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Category: DJF

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Xi Jinping, Bolivian President Luis Arce exchange congratulations on 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

    BEIJING, July 9 (Xinhua) — Chinese President Xi Jinping and Bolivian President Luis Arce on Wednesday exchanged congratulations on the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

    Noting that China and Bolivia are good friends and brothers, Xi said that in the 40 years since the establishment of diplomatic ties, China-Bolivia relations have withstood the test of changing international circumstances and always maintained a steady momentum of growth.

    The two sides firmly supported each other on issues concerning their core interests and major concerns, he said, adding that high-quality cooperation under the Belt and Road has produced fruitful results and friendship has taken deeper roots in the hearts of the two peoples.

    Xi Jinping recalled that he had a fruitful meeting with L. Arce last November during the G20 leaders’ summit in Rio de Janeiro, which set the course for the further development of Chinese-Bolivian relations.

    He said he attaches great importance to the development of China-Bolivia relations and is willing to work with the Bolivian President to strengthen the traditional friendship, take the China-Bolivia strategic partnership to a new height, and bring more benefits to the peoples of the two countries.

    In turn, L. Arce noted that over the past 40 years, Bolivia and China have established strong bilateral relations based on mutual respect and friendly cooperation.

    The Bolivian side highly appreciates China’s support and assistance in areas such as infrastructure, technology, energy and health, and welcomes China’s leadership in uniting countries in the Global South, advancing China-Latin America cooperation and working to build a more equitable and inclusive international order, he said.

    Bolivia is ready to continue to deepen the fraternal friendship between the two peoples, he added. –0–

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Heihe Port handled record number of cross-border e-commerce parcels in first half of 2025

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

    BEIJING, July 9 (Xinhua) — A total of 29.596 million pieces of cross-border e-commerce mail were exported through Heihe Port in northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province in the first half of 2025, up 4,824.3 percent year on year, the Heihe Daily reported.

    During the reporting period, the total weight of these parcels was 4,302 tons, and their value was 2.38 billion yuan (approximately 332.68 million US dollars), an increase of 482 percent and 1,552.8 percent year-on-year, respectively. Notably, all of these figures reached record highs.

    According to Heihe Customs, the maximum daily number of processed cross-border e-commerce parcels at the border crossing reached 829,000 units.

    The cities of Heihe and Blagoveshchensk are separated by the border river Heilongjiang /Amur/. Due to the geographical advantage and the efficient operation of local customs, it takes only 7-8 days to export postal items through the Heihe automobile checkpoint and undergo customs clearance, which ensures the timeliness of land transportation of goods sold within the framework of cross-border e-commerce.

    Convenient logistics channel allows Heihe to attract many enterprises engaged in cross-border e-commerce. To date, the city has built border warehouses for CET /cross-border e-commerce/ with an area of almost 20 thousand square meters, and 38 e-business entities have been registered. -0-

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ10: Home ownership by public

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    (2) whether it has compiled statistics for each year over the past 10 years on the median monthly income and the median value of monthly mortgage repayment of local owner-occupied households; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

    (3) as there are views that home ownership can enhance people’s sense of belonging to community and foster strong work values, but according to a research brief published by the Legislative Council Secretariat in March 2021 and data from the Census and Statistics Department, the overall local home ownership rate and the home ownership rate among young people aged below 35 have both declined in recent years, whether the authorities will consider setting a home ownership rate afresh in LTHS in the future; if not, of the reasons for that; and 
    Reply:
     
    President,
     
         Hong Kong’s housing policy has all along been an important cornerstone of social development. The current-term Government put in place measures to enhance quantity, speed, efficiency and quality in land production. With our unremitting efforts in the past three years, the problem of back-loaded public housing supply (including public rental housing (PRH) and subsidised sale flats (SSF)) has completely turned around. Coupled with Light Public Housing (LPH), the total public housing supply (including also PRH and SSF) in the coming five years (i.e. 2025-26 to 2029-30) will reach 197 000 units, which is a significant increase of 85 per cent as compared with the first five year period since the current-term Government took office (i.e. 2022-23 to 2026-27). In addition, we have successfully capped the waiting time for PRH, which has reduced from the peak of 6.1 years to 5.3 years. The oversubscription rate of Home Ownership Scheme (HOS) has also dropped from the peak of 62 times in HOS 2019 to 14 times in HOS 2024. Looking ahead, with the completion of various public housing (including PRH and SSF) as well as LPH projects, the Composite Waiting Time for Subsidised Rental Housing will gradually decline. Therefore, we have more confidence to provide more SSF to further meet the home ownership aspiration of the public.
     
         Currently, about half of the households are residing in accommodations that they own. For most people, buying a property is a major life decision involving many considerations, such as family and childbearing plans as well as the pursuit of a more independent and modern lifestyle, etc. For low- to middle-income persons who cannot afford private housing, SSF is a very suitable first step in realising their dream of home ownership. In this regard, we have all along been striving to enhance the housing ladder through the provision of various types of SSF in response to the home ownership aspiration of households with different income and encourage citizens from all walks of life to move up the social ladder according to their abilities.
     
         In consultation with the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau and the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD), our reply to the questions raised by Dr the Hon Wendy Hong is as follows:
     
    (1) and (2) Results of the 2016 Population By-census and the 2021 Population Census conducted by C&SD provide statistics regarding home ownership and related demographic and socio-economic characteristics of Hong Kong’s domestic households in the past decade. The number of owner-occupier domestic households by age group of household head and type of housing are listed in Annex 1. Over the past five years, the number of owner-occupier households and households owning SSF increased by over 80 000 and nearly 30 000 respectively, representing growth rates of 6 per cent and 7 per cent. This reflects a rising trend of homeownership among families. The median monthly income and the median mortgage payment and loan repayment of owner-occupier domestic households are listed in Annex 2.
     
         It is worth noting that between 2016 and 2021, only an average of about 4 200 flats were put up for sale under each HOS sale exercise, and the oversubscription rate was as high as about 43 times on average. However, the current-term Government is very determined to tackle the housing problem in Hong Kong. As a result, in the coming five years (i.e. 2025-26 to 2029-30), in addition to PRH/Green Form Subsidised Home Ownership Scheme (GSH) flats, the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) and the Hong Kong Housing Society (HS) will have a completion of about 56 500 SSF, averaging about 11 000 units annually. This is 2.6 times of the annual output before the current-term Government took office.
     
    (3) and (4) As stated above, the current-term Government is very determined to resolve housing problem in Hong Kong and we also care about our young people. Therefore, we have introduced a number of policy measures to assist citizens (especially young people) in realising their home ownership aspiration through various aspects, such as supply, allocation and financial arrangements. Since the current-term Government took office, more than 33 000 applicants have purchased SSF, and the difficulties faced by low- and middle-income families in acquiring their own properties over the past decade or so have been clearly reversed by the concerted efforts of the various teams of the current-term Government in providing more land and housing. With the increasing supply of SSF in the coming years, more residents will experience the happiness and sense of fulfillment brought by homeownership over the next decade, enabling more families to settle securely and thrive in our city.
     
         In addition, in terms of supply, the Chief Executive announced in the 2024 Policy Address that the HA would adjust the ratio between PRH (including GSH units) and SSF to gradually adjust the ratio from 7:3 to 6:4 in order to increase the supply of SSF. In the next five years (i.e. 2025-26 to 2029-30), the HA and the HS will complete about 56 500 SSF. As stated above, we believe that a continuous and stable supply of SSF led by the Government is conducive to the upward mobility along the housing ladder and it will help those in need realise their dream of owning a home according to their respective needs and abilities.
     
         At the same time, we have also proposed a series of policy measures to meet the housing needs and demands of different citizens, including revising the ratio between Green Form and White Form in respect of HOS flats from the current 4:6 to 5:5 so as to allow more PRH tenants who would like to purchase HOS flats to move upwards; and increasing the chance of young people and applicants who have made repeated attempts to purchase SSF by optimising the sales arrangements.
     
         Starting from HOS 2024, the HA has implemented the Families with Newborns Flat Selection Priority Scheme which was announced in the 2023 Policy Address. A quota of about 40 per cent of the new flats for sale (i.e. 2 900 flats) under HOS 2024 were set aside for eligible applicants under the Families with Newborns Flat Selection Priority Scheme and the Priority Scheme for Families with Elderly Members for balloting and priority flat selection. During the application period of HOS 2024, the HA received a total of around 106 000 applications. Among them, around 50 000 came from family applicants, in which around 19 000 applied under the Priority Scheme for Families with Elderly Members and Families with Newborns Flat Selection Priority Scheme, representing around 40 per cent of family applicants. If eligible families applying under the Families with Newborns Flat Selection Priority Scheme fail to purchase a flat under HOS 2024, they may still apply under the Scheme for priority flat selection as long as their children are aged three or below on the closing day of the application of subsequent SSF sale exercises. In addition, following GSH 2024, the HA will allocate an extra ballot number to applicants who had failed to purchase a flat in the last two consecutive sale exercises starting from the next HOS exercise, so as to increase their chances of success in purchasing SSF. Based on the figures of HOS 2024, assuming all factors remain constant (including the number of applicants, their age, etc), the success rate of eligible families applying under the of Families with Newborns Flat Selection Priority Scheme in purchasing a flat will increase by about 60 per cent, after obtaining an extra ballot number.
     
         The HA has also been assisting low- to middle-income families in purchasing homes through pricing and financial arrangements. First of all, the Government revised the pricing mechanism of SSF in 2018. The pricing of SSF is calculated on the basis of applicants’ affordability, which is delinked from the private housing market. Under the current pricing mechanism, at least 75 per cent of the flats for sale can allow non-owner occupier households earning the median monthly household income to spend no more than 40 per cent of their monthly income on mortgage payment. Based on affordability calculations, the selling prices of the flats offered under latest GSH and HOS sale exercises were set at 60 per cent and 70 per cent of their assessed market value respectively.
     
         On top of this, the HA relaxed mortgage arrangements for SSF in 2024, including extending the maximum mortgage default guarantee from 30 years to 50 years and extending the maximum mortgage repayment period from 25 years to 30 years to enable purchasers of first-hand and second-hand SSF to obtain mortgage loans from banks and authorised financial institutions participating in the provision of mortgage loans for such flats. After the implementation of relevant arrangements, the number of HOS/GSH flats with a residual guarantee period of more than 10 years increased substantially from about 14 per cent to about 98 per cent. As at May 2025, the average number of transactions of second-hand SSF was about 360 per month, which was about 60 per cent higher than the average number of transactions of about 230 per month in the 12 months before the implementation. Besides, after extending the maximum mortgage repayment period for flats sold under the secondary market from 25 years to 30 years, among buyers who applied for mortgages to purchase SSF in the secondary market, more than half of the cases have a repayment period of 25 years or more. This shows that the above measures have successfully revitalised the secondary market and facilitated the turnover of SSF in the secondary market.
     
