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  • MIL-OSI Russia: Mikhail Mishutin held a meeting on the situation in the coal industry

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    M. Mishustin: “This is one of the basic industries that ensures the stable operation of the most important sectors of the economy, including metallurgy, electric power, and housing and utilities. It also participates in solving social problems.”

    Opening remarks by Mikhail Mishustin:

    Good afternoon, dear colleagues!

    Opening remarks by Mikhail Mishustin at a meeting on the situation in the coal industry

    11 hours ago

    Today we will discuss the situation in the coal industry. This is one of the basic industries that ensures the stable operation of the most important sectors of the economy, including metallurgy, electric power and housing and utilities. It also participates in solving social problems.

    In this area, Russia is one of the three largest exporters. This means that incentives are being created for the development of transport infrastructure, primarily railways. The main sales markets here are China, India, Turkey and Korea, as well as other countries in Southeast Asia and Africa.

    On the instructions of the President, the Government has implemented a number of measures to support the industry. In particular, an agreement was concluded between Russian Railways and the Kemerovo Region on the guaranteed export of significant volumes of coal in the eastern direction. The share of innovative rolling stock has been increased. Rates for wagon operators and for transshipment in ports have been reduced. An end-to-end transportation technology has been introduced, which has made it possible to reduce delivery time from Kuzbass to southern ports by almost half, which significantly reduces companies’ transportation costs.

    Participants of the meeting

    List of participants of the meeting on the situation in the coal industry

    The federal budget financed measures to restructure the coal industry. The funds were used to resettle citizens, as well as for social support for employees dismissed due to the liquidation of organizations, for additional pension provision, technical and other purposes.

    A program is being implemented to further improve working conditions, increase the safety of mining operations and, of course, reduce accidents and injuries.

    Mikhail Mishutin held a meeting on the situation in the coal industry

    May 30, 2025

    Mikhail Mishutin held a meeting on the situation in the coal industry

    May 30, 2025

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    Mikhail Mishutin held a meeting on the situation in the coal industry

    The corresponding infrastructure is also being developed. Operation of the Pacific Railway has begun, construction of the ports of Elga and Lavna is underway. Coal mining centers are being created in the east of the country with favorable mining and geological occurrence of raw materials. And a shorter transportation shoulder to the main sales markets.

    New technologies and modern equipment are also being actively introduced. This allows for a significant increase in extraction efficiency and productivity. If in Soviet times about one and a half million people worked in the industry, then according to the results of last year – only slightly more than 150 thousand. At the same time, the volume of extracted raw materials exceeded the values of the last years of the USSR by almost fifteen million tons.

    It is obvious that the innovative potential of the coal industry is far from exhausted. Enterprises are engaged in the implementation of three-dimensional modeling technologies, optimization of mine equipment, coal extraction, including at low-power seams.

    In recent years, the industry has faced new serious challenges. World prices for all types of such fuel have fallen sharply. This year, unfortunately, the situation continues to worsen. In the first four months, export prices have fallen by almost a quarter. The situation is also complicated by the high debt load of companies. Significant expenses are required to maintain current operations, ensure industrial safety, labor protection and the environment.

    A whole series of measures have been developed to level the situation. It is necessary to help promising organizations that are experiencing temporary difficulties.

    In agreement with the President, I gave the corresponding instructions to the Minister of Finance Anton Germanovich Siluanov, the Minister of Energy Sergey Evgenievich Tsivilev, and the head of Russian Railways Oleg Valentinovich Belozerov. They visited the Kemerovo Region, discussed the most pressing issues with the management and employees of coal enterprises, and presented me with a number of proposals. Now we will discuss all of this in detail and report to the President.

    We hope that this will allow us to make all the necessary decisions to balance the situation.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Financial news: 05/30/2025, 10-13 (Moscow time) the values of the lower boundary of the price corridor and the range of market risk assessment for the security RU000A10BPF3 (TGK-14 1P7) were changed.

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Moscow Exchange – Moscow Exchange –

    05/30/2025 10:13

    In accordance with the Methodology for determining the risk parameters of the stock market and the deposit market of PJSC Moscow Exchange by NCO NCC (JSC), on May 30, 2025, 10:13 (Moscow time), the values of the lower limit of the price corridor (up to 70.68) and the range of market risk assessment (up to 629.44 rubles, equivalent to a rate of 23.75%) of the security RU000A10BPF3 (TGK-14 1P7) were changed.

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

    Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect

    HTTPS: //VVV. MOEX.K.M.M.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Financial news: 05/30/2025, 10:06 (Moscow time) the values of the upper limit of the price corridor and the range of market risk assessment for the security RU000A10A6B8 (RusGid2P02) were changed.

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Moscow Exchange – Moscow Exchange –

    05/30/2025 10:06

    In accordance with the Methodology for determining the risk parameters of the stock market and the deposit market of PJSC Moscow Exchange by NCO NCC (JSC) on 30.05.2025, 10-06 (Moscow time), the values of the upper limit of the price corridor (up to 123.24) and the range of market risk assessment (up to 1277.42 rubles, equivalent to a rate of 10.0%) of the security RU000A10A6B8 (RusGid2P02) were changed

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

    Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect

    HTTPS: //VVV. MOEX.K.M.M.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Dmitry Grigorenko: The selection of particularly significant projects of the second wave has been completed

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    The government has resumed issuing grants for industrial competence center projects. A total of 49 projects will be implemented within the second wave: 17 of them will receive grant funding, the other 32 projects will be implemented using the companies’ own funds. Completion of 86% of the selected second wave projects is planned for up to and including 2027.

    During the selection of the second wave of projects, on the instructions of Deputy Prime Minister – Head of the Government Staff Dmitry Grigorenko, an additional assessment of their economic efficiency and potential for replication was carried out.

    All developments that claimed the status of particularly significant projects were reviewed by development institutes – the Russian Foundation for Information Technology Development and the Skolkovo Foundation. Also, all projects that participated in the selection underwent an independent examination, within the framework of which an assessment was made of industry and inter-industry demand, economic feasibility of expenses and project implementation timeframes. In addition, the developments were checked for compliance with the requirements for inclusion in the register of software and hardware systems. Inclusion in the register facilitates the replicability of the solution and opens up the possibility of its use at critical information infrastructure (CII) facilities.

    “The projects implemented within the framework of the ICC are not just another point digital solutions. These are developments that are designed to increase the efficiency of entire sectors of the economy and ensure import substitution. We continue to improve the mechanism for selecting and implementing particularly significant projects in order to obtain competitive solutions that are not inferior to foreign ones, which the market is already waiting for and wants to implement. Additional assessment will allow us to determine at the stage of project selection which of them the industry is most interested in and how government investments will be returned to the budget in the form of tax deductions. It is important to exclude a situation in which one company – the customer – receives benefits from the implementation of the project. Also, let me remind you that we pay equal attention to both grant projects and projects at the expense of the companies’ own funds. All of them – regardless of the source of funding – must be completed on time and implemented within one or several industries,” commented Dmitry Grigorenko.

    The approved projects with grant co-financing, which will be implemented during the second wave, include, for example, a digital platform for solving and tracking quality issues commissioned by NAZ LLC. The system will automatically identify quality issues and promptly report them. Its implementation is expected to increase the speed of decision-making by 20% and increase the profits of enterprises in the automotive industry by 5-15%.

    The Industrial Assistant software package, implemented by order of DST-Ural LLC, also received grant support. The solution will allow using topographic images to create highly accurate 3D terrain models, plan mining operations, create routes for equipment movement, and warn of possible collapses and landslides. The system will help reduce the number of emergency situations and equipment downtime, and save on its repair and maintenance.

    Among the second-wave projects implemented at the expense of the companies’ own funds is the information system of the Federal State Unitary Enterprise Rosmorport for recording the calls of ships at the ports of the Russian Federation on domestic software (developed by JSC Sitronics). The project will consolidate data on ship calls at ports in a centralized database and create a “single information window” for the industry. Also among the progressive projects that will be implemented at the expense of the companies’ own funds is the development of JSC Kama – the cross-platform digital environment “Atom” for managing the functions of an electric vehicle. The system includes online diagnostics services, a digital cloud web system and a mobile application for managing an electric vehicle.

