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Category: Energy

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Polytechnicians create the basis for digital twins of cities

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    The MetaCampus Polytech project, which is being implemented by the team of the Civil Engineering Institute, has become one of the key initiatives within the framework of the digital transformation of SPbPU. It is a digital campus ecosystem based on an information model that unites more than 300,000 square meters of area, 30 academic buildings and about 10,000 rooms.

    The uniqueness of the project is that MetaCampus Polytech is the first and only example of creating a digital twin of a university campus in the country. This makes it not only a platform for internal digital transformation, but also a pilot solution that can be used by other Russian universities.

    The project is interdisciplinary in nature and is being implemented jointly with the Institute of Computer Science and Cybersecurity. More than 2,000 undergraduate, specialist and master’s students are participating in its development. Eight project groups have been organized, nine new work programs of disciplines and practices have been developed, such as “Digital Modeling of Buildings”, “Geoinformation Technologies”, “Energy Audit”, “Project Practice” and others. At the moment, work is underway on interdisciplinary final qualification works.

    Digital services intended for various user groups of the university are being actively created and developed. One of them, “Property Management”, is aimed at automating analytics and visual management of the university’s material and property complex. The service allows you to track the parameters of premises online and generate their digital passports.

    At the moment, specialists are developing a technology for converting multimodal campus infrastructure data into a single information presentation format for subsequent analysis and processing using machine learning and artificial intelligence algorithms. The goal is to combine heterogeneous data collected over two years (PDF documents, images, BIM models, point clouds, tables and other file types) into a single structured system associated with specific campus objects and premises.

    Based on these unified data, the digital service for managing the property complex will be expanded, which will allow for the prompt generation of analytical reports and graphical representations of indicators at the user’s request using an AI assistant. This approach will ensure not only the integrity of information, but also high speed of decision-making on managing the university’s resources.

    During the project implementation, a video presentation was created, which presents a historical retrospective of the formation of the SPbPU campus. The basis for creating the video were digital models of the university buildings.

    The experience gained during the implementation of the MetaCampus Polytech project became the basis for new international cooperation. Representatives of the Civil Engineering Institute and partners from Cuba agreed to launch a joint project on the digitalization of cultural heritage sites. Cuban colleagues shared their experience in the digitalization of architectural monuments, including joint research with universities in Spain and Colombia, and expressed interest in developing cooperation.

    In addition, the Institute of Historical and Cultural Heritage has concluded an agreement with the Committee for State Control, Use and Protection of Historical and Cultural Monuments of St. Petersburg (KGIOP) on developing a digital passport of cultural heritage sites based on the approaches of the MetaCampus Polytech project. This will create a unified format for digital information about cultural sites and may become the basis for the formation of digital twins of historical cities both in Russia and abroad.

    The significance of the project was confirmed by its victory in the nomination “Best Campus Management Practice” in the competition organized by the “Sociocenter” jointly with the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia as part of the strategic academic leadership program “Priority-2030”.

    In the future, MetaCampus Polytech will be able to become the basis for creating a digital twin of St. Petersburg. At the moment, the territory of the university campus, which is contained in the form of an information model, is a serious digital asset. Using its example, we could replicate this practice in order to transfer our entire city to a digital model, – noted the director of ISI Marina Petrochenko.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    June 19, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: /Economic Review/ China’s Commercial Aerospace Sector Reaches New Heights

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    BEIJING, June 19 (Xinhua) — A rocket left a glittering trail in the sky as it flew over waters off east China’s Shandong Province.

    The launch, organized by Chinese aerospace company Galactic Energy, successfully placed four satellites into orbit, marking the company’s fifth consecutive successful space launch from a sea-based platform.

    The flight, which took place on May 19, was a shining example of the rapid development of China’s commercial space industry.

    From coastal launch sites to orbital bases, a new generation of private Chinese aerospace enterprises is redefining the country’s access to space, characterized by greater launch frequency, precision and innovation.

    Building on this momentum, China’s commercial aerospace sector is now entering an era of rapid development driven by technological breakthroughs, expanded launch capabilities and accelerated construction of space infrastructure.

    Rockets, satellites and launch sites are the three main components of the commercial division of China’s space industry. Last year, China opened its first launch site for commercial flights, giving the country the final link in the commercial space ecosystem and paving the way for fully integrated development.

    China plans to launch several reusable rockets in 2025. As for satellites, large constellations like Spacesail Constellation (China’s commercial low-orbit satellite network) continue to launch, while demand for small satellites is growing rapidly.

    China’s commercial space market is expected to exceed 2.5 trillion yuan (about $348 billion) this year.

    “Space is an important resource that we have yet to tap, and we are very optimistic about the commercial space sector,” said Galactic Energy Executive President Xia Dongkun.

    In 2024, the country’s government work report called commercial space a “new driver of economic growth.” Authorities in Beijing, Shanghai, and other cities soon after rolled out targeted support measures and action plans to improve the structure of the commercial aerospace industry.

    The Beijing Economic and Technological Development Zone, also known as Beijing E-Town, is home to more than 160 aerospace enterprises that have formed a growing cluster, accounting for 75 percent of the country’s commercial rocket development and assembly operations.

    As China’s commercial aerospace ecosystem continues to evolve, coordination between market forces and government support measures lays a solid foundation for sustainable growth.

    Today, the number of commercial space companies in China has exceeded 500, and the number of satellites in orbit continues to grow steadily.

    With the development of low-orbit satellite internet, some commercial satellite companies are moving towards mass production and increased profitability.

    At Geespace’s satellite factory in Taizhou City, east China’s Zhejiang Province, an intelligent network system coordinates all stages of design, R&D, production, testing and operation.

    After more than 60 general assembly operations, the components are transformed into a satellite, thereby reducing the production cycle to 28 days. The production speed has increased by 10 times, and production costs have been significantly reduced.

    “In the satellite manufacturing industry, the advantages of commercial aerospace companies in low-cost mass production are becoming increasingly clear,” said Zhang Shijie, chief scientist at GalaxySpace.

    “The industry is moving from small-scale custom development to large-scale production. The ability to assemble satellites like computers is no longer a dream, but a reality,” he added.

    China’s commercial rockets are not only crossing the skies from sea to space, but also opening a new era of innovation and industrial transformation. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    June 19, 2025

  • MIL-OSI China: Beijing’s reusable rockets to debut, eyeing trillion-yuan market

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

    The Chinese capital is poised for a breakthrough in commercial spaceflight, with multiple reusable rockets developed by local firms preparing for their maiden launches. The advancements could dramatically lower launch costs and help Beijing tap into the booming low-Earth orbit economy, estimated to be a trillion-yuan market.

    Low-Earth orbit, spanning 400 to 2,000 kilometers above Earth, offers advantages like natural magnetic shielding, lower radiation risks, and ultra-low-latency communication, making it a hotbed for global commercial space competition. Rockets serve as a critical gateway to this orbital frontier.

    At southeastern Beijing’s “Rocket Street,” a hub for aerospace innovation, companies like Galactic Energy and LandSpace are racing to deploy next-gen rockets.

    LandSpace’s Zhuque-3, a methane-fueled reusable rocket comparable to SpaceX’s Falcon 9, completed a 10-kilometer vertical takeoff and landing test last year and is expected to make a debut flight in the second half of 2025. Its stainless-steel structure and methane engines, reusable up to 20 times, could reduce launch costs by 80% to 90%.

    Meanwhile, Galactic Energy is pursuing a liquid oxygen and kerosene approach with its Pallas rocket, also targeting a 2025 maiden launch, said Xia Dongkun, the firm’s executive president.

    According to the municipal science and technology authority, Beijing is home to more than 70% of China’s commercial launch system integrators. It also maintains the country’s most complete launch vehicle development ecosystem and has developed a nationally leading satellite manufacturing cluster.

    Additionally, Beijing’s commercial rocket firms have set new records in launch, satellite development, and data applications: Beijing accounted for one-fifth of China’s commercial launches last year, and single-use rockets have entered routine operations.

    Galactic Energy’s CERES-1, China’s most-launched private rocket, has already sent 81 satellites to orbit for 25 clients. Its upgraded CERES-2, with doubled payload capacity, is preparing for its first flight.

    Cost efficiency is key. “We are scaling payloads from 1 metric ton to hundreds and thousands while driving down per-kilo launch costs to tap into the trillion-yuan market,” Xia noted. The firm has cut engine production expenses by 90% using 3D printing, a technique also adopted by LandSpace, which slashed manufacturing time for its Tianque engine from two months to days.

    MIL OSI China News –

    June 19, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Nigeria Gears Up to Unveil Mining Potential at African Mining Week


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    As Nigeria advances its mining ambitions through high-impact deals and project milestones, African Mining Week (AMW) – Africa’s premier mining gathering, taking place October 1–3, 2025, in Cape Town – will feature a dedicated session on the country. The session will showcase current projects and opportunities, reinforcing Nigeria’s position as an emerging mining hub.

    Public and private stakeholders are working to harness Nigeria’s vast mineral wealth to diversify the economy and boost GDP. In April 2025, Nigeria signed a cooperation agreement (http://apo-opa.co/449iMLC) with South Africa – the continent’s leading mining nation – to promote investment, technology transfer and knowledge sharing. This partnership is expected to accelerate Nigeria’s mining growth by drawing on South Africa’s expertise and mature sector.