         For the secondary market, starting from White Form Secondary Market Scheme (WSM) 2024, the HA has also significantly increased the quota by 1 500 to 6 000, all of which will be allocated to young family applicants and one-person applicants aged below 40. Of all the applications for WSM 2024, more than 80 per cent (i.e. about 28 000 applications) were from young applicants who chose to participate in Youth Scheme (WSM), reflecting that the scheme is well received by young people.
     
         In addition, the Government also responds to the home ownership aspirations of higher-income persons who are not eligible for the HOS and yet cannot afford private housing through Starter Homes for Hong Kong Residents (SH) projects. Apart from the first two SH projects offered for sale by the Urban Renewal Authority (i.e. eResidence Towers 1 and 2, as well as eResidence Tower 3) with a total of over 600 SH units sold, the Government is also taking forward a few other SH projects, which will provide a total of around 5 000 SH units from the next few years onwards. Amongst applicants and final purchasers of SH units offered for sale in the past, around 85 per cent were youth aged 40 or below. We believe that this initiative may help another batch of youngsters from the middle class with higher income yet still cannot afford private housing achieve home ownership with more available options.
     
         Having regard to changes in the overall situation of the property market, the current-term Government has since February 2024 abolished all demand-side management measures for residential properties. The Hong Kong Monetary Authority has also since October 2024 adjusted the countercyclical macroprudential measures for property mortgage loans. The maximum loan-to-value (LTV) ratio and debt servicing ratio (DSR) limit were reverted to the pre-2009 levels before the countercyclical macroprudential measures were first introduced, with the maximum LTV ratio for all residential properties adjusted to 70 per cent, regardless of the value of the property, and the DSR limit adjusted to 50 per cent, providing facilitation to persons with different needs for property purchase. Individuals may also obtain high LTV ratio mortgage loans through the Mortgage Insurance Programme according to their own needs. In particular, for first-time homebuyers with regular income purchasing properties priced at $10 million or below, the LTV ratio can be up to 90 per cent, which greatly reduces their down payment burden.
     
         Furthermore, to ease the burden on buyers of properties at lower values, the Government has since 26 February 2025 adjusted the value bands of Ad Valorem Stamp Duty payable for sale and purchase or transfer of residential and non-residential properties, raising the maximum value of properties chargeable to $100 stamp duty from $3 million and $4 million, facilitating those who wish to purchase flats. As most SSF units are priced below $4 million, buyers may benefit from the aforementioned reduction in stamp duty to $100, with savings up to over $59 000. According to the information from the Inland Revenue Department, there were 3 780 duly stamped sale and purchase agreements for residential properties valued between $3 million and $4 million from March to May 2025, which represents a significant increase of over 70 per cent as compared to the same period last year (March to May 2024) where 2 183 sale and purchase agreements were duly stamped.
     
         We will continue to review whether there is room to optimise various relevant arrangements having regard to factors including developments of the property market, the home ownership needs of different citizens, etc.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Video: UK 🔴 LIVE: Prime Minister’s Questions with British Sign Language (BSL) – 9 July 2025

    Source: United Kingdom UK Parliament (video statements)

    Prime Minister’s Question Time, also referred to as PMQs, takes place every Wednesday the House of Commons sits. It gives MPs the chance to put questions to the Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer MP, or a nominated minister.

    In most cases, the session starts with a routine ‘open question’ from an MP about the Prime Minister’s engagements. MPs can then ask supplementary questions on any subject, often one of current political significance.

    The Leader of the Opposition, Kemi Badenoch MP, asks six questions and the leader of the second largest opposition party asks two. If another minister takes the place of the Prime Minister, opposition parties will usually nominate a shadow minister to ask the questions.

    Want to find out more about what’s happening in the House of Commons this week? Follow the House of Commons on:

    Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/HouseofCommons
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ukhouseofcommons
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ukhouseofcommons

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=coSC0NX1QKI

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: UK 🔴 PMQs LIVE: Prime Minister’s Questions – 9 July 2025

    Source: United Kingdom UK Parliament (video statements)

    Watch PMQs with British Sign Language (BSL) – https://youtube.com/live/coSC0NX1QKI

    Prime Minister’s Question Time, also referred to as PMQs, takes place every Wednesday the House of Commons sits. It gives MPs the chance to put questions to the Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer MP, or a nominated minister.

    In most cases, the session starts with a routine ‘open question’ from an MP about the Prime Minister’s engagements. MPs can then ask supplementary questions on any subject, often one of current political significance.

    The Leader of the Opposition, Kemi Badenoch MP, asks six questions and the leader of the second largest opposition party asks two. If another minister takes the place of the Prime Minister, opposition parties will usually nominate a shadow minister to ask the questions.

    Want to find out more about what’s happening in the House of Commons this week? Follow the House of Commons on:

    Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/HouseofCommons
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ukhouseofcommons
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ukhouseofcommons

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TADdw1XCKso

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Ms Angie Motshekga tables Budget Vote Speech

    Source: Republic of South Africa (video statements)

    Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Ms Angie Motshekga tables Budget Vote Speech

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhr059JYQng

    MIL OSI Video –

  • Indian NBFCs to clock 25 pc growth in education loan AUM in FY26 amid US uncertainties

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    For non-banking finance companies (NBFCs) in India, education loans have been the fastest-growing asset class, clocking over 50 per cent growth in the assets under management (AUM) over the past few years, a report said on Wednesday. This fiscal (FY26), growth is seen moderating to 25 per cent with AUM reaching Rs 80,000 crore.

    The pace is likely to halve this fiscal as disbursements for pursuing educational courses in the US decelerate following a raft of policy changes in that country, according to the report by Crisil Rating.

    To mitigate the impact, NBFCs are diversifying into new geographies and product adjacencies. While non-performing assets (NPAs) have remained stable so far, asset quality will be monitorable given the global uncertainties and a large proportion of AUM (85) remaining under contractual principal moratorium, the report mentioned.

    The education loan AUM of NBFCs grew a rapid 48 per cent to Rs 64,000 crore last fiscal. That followed an even faster 77 per cent growth in fiscal 2024.

    “Policy uncertainties in the US, combined with measures including reduced visa appointments and the proposed elimination of Optional Practical Training norms have culled newer loan originations. This has led to a 30 per cent decline in total disbursements to that geography last fiscal,” said Malvika Bhotika, Director, Crisil Ratings.

    Disbursements linked to even Canada, the second-largest market, fell as student visa rules turned stricter, including increased financial requirements via proof of available funds, and cap on permits.

    “Consequently, overall education loan disbursements were up only 8 per cent in fiscal 2025, compared with 50 per cent in fiscal 2024, Bhotika mentioned.

    To offset these headwinds, NBFCs have sharpened focus on other geographies.

    Disbursements linked to courses in the UK, Germany, Ireland and smaller countries have doubled in the past fiscal as students opted for alternative destinations.

    The share of such geographies in total disbursements rose to almost 50 per cent in fiscal 2025 from 25 per cent a year ago.

    NBFCs are also looking at domestic student loans and adjacencies such as school funding, loans for skill development, certification and coaching. Given the lower ticket sizes of such loans, their share in the overall portfolio is unlikely to be material, but they may lend some stability in times of global uncertainties.

    “The ability of NBFCs to scale up and maintain asset quality in some of the newer domestic products will bear watching as well,” said Sonica Gupta, Associate Director, Crisil Ratings. Moreover, the agility of the NBFCs to navigate the complexities of the global landscape, characterised by uncertainty and change in preferences of students, will be crucial for sustained growth and success.

    (IANS)

  • MIL-OSI Banking: The 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting convenes in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    Source: ASEAN – Association of SouthEast Asian Nations

    Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today joined the ASEAN Foreign Ministers at the 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The meeting was chaired by Minister of Foreign Affairs of Malaysia, The Honourable Dato’ Seri Utama Haji Mohamad Bin Haji Hasan, and was held in both plenary and retreat sessions. The meeting took stock of the progress made after the 46th ASEAN Summit held in Malaysia in May of this year, regarding the ASEAN Community-building efforts, and discussed the state of ASEAN’s external relations as well as regional and global developments. Timor-Leste attended the Meeting as Observer. The Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to supporting Malaysia in realising its Chairmanship deliverables this year under the theme “Inclusivity and Sustainability.”

    The post The 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting convenes in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia appeared first on ASEAN Main Portal.

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • Broadband subscribers in India cross 944 million, up 2.17% in FY 25: TRAI

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The number of broadband subscribers rose to 944.12 million in India, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) data showed on Tuesday.

    TRAI released its “Indian Telecom Services – Yearly Performance Indicators Report” for 2024–25, offering a detailed overview of India’s telecom and broadcasting sectors from April 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025.

    India’s internet subscribers rose to 969.10 million from 954.40 million at the end of March 2025, the Ministry of Communications said in a statement. Broadband connections accounted for 944.12 million, registering a 2.17% growth, while narrowband users declined sharply by 17.66% to 24.98 million.

    Mobile Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) saw a notable increase of 16.89%, rising from ₹149.25 to Rs 174.46. Prepaid ARPU rose, while postpaid ARPU marginally declined.

    Total wireless data usage jumped 17.46% to 2,28,779 Petabytes (PB), and data revenue grew 15.49% to Rs 2.15 lakh crore. The number of wireless data users also rose to 939.51 million.

    India’s total telephone subscriber base grew marginally by 0.13% to 1,200.80 million. However, overall teledensity slipped from 85.69% to 85.04%. While urban subscriptions increased slightly, urban teledensity declined by 1.70%. Rural subscriptions also rose, but rural teledensity saw a minor dip.

    Wireless subscribers fell by 0.73%, with a net loss of 8.5 million users. Wireline connections, however, surged by 9.62% to 37.04 million, boosting wireline teledensity from 2.41% to 2.62%.

    The sector’s Gross Revenue (GR) grew by 10.72% to Rs 3.72 lakh crore, while Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR) rose 12.02% to Rs 3.03 lakh crore. Spectrum Usage Charges and license fees also recorded significant increases.

    In the broadcasting sector, India had 918 permitted private satellite TV channels as of March 2025, with 333 pay channels (232 SD and 101 HD). Pay DTH subscribers declined to 56.92 million, down from 61.97 million the previous year.

    There were 388 operational private FM radio stations across 113 cities, operated by 33 broadcasters after a recent merger. Community Radio Stations also saw growth, increasing from 494 to 531.

    The full report is available on TRAI’s website (www.trai.gov.in).