    For all projects, agreements have already been signed with customer companies at the level of development institutions on the provision of grants. The funds will be transferred to the recipients no later than June 1, 2025.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Government launches pilot project on operational cooperation to combat cyber fraudsters

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Order of May 28, 2025 No. 1350-r

    Document

    Order of May 28, 2025 No. 1350-r

    From June 4, 2025, Russia will begin implementing a pilot project for the operational interaction of government agencies, banks and telecom operators to combat cyber fraud. An order to this effect has been signed.

    The goal of the pilot is to create an effective mechanism for interaction between various state and non-state structures and to establish an exchange of information between them to prevent crimes using information and communication technologies.

    The platform for such interaction will be the state information system being created to combat violations in this area. During the implementation of the pilot project, the operation of this system will be tested. Thus, it is planned to determine the categories of data necessary for effective counteraction to cybercrimes, develop unified formats for providing data on offenses, and achieve automation of operational interaction. In addition, within the framework of the pilot project, it is necessary to develop preventive measures to combat fraudsters using digital communication channels.

    The participants of the pilot project from the state side will be the Ministry of Digital Development, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the FSB, Roskomnadzor, Rosfinmonitoring, FSTEC, the Bank of Russia, the Prosecutor General’s Office and the Investigative Committee. The participants will also include the largest Russian banks and telecom operators and JSC National Payment Card System.

    The pilot project is scheduled to be completed in March 2026. Its implementation will provide new opportunities to protect citizens from fraudulent activities and enhance their security on the Internet.

    At the end of 2024, the Government approved the Concept of the state system for combating crimes committed using information and communication technologies. This document, among other things, defined the creation of a specialized digital platform for the prompt exchange of information between law enforcement agencies, credit institutions and communications operators as a priority area of activity.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Financial news: The deposit auction of the Moscow Small Business Lending Assistance Fund will take place on 30.05.2025

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Moscow Exchange – Moscow Exchange –

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

    Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect

    HTTPS: //VVV. MEEX.K.M.M.

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    Date of the deposit auction 05/30/2025
    Placement currency Rub
    Maximum amount of funds placed (in placement currency) 300,000,000.00
    Placement period, days 40
    Date of deposit 05/30/2025
    Refund date 07.07.2025
    Minimum placement interest rate, % per annum 20.25
    Conditions of imprisonment, urgent or special Urgent
    Minimum amount of funds placed for one application (in placement currency) 300,000,000.00
    Maximum number of applications from one Participant, pcs. 1
    Auction form, open or closed Open
    Basis of the Treaty General Agreement
     
    Schedule (Moscow time)
    Preliminary applications from 10:30 to 10:40
    Applications in competition mode from 10:40 to 10:45
    Setting a cut-off percentage or declaring the auction invalid until 10:55
       
    Additional terms Placement of funds with the possibility of early withdrawal of the entire deposit amount and payment of interest accrued on the deposit amount at the rate established by the deposit transaction, in the event of non-compliance of the Bank with the requirements established by clause 2.1. of the Regulation “On the procedure for selecting banks for placing funds of the Moscow Small Business Lending Assistance Fund in deposits (deposits) under the GDS” (as amended on the date of the deposit transaction), early withdrawal at the “on demand” rate, interest payment monthly, on the last business day of the month, without replenishment

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Young men on South Africa’s urban margins: new book follows their lives over 10 years

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Hannah J. Dawson, Senior Lecturer, Anthropology and Development Studies, University of Johannesburg

    South Africa’s young people, aged 15 to 34, who make up more than 50% of the country’s working age population, bear a disproportionate burden of unemployment. They have done so for more than a decade. Of this group, those aged 15-24 face the highest barriers to the job market, according to data from Statistics South Africa. The majority of these young people live in the townships and informal settlements.

    A new book, Making a Life: Young Men on Johannesburg’s Urban Margins, examines how young people in Zandspruit, an informal settlement on the outskirts of Johannesburg, make a life. Anthropologist Hannah Dawson explains why she chose Zandspruit for her research and shares her findings about the sociopolitical landscape of urban settlements.

    Why the choice of Zandspruit for your research?

    It started with my arrival there in 2011 to study a wave of political protests during local elections. This sparked a much longer research journey spanning more than a decade, which this book traces.

    The settlement was established in the early 1990s and has grown into a densely populated area of around 50,000 people, across 14 pieces of land.

    The expansion of Zandspruit reflects broader trends in post-apartheid South Africa: rapid urbanisation, inadequate urban housing, rising unemployment and underemployment — including a shift from permanent to casual work, and from formal to informal employment.

    What sets Zandspruit apart is its location. It is near post-apartheid economic hubs such as Kya Sands, with its light industries and business parks, and Lanseria Airport, a growing freight and logistics hub earmarked for expansion under the Greater Lanseria Masterplan. It also borders affluent suburbs and golf estates. This makes it distinct from older, more isolated settlements in Johannesburg’s south. Its proximity to shopping malls, townhouse complexes, warehouses and commercial zones makes it a destination of choice for migrants. They include people seeking a foothold in the urban market from rural areas of South Africa as well as people from other parts of the African continent.

    This proximity makes Zandspruit a case study for understanding how residents access urban job markets, and the connections between wage and non-wage economic activities.

    What do your findings tell us about the lives of young people?

    The book draws on research primarily with young men, whose work and lives I followed over ten years. It shows how young men on the urban margins navigate structural unemployment and inequality by forging social ties, asserting belonging, and pursuing alternative livelihoods within what I call Zandspruit’s “redistributive economy”. I use the phrase “making a life” to move beyond survival or income generation. A life is not only about securing food and shelter. It involves the pursuit of social connection, identity, place and dignity.

    For many of the young men I came to know, this often involved turning down demeaning jobs in favour of self-initiated income strategies that offered greater autonomy. These included renting out shacks, running internet cafes or car washes, or operating as mashonisas (unregistered loan sharks). Such efforts reflect more than personal resilience – they reveal how men’s social position and connections within the settlement shape access to the more lucrative niches of the local economy.

    These dynamics point to a broader condition facing young people in South Africa: deep and persistent material insecurity. Yet, they also show the ways in which young people, especially young men, are actively building lives in the face of profound uncertainty. They are crafting meaning and striving for something more in a context marked by chronic unemployment and inequality.

    What did you learn about urban inequality and living on the urban margins?

    The residents of Zandspruit are not equally poor or marginalised. A focus of the book is the division between “insiders” – long-term residents with access to property who earn rental income – and “outsiders” – new arrivals and immigrants who, as tenants, are more dependent on low-paid jobs. These distinctions shape access to land, housing, livelihoods and local recognition.

    Most immigrants form a precarious tenant class, while landlords tend to be established residents with long-standing ties to the settlement. Zandspruit is a deeply stratified space where social connections, property access and local citizenship determine who belongs and who benefits. By tracing men’s positions as insiders or outsiders, the book shows how these inequalities shape their economic strategies and capacity to build a life on the urban margins.

    What do you recommend in terms of public policy?

    The book doesn’t make policy recommendations. However, it speaks to key public and policy debates. Media and policy narratives often portray unemployed youth as idle and disconnected from society, ignoring the complex, often invisible, economic activities and arrangements that structure their lives. While informal and unstable, these pursuits reflect resourcefulness, local knowledge, and a conscious rejection of degrading labour.

    It challenges the idea that informal entrepreneurship can solve youth unemployment. Most enterprises are too precarious to lift young people out of poverty. It also questions the notion that informal settlements are simply ghettos of exclusion and poverty. Instead, it highlights the inequalities within the settlement and calls for greater attention to be paid to the local economies and social orders being forged within these spaces. Understanding these dynamics is crucial to rethinking how we respond to unemployment, the urban housing crisis and inequality in South Africa.

    Hannah J. Dawson received funding from the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission and the National Research Foundation.

