaches to end female genital mutilation, and invites the President of the Council to propose that the above-mentioned panel discussion be the high-level panel discussion on human rights mainstreaming to be held at the sixty-first session; and requests the High Commissioner for Human Rights to prepare a summary report on the panel discussion, and to submit the report to the Council at its sixty-fourth session.

    In a resolution (A/HRC/59/L.23/Rev.1) on Empowering women and girls in and through sport, adopted without a vote, the Council encourages States and national, regional and international sport organizations and federations to respect, protect and fulfil the human rights of women and girls and to promote their empowerment in and through sport; decides to convene at its sixty-second session a panel discussion on the intensification of efforts to empower women and girls in and through sport; and requests the High Commissioner for Human Rights to prepare a report on empowering women and girls in and through sport, based on the contributions of relevant stakeholders and taking into account the outcome of the above-mentioned panel discussion, and to present the report to the Council at its sixty-fifth session.

    In a resolution (A/HRC/59/L.25/Rev.1) on Accelerating efforts to achieving women’s economic empowerment , adopted without a vote, the Council calls upon States to accelerate efforts to achieve women’s economic empowerment; requests the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to prepare a report on trade agreements, including their gender equality provisions, and their impact on women’s economic empowerment, in consultation with all relevant stakeholders, including women’s and children’s rights organizations, and to present the report to the Council at its sixty-fifth session.

    In a resolution (A/HRC/59/L.12) on The contribution of development to the enjoyment of all human rights , adopted without a vote (as orally revised), the Council calls upon all States to promote inclusive and sustainable development; requests the Office of the High Commissioner to prepare a comprehensive report on the impact of economic policy conditionalities by international financial institutions on human rights, including economic, social and cultural rights, and to submit the report to the Council at its sixty-fourth session; and also requests the Office of the High Commissioner, when preparing the above-mentioned report, to seek input from experts from diverse geographic regions.

    In a resolution (A/HRC/59/L.24/Rev.1) on Accelerating efforts to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls: prevention through the fulfilment of economic, social and cultural rights , adopted without a vote (as orally revised), the Council decides to extend the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, its causes and consequence, as set out by the Council in its resolution 50/7, for a period of three years; requests the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to prepare a summary report, in accessible formats, including easy-to-read and plain language formats, on the annual discussions held at the present and sixty-second sessions, to present each report to the Council at its sixty-second and sixty-fifth sessions, respectively, and to make the annual discussion on the human rights of women fully accessible to persons with disabilities; and decides to continue its consideration of the issue as a matter of high priority at its sixty-second session.

    The following proposed amendments to L.24/Rev.1 were rejected: Amendment L.27, following a vote of 13 in favour, 27 against and 6 abstentions; Amendment L.28, following a vote of 13 in favour, 27 against and 5 abstentions, and Amendment L.29, following a vote of 13 in favour, 26 against and 7 abstentions.

    In a resolution (A/HRC/59/L.17) on Human rights and climate change, adopted without a vote (as orally revised), the Council decides that the annual panel discussion to be held at the sixty-second session shall be focused on facilitating actionable pathways for gaining momentum in climate financing in the context of addressing the adverse impacts of climate change on the full realisation of human rights for all people, and also decides that the panel discussion will have International Sign interpretation and captioning; requests the High Commissioner for Human Rights to submit a summary report on the panel discussion held at the sixty-second session to the Council at its sixty-fourth session; and requests the Secretary-General to prepare a synthesis report on actionable pathways in mobilising sufficient climate financing and associated challenges and opportunities in the pursuit of the full realisation of human rights for all people, and to submit the report to the Council at its sixty-third session, to be followed by an interactive dialogue.

    Action on Resolutions Under Agenda Item Five on Human Rights Bodies and Mechanisms 

    In a resolution (A/HRC/59/L.10) on The Social Forum, adopted without a vote, the Council decides that the Social Forum will meet for two working days in 2026, in Geneva, and should be focused on the contribution of international cooperation and solidarity to the realisation of the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health; requests the President of the Council to appoint, as early as possible, from candidates nominated by regional groups, the Chair-Rapporteur for the 2026 Social Forum, bearing in mind the principle of regional rotation; requests the High Commissioner for Human Rights to facilitate the participation in the 2026 Social Forum of no fewer than 10 experts; and requests the 2026 Social Forum to submit a report containing its conclusions and recommendations to the Council at its sixty-fifth session.

    Action on Resolutions Under Agenda Item 10 on Technical Assistance and Capacity Building 

    In a resolution (A/HRC/59/L.3) on Cooperation with and assistance to Ukraine in the field of human rights , adopted by a vote of 28 in favour, 2 against and 17 abstentions, the Council welcomes the oral presentations by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to the States members and non-members of the Human Rights Council and observers of the findings of the reports of the Office of the High Commissioner on the situation of human rights in Ukraine, held in accordance with Council resolutions 29/23, 32/29, 35/31, 41/25, 47/22 and 53/30; and requests the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to continue to present an oral update on the findings of each of the reports of the Office of the High Commissioner on the situation of human rights in Ukraine to the Human Rights Council at each of its sessions, until its sixty-fifth session, and before the end of 2025 and 2026, each to be followed by an interactive dialogue.

    In a resolution (A/HRC/59/L.19/Rev.1) on Enhancing international cooperation, technical assistance, and capacity-building to strengthen national frameworks for the protection and empowerment of children in the digital space , adopted without a vote, the Council encourages States members and observers of the Council to use the general debate under agenda item 10 as a platform to share experiences, achievements and good practices in the area of international cooperation, technical assistance, and capacity-building for the protection of children in the digital space; and encourages the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to provide technical assistance, capacity-building and support to develop and implement national measures to protect children in digital settings, and requests the Office to mobilise resources, including private sector funding, to that end.

    In a resolution (A/HRC/59/L.26) on Enhancement of technical cooperation and capacity-building in the field of human rights in Colombia to implement the recommendations of the Commission for the Clarification of Truth, Coexistence and Non-Repetition , adopted without a vote, the Council requests, for a renewable period of two years, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to enhance its technical assistance and capacity building for national and local authorities and other relevant actors, to assist Colombia in the implementation of the recommendations made by the Commission for the Clarification of Truth, Coexistence and Non-Repetition; and requests the High Commissioner to provide an oral update to the Council at its sixty-second session, and to submit a report to the Council at its sixty-fifth session, to be followed by an interactive dialogue

    Other Matters

    The Council appointed Hee-Seok Shin (Republic of Korea) as a member of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention.

    The Council also appointed Juana María Ibáñez Rivas (Peru) to the Expert Mechanism on the Right to Development, as the member from Latin American and Caribbean States.

    The Council also adopted its draft report ad referendum for the fifty-ninth session.

    ___________

    Produced by the United Nations Information Service in Geneva for use of the information media; not an official record.

    English and French versions of our releases are different as they are the product of two separate coverage teams that work independently.

    HRC.25.007E

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: AI is driving down the price of knowledge – universities have to rethink what they offer

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Patrick Dodd, Professional Teaching Fellow, Business School, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau

    For a long time, universities worked off a simple idea: knowledge was scarce. You paid for tuition, showed up to lectures, completed assignments and eventually earned a credential.

    That process did two things: it gave you access to knowledge that was hard to find elsewhere, and it signalled to employers you had invested time and effort to master that knowledge.

    The model worked because the supply curve for high-quality information sat far to the left, meaning knowledge was scarce and the price – tuition and wage premiums – stayed high.

    Now the curve has shifted right, as the graph below illustrates. When supply moves right – that is, something becomes more accessible – the new intersection with demand sits lower on the price axis. This is why tuition premiums and graduate wage advantages are now under pressure.

    According to global consultancy McKinsey, generative AI could add between US$2.6 trillion and $4.4 trillion in annual global productivity. Why? Because AI drives the marginal cost of producing and organising information toward zero.

    Large language models no longer just retrieve facts; they explain, translate, summarise and draft almost instantly. When supply explodes like that, basic economics says price falls. The “knowledge premium” universities have long sold is deflating as a result.

    Employers have already made their move

    Markets react faster than curriculums. Since ChatGPT launched, entry-level job listings in the United Kingdom have fallen by about a third. In the United States, several states are removing degree requirements from public-sector roles.

    In Maryland, for instance, the share of state-government job ads requiring a degree slid from roughly 68% to 53% between 2022 and 2024.

    In economic terms, employers are repricing labour because AI is now a substitute for many routine, codifiable tasks that graduates once performed. If a chatbot can complete the work at near-zero marginal cost, the wage premium paid to a junior analyst shrinks.

    But the value of knowledge is not falling at the same speed everywhere. Economists such as David Autor and Daron Acemoglu point out that technology substitutes for some tasks while complementing others:

    • codifiable knowledge – structured, rule-based material such as tax codes or contract templates – faces rapid substitution by AI

    • tacit knowledge – contextual skills such as leading a team through conflict – acts as a complement, so its value can even rise.

    Data backs this up. Labour market analytics company Lightcast notes that one-third of the skills employers want have changed between 2021 and 2024. The American Enterprise Institute warns that mid-level knowledge workers, whose jobs depend on repeatable expertise, are most at risk of wage pressure.

    So yes, baseline knowledge still matters. You need it to prompt AI, judge its output and make good decisions. But the equilibrium wage premium – meaning the extra pay employers offer once supply and demand for that knowledge settle – is sliding down the demand curve fast.

    What’s scarce now?

    Herbert Simon, the Nobel Prize–winning economist and cognitive scientist, put it neatly decades ago: “A wealth of information creates a poverty of attention.” When facts become cheap and plentiful, our limited capacity to filter, judge and apply them turns into the real bottleneck.

    That is why scarce resources shift from information itself to what machines still struggle to copy: focused attention, sound judgement, strong ethics, creativity and collaboration.

    I group these human complements under what I call the C.R.E.A.T.E.R. framework:

    • critical thinking – asking smart questions and spotting weak arguments

    • resilience and adaptability – staying steady when everything changes

    • emotional intelligence – understanding people and leading with empathy

    • accountability and ethics – taking responsibility for difficult calls

    • teamwork and collaboration – working well with people who think differently

    • entrepreneurial creativity – seeing gaps and building new solutions

    • reflection and lifelong learning – staying curious and ready to grow.

    These capabilities are the genuine scarcity in today’s market. They are complements to AI, not substitutes, which is why their wage returns hold or climb.

    What universities can do right now

    1. Audit courses: if ChatGPT can already score highly on an exam, the marginal value of teaching that content is near zero. Pivot the assessment toward judgement and synthesis.

    2. Reinvest in the learning experience: push resources into coached projects, messy real-world simulations, and ethical decision labs where AI is a tool, not the performer.

    3. Credential what matters: create micro-credentials for skills such as collaboration, initiative and ethical reasoning. These signal AI complements, not substitutes, and employers notice.

    4. Work with industry but keep it collaborative: invite employers to co-design assessments, not dictate them. A good partnership works like a design studio rather than a boardroom order sheet. Academics bring teaching expertise and rigour, employers supply real-world use cases, and students help test and refine the ideas.

    Universities can no longer rely on scarcity setting the price for the curated and credentialed form of information that used to be hard to obtain.

    The comparative advantage now lies in cultivating human skills that act as complements to AI. If universities do not adapt, the market – students and employers alike – will move on without them.

    The opportunity is clear. Shift the product from content delivery to judgement formation. Teach students how to think with, not against, intelligent machines. Because the old model, the one that priced knowledge as a scarce good, is already slipping below its economic break-even point.

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

    – ref. AI is driving down the price of knowledge – universities have to rethink what they offer – https://theconversation.com/ai-is-driving-down-the-price-of-knowledge-universities-have-to-rethink-what-they-offer-260493

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: FS begins visit to Seoul, Korea (with photos/video)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

    The Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, arrived in Seoul, Korea,this afternoon (July 8) to begin his visit.
     
    After his arrival, he visited the Bank of Korea, the country’s central bank, and met with its Governor, Mr Rhee Chang-yong, to exchange views on developments in finance, trade and economic landscapes of the two places, in the region and around the globe, as well as monetary and interest rate policies and investment trends. During the meeting, Mr Chan shared the latest developments in Hong Kong, particularly the continuous capital inflow to Hong Kong’s financial system, reflecting international investors’ confidence in Hong Kong in the current international environment. He stated that Hong Kong maintains a free and open economic and financial system and the Linked Exchange Rate System under the “one country, two systems” principle. Hong Kong’s unique advantage of being connected to the Mainland and the world, as well as its highly internationalised characteristics, is further attracting more international participants and capital to enjoy opportunities brought by developments in China. Hong Kong’s international ties are continuously deepening.
     