  • Germany move closer to Euro 2025 knockouts with 2-1 win over Denmark

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Germany’s Sjoeke Nuesken and Lea Schueller struck in the second half to fire the eight-times champions to the verge of the Euro 2025 quarter-finals with a 2-1 victory over Denmark on Tuesday that left the Danes on the brink of an early exit.

    Trailing 1-0 in a game in which two key VAR decisions in the first half went against them, Germany finally got on the scoresheet when they were awarded a penalty in the 56th minute. Nuesken stepped up and calmly slotted her spot-kick into the bottom corner.

    Schueller put the Germans ahead 10 minutes later after a failed clearance by Denmark landed at the Bayern Munich forward’s feet and she swept it into the far corner.

    “This is a victory of mentality, we knew it was going to be tight, we were very happy we were able to turn it around,” Germany coach Christian Wueck said. “It was the mentality, they really wanted to win, so we love to take that away with us.”

    Germany had celebrated what they thought was the opening goal by Klara Buehl but boos rang around the packed St Jakob-Park stadium when it was ruled offside.

    That seemed to halt Germany’s momentum and Amalie Vangsgaard struck for Denmark in the 26th minute when she took a touch before unleashing a shot from a tight angle past Ann-Katrin Berger.

    Germany thought they had won a penalty earlier when the referee whistled and pointed to the spot because of a Denmark handball but VAR determined it was outside the box, prompting more boos from the German fans.

    The Germans will secure their quarter-final place if Poland fail to beat Sweden in Tuesday’s late Group C game.

    Germany defeated Poland in their tournament opener but it came at a heavy cost as captain Giulia Gwinn suffered a knee injury that ended her tournament. Banners of support for the absent skipper dotted the crowd on Tuesday.

    Although Gwinn’s loss was huge, the team’s collective strength enabled them to come from behind after trailing at halftime for only the fourth time in Euros history, as they cranked up the intensity in the second half, finishing the game with 27 shots to Denmark’s five.

    Germany have dominated the Euros since they won the competition for the first time as West Germany in 1989. They lost 2-1 to England in the 2022 final, but have been rebuilding after suffering a shock exit in the group stage of the 2023 World Cup. Denmark had lost to neighbours Sweden in their opener.

    “I think our performance is good in general for a team working extremely hard, but it’s a very good German team,” Denmark coach Andree Jeglertz said.

    “It’s about winning and taking points, and I’m very disappointed that we don’t manage to keep the result, or at least get a point in the end.”

    (Reuters)

  • Germany move closer to Euro 2025 knockouts with 2-1 win over Denmark

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Germany’s Sjoeke Nuesken and Lea Schueller struck in the second half to fire the eight-times champions to the verge of the Euro 2025 quarter-finals with a 2-1 victory over Denmark on Tuesday that left the Danes on the brink of an early exit.

    Trailing 1-0 in a game in which two key VAR decisions in the first half went against them, Germany finally got on the scoresheet when they were awarded a penalty in the 56th minute. Nuesken stepped up and calmly slotted her spot-kick into the bottom corner.

    Schueller put the Germans ahead 10 minutes later after a failed clearance by Denmark landed at the Bayern Munich forward’s feet and she swept it into the far corner.

    “This is a victory of mentality, we knew it was going to be tight, we were very happy we were able to turn it around,” Germany coach Christian Wueck said. “It was the mentality, they really wanted to win, so we love to take that away with us.”

    Germany had celebrated what they thought was the opening goal by Klara Buehl but boos rang around the packed St Jakob-Park stadium when it was ruled offside.

    That seemed to halt Germany’s momentum and Amalie Vangsgaard struck for Denmark in the 26th minute when she took a touch before unleashing a shot from a tight angle past Ann-Katrin Berger.

    Germany thought they had won a penalty earlier when the referee whistled and pointed to the spot because of a Denmark handball but VAR determined it was outside the box, prompting more boos from the German fans.

    The Germans will secure their quarter-final place if Poland fail to beat Sweden in Tuesday’s late Group C game.

    Germany defeated Poland in their tournament opener but it came at a heavy cost as captain Giulia Gwinn suffered a knee injury that ended her tournament. Banners of support for the absent skipper dotted the crowd on Tuesday.

    Although Gwinn’s loss was huge, the team’s collective strength enabled them to come from behind after trailing at halftime for only the fourth time in Euros history, as they cranked up the intensity in the second half, finishing the game with 27 shots to Denmark’s five.

    Germany have dominated the Euros since they won the competition for the first time as West Germany in 1989. They lost 2-1 to England in the 2022 final, but have been rebuilding after suffering a shock exit in the group stage of the 2023 World Cup. Denmark had lost to neighbours Sweden in their opener.

    “I think our performance is good in general for a team working extremely hard, but it’s a very good German team,” Denmark coach Andree Jeglertz said.

    “It’s about winning and taking points, and I’m very disappointed that we don’t manage to keep the result, or at least get a point in the end.”

    (Reuters)

  • Joao Pedro brace sends Chelsea into Club World Cup final

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Joao Pedro kept the celebrations to a minimum after scoring twice to send Chelsea into the Club World Cup final, his goals proving the undoing of his former club Fluminense in a bittersweet meeting at MetLife Stadium on Tuesday.

    The 23-year-old Brazilian forward, who joined Chelsea from Brighton & Hove Albion six days ago, found the net in the 18th minute with a superb strike and again early in the second half with another excellent finish to seal his team’s 2-0 victory and passage to the final.

    He held his hands up apologetically after each strike against the club where he spent his formative years, even as his teammates swarmed around him on the pitch, only briefly cracking a smile after the second goal.

    “They (Fluminense) gave everything to me. They showed me to the world. If I’m here, it’s because they believed in me,” said Pedro.

    “I’m very grateful but this is football – I have to be professional. I feel sorry for them but I have to do my job.”

    Pedro made his debut for Chelsea in their 2-1 quarter-final win over Palmeiras on Friday with only a couple training sessions under his belt. Four days later, he was in the starting team.

    “Today I think because I started, I had more time to do my stuff and I had to score. The team won, the team played well and that’s important,” he added in televised remarks.

    Pedro joined a month after Chelsea signed Liam Delap, as the club moved to plug a forward shortage.

    Chelsea face the winner of the second semi-final on Wednesday between Paris St Germain and Real Madrid. The final is set for Sunday at MetLife Stadium.

    (Reuters)

  • Joao Pedro brace sends Chelsea into Club World Cup final

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Joao Pedro kept the celebrations to a minimum after scoring twice to send Chelsea into the Club World Cup final, his goals proving the undoing of his former club Fluminense in a bittersweet meeting at MetLife Stadium on Tuesday.

    The 23-year-old Brazilian forward, who joined Chelsea from Brighton & Hove Albion six days ago, found the net in the 18th minute with a superb strike and again early in the second half with another excellent finish to seal his team’s 2-0 victory and passage to the final.

    He held his hands up apologetically after each strike against the club where he spent his formative years, even as his teammates swarmed around him on the pitch, only briefly cracking a smile after the second goal.

    “They (Fluminense) gave everything to me. They showed me to the world. If I’m here, it’s because they believed in me,” said Pedro.

    “I’m very grateful but this is football – I have to be professional. I feel sorry for them but I have to do my job.”

    Pedro made his debut for Chelsea in their 2-1 quarter-final win over Palmeiras on Friday with only a couple training sessions under his belt. Four days later, he was in the starting team.

    “Today I think because I started, I had more time to do my stuff and I had to score. The team won, the team played well and that’s important,” he added in televised remarks.

    Pedro joined a month after Chelsea signed Liam Delap, as the club moved to plug a forward shortage.

    Chelsea face the winner of the second semi-final on Wednesday between Paris St Germain and Real Madrid. The final is set for Sunday at MetLife Stadium.

    (Reuters)

  • Joao Pedro brace sends Chelsea into Club World Cup final

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Joao Pedro kept the celebrations to a minimum after scoring twice to send Chelsea into the Club World Cup final, his goals proving the undoing of his former club Fluminense in a bittersweet meeting at MetLife Stadium on Tuesday.

    The 23-year-old Brazilian forward, who joined Chelsea from Brighton & Hove Albion six days ago, found the net in the 18th minute with a superb strike and again early in the second half with another excellent finish to seal his team’s 2-0 victory and passage to the final.

    He held his hands up apologetically after each strike against the club where he spent his formative years, even as his teammates swarmed around him on the pitch, only briefly cracking a smile after the second goal.

    “They (Fluminense) gave everything to me. They showed me to the world. If I’m here, it’s because they believed in me,” said Pedro.

    “I’m very grateful but this is football – I have to be professional. I feel sorry for them but I have to do my job.”

    Pedro made his debut for Chelsea in their 2-1 quarter-final win over Palmeiras on Friday with only a couple training sessions under his belt. Four days later, he was in the starting team.

    “Today I think because I started, I had more time to do my stuff and I had to score. The team won, the team played well and that’s important,” he added in televised remarks.

    Pedro joined a month after Chelsea signed Liam Delap, as the club moved to plug a forward shortage.

    Chelsea face the winner of the second semi-final on Wednesday between Paris St Germain and Real Madrid. The final is set for Sunday at MetLife Stadium.

    (Reuters)

  • Sweden reach Euro 2025 knockouts with 3-0 win over Poland

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Sweden subjected Poland to an all-out aerial attack, scoring three headed goals in a 3-0 win to reach the knockout stages of the women’s European Championship, with captain Kosovare Asllani playing the role of air traffic controller throughout.

    The mercurial 35-year-old sent an early looping header bouncing off the woodwork before teeing up Stina Blackstenius to open the scoring.

    She then netted a header herself after the break, with Lina Hurtig adding a third from a corner as the Swedes guaranteed a top-two spot in Group C and a place in the next round. They will face Germany in their final group game on Saturday to decide who finishes top.

    “The plan was to attack through the flanks and through the wings, because we knew we would have a lot of space there, so we tried to attack, and got a lot of crosses in,” Asllani told Reuters.

    “The first goal, I waited one second extra, waited for their defenders to move, for me to chip it in to Stina. So it’s three headers, three beautiful goals, the three points.”

    The Swedes never relented, pushing down the wings throughout the game.

    “We had seen clips where they are centred themselves a lot, so it felt natural for us to go wide and work from there. It worked for the whole game, so we just kept going at it,” midfielder Filippa Angeldahl told Reuters.

    “We’ll go through Germany and we’ll take a lot of things with us from today. Obviously we’re strong in the box and we want to get in the box as much as possible.”

    With Poland and Denmark now eliminated, it remains to be seen whether the Swedes will adopt the same tactics against Germany when the two sides battle it out in Zurich, and Asllani had a steely look when asked what the plan would be.