    On the ground, Titan Minerals Limited (https://apo-opa.co/44872Zw) is leading exploration for phosphate in Sokoto, bitumen in Edo and Ondo and gold along the Schist Belt, while seeking partners to advance new gold, base metals and PGM deposits toward feasibility. Meanwhile, Thor Explorations (http://apo-opa.co/3TAhEvi) launched underground drilling at its Segilola Gold Mine – Nigeria’s first industrial gold operation – aiming to scale production to 85,000–95,000 ounces in 2025.

    Additionally, Nigeria resumed gold, lithium and copper exploration in Zamfara in early 2025, underscoring its drive to attract fresh investment. The country’s mineral resources (http://apo-opa.co/4e6dpRM) include 42.5 billion tons of probable bitumen (sixth-largest globally), 10.6 billion tons of limestone, 2.75 billion tons of coal, over 3 billion tons of iron ore and 21.4 metric tons of gold – offering significant investor opportunities. Together, these resources position Nigeria as a potential mining powerhouse capable of driving industrialization, creating jobs and delivering long-term economic growth.

    Against this backdrop, AMW 2025 provides an ideal platform for Nigeria to showcase its progress and engage investors to secure its role in Africa’s mining future. The event will not only highlight key projects, but also foster dialogue on policy, infrastructure and partnerships needed to unlock the sector’s full potential. With growing international interest, Nigeria is poised to position itself as a leading destination for sustainable mineral development.

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

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

    MIL OSI Africa –

    June 19, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Energy Sector – Equinor’s first solar plant in Denmark starts production

    Source: Equinor

    19 JUNE 2025 – Production has commenced at the 65 MW Ingerslev Å solar plant located in Jutland, Denmark. The facility is operated by BeGreen, a wholly owned subsidiary of Equinor.

    Anders Bade, senior vice president for onshore and markets within Renewables at Equinor.

    “This is another step in our ambition to establish a profitable onshore renewables business in select markets across Europe and the Americas. Currently, we have around 1.2 GW of onshore capacity in production and under construction ,” says Anders Bade, senior vice president for onshore and markets within Renewables at Equinor.

    Ingerslev Å marks an important milestone as BeGreen’s first project to reach production since Equinor acquired the company in 2023. With the launch of Ingerslev Å, all four Equinor subsidiaries that specialize in onshore renewables and battery storage now have assets in operation.

    “Our ownership of local companies provides a strong foundation for value creation by leveraging their on-the-ground expertise and maximizing synergies with our trading house, Danske Commodities,” says Bade.

    Danske Commodities will sell the power generated from Ingerslev Å on merchant terms in the DK1 power market in western Denmark. The annual production is estimated at 68 GWh.

    The construction of Ingerslev Å was completed in under a year, showcasing the rapid project cycles typical of onshore renewables. The facility features over 100,000 solar panels and six transformer stations installed on site.

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

    June 19, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Energy Sector – Equinor’s first solar plant in Denmark starts production

    Source: Equinor

    19 JUNE 2025 – Production has commenced at the 65 MW Ingerslev Å solar plant located in Jutland, Denmark. The facility is operated by BeGreen, a wholly owned subsidiary of Equinor.

    Anders Bade, senior vice president for onshore and markets within Renewables at Equinor.

    “This is another step in our ambition to establish a profitable onshore renewables business in select markets across Europe and the Americas. Currently, we have around 1.2 GW of onshore capacity in production and under construction ,” says Anders Bade, senior vice president for onshore and markets within Renewables at Equinor.

    Ingerslev Å marks an important milestone as BeGreen’s first project to reach production since Equinor acquired the company in 2023. With the launch of Ingerslev Å, all four Equinor subsidiaries that specialize in onshore renewables and battery storage now have assets in operation.

    “Our ownership of local companies provides a strong foundation for value creation by leveraging their on-the-ground expertise and maximizing synergies with our trading house, Danske Commodities,” says Bade.

    Danske Commodities will sell the power generated from Ingerslev Å on merchant terms in the DK1 power market in western Denmark. The annual production is estimated at 68 GWh.

    The construction of Ingerslev Å was completed in under a year, showcasing the rapid project cycles typical of onshore renewables. The facility features over 100,000 solar panels and six transformer stations installed on site.

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

    June 19, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New climate targets set

    Source: Scottish Government

    Carbon budgets to tackle climate change.

    Limits on the amount of greenhouse gases Scotland will emit over the coming decades have been announced as part of action to tackle climate change.

    The Carbon Budgets propose five-year, statutory limits on emissions from 2026 to 2045. The proposed budgets are in line with the advice from the independent Climate Change Committee (CCC) and the Scottish Government’s own assessments.

    The average level of emissions for Scotland over each five-year period are:

    • 57% lower than 1990 levels for 2026 – 2030
    • 69% lower than 1990 levels for 2031- 2035
    • 80% lower than 1990 levels for 2036 – 2040
    • 94% lower than 1990 levels for 2041 – 2045

    The proposals will be scrutinised by Parliament before being voted on in the autumn.

    Once the Carbon Budgets have been agreed, the Scottish Government will publish and consult on a new draft Climate Change Plan outlining the specific actions required to reduce emissions so as to meet each of the first three carbon budget targets, as well as setting out the associated costs and benefits.

    Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy Gillian Martin said:

    “Scotland is now halfway to our 2045 climate change target and is ahead of the UK as a whole in reducing long term emissions.

    “These Carbon Budgets will set clear limits on emissions for the coming decades in line with the independent advice of the UK Climate Change Committee.

    “When we publish our draft Climate Change Plan later this year, it will set out the policies needed to continue to reduce our emissions and meet our first three carbon budget targets.

    “It will not ask the impossible of people. We will not sacrifice people’s health or wealth.

    “While we welcome the UK CCC’s advice on how to stay within these limits, as they make clear, it is always for Scotland to decide whether those policies are right for us.

    “This means, for example, that we will chart our own path on forestry, going further than the CCC suggest. And, to ensure we protect rural communities and have a thriving rural economy, we will not adopt all their recommendations on agriculture and peatland and will instead meet our targets in a way which works for rural Scotland, including supporting and protecting our iconic livestock industries.  

    “These Carbon Budgets keep Scotland at the forefront of efforts to protect the planet and our Climate Change Plan will ensure the action we take is fair, ambitious and capable of rising to the emergency before us.”

    Background

    Carbon budgets provide a reliable and consistent framework to measure progress to net zero and are used by other countries including Japan, France, England and Wales. They are less prone to fluctuations than the Scottish Government’s previous approach of interim and annual targets, which could be affected by annual variations such as unseasonable weather or a global pandemic.

    Each carbon budget period will run from 1 January of the start year to 31 December of the final year.

    The budgets would continue to include emissions from international aviation and shipping, and there are no provisions to ‘carry over’ emissions from one carbon budget period to the next.

    Carbon budget breakdown totals:

    • 175  mega tonne 2026 – 2030
    • 126  mega tonne 2031- 2035
    • 81  mega tonne 2036 – 2040
    • 24  mega tonne 2040 – 2045

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    June 19, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Secretary-General of ASEAN Receives CEO of China Renewable Energy Engineering Institute (CREEI)

    Source: ASEAN

    Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today received Mr. Yi Yuechun, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Deputy Director General of the China Renewable Energy Engineering Institute (CREEI), at the ASEAN Headquarters/ASEAN Secretariat. Both sides discussed existing cooperation as well as potential collaboration on clean energy development, highlighting shared commitments to advancing renewable energy initiatives under the ASEAN-China energy partnership.

    The post Secretary-General of ASEAN Receives CEO of China Renewable Energy Engineering Institute (CREEI) appeared first on ASEAN Main Portal.

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

    June 19, 2025

  • Israel establishes air corridor to Tehran as Iranian missile hits major hospital

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    An Iranian missile struck the main hospital in southern Israel early Thursday, inflicting extensive damage and wounding multiple individuals as the Israel-Iran conflict entered a dangerously escalated phase. The strike on Soroka Medical Center, one of Israel’s largest hospitals, marked a significant shift in targeting civilian medical infrastructure. Israeli media aired images of shattered windows, damaged wards, and thick black smoke engulfing the hospital complex.

    In response, Israel has intensified its military campaign, gaining what officials describe as decisive air superiority over Iranian territory. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) reported neutralizing dozens of Iranian missile launchers—accounting for more than a third of Iran’s overall arsenal—often striking them as they were being prepared for launch. This operational advantage has allowed Israel to establish a direct air corridor to Tehran, enabling a new wave of raids on Iranian military targets in and around the capital. Authorities in Iran have urged residents of the villages of Arak and Khondab to evacuate ahead of expected airstrikes on local military infrastructure.

    The conflict reached new heights overnight as Israeli aircraft launched another assault on Iran’s Natanz nuclear facility. The Israeli military claims the site is being used for nuclear weapons development. This marks the second such strike on Natanz within the week. Earlier attacks are believed to have destroyed underground uranium enrichment centrifuges, a claim partially corroborated by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Additional reports indicate Israeli forces also targeted Iran’s Arak heavy water reactor, escalating concerns over regional nuclear security.