    Thereafter, he visited the Korea Investment Corporation (KIC) and met with its President and Chief Executive Officer, Mr Park Il-young. The KIC was established by the Korean government in 2005, responsible for managing part of the country’s foreign exchange reserves and other public funds for overseas investments. Currently, over US$200 billion of assets are under its management. During the meeting, both sides had an in-depth exchange of opinions on various issues of mutual concern, such as trends of investment markets, asset allocation strategies and digital asset developments.
     
    Mr Chan shared recent developments in Hong Kong’s economic and financial markets and its important role in connecting capital and investors from China and around the globe. He said that Hong Kong’s capital market is closely connected to the Mainland’s innovation and technology (I&T) ecosystem. The recent stock market is vibrant, with many leading Mainland I&T enterprises having listed or planning to list in Hong Kong. To international investors, Hong Kong serves as a highly effective gateway to tap into I&T opportunities in Greater China. He welcomed Korean capital to better use the Hong Kong market to allocate international investments and jointly seize the vast business opportunities of I&T developments.
     
    In the evening, Mr Chan had dinner with leaders in Korea’s digital asset industry, where he shared Hong Kong’s developments and opportunities in digital assets. He also encouraged the local industry to actively participate in the Hong Kong market and jointly explore and expand more applications and developments in digital assets.
     
    Mr Chan will continue his visit to Seoul tomorrow (July 9), including attending a seminar on the capital markets of Hong Kong and Korea, as well as a business luncheon jointly organised by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Tokyo and the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, where he will introduce Hong Kong’s new advantages and opportunities to the Korean financial and business sectors.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta Continues Engaging with Business Leaders, Hosts LA Discussion on Tariff Impacts

    Source: US State of California

    AG hosts second roundtable to discuss the impacts of Trump’s disruptive tariffs on front-line industries 

    LOS ANGELES — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today hosted business leaders for a roundtable conversation to discuss the impacts of President Trump’s illegal and chaotic tariffs across industries in California. The roundtable in Los Angeles follows California’s lawsuit against the Trump Administration over its use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977 (IEEPA) to illegally impose tariffs, and included leaders from the trucking and shipping industries, ports, and small businesses and business chambers. President Trump’s erratic tariffs are wreaking havoc on the U.S. financial system and causing uniquely immense harm to California’s economy, which as the fourth largest economy in the world, remains a major driver of our national economy. The tariffs challenged under California’s current lawsuit are projected to shrink the U.S. economy by $178 billion, cost California consumers $25 billion, and result in the loss of over 64,000 jobs throughout California.  

    “President Trump’s destructive and unpredictable tariff regime has sent shockwaves through financial markets, businesses, and consumers in every corner of the globe — and especially here in California, home to the fourth largest economy in the world,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta. “Today, I heard from leaders on the front lines concerned about the disastrous impact of tariffs on their industries and businesses. These folks are sounding the alarm — and I sincerely thank Los Angeles business and industry leaders for being open about the challenges Angelinos are facing on the ground. As the People’s Attorney, I will continue to fight for California’s vibrant economy, businesses, workers, and families.”  

    “The erratic tariff policies have created unprecedented uncertainty for harbor businesses, making it impossible to plan shipments or investments,” said Henry Rogers, Executive Director, Harbor Association of Industry & Commerce. “As representatives of companies on the front lines of global trade through the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, we need the predictability our industry requires to continue supporting California’s economy and the jobs that depend on efficient international commerce.”

    “Tariff increases are straining essential drivers of the LA economy, including the construction, manufacturing, and retail sectors,” said Nella McOsker, President & CEO, Central City Association. “Combined with immigration raids that terrorize small businesses, their employees, and potential patrons—especially in Downtown LA—these federal actions are unnecessarily destabilizing our workforce, hindering economic growth, and jeopardizing the well-being of our communities.”

    BACKGROUND 

    Attorney General Bonta is committed to challenging the illegal tariffs that threaten California jobs, businesses, and consumers. On April 16, Attorney General Bonta and Governor Newsom filed a lawsuit challenging President Trump’s unlawful use of power to impose tariffs and direct agencies within the administration to implement and enforce those tariffs without the consent of Congress. In May, California filed a motion for a preliminary injunction with the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California to stop the Trump Administration’s illegal tariffs while litigation in their case proceeds and filed an amicus brief in the Court of International Trade in Oregon v. Trump, another case also challenging President Trump’s illegal imposition of tariffs. In June, a judge granted California’s request for dismissal to allow the state to appeal its case challenging the Trump Administration’s illegal tariffs after the Administration asked that the case be transferred to the Court of International Trade — a motion that California opposed. The dismissal kept the case in California and allowed California to appeal to the Ninth Circuit. This case remains ongoing.

    More information about the lawsuit can be found here. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Minister Burke Welcomes Ireland’s Competitiveness Challenge 2025 Report

    Source: Government of Ireland – Department of Jobs Enterprise and Innovation

    8th July 2025

    The Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Peter Burke, welcomes the publication today of Ireland’s Competitiveness Challenge 2025, by the National Competitiveness and Productivity Council.

    Minister Burke said:

    “I welcome the National Competitiveness and Productivity Council’s analysis and recommendations, as set out in Ireland’s Competitiveness Challenge 2025. I also welcome the various positive findings by the Council about Ireland’s competitiveness performance – including an overall ranking of 7th in the IMD World Competitiveness Rankings – and concur with the Council’s assessment that we must not take our strong position for granted, given the highly competitive and uncertain global context in which we find ourselves. It is important for Ireland to retain its core strengths while addressing weaknesses.”

    This year’s Challenge report sets out a range of key issues facing Ireland’s economy over the medium to long-term with a clear emphasis on addressing those matters within our own control. The report’s high-level actions focus on exercising restraint in fiscal policy, addressing the cost of doing business, taking immediate action on infrastructural deficits, preparing the workforce for the future, and investing in digitalisation to improve productivity.

    The Minister added:

    “This work by the Council is highly valuable to Government. This year’s Challenge report has been an important input into the development of the Action Plan on Competitiveness and Productivity which was discussed at the second annual Competitiveness Summit this week. The Government will take the recommendations from the Council into consideration and will issue a formal reply in due course.”

    Ireland’s Competitive Challenge 2025 draws on the best available domestic and international research, and the most recent data available at the time of publication. This report makes 19 targeted and actionable recommendations to Government on the best ways to improve the competitiveness and productivity of the economy. Along with immediate issues facing the Irish economy, five medium- to long-term challenge areas are explored in detail in separate chapters of the report.

    This year, the Council has brought forward the publication of the Challenge report, with a view to making the report an important input to the Action Plan on Competitiveness and Productivity.

    NOTES TO EDITORS

    The National Competitiveness and Productivity Council (NCPC) was established in 1997 (then the National Competitiveness Council) to report to the Taoiseach, through the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, on key competitiveness issues facing the Irish economy. In 2019, the NCPC was designated as Ireland’s National Productivity Board. 

    As part of its work, the NCPC makes recommendations on policy actions required to enhance Ireland’s competitive position. The NCPC publishes three main research outputs:

    • The Competitiveness Scorecard benchmarks Ireland against international competitors on areas of competitiveness and productivity. This is published every three years (and was last published in 2024).
    • The Competitiveness Challenge is an annual publication in which the NCPC makes recommendations for Government on key challenges to Ireland’s international competitiveness.
    • NCPC Bulletins are short and focused research notes, examining specific topics within the sphere of competitiveness and productivity. The NCPC releases multiple Bulletins each year. These short pieces often feed into the NCPC’s main Challenges report.

    The members of the Council are:

    Dr. Frances Ruane

    Chair – National Competitiveness and Productivity Council

    Dr. Laura Bambrick

    Head of Social Policy & Employment Affairs, ICTU

    Edel Clancy

    Group Director of Corporate Affairs, Musgrave Group

    Kevin Sherry 

    Interim Chief Executive, Enterprise Ireland

    Ciaran Conlon 

    Director of Public Policy, Microsoft Ireland

    Luiz de Mello

    Director of Country Studies, Economics Department, OECD

    Maeve Dineen

    Chair of Ireland’s Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman

    Brian McHugh

    Chairperson, Competition and Consumer Protection Commission

    Gary Tobin

    Assistant Secretary, Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment

    Michael Lohan

    Chief Executive, IDA Ireland

    Liam Madden 

    Independent Consultant, Semiconductor Industry

    Neil McDonnell

    Chief Executive, ISME

    Bernadette McGahon

    Director of Innovation Services, Industry Research & Development Group

    Danny McCoy 

    Chief Executive, IBEC

    Michael Taft 

    Research Officer, SIPTU

    ENDS

    Back to Department News

    Back to Top

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Ruiz introduces the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act to combat obesity epidemic, improve Americans’ health

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Raul Ruiz (36th District of California)

    Palm Desert, CA – Today, U.S. Representatives Dr. Raul Ruiz (D-CA), Mike Kelly (R-PA), Mariannette Miller-Meeks, M.D. (R-IA), and Gwen Moore (D-WI) introduced the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act (TROA), bipartisan legislation to combat the obesity crisis in the United States by providing regular screenings. 

    The bill would also prevent diseases associated with obesity through expanded coverage of new health care specialists and chronic weight management medications for Medicare recipients.

    “Obesity is a complex, chronic disease and a growing public health crisis that costs our nation billions each year,” said Congressman Dr. Raul Ruiz. “As an emergency physician, I’ve treated countless patients suffering from diabetes, heart disease, and other serious complications linked to obesity. The bipartisan Treat and Reduce Obesity Act would give seniors struggling with obesity access to Medicare coverage for proven medications and behavioral therapies, empowering them to live healthier, longer lives.”

    “The Treat and Reduce Obesity Act takes a critical step toward improving patient costs and patient outcomes,” said Rep. Kelly. “This bipartisan legislation would allow seniors struggling with obesity to take a responsible, proactive approach to improve their health and live longer, more active lives. I look forward to working with the Trump administration and the team at CMS, including my friend Dr. Mehmet Oz, to make America healthy again!”

    “As a physician and former director of the Iowa Department of Public Health, I have seen firsthand how obesity contributes to serious and preventable health conditions. The Treat and Reduce Obesity Act allows Medicare beneficiaries to access life-changing treatments, including behavioral therapy and FDA-approved medications. This bipartisan legislation improves health outcomes, lowers long-term costs, and helps Americans live longer and healthier lives,” said Dr. Miller-Meeks.

    “Obesity poses a growing health risk to millions of Americans, especially older adults. TROA would support critical medical interventions that can help those struggling with obesity, improving the overall health and wellbeing of Medicare beneficiaries,” said Rep. Moore.

    You can find the full bill text here.

    Senator Bill Cassidy leads companion legislation in the U.S. Senate.

    BACKGROUND

    According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, diseases associated with obesity such as heart disease, stroke, type II diabetes, and certain types of cancer are the leading causes of preventable death in the U.S. TROA would work to directly prevent these comorbidities.

    The scientific understanding of obesity has evolved, recognizing it as a complex, chronic, and relapsing disease. Obesity is a public health crisis in the United States. The total economic and societal impact of obesity rose to $1.4 trillion in the United States in 2018, up from $976 billion in 2014.

    A recent study found that Medicare beneficiaries with obesity and at least one other chronic illness could significantly reduce healthcare costs through weight management. Annual savings were estimated at up to 38% or nearly $10,000 in medical cost savings. Additionally, the USC Schaeffer Center found coverage of new obesity treatments could generate approximately $175 billion in cost offsets to Medicare in the first 10 years alone, increasing to $700 billion in 30 years. Coverage of medications to treat obesity will enhance human health and reduce federal healthcare costs by lowering the risks and prevalence of costly obesity-related chronic diseases.

    The following organizations have endorsed TROA this Congress: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, American Academy of Pas, American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, American Diabetes Association, American Gastroenterological Association, American Medical Group Association, American Psychological Association, American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery, American Society for Nutrition, Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations, Association of Diabetes Care and Education Specialists, Black Woman’s Health Imperative, Boehringer-Ingelheim, ConscienHealth, Currax, Diabetes Leadership Council, Diabetes Patient Advocacy Coalition, Eli Lilly and Company, Endocrine Society, Gerontological Society of America, Global Liver Institute, Healthcare Leadership Council, HealthyWomen, Intuitive Surgical, MedTech Coalition for Metabolic Health, National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions, National Consumers League, National Council on Aging, National Hispanic Medical Association, National Kidney Foundation, Novo Nordisk, Obesity Action Coalition, Obesity Medicine Association, Ro, Strategies to Overcome and Prevent (STOP) Obesity Alliance, The Obesity Society, Trust for America’s Health, WW Weight Watchers International, and YMCA of the USA.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: African Petroleum Producers’ Organization (APPO) Secretary General to Speak at the African Energy Week (AEW) 2025 as Africa Energy Bank Prepares for Launch

    Source: APO

    In a significant step toward bolstering financing for Africa’s energy sector, the African Petroleum Producers’ Organization (APPO) and the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) are advancing plans to launch the African Energy Bank (AEB). In April this year, APPO hired consulting firm PWC as project management consultants for the $5 billion development finance institution, which will be headquartered in Abuja, Nigeria and is set to commence operations this year.