    “We want to win the group. That’s clear,” she said.

    (Reuters)

     

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Systems Analysis, AI and Big Data: Results of the Scientific Conference at SPbPU

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    The XXIX International Scientific and Practical Conference “System Analysis in Design and Management” (SAEC-2025) was held at the Polytechnic University.

    The event was organized by the scientific and pedagogical school “System Analysis in Design and Management” based on the Higher School of Computer Technologies and Information Systems of the Institute of Computer Science and Cybersecurity of SPbPU with the support of the Southern Federal University and the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation.

    The conference was attended by about 300 representatives of universities and research organizations from Russia and 19 foreign countries. 114 reports were presented, in addition to plenary sessions, there were seven scientific sections, two round tables, a discussion track and a visiting session in Taganrog (Southern Federal University).

    The plenary sessions were chaired by Violetta Volkova, professor at the Higher School of Computer Science and Information Technologies, Vladimir Kozlov, professor at the Higher School of Computer Science and Information Technologies, and Svetlana Shchepetova, professor at the Department of Modeling and Systems Analysis at the Financial University.

    On the first day of the conference, its scientific secretary, Associate Professor Svetlana Shirokova read out the opening remarks of the Chairman of the Program Committee, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences Igor Kalyaev. Professor Peres Krichtin Fabio Luis, Special Coordinator for International Relations with the Russian Federation, delivered a welcoming speech via video link on behalf of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro.

    The following people gave reports on global problems of developing the methodology of systems analysis, data dimensionality, spatial planning and design of the environment of the future, system principles of model integration, systems analysis and development of weapons systems, as well as the peculiarities of the development of Russian higher education in modern conditions: President of the Southern Federal University, Academician of the Russian Academy of Education Marina Borovskaya; Head of the Scientific Direction “Mesoeconomics, Microeconomics, Corporate Economics” of the Central Economics and Mathematics Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Scientific Director of the Department of Modeling and Systems Analysis of the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, Head of the Department of Institutional Economics of the State University of Management, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences Georgy Kleiner; Head of the Department of Mathematical Modeling of Nonlinear Processes of the Keldysh Institute of Applied Mathematics of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Full Member of the Academy of Military Sciences; Professor of St. Petersburg State University Vladimir Khalin. The rationale for the need to open the specialty “System Analysis, Management and Information Processing” was presented in the report by Vladimir Kozlov, Violetta Volkova and Associate Professor Artem Efremov.

    At the end of the plenary session, the director of the Center for Technological Support of Education at Moscow Polytechnic University, Ilya Volnov, gave a report entitled “The Method of Analogies and Synthesis of the Sphere Approach.”

    Lively discussions arose in the section “Philosophical, methodological and general theoretical problems of systems theory and systems analysis”. The reports characterizing the current state of the sciences on systems and methods of systems analysis were discussed, including the report of the head of the department of philosophy of information and cognitive processes of the Institute of Philosophy of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus Andrei Kolesnikov on arithmotronics; a joint report of professor of the University “Narxoz” (Almaty, Kazakhstan) Mafura Uandykova and professor of the Financial University Svetlana Shchepetova on the problem of interaction between the system and the individual in the era of digitalization; a joint report of professor of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro Fabio Luis Peres Krichtin and his colleagues from the Polytechnic School, research laboratories of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro and the Federal University Fluminense (Niteroi, Brazil).

    On the second day, the following scientific sections were held: “Mathematical Methods and Models of Systems Analysis in Technical and Socio-Economic Systems”, “Information and Cyber-Physical Systems”, “Measuring Information Technologies”, “System Analysis in the Management of Enterprises, Territorial Complexes, Research and Other Organizations”, “Transport Systems”, “System Analysis in the Educational Process and Management of Higher Education”.

    Employees of the SPbPU Digital Engineering School organized two round tables. Under the leadership of Marina Bolsunovskaya, Associate Professor of the Higher School of Computer Science and Information Systems, Head of the Laboratory of Industrial Systems of Stream Data Processing at the SPbPU School, a round table was held on Data Analysis in Complex Technical and Production Systems. Under the leadership of Alexey Gintsyak, Head of the Laboratory of Digital Modeling of Industrial Systems at the SPbPU School of Project Activity and Innovations in Industry, a round table was held on Integration of Methods of Systems Analysis and Artificial Intelligence in Economics and Construction.

    The discussion track on the problem of “Ideology of engineering complex systems in the conditions of increasing chaos of pre-singularity” (the moderator is the methodological director of the National Association of Enterprise Architects, a full member of the RMA Evgeny Zinder) attracted great interest. For example, a student of MIREA – Russian Technological University and junior specialist of the company “Uveon – Cloud Technologies” Nikolay Leonov presented evidence of the usefulness of using the XGBoost method for predicting security incidents in information systems.

    Also giving presentations and participating in discussions were Sergey Vasiliev, a lecturer at the TOP Computer Academy, Roman Khursin, an analyst at Ravelin LLC, Yuri Lyamin, an associate professor at the Department of Applied Informatics and Security at the Plekhanov Russian University of Economics, Elena Romanova, a senior lecturer at the Plekhanov Russian University of Economics, Kirill Skripkin, an associate professor at the Lomonosov Moscow State University, and Maxim Smirnov, a member of the NAAP Council.

    At the final plenary session, Boris Sokolov, Chief Researcher at the St. Petersburg Federal Research Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, presented a report on the development and use of digital twins of complex objects based on the qualimetry of models and polymodel complexes. Professor Igor Arefyev and Associate Professor Olga Afanasyeva of the St. Petersburg Mining University spoke about the use of artificial intelligence to build cognitive models of weakly structured problems of system analysis. Professor Violetta Volkova, in collaboration with Yuri Cherny, Head of the Center for the Study of Informatics Problems at the Institute of Scientific Information on Social Sciences of the Russian Academy of Sciences, prepared a report entitled “A Look at the Problem of Big Data from the Point of View of A. A. Denisov’s Philosophy and Theory of the Information Field.”

    The meeting in Taganrog was devoted to the topic “Cognitive Modeling of Complex Systems and Artificial Intelligence”. There, Zinaida Avdeeva, a senior research fellow at the V. A. Trapeznikov Institute of Control Sciences of the Russian Academy of Sciences, expressed an important idea for complex open systems that forecasts should begin with an analysis of the current state of the system, reflected in regulatory documents, and presented a cognitive analysis of the main ones.

    At the end of the conference, its participants proposed organizing a permanent seminar and information portal, where they could continue discussing the development directions of systems sciences, and primarily the problems of target setting, big data and artificial intelligence.

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • India’s internet subscribers cross 969 million in FY25, driven by broadband growth: TRAI

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    India’s internet subscriber base grew by 1.54% in the financial year 2024–25, rising from 954.40 million in March 2024 to 969.10 million in March 2025, according to data released by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on Tuesday.

    The growth was primarily driven by an increase in broadband subscribers, which rose from 924.07 million to 944.12 million, marking a 2.17% year-on-year gain.

    In contrast, narrowband subscriptions declined by 17.66%, falling from 30.34 million to 24.98 million during the same period.

    The report, titled Indian Telecom Services – Yearly Performance Indicators, also noted a 16.89% increase in mobile Average Revenue Per User (ARPU), which climbed from ₹149.25 to ₹174.46. While prepaid ARPU saw a notable rise, postpaid ARPU recorded a slight decline.

    Total wireless data usage jumped 17.46% to 2,28,779 Petabytes (PB), and data revenue grew 15.49% to Rs 2.15 lakh crore. The number of wireless data users also rose to 939.51 million.

    India’s total telephone subscriber base grew marginally by 0.13% to 1,200.80 million. However, overall teledensity slipped from 85.69% to 85.04%. While urban subscriptions increased slightly, urban teledensity declined by 1.70%. Rural subscriptions also rose, but rural teledensity saw a minor dip.

    Wireless subscribers fell by 0.73%, with a net loss of 8.5 million users. Wireline connections, however, surged by 9.62% to 37.04 million, boosting wireline teledensity from 2.41% to 2.62%.

    The sector’s Gross Revenue (GR) grew by 10.72% to Rs 3.72 lakh crore, while Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR) rose 12.02% to Rs 3.03 lakh crore. Spectrum Usage Charges and license fees also recorded significant increases.

    In the broadcasting sector, India had 918 permitted private satellite TV channels as of March 2025, with 333 pay channels (232 SD and 101 HD). Pay DTH subscribers declined to 56.92 million, down from 61.97 million the previous year.

    There were 388 operational private FM radio stations across 113 cities, operated by 33 broadcasters after a recent merger. Community Radio Stations also saw growth, increasing from 494 to 531.

    The full report is available on TRAI’s website (www.trai.gov.in).

     

  • MIL-OSI China: Xi’s reply inspires American, Chinese youths to carry on friendship forged through pickleball

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Xi’s reply inspires American, Chinese youths to carry on friendship forged through pickleball

    “We are extremely honored to receive a response from President Xi,” said Jeffrey Sullivan, head of the U.S. youth pickleball cultural exchange delegation from Montgomery County, Maryland.

    Chinese President Xi Jinping recently replied to the delegation’s letter, congratulating them on their successful visit to China. In April, Sullivan led a group of 44 teachers and students from 13 U.S. schools to China under Xi’s “50,000 in Five Years” initiative, which aims to bring 50,000 young Americans to China for exchange and study programs in a five-year span.

    After visiting Shanghai, Shenzhen and Beijing, the delegation sent a letter to Xi, expressing their gratitude for the initiative, noting they had forged unforgettable friendships with Chinese youths during the trip.

    In his reply, Xi said he was pleased to see that pickleball has become a new bond for youth exchanges between China and the United States. The future of China-U.S. relations depends on the youth, said Xi, expressing the hope that the delegation members will become a new generation of ambassadors for friendship between the two countries and make greater contributions to enhancing the friendship between the two peoples.

    A TRANSFORMATIVE JOURNEY

    “Thank you again for your vision and commitment to providing opportunities for our students and our countries to come together and build friendships, relationships and cultural learning opportunities,” the delegation wrote in the letter to Xi.

    Hailing the trip as life-changing, Sullivan said it enabled his delegation to immerse themselves in the Chinese culture and experience interpersonal relationships.

    “That was made possible because of the hospitality of the Chinese people, who opened their doors to us, who served us wonderful food, who had wonderful performances showcasing the culture and traditions of China,” he said, adding, “It (the visit) would be something that we would take with us forever.”

    Echoing Sullivan, Wang Pengfei, one of the initiators of the tour, said, “We want young Americans to see today’s China for themselves.”

    “Every high-five on the court, every hands-on experience in traditional craft workshops and every visit to a high-tech company is reshaping how they perceive China’s development,” said Wang.