    Iran responded by launching its 14th wave of missile attacks on Israel early Thursday morning. Over 25 missiles were fired in the latest barrage, targeting key strategic sites. According to Iranian sources, the Revolutionary Guard Corps successfully struck the Israeli army’s cyber command headquarters and an intelligence center in Gav Yam. Another missile reportedly hit a high-rise and several residential buildings near Tel Aviv.

    Israel’s national rescue service confirmed that at least 40 people were injured in the latest round of Iranian strikes. Among the damaged sites was the Israeli stock exchange building. Authorities now confirm at least 24 fatalities from Iranian missile attacks since the onset of this phase of the conflict. The hit on Soroka hospital remains the most severe blow to medical infrastructure since hostilities began.

    Despite Israeli air dominance, Iran continues to conduct more selective and targeted missile strikes. Analysts suggest that the declining frequency of Iranian launches is the result of Israel’s successful campaign to destroy missile platforms and storage sites before deployment.

    Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump is reported to be evaluating military intervention options, with the crisis threatening to spill over into a broader West Asian confrontation. In a stern warning, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei declared that any American strikes on Iranian soil would provoke “serious, irreparable consequences,” increasing the stakes of potential U.S. involvement.

    June 19, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Australia targets green economy opportunities in Southeast Asia with trade mission to Malaysia

    Source: Australian Attorney General’s Agencies

    With Southeast Asia on track to become the world’s fourth-largest economy by 2040, Australia is working to tap this huge potential, including with a trade and investment mission to Malaysia this week.

    Led by Austrade, an Australian delegation of 30 representatives from 21 organisations is in Malaysia to identify new opportunities, particularly in the green economy.

    This mission is part of the Albanese Labor Government’s efforts to help Australian businesses create new trade opportunities in priority markets.  

    Malaysia is rapidly positioning itself as a renewable energy hub, with major investments in solar, hydrogen, and waste-to-energy. This mission will set the foundation for long-term collaboration, with Australia home to leading expertise, cutting-edge technology, and a strong education and training sector.

    The delegation, who are participating in an Austrade organised program, will attend the 2025 Energy Asia Conference in Kuala Lumpur, which features events including the Australian Energy Innovation Showcase, university partnerships for energy literacy, and tailored business-matching sessions.

    The Albanese Government is working to boost engagement with Southeast Asia through practical, business-focused initiatives. In the past year alone, we delivered a record $1 billion in trade outcomes for Australian businesses, launched the $2 billion Southeast Asia Investment Financing Facility, and upgraded the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement.  

    Southeast Asia Investment Deal Teams are also working to increase Australian investment in the region’s green energy infrastructure.

    MIL OSI News –

    June 19, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Millions more families to get £150 off energy bills this winter

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Press release

    Millions more families to get £150 off energy bills this winter

    The Warm Home Discount will be expanded meaning 6 million households will receive £150 off their energy bills this winter.

    • 2.7 million extra households will receive £150 off their energy bills next winter as the Warm Home Discount is expanded – putting money directly into people’s pockets
    • this increases the number of households who are eligible to over 6 million in total – including 900,000 families with children and a total of 1.8 million households in fuel poverty
    • latest intervention follows a raft of cost of living support for those who need it most – from expanding free school meals to childcare support – which is only possible after government stabilised the economy and fixed the foundations through the Plan for Change

    Millions of households will see their energy bills cut by £150 this winter, as the government delivers another major package of support to ease the cost of living for working families through the Plan for Change.

    Over 6 million households will benefit this year – an increase of 2.7 million households, including 900,000 more families with children and a total of 1.8 million households in fuel poverty. Every billpayer on means-tested benefits will now qualify, removing restrictions that previously excluded many who needed help and providing peace of mind to millions more families.

    This major expansion of support for working families is the latest in a raft of cost of living support made possible because the government has stabilised the economy, fixed the foundations and repaired the public finances – deliberate choices which are helping provide security and more money in the pockets of working families through the Plan for Change.

    Since last summer, interest rates have been cut 4 times, lowering mortgage costs, free school meals have been rolled out for over half a million more children so that kids can focus on learning rather than hungry bellies, free breakfast clubs are being expanded to every child in the country, school uniform costs have been cut, the 30 hours of free childcare scheme has been extended to more working parents.

    Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: 

    I know families are still struggling with the cost of living, and I know the fear that comes with not being able to afford your next bill.

    Providing security and peace of mind for working people is deeply personal to me as Prime Minister and foundational for the Plan for Change. I have no doubt that, like rolling out free school meals, breakfast clubs and childcare support, extending this £150 energy bills support to millions more families will make a real difference.

    Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said:  

    Millions of families will get vital support with the cost of living this coming winter, demonstrating this government’s commitment to put money in people’s pockets through our Plan for Change.

    The energy price cap is also falling in July and today’s announcement adds a further £150 in direct support for millions.

    This expansion of the Warm Homes Discount means families can plan for winter in the knowledge that they will receive support, giving them certainty and peace of mind before summer.

    The government has also protected working people’s payslips from higher taxes, frozen fuel duty and are increasing the minimum wage to give pay rises of up to £1,400 a year to millions of low-income workers. Everyone over the State Pension age in England and Wales with an income of, or below, £35,000 a year will benefit from a Winter Fuel Payment this winter, bringing the total to 9 million pensioners. 

    Today’s announcement goes even further than cutting energy bills by helping those who racked up debts during the energy crisis of 2022-2024. Backing Ofgem’s proposed debt strategy will cut consumers’ energy bills by reducing the cost of paying for energy debt, alongside other reforms.

    The expansion of the Warm Home Discount will be offset by new efficiency savings across the energy system. For example, Ofgem have confirmed a decrease in the operating cost allowance of the price cap for the average billpayer which will take money off bills.

    Ofgem’s plans to reduce the overall stock of consumer debt, which is currently recouped via a levy on all bills, will also produce savings that help to fund the Warm Homes Discount.

    These reforms complement the government’s drive to bring down bills in the long term by replacing the UK’s dependence on fossil fuel markets controlled by petrostates and dictators with clean homegrown power.  

    This is the Plan for Change in action – combining short-term help with a proper long-term strategy for change that lowers people’s energy bills and puts more money in their pockets.

    Notes to editors

    Today we have confirmed that following consultation, the Warm Home Discount scheme will be expanded to remove the high-cost-to-heat threshold in the current Warm Home Discount (England & Wales) Regulations 2022 (for winter 2025/2026) and increasing the level of spend available in Scotland for suppliers to allocate through the Broader Group.

    The change will mean that all households where the means-tested benefit recipient (or their partner or legal appointee) is named on the energy bill will now be eligible to receive the £150 electricity bill rebate.   

    The number of families who will receive the discount for the first time, broken down by region, include:  

    • North East England: 100,000
    • North West England: 280,000
    • Yorkshire and the Humber: 210,000
    • East Midlands: 160,000
    • West Midlands: 270,000
    • East of England: 250,000
    • London: 570,000
    • South East England: 350,000
    • South West England: 220,000
    • Wales: 110,000
    • Scotland: 240,000 

    The number of additional households supported under the expanded scheme in each region is calculated by applying the regional proportion of qualifying benefit recipients from DWP’s statxplore tool to the total additional 6.1 million households estimated in the Warm Home Discount Expansion consultation document.

    For the North West, for example, the proportion of qualifying benefit recipients is 13%, thereby 13% x 6.1m = 780,000 recipient households. Of these, 500,000 are already in receipt according to the most recent Warm Home Discount statistics (2023/2024), so around 280,000 are estimated to be additional.

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    Published 19 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    June 19, 2025

  • MIL-OSI China: China’s commercial space sector strives to reach new heights

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

    Over the waters off east China’s Shandong Province, a rocket blasts upward, streaking a brilliant trail through the sky.

    The launch, carried out by Chinese aerospace company Galactic Energy, successfully delivered four satellites into orbit, marking the firm’s fifth consecutive successful sea-based launch.

    Taking place on May 19, the mission is a prime example of how China’s commercial space industry is accelerating onto the fast track of development.

    From coastal launch pads to orbital deployment, activities among a new generation of private Chinese aerospace enterprises are redefining the country’s access to space, marked by greater frequency, precision and innovation.

    Building on this momentum, China’s commercial space sector is now entering an era of rapid development, driven by technological breakthroughs, expanding launch capabilities and the accelerated construction of space-based infrastructure.

    Rockets, satellites and launch sites form the three essential pillars of the commercial space industry. With China’s first launch facility dedicated to commercial missions becoming operational last year, the final piece of the country’s commercial space ecosystem is now in place, paving the way for fully integrated development.

    In 2025, several reusable rockets are scheduled to make their maiden flights in China. On the satellite front, large-scale constellations such as the Spacesail Constellation — a commercial Chinese low-orbit satellite network — continue to launch, while demand for small satellites is experiencing explosive growth.

    According to projections, the scale of China’s commercial space market is expected to exceed 2.5 trillion yuan (about 348 billion U.S. dollars) this year.

    “Space is a vital resource waiting to be explored, and we are very optimistic about the commercial space sector,” said Xia Dongkun, executive president of Galactic Energy.

    In 2024, the commercial space sector was listed in the country’s government work report as a “new engine of economic growth.” Cities such as Beijing and Shanghai soon followed the report with dedicated support policies and action plans, accelerating their investment in the commercial aerospace sector.