    The bank will provide tailored financing solutions for African oil and gas projects, addressing long-standing funding gaps and enabling project developers to advance exploration, production and monetization initiatives. In the wake of this major milestone for energy financing on the continent, Dr. Omar Farouk Ibrahim, Secretary General, APPO will participate as a speaker at this year’s African Energy Week: Invest in African Energies 2025 – taking place from September 29 to October 3 in Cape Town.

    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 http://www.AECWeek.com for more information about this exciting event.

    The AEB will feature a three-tiered shareholder structure, including APPO member states, other African nations and their national oil companies, as well as individual and corporate investors from outside the continent. So far, Nigeria, Angola and Ghana have fulfilled their capital commitments to the bank, representing 44% of the required minimum contributions and laying the groundwork for its launch. Additional pledges have been made by Algeria, Benin, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea and Ivory Coast.

    The launch of the AEB comes amid a broader shift in African energy cooperation, with APPO, the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa and the Central Africa Business & Energy Forum signing a MoU in April 2025 to develop the Central African Pipeline System. The system, spanning up to 11 countries, envisions thousands of kilometers of oil, gas and LPG pipelines and associated infrastructure aimed at improving regional energy access and security.

    APPO has also established a strong partnership with the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). The collaboration between the two organizations aims to advance African oil and gas projects through shared expertise, coordinated efforts in market stabilization and investment opportunities. This partnership demonstrates APPO’s commitment to engaging in collaborative action to address Africa’s energy needs as well as advancing sustainable development on the continent.

    “Dr. Omar Farouk Ibrahim’s leadership in establishing the African Energy Bank represents a bold step toward a self-sustained African energy sector. His participation at AEW: Invest in African Energies 2025 will spotlight the future of energy financing on the continent and inspire confidence in Africa’s ability to fund its own growth,” states Tomás Gerbasio, VP of Commercial and Strategic Engagement, African Energy Chamber.

    With major oil and gas projects underway in Africa – such as the cross-border Greater Tortue Ahmeyim LNG development, Mozambique LNG, Uganda’s Lake Albert development, Senegal’s Sangomar field development and others – APPO stands ready to support these initiatives by ensuring access to necessary funding. As such, AEW: Invest in African Energies 2025 serves as the premier platform for stakeholders and policymakers to engage with international and domestic investors to make deals and form partnerships that align with the continent’s energy goals.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

    Media files

    .

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI: Blue Navy Recovery Celebrates 40 5-Star Reviews on Google, Reinforcing Role as a Top-Rated Unclaimed Property Recovery Service in California and Georgia

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Irvine, CA, July 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Blue Navy Recovery, a recognized leader in the field, has announced the achievement of 40 five-star ratings on Google for its unclaimed property recovery work in California and Georgia. This growing public recognition, including recent coverage in Business Insider and Yahoo! Finance, solidifies Blue Navy’s standing as one of the best unclaimed property recovery service providers for individuals seeking to reclaim state-held funds.

    Blue Navy Recovery’s official site, guiding users in California and Georgia through the unclaimed property process.

    Built on a full-service, results-first model, Blue Navy Recovery handles the entire process—from locating unclaimed assets to preparing paperwork and communicating directly with state agencies. Its team-based, no-upfront-cost approach is a key reason why the firm is widely regarded as a trusted and top-rated service for clients who want simplicity, security, and results. This milestone on Google highlights how real individuals have benefited from the firm’s commitment to accuracy, transparency, and efficiency.

    “Our model is built around delivering results, not promises,” said David Dorfman, Managing Partner at Blue Navy Recovery. “Being recognized as a top-rated recovery service by the people we’ve helped means we’re living up to our mission—reconnecting individuals with money they didn’t even know was missing.”

    The firm’s growing presence in California and Georgia has been powered by a secure, detail-driven process that protects claimant information and eliminates common pain points in the verification and filing stages. A wide range of real-world case outcomes—ranging from insurance refunds and uncashed checks to dormant savings accounts—are documented in client-submitted reviews on public platforms that show why so many trust Blue Navy to handle their recovery. For prospective clients looking for credible, firsthand examples of the firm’s impact, this collection provides insight into why many consider Blue Navy the best unclaimed property recovery service in the state.

    Blue Navy’s highly rated Google Place page further reinforces its industry reputation. These public ratings reflect how the company’s experienced specialists, rather than generic call center agents, offer expert support tailored to each claim. The firm’s FAQ page breaks down the unclaimed property recovery process by state, while its blog offers deeper education on how forgotten assets are transferred and how individuals can act before funds are lost for good.

    What Is Unclaimed Property Recovery?

    Unclaimed property recovery refers to the process of locating and reclaiming financial assets that have been handed over to a state government after a period of inactivity or lost contact with the rightful owner. This typically includes dormant bank accounts, uncashed checks, insurance payouts, stock dividends, and more. In unclaimed funds cases in California and unclaimed property cases in Georgia, these unclaimed assets are held by the state until a valid claim is submitted by the rightful owner or their heir.

    How to Recover Unclaimed Property in CA or Georgia

    To initiate unclaimed property recovery in California or Georgia, individuals must submit a formal claim through the respective state’s unclaimed property division. While the process can vary slightly between states, both require proper documentation and identity verification.

    Blue Navy Recovery specializes in streamlining this process for claimants in CA and Georgia by:

    – Preparing and filing all required paperwork

    – Assisting with verification and notarization

    – Handling all communication with the state agencies

    Is Blue Navy Recovery a Legitimate Service?

    Absolutely. Blue Navy Recovery is a reputable business with a strong track record with a successful history of helping clients recover unclaimed property in California and Georgia. The company operates on a contingency basis, with no upfront fees, and only collects a small percentage after your claim has been paid. Blue Navy’s transparent approach and proven results make the firm a trusted partner in the unclaimed property recovery space. The company recently celebrated their 200th successful unclaimed property recovery cases, a story that was picked up by media outlets like Yahoo! Finance, Business Insider, and Globe Newswire.

    To get started or to understand why Blue Navy is frequently cited as the best unclaimed property recovery service, visit the official Blue Navy Recovery website or log in via the firm’s client portal.

    Blue Navy Recovery provides trusted, expert-led support as a leading unclaimed property recovery service in California and Georgia.

    About Blue Navy Recovery

    Blue Navy Recovery is a professional unclaimed property recovery firm that helps individuals and families recover lost or forgotten funds held by the state. With deep experience navigating the claims process in California and Georgia, we’ve helped return millions of dollars to rightful owners. We handle the paperwork, follow-ups, and filing — so you don’t have to. Our team only collects a percentage of the recovered amount, with no upfront cost. 

    Press inquiries

    Blue Navy Recovery
    https://www.bluenavy.org
    David Dorfman
    david@bluenavy.org
    (619) 215-1972

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Stein Announces Financial Services Firm AssetMark Will Create 252 Jobs in Charlotte

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: Governor Stein Announces Financial Services Firm AssetMark Will Create 252 Jobs in Charlotte

    Governor Stein Announces Financial Services Firm AssetMark Will Create 252 Jobs in Charlotte
    lsaito

    Raleigh, NC

    Governor Josh Stein announced today that AssetMark, a leading wealth management platform for financial advisors, will create 252 jobs in Charlotte. The company will invest $10 million in Mecklenburg County.

    “AssetMark’s decision to grow its business in Charlotte proves once again that business leaders recognize North Carolina as one of the country’s best places to do business,” said Governor Josh Stein. “Charlotte’s status as a fintech hub combined with our state’s education and workforce training programs and our top-notch business climate provides companies with the competitive advantages they need to be successful.”

    AssetMark, headquartered in Concord, California, provides innovative solutions, insightful guidance, and excellent service to financial advisors at every stage of their journey. The company, together with its affiliates AssetMark Trust Company, Voyant, and Adhesion Wealth Advisor Solutions, has more than 1,000 employees and serves more than 10,700 financial advisors and more than 317,000 investor households. AssetMark’s expansion in Charlotte will establish the location as the company’s East Coast Hub, supporting nearly 4,300 advisors in the region. 

    “We are excited about our partnership with Charlotte and the State of North Carolina, which will allow us to establish our East Coast Hub,” said Lou Maiuri, Chairman and Group CEO for AssetMark. “The committed investment from North Carolina allows us to grow our cross-functional presence in Charlotte so that we can better serve a significant portion of our clients. Exceptional service is at the center of everything we do at AssetMark. This partnership means we can continue to enhance our support for our advisors and their clients, while allowing us to tap into the exceptional talent pool available in Charlotte.” 

    “Charlotte’s place as one of the nation’s top financial centers grows stronger today with the addition of an innovative company like AssetMark,” said Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley. “Fintech companies are especially drawn to North Carolina’s deep pool of IT talent and tailored training programs, which provide an ideal foundation for accelerating their growth in the state.”

    Although wages will vary depending on the position, the average salary for the new positions will be $110,518, compared with an average wage in Mecklenburg County of $86,830. The new positions will bring an annual payroll impact to the community of more than $27 million per year.

    The company’s project in North Carolina will be facilitated, in part, by a Job Development Investment Grant (JDIG) approved by the state’s Economic Investment Committee earlier today and formally awarded to AssetMark Financial Holdings, Inc. Over the course of the 12-year term of this grant, the project is estimated to grow the state’s economy by more than $1.2 billion. Using a formula that takes into account the new tax revenues generated by the new jobs, the JDIG agreement authorizes the potential reimbursement to the company of up to $1,941,750, spread over 12 years. State payments only occur following performance verification by the departments of Commerce and Revenue that the company has met its incremental job creation targets.

    The project’s projected return on investment of public dollars is 303 per cent, meaning for every dollar of potential cost, the state receives $4.03 in state revenue. JDIG projects result in positive net tax revenue to the state treasury, even after taking into consideration the grant’s reimbursement payments to a given company. 

    Because AssetMark chose a location in Mecklenburg County, classified by the state’s economic tier system as Tier 3, the company’s JDIG agreement also calls for moving $647,250 into the state’s Industrial Development Fund – Utility Account. The Utility Account helps rural communities finance necessary infrastructure upgrades to attract future business. Even when new jobs are created in a Tier 3 county such as Mecklenburg, the new tax revenue generated through JDIG grants helps more economically challenged communities elsewhere in the state.

    “Charlotte continues to be an attractive destination for financial services companies, and I’m pleased to welcome AssetMark as they expand their operations here,” said Senator DeAndrea Salvador. “With a strong talent pool and a track record of innovation, our region offers the tools and talent they need to thrive.” 

    “We welcome these new jobs for Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, and for our state as a whole,” said Representative Mary Belk. “Everyone in our community will offer AssetMark a warm welcome and we will connect this company with the many resources in our region that will power their company’s growth here in North Carolina.”

    Partnering with the North Carolina Department of Commerce and the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina on this project were the North Carolina General Assembly, the North Carolina Community College System, the Commerce Department’s Division of Workforce Solutions, Mecklenburg County, and the City of Charlotte. 

    Jul 8, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Stein Announces 510 New Jobs as Citigroup Selects Charlotte for Expansion

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: Governor Stein Announces 510 New Jobs as Citigroup Selects Charlotte for Expansion

    Governor Stein Announces 510 New Jobs as Citigroup Selects Charlotte for Expansion
    lsaito

    Raleigh, NC

    Today, Governor Josh Stein announced that Citigroup, Inc. will create 510 additional jobs in Charlotte. The global financial services company will invest $16.1 million for this major office facility in Mecklenburg County. The company’s physical presence in Charlotte will enable it to expand its local headcount in areas like personal banking, finance, and marketing.

    “Citi’s decision makes clear once again that Charlotte is one of the nation’s top financial centers,” said Governor Josh Stein. “North Carolina offers a specialized and highly skilled workforce along with a friendly business climate. Our state will continue to invest in the education and workforce programs that keep North Carolina one of the best places to do business.”  