    For student Isabella Brant, celebrating her birthday in China was the most memorable part of the trip. She recalled playing pickleball with her Chinese partners on that day, receiving flowers, but more importantly, gaining friendship.

    “Definitely life-changing!” said Brant, adding, “I was a little nervous to go over to China, but it definitely changed my perspective on things and how I viewed everything.”

    NEW BONDS

    “It was an amazing trip for our students to build friendships through sport,” Sullivan said, adding that the exchange between American and Chinese youths during this tour is “not just on the pickleball court, but also off the court.”

    Pickleball, a paddle sport that originated in the United States that blends elements of tennis, badminton and table tennis, is easy to pick up for beginners and has rapidly gained popularity in China.

    According to Sullivan, Montgomery is the first U.S. school district to offer pickleball as a varsity sport, as this activity is fully inclusive and continues to bring people of all ability levels together.

    The Montgomery County public schools have now begun cooperation with Shenzhen Nanshan District Education Bureau, education groups of Beijing Middle School and Beijing No. 10 Middle School to establish long-term partnerships, with pickleball included as a key area of exchange.

    “I witnessed firsthand how the power of sports can transcend borders and bring people from different cultural backgrounds closer together,” said Xie Yuan, a student from Wenhua School in Shenzhen who took part in the event.

    Speaking of the friends she made during the tour, Ella Geary, a student from the delegation, said, “I find it amazing that you can just instantly bond with someone who lives on the other side of the globe.”

    Echoing Geary, Sullivan’s daughter, Reagan Sullivan, also a student from the delegation, depicted the bonds they built as “amazing and unbreakable.”

    Pickleball has become a new bond for building friendships, she said.

    PEOPLE-TO-PEOPLE FRIENDSHIP

    In April 1971, a 15-member U.S. table tennis delegation took a historic trip to China, becoming the first delegation of Americans to visit China in decades.

    Recalling the China-U.S. “Ping-Pong Diplomacy” 54 years ago, Sullivan said that sports have a unique power to bring people together.

    Beyond discovering China’s cultural charm and technological innovation, many students played Ping-Pong for the first time. Sullivan said a visit to the China Table Tennis Museum gave them deeper insight into the history of “Ping-Pong Diplomacy,” which once helped bridge U.S.-China relations.

    Upon hearing Xi’s reply, Stephen Mull, former U.S. acting undersecretary of state for political affairs, emphasized the unifying power of sports.

    “It encourages each participant to be the very best version of himself or herself while underscoring the common humanity that binds us all together on the field of play,” he explained.

    “Pickleball has served as a unique and joyful bridge between our two cultures, one that allowed for connection, mutual respect and shared learning. Like your vision, we believe that sports engagement is essential in building the foundation for lasting international friendship,” the delegation wrote in the letter to Xi.

    The vision refers to Xi’s “50,000 in Five Years” initiative, launched in November 2023. Nearly 15,000 American youth visited China by the end of 2024 under the initiative, observing China with their own eyes and traveling the expanse of the country on their own feet.

    “If I had the opportunity, I would definitely go back,” said Joel Geary, a student from the delegation.

    “We are all part of the ‘50,000 in Five Years’ initiative,” said Sun Yuyan, a student who participated in the event from Shanghai Luwan High School, adding, “The future of China-U.S. relations should be a shared future shaped by our generation, one that lives up to the promise of our youth.”

    “I would love to organize additional exchanges and opportunities, whether it’s through pickleball or other sports, using them as a platform to bring people together,” said Sullivan.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Xi’s reply inspires American, Chinese youths to carry on friendship forged through pickleball

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Xi’s reply inspires American, Chinese youths to carry on friendship forged through pickleball

    “We are extremely honored to receive a response from President Xi,” said Jeffrey Sullivan, head of the U.S. youth pickleball cultural exchange delegation from Montgomery County, Maryland.

    Chinese President Xi Jinping recently replied to the delegation’s letter, congratulating them on their successful visit to China. In April, Sullivan led a group of 44 teachers and students from 13 U.S. schools to China under Xi’s “50,000 in Five Years” initiative, which aims to bring 50,000 young Americans to China for exchange and study programs in a five-year span.

    After visiting Shanghai, Shenzhen and Beijing, the delegation sent a letter to Xi, expressing their gratitude for the initiative, noting they had forged unforgettable friendships with Chinese youths during the trip.

    In his reply, Xi said he was pleased to see that pickleball has become a new bond for youth exchanges between China and the United States. The future of China-U.S. relations depends on the youth, said Xi, expressing the hope that the delegation members will become a new generation of ambassadors for friendship between the two countries and make greater contributions to enhancing the friendship between the two peoples.

    A TRANSFORMATIVE JOURNEY

    “Thank you again for your vision and commitment to providing opportunities for our students and our countries to come together and build friendships, relationships and cultural learning opportunities,” the delegation wrote in the letter to Xi.

    Hailing the trip as life-changing, Sullivan said it enabled his delegation to immerse themselves in the Chinese culture and experience interpersonal relationships.

    “That was made possible because of the hospitality of the Chinese people, who opened their doors to us, who served us wonderful food, who had wonderful performances showcasing the culture and traditions of China,” he said, adding, “It (the visit) would be something that we would take with us forever.”

    Echoing Sullivan, Wang Pengfei, one of the initiators of the tour, said, “We want young Americans to see today’s China for themselves.”

    “Every high-five on the court, every hands-on experience in traditional craft workshops and every visit to a high-tech company is reshaping how they perceive China’s development,” said Wang.

    For student Isabella Brant, celebrating her birthday in China was the most memorable part of the trip. She recalled playing pickleball with her Chinese partners on that day, receiving flowers, but more importantly, gaining friendship.

    “Definitely life-changing!” said Brant, adding, “I was a little nervous to go over to China, but it definitely changed my perspective on things and how I viewed everything.”

    NEW BONDS

    “It was an amazing trip for our students to build friendships through sport,” Sullivan said, adding that the exchange between American and Chinese youths during this tour is “not just on the pickleball court, but also off the court.”

    Pickleball, a paddle sport that originated in the United States that blends elements of tennis, badminton and table tennis, is easy to pick up for beginners and has rapidly gained popularity in China.

    According to Sullivan, Montgomery is the first U.S. school district to offer pickleball as a varsity sport, as this activity is fully inclusive and continues to bring people of all ability levels together.

    The Montgomery County public schools have now begun cooperation with Shenzhen Nanshan District Education Bureau, education groups of Beijing Middle School and Beijing No. 10 Middle School to establish long-term partnerships, with pickleball included as a key area of exchange.

    “I witnessed firsthand how the power of sports can transcend borders and bring people from different cultural backgrounds closer together,” said Xie Yuan, a student from Wenhua School in Shenzhen who took part in the event.

    Speaking of the friends she made during the tour, Ella Geary, a student from the delegation, said, “I find it amazing that you can just instantly bond with someone who lives on the other side of the globe.”

    Echoing Geary, Sullivan’s daughter, Reagan Sullivan, also a student from the delegation, depicted the bonds they built as “amazing and unbreakable.”

    Pickleball has become a new bond for building friendships, she said.

    PEOPLE-TO-PEOPLE FRIENDSHIP

    In April 1971, a 15-member U.S. table tennis delegation took a historic trip to China, becoming the first delegation of Americans to visit China in decades.

    Recalling the China-U.S. “Ping-Pong Diplomacy” 54 years ago, Sullivan said that sports have a unique power to bring people together.

    Beyond discovering China’s cultural charm and technological innovation, many students played Ping-Pong for the first time. Sullivan said a visit to the China Table Tennis Museum gave them deeper insight into the history of “Ping-Pong Diplomacy,” which once helped bridge U.S.-China relations.

    Upon hearing Xi’s reply, Stephen Mull, former U.S. acting undersecretary of state for political affairs, emphasized the unifying power of sports.

    “It encourages each participant to be the very best version of himself or herself while underscoring the common humanity that binds us all together on the field of play,” he explained.

    “Pickleball has served as a unique and joyful bridge between our two cultures, one that allowed for connection, mutual respect and shared learning. Like your vision, we believe that sports engagement is essential in building the foundation for lasting international friendship,” the delegation wrote in the letter to Xi.

    The vision refers to Xi’s “50,000 in Five Years” initiative, launched in November 2023. Nearly 15,000 American youth visited China by the end of 2024 under the initiative, observing China with their own eyes and traveling the expanse of the country on their own feet.

    “If I had the opportunity, I would definitely go back,” said Joel Geary, a student from the delegation.

    “We are all part of the ‘50,000 in Five Years’ initiative,” said Sun Yuyan, a student who participated in the event from Shanghai Luwan High School, adding, “The future of China-U.S. relations should be a shared future shaped by our generation, one that lives up to the promise of our youth.”

    “I would love to organize additional exchanges and opportunities, whether it’s through pickleball or other sports, using them as a platform to bring people together,” said Sullivan.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Xi’s reply inspires American, Chinese youths to carry on friendship forged through pickleball

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Xi’s reply inspires American, Chinese youths to carry on friendship forged through pickleball

    “We are extremely honored to receive a response from President Xi,” said Jeffrey Sullivan, head of the U.S. youth pickleball cultural exchange delegation from Montgomery County, Maryland.

    Chinese President Xi Jinping recently replied to the delegation’s letter, congratulating them on their successful visit to China. In April, Sullivan led a group of 44 teachers and students from 13 U.S. schools to China under Xi’s “50,000 in Five Years” initiative, which aims to bring 50,000 young Americans to China for exchange and study programs in a five-year span.

    After visiting Shanghai, Shenzhen and Beijing, the delegation sent a letter to Xi, expressing their gratitude for the initiative, noting they had forged unforgettable friendships with Chinese youths during the trip.

    In his reply, Xi said he was pleased to see that pickleball has become a new bond for youth exchanges between China and the United States. The future of China-U.S. relations depends on the youth, said Xi, expressing the hope that the delegation members will become a new generation of ambassadors for friendship between the two countries and make greater contributions to enhancing the friendship between the two peoples.

    A TRANSFORMATIVE JOURNEY

    “Thank you again for your vision and commitment to providing opportunities for our students and our countries to come together and build friendships, relationships and cultural learning opportunities,” the delegation wrote in the letter to Xi.

    Hailing the trip as life-changing, Sullivan said it enabled his delegation to immerse themselves in the Chinese culture and experience interpersonal relationships.

    “That was made possible because of the hospitality of the Chinese people, who opened their doors to us, who served us wonderful food, who had wonderful performances showcasing the culture and traditions of China,” he said, adding, “It (the visit) would be something that we would take with us forever.”