    In the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area, also known as Beijing E-Town, more than 160 aerospace enterprises have formed a still-growing cluster, with companies engaged in full-rocket development accounting for 75 percent of the national total.

    As China’s commercial aerospace ecosystem continues to evolve, collaboration between market forces and supportive government policies is laying a solid foundation for sustained growth.

    To date, the number of commercial space companies in China has surged to over 500, with the number of satellites in orbit continuing to rise steadily.

    With the development of low-orbit satellite internet, some commercial satellite companies are moving toward mass production and cost-efficient manufacturing.

    At the satellite superfactory of Geespace in the city of Taizhou, east China’s Zhejiang Province, an intelligent network system coordinates every stage of design, R&D, production, testing and operations.

    After undergoing more than 60 assembly procedures, a complete satellite is assembled, reducing the manufacturing cycle to just 28 days. Production speeds have increased 10-fold, and manufacturing costs have dropped significantly.

    “In satellite manufacturing, the advantages of commercial aerospace companies in low-cost, mass production are becoming increasingly evident,” said Zhang Shijie, chief scientist at space firm GalaxySpace.

    “The industry is shifting from small-batch, customized development to scaled production. The ability to build satellites like assembling computers is no longer a vision; it has become a reality,” Zhang added.

    From sea to space, China’s commercial rockets are not only breaking through the atmosphere, they’re also propelling a new era of innovation and industrial transformation.

    MIL OSI China News –

    June 19, 2025

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Energy Sector – Electricity generators collaborate to help secure New Zealand’s energy future

    Source: Energy Resources Aotearoa

    Energy Resources Aotearoa welcomes today’s announcement from Genesis Energy and other major electricity generators, Mercury, Meridian, and Contact, setting out a proposed long-term agreement to establish a strategic energy reserve and retain Huntly’s Rankine units to support a secure energy future for New Zealand.
    Energy Resources Aotearoa Chief Executive John Carnegie says the proposal is a pragmatic signal that generators can work together to manage growing system risks.
    “As New Zealand navigates the challenges of declining domestic natural gas, growing but intermittent renewable generation, and highly volatile economic and geopolitical conditions, this proposal is a practical response to uncertainty.
    “Huntly has long been New Zealand’s energy security blanket. Its dual-fuel capability – capable of running on both coal and natural gas – provides the system with resilience and flexibility, with the potential to expand this to biomass in the future.
    More domestic gas supply will further enhance this capability and reduce our dependence on coal during periods of peak demand or supply shortfall.”
    “We welcome more wind and solar, but they also make the system more volatile. We need to increase our firm generation capacity even more, in the form of more gas-fired power plants, to meet demand peaks. There’s no single fix, but this proposal is a useful part of the solution as we manage uncertainty.”
    Energy Resources Aotearoa will continue to advocate for policy and regulatory settings that support long-term investment in reliable, secure and affordable energy, to power New Zealand’s future.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

    June 19, 2025

  • Israel Strikes Iran’s Police Headquarters as Conflict Enters Seventh Day with Mounting Casualties

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The Israel-Iran conflict has intensified dramatically as it enters its sixth day, with Israeli forces conducting three waves of airstrikes across Iran while Iranian authorities report mounting casualties from the sustained bombardment. The latest escalation came as Israel targeted Iran’s national police headquarters, injuring several people according to Iranian state news agency IRNA, while Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz claimed his country had destroyed the headquarters of Iran’s public security.

    On Wednesday, Israel launched its most extensive military operation against Iran since the conflict began, carrying out airstrikes in three waves across the day.

    The first wave, overnight, struck around 40 targets in the Tehran area , including centrifuge manufacturing sites and anti-tank missile production facilities. By afternoon, a second series of strikes hit 20 additional locations, focusing on three major missile production centers. The evening assault targeted surface-to-surface missile launch and storage sites in western Iran.

    The sustained bombardment has triggered a mass exodus from Tehran and other Iranian cities. Thousands are fleeing, with reports of widespread panic and heavy congestion along evacuation routes.

    Iranian authorities and human rights groups now estimate at least 585 people have been killed and over 1,300 injured since the start of hostilities , many of them civilians.

    Infrastructure across the region is reeling. Airport closures and travel restrictions continue to disrupt civilian movement and affect foreign nationals throughout West Asia.

    Meanwhile, the International Atomic Energy Agency has confirmed that Israeli strikes successfully hit two centrifuge production sites that were once monitored under the 2015 nuclear deal , a development seen as a significant escalation in efforts to degrade Iran’s nuclear capabilities.

    Iran has responded with overwhelming force, launching over 400 ballistic missiles and approximately 1,000 drones at Israel since hostilities began. While Israel’s defense systems intercepted the majority of incoming projectiles, at least 20 missiles struck urban areas, resulting in 24 confirmed deaths and more than 500 wounded Israelis. Fires and destruction have been reported across Tel Aviv and other major cities as air raid sirens continue to sound throughout the country.

    The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps has vowed continued retaliation while Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has rejected mounting international pressure for de-escalation. Iran has issued stark warnings that any direct United States intervention would trigger ‘irreparable consequences’ and an ‘all-out war’ throughout West Asia, raising fears of a broader regional conflict.

    U.S President Donald Trump has dramatically escalated American involvement by demanding Iran’s “unconditional surrender” while increasing military deployments to the region. The administration is reportedly weighing direct strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities and has begun evacuating some embassy personnel from Israel in preparation for possible expanded hostilities. Trump’s shift from earlier calls for restraint to open support for Israeli military actions marks a significant policy change that could reshape the conflict’s trajectory.

    June 19, 2025

  • Israel Strikes Iran’s Police Headquarters as Conflict Enters Seventh Day with Mounting Casualties

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The Israel-Iran conflict has intensified dramatically as it enters its sixth day, with Israeli forces conducting three waves of airstrikes across Iran while Iranian authorities report mounting casualties from the sustained bombardment. The latest escalation came as Israel targeted Iran’s national police headquarters, injuring several people according to Iranian state news agency IRNA, while Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz claimed his country had destroyed the headquarters of Iran’s public security.

    On Wednesday, Israel launched its most extensive military operation against Iran since the conflict began, carrying out airstrikes in three waves across the day.

    The first wave, overnight, struck around 40 targets in the Tehran area , including centrifuge manufacturing sites and anti-tank missile production facilities. By afternoon, a second series of strikes hit 20 additional locations, focusing on three major missile production centers. The evening assault targeted surface-to-surface missile launch and storage sites in western Iran.

    The sustained bombardment has triggered a mass exodus from Tehran and other Iranian cities. Thousands are fleeing, with reports of widespread panic and heavy congestion along evacuation routes.

    Iranian authorities and human rights groups now estimate at least 585 people have been killed and over 1,300 injured since the start of hostilities , many of them civilians.

    Infrastructure across the region is reeling. Airport closures and travel restrictions continue to disrupt civilian movement and affect foreign nationals throughout West Asia.

    Meanwhile, the International Atomic Energy Agency has confirmed that Israeli strikes successfully hit two centrifuge production sites that were once monitored under the 2015 nuclear deal , a development seen as a significant escalation in efforts to degrade Iran’s nuclear capabilities.

    Iran has responded with overwhelming force, launching over 400 ballistic missiles and approximately 1,000 drones at Israel since hostilities began. While Israel’s defense systems intercepted the majority of incoming projectiles, at least 20 missiles struck urban areas, resulting in 24 confirmed deaths and more than 500 wounded Israelis. Fires and destruction have been reported across Tel Aviv and other major cities as air raid sirens continue to sound throughout the country.

    The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps has vowed continued retaliation while Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has rejected mounting international pressure for de-escalation. Iran has issued stark warnings that any direct United States intervention would trigger ‘irreparable consequences’ and an ‘all-out war’ throughout West Asia, raising fears of a broader regional conflict.

    U.S President Donald Trump has dramatically escalated American involvement by demanding Iran’s “unconditional surrender” while increasing military deployments to the region. The administration is reportedly weighing direct strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities and has begun evacuating some embassy personnel from Israel in preparation for possible expanded hostilities. Trump’s shift from earlier calls for restraint to open support for Israeli military actions marks a significant policy change that could reshape the conflict’s trajectory.

    June 19, 2025

  • MIL-Evening Report: Overhead power lines kill millions of birds a year. Scientists found a way to help cut the devastating toll

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Pay, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania

    Wolfram Steinberg/picture alliance via Getty Images

    Millions of birds are killed by power lines each year. Sometimes they collide with the lines when flying and are either electrocuted or fatally injured. Other times they are electrocuted when perching on power poles.

    Power line collisions are one of the leading causes of injury and death for large birds of prey. In Tasmania, an endangered population of wedge-tailed eagles lost 110 individuals to power lines between 2017 and 2023.

    New research I led, the first of its kind in Australia, used GPS tracking data to predict which power lines were most dangerous for these eagles.

    We hope the findings will help protect birds and other wildlife from overhead wires as electricity networks expand.

    Power lines and birds: a fatal mix

    Overhead power lines span more than 90 million kilometres of our planet. The network keeps growing as demand for electricity rises and renewable energy projects expand into new areas.

    In the United States alone, between 12 and 64 million birds are estimated to be killed by power lines each year. These deaths can damage populations of some species.

    Birds can also be killed when perched on poles – for example, if they stretch their wings and connect two energised parts.