    “As we reviewed our real estate footprint in the United States, Charlotte stood out as a location where we had a unique opportunity to invest by establishing a formal presence,” said Edward Skyler, Citi’s Head of Enterprise Services & Public Affairs. “This will create a better working environment for our existing colleagues as well as allow us to further tap into the deep pool of talent in this market. We appreciate the work Governor Stein and other public officials have done to make this area so attractive to businesses, and we look forward to playing a larger role in Charlotte’s growth over the coming years.”  

    Citi is one of the world’s leading banking institutions, partnering with organizations with cross-border needs, serving as a global leader in wealth management, and becoming known as a valued personal bank in its home market of the United States. Citi does business in more than 180 countries and jurisdictions, providing corporations, governments, investors, institutions, and individuals with a broad range of financial products and services.  

    “There’s a reason North Carolina’s financial services industry has grown an impressive 30 percent since 2018,” said Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley. “Our concentration of finance-focused workers and IT professionals has created an environment that attracts companies seeking the specialized skills we can offer. Today’s decision by Citi continues to build North Carolina’s momentum with this important industry.”  

    Although wages will vary depending on the position, the average salary for the new positions will be $131,832, compared with an average wage of $86,830 in Mecklenburg County. The new positions will bring to the community an annual payroll impact of more than $65 million per year.

    The company’s project in North Carolina will be facilitated, in part, by a Job Development Investment Grant (JDIG) awarded to Citigroup Technology, Inc. and approved by the state’s Economic Investment Committee earlier today. Over the course of the 10-year term of this grant, the project is estimated to grow the state’s economy by more than $2.7 billion. Using a formula that takes into account the new tax revenues generated by the new jobs and the capital investment, the JDIG agreement authorizes the potential reimbursement to the company of up to $8,938,500, spread over 10 years. State payments occur only after performance verification by the departments of Commerce and Revenue that the company has met its incremental job creation and investment targets.

    The project’s projected return on investment of public dollars is 255 percent, meaning for every dollar of potential cost, the state receives $3.55 in state revenue. JDIG projects result in positive net tax revenue to the state treasury, even after taking into consideration the grant’s reimbursement payments to a given company.  

    Because Citi chose a location in Mecklenburg County, classified by the state’s economic tier system as Tier 3, the company’s JDIG agreement also calls for moving $2,979,500 into the state’s Industrial Development Fund – Utility Account. The Utility Account helps rural communities finance necessary infrastructure upgrades to attract future business. Even when new jobs are created in a Tier 3 county such as Mecklenburg, the new tax revenue generated through JDIG grants helps more economically challenged communities elsewhere in the state.

    “Citi’s expansion is a major win for Mecklenburg County and a vote of confidence in Charlotte’s place as a global financial hub,” said Senator Woodson Bradley. “We’re proud to welcome this growth in our community and will do everything we can to help them be successful in our region.”  

    Partnering with the North Carolina Department of Commerce and the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina on this project were the North Carolina General Assembly, the North Carolina Community College System, the Commerce Department’s Division of Workforce Solutions, Mecklenburg County, and the City of Charlotte. 

    Jul 8, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: EIA revises crude oil price forecast amid uncertainty and volatility but still expects prices will decrease

    Source: US Energy Information Administration

    U.S. ENERGY INFORMATION ADMINISTRATION
    WASHINGTON DC 20585

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    July 8, 2025

    The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) expects the Brent crude oil price to average less than $70 per barrel in 2025 and about $58 per barrel in 2026. In its July Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO), EIA revised its 2025 oil price forecast slightly upward this month in response to unrest in the Middle East creating uncertainty in the oil market.

    “The oil market is experiencing uncertainty from regional conflict, demand growth, and several other factors,” said EIA Acting Administrator Steve Nalley. “Our forecast for lower oil prices comes from basic economic fundamentals that when supply grows faster than demand, prices decrease.”

    EIA expects lower oil prices to affect U.S. gasoline prices and domestic oil production, detailed in the highlights below.

    U.S. energy market indicators 2024 2025 2026
    Brent crude oil spot price (dollars per barrel) $81 $69 $58
    Retail gasoline price (dollars per gallon) $3.30 $3.10 $3.00
    U.S. crude oil production (million barrels per day) 13.2 13.4 13.4
    Natural gas price at Henry Hub (dollars per million British thermal units) $2.20 $3.70 $4.40
    U.S. liquefied natural gas gross exports (billion cubic feet per day) 12 15 16
    Shares of U.S. electricity generation       
    Natural gas 42% 40% 40%
    Coal 16% 17% 15%
    Renewables 23% 25% 26%
    Nuclear 19% 18% 18%
    U.S. GDP (percentage change) 2.8% 1.4% 1.9%
    U.S. CO2 emissions (billion metric tons) 4.8 4.8 4.8
    Data source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Short-Term Energy Outlook, July 2025
    Note: Values in this table are rounded and may not match values in other tables in this report.
    • Global oil supply and prices: EIA expects the Brent crude oil price to average $69 per barrel this year, which is $3 per barrel higher than in last month’s forecast. EIA revised its forecast upward following higher near-term prices resulting from the geopolitical risks of the Israel-Iran conflict. EIA expects increasing global oil supply to continue pushing oil prices down in 2026, with the Brent price averaging $58 per barrel in the agency’s forecast.
    • U.S. crude oil production:Declining oil prices have contributed to U.S. oil producers slowing their drilling and completion activity this year. As a result, EIA expects U.S. crude oil production to decline from an all-time high of 13.5 million barrels per day in the second quarter of 2025 to about 13.3 million barrels per day in the fourth quarter of 2026. EIA expects U.S crude oil production to average about 13.4 million barrels per day in both 2025 and 2026.
    • U.S. gasoline prices: Despite the revisions to EIA’s oil price forecasts, the agency still expects U.S. regular-grade gasoline prices to average about $3.10 per gallon in 2025 and $3.00 per gallon in 2026, down from $3.30 per gallon in 2024.
    • Ethane production and exports: On July 2, the U.S. Commerce Department rescinded export license requirements that had effectively barred U.S. ethane exports to China. As a result, EIA changed the domestic ethane production and exports forecast in the June STEO to align with expectation for growing trade between U.S. ethane producers and petrochemical crackers in China.
    • Natural gas storage and prices: U.S. natural gas storage was about 7% above the five-year average at the end of June, following a string of large storage injections from April to June. EIA now expects that as the United States enters the winter heating season, U.S. natural gas inventories will be about 5% higher than in last month’s forecast. EIA expects the Henry Hub spot price to average about $3.40 per million British thermal units (MMBtu) in the third quarter of this year and $3.70 per MMBtu for the year, both significantly lower than the June forecast.
    • Wholesale power prices: Although EIA revised down its natural gas price forecast, the agency still expects natural gas prices to be significantly higher than the historic lows of 2024. Because natural gas is the primary source of U.S. electricity generation, EIA expects natural gas prices to contribute to 12% higher wholesale electricity prices this summer compared with last summer.
    • Renewable energy: EIA expects electricity generation from solar power will be about 34% higher this summer than last summer, then increase an additional 19% next summer. Solar surpasses wind as the leading source of renewables generation next summer in EIA’s forecast.
    • Trade policy assumptions: The U.S. macroeconomic outlook EIA uses in the Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO) is based on S&P Global’s macroeconomic model. S&P Global’s most recent model reflects the tariffs announced in April and includes the 90-day temporary suspension of tariffs granted to certain countries. S&P Global Markit Intelligence projects reduced tariffs on imports from China compared with last month, but EIA expects tariffs on imports from other countries to remain at 10% after the 90-day pause expires in July.

    The full July 2025 Short-Term Energy Outlook is available on the EIA website.

    The product described in this press release was prepared by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), the statistical and analytical agency within the U.S. Department of Energy. By law, EIA’s data, analysis, and forecasts are independent of approval by any other officer or employee of the U.S. government. The views in the product and this press release therefore should not be construed as representing those of the U.S. Department of Energy or other federal agencies.

    EIA Program Contact: Tim Hess, STEO@eia.gov
    EIA Press Contact: Chris Higginbotham, EIAMedia@eia.gov

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Administrator Loeffler Joins Lara Trump for Exclusive Interview on One Big Beautiful Bill

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    WASHINGTON — In case you missed it, Kelly Loeffler, Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), joined My View with Laura Trump to discuss how President Donald J. Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill will empower America’s 34 million small businesses. Signed into law on July 4, 2025, the bill provides historic tax cuts that will unleash a new era of hiring, growth, and prosperity on Main Street.

    During the exclusive interview, Administrator Loeffler and Lara Trump visited small businesses in Wilmington, North Carolina, where they spoke directly to job creators about how the One Big Beautiful Bill will help them create jobs, expand, and plan for the future. Administrator Loeffler highlighted that the bill will lock in tax relief, cut burdensome regulations, and strengthen American supply chains. She also emphasized how the SBA and President Trump will continue to work together to empower small businesses and workers as they drive America’s economic comeback, including through efforts like the agency’s Made in America Manufacturing Initiative and Make Onshoring Great Again Portal.

    Click HERE to watch the full interview or view excerpts below:

    “[The One Big Beautiful Bill] is the lifeblood for small businesses, to have that certainty of low taxes. It will also create about 1 million Main Street jobs—main streets like this that will benefit from the economic energy that will come behind it. It is literally rocket fuel for the economy.”

    “We’ve talked to manufacturers…from aerospace to defense to barbeque grills and boats and so many things that this country can do. We’ve even introduced a directory for Made in America, manufactured goods to ensure that small businesses can source supplies from America—and that’s what’s happening across this country. Small businesses are grateful for President Trump fighting for fair-trade.”

    “What’s great about getting out across the country, outside of Washington, you see the concerns that are on the minds of hardworking Americans that make this country work…the last thing they need to hear is that there is a tax increase on the horizon…massive tax increase on hardworking Americans who have been pushed to the brink by Biden inflation that created 20% inflation, $1.6 trillion of regulation.”

    “It’s such a great honor to serve in President Trump’s Administration…I bring 30 years of business experience to this role, but most importantly, I bring the heart of a small businessperson…so I know what small businesses go through every single day to make this country work—to make ours the greatest in the world—and President Trump is fighting for small businesses through fair trade, through deregulation and through low taxes.”

    # # #

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration

    The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of entrepreneurship. As the leading voice for small businesses within the federal government, the SBA empowers job creators with the resources and support they need to start, grow, and expand their businesses or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: EIA revises crude oil price forecast amid uncertainty and volatility but still expects prices will decrease

    Source: US Energy Information Administration – EIA

    Headline: EIA revises crude oil price forecast amid uncertainty and volatility but still expects prices will decrease

    U.S. ENERGY INFORMATION ADMINISTRATION
    WASHINGTON DC 20585

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    July 8, 2025

    The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) expects the Brent crude oil price to average less than $70 per barrel in 2025 and about $58 per barrel in 2026. In its July Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO), EIA revised its 2025 oil price forecast slightly upward this month in response to unrest in the Middle East creating uncertainty in the oil market.

    “The oil market is experiencing uncertainty from regional conflict, demand growth, and several other factors,” said EIA Acting Administrator Steve Nalley. “Our forecast for lower oil prices comes from basic economic fundamentals that when supply grows faster than demand, prices decrease.”

    EIA expects lower oil prices to affect U.S. gasoline prices and domestic oil production, detailed in the highlights below.