    – ref. Young men on South Africa’s urban margins: new book follows their lives over 10 years – https://theconversation.com/young-men-on-south-africas-urban-margins-new-book-follows-their-lives-over-10-years-257026

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Dialogue between descendants of Lu Xun and M. Gorky took place in Hangzhou

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    BEIJING, May 30 (Xinhua) — A Sino-Russian cultural exchange event, “Dialogue Between Masters – Lu Xun and Maxim Gorky,” was held in Qiantang District of Hangzhou City, east China’s Zhejiang Province, on Thursday. Descendants of the two brilliant literary figures, experts and scholars from China and Russia, as well as teachers and students from primary and middle schools in Hangzhou gathered to promote cultural exchanges through poetry and fiction readings, the Zhejiang Daily reported.

    Zhou Lingfei, Lu Xun’s eldest grandson and also the chairman of the Lu Xun Cultural Foundation, said that Lu Xun’s critical spirit is like a scalpel that dissects both others and himself. And the works of M. Gorky are like a beacon that has played an important role in the development and cultural renewal of China.

    “Young people need to have reasonable doubts and to look for different ways to achieve scientific and technological innovation. All this is connected with the spirit of criticism,” he added.

    Timofey Peshkov, great-great-grandson of M. Gorky and executive director of the M. Gorky Foundation, in turn expressed hope that in the future, Lu Xun’s descendants will be invited to give lectures in Moscow to strengthen cultural exchanges between the two countries.

    Let us recall that 2024-2025 have been declared the Years of China-Russia Culture, and this year’s international exchange event “Dialogue between Masters: Lu Xun and Famous World Writers” is being held for the twelfth time.

    It was organized by Hangzhou High School, where the author once worked. The current dialogue is also part of an important poetry education project in Zhejiang Province. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Beijing-Hangzhou Dialogue “China Grand Canal Cultural Belt” Opens in Beijing

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    On May 29, the Beijing-Hangzhou Dialogue “China’s Grand Canal Cultural Belt” opened at the Beijing Grand Canal Museum.

    At the opening ceremony, scholars and guests from home and abroad shared their achievements and experiences in building the Grand Canal Cultural Belt, which is dedicated to artistic creativity, history and culture, as well as cultural exchanges between the East and the West.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Chinese students recited works by classics of Russian poetry

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    BEIJING, May 30 (Xinhua) — The 8th Russian poetry reading event entitled “I Remember a Wonderful Moment” and the 3rd Russian Classical Poetry Recitation Competition among Beijing University Students were held at Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU) as part of the closing ceremony of the 19th BFSU Russian Culture Festival.

    The event featured speeches by the Third Secretary of the Russian Embassy in China A. I. Druzhinin and the Deputy Director of the Institute of Russian Language of PULIN, Professor He Fang. PULIN Professor Liu Guangzhun, who initiated the event, Professor Huang Suhua of Capital Normal University and other distinguished guests were also present at the event.

    The competition involved 13 teams from 9 Beijing universities. Based on the results of the competition, prizes were awarded for first, second and third places, as well as the audience award. The first place was won by PUJI student Xu Jin.

    The 19th Festival of Russian Culture of the PUL also included a competition for dubbing films into Russian among students of Beijing universities and many other interesting events. This year, for the first time, a new form of cultural exchange was added – joint dubbing of works by students from China and Russia, which became an innovative format for deepening interaction between the youth of the two countries. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: UN pays tribute to fallen peacekeepers

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    UNITED NATIONS, May 30 (Xinhua) — The United Nations held a memorial service at its headquarters in New York on Thursday to commemorate peacekeepers who died in the line of duty.

    UN Secretary-General António Guterres laid a wreath in honour of the 4,400 UN peacekeepers who have died since 1948. He later presided over a ceremony in which 57 peacekeepers from more than 30 countries were posthumously awarded Dag Hammarskjöld Medals. They died last year while serving under the UN flag. The medal was also awarded posthumously to a French soldier who died in 1973.

    Over the past decades, more than 2 million women and men have served in 71 missions on four continents, Guterres said at the ceremony. “In the communities and countries where they serve, UN peacekeepers are an important symbol of the UN at its best. And together, they have helped improve the lives of millions of people,” he added.

    UN peacekeeping missions face complex situations such as terrorism, transnational crime and disinformation that make them vulnerable to attack, the Secretary-General noted, stressing the need for peacekeeping to adapt to new realities in these tense and difficult times. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Israel announces construction of 22 new settlements in occupied West Bank

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    JERUSALEM, May 30 (Xinhua) — Israel on Thursday said it would establish 22 new settlements in the occupied West Bank, in what officials called a strategic expansion of Israel’s presence in the Palestinian territory.

    A map published by far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich shows that the plan includes the rebuilding of two settlements, Homesh and Sa-Nur, in the northern part of the territory. They were evacuated in 2005 as part of Israel’s disengagement from the Gaza Strip.

    Meanwhile, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed the Security Cabinet’s approval of the plan, calling it a “historic decision” to “strengthen our [Israeli] authority” in the West Bank.

    The announcement came after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to take full control of Gaza, while pro-settlement ministers, including B. Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, advocated moving evacuated Jewish settlements to Gaza.

    Israel captured the West Bank in the 1967 Six-Day War and has been expanding settlements there ever since. More than 720,000 Israeli settlers now live in heavily guarded communities there. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: 30 May 2025 News release WHO calls for urgent action to ban flavoured tobacco and nicotine products

    Source: World Health Organisation

    On World No Tobacco Day, the World Health Organization (WHO) today launches a new publication and calls on governments to urgently ban all flavours in tobacco and nicotine products, including cigarettes, pouches, hookahs and e-cigarettes, to protect youth from addiction and disease.

    Flavours like menthol, bubble gum and cotton candy are masking the harshness of tobacco and nicotine products turning toxic products into youth-friendly bait. Flavours not only make it harder to quit but have also been linked to serious lung diseases. Cigarettes, which still kill up to half of their users, also come in flavours or can have flavours added to them.

    “Flavours are fuelling a new wave of addiction, and should be banned,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO. “They undermine decades of progress in tobacco control. Without bold action, the global tobacco epidemic, already killing around 8 million people each year, will continue to be driven by addiction dressed up with appealing flavours.”

    The publication, Flavour accessories in tobacco products enhance attractiveness and appeal, reveals how flavours and accessories like capsule filters and click-on drops are marketed to bypass regulations and hook new users.

    Currently:

    • over 50 countries ban flavoured tobacco;
    • more than 40 countries ban e-cigarette sales; 5 specifically ban disposables and 7 ban e-cigarette flavours; and
    • flavour accessories remain largely unregulated.

    Countries such as Belgium, Denmark, and Lithuania are taking action, and WHO urges others to follow.

    Flavours are a leading reason why young people try tobacco and nicotine products. Paired with flashy packaging and social media-driven marketing, they’ve increased the appeal of nicotine pouches, heated tobacco, and disposable vapes into addictive and harmful products, which aggressively target young people.

    “We are watching a generation get hooked on nicotine through gummy bear-flavoured pouches and rainbow-coloured vapes,” said Dr Rüdiger Krech, WHO Director of Health Promotion. “This isn’t innovation, it’s manipulation. And we must stop it.”

    WHO reiterates that tobacco products, including heated tobacco products, expose users to cancer-causing chemicals and should be strictly regulated.

    The 2025 World No Tobacco Day campaign honours governments, youth activists and civil society leaders pushing back against industry interference. “Your actions are changing policy and saving lives,” said Dr Krech.

    With around 8 million tobacco-related deaths each year, the time for action is now. Flavours, and the industries that deploy them, have no place in a healthy future.
     

    Information sheets

    The role of flavours in increasing the appeal of tobacco, nicotine and related products

    Flavour accessories in tobacco products enhance attractiveness and appeal

    Understanding the design features of tobacco, nicotine and related products and their possible effects

    Manipulation and marketing strategies used by tobacco and nicotine industries to promote their products

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: UN Special Envoy for Road Safety in Djibouti and Kenya to support initiatives to increase road safety

    Source: United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

    The United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Road Safety, Jean Todt, will visit Djibouti and Kenya from 27 May to 4 June 2025 to support global and national authorities’ road safety initiatives.  