    Echoing Sullivan, Wang Pengfei, one of the initiators of the tour, said, “We want young Americans to see today’s China for themselves.”

    “Every high-five on the court, every hands-on experience in traditional craft workshops and every visit to a high-tech company is reshaping how they perceive China’s development,” said Wang.

    For student Isabella Brant, celebrating her birthday in China was the most memorable part of the trip. She recalled playing pickleball with her Chinese partners on that day, receiving flowers, but more importantly, gaining friendship.

    “Definitely life-changing!” said Brant, adding, “I was a little nervous to go over to China, but it definitely changed my perspective on things and how I viewed everything.”

    NEW BONDS

    “It was an amazing trip for our students to build friendships through sport,” Sullivan said, adding that the exchange between American and Chinese youths during this tour is “not just on the pickleball court, but also off the court.”

    Pickleball, a paddle sport that originated in the United States that blends elements of tennis, badminton and table tennis, is easy to pick up for beginners and has rapidly gained popularity in China.

    According to Sullivan, Montgomery is the first U.S. school district to offer pickleball as a varsity sport, as this activity is fully inclusive and continues to bring people of all ability levels together.

    The Montgomery County public schools have now begun cooperation with Shenzhen Nanshan District Education Bureau, education groups of Beijing Middle School and Beijing No. 10 Middle School to establish long-term partnerships, with pickleball included as a key area of exchange.

    “I witnessed firsthand how the power of sports can transcend borders and bring people from different cultural backgrounds closer together,” said Xie Yuan, a student from Wenhua School in Shenzhen who took part in the event.

    Speaking of the friends she made during the tour, Ella Geary, a student from the delegation, said, “I find it amazing that you can just instantly bond with someone who lives on the other side of the globe.”

    Echoing Geary, Sullivan’s daughter, Reagan Sullivan, also a student from the delegation, depicted the bonds they built as “amazing and unbreakable.”

    Pickleball has become a new bond for building friendships, she said.

    PEOPLE-TO-PEOPLE FRIENDSHIP

    In April 1971, a 15-member U.S. table tennis delegation took a historic trip to China, becoming the first delegation of Americans to visit China in decades.

    Recalling the China-U.S. “Ping-Pong Diplomacy” 54 years ago, Sullivan said that sports have a unique power to bring people together.

    Beyond discovering China’s cultural charm and technological innovation, many students played Ping-Pong for the first time. Sullivan said a visit to the China Table Tennis Museum gave them deeper insight into the history of “Ping-Pong Diplomacy,” which once helped bridge U.S.-China relations.

    Upon hearing Xi’s reply, Stephen Mull, former U.S. acting undersecretary of state for political affairs, emphasized the unifying power of sports.

    “It encourages each participant to be the very best version of himself or herself while underscoring the common humanity that binds us all together on the field of play,” he explained.

    “Pickleball has served as a unique and joyful bridge between our two cultures, one that allowed for connection, mutual respect and shared learning. Like your vision, we believe that sports engagement is essential in building the foundation for lasting international friendship,” the delegation wrote in the letter to Xi.

    The vision refers to Xi’s “50,000 in Five Years” initiative, launched in November 2023. Nearly 15,000 American youth visited China by the end of 2024 under the initiative, observing China with their own eyes and traveling the expanse of the country on their own feet.

    “If I had the opportunity, I would definitely go back,” said Joel Geary, a student from the delegation.

    “We are all part of the ‘50,000 in Five Years’ initiative,” said Sun Yuyan, a student who participated in the event from Shanghai Luwan High School, adding, “The future of China-U.S. relations should be a shared future shaped by our generation, one that lives up to the promise of our youth.”

    “I would love to organize additional exchanges and opportunities, whether it’s through pickleball or other sports, using them as a platform to bring people together,” said Sullivan.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ9: Regulation of medical devices

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    LCQ9: Regulation of medical devices 
    Question:
     
         At present, Hong Kong has only put in place a voluntary Medical Device Administrative Control System (the System), and there is no legislation to regulate such devices. On the other hand, it is learnt that some merchants are promoting and marketing parallel-imported contact lenses on the Internet, but these products do not have any medical device labelling on their packaging boxes, or the labelling shows signs of alteration (e.g. “the unique device identifier” has been cut off or covered), thus making it difficult to identify whether the products belong to problematic batches, and the quality of such products cannot be guaranteed. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
     
    (1) given that contact lenses is a class II medical device under the system, of the Government’s control over the importation and sale (including online sale) of contact lens products;
     
    (2) of the number of reports and requests for assistance received by the Government in the past three years in relation to parallel-imported contact lenses, as well as the categories of such cases (e.g. improper packaging labels, discomfort after use, etc.); whether it has taken law enforcement actions against merchants who have made unauthorised alterations to the packaging information of contact lenses (including parallel-imported contact lenses); if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
     
    (3) as the Government indicated in June last year that it was conducting a comprehensive review of the proposed legislative framework for medical device regulation, whether the Government will draw up a concrete timetable for introducing legislative amendments to regulate the manufacture, importation, quality assurance, sale and post-sale follow-up of medical devices; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
     
    Reply:
     
    President,
     
         In consultation with the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau, the Customs and Excise Department (C&ED) and the Department of Health (DH), the Health Bureau provides a consolidated reply to the question raised by Dr the Hon David Lam as follows:
     
         While there is not yet specific legislation to regulate medical devices in Hong Kong, some products are already regulated by existing pieces of legislation, such as the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance (Cap. 138), the Consumer Goods Safety Ordinance (CGSO) (Cap. 456) and the Trade Descriptions Ordinance (TDO) (Cap. 362) etc., depending on the characteristics and features of the products concerned.
     
         To safeguard public health, the DH has made reference to the recommendation of the Global Harmonization Task Force (now known as the International Medical Device Regulators Forum) and introduced the voluntary Medical Device Administrative Control System (MDACS) since 2004, under which a listing system for medical devices and traders as well as a post-market monitoring system for the products are put in place.  
     
         According to the prevailing MDACS, contact lenses are usually categorised as Class II (low-moderate risk) general medical devices. To apply for listing under the MDACS, a medical device must be proven to have met the requirements under the Essential Principles of Safety and Performance of Medical Devices that are adopted internationally. As for the listing system for traders (including local responsible person, local manufacturers, importers and distributors), traders must meet relevant requirements including holding a valid business registration certificate, maintaining a quality management system for supply of medical devices, and complying with post-market control for the products in order to hold them accountable for the safety of medical devices. Besides, a dedicated reporting system has been set up under the MDACS to handle the reporting of incidents pertaining to listed medical devices, with a view to enhancing protection for users via early detection of safety alerts.
     
         On the other hand, the C&ED is responsible for enforcing the CGSO and the TDO. The safety of consumer goods which are supplied for private use in Hong Kong, if not covered by other legislation, is subject to the regulation of the CGSO and its subsidiary legislation namely the Consumer Goods Safety Regulation (CGSR). This covers contact lenses as mentioned in the question.
     
         Pursuant to the CGSO, manufacturers, importers and suppliers should ensure that the consumer goods they supply are reasonably safe. The CGSR stipulates that any warning or caution marked on the package of consumer goods must be in both the English and the Chinese languages in a legible and conspicuous manner. Covering both goods and services, the TDO prohibits specified unfair trade practices deployed by traders against consumers, including false trade descriptions, misleading omissions, aggressive commercial practices, bait advertising, bait-and-switch and wrongly accepting payment, which are applicable to the commercial practices of both physical and online traders. 
     
         From 2022 to 2024, the C&ED did not receive any complaint on the product safety of contact lenses, but received six complaints of suspected contravention of the TDO. Upon investigation, five cases were closed due to insufficient evidence, with the remaining one under investigation. 
     
         Looking ahead, the DH has announced the establishment of the Hong Kong Centre for Medical Products Regulation (CMPR) by the end of 2026, with regulation of medical devices as part of its purview. The Government is taking forward preparatory work for the relevant legislation at full steam having regard to the latest international trends in regulation of medical devices in recent years, and will comprehensively review the proposed legislative framework. It is expected that the legislative proposal could be submitted to the Legislative Council within the next year so as to dovetail with the timetable for establishing the CMPR. Upon legislation, all medical devices supplied in Hong Kong, unless otherwise exempted, must be registered, thereby ensuring the compliance with relevant standards in safety, quality and performance. 
    Issued at HKT 15:30

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ9: Regulation of medical devices

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    LCQ9: Regulation of medical devices 
    Question:
     
         At present, Hong Kong has only put in place a voluntary Medical Device Administrative Control System (the System), and there is no legislation to regulate such devices. On the other hand, it is learnt that some merchants are promoting and marketing parallel-imported contact lenses on the Internet, but these products do not have any medical device labelling on their packaging boxes, or the labelling shows signs of alteration (e.g. “the unique device identifier” has been cut off or covered), thus making it difficult to identify whether the products belong to problematic batches, and the quality of such products cannot be guaranteed. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
     
    (1) given that contact lenses is a class II medical device under the system, of the Government’s control over the importation and sale (including online sale) of contact lens products;
     
    (2) of the number of reports and requests for assistance received by the Government in the past three years in relation to parallel-imported contact lenses, as well as the categories of such cases (e.g. improper packaging labels, discomfort after use, etc.); whether it has taken law enforcement actions against merchants who have made unauthorised alterations to the packaging information of contact lenses (including parallel-imported contact lenses); if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
     
    (3) as the Government indicated in June last year that it was conducting a comprehensive review of the proposed legislative framework for medical device regulation, whether the Government will draw up a concrete timetable for introducing legislative amendments to regulate the manufacture, importation, quality assurance, sale and post-sale follow-up of medical devices; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
     
    Reply:
     
    President,
     
         In consultation with the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau, the Customs and Excise Department (C&ED) and the Department of Health (DH), the Health Bureau provides a consolidated reply to the question raised by Dr the Hon David Lam as follows:
     
         While there is not yet specific legislation to regulate medical devices in Hong Kong, some products are already regulated by existing pieces of legislation, such as the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance (Cap. 138), the Consumer Goods Safety Ordinance (CGSO) (Cap. 456) and the Trade Descriptions Ordinance (TDO) (Cap. 362) etc., depending on the characteristics and features of the products concerned.
     
         To safeguard public health, the DH has made reference to the recommendation of the Global Harmonization Task Force (now known as the International Medical Device Regulators Forum) and introduced the voluntary Medical Device Administrative Control System (MDACS) since 2004, under which a listing system for medical devices and traders as well as a post-market monitoring system for the products are put in place.  
     