    U.S. energy market indicators 2024 2025 2026
    Brent crude oil spot price (dollars per barrel) $81 $69 $58
    Retail gasoline price (dollars per gallon) $3.30 $3.10 $3.00
    U.S. crude oil production (million barrels per day) 13.2 13.4 13.4
    Natural gas price at Henry Hub (dollars per million British thermal units) $2.20 $3.70 $4.40
    U.S. liquefied natural gas gross exports (billion cubic feet per day) 12 15 16
    Shares of U.S. electricity generation       
    Natural gas 42% 40% 40%
    Coal 16% 17% 15%
    Renewables 23% 25% 26%
    Nuclear 19% 18% 18%
    U.S. GDP (percentage change) 2.8% 1.4% 1.9%
    U.S. CO2 emissions (billion metric tons) 4.8 4.8 4.8
    Data source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Short-Term Energy Outlook, July 2025
    Note: Values in this table are rounded and may not match values in other tables in this report.
    • Global oil supply and prices: EIA expects the Brent crude oil price to average $69 per barrel this year, which is $3 per barrel higher than in last month’s forecast. EIA revised its forecast upward following higher near-term prices resulting from the geopolitical risks of the Israel-Iran conflict. EIA expects increasing global oil supply to continue pushing oil prices down in 2026, with the Brent price averaging $58 per barrel in the agency’s forecast.
    • U.S. crude oil production:Declining oil prices have contributed to U.S. oil producers slowing their drilling and completion activity this year. As a result, EIA expects U.S. crude oil production to decline from an all-time high of 13.5 million barrels per day in the second quarter of 2025 to about 13.3 million barrels per day in the fourth quarter of 2026. EIA expects U.S crude oil production to average about 13.4 million barrels per day in both 2025 and 2026.
    • U.S. gasoline prices: Despite the revisions to EIA’s oil price forecasts, the agency still expects U.S. regular-grade gasoline prices to average about $3.10 per gallon in 2025 and $3.00 per gallon in 2026, down from $3.30 per gallon in 2024.
    • Ethane production and exports: On July 2, the U.S. Commerce Department rescinded export license requirements that had effectively barred U.S. ethane exports to China. As a result, EIA changed the domestic ethane production and exports forecast in the June STEO to align with expectation for growing trade between U.S. ethane producers and petrochemical crackers in China.
    • Natural gas storage and prices: U.S. natural gas storage was about 7% above the five-year average at the end of June, following a string of large storage injections from April to June. EIA now expects that as the United States enters the winter heating season, U.S. natural gas inventories will be about 5% higher than in last month’s forecast. EIA expects the Henry Hub spot price to average about $3.40 per million British thermal units (MMBtu) in the third quarter of this year and $3.70 per MMBtu for the year, both significantly lower than the June forecast.
    • Wholesale power prices: Although EIA revised down its natural gas price forecast, the agency still expects natural gas prices to be significantly higher than the historic lows of 2024. Because natural gas is the primary source of U.S. electricity generation, EIA expects natural gas prices to contribute to 12% higher wholesale electricity prices this summer compared with last summer.
    • Renewable energy: EIA expects electricity generation from solar power will be about 34% higher this summer than last summer, then increase an additional 19% next summer. Solar surpasses wind as the leading source of renewables generation next summer in EIA’s forecast.
    • Trade policy assumptions: The U.S. macroeconomic outlook EIA uses in the Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO) is based on S&P Global’s macroeconomic model. S&P Global’s most recent model reflects the tariffs announced in April and includes the 90-day temporary suspension of tariffs granted to certain countries. S&P Global Markit Intelligence projects reduced tariffs on imports from China compared with last month, but EIA expects tariffs on imports from other countries to remain at 10% after the 90-day pause expires in July.

    The full July 2025 Short-Term Energy Outlook is available on the EIA website.

    The product described in this press release was prepared by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), the statistical and analytical agency within the U.S. Department of Energy. By law, EIA’s data, analysis, and forecasts are independent of approval by any other officer or employee of the U.S. government. The views in the product and this press release therefore should not be construed as representing those of the U.S. Department of Energy or other federal agencies.

    EIA Program Contact: Tim Hess, STEO@eia.gov
    EIA Press Contact: Chris Higginbotham, EIAMedia@eia.gov

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ernst Names Small Business of the Week, Edd the Florist

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA)

    RED OAK, Iowa – U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Chair of the Senate Small Business Committee, today announced her Small Business of the Week: Edd the Florist of Wapello County.  Throughout the 119th Congress, Chair Ernst plans to recognize a small business in every one of Iowa’s 99 counties.
    “Since the Wiltz family purchased it in 1956, Edd the Florist has blossomed into a scent-sational institution in Ottumwa,” said Chair Ernst. “Hans Wilz has stayed rooted to his parents’ dreams, while expanding to provide gifts and gourmet foods for the community. Serving the community for nearly 70 years, this small business is blooming with success.”
    As the second-generation owner of Edd the Florist, Hans Wilz remains committed to providing Ottumwa and beyond with quality products curated with care. Family and entrepreneurial values are front and center as the business approaches its 70th anniversary. After emigrating from Germany, Margaret and Karl Wilz purchased the shop to pursue the American Dream, and Hans carries their legacy on today.
    Stay tuned as Chair Ernst recognizes more Iowa small businesses across the state with her Small Business of the Week award.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Record breakers! Stoke-on-Trent hosts world’s biggest tea party

    Source: City of Stoke-on-Trent

    The people of Stoke-on-Trent are officially world record holders, after the city smashed a Guinness World Record.

    Around 15,000 people came together across 194 venues today (Tuesday, 8 July), breaking the world record for the largest cream tea party held across multiple venues.

    The event was held to mark 100 years of city status as people came together across the city to share jam and cream scones and a cup of tea in a bid to make history.

    Guinness World Records adjudicators attended five venues – the Victoria Hall, Hanley; DoubleTree by Hilton, Festival Park; Jubilee Hall, Stoke Town Hall; Stoke Minster and NatWest Bank, Hanley – to formally verify the record.

    Tea and scones were enjoyed by 777 people across the five officially-verified venues – successfully breaking the previous record and making Stoke-on-Trent’s Centenary year even more unforgettable.

    Stoke-on-Trent’s twin city, Erlangen in Germany, also held a number of tea parties to celebrate the record attempt. The city’s mayor – and a number of schools – all took part to support Stoke-on-Trent.

    Councillor Steve Watkins, the Lord Mayor of Stoke-on-Trent, said: “What an incredible way to mark our centenary year, by officially breaking the record for the world’s biggest tea party and bringing thousands of people together in a true show of unity and community spirit.

    “This wasn’t just about the numbers – it was about celebrating who we are, a city built on pride, resilience and togetherness. Vis unita fortior – united strength is stronger – is our motto. And today we proved exactly that, by coming together and being record breakers.

    “Congratulations to everyone who took part, wherever you took part – you’ve made history, and you’ve done Stoke-on-Trent proud.”

    Councillor Lyn Sharpe, Stoke-on-Trent City Council’s Centenary Champion, said: “Well done, Stoke-on-Trent. You’re record breakers, ducks!

    “I’m so proud that the city I love came together to celebrate our centenary by smashing an official world record. What a way to mark 100 years of Stoke-on-Trent.

    “Families, friends, neighbours and colleagues came together proving that the simple act of sharing a cuppa can be something extraordinary when done together.”

    Nicky Twemlow from YMCA North Staffordshire, part of the event’s organising team, said: “This incredible achievement shows the world what we’ve always known here in Stoke-on-Trent, that when we come together, we can achieve great things.

    “Every cup of tea shared today was a reminder of our city’s warmth, pride and community spirit.”

    Hassan Rizvi, principal and chief executive at Stoke on Trent College, said: “Stoke on Trent College is truly honoured to play our part in a Guinness World Record, for the world’s largest cream tea party.

    “This is a fantastic way to continue the celebrations for the Centenary of Stoke-on-Trent.”      

    Lisa Healings, Chief Executive of VAST, said: “Stoke-on-Trent’s Centenary year has been a fantastic chance for the city to come together, and to remember and celebrate the amazing community spirit that exists.

    “The Big Centenary Tea Party was an opportunity for local voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations to bring together their staff, volunteers, members, and clients to say thank you, for the people of Stoke-on-Trent to be part of something memorable, and for local businesses to get involved in supporting events in their local area.

    “To have also broken a Guinness World Record just makes the event even more special for everyone involved and proves that when we put our minds to it, the people of Stoke-on-Trent can achieve great things.”

    Tom Nadin, head of project and business services at the Staffordshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “The City of Stoke-on-Trent setting the Guinness World Record for the world’s largest tea party, during our Centenary year, is more than a feel-good moment – it’s proof of our community’s warmth and togetherness.

    “For the Chamber, it shows what’s possible when local businesses and residents come together with pride and creativity. In Stoke-on-Trent, we don’t just make the tea – we make history with it.”

    Steve Adams, chief executive of Community Foundation for Staffordshire & Shropshire, said: “That’s how you win a world record attempt!

    “The true winner in this is our fantastic city, and this event demonstrated how much unity exists in Stoke-on-Trent.

    “People, charities and businesses from all walks of life, all backgrounds and all environments have come together to celebrate our city and work together for one goal.

    “It just goes to show how much we can achieve when we all pull together. That’s what makes Stoke-on-Trent great, and now we hold the record the world will know it too!”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: Ageas and BlackRock, Inc.: Transparency notification

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    In accordance with the rules on financial transparency*, BlackRock, Inc. has notified Ageas on 3 July 2025 that, on 1 July 2025, its interest has exceeded the legal threshold of 5% of the shares issued by Ageas. Its current shareholding stands at 7,78%.

    Reason for the notification
    Acquisition or disposal of the control of an undertaking that holds a participating interest in an issuer

    Notification by
    A parent undertaking or a controlling person

    Persons subject to the notification requirement
    See annex 1a

    Date on which the threshold is crossed
    1 July 2025

    Threshold that is crossed (in %)
    5%

    Denominator
    198.938.286

    Notified details
    See annex 1 b

    Chain of controlled undertakings through which the holding is effectively held, if applicable
    The full chain of command can be found on https://www.ageas.com/investors/shareholders

    Additional information
    As a result of the acquisition of HPS Investment Partners, there has been a change to BlackRock’s group structure. Upon the close of the transaction, BlackRock, Inc. contributed all of its equity interests in BlackRock Finance, Inc. and Global Infrastructure Management, LLC to BlackRock Saturn Subco, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company.

    This press release and the notifications received by Ageas are available on the website.

    * article 14, paragraph 1 of the law of 2 May 2007 on disclosure of major holdings us provisions.

    Ageas is a Belgian rooted listed international insurance Group with a heritage spanning 200 years. It offers Retail and Business customers Life and Non-Life insurance products designed to suit their specific needs, today and tomorrow, and is also engaged in reinsurance activities. As one of Europe’s larger insurance companies, Ageas concentrates its activities in Europe and Asia, which together make up the major part of the global insurance market. It operates successful insurance businesses in Belgium, the UK, Portugal, Türkiye, China, Malaysia, India, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Singapore, and the Philippines through a combination of wholly owned subsidiaries and long term partnerships with strong financial institutions and key distributors. Ageas ranks among the market leaders in the countries in which it operates. It represents a staff force of about 50,000 people and reported annual inflows of EUR 18.5 billion in 2024.

    ANNEX 1a

    Name Address (for legal entities)
    BlackRock, Inc. 50 Hudson Yards, New York, NY, 10001, U.S.A.
    BlackRock (Singapore) Limited 20 Anson Road #18-01, Singapore, 79912, Singapore
    BlackRock Advisors (UK) Limited 12 Throgmorton Avenue, London, EC2N 2DL, U.K.
    BlackRock Advisors, LLC 50 Hudson Yards, New York, NY, 10001, U.S.A.
    BlackRock Asset Management Canada Limited 161 Bay Street, Suite 2500, Toronto, Ontario, M5J 2S1, Canada
    BlackRock Asset Management Deutschland AG Lenbachplatz 1 1st Floor, Munich, 80333-MN3, Germany
    BlackRock Asset Management North Asia Limited 15/F, 16/F, 17/F Citibank Tower & 17/F ICBC Tower, 3 Garden Road, Central, Hong Kong
    BlackRock Financial Management, Inc. 50 Hudson Yards, New York, NY, 10001, U.S.A.
    BlackRock Fund Advisors 400 Howard Street, San Francisco, CA, 94105, U.S.A.
    BlackRock Institutional Trust Company, National Association 400 Howard Street, San Francisco, CA, 94105, U.S.A.
    BlackRock International Limited Exchange Place One, 1 Semple Street, Edinburgh, EH3 8BL, U.K.
    BlackRock Investment Management (Australia) Limited Level 37 Chifley Tower, 2 Chifley Square, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia
    BlackRock Investment Management (UK) Limited 12 Throgmorton Avenue, London, EC2N 2DL, U.K.
    BlackRock Investment Management, LLC 1 University Square Drive, Princeton, NJ, 8540, U.S.A.
    BlackRock Japan Co., Ltd. 1-8-3 Marunouchi Chiyoda-ku, Trust Tower Main, Tokyo, 100-8217, Japan
    Aperio Group, LLC 3 Harbor Dr Suite 204, Sausalito, CA 94965, U.S.A.
    SpiderRock Advisors, LLC Corporation Service Company, 251 Little Falls Drive, Wilmington, DE 19808, U.S.A.