    The Special Envoy will meet members of the Government as well as representatives of the private and public sectors three months after the Declaration of Marrakesh where Member states further committed to accelerate efforts for achieving the Decade of Action for Road Safety‘s goal of halving the number of the victims on the road by 2030.  

    The Silent pandemic on the road  

    The Special Envoy qualified road crashes as “The Silent Pandemic on the Road”. Indeed, every year, the staggering toll of road-related fatalities globally claims the lives of 1.19 million people, leaving 50 million others with severe injuries. Furthermore, road crashes are the leading cause of death for children and young adults aged 5–29 years.   

    “Africa is the continent proportionately most affected by road crashes. Knowing that these affect the youngest first, beyond the human tragedy this is an economic devastation, sacrificing or invalidating for life the active force of a country. While the vaccine to avoid this carnage on the road exists, I urgently call on everyone to use it”, stressed the Special Envoy. 

    The continent loses annually over 300,000 people through road crashes, even though its countries are witnessing the lowest levels of motorization in the world. Africa has a traffic fatality rate of 19.5 deaths per 100,000 people compared to 16 deaths per 100,000 in Southeast Asia, and 6.5 deaths per 100,000 in Europe.   

    38% of fatalities occur among pedestrians while 43 percent occur among car occupants. Motorized 2-3 wheelers and cyclists account for 7% and 5% of Africa’s traffic deaths respectively. A significant proportion of road fatalities on the continent occur in urban areas.  Furthermore, the ongoing improvement of the quality and coverage of Africa’s roads is likely to increase crashes if it is not accompanied by appropriate road safety measures.   

    Towards enhanced road safety in Djibouti 

    The fatality rate in Djibouti is 23/100,000 inhabitants (WHO 2023). Road safety remains a critical public health and development challenge. As part of his ongoing global advocacy, the Special Envoy will engage national authorities and partners in strengthening road safety efforts. 

    During the mission, Mr. Todt will meet with senior government officials to encourage the implementation of effective road safety legislation, improved enforcement, safer infrastructure, and better post-crash care. Discussions will also focus on the importance of data collection, education campaigns—particularly in schools—and the protection of vulnerable road users such as pedestrians, motorcyclists, and children.  

    Safer roads for economic growth in Kenya   

    The fatality rate in Kenya is estimated at 27.8 per 100,000 inhabitants (WHO, 2023), among the highest in Africa. Despite progress in policy and institutional frameworks, road traffic injuries remain a major public health concern, particularly affecting pedestrians, motorcyclists, and passengers. Kenya’s expanding road network is often challenged by infrastructure gaps, poor road user behavior, and limited enforcement capacity, especially outside major urban centers. 

    According to the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), over 4,000 people lost their lives on Kenyan roads in 2023. Motorcycles—commonly used for short-distance transport (boda-bodas)—are involved in a significant share of crashes, with helmet non-use and overloading being frequent risk factors. This is especially concerning when we know that quality helmets reduce the risk of death by over six times and brain injury by up to 74% (WHO, 2023). 

    Since the last visit by the Special Envoy in 2024, UN Kenya has moved towards more concerted action on road safety. Going forward, UN Kenya will target particular blackspots for accidents and explore how to mobilize road safety ambassadors and Kenyan celebrities in sports to drive awareness on road safety in Kenya.   

    Photo credit: Adobe Stock Images by Eunika Sopotnicka 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: International Reserves and Foreign Currency Liquidity

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

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

    The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) released today (May 30) the analytical data on the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region’s foreign currency reserves and foreign currency liquidity as at the end of April 2025 (Annex). These data are published monthly in the Template on International Reserves and Foreign Currency Liquidity in accordance with the International Monetary Fund’s Special Data Dissemination Standard (SDDS).
     
    ****
     
    At present, four press releases relating to the Exchange Fund’s data are issued by the HKMA each month. Three of these releases are issued to disseminate monetary data in accordance with the International Monetary Fund’s SDDS. The fourth press release, on the Exchange Fund’s Abridged Balance Sheet and Currency Board Account, is made in accordance with the HKMA’s policy of maintaining a high level of transparency. For the month of May 2025, the scheduled dates for issuing the press releases are as follows:
     

    May 8
    (Issued)    		 SDDS International Reserves
    (Hong Kong’s Latest Foreign Currency Reserve Assets Figures)
    May 14
    (Issued)    		 SDDS Analytical Accounts of the Central Bank
     (Analytical Accounts of the Exchange Fund)
    May 30 SDDS Template on International Reserves and
    Foreign Currency Liquidity
    May 30 Exchange Fund Abridged Balance Sheet and
    Currency Board Account

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: SFST meets Canadian officials

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    Secretary for Financial Services & the Treasury Christopher Hui met financial officials in Ottawa on Wednesday and business representatives in Vancouver yesterday, as he continued a five-day visit to Canada.

    Mr Hui met Canadian Deputy Minister of Finance Chris Forbes on Wednesday. They discussed the challenges posed by unilateralism and protectionism, and how Hong Kong and Canada might collaborate to achieve mutual benefits in areas such as the gold market and virtual assets.

    Mr Hui told Mr Forbes that as global economic gravity continues to shift eastwards, Hong Kong has been exploring new growth areas and expanding international co-operation. He said this includes efforts by a working group to promote gold market development.

    In a meeting with Canada’s Superintendent of Financial Institutions Peter Routledge, Mr Hui spoke of Hong Kong’s perseverance in upholding a robust regulatory regime across different financial institutions and financial products.

    Mr Routledge praised Hong Kong for its advanced development in the area of digital assets, stating that it sets an example for other regions.

    Mr Hui then met Senator Woo Yuen-pau at Parliament Hill and brief hum on Hong Kong’s effort in maintaining its status as an international financial centre through various measures.

    He mentioned the recent affirmations of Hong Kong’s credit ratings by Fitch, S&P and Moody’s, adding that these fully demonstrate Hong Kong’s resilience in maintaining stability amid increasing global economic and financial uncertainties.

    During his short stay in Ottawa, Mr Hui also paid a courtesy call to China’s Ambassador to Canada Wang Di.

    Mr Wang said Hong Kong has its own distinctive advantages which can enable it to be a bridgehead in driving closer ties between China and Canada in addition to fostering direct co-operation between Hong Kong and Canada.

    In Vancouver yesterday, Mr Hui met Fraser Institute Board Chair Mark Scott and some other prominent business figures to update them on Hong Kong’s financial development.

    Mr Hui welcomed the think-tank’s ranking of Hong Kong as the world’s freest economies in its Economic Freedom of the World 2024 Annual Report.

    Later, he spoke at a business lunch hosted by the Hong Kong-Canada Business Association (Vancouver Chapter), and participated in a fireside chat.

    Mr Hui then met representatives of the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce and briefed them on development in areas such as wealth management and digital assets in Hong Kong.

    The day concluded with a business networking reception and seminar organised by Invest Hong Kong (Canada).

    Addressing the audience, Mr Hui highlighted the Government’s dedication to integrate Web3 innovations into the real economy by introducing a licensing regime for fiat-referenced stablecoin issuers, and to foster the development of Web3 and digital assets.

    He also mentioned Hong Kong’s determination to expand the financial value chain to sustain the world-class status of its financial markets. Two forward-looking moves are to build an international gold trading market and create a commodity trading ecosystem in Hong Kong, he said.

    Mr Hui added that, with Canada enjoying a prominent position in the global gold market and the Toronto Stock Exchange being the world’s pre-eminent stock exchange for mining companies, co-operation between Hong Kong and Canada can establish an East-West financial corridor for the world.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Young men on South Africa’s urban margins: new book follows their lives over 10 years

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Hannah J. Dawson, Senior Lecturer, Anthropology and Development Studies, University of Johannesburg

    South Africa’s young people, aged 15 to 34, who make up more than 50% of the country’s working age population, bear a disproportionate burden of unemployment. They have done so for more than a decade. Of this group, those aged 15-24 face the highest barriers to the job market, according to data from Statistics South Africa. The majority of these young people live in the townships and informal settlements.