         According to the prevailing MDACS, contact lenses are usually categorised as Class II (low-moderate risk) general medical devices. To apply for listing under the MDACS, a medical device must be proven to have met the requirements under the Essential Principles of Safety and Performance of Medical Devices that are adopted internationally. As for the listing system for traders (including local responsible person, local manufacturers, importers and distributors), traders must meet relevant requirements including holding a valid business registration certificate, maintaining a quality management system for supply of medical devices, and complying with post-market control for the products in order to hold them accountable for the safety of medical devices. Besides, a dedicated reporting system has been set up under the MDACS to handle the reporting of incidents pertaining to listed medical devices, with a view to enhancing protection for users via early detection of safety alerts.
     
         On the other hand, the C&ED is responsible for enforcing the CGSO and the TDO. The safety of consumer goods which are supplied for private use in Hong Kong, if not covered by other legislation, is subject to the regulation of the CGSO and its subsidiary legislation namely the Consumer Goods Safety Regulation (CGSR). This covers contact lenses as mentioned in the question.
     
         Pursuant to the CGSO, manufacturers, importers and suppliers should ensure that the consumer goods they supply are reasonably safe. The CGSR stipulates that any warning or caution marked on the package of consumer goods must be in both the English and the Chinese languages in a legible and conspicuous manner. Covering both goods and services, the TDO prohibits specified unfair trade practices deployed by traders against consumers, including false trade descriptions, misleading omissions, aggressive commercial practices, bait advertising, bait-and-switch and wrongly accepting payment, which are applicable to the commercial practices of both physical and online traders. 
     
         From 2022 to 2024, the C&ED did not receive any complaint on the product safety of contact lenses, but received six complaints of suspected contravention of the TDO. Upon investigation, five cases were closed due to insufficient evidence, with the remaining one under investigation. 
     
         Looking ahead, the DH has announced the establishment of the Hong Kong Centre for Medical Products Regulation (CMPR) by the end of 2026, with regulation of medical devices as part of its purview. The Government is taking forward preparatory work for the relevant legislation at full steam having regard to the latest international trends in regulation of medical devices in recent years, and will comprehensively review the proposed legislative framework. It is expected that the legislative proposal could be submitted to the Legislative Council within the next year so as to dovetail with the timetable for establishing the CMPR. Upon legislation, all medical devices supplied in Hong Kong, unless otherwise exempted, must be registered, thereby ensuring the compliance with relevant standards in safety, quality and performance. 
    Issued at HKT 15:30

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ9: Regulation of medical devices

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    LCQ9: Regulation of medical devices 
    Question:
     
         At present, Hong Kong has only put in place a voluntary Medical Device Administrative Control System (the System), and there is no legislation to regulate such devices. On the other hand, it is learnt that some merchants are promoting and marketing parallel-imported contact lenses on the Internet, but these products do not have any medical device labelling on their packaging boxes, or the labelling shows signs of alteration (e.g. “the unique device identifier” has been cut off or covered), thus making it difficult to identify whether the products belong to problematic batches, and the quality of such products cannot be guaranteed. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
     
    (1) given that contact lenses is a class II medical device under the system, of the Government’s control over the importation and sale (including online sale) of contact lens products;
     
    (2) of the number of reports and requests for assistance received by the Government in the past three years in relation to parallel-imported contact lenses, as well as the categories of such cases (e.g. improper packaging labels, discomfort after use, etc.); whether it has taken law enforcement actions against merchants who have made unauthorised alterations to the packaging information of contact lenses (including parallel-imported contact lenses); if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
     
    (3) as the Government indicated in June last year that it was conducting a comprehensive review of the proposed legislative framework for medical device regulation, whether the Government will draw up a concrete timetable for introducing legislative amendments to regulate the manufacture, importation, quality assurance, sale and post-sale follow-up of medical devices; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
     
    Reply:
     
    President,
     
         In consultation with the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau, the Customs and Excise Department (C&ED) and the Department of Health (DH), the Health Bureau provides a consolidated reply to the question raised by Dr the Hon David Lam as follows:
     
         While there is not yet specific legislation to regulate medical devices in Hong Kong, some products are already regulated by existing pieces of legislation, such as the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance (Cap. 138), the Consumer Goods Safety Ordinance (CGSO) (Cap. 456) and the Trade Descriptions Ordinance (TDO) (Cap. 362) etc., depending on the characteristics and features of the products concerned.
     
         To safeguard public health, the DH has made reference to the recommendation of the Global Harmonization Task Force (now known as the International Medical Device Regulators Forum) and introduced the voluntary Medical Device Administrative Control System (MDACS) since 2004, under which a listing system for medical devices and traders as well as a post-market monitoring system for the products are put in place.  
     
         According to the prevailing MDACS, contact lenses are usually categorised as Class II (low-moderate risk) general medical devices. To apply for listing under the MDACS, a medical device must be proven to have met the requirements under the Essential Principles of Safety and Performance of Medical Devices that are adopted internationally. As for the listing system for traders (including local responsible person, local manufacturers, importers and distributors), traders must meet relevant requirements including holding a valid business registration certificate, maintaining a quality management system for supply of medical devices, and complying with post-market control for the products in order to hold them accountable for the safety of medical devices. Besides, a dedicated reporting system has been set up under the MDACS to handle the reporting of incidents pertaining to listed medical devices, with a view to enhancing protection for users via early detection of safety alerts.
     
         On the other hand, the C&ED is responsible for enforcing the CGSO and the TDO. The safety of consumer goods which are supplied for private use in Hong Kong, if not covered by other legislation, is subject to the regulation of the CGSO and its subsidiary legislation namely the Consumer Goods Safety Regulation (CGSR). This covers contact lenses as mentioned in the question.
     
         Pursuant to the CGSO, manufacturers, importers and suppliers should ensure that the consumer goods they supply are reasonably safe. The CGSR stipulates that any warning or caution marked on the package of consumer goods must be in both the English and the Chinese languages in a legible and conspicuous manner. Covering both goods and services, the TDO prohibits specified unfair trade practices deployed by traders against consumers, including false trade descriptions, misleading omissions, aggressive commercial practices, bait advertising, bait-and-switch and wrongly accepting payment, which are applicable to the commercial practices of both physical and online traders. 
     
         From 2022 to 2024, the C&ED did not receive any complaint on the product safety of contact lenses, but received six complaints of suspected contravention of the TDO. Upon investigation, five cases were closed due to insufficient evidence, with the remaining one under investigation. 
     
         Looking ahead, the DH has announced the establishment of the Hong Kong Centre for Medical Products Regulation (CMPR) by the end of 2026, with regulation of medical devices as part of its purview. The Government is taking forward preparatory work for the relevant legislation at full steam having regard to the latest international trends in regulation of medical devices in recent years, and will comprehensively review the proposed legislative framework. It is expected that the legislative proposal could be submitted to the Legislative Council within the next year so as to dovetail with the timetable for establishing the CMPR. Upon legislation, all medical devices supplied in Hong Kong, unless otherwise exempted, must be registered, thereby ensuring the compliance with relevant standards in safety, quality and performance. 
    Issued at HKT 15:30

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • European heatwave caused 2,300 deaths, scientists estimate

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Around 2,300 people died of heat-related causes across 12 European cities during the severe heatwave that ended last week, according to a rapid scientific analysis published on Wednesday.

    The study targeted the 10 days, ending July 2, during which large parts of Western Europe were hit by extreme heat, with temperatures breaching 40 degrees Celsius (104°F) in Spain and wildfires breaking out in France.

    Of the 2,300 people estimated to have died during this period, 1,500 deaths were linked to climate change, which made the heatwave more severe, according to the study conducted by scientists at Imperial College London and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

    “Climate change has made it significantly hotter than it would have been, which in turn makes it a lot more dangerous,” said Dr Ben Clarke, a researcher at Imperial College London.

    The study covered 12 cities including Barcelona, Madrid, London and Milan, where the researchers said climate change had increased heatwave temperatures by up to 4 degrees Celsius.

    The researchers used established epidemiological models and historical mortality data to estimate the death toll, which reflects deaths where heat was the underlying reason for mortality, including if exposure exacerbated pre-existing health conditions.

    The scientists said they used peer-reviewed methods to quickly produce the estimated death toll, because most heat-related deaths are not officially reported and some governments do not release this data.

    Last month was the planet’s third-hottest June on record, behind the same month in 2024 and 2023, the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service said in a monthly bulletin on Wednesday.

    Western Europe experienced its warmest June on record, with much of the region experiencing “very strong heat stress” – defined by conditions that feel like a temperature of 38 degrees Celsius or more, Copernicus said.

    “In a warming world, heatwaves are likely to become more frequent, more intense and impact more people across Europe,” said Samantha Burgess, Copernicus’ strategic lead for climate.

    Researchers from European health institutes reported in 2023 that as many as 61,000 people may have died in Europe’s sweltering heatwaves in 2022, according to new research, suggesting countries’ heat preparedness efforts are falling fatally short.

    The build-up of greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere – which mostly come from the burning of fossil fuels – means the planet’s average temperature has increased over time. This increase in baseline temperatures means that when a heatwave comes, temperatures can surge to higher peaks.

    (Reuters)

  • India set to explore over 2.5 lakh sq km in one of the largest offshore energy efforts

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    In one of the world’s largest offshore energy exploration initiatives, India is set to explore more than 2.5 lakh square kilometres under the Open Acreage Licensing Programme (OALP) Round X, Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri said on Wednesday.

    “We are ready to enter a new era of energy… In the field of oil and gas exploration and production, there are no longer obstacles, only possibilities,” the minister said in a post on X.

    Hardeep Singh Puri is currently attending a meeting of the Offshore Energy Cluster in Bergen, Norway.

    “The bold decision taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the ‘no-go’ area is not only strengthening the country’s energy security but also preparing India to lead a major transformation in the energy sector,” he added.

    The Union Minister also met Kristian Sorensen, CEO of BW LPG, the world’s leading owner and operator of LPG vessels, which owns and operates Very Large Gas Carriers (VLGCs) with a total carrying capacity of over 4 million CBM.

    “The company is among the leaders in LPG shipping, accounting for 20 per cent of LPG imports into India. During our meeting in Oslo, we discussed ways to further strengthen the collaboration between BW LPG and Indian energy companies,” Puri said.

    Meanwhile, the oil and gas blocks being offered under the OALP have already attracted interest from both global and domestic energy players. Round X is expected to set new benchmarks for participation and investment.

    The Petroleum Ministry has also invited feedback and suggestions on the Draft Petroleum and Natural Gas Rules, the Model Revenue Sharing Contract (MRSC), and the Petroleum Lease by July 17, 2025, as part of India’s push to accelerate the oil and gas sector.

    Hardeep Puri is scheduled to engage with ministers, officials and industry leaders at ‘Urja Varta 2025’ at Bharat Mandapam on July 17, ahead of India’s Round X of exploration and production bidding for oil and gas blocks, which is among the largest globally.