    ANNEX 1b

    A) Voting rights Previous notification After the transaction  
      # of voting rights # of voting rights % of voting rights  
    Holders of voting rights   Linked to securities Not linked to the securities Linked to securities Not linked to the securities S
    BlackRock, Inc. 0 0   0,00%   1
    BlackRock (Singapore) Limited 26.755 26.310   0,01%   1
    BlackRock Advisors (UK) Limited 2.917.790 3.172.318   1,59%   1
    BlackRock Advisors, LLC 203.203 332.981   0,17%   1
    BlackRock Asset Management Canada Limited 147.243 262.978   0,13%   1
    BlackRock Asset Management Deutschland AG 1.811.227 1.362.308   0,68%   1
    BlackRock Asset Management North Asia Limited 25.474 25.829   0,01%   1
    BlackRock Financial Management, Inc. 50.348 190.132   0,10%   1
    BlackRock Fund Advisors 3.769.688 3.810.650   1,92%   1
    BlackRock Institutional Trust Company, National Association 2.088.675 2.690.187   1,35%   1
    BlackRock International Limited 1.637 12.647   0,01%   1
    BlackRock Investment Management (Australia) Limited 69.199 56.242   0,03%   1
    BlackRock Investment Management (UK) Limited 895.264 1.142.495   0,57%   1
    BlackRock Investment Management, LLC 418.682 373.405   0,19%   1
    BlackRock Japan Co., Ltd. 285.173 300.448   0,15%   1
    Aperio Group, LLC 18.343 21.757   0,01%   1
    Subtotal 12.728.700 13.780.688   6,93%   S
      TOTAL 13.780.688 0 6,93% 0,00%  
    B) Equivalent financial instruments After the transaction
    Holders of equivalent
    financial instruments    		 Type of financial instrument Expiration date Exercise period or date # of voting rights that may be acquired if the instrument is exercised % of voting rights Settlement  
    BlackRock Advisors, LLC Contract Difference     641.303 0,32% cash  
    BlackRock Financial Management, Inc. Contract Difference     513.136 0,26% cash  
    BlackRock Institutional Trust Company, National Association Contract Difference     326.027 0,16% cash  
    BlackRock Investment Management (UK) Limited Contract Difference     13.097 0,01% cash  
    BlackRock Investment Management, LLC Contract Difference     845 0,00% cash  
    Aperio Group, LLC Depositary Receipt     195.684 0,10%    
    SpiderRock Advisors, LLC Depositary Receipt     158 0,00%    
      TOTAL   1.690.250 0,85%    
      TOTAL (A & B)     # of voting rights % of voting rights    
          CALCULATE 15.470.938 7,78%    

            

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: LECTRA: Monthly declaration of the total number of shares and voting rights composing the company’s capital (at June 30th, 2025)

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Monthly declaration of the total number of shares and voting rights composing the company’s capital (at June 30th, 2025)

    This declaration is established in accordance with Article L.233-8 II of the French Code de Commerce and of Article 223-11 of the Règlement Général of the Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF).

    Date:

    June 30th, 2025

    Total number of shares composing the capital:

    38,037,750

    Total number of voting rights, gross (1):

    38,037,750

    Total number of voting rights, net (2):

    38,005,573

    (1) In accordance with the second paragraph of article 223-11 of the Règlement Général of the AMF, the gross total of voting rights is based on the total number of shares composing the company’s capital which have voting rights, including shares deprived of their voting rights

    (2) The net total of voting rights is equal to the gross total, minus the number of shares deprived of their voting rights (treasury shares)

    Other than the legal notification requirements for crossing the thresholds established by French law, there is no special statutory obligation.

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: LECTRA: Monthly declaration of the total number of shares and voting rights composing the company’s capital (at June 30th, 2025)

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Monthly declaration of the total number of shares and voting rights composing the company’s capital (at June 30th, 2025)

    This declaration is established in accordance with Article L.233-8 II of the French Code de Commerce and of Article 223-11 of the Règlement Général of the Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF).

    Date:

    June 30th, 2025

    Total number of shares composing the capital:

    38,037,750

    Total number of voting rights, gross (1):

    38,037,750

    Total number of voting rights, net (2):

    38,005,573

    (1) In accordance with the second paragraph of article 223-11 of the Règlement Général of the AMF, the gross total of voting rights is based on the total number of shares composing the company’s capital which have voting rights, including shares deprived of their voting rights

    (2) The net total of voting rights is equal to the gross total, minus the number of shares deprived of their voting rights (treasury shares)

    Other than the legal notification requirements for crossing the thresholds established by French law, there is no special statutory obligation.

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: TrueCommerce Names Bill Glass as CEO, Marking New Phase of Growth and Innovation

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    PITTSBURGH, July 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — TrueCommerce, a global provider of supply chain and trading partner connectivity, integration and omnichannel solutions, today announced Bill Glass as Chief Executive Officer (CEO). This leadership transition signals a new chapter for the company, one focused on accelerating innovation and doubling down on its long-standing commitment to customer experience and operational excellence.

    Glass steps into the role with a proven track record of leading high-growth, private equity-backed SaaS companies such as Bazaarvoice and Accruent. He joined TrueCommerce in 2022 as Chief Sales Officer, where he played a key role in shaping the company’s go-to-market strategy and building momentum across global sales efforts. Prior to that, he served as SVP of Global Sales at insightsoftware, where he helped lead the growth of over 5X in revenue both organically and across 18 acquisitions in North America, EMEA and APAC, while also building a scalable, high-velocity global sales organization.

    “I’m honored to lead TrueCommerce into this next phase,” said Glass. “We have a tremendous foundation to build on, and now we’re sharpening our focus around three core pillars: innovation, customer experience, and operational excellence. These will guide every decision we make as we scale the business, deepen our customer partnerships, and lead the market in supply chain connectivity solutions.”

    Supporting this strategic evolution, the company also announced Ray Greer as Chairman of the Board. Greer brings more than 35 years of leadership experience in the supply chain, transportation, and logistics sectors. He currently serves as an Operating Partner Consultant at Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe, the private equity partner of TrueCommerce. Additionally, Kimberly Williams, CEO of Absorb LMS Software, joins the board, bringing three decades of executive experience across the technology sector.

    “This is an exciting inflection point for TrueCommerce,” said Greer. “With Bill at the helm and a clear strategic focus, the company is well-positioned to lead the industry through its next wave of growth. The board is fully aligned and confident in the leadership team’s ability to drive value, both for customers and stakeholders.”

    Glass succeeds Randy Curran, who recently retired from the CEO role. “We thank Randy for his leadership and the pivotal role he played over the past three years at TrueCommerce,” said Glass. “His focus on operations and organizational alignment has laid a strong foundation for our continued evolution and long-term success.”

    Connect with TrueCommerce

    About TrueCommerce

    At TrueCommerce, we empower businesses to improve their supply chain performance and drive better business outcomes. Through a single connection to our high-performance global supply chain network, businesses receive more than just EDI, they get access to a fully integrated network that connects their customers, suppliers, logistics partners and internal systems. Our cloud-based, fully managed services help businesses achieve end-to-end supply chain management, streamlined delivery, and simplified operations. With 25+ years of expertise and trusted partnership, TrueCommerce helps businesses reach their true supply chain potential today while preparing them for the future with our integration-agnostic network. That’s why thousands of companies—from SMBs to the global Fortune 100, across various industries—rely on us. To learn more, visit https://www.truecommerce.com.

    TrueCommerce is a trademark of True Commerce, Inc. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

    About Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe

    WCAS is a leading U.S. private equity firm focused on two target industries: healthcare and technology. Since its founding in 1979, the firm’s strategy has been to partner with outstanding management teams and build value for its investors through a combination of operational improvements, growth initiatives, and strategic acquisitions. The firm has raised and managed funds totaling over $27 billion of committed capital. For more information, please visit WCAS.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4b94bd3e-e600-45ed-8cfc-c3c651a51d61

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kelly leads introduction of Treat and Reduce Obesity Act to combat obesity epidemic, improve Americans’ health

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Kelly (R-PA)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Representatives Mike Kelly (R-PA), Raul Ruiz, M.D. (D-CA), Mariannette Miller-Meeks, M.D. (R-IA), and Gwen Moore (D-WI) introduced the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act (TROA), bipartisan legislation to combat the obesity crisis in the United States by providing regular screenings. 

    The bill would also prevent diseases associated with obesity through expanded coverage of new health care specialists and chronic weight management medications for Medicare recipients.

    “The Treat and Reduce Obesity Act takes a critical step toward improving patient costs and patient outcomes,” said Rep. Kelly. “This bipartisan legislation would allow seniors struggling with obesity to take a responsible, proactive approach to improve their health and live longer, more active lives. I look forward to working with the Trump administration and the team at CMS, including my friend Dr. Mehmet Oz, to make America healthy again!”

    “Obesity is a complex, chronic disease and a growing public health crisis that costs our nation billions each year,” said Congressman Dr. Raul Ruiz. “As an emergency physician, I’ve treated countless patients suffering from diabetes, heart disease, and other serious complications linked to obesity. The bipartisan Treat and Reduce Obesity Act would give seniors struggling with obesity access to Medicare coverage for proven medications and behavioral therapies, empowering them to live healthier, longer lives.”

    “As a physician and former director of the Iowa Department of Public Health, I have seen firsthand how obesity contributes to serious and preventable health conditions. The Treat and Reduce Obesity Act allows Medicare beneficiaries to access life-changing treatments, including behavioral therapy and FDA-approved medications. This bipartisan legislation improves health outcomes, lowers long-term costs, and helps Americans live longer and healthier lives,” said Dr. Miller-Meeks.

    “Obesity poses a growing health risk to millions of Americans, especially older adults. TROA would support critical medical interventions that can help those struggling with obesity, improving the overall health and wellbeing of Medicare beneficiaries,” said Rep. Moore.

    You can find the full bill text here.

    Senator Bill Cassidy leads companion legislation in the U.S. Senate.

    BACKGROUND

    According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, diseases associated with obesity such as heart disease, stroke, type II diabetes, and certain types of cancer are the leading causes of preventable death in the U.S. TROA would work to directly prevent these comorbidities.

    The scientific understanding of obesity has evolved, recognizing it as a complex, chronic, and relapsing disease. Obesity is a public health crisis in the United States. The total economic and societal impact of obesity rose to $1.4 trillion in the United States in 2018, up from $976 billion in 2014.

    A recent study found that Medicare beneficiaries with obesity and at least one other chronic illness could significantly reduce healthcare costs through weight management. Annual savings were estimated at up to 38% or nearly $10,000 in medical cost savings. Additionally, the USC Schaeffer Center found coverage of new obesity treatments could generate approximately $175 billion in cost offsets to Medicare in the first 10 years alone, increasing to $700 billion in 30 years. Coverage of medications to treat obesity will enhance human health and reduce federal healthcare costs by lowering the risks and prevalence of costly obesity-related chronic diseases.

    The following organizations have endorsed TROA this Congress: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, American Academy of Pas, American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, American Diabetes Association, American Gastroenterological Association, American Medical Group Association, American Psychological Association, American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery, American Society for Nutrition, Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations, Association of Diabetes Care and Education Specialists, Black Woman’s Health Imperative, Boehringer-Ingelheim, ConscienHealth, Currax, Diabetes Leadership Council, Diabetes Patient Advocacy Coalition, Eli Lilly and Company, Endocrine Society, Gerontological Society of America, Global Liver Institute, Healthcare Leadership Council, HealthyWomen, Intuitive Surgical, MedTech Coalition for Metabolic Health, National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions, National Consumers League, National Council on Aging, National Hispanic Medical Association, National Kidney Foundation, Novo Nordisk, Obesity Action Coalition, Obesity Medicine Association, Ro, Strategies to Overcome and Prevent (STOP) Obesity Alliance, The Obesity Society, Trust for America’s Health, WW Weight Watchers International, and YMCA of the USA.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Rosanna Law visits Bordeaux

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    Secretary for Culture, Sports & Tourism Rosanna Law visited two Bordeaux wineries in France today, exploring potential synergies to incorporate Bordeaux wines into Hong Kong’s wine tourism initiatives.

    She toured Château L’if and Château Le Pin to deepen her understanding of Bordeaux’s winemaking traditions of the country. 

    A day prior to the winery tour, she met President of the Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux (CIVB) Allan Sichel. The CIVB is responsible for promoting Bordeaux wines globally.

    Miss Law highlighted the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government’s efforts to host signature mega events, including the annual Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival, which provides unique experiences for visitors.

    Miss Law also met Mayor of Bordeaux Pierre Hurmic, Deputy Mayor of Bordeaux Céline Papin, and President of the Bordeaux Tourism & Conventions Office Brigitte Bloch, indicating to them the wishes of Hong Kong to build on the unique brand of the Wine & Dine Festival to foster cultural exchanges and strengthen bilateral ties.

    The meeting was followed by discussions with representatives of Great Wine Capitals Global Network, Bordeaux Chamber of Commerce & Industries etc. and another meeting with France’s Minister for Tourism Nathalie Delattre.