    A new book, Making a Life: Young Men on Johannesburg’s Urban Margins, examines how young people in Zandspruit, an informal settlement on the outskirts of Johannesburg, make a life. Anthropologist Hannah Dawson explains why she chose Zandspruit for her research and shares her findings about the sociopolitical landscape of urban settlements.

    Why the choice of Zandspruit for your research?

    It started with my arrival there in 2011 to study a wave of political protests during local elections. This sparked a much longer research journey spanning more than a decade, which this book traces.

    The settlement was established in the early 1990s and has grown into a densely populated area of around 50,000 people, across 14 pieces of land.

    The expansion of Zandspruit reflects broader trends in post-apartheid South Africa: rapid urbanisation, inadequate urban housing, rising unemployment and underemployment — including a shift from permanent to casual work, and from formal to informal employment.

    What sets Zandspruit apart is its location. It is near post-apartheid economic hubs such as Kya Sands, with its light industries and business parks, and Lanseria Airport, a growing freight and logistics hub earmarked for expansion under the Greater Lanseria Masterplan. It also borders affluent suburbs and golf estates. This makes it distinct from older, more isolated settlements in Johannesburg’s south. Its proximity to shopping malls, townhouse complexes, warehouses and commercial zones makes it a destination of choice for migrants. They include people seeking a foothold in the urban market from rural areas of South Africa as well as people from other parts of the African continent.

    This proximity makes Zandspruit a case study for understanding how residents access urban job markets, and the connections between wage and non-wage economic activities.

    What do your findings tell us about the lives of young people?

    The book draws on research primarily with young men, whose work and lives I followed over ten years. It shows how young men on the urban margins navigate structural unemployment and inequality by forging social ties, asserting belonging, and pursuing alternative livelihoods within what I call Zandspruit’s “redistributive economy”. I use the phrase “making a life” to move beyond survival or income generation. A life is not only about securing food and shelter. It involves the pursuit of social connection, identity, place and dignity.

    For many of the young men I came to know, this often involved turning down demeaning jobs in favour of self-initiated income strategies that offered greater autonomy. These included renting out shacks, running internet cafes or car washes, or operating as mashonisas (unregistered loan sharks). Such efforts reflect more than personal resilience – they reveal how men’s social position and connections within the settlement shape access to the more lucrative niches of the local economy.

    These dynamics point to a broader condition facing young people in South Africa: deep and persistent material insecurity. Yet, they also show the ways in which young people, especially young men, are actively building lives in the face of profound uncertainty. They are crafting meaning and striving for something more in a context marked by chronic unemployment and inequality.

    What did you learn about urban inequality and living on the urban margins?

    The residents of Zandspruit are not equally poor or marginalised. A focus of the book is the division between “insiders” – long-term residents with access to property who earn rental income – and “outsiders” – new arrivals and immigrants who, as tenants, are more dependent on low-paid jobs. These distinctions shape access to land, housing, livelihoods and local recognition.

    Most immigrants form a precarious tenant class, while landlords tend to be established residents with long-standing ties to the settlement. Zandspruit is a deeply stratified space where social connections, property access and local citizenship determine who belongs and who benefits. By tracing men’s positions as insiders or outsiders, the book shows how these inequalities shape their economic strategies and capacity to build a life on the urban margins.

    What do you recommend in terms of public policy?

    The book doesn’t make policy recommendations. However, it speaks to key public and policy debates. Media and policy narratives often portray unemployed youth as idle and disconnected from society, ignoring the complex, often invisible, economic activities and arrangements that structure their lives. While informal and unstable, these pursuits reflect resourcefulness, local knowledge, and a conscious rejection of degrading labour.

    It challenges the idea that informal entrepreneurship can solve youth unemployment. Most enterprises are too precarious to lift young people out of poverty. It also questions the notion that informal settlements are simply ghettos of exclusion and poverty. Instead, it highlights the inequalities within the settlement and calls for greater attention to be paid to the local economies and social orders being forged within these spaces. Understanding these dynamics is crucial to rethinking how we respond to unemployment, the urban housing crisis and inequality in South Africa.

    – Young men on South Africa’s urban margins: new book follows their lives over 10 years
    – https://theconversation.com/young-men-on-south-africas-urban-margins-new-book-follows-their-lives-over-10-years-257026

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • France to ban smoking at beaches, parks and outside schools to protect children

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    France will ban smoking on beaches, in parks, outside schools and in other locations to protect children, France’s health and families minister said.

    The ban will come into effect in July, Catherine Vautrin said in an interview with the Ouest France newspaper late on Thursday. It will exempt cafe terraces and will not apply to electronic cigarettes.

    “Where there are children, tobacco must disappear,” Vautrin said. “From July 1, beaches, public parks and gardens, school areas, bus shelters, and sports facilities will be smoke-free throughout France. Smoking will therefore be prohibited there, to protect our children.”

    Vautrin said smoking kills around 200 people every day in France.

    Smoking in France is at historic lows, according to a report published this month by the French Observatory for Drugs and Addictive Trends. It found that just under a quarter of people aged 18-75 smoked daily, the lowest since it began keeping records in the late 1990s.

    The UK announced a similar smoking ban last year.

    (Reuters)

  • MIL-OSI USA: Scalise Touts House’s One Big, Beautiful Bill

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steve Scalise (1st District of Louisiana)

    WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) spoke on the House Floor ahead of the vote on Republicans’ once-in-a-generation reconciliation package, prioritizing hardworking families through no tax on tips, no tax on overtime, and tax cut permanency. Leader Scalise emphasized how Democrats’ ‘no’ vote is a direct vote for tax hikes on Americans.

    Click here or the image above to view Leader Scalise’s full remarks.  
    Excerpts from remarks: 

    “Any restaurant you go to, talk to the waiters and waitresses. Ask them about their hopes and dreams. Ask them about their families. And what would they do with just a little bit more money in their paycheck? Do you know, Mr. Speaker, that big provision that every Democrat is going to vote against, the average tip worker makes $32,000 a year, and every Democrat will vote no on that benefit while they hide behind the lie of the millionaires and the billionaires because they know that’s not the case. But they also know if they’re going to vote against every hardworking waiter and waitress who averages $32,000 a year, how do they get away with it? They’ve got to create some fake boogie man that they can point to and say, ‘Gee, whiz, look at the billionaire over there.’ As if class warfare, dividing Americans, is their way to try to get more power in Washington. How about we give people in America more power? Take it away from Washington. Empower the people in this country who have been struggling for too long. If you want to live the American dream, it can still exist. For a lot of people, they thought it was going away. President Trump ran and said, ‘I will renew that promise.’ But it only happens if Congress delivers.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Washington Post: Scalise Leads Outside the Glare of the House Speakership

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steve Scalise (1st District of Louisiana)

    WASHINGTON, D.C.—Last week, Washington Post’s Paul Kane profiled House Majority Leader Steve Scalise’s (R-La.) critical leadership in the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, and examined his role as the most tenured member of Congressional leadership. To see highlights of the piece, see below. To read the full article, click here.