    The economic costs can be considerable – disrupting electricity services, causing fires and damaging infrastructure.

    Energy companies can reduce the risks through various measures. They include attaching objects to power lines to make them more visible to birds, and redesigning poles to reduce the likelihood of electrocution.

    But these solutions can be expensive, and challenging to implement on a large scale. So, prioritising the riskiest power lines is the most cost-effective solution.

    The presence of bird carcasses has traditionally been used as a way to identify high-risk power lines. But this approach can give a biased picture, because people are more likely to find dead birds in accessible, less vegetated areas.

    New research by my colleagues and I explores a different approach.

    Tracking Tasmania’s wedgies

    We used GPS tracking of animal movements to predict which power lines were most dangerous for Tasmania’s wedge-tailed eagles.

    GPS tracking can record a bird’s location, altitude and speed – as frequently as every few seconds. This detailed information can show how birds behave around power lines, helping identify when and where they’re most at risk.

    In 2017, my colleagues and I attached lightweight GPS trackers to 23 Tasmanian wedge-tailed eagles, then analysed six years of tracking data. We identified more than 9,400 power line crossings at risky altitudes.

    We then linked these crossings to different landscape features. This allowed us to build a model predicting where eagles are most likely to cross power lines at dangerous heights across Tasmania.

    Power line crossings were most likely at or near open land, forest edges, rural residential developments, wet forest and freshwater sources. Risky crossings peaked in autumn and winter.

    Almost half of known collisions occurred on the 20% of Tasmania’s power line network with the highest risk.

    Importantly, we tested our predictions against locations where eagles had collided with power lines. The model accurately predicted many of these collision sites, confirming that areas with more low-flying eagle activity carry a greater risk of collisions.

    This means our model can not only pick up on known hotspots, but can reveal risky areas that would be missed if carcass records were used exclusively to identify risk. It also means dangerous power lines can be identified before birds have died.

    GPS information can show how birds behave around power lines.
    Julian Stratenschulte/picture alliance via Getty Images

    A powerful new tool

    Our research is part of a growing number of studies examining animal movement to improve wildlife management.

    Risky animal behaviours have been monitored using GPS trackers and then used to inform models predicting the risk of wildlife interactions with road vehicles, wind turbines and aircraft.

    Recently, GPS tracking data was used in Europe, North Africa and North America to map and reduce wildlife risks around power lines.

    Like ours, these studies can help guide where devices should be attached to lines and inform where new lines are built.

    GPS tracking data offers a powerful tool to guide the sustainable design of power lines, target mitigation efforts, and make our expanding energy infrastructure safer for wildlife.

    James Pay receives funding from the Australian Research Council (LP210200539), NRM South, Woolnorth Renewables, TasNetworks, the Bookend Trust, New Forests, Norske Skog, ACEN Renewables, Ark Energy and Goldwind Australia.

    – ref. Overhead power lines kill millions of birds a year. Scientists found a way to help cut the devastating toll – https://theconversation.com/overhead-power-lines-kill-millions-of-birds-a-year-scientists-found-a-way-to-help-cut-the-devastating-toll-258295

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    June 19, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Painting, fine stucco and sculptures: the subject of protection of the USSR Transport pavilion at VDNKh has been expanded

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    The specialists supplemented and approved the subject of protection of the cultural heritage site of federal significance, pavilion No. 26 “Transport of the USSR” (former pavilion “Agriculture”). Now, not only the entire structure, but also the details of its decoration are under the protection of the state.

    “Expanding the subject of protection of a cultural heritage site allows us to preserve and maintain in their original form the elements of the structure that have cultural and historical value. Specialists conducted comprehensive scientific research of the pavilion, which allowed us to expand the subject of protection. Now the document also includes the composition and architectural and artistic design of the facades and interiors of the pavilion. This is, for example, elegant stucco with a plant pattern, as well as picturesque panels that decorate the coffered ceilings,” explained the head of the Department of Cultural Heritage of the city of Moscow

    Alexey Emelyanov.

    He added that further restoration work in the pavilion, including the development of scientific and design documentation, will be carried out taking into account the expanded subject of protection and only after agreement with the department.

    Pavilion No. 26 was built in 1937 according to the design of architects M.B. Schneider, V.K. Oltarzhevsky, M.A. Minkus and A.P. Ershov. Initially, it was called “Grain”. A year later, it was renamed “Cotton”. In 1954, after a major reconstruction, the pavilion received a new name – “Agriculture”. The appearance of the building was done in the Stalinist Empire style. Then a portico of 10 thin columns was added to the main facade, which symbolize the stems of plants. Inside the portico, a small loggia appeared, also with columns, the walls of which were decorated with stucco with plant patterns. At the top of the portico is a composition with sheaves, a sickle and a hammer, and on the sides of it are sculptures of a collective farmer and a tractor driver with a book and a sheaf. The corners of the portico are decorated with small sculptural compositions with sheaves and Soviet symbols. The author of the monuments is Lev Pisarevsky.

    The exhibition of the Agriculture pavilion consisted of six thematic sections. They were devoted to methods of increasing soil fertility, production and use of fertilizers, development of new lands, work of advanced collective and state farms. In 1956, the pavilion was named Geology, Oil, Chemistry, and a year later it was renamed Chemical Industry. In 1967, Pavilion No. 26 housed the Transport of the USSR exhibition. In 2014, after the reconstruction of the pavilion, the Polytechnic Museum exhibition opened there, and since May 2021, Transport of the USSR has become the flagship site of the Moscow Transport Museum.

    The portico of pavilion No. 26 is awaiting restoration. Scientific and design documentation is currently being developed and approved. Preparations for restoration work pavilion “Optics” (former “Leningrad and the North-West of the RSFSR”).

    Today, work continues at VDNKh on five cultural heritage sites. These are pavilions No. 35 “Glavtabak”, No. 62 “Environmental Protection” (former “Construction Materials” pavilion), No. 70, built to present the achievements of the USSR at the Expo-67 exhibition in Montreal, No. 284 “Main Facade of the Zolotoy Kolos Restaurant” (former “Main Restaurant”) and No. 518 “Leto Cafe” (former “Tea Room”).

    Since 2014, a total of 40 cultural heritage sites have been restored at VDNKh. Among them are not only historical pavilions, but also fountains, sculptures and landscape objects.

    Get the latest news quickly official telegram channel the city of Moscow.

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

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

    https: //vv.mos.ru/nevs/ite/155458073/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    June 19, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Are Israel’s actions in Iran illegal? Could it be called self-defence? An international law expert explains

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Shannon Bosch, Associate Professor (Law), Edith Cowan University

    Israel’s major military operation against Iran has targeted its nuclear program, including its facilities and scientists, as well as its military leadership.

    In response, the United Nations Security Council has quickly convened an emergency sitting. There, the Israeli ambassador to the UN Danny Danon defended Israel’s actions as a “preventative strike” carried out with “precision, purpose, and the most advanced intelligence”. It aimed, he said, to:

    dismantle Iran’s nuclear programme, eliminate the architects of its terror and aggression and neutralise the regime’s ability to follow through on its repeated public promise to destroy the state of Israel.

    So, what does international law say about self-defence? And were Israel’s actions illegal under international law?

    When is self-defence allowed?

    Article 2.4 of the UN charter states:

    All members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or in any other manner inconsistent with the Purposes of the United Nations.

    There are only two exceptions:

    1. when the UN Security Council authorises force, and
    2. when a state acts in self-defence.

    This “inherent right of individual or collective self-defence”, as article 51 of the UN charter puts it, persists until the Security Council acts to restore international peace and security.

    So what’s ‘self-defence’ actually mean?

    The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has consistently interpreted self-defence narrowly.

    In many cases, it has rejected arguments from states such as the United States, Uganda and Israel that have sought to promote a more expansive interpretation of self-defence.

    The 9/11 attacks marked a turning point. The UN Security Council affirmed in resolutions 1368 and 1373 that the right to self-defence extends to defending against attacks by non-state actors, such as terrorist groups. The US, invoking this right, launched its military action in Afghanistan.

    The classic understanding of self-defence – that it’s justified when a state responds reactively to an actual, armed attack – was regarded as being too restrictive in the age of missiles, cyberattacks and terrorism.

    This helped give rise to the idea of using force before an imminent attack, in anticipatory self-defence.

    The threshold for anticipatory self-defence is widely seen by scholars as high. It requires what’s known as “imminence”. In other words, this is the “last possible window of opportunity” to act to stop an unavoidable attack.

    As set out by then-UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan in 2005:

    as long as the threatened attack is imminent, no other means would deflect it and the action is proportionate, this would meet the accepted interpretation of self defence under article 51.

    As international law expert Donald Rothwell points out, the legitimacy of anticipatory self-defence hinges on factual scrutiny and strict criteria, balancing urgency, legality and accountability.

    However, the lines quickly blurred

    In 2002, the US introduced a “pre-emptive doctrine” in its national security strategy.

    This argued new threats – such as terrorism and weapons of mass destruction – justified using force to forestall attacks before they occurred.

    Critics, including Annan, warned that if the notion of preventive self-defence was widely accepted, it would undermine the prohibition on the use of force. It would basically allow states to act unilaterally on speculative intelligence.

    Annan acknowledged:

    if there are good arguments for preventive military action, with good evidence to support them, they should be put to the Security Council, which can authorise such action if it chooses to.