    The itinerary yesterday also covered a guided tour of La Cité du Vin, Bordeaux’s iconic cultural centre and wine museum dedicated to promoting the universal culture of wine.

    The culture chief will conclude the visit to France and depart for Hong Kong on July 9.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: New Jersey Legislature Passes IAM-Backed Fair Wages for Automotive Technicians Legislation

    Source: US GOIAM Union

    The Motor Vehicle Open Recall Notice and Fair Compensation Act (A4380/S3309), a critical piece of legislation aimed at ensuring fair wages for automotive dealership mechanics across the state of New Jersey, passed both the Senate and Assembly chambers with unanimous bipartisan support and now heads to New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy’s desk for his signature. The New Jersey State Council of Machinists and IAM Union District 15 helped lead the lobbying efforts for this legislation.    

    The IAM represents hundreds of skilled automotive technicians throughout New Jersey.

    “The passage of this legislation is a major victory for our members working at automobile dealerships,” said IAM Union District 15 Area Director Cristino Vilorio, who also serves as the IAM’s New Jersey State Council President. “Automotive technicians are the backbone of our vehicle maintenance system, and this legislation recognizes their expertise and hard work. I want to thank Senate President Nicholas Scutari, Senate Republican Leader Anthony Bucco, Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, and Assembly Republican Leader John DiMaio for their leadership on this legislation. This is a game-changer for New Jersey’s auto industry and a proud moment for our members who are automotive technicians.”

    This bipartisan legislation will require thousands of hard-working automotive dealership mechanics across the state to receive the same wages for warranty repair services as other repair services, improving the quality of life for them, their families, and their communities.

    “The passage of this legislation will benefit our members and the entire New Jersey auto industry,” said IAM Eastern Territory General Vice President David Sullivan. “I want to thank IAM Union District 15 Directing Business Representative Norm Shreve, IAM Union District 15 Area Director Cristino Vilorio, and the New Jersey State Council for their efforts to help pass this bill. Our members will now receive fair and just compensation for their work.”

    The post New Jersey Legislature Passes IAM-Backed Fair Wages for Automotive Technicians Legislation appeared first on IAM Union.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Denver Man Charged with 27 Counts in Connection with CARES Act Fraud

    Source: US FBI

    DENVER – An indictment was unsealed on Wednesday in Denver charging Steve Randall Howe with twenty counts of bank fraud and seven counts of money laundering in connection with a scheme to defraud the United States Small Business Administration (SBA).

    According to the indictment, between April 2020 and January 2022, Howe obtained more than $1.2 million in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans on behalf of six businesses he owned.  To obtain the loans, Howe submitted false information and fabricated documents to lenders to make it appear that those companies were eligible for PPP loans when they were not.  Howe then used the loan money for ineligible expenses, like purchases of residential properties, retail purchases, travel expenses, and transfers of money to China.  The indictment alleges that Howe then applied for, and received, forgiveness on each loan, never making a single payment on them.

    The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was enacted in March 2020 and was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans dealing with the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.  The CARES Act created the PPP, a program administered by the SBA that provided loans to small businesses to retain workers, maintain payroll, and pay for certain other expenses consistent with PPP rules.  Small businesses could subsequently request forgiveness of the loan after certifying the loan was used to pay for eligible costs.    

    The defendant made his initial appearance on July 2, 2025, in Denver in front of United States Magistrate Judge N. Reid Neureiter.

    The charges contained in the indictment are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Taylor Glogiewicz and Craig Fansler.

    Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

    Case Number:                    25-cr-00197-NYW             

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Denver Man Charged with 27 Counts in Connection with CARES Act Fraud

    Source: US FBI

    DENVER – An indictment was unsealed on Wednesday in Denver charging Steve Randall Howe with twenty counts of bank fraud and seven counts of money laundering in connection with a scheme to defraud the United States Small Business Administration (SBA).

    According to the indictment, between April 2020 and January 2022, Howe obtained more than $1.2 million in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans on behalf of six businesses he owned.  To obtain the loans, Howe submitted false information and fabricated documents to lenders to make it appear that those companies were eligible for PPP loans when they were not.  Howe then used the loan money for ineligible expenses, like purchases of residential properties, retail purchases, travel expenses, and transfers of money to China.  The indictment alleges that Howe then applied for, and received, forgiveness on each loan, never making a single payment on them.

    The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was enacted in March 2020 and was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans dealing with the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.  The CARES Act created the PPP, a program administered by the SBA that provided loans to small businesses to retain workers, maintain payroll, and pay for certain other expenses consistent with PPP rules.  Small businesses could subsequently request forgiveness of the loan after certifying the loan was used to pay for eligible costs.    

    The defendant made his initial appearance on July 2, 2025, in Denver in front of United States Magistrate Judge N. Reid Neureiter.

    The charges contained in the indictment are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Taylor Glogiewicz and Craig Fansler.

    Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

    Case Number:                    25-cr-00197-NYW             

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: California Businessman Pleads Guilty in Federal Court to Orchestrating $14 Million COVID-Relief Fraud

    Source: US FBI

    CHICAGO — A California businessman has pleaded guilty to a federal fraud charge for fraudulently obtaining more than $14 million in small business loans under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act.

    DARREN CARLYLE SADLER participated in a scheme to fraudulently apply for loans pursuant to the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”), which was created by the CARES Act to provide financial relief for small businesses during the Covid-19 pandemic.  A PPP loan allowed for the interest and principal to be forgiven if businesses spent a certain amount of the proceeds on essential expenses, such as payroll.  Sadler admitted in a plea agreement that in 2020 he submitted and caused the submission of at least 63 PPP loan applications for himself and his clients. The applications falsely represented the number of employees, if any, and the average monthly payroll of the purported businesses.  The false applications resulted in the issuance of more than $14 million in loan funds to Sadler and his clients.  Sadler also received more than $1.9 million in fees from clients for fraudulently obtaining the loans on their behalf.

    Sadler used the fraud proceeds to rent a villa for several months during the pandemic and to travel across the country on private jets to meet clients at bank branches to secure fund transfers. He also purchased luxury vehicles, including a Rolls Royce, multiple Mercedes-Benzes, and a Land Rover, and purchased designer clothing, a luxury watch, and numerous meals at expensive restaurants.

    Sadler, 38, of Costa Mesa, Calif., pleaded guilty on Monday to a federal wire fraud charge, which is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison.  U.S. District Judge Thomas M. Durkin has not yet set a sentencing date.

    The guilty plea was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI.  The investigation was worked jointly with the U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.  The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kartik K. Raman.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: KingsRock Advisors Announces Advisory Board, Additional Senior Hires and Senior Advisors, and Inaugural Capital Raise

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK and LONDON and STOCKHOLM and DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, July 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — KingsRock Advisors, LLC (“KingsRock”), an independent global advisory firm, announced today the formation of a new Advisory Board, a series of new Senior Hires, additional Senior Advisors joining us, and an inaugural Capital Raise. This expansion aims to accelerate the growth of KingsRock’s capital solutions and corporate finance business, across industries, geographies, and capital structures.

    We are pleased to welcome the following Senior Banking Executives who have agreed to serve as Members of our new KingsRock Advisory Board:

    Dr. Josef Ackermann   Zurich, former Chairman of the Management Board, Deutsche Bank
    Fred Brettschneider   New York, former Head of Deutsche Bank Global Markets Americas
    Yassine Bouhara   Dubai, CEO Tell Group, former Global Head of Deutsche Bank Global Equities
    Kevin Parker   New York, CEO SICM, former CEO of Deutsche Asset Management
    Bernardo Parnes   Sao Paolo, CEO of One Partners, former CEO of Deutsche Bank Latin America
    Jon Vaccaro   Darien, Founder V20 Group, former Global Head of Deutsche Bank CRE
    Seth Waugh   Palm Beach, former CEO of Deutsche Bank Americas, former Chairman of PGA
         

    We are pleased to welcome the following Senior Investment Bankers who have joined KingsRock recently in the US and EMEA as Managing Directors, with further expansion planned:

    David Barcus   New York, former BNP and Raymond James
    John Doyamis   New York, former EBG, and Bear Stearns
    Leo-Hendrik Greve   Amsterdam, former ING, Citi and MS
    Rony Jawhar   Dubai, former Arqaam and Deutsche Bank
    Bray Kelly   New York, former JBK Capital and UBS
    Joe Lovrics   Madrid, former Societe General, Citi, and BNP
    Bill Miller   New York, Commerce Street, TPG Sixth Street, Citi
    Hans Narberhaus   Madrid, former Deutsche Bank
    Laurent Quelin   London, former Chenavari, and CS
    Francois-Louise Ricard   Paris, former Groupe Caisse des Depots, MS and SG
    Jorge de los Rios   Madrid, former Santander, S&P and Lehman
    Mike Turnbull   London, former StormHarbour, BAML and MS
    Andrew Whittaker   New York, Lazard, GSAM and Lehman

    In Q2 we were also joined by Gregor Bates, Associate, London, and Analysts Matt Farrell, Nikita Spivakov, and Tim O’Callaghan in New York.

    We also welcome George Parker, New York, as Senior Advisor for Operations.

    This team’s decades of investment banking experience across Origination, Advisory, Capital Markets, Structuring, and Leveraged Finance should help propel our growth and strategy to originate, structure, and distribute private capital markets transactions and provide strategic advisory services. Our goal is to further strengthen KingsRock’s ability to serve issuer clients and the private credit, special situations and private equity investor universe with ever more tailor-made capital solutions and investment opportunities.

    Expansion of our Global Network of Senior Advisors

    We are also pleased to announce that we now have 120 (one hundred and twenty) Senior Advisors from approximately 50 countries around the world. Each is a truly Independent Advisor with his or her own interest and focus, some with companies that we have partnered with, etc. Many of these advisors comprised the most senior leadership of Deutsche Bank and oversaw a wide range of functions, from CEO and six other former Management Board Members, to Country Heads and Divisional Heads of M&A, Capital Markets, and Heads of Sales, Coverage, Industry Groups, Economists, Operations, etc.

    This unique Global Network of former colleagues and friends as our Senior Advisors allows KingsRock access to key decision makers nearly anywhere in the world, spanning companies, institutional investors, financial institutions, and the public sector. It also offers mutual benefits in deal making through origination, execution, and distribution, be it a cross-border M&A transaction or bespoke institutional capital raising deal.

    We are also pleased to Announce a successful close of our inaugural third-party capital raise for KingsRock Advisors LLC, to support our expansion and elevate our investment banking boutique, with further strategic growth planned. We thank all of our investors for their strong support.

    “We are excited to welcome our new Senior Advisory Board Members, our new Managing Directors, Associate and Analyst colleagues, and our Senior Advisors network to KingsRock as we continue to expand the global reach of our capital solutions business. Together with our inaugural capital raise to boost and increase the visibility of our platform, successfully concluded in Q2, we are truly thrilled with the progress our young firm is making to serve our clients and support our ambitious growth. In the near term, we will share more details about our expansion across our financial services offering,” said Håkan Wohlin, Founder & Managing Partner, and Louis Jaffe, Co-Founder & Managing Partner.

    KingsRock has already announced and closed several significant transactions in 2025. Angel Oak’s recently announced sale to Brookfield, where KingsRock Advisors served as the Exclusive Financial Advisor to Angel Oak, is indeed a landmark transaction. On April 1st, 2025, Brookfield Asset Management and Angel Oak to Entered into Strategic Partnership. KingsRock Securities LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of KingsRock Advisors LLC, acted as Exclusive Financial Advisor to Angel Oak Companies.

    About KingsRock:

    KingsRock Advisors, LLC headquartered at 900 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10022, is an independent global advisory firm, with securities offered by KingsRock Securities LLC, a FINRA member firm and SIPC, as well as KingsRock Advisors UK Ltd and KingsRock Advisors Europe AB, both wholly owned subsidiaries of KingsRock Advisors LLC.

    Founded in 2020, KingsRock comprises a team of approximately 40 full time professionals who advise on a wide range of private capital markets transactions including debt, hybrid, equity and M&A covering structures from vanilla to highly structured. The team collectively has worked on thousands of transactions across various industry sectors worldwide. Clients include private equity and private credit firms, corporations, financial institutions, government-related entities, and institutional investors.

    KingsRock Advisors offers the experience and global reach of a large firm, combined with the structural agility and creativity of a boutique. An independent advisory firm with a global network that provides unconflicted strategic and financial advisory services, along with innovative capital solutions and special situations. The firms’ bankers excel in complex transactions and deliver swift results often where large banks and traditional sources of financing do not have the ability to engage. KingsRock advisors operates across all major industry sectors and is supported by a global network of 120 independent Senior Advisors across 50 countries, who bring decades of deal making experience.