    Washington Post: Scalise Leads Outside the Glare of the House Speakership
    The House majority leader, having come back from a shooting and a cancer bout, has shifted into the role of GOP elder statesman after having once sought the chamber’s top job.May 24, 2025By Paul Kane
    When House Majority Leader Steve Scalise looks around the leadership table these days, he realizes no one else played even a small role in the last big GOP tax-cut bill in 2017.“Everybody else is new. It’s amazing when you think about how much turnover there’s been,” the Louisiana Republican said.Scalise serves as the leader tasked with educating the relative newcomers about mistakes of the past while trying to push their sweeping conservative agenda across the legislative finish line.Scalise, 59, has found something close to political solace, effectively, as the COO for the House implementing day-to-day tasks, with House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) in the CEO role managing relationships with the Senate, President Donald Trump and key party holdouts on big votes.That paid off early Thursday when, despite the smallest majority in almost 100 years, House Republicans narrowly passed the massive tax-and-border-security package with not a single vote to spare.When the gavel fell, Scalise gave a high-five to House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minnesota) before embracing him. Behind them, the three chiefs of staff for Johnson, Scalise and Emmer all jumped into one another’s arms in a group bear hug.“It shows you how much better things are,” Scalise said in an interview Thursday.Less than two years ago, all three were engaged in a leadership game of musical chairs, following the far-right flank’s decision to eject Kevin McCarthy (R-California) from the top job.…Making matters worse, Scalise had just been diagnosed with multiple myeloma blood cancer, which included some intensive and debilitating treatments while also fueling rumors pushed by his internal foes. That followed the 2017 shooting at a congressional baseball practice in which Scalise was within minutes of dying.“There were people trying to spread a rumor that I had six months to go, and obviously that wasn’t true. And a lot of those other things were disgustingly false, deliberate lies. But look, this is a rough-and-tumble business. I have no qualms about that,” Scalise said in a 45-minute interview Tuesday in his third-floor Capitol suite, looking out onto the National Mall, one of two interviews we had for this column.…Rather than sulking away from politics, Scalise hunkered down and fashioned a strong relationship with his fellow Louisianan, whom he’s known for decades.He’s now the elder statesman of an incredibly green leadership team. During the 2017 effort to pass President Donald Trump’s first-term tax cut plan, Johnson was just months into his congressional service and Emmer was starting his second term. Rep. Lisa C. McClain (R-Michigan), now the No. 4 GOP leader, was working in the financial services industry.Having won his first election in 2007, Scalise knows what life was like before Trump consumed Republican politics. He’s one of fewer than 25 GOP members, out of 220, who served during George W. Bush’s presidency.Scalise was first elected to a top leadership post in 2014, as whip, which put him in charge during Trump’s first term of marshaling support for the effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act and pass the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017.He spent a lot of time early this year reminding everyone how difficult those lifts were. The Senate failed on its ACA repeal vote in July 2017 and then kept fiddling on the issue into the fall, and the House didn’t fully engage on the tax plan until the fall, passing the budget resolution in late October despite the opposition of 20 Republicans from wealthy states that opposed its handling of local-tax deductions.The final vote on the nearly $2 trillion tax cut did not come until five days before Christmas 2017.“We had a rocky start in 2017, and it really threw us off a few months. We literally burned the first few months of that supermajority not having a sync between Congress and President Trump,” Scalise recalled Tuesday.Back then, House Republicans had more than 240 members, a luxury compared with today’s tally of 220, with Johnson able to spare just three votes from his side of the aisle to pass legislation with no Democratic support.So Scalise fought hard against Republicans, particularly in the Senate, when they wanted to divide up Trump’s agenda into two bills that would use the parliamentary fast track known as reconciliation, allowing some budget measures to pass without clearing the Senate’s filibuster hurdle.House Republicans have been so bitterly divided that at times they struggle to execute the most basic tasks, so it made no sense to bet on them passing two major bills with no margin for error.Scalise believes that pushing the tax agenda faster will deliver benefits faster to voters — something Republicans failed at eight years ago because Trump’s approval ratings on the economy did not soar until well after the 2018 midterm elections.“We never really got the economic benefits because it takes months for those economic benefits to kick in. By the time you get to the midterms, you really didn’t have the full bounce from the positive things that did happen,” he said.This time around, financial markets have had a different reaction, panicked by how the massive legislation will add trillions to the swelling federal debt.But Republicans have convinced themselves it will give an economic boost regardless. So Scalise visited Trump a year ago and began planning with committee chairmen about how to push through an agenda as quickly as possible if the GOP swept control of Congress.“Let’s be ready for the moment,” he told Trump.Close friends feel that Scalise is finally really comfortable and delivering results, after an almost biblical run of surviving the shooting, fighting McCarthy and others in internal feuds, and battling blood cancer.“We can’t minimize the speaker’s role, we can’t minimize the whip’s role. But Steve Scalise is running on all cylinders in a big way,” said Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-Florida), a 22-year veteran and unofficial lieutenant on Team Scalise.…Scalise said that he is in remission and that he goes through a battery of tests monthly. Sometimes he still crosses a partisan line that doesn’t fit his otherwise backslapping nature, as happened during a fiery, almost 20-minute speech just after 5 a.m. Thursday.Scalise accused Democrats of saying “President Biden’s health is just fine,” a couple of days after the former president’s prostate cancer diagnosis.It was a more partisan jab, coming from someone who’s also battling cancer, than Scalise’s natural posture.When Pelosi delivered her farewell speech from leadership, in November 2022, Scalise was the only member of the GOP leadership to attend. He said that he loves the institution and was there out of respect, particularly after she had been so nice to him after the 2017 shooting.Scalise blames “small numbers on both sides” who use a burn-it-all-down approach to toxify the image of Congress.“It doesn’t take many people to do it. And that helps beat the institution down,” he said.Scalise has been beat down more than most lawmakers, and he has the scars — real and emotional — to show for it.But he keeps forging ahead.Next month, at the annual Congressional Baseball Game, Scalise will again take the field at Nationals Park, where lawmakers gathered in a massive, bipartisan prayer the day after the 2017 shooting.He expects to occupy the one spot in the baseball lineup that he has yet to secure inside the Capitol.Scalise bats leadoff for the Republican team.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Louisiana Leaders Applaud House Passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steve Scalise (1st District of Louisiana)

    JEFFERSON, La.—Today, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) celebrated the House passage of H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, and Louisiana leaders issued the following statements praising the legislation:“President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill unleashes Louisiana energy and increases the cap on GOMESA from $500 to $650 million/ year. It lowers taxes for Louisiana families and allows us to properly secure the border. It’s exactly why Louisiana voted for President Trump, and Speaker Johnson and Majority Leader Scalise did a great job getting it to the finish line—delivering win after win for Louisiana,” said Governor Jeff Landry.”Over 91% of NFIB members support making the expiring small business Tax Cuts and Jobs Act provisions permanent. This legislation will prevent a tax hike on over 33 million small business owners and reduce the effective tax rates of most small business owners,” said NFIB Senior Vice President for Advocacy Adam Temple. “Louisiana’s energy industry is vital to the economic growth of our state, and I’m pleased to see American energy become a national priority once again with the One, Big Beautiful Bill that not only raises the revenue sharing amount our state receives for coastal restoration but also mandates 30 new Gulf of America lease sales to ensure there are future GOMESA dollars to go to the states. I’m grateful to Leader Scalise and Speaker Johnson for ushering this legislation through the House today and urge our Senators to swiftly pass it as well,” said Greater Lafourche Port Commission Executive Director Chett Chiasson.“If the 2017 tax cuts are not renewed, Louisiana families and small businesses are looking at a tax hike to the tune of thousands of dollars. I’m pleased Leader Scalise and Speaker Johnson are fighting for Louisiana and working hard to secure these tax rates, get more individuals working, and strengthen our local economy,”said St. Charles Parish President Matt Jewell.“House passage of the reconciliation bill is a key step toward advancing American energy dominance and preserving the Gulf of America’s role as a strategic offshore energy hub,” said National Ocean Industries Association President Erik Milito.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Scalise: House Republicans Delivered on Reconciliation for Hardworking Americans

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steve Scalise (1st District of Louisiana)

    WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) joined Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain (R-Mich.), and House Republican Committee Chairmen to celebrate Republicans passing the One, Big, Beautiful reconciliation bill, with the hard work of 11 House Committees, in order to secure major wins for deserving families. Despite Democrat opposition, Leader Scalise described how this bill begins the process of reversing course on the Biden Administration’s failed policies by securing the border, rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse, unleashing American energy, preventing tax hikes, and bolstering the economy. 