    If it does not so choose, there will be, by definition, time to pursue other strategies, including persuasion, negotiation, deterrence and containment – and to visit again the military option.

    This is exactly what Israel has failed to do before attacking Iran.

    Lessons from history

    Israel’s stated goal was to damage Iran’s nuclear program and prevent it from developing a nuclear weapon that could be used against it.

    This is explicitly about preventing an alleged, threatened, future attack by Iran with a nuclear weapon that, according to all publicly available information, Iran does not currently possess.

    This is not the first time Israel has advanced a broad interpretation of self-defence.

    In 1981, Israel bombed Iraq’s Osirak nuclear reactor, which was under construction on the outskirts of Baghdad. It claimed a nuclear-armed Iraq would pose an unacceptable threat. The UN Security Council condemned the attack.

    As international law stands, unless an armed attack is imminent and unavoidable, such strikes are likely to be considered unlawful uses of force.

    While there is still time and opportunity to use non-forcible means to prevent the threatened attack, there’s no necessity to act now in self defence.

    Diplomatic engagement, sanction, and international monitoring of Iran’s nuclear program – such as through the International Atomic Energy Agency – remain the lawful means of addressing the emerging threat posed by Tehran.

    Preserving the rule of law

    The right to self-defence is not a blank cheque.

    Anticipatory self-defence remains legally unsettled and highly contested.

    So were Israel’s attacks on Iran a legitimate use of “self-defence”? I would argue no.

    I concur with international law expert Marko Milanovic that Israel’s claim to be acting in preventive self-defence must be rejected on the facts available to us.

    In a volatile world, preserving these legal limits is essential to avoiding unchecked aggression and preserving the rule of law.

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

    – ref. Are Israel’s actions in Iran illegal? Could it be called self-defence? An international law expert explains – https://theconversation.com/are-israels-actions-in-iran-illegal-could-it-be-called-self-defence-an-international-law-expert-explains-259259

    MIL OSI Analysis –

    June 19, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Questerre reports on AGM voting results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CALGARY, Alberta, June 18, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Questerre Energy Corporation (“Questerre” or the “Company”) (TSX,OSE:QEC) announced today that, at its annual meeting of shareholders held on June 18, 2025 (the “Meeting”), all matters presented for approval at the Meeting were approved.

    At the Meeting, a vote was held by ballot which approved an ordinary resolution to fix the number of directors to be elected at the Meeting at six. In addition, each of the five nominees proposed in the Company’s Management Information Circular dated May 8, 2025 (the “Circular”) were elected as directors to hold office until the next annual meeting of shareholders or until their successors are duly elected or appointed, unless their office is earlier vacated in accordance with the by-laws of the Company. The detailed results of the vote conducted by ballot are set out below:

              Nominees Votes For Votes Withheld
                Michael Binnion 52,542,484 (99.95%) 28,375 (0.05%)
                Mireille Fontaine 52,534,719 (99.93%) 36,140 (0.07%)
                Hans Jacob Holden 52,526,484 (99.92%) 44,375 (0.08%)
                Dennis Sykora 52,537,484 (99.94%) 33,375 (0.06%)
                Jauvonne Kitto 52,541,719 (99.94%) 29,140 (0.06%) 
                Bjorn Inge Tonnessen 52,537,484 (99.94%) 33,375 (0.06%)
             

    By vote held by ballot, the ordinary resolution to approve the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP, Chartered Professional Accountants, as the auditors of the Company to hold office until the next annual meeting of shareholders or until their successors are appointed and authorizing the directors of the Company to fix their remuneration, was approved.

    By vote held by ballot, the ordinary resolution to adopt and approve the shareholder rights plan of the Corporation as set forth in the Circular, was approved.

    Questerre is an energy technology and innovation company. It is leveraging its expertise gained through early exposure to low permeability reservoirs to acquire significant high-quality resources. We believe we can successfully transition our energy portfolio. With new clean technologies and innovation to responsibly produce and use energy, we can sustain both human progress and our natural environment.

    Questerre is a believer that the future success of the oil and gas industry depends on a balance of economics, environment, and society. We are committed to being transparent and are respectful that the public must be part of making the important choices for our energy future.

    The MIL Network –

    June 19, 2025

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Israel’s NZ Energy Deals In Spotlight – PSNA congratulates Mercury Energy abandoning contract with Israel’s Ormat Technologies but Contact Energy should follow

    Source: Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa (PSNA)

    Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa is congratulating Mercury Energy’s terminating its contract with Israel’s Ormat Technologies to design the Ngatamariki geothermal power station near Taupo.

    PSNA Co-Chair Maher Nazzal says it appears Mercury has acknowledged the legal jeopardy of Israeli companies operating throughout the world.

    “The International Court of Justice last year declared Israel’s presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territories is illegal and called on everyone to stop giving ‘aid or assistance’ to Israel which will help it to maintain its illegal occupation.”

    “Mercury’s decision is in line the ICJ findings and we welcome it as a victory for the Boycott Divestment and Sanctions campaign to isolate Israel.”

    “No New Zealand companies should have any dealings with Israel, either directly or indirectly.”

    “Israel is a rogue genocide and apartheid state – a threat and an embarrassment to all of humanity,” Nazal says.“But the Ormat contract with Mercury is not the only one.  We are now renewing our calls on Contact Energy to do the same and cut its links with Ormat Technologies.”

    “If Contact doesn’t follow Mercury, then I’m sure many electricity consumers will take the Israeli connection in mind and so switch from Contact to Mercury.”

    Maher Nazzal

    Co-Chair PSNA

     

    Here is a copy of the letter we sent to Contact Energy in November last year:

    15 November 2024

    Mike Fuge

    Chief Executive Officer

    Contact Energy

     

    c/o Louise Wright

    Head of Communications and Reputation

    Kia ora Mr Fuge,

    Contact Energy partnering with the racist apartheid state of Israel

    We noted your media release of 13 November 2024 (“Contact invests to redevelop Wairakei”) which confirms Contact is investing to begin replacing the Wairakei geothermal power station.

    What your release doesn’t mention is that you are intending to partner with an Israeli company, Ormat Technologies, through an Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) contract to build the new plant. Ormat has confirmed this in their own announcement dated a day earlier.

    It is not tenable for Contact Energy to sign off on this agreement and we are requesting the company withdraw from doing so immediately. Signing this proposed agreement would be a kick in the teeth for Palestinians suffering from industrial-scale slaughter at the hands of the apartheid state of Israel in which Ormat Technologies is embedded.

    Ormat Technologies has its main production facilities based in Yavne, Israel. Yavne is a city build over the Palestinian town of Yibna from which Palestinians were ethnically cleansed in 1948 and to which they have sought their right of return since 1948, only to be denied by racist Israeli policies.

    That Contact would even consider signing an agreement with an Israeli company in light of Palestinian calls for BDS (Boycott Divestment and Sanctions) against Israel and particularly after 13 months of genocide where most of the 43,000 confirmed victims have been women and children – is an outrage which makes a mockery of your carefully-crafted corporate story which claims to be based on “tikanga” and principles of respect for people and the planet.

    We urge you to do the right thing today and dismantle your links with Ormat and any associated Israeli companies. Palestinians and Palestinian New Zealanders have the right to demand no less from you.

    Please respond without unnecessary delay. 

    Ngā mihi.

    Nā,

     

    John Minto

    National Chair PSNA

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

    June 19, 2025

  • Iran, Israel trade fresh air attacks as Trump weighs US involvement

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Iran and Israel traded further air attacks on Thursday as President Donald Trump kept the world guessing about whether the United States would join Israel’s bombardment of Iranian nuclear facilities.

    A week of Israeli air and missile strikes against its major rival has wiped out the top echelon of Iran’s military command, damaged its nuclear capabilities and killed hundreds of people, while Iranian retaliatory strikes have killed two dozen civilians in Israel.

    The worst-ever conflict between the rivals has raised fears that it will draw in world powers and rock regional stability already undermined by the spillover effects of the Gaza war.

    Speaking to reporters outside the White House on Wednesday, Trump declined to say if he had made any decision on whether to join Israel’s air campaign. “I may do it. I may not do it. I mean, nobody knows what I’m going to do,” he said.

    Trump in later remarks said Iranian officials wanted to come to Washington for a meeting and that “we may do that.” But he added, “It’s a little late” for such talks.

    Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei rebuked Trump’s earlier call for Iran to surrender in a recorded speech played on television, his first appearance since Friday.

    The Americans “should know that any U.S. military intervention will undoubtedly be accompanied by irreparable damage,” he said. “The Iranian nation will not surrender.”

    Iran denies it is seeking nuclear weapons and says its program is for peaceful purposes only. The International Atomic Energy Agency said last week Tehran was in breach of its non-proliferation obligations for the first time in 20 years.

    The foreign ministers of Germany, France and Britain plan to hold nuclear talks with their Iranian counterpart on Friday in Geneva to urge Iran to return to the negotiating table, a German diplomatic source told Reuters.

    But while diplomatic efforts continue, some residents of Tehran, a city of 10 million people, on Wednesday jammed highways out of the city as they sought sanctuary from intensified Israeli airstrikes.

    The Wall Street Journal said Trump had told senior aides he approved attack plans on Iran but was holding off on giving the final order to see if Tehran would abandon its nuclear program.