    Disclaimer:

    Securities offered by KingsRock Securities LLC, a FINRA member firm and a member of SIPC., a wholly owned subsidiary of KingsRock Advisors LLC. • 900 Third Avenue, 10th Floor • New York, NY 10022.

    KingsRock Advisors UK Ltd is a private limited company registered in England and Wales with registration number 15240371. KingsRock Advisors UK Ltd (FRN 1006329) is an Appointed Representative under Bluegrove Capital Management Ltd (FRN: 960363), which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

    KingsRock Advisors Europe AB is incorporated in Sweden (EU), with registered office at Grev Turegatan 14, 114 46 Stockholm, Sweden, and is a tied agent of Svensk Värdepappersservice i Stockholm AB, a Swedish investment firm authorized and regulated by the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority (Sw. Finansinspektionen) under the Swedish Securities Market Act (Sw. lag (2007:528) om värdepappersmarknaden).

    This message is provided for information purposes and does not constitute an invitation, solicitation or offer to buy or sell any securities or investment. Neither KingsRock Securities, LLC nor its affiliates provide accounting, tax or legal advice; such matters should be discussed with your advisors and/or counsel.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: KingsRock Advisors Announces Advisory Board, Additional Senior Hires and Senior Advisors, and Inaugural Capital Raise

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK and LONDON and STOCKHOLM and DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, July 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — KingsRock Advisors, LLC (“KingsRock”), an independent global advisory firm, announced today the formation of a new Advisory Board, a series of new Senior Hires, additional Senior Advisors joining us, and an inaugural Capital Raise. This expansion aims to accelerate the growth of KingsRock’s capital solutions and corporate finance business, across industries, geographies, and capital structures.

    We are pleased to welcome the following Senior Banking Executives who have agreed to serve as Members of our new KingsRock Advisory Board:

    Dr. Josef Ackermann   Zurich, former Chairman of the Management Board, Deutsche Bank
    Fred Brettschneider   New York, former Head of Deutsche Bank Global Markets Americas
    Yassine Bouhara   Dubai, CEO Tell Group, former Global Head of Deutsche Bank Global Equities
    Kevin Parker   New York, CEO SICM, former CEO of Deutsche Asset Management
    Bernardo Parnes   Sao Paolo, CEO of One Partners, former CEO of Deutsche Bank Latin America
    Jon Vaccaro   Darien, Founder V20 Group, former Global Head of Deutsche Bank CRE
    Seth Waugh   Palm Beach, former CEO of Deutsche Bank Americas, former Chairman of PGA
         

    We are pleased to welcome the following Senior Investment Bankers who have joined KingsRock recently in the US and EMEA as Managing Directors, with further expansion planned:

    David Barcus   New York, former BNP and Raymond James
    John Doyamis   New York, former EBG, and Bear Stearns
    Leo-Hendrik Greve   Amsterdam, former ING, Citi and MS
    Rony Jawhar   Dubai, former Arqaam and Deutsche Bank
    Bray Kelly   New York, former JBK Capital and UBS
    Joe Lovrics   Madrid, former Societe General, Citi, and BNP
    Bill Miller   New York, Commerce Street, TPG Sixth Street, Citi
    Hans Narberhaus   Madrid, former Deutsche Bank
    Laurent Quelin   London, former Chenavari, and CS
    Francois-Louise Ricard   Paris, former Groupe Caisse des Depots, MS and SG
    Jorge de los Rios   Madrid, former Santander, S&P and Lehman
    Mike Turnbull   London, former StormHarbour, BAML and MS
    Andrew Whittaker   New York, Lazard, GSAM and Lehman

    In Q2 we were also joined by Gregor Bates, Associate, London, and Analysts Matt Farrell, Nikita Spivakov, and Tim O’Callaghan in New York.

    We also welcome George Parker, New York, as Senior Advisor for Operations.

    This team’s decades of investment banking experience across Origination, Advisory, Capital Markets, Structuring, and Leveraged Finance should help propel our growth and strategy to originate, structure, and distribute private capital markets transactions and provide strategic advisory services. Our goal is to further strengthen KingsRock’s ability to serve issuer clients and the private credit, special situations and private equity investor universe with ever more tailor-made capital solutions and investment opportunities.

    Expansion of our Global Network of Senior Advisors

    We are also pleased to announce that we now have 120 (one hundred and twenty) Senior Advisors from approximately 50 countries around the world. Each is a truly Independent Advisor with his or her own interest and focus, some with companies that we have partnered with, etc. Many of these advisors comprised the most senior leadership of Deutsche Bank and oversaw a wide range of functions, from CEO and six other former Management Board Members, to Country Heads and Divisional Heads of M&A, Capital Markets, and Heads of Sales, Coverage, Industry Groups, Economists, Operations, etc.

    This unique Global Network of former colleagues and friends as our Senior Advisors allows KingsRock access to key decision makers nearly anywhere in the world, spanning companies, institutional investors, financial institutions, and the public sector. It also offers mutual benefits in deal making through origination, execution, and distribution, be it a cross-border M&A transaction or bespoke institutional capital raising deal.

    We are also pleased to Announce a successful close of our inaugural third-party capital raise for KingsRock Advisors LLC, to support our expansion and elevate our investment banking boutique, with further strategic growth planned. We thank all of our investors for their strong support.

    “We are excited to welcome our new Senior Advisory Board Members, our new Managing Directors, Associate and Analyst colleagues, and our Senior Advisors network to KingsRock as we continue to expand the global reach of our capital solutions business. Together with our inaugural capital raise to boost and increase the visibility of our platform, successfully concluded in Q2, we are truly thrilled with the progress our young firm is making to serve our clients and support our ambitious growth. In the near term, we will share more details about our expansion across our financial services offering,” said Håkan Wohlin, Founder & Managing Partner, and Louis Jaffe, Co-Founder & Managing Partner.

    KingsRock has already announced and closed several significant transactions in 2025. Angel Oak’s recently announced sale to Brookfield, where KingsRock Advisors served as the Exclusive Financial Advisor to Angel Oak, is indeed a landmark transaction. On April 1st, 2025, Brookfield Asset Management and Angel Oak to Entered into Strategic Partnership. KingsRock Securities LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of KingsRock Advisors LLC, acted as Exclusive Financial Advisor to Angel Oak Companies.

    About KingsRock:

    KingsRock Advisors, LLC headquartered at 900 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10022, is an independent global advisory firm, with securities offered by KingsRock Securities LLC, a FINRA member firm and SIPC, as well as KingsRock Advisors UK Ltd and KingsRock Advisors Europe AB, both wholly owned subsidiaries of KingsRock Advisors LLC.

    Founded in 2020, KingsRock comprises a team of approximately 40 full time professionals who advise on a wide range of private capital markets transactions including debt, hybrid, equity and M&A covering structures from vanilla to highly structured. The team collectively has worked on thousands of transactions across various industry sectors worldwide. Clients include private equity and private credit firms, corporations, financial institutions, government-related entities, and institutional investors.

    KingsRock Advisors offers the experience and global reach of a large firm, combined with the structural agility and creativity of a boutique. An independent advisory firm with a global network that provides unconflicted strategic and financial advisory services, along with innovative capital solutions and special situations. The firms’ bankers excel in complex transactions and deliver swift results often where large banks and traditional sources of financing do not have the ability to engage. KingsRock advisors operates across all major industry sectors and is supported by a global network of 120 independent Senior Advisors across 50 countries, who bring decades of deal making experience.

    Disclaimer:

    Securities offered by KingsRock Securities LLC, a FINRA member firm and a member of SIPC., a wholly owned subsidiary of KingsRock Advisors LLC. • 900 Third Avenue, 10th Floor • New York, NY 10022.

    KingsRock Advisors UK Ltd is a private limited company registered in England and Wales with registration number 15240371. KingsRock Advisors UK Ltd (FRN 1006329) is an Appointed Representative under Bluegrove Capital Management Ltd (FRN: 960363), which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

    KingsRock Advisors Europe AB is incorporated in Sweden (EU), with registered office at Grev Turegatan 14, 114 46 Stockholm, Sweden, and is a tied agent of Svensk Värdepappersservice i Stockholm AB, a Swedish investment firm authorized and regulated by the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority (Sw. Finansinspektionen) under the Swedish Securities Market Act (Sw. lag (2007:528) om värdepappersmarknaden).

    This message is provided for information purposes and does not constitute an invitation, solicitation or offer to buy or sell any securities or investment. Neither KingsRock Securities, LLC nor its affiliates provide accounting, tax or legal advice; such matters should be discussed with your advisors and/or counsel.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Samsung Showcases Industry-Leading Hotel Technology at Hotel and Hospitality Expo Africa 2025

    Source: Samsung

     

     
    Samsung, a global leader in innovative technology solutions, took centre stage at the recent Hotel & Hospitality Expo Africa 2025, at the Cape Town International Convention Centre. As a trusted partner to the hospitality industry, Samsung presented a powerful suite of cutting-edge hotel technologies designed to elevate guest experiences and streamline hotel operations.
     
    Visitors to the Samsung exhibition stand experienced first-hand how the brand is shaping the future of smart hospitality. On display was a curated portfolio of Samsung’s premium commercial solutions tailored specifically for hotels, including:
     

    Samsung Hotel TVs – Commercial TVs built for business, and designed to offer an immersive in-room entertainment or conference experience. These advanced displays allow your guests to enjoy seamless and life-like picture quality. Explore more
    Samsung Kiosk and Connection Box – Modernise guest self-service with intuitive, secure, all-in-one solutions that simplify check-ins, payments, and more. See details
    Samsung Flip Screen – Encourage collaboration in conference or event spaces with an interactive whiteboard that brings meetings to life.
    LED Smart Signage – Find the perfect display solution for any business. Make a striking impression with high-impact indoor and outdoor LED signage, ideal for lobbies, event promotions, or wayfinding. More info | Smart Signage
    Samsung Tablets – Business-ready tablets that support operations and communication – designed to maximise productivity in the field, classroom, or office. Browse tablets

     
    Samsung’s commitment to innovation, reliability, and seamless integration positions it as a leading technology partner for the hospitality sector. From enhancing operational efficiency to delivering premium guest experiences, Samsung’s hotel solutions are trusted by hotels across South Africa and around the world.
     
    At the expo, Samsung gave visitors an opportunity to discover how technology is reshaping the hospitality landscape, making every stay smarter, safer, and more connected.
     
    For more information about Samsung’s business solutions, visit: https://www.samsung.com/za/business

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Samsung Showcases Industry-Leading Hotel Technology at Hotel and Hospitality Expo Africa 2025

    Source: Samsung

     

     
    Samsung, a global leader in innovative technology solutions, took centre stage at the recent Hotel & Hospitality Expo Africa 2025, at the Cape Town International Convention Centre. As a trusted partner to the hospitality industry, Samsung presented a powerful suite of cutting-edge hotel technologies designed to elevate guest experiences and streamline hotel operations.
     
    Visitors to the Samsung exhibition stand experienced first-hand how the brand is shaping the future of smart hospitality. On display was a curated portfolio of Samsung’s premium commercial solutions tailored specifically for hotels, including:
     

    Samsung Hotel TVs – Commercial TVs built for business, and designed to offer an immersive in-room entertainment or conference experience. These advanced displays allow your guests to enjoy seamless and life-like picture quality. Explore more
    Samsung Kiosk and Connection Box – Modernise guest self-service with intuitive, secure, all-in-one solutions that simplify check-ins, payments, and more. See details
    Samsung Flip Screen – Encourage collaboration in conference or event spaces with an interactive whiteboard that brings meetings to life.
    LED Smart Signage – Find the perfect display solution for any business. Make a striking impression with high-impact indoor and outdoor LED signage, ideal for lobbies, event promotions, or wayfinding. More info | Smart Signage
    Samsung Tablets – Business-ready tablets that support operations and communication – designed to maximise productivity in the field, classroom, or office. Browse tablets

     
    Samsung’s commitment to innovation, reliability, and seamless integration positions it as a leading technology partner for the hospitality sector. From enhancing operational efficiency to delivering premium guest experiences, Samsung’s hotel solutions are trusted by hotels across South Africa and around the world.
     
    At the expo, Samsung gave visitors an opportunity to discover how technology is reshaping the hospitality landscape, making every stay smarter, safer, and more connected.
     
    For more information about Samsung’s business solutions, visit: https://www.samsung.com/za/business

    MIL OSI Global Banks –