    Click here or the image above to view Leader Scalise’s full remarks. 
    On House Republicans fighting for deserving families:“As the Speaker said, it truly is morning in America again. When you think about all of the work that’s gone into putting this bill together, it’s one big, beautiful bill for a lot of reasons.There are a lot of really important wins for the American people in this bill. We had 11 committees come together and meet in hearings, some went on over 24 hours. Rules Committee went over 20 hours. You had, of course, the Budget Committee. Chairman Arrington is the lead author of the bill. All of the people that had to come together in our conference, and I think a lot of you know, we don’t all think alike. Democrats made it very clear they didn’t want to have any part in helping get America back on track again. But we were never deterred. When this bill could have failed 10 times over, we said we were going to get this done, and failure is not an option, and we meant it. “We knew we were fighting for the families who have been struggling for way too long under the failed policies of Joe Biden and all the Democrats who did have control of Washington for too long. We watched higher interest rates and higher inflation and lower wages, and a demise of the American dream that we knew should not be permanent, but was only going to turn around if we passed a bill to get America back on track. We knew we had to prevent a massive tax increase, so we put it in the bill. We knew we needed to secure America’s border as President Trump ran on all across this country and won the election on, and we put it in this bill. We ran on and said we would produce more American energy, and we put it in this bill. All the things that we knew we needed to do to root out waste, fraud, and abuse in government. Focus on those families who are struggling. All of that is in this one big, beautiful bill.”On reconciliation’s next step in the Senate:“Yes, now the House has come together and passed this bill against all odds, but we’re still working on the rest of the process. Still goes to the Senate. Senate has a lot of work to do, too. That’s why we’ve been talking to the Senate for a long time. But it’s their turn to take this bill and move forward.”On strong GOP leadership under President Trump:“But I’ll tell you, none of this would be possible without the leadership of President Trump, who every step of the way, not only laid out the vision, ran a campaign on this vision, but every step of the way, too, said, ‘Whatever you need, let me know.’  And he was there to help us. Our great Speaker, Mike Johnson, who was never deterred, probably hasn’t slept in a few days, but never wavered in his commitment to get this done. And this whole team has come together.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Scalise Celebrates Passage of One Big Beautiful Bill Act

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steve Scalise (1st District of Louisiana)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) issued the following statement after the House passed H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act: “Last November, the American people gave us a mandate to end the years of bloated Biden government that led to the worst inflation in decades, a wide-open southern border, and a dangerous assault on American energy. With this One Big, Beautiful Bill, House Republicans are answering that mandate and implementing President Trump’s America First agenda, delivering on our promises and providing relief to American families who’ve been struggling for too long. “President Trump’s One Big, Beautiful Bill prevents the largest tax hike on American families and businesses in history, reestablishes American energy dominance through unleashing domestic production, secures the southern border and delivers much needed resources to carry out the President’s immigration agenda, restores Peace through Strength, spurs economic growth and new investments, and secures historic spending reductions while protecting essential programs.  “A vote against this historic legislation is a vote for huge tax increases, inflation, open borders, energy dependence, fewer jobs, and less money in your pocket. If this legislation does not become law, the average taxpayer will see a 22 percent tax hike, the Child Tax Credit will be cut in half for 40 million families, guaranteed deduction will be slashed in half for 91 percent of taxpayers, and 26 million small businesses will experience a massive tax increase. With passage of this bill, the average American family will save $1,700 – the equivalent of nine weeks of groceries – increasing real annual take-home pay for a median-income household with two children by $4,000-$5,000. “House Republicans started preparing for budget reconciliation with President Trump over a year ago, and I’m incredibly grateful to the President, our Committee Chairs, House leadership team, and all of our dedicated Republican members for the months of late nights and hard work that got us to this moment. This Big, Beautiful Bill is a huge win for all Americans, and I urge the Senate to pass it as quickly as possible so we can get it to President Trump’s desk and start delivering the relief Americans have been waiting for.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: 32/2025・Trifork Group: Weekly report on share buyback

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Company announcement no. 32 / 2025
    Schindellegi, Switzerland – 30 May 2025

    Trifork Group: Weekly report on share buyback

    On 28 February 2025, Trifork initiated a share buyback program in accordance with Regulation No. 596/2014 of the European Parliament and Council of 16 April 2014 (MAR) and Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1052, (Safe Harbour regulation). The share buyback program runs from 4 March 2025 up to and including no later than 30 June 2025. For details, please see company announcement no. 7 of 28 February 2025.

    Under the share buyback program, Trifork will purchase shares for up to a total of DKK 14.92 million (approximately EUR 2 million). Prior to the launch of the share buyback, Trifork held 256,329 treasury shares, corresponding to 1.3% of the share capital. Under the program, the following transactions have been made:

            Number of shares        Average purchase price (DKK)        Transaction value (DKK)
    Total beginning 94,974 87.06 8,268,765
    26 May 2025 1,300 92.08 119,704
    27 May 2025 1,400 91.90 128,660
    28 May 2025 1,400 92.31 129,234
    29 May 2025     Market closed
    30 May 2025     Market closed
    Accumulated 99,074 87.27 8,646,363

    A detailed overview of the daily transactions can be found here: https://investor.trifork.com/trifork-shares/

    Since the share buyback program was started on 4 March 2025, the total number of repurchased shares is 99,074 at a total amount of DKK 8,646,363.
    On 25 March, 25 April and 23 May 2025, 4,370 shares acquired through the share buyback program were utilized for the Executive Management’s monthly fixed salary, representing a change from cash payment to payment partly in shares (refer to company announcement no. 1 of 21 January 2025). On 1 April 2025, 19,943 shares acquired through the share buyback program were utilized to serve the RSU plan of Executive Management and certain employees.

    With the transactions stated above, Trifork holds a total of 331,090 treasury shares, corresponding to 1.7%. The total number of registered shares in Trifork is 19,744,899. Adjusted for treasury shares, the number of outstanding shares is 19,413,809.

    Investor and media contact
    Frederik Svanholm, Group Investment Director, frsv@trifork.com, +41 79 357 73 17

    About Trifork
    Trifork (Nasdaq Copenhagen: TRIFOR) is a pioneering global technology company, empowering enterprise and public sector customers with innovative digital products and solutions. With 1,215 professionals across 71 business units in 16 countries, Trifork specialises in designing, building, and operating advanced software across sectors such as public administration, healthcare, manufacturing, logistics, energy, financial services, retail, and real estate. The Group’s R&D arm, Trifork Labs, drives innovation by investing in and developing synergistic, high-potential technology companies. Learn more at trifork.com.

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    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Toyota Submits Third Progress Report on Measures to Prevent Recurrence

    Source: Toyota

    Headline: Toyota Submits Third Progress Report on Measures to Prevent Recurrence

    Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) has announced that it has submitted a progress report on recurrence prevention of model certification application issues to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) today in light of the correction order issued by the ministry on July 31. This report, summarizing actions taken to date, is the third of a series of quarterly reports.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: African Mining Week (AMW) to Spotlight Opportunities in South Africa’s Platinum Group Metals (PGM) Market

    Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

    CAPE TOWN, South Africa, May 30, 2025/APO Group/ —

    The upcoming African Mining Week (AMW) – Africa’s premier gathering for mining stakeholders, taking place from October 1-3, 2025, in Cape Town – will feature a dedicated panel exploring investment and growth opportunities within the country’s platinum group metals (PGM) market. Titled, South Africa’s Strategic Influence in the Global PGM Market, the panel session will spotlight national initiatives designed to strengthen the country’s PGM value chain – an industry that already accounts for approximately 80% of global supplies.

    As South Africa strengthens its position as the world’s leading producer of PGM, the session will foster greater collaboration among industry stakeholders. Speakers are expected to address challenges and opportunities across the value chain, identifying strategies for accelerating production and consolidating the country’s position as a major global supplier.

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

    South Africa’s PGM market offers significant opportunities for mining companies and investors. In May 2025, mining firm Ivanhoe Mines reached a significant milestone by driving underground development into the high-grade platinum, palladium, rhodium, nickel, gold and copper orebody at the Platreef Mine in Mokopane. First production at the project is targeted for Q4, 2025, followed by Phase 2 within two years after first production. The project, containing over 95 million tons of PGMs, aims to produce 450,000 ounces annually in Phase 2.