    Senior U.S. officials are preparing for the possibility of a strike on Iran in the coming days, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter.

    DRONE ATTACKS

    Early on Thursday, air defences were activated in Tehran, intercepting drones on the outskirts of the capital, the semi-official SNN news agency reported. Iranian news agencies also reported it had arrested 18 “enemy agents” who were building drones for Israeli attacks in the northeastern city of Mashhad.

    Israel’s military said sirens sounded in northern Israel and in the Jordan Valley on Thursday and that it had intercepted two drones launched from Iran.

    The Iranian missile salvoes mark the first time in decades of shadow war and proxy conflict that a significant number of projectiles fired from Iran have penetrated defences, killing Israelis in their homes.

    Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a video released by his office on Wednesday, said Israel was “progressing step by step” towards eliminating threats posed by Iran’s nuclear sites and ballistic missile arsenal.

    “We are hitting the nuclear sites, the missiles, the headquarters, the symbols of the regime,” Netanyahu said.

    Israel, which is not a party to the international Non-Proliferation Treaty, is the only country in the Middle East believed to have nuclear weapons. Israel does not deny or confirm that.

    Netanyahu also thanked Trump, “a great friend of the state of Israel,” for standing by its side in the conflict, saying the two were in continuous contact.

    Trump has veered from proposing a swift diplomatic end to the war to suggesting the United States might join it.

    In social media posts on Tuesday, he mused about killing Khamenei.

    Russian President Vladimir Putin, asked what his reaction would be if Israel did kill Iran’s Supreme Leader with the assistance of the United States, said on Thursday: “I do not even want to discuss this possibility. I do not want to.”

    Putin said all sides should look for ways to end hostilities in a way that ensured both Iran’s right to peaceful nuclear power and Israel’s right to the unconditional security of the Jewish state.

    A source familiar with internal discussions said Trump and his team were considering options that included joining Israel in strikes against Iranian nuclear installations.

    Since Friday, Iran has fired around 400 missiles at Israel, some 40 of which have pierced air defences, killing 24 people, all of them civilians, according to Israeli authorities.

    Iran has reported at least 224 deaths in Israeli attacks, mostly civilians, but has not updated that toll for days.

    (Reuters)

    June 19, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla Slams Energy Secretary for Budget Cuts Gutting American Renewable Energy, Technological Innovation, and Industry

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)

    Padilla Slams Energy Secretary for Budget Cuts Gutting American Renewable Energy, Technological Innovation, and Industry

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) joined a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing to question Secretary of Energy Chris Wright on President Trump’s America-last budget bill that would decimate the renewable energy economy, hamper American innovation and competitiveness with China, and hinder critical industrial development. Padilla called out Wright’s blatant hypocrisy for directly contradicting the three priorities he outlined during his confirmation hearing:
    1. To “unleash American energy at home and abroad to restore energy dominance;”
    2. To “lead the world in innovation and technology breakthroughs;” and
    3. To “build things in America again and remove barriers to progress.”
    Despite his stated support for American energy dominance, Wright’s budget request proposes a 74 percent reduction in the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy budget and zeroing out the Wind and Solar Energy Technologies Offices. It also defunds the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations, which was authorized in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Padilla emphasized that solar energy was the fastest growing energy source in the world last year, and criticized the Trump Administration for undermining American energy leadership by trying to eliminate the Solar Energy Technologies Offices.
    Padilla blasted Wright for backtracking on his goal to restore American global leadership in technological and science innovation, highlighting the 14 percent cut to the Office of Science and a 57 percent cut to ARPA-E in the Trump Administration’s budget request. He pressed Secretary Wright on his previously stated support for the United States’ national labs — including premier research institutions in California — which Wright has called “crown jewels.” Padilla pushed Wright to preserve federal funding for these labs to protect America’s global competitiveness and national security.
    PADILLA: There seems to be a disconnect between what you say are priorities and your budget requests. It’s already been raised that these reductions would also lead to staff reductions in national labs, which we’ve recognized, you’re on the record, these are premier research institutions. When you came to California, you reaffirmed your commitment to the national labs, and you said that they were important to maintain and secure our “competitive advantage and security.” So unless I got that wrong, how do you expect the United States to lead the world when your budget proposal seeks to decimate our research and development capabilities?
    WRIGHT: It does hurt me to cut expending in science.
    PADILLA: Then don’t do it.
    WRIGHT: I share that passion with you.
    PADILLA: Then don’t do it.
    WRIGHT: I share that passion with you.
    PADILLA: Then don’t even propose it.
    The Department of Energy’s recent cancellation of 24 projects totaling $3.7 billion in investments under the Industrial Demonstrations Program undercut Wright’s commitment to restoring American industrial development. Padilla emphasized that these funds are meant to promote groundbreaking innovation in heavy industries like cement, glass, chemicals, and iron, among others, including three large California industrial projects that support thousands of jobs.
    PADILLA: It’s not just because billions of the public and private dollars are in California and the thousands of jobs related, but how does canceling industrial grants that lead to more industrial jobs further the goal of building things in America again?
    WRIGHT: Because an evaluation showed that the projects at the end were not viable. If we built, there’s no point in building a bridge to nowhere. If you make a factory, make a product 25 percent more expensive, but customers won’t pay 25 percent, where’s the win?
    PADILLA: Well, the projects that are being cut are more than just viable. I would argue they are critical, and we’ll be following up with you.
    Video of Senator Padilla’s questioning of Secretary Wright is available here.
    Earlier this year, Senator Padilla questioned Secretary Wright in a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee nomination hearing amid the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles. Padilla called out Wright for his 2023 LinkedIn post denying the link between climate change and the rise in more frequent and severe fires.
    More information on the hearing is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 19, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Pallone, Huffman, Castor, Booker, Reed, and Padilla Lead Charge to Block Trump’s Dangerous Offshore Drilling Plan

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Frank Pallone (6th District of New Jersey)

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. House Energy and Commerce Ranking Member Frank Pallone (D-New Jersey), U.S. House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Jared Huffman (D-Calif.), Rep. Kathy Castor (D-Fla.), Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Senator Cory Booker (D-N.J.), and Senator Jack Reed (D-R.I.) along with 40 Democratic colleagues in the House and Senate submitted formal comments to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), opposing any new or expanded offshore oil and gas leasing in the Trump administration’s proposed updates to the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) oil and gas leasing program.

    In their letter to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, the lawmakers warned that more offshore drilling would threaten our national security, coastal communities, marine life, and local economies – all while handing more giveaways to an industry already sitting on millions of acres of unused leases. They urged the agency to exclude any new leasing in the final program. 

    “New or expanded oil and gas leasing poses risks to the health and livelihoods of our constituents, jeopardizes our tourism, fishing, and recreational economies, and threatens the marine life that inhabits our coastlines” the members wrote. “New, unnecessary lease sales will lock in decades more of pollution and climate impacts from an industry that already holds more than 2,000 offshore leases covering more than 12 million acres of federal water, of which only 469 leases are currently producing oil and gas. The United States is already the number one producer of oil and gas in the world. There is no need for increased leasing, especially when oil and gas companies continue to impose environmental and climate consequences, public health risks, and billions of dollars in cleanup costs on the American people.”

    Members also reminded the Secretary of the long-standing legal restrictions that prevent the administration from offering lease sales in protected areas. 

    “We remind the agency that it cannot offer sales in areas permanently protected under Section 12(a) of OCSLA, including areas off the Atlantic coast, the Pacific off the coast of California, Oregon, and Washington, the Eastern Gulf of Mexico, and portions of the Artic Ocean, including the Beaufort Sea and Chukchi Sea planning areas. In 2017, during his first term, President Trump attempted to reverse President Obama’s Arctic and Atlantic withdrawals, but Judge Sharon Gleason for the District Court of Alaska determined that Section 12(a) does not give the president authority to revoke prior withdrawals. President Trump does not have the authority to reverse the Obama and Biden withdrawals, and his Executive Order of January 2025, which attempts to do so, is unlawful.”

    During his first term, the Trump administration proposed 47 lease sales over five years, covering nearly every U.S. coastline. Fortunately, this program was never finalized due to litigation and strong bipartisan opposition. But now, with the Biden administration’s leasing plan under review and Secretary Burgum signaling that protections may be on the chopping block, lawmakers are raising the alarm once again.

    At a budget hearing last week, Secretary Burgum refused to commit to protecting Florida’s Gulf Coast from new oil and gas leasing, saying only that “the administration may be considering opportunities.” This region has long been protected by both bipartisan legislation and administrative withdrawals – protections that are now under threat. 

    Read the full letter here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 19, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Pallone, Hospital Leaders Warn of Catastrophic Consequences of Republican Medicaid Cuts at Saint Peter’s “Save Our Hospitals” Event

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Frank Pallone (6th District of New Jersey)

    New Brunswick, NJ – Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) was joined today by hospital leaders, physicians, patients, and health care advocates at Saint Peter’s University Hospital to warn that the Republican budget reconciliation bill slashes more than a trillion dollars from Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act over the next decade, which would devastate New Jersey’s safety-net hospitals and take health care away from hundreds of thousands of residents. This is the largest cut to Americans’ health care in history.  