    —IANS

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Representatives of SPbGASU took part in the congress of young scientists

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Chairperson of the Council of Young Scientists of SPbGASU Alexandra Glukhova, head of the student scientific society of the construction faculty Ksenia Ivanyuzhenko and student of the faculty of forensic examinations and law in construction and transport Kirill Besedin took part in the XIII Congress of councils of young scientists and student scientific societies “From the depths of traditions – to the heights of technology”, which was held from July 2 to 5 in Ufa.

    This year, the congress was the largest in its history. Its main objective was to involve young people in the development of science to ensure Russia’s technological leadership. Numerous sessions, divided into blocks, provided an opportunity to adopt experience and directly ask questions of interest to leading representatives of the business community, science and the state. The sessions were held in various formats: reports, master classes, panel discussions, round tables.

    “I especially remember the panel discussion “How to become a rector?” and the round table of the industry community “Construction and architecture”. There were many opportunities to prove yourself at the congress: to participate in sessions, in special stations from partners, in the evening program, which helped to establish useful connections. I received a powerful boost of motivation: when you get into an environment of like-minded people, where everyone’s eyes light up from what they do, it is impossible to remain indifferent,” noted Ksenia Ivanyuzhenko.

    “During the congress, we managed to attend many lectures, round tables, scientific discussions and other events dedicated to issues of scientific career, interaction between science and business, grant support for young scientists, advanced information technologies. In addition, a great program of informal events was organized, as a result of which we were able to meet and communicate with outstanding figures of modern science, establish friendly relations with representatives of student scientific societies of Moscow State University, the Academy under the President of the Russian Federation, the Customs Academy, which, I hope, will become the necessary foundation for organizing inter-university scientific events,” said Kirill Besedin.

    “An important milestone of the congress was the creation of the industry community “Construction and Architecture”, which included representatives of such specialized universities as the Nizhny Novgorod State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Moscow State University of Civil Engineering, Tomsk State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Penza State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Moscow Architectural Institute and others. In the round table format, we discussed the problems of organizing scientific activity within our areas and outlined ways to combine efforts in promoting research by young scientists, holding joint events and exchanging experience.

    I managed to talk with the Chairman of the Coordinating Council for Youth Affairs in the Scientific and Educational Spheres of the Council under the President of the Russian Federation for Science and Education, Nikita Marchenkov, and discuss issues of participation of representatives of the Construction and Architecture community in the sessions of the Congress of Young Scientists,” said Alexandra Glukhova.

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: 9 July 2025 Departmental update WHO, UNICEF update country tracker on water, sanitation and hygiene in health-care facilities, showing progress across 107 countries

    Source: World Health Organisation

    The World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF have released an updated country progress tracker that shows how countries are advancing efforts to improve water, sanitation, hygiene (WASH) and waste services in health-care facilities. The tracker, now covering 107 countries – up from 75 two years ago – underpins global monitoring against the 2023 United Nations General Assembly Resolution on WASH, waste and electricity in health-care facilities.

    The tracker provides the most comprehensive picture yet of how countries are taking forward the eight practical steps to improve WASH services in health facilities, from establishing national standards to developing costed roadmaps, strengthening health information systems and building workforce capacity.

    “This data shows that nearly every country is taking action,” said Maggie Montgomery, Technical Officer at WHO. “We see strong momentum on developing national standards and conducting baseline assessments, but critical gaps remain. Only 17% of countries have secured sufficient financing to improve and sustain these essential services. That means patients, staff and communities continue to face unnecessary risks.”

    Half of healthcare facilities worldwide lack basic hygiene services with water and soap or alcohol-based hand rub where patients receive care and at toilets in these facilities, according to the latest Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) report by WHO and UNICEF. Around 3.85 billion people use these facilities, putting them at greater risk of infection, including 688 million people who receive care at facilities with no hygiene services at all.

    The updated analysis also highlights encouraging trends. Over 90% of countries have undertaken baseline assessments or developed standards. Nearly half of countries updating WASH and waste guidelines are integrating climate resilience and sustainability considerations, such as installing safe water storage, using greener plumbing materials and expanding non-burn waste treatment.

    “We’ve seen that progress is possible even in the most challenging contexts,” said Lindsay Denny Naughton, WASH Specialist at UNICEF. “Where countries work on multiple areas at once – from standards to infrastructure to integrating WASH into national health monitoring – these efforts reinforce each other and drive system-wide improvements. It’s clear that equity, including addressing the needs of women, girls and people with disabilities, has to be central to these efforts.”

    The updated tracker comes ahead of a global webinar on 29 July, hosted by WHO and UNICEF, which will share country experiences and highlight what more is needed to meet the targets set in the 2023 UN Resolution. The forthcoming WHO/UNICEF Global Progress Report on WASH and waste in health-care facilities, to be launched in October 2025, will provide further insights based on these country updates.

    Last week, WHO Europe convened countries and partners in Budapest under the Protocol on Water and Health to explore how global commitments can be translated into action at the national level, including through better financing models and integrating WASH into broader health, climate and antimicrobial resistance strategies.

    Montgomery emphasized: “We know what actions need to be taken, we have the tools and evidence and investing makes sense. Every dollar spent on hand hygiene in health-care facilities yields a return of 25 dollars. Now is the time to translate this momentum into concrete, sustainable improvements.”

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • New deadlines for fuel ban on end-of-life vehicles in Delhi-NCR

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on Tuesday extended the deadline for enforcement of its direction to deny fuel to End-of-Life (EoL) vehicles in Delhi-NCR. The decision was taken during the Commission’s 24th meeting, following concerns raised by the Delhi Government (GNCTD) regarding technological and operational challenges in its implementation.

    As per the amended clause of Statutory Direction No. 89, fuelling will be denied to EoL vehicles identified through Automated Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) systems or other mechanisms from November 1, 2025, in Delhi and five high vehicle density districts of NCR – Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Gautam Budh Nagar, and Sonipat. The directive will come into force across the rest of the NCR from April 1, 2026.

    GNCTD, in communications dated July 3 and July 7, 2025, flagged key issues, including incomplete integration of the ANPR system with neighbouring state databases, technical glitches, and enforcement difficulties. The state also raised legal concerns about geographic inconsistency under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, and highlighted potential hardships for vehicle owners.

    CAQM acknowledged these concerns and emphasized the need for a uniform enforcement timeline to prevent loopholes. The communications highlighted the lack of integration between the system and vehicle databases of neighbouring states, warning that this could lead to ‘fuel tourism’ and the emergence of an illegal cross-border fuel market, as vehicles denied fuel in Delhi may cross state borders to refuel.

    Authorities were also reminded that EoL vehicles, once deregistered, are illegal for road use in Delhi-NCR and must be impounded when identified.

    The Transport Departments of Delhi and NCR states have been instructed to expedite ANPR system trials, ensure personnel training, and launch awareness campaigns for fuel station operators and the public. Agencies must report progress on EoL vehicle removal to the Commission monthly.

    This amendment provides additional time to resolve implementation gaps while reinforcing the CAQM’s commitment to phasing out polluting vehicles in the region.

  • New deadlines for fuel ban on end-of-life vehicles in Delhi-NCR

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on Tuesday extended the deadline for enforcement of its direction to deny fuel to End-of-Life (EoL) vehicles in Delhi-NCR. The decision was taken during the Commission’s 24th meeting, following concerns raised by the Delhi Government (GNCTD) regarding technological and operational challenges in its implementation.

    As per the amended clause of Statutory Direction No. 89, fuelling will be denied to EoL vehicles identified through Automated Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) systems or other mechanisms from November 1, 2025, in Delhi and five high vehicle density districts of NCR – Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Gautam Budh Nagar, and Sonipat. The directive will come into force across the rest of the NCR from April 1, 2026.

    GNCTD, in communications dated July 3 and July 7, 2025, flagged key issues, including incomplete integration of the ANPR system with neighbouring state databases, technical glitches, and enforcement difficulties. The state also raised legal concerns about geographic inconsistency under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, and highlighted potential hardships for vehicle owners.

    CAQM acknowledged these concerns and emphasized the need for a uniform enforcement timeline to prevent loopholes. The communications highlighted the lack of integration between the system and vehicle databases of neighbouring states, warning that this could lead to ‘fuel tourism’ and the emergence of an illegal cross-border fuel market, as vehicles denied fuel in Delhi may cross state borders to refuel.

    Authorities were also reminded that EoL vehicles, once deregistered, are illegal for road use in Delhi-NCR and must be impounded when identified.

    The Transport Departments of Delhi and NCR states have been instructed to expedite ANPR system trials, ensure personnel training, and launch awareness campaigns for fuel station operators and the public. Agencies must report progress on EoL vehicle removal to the Commission monthly.

    This amendment provides additional time to resolve implementation gaps while reinforcing the CAQM’s commitment to phasing out polluting vehicles in the region.

  • New deadlines for fuel ban on end-of-life vehicles in Delhi-NCR

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on Tuesday extended the deadline for enforcement of its direction to deny fuel to End-of-Life (EoL) vehicles in Delhi-NCR. The decision was taken during the Commission’s 24th meeting, following concerns raised by the Delhi Government (GNCTD) regarding technological and operational challenges in its implementation.

    As per the amended clause of Statutory Direction No. 89, fuelling will be denied to EoL vehicles identified through Automated Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) systems or other mechanisms from November 1, 2025, in Delhi and five high vehicle density districts of NCR – Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Gautam Budh Nagar, and Sonipat. The directive will come into force across the rest of the NCR from April 1, 2026.

    GNCTD, in communications dated July 3 and July 7, 2025, flagged key issues, including incomplete integration of the ANPR system with neighbouring state databases, technical glitches, and enforcement difficulties. The state also raised legal concerns about geographic inconsistency under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, and highlighted potential hardships for vehicle owners.

    CAQM acknowledged these concerns and emphasized the need for a uniform enforcement timeline to prevent loopholes. The communications highlighted the lack of integration between the system and vehicle databases of neighbouring states, warning that this could lead to ‘fuel tourism’ and the emergence of an illegal cross-border fuel market, as vehicles denied fuel in Delhi may cross state borders to refuel.

    Authorities were also reminded that EoL vehicles, once deregistered, are illegal for road use in Delhi-NCR and must be impounded when identified.

    The Transport Departments of Delhi and NCR states have been instructed to expedite ANPR system trials, ensure personnel training, and launch awareness campaigns for fuel station operators and the public. Agencies must report progress on EoL vehicle removal to the Commission monthly.

    This amendment provides additional time to resolve implementation gaps while reinforcing the CAQM’s commitment to phasing out polluting vehicles in the region.