    Meanwhile, Canada-based Platinum Group Metals Ltd. recently announced plans to raise $1.8 billion through a private placement to advance the Waterburg Project in South Africa. The project holds proven and probable reserves of 246.2 million tons of platinum, palladium, rhodium and hold at an average grade of 2.96 grams per ton. With aims to diversify its product portfolio and enhance revenue generation, mining Group Pelagic Resources launched the development of a new PGM concentrator at its Kookfontein Mine in February this year. Designed by exploration company Nuco Chrome in early 2024, the concentrator is currently in an advanced development stage and is expected to be commissioned in the first half of 2025.

    Other major PGM developments in South Africa include the 40-million-ounce Bengwenyama Project by Southern Palladium, which completed a pre-feasibility study in October last year, confirming a 14% increase in PGM reserves. Meanwhile, Vanadium Resources Ltd. recently signed an agreement with China Energy Engineering International Group for the provision of engineering, procurement and construction services for the Steelpoortdrift Vanadium Project. The open pit mine and treatment facility will be developed for the exploitation of 680 million tons of vanadium resources in the Bushveld Complex. Additionally, Northam Platinum Holdings is reviving the Eland Mine Complex in the North West Province, with aims to increase PGM production from 100,000 ounces annually in 2025 to 180,000 ounces by 2028.

    Amid this growth, AMW will serve as a key platform to unpack these developments and explore new strategies being implemented to attract investment and boost production. The event will bring together South African regulators, mining executives and global partners to shape the future of the country’s PGM sector.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI China: China, Japan make substantive progress in talks on Japanese aquatic products

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

    China and Japan held a new round of technical talks in Beijing on Wednesday over the safety of Japanese aquatic products, with the two sides achieving “substantive progress,” according to China’s top customs authority.

    Initiated at Japan’s request, the talks marked the latest step in a series of technical exchanges this year, the General Administration of Customs said Friday. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Taishan-based food company sees overseas growth via market adaptation

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

    Xinli Food (Truly Food), a company based in Taishan, southern China’s Guangdong province, is leveraging cultural adaptation, data analysis, and other strategies to expand its presence in international markets. 

    Automated production line at Xinli Food’s manufacturing facility [Photo provided to China.org.cn]

    Specializing in sauces and canned foods for both Chinese and Western cuisine, the company is introducing traditional Taishan products such as shrimp paste to consumers overseas.

    By using big data to analyze market trends and consumer preferences, the company has accelerated product development and improved marketing outcomes. The company has also established teams to monitor international policy changes, ensuring compliance and reducing business risks. A multi-platform content strategy has enhanced its brand visibility and customer engagement abroad. Currently, overseas sales account for 30% of Xinli’s total revenue.

    Shrimp paste produced by Xinli Food [Photo provided to China.org.cn]

    “In different regions, consumer habits and preferences vary significantly,” said Huang Xiuci, manager at Xinli Food. “For markets like Southeast Asia, we have localized product packaging to suit local usage habits, and promoted them through both online content and in-store tasting sessions.”

    Based on consumer feedback, Xinli has shifted from a passive sales approach to a model that incorporates market input into product design. Looking ahead, the company plans to further expand into South America and emerging markets within the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) by making use of Taishan’s overseas Chinese networks.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Integrated data market high on agenda

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

    China is studying and formulating policy documents to cultivate a national integrated data market in accordance with new characteristics related to the development of the data market as part of a broader push to fully unleash the value of its massive data resources, said the National Data Administration, the country’s top data governance regulator.

    More efforts should be made to bolster the development and utilization of public data, and encourage enterprises to innovate by leveraging data to reduce costs and improve operational efficiency, so as to nurture new quality productive forces and empower high-quality economic and social development, said the NDA.

    To promote the use of data as a factor of production in more fields and tap the potential of data, the administration is ramping up efforts to compile a guideline on the application scenarios of data elements.

    China has issued a three-year action plan to expand the application of data in 12 key fields, including manufacturing, modern agriculture, logistics and financial services.

    The country will take steps to promote the high-level application of data, ensure the quality of data supply, improve the environment of data circulation and strengthen data security, said the action plan.

    Luan Jie, deputy head of the policy and planning department at the NDA, said nearly 500 digital tech companies have been established by centrally administered State-owned enterprises, and about 66 percent of leading enterprises in various industries have purchased data, adding that the extensive participation of social entities has laid a solid foundation for unleashing the value of data.

    Luan said data has been increasingly applied into a diverse range of sectors, such as industry, agriculture and transportation, giving rise to new business forms and models and generating a multiplier effect in boosting the economy.

    Looking ahead, the administration will accelerate steps to roll out a guideline on the construction of data infrastructure and establish comprehensive experimental zones for data elements, while strengthening the top-level design of the data market and establishing rules, facilities and governance systems related to a unified national data market to create a fairer and more dynamic market environment.

    The nation’s total data output reached 41.06 zettabytes last year, up 25 percent year-on-year, while the added value of core industries of the digital economy accounted for about 10 percent of the GDP, said the NDA.

    “Data elements have been rapidly integrated into various areas like production, circulation, consumption and social services, and are playing an increasingly vital role in bolstering industrial upgrades,” said Ouyang Rihui, assistant dean of the China Center for Internet Economy Research at the Central University of Finance and Economics.

    The in-depth integration of data with traditional industries will improve production efficiency, optimize the allocation of resources and create novel business models, Ouyang said, while stressing the need to bolster the circulation and transaction of data, explore a data pricing mechanism and value assessment system, ensure data security and strengthen privacy protection.

    Data have the attributes of commodities, which could be effectively allocated through market evaluation and trading, so as to create huge economic and social value, he said.

    Jiang Xiaojuan, a professor at the University of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said the nation’s accelerated push to nurture a national integrated data market and create more abundant applications of data in various sectors is conducive to driving the transformation and upgrade of industries, facilitating the development of digital economy, and giving full play to the value of data to foster new growth drivers.

    The National Industrial Information Security Development Research Center said revenue derived from China’s data elements market is projected to rise to 198.9 billion yuan ($27.7 billion) in 2025, with the compound annual growth rate surpassing 25 percent during the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) period.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Beijing airports hit record high in tax refunds for overseas travelers

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

    Beijing airports hit record high in tax refunds for overseas travelers

    Xinhua | May 30, 2025

    In the first four months of this year, the customs of two major airports in Beijing processed departure tax refund applications for overseas travelers totaling approximately 369 million yuan (about 51.36 million U.S. dollars), up 79.41 percent year on year, setting a new record high for the same period in history, according to Beijing Customs.

    The 240-hour visa-free transit policy has significantly boosted the number of foreigners visiting China, the municipal customs said.

    From January to April, Beijing Customs handled 7.07 million inbound and outbound passengers, up 22.3 percent year on year. Additionally, the customs authorities oversaw 40,622 inbound and outbound flights at Beijing Capital International Airport and Beijing Daxing International Airport, a 23.9-percent year-on-year increase.

    As China continues to optimize its tax refund policy for overseas visitors, the potential for inbound tourism consumption is being fully realized. During this year’s May Day holiday, the number of tax refund applications processed at the two Beijing airports increased by 105.14 percent year on year, while the total refund amount surged by 155.81 percent compared to the same period last year, data from Beijing Customs shows.

    “Since the beginning of this year, we’ve observed a significant increase in inbound foreign travelers, which is clearly reflected in our tax refund processing volumes,” said a staff member with the customs of Beijing Capital International Airport. “During peak shifts, we handled up to 50 to 60 refund claims — a substantial rise compared to previous periods.”

    The customs of Beijing Capital International Airport now has multiple tax refund counters in departure areas, which has helped streamline processing amid rising demand. Meanwhile, Beijing Customs is working closely with tax authorities, tourism officials and Capital Airports Holdings Co., Ltd., to publicize tax refund procedures via airport media, multimedia systems, and official new media platforms.

    MIL OSI China News –