    Speaking at a press conference, Pallone detailed how Trump’s Big Ugly Bill, which passed the House last month, would eliminate coverage for at least 360,000 New Jerseyans, and strip up to $3.6 billion a year from the state’s Medicaid program known as NJ FamilyCare. The cuts in the Republican bill would also slash an estimated $300 million in payments to New Jersey hospitals and other health care providers, forcing safety-net providers like Saint Peter’s to face catastrophic financial losses, reduce services, or close programs entirely.

    “Let’s be very clear: these cuts are not theoretical. They are real, they are dangerous, and they will directly harm patients,” Pallone said. “NJ FamilyCare covers nearly 1.8 million New Jerseyans, including 60 percent of those living in nursing home and 40 percent of all births statewide. If Republicans get their way, hospitals like Saint Peter’s will be forced to cut back services, lay off staff, or shutter programs entirely.”

    “The House Republican bill would slash Medicaid funding by hundreds of billions of dollars—cuts that would have devastating effects on our most vulnerable populations,” said Leslie D. Hirsch, FACHE, president and CEO of Saint Peter’s Healthcare System, who also serves on the American Hospital Association Board of Trustees and as chair of its Regional Policy Board 2 for New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. “At Saint Peter’s, we are committed to a Catholic mission of humble service, especially to those most in need. Medicaid is not a luxury, it’s a lifeline. Cuts to Medicaid could strip millions of individuals of access to even the most basic care. When people lose access to primary care, they turn to emergency departments, chronic conditions go untreated, health outcomes worsen, and tragically, preventable deaths increase. While we all agree that eliminating fraud, waste and abuse is important, gutting Medicaid is not the answer. These cuts could force painful decisions that would be felt immediately in the communities we serve.”

    “Any cuts to Medicaid would be devastating not only for patients, but also for the hospitals and health care providers who rely on this funding to keep their doors open,” said New Jersey Citizen Action Healthcare Program Director, Laura Waddell. “In New Jersey, these proposed cuts would slash $300 million in federal funding to our hospitals, cap $3.4 billion in Medicaid reimbursements through provider taxes, and lead to a significant rise in charity care cases.  The window of opportunity is closings to stop these cuts and we need all of our New Jersey federal delegation from both sides of the aisle, to join Congressman Pallone in standing up for the patients and health care consumers in our state and vote ‘no’ to any cuts to health care.”

    “The impact of any cuts to Medicaid funding for our 1.8million citizens would be devastating to the most vulnerable amongst us, children, working families, the elderly, people with disabilities. and those of lower incomes. These cuts are deeply alarming and completely unacceptable. I remain committed to working with our congressional delegation to do everything possible to ensure the well being of all our citizens and to protect this important program, “ Assemblyman Danielsen. 

    “The cuts to Medicaid will have grave consequences to our New Jersey residents-whether they are children, low-income adults, disabled individuals, and elderly residents,” said Assemblyman Egan (D-Middlesex, Somerset). “Hospitals, like Robert Wood Johnson Barnabas and Saint Peter’s University Hospital, may face major financial losses.  Many New Jersey residents will not receive the care they need from the hospitals they rely on, which could lead to needless deaths.  We need to work together to ensure that this does not happen, and I thank Congressman Pallone for fighting the good fight for New Jersey.”

    Saint Peter’s University Hospital faces potential losses of tens of millions of dollars annually if the Republican cuts are enacted. Health care leaders warned that the magnitude of the proposed cuts would force hospitals across New Jersey to reduce critical services such as maternity care, cancer treatment, mental health programs, and emergency care.

    The Republican Big Ugly Bill cuts funding to hospitals by limiting the payments that state Medicaid programs can make to hospitals, long-term care providers, and many other cash-strapped providers so they can stay in business and provide the services residents need. The Republican bill also cuts off a state’s ability to generate the funds they need to support their Medicaid programs—including payments to struggling hospitals—through a provider tax. 

    On Monday, Senate Republicans unveiled their bill that would even further reduce a state’s ability to generate these funds and cut provider payments–meaning even more devastating cuts for New Jersey and its hospitals. The House and Senate bill both prohibit new or increased provider taxes and prevent states from making certain new payments to providers, while the Senate bill also slashes the provider taxes and payments that states like New Jersey already have in place.

    Joining Pallone at the event were Garrick Stoldt, CFO of Saint Peter’s; Jim Choma, Vice President for Catholic Mission; Dr. Mariela Kapoor, Internal Medicine Physician at Saint Peter’s Family Health Center; Christine Stearns, Chief Government Relations Officer for the New Jersey Hospital Association; representatives from New Jersey Citizen Action; and local elected officials. A former patient of Saint Peter’s also spoke about how critical Medicaid coverage was to receiving care during a serious medical emergency.

    Pallone, who serves as top Democrat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, has led Democratic opposition to the Republican Medicaid cuts in Congress. The House passed the Republican bill last month and now it is up for consideration in the Senate.   

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 19, 2025

  • MIL-OSI China: Growing Chinese market offers greater stability, opportunity to world economy

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

    From durian plantations to iron ore mines, producers around the world are placing their bets on China’s consumption boom.

    As the world’s second-largest importer, China boasts a vast market of 1.4 billion increasingly prosperous individuals. This market is offering much-needed stability amid subdued global growth and rising protectionism and unilateralism.

    Vendors transport packaged durians at Haijixing Market, a large wholesale fruit market, in Nanning, south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, April 25, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]

    As China strives to stimulate domestic demand across the board while expanding voluntary and unilateral opening up in an orderly manner, its vast market will create more opportunities and choices for the world.

    A market too big to ingnore 

    A freshly harvested durian in Malaysia can now land on a Chinese plate within a day — a logistic sprint to satisfy China’s growing appetite for the “king of fruits.”

    Eyeing a bigger slice of the multi-billion-U.S. dollar market in China, the Southeast Asian country began exporting fresh durian to China last August, adding to its existing trade in frozen pulp and processed products.

    “Over 70 percent of Malaysia’s durian exports went to China between 2017 and 2023,” said Edwyn Chiang, secretary general of the Malaysia International Durian Industry Development Association.

    The durian frenzy in China, the world’s top consumer of the spiky fruit, epitomizes the nation’s broad import appetite. From Brazilian soybeans to German machinery, the breadth of China’s consumption continues to buoy global trade even as other engines sputter.

    Boosting imports is critical to China’s high-quality development. By bringing in high-quality foreign goods and services, they not only directly meet domestic production and consumption needs, but also stimulate market competition, elevate overall supply standards, and ultimately fulfill people’s aspirations for better lives, said Yu Chunhai, a professor at Renmin University of China.

    An anchor of stability 

    Nearly half a world away, in Nyagatare, a district in Rwanda’s eastern province, the sun beats down on the vibrant chili fields of Gashora Farm PLC, where a story of cooperation and prosperity is unfolding.

    The farm’s link to the Chinese market began in 2018 when Managing Director Dieudonne Twahirwa attended the China International Import Expo in Shanghai. “The Chinese market is enormous. We saw strong demand for Rwandan dried chili,” Twahirwa said.

    In 2024, the Gashora Farm partnered China’s Hunan Modern Agriculture International Development Co., Ltd. to launch the Rwanda-Hunan Chili Pepper Industry Demonstration Project. Under a contract farming model, the project covers 100 hectares and spans the entire value chain — from seedling cultivation to export. In the first season following the signing of the deal, 200 tonnes of dried chili were shipped to China.

    “The Chinese market offers more than orders. It brings stability and investment,” said Twahirwa.

    Chili is among the growing number of African products entering the Chinese market. In the first five months of 2025, China’s imports of African coffee, cocoa beans and frozen strawberries surged 145.7 percent, 88.6 percent, and 82 percent, respectively, according to Chinese customs data.

    “China’s expanding imports directly benefit other countries by creating more trade opportunities. For instance, more African products are entering the Chinese market thanks to China’s favorable trade policy for the region,” said Bai Ming, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation.

    China has recently announced that it is ready to negotiate and sign the agreement of China-Africa Economic Partnership for Shared Development to implement the zero-tariff treatment for 100 percent tariff lines for 53 African countries that have diplomatic relations with China.

    Challenges remain 

    Despite China’s huge potential to expand imports, challenges and difficulties remain due to the uncertainty of international trade policies and slowing global economic growth, experts cautioned. This trend is evident in the recent decline of imports into China.

    Commenting on the decline of imports in May, National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) spokesperson Fu Linghui said at a press conference early this week that slowing global trade growth inevitably affected China’s import growth and the restrictive trade measures by some countries also had adverse effects on imports. The drop in international commodity prices, meanwhile, also impacted import data. In the first five months of 2025, the average prices of China’s imported iron ore, crude oil, coal and soybeans all decreased.

    As China makes efforts to promote economic restructuring and consumption-led growth, Bai noted that it would be an exaggeration to say that the decline in imports in recent months indicates weak progress in China’s transition toward consumption-driven growth.

    The latest NBS data showed that China’s consumer spending in May posted its strongest growth in nearly 18 months, with retail sales of consumer goods expanding 6.4 percent year on year in May, a 1.3-percentage-point increase from April.

    Bai said China’s import expansion would also hinge on the availability of high-quality and price-friendly foreign products, and whether foreign supplies can match the country’s consumption needs. He added that some countries’ restrictive measures on exports to China further complicated the matter. 

    MIL OSI China News –

    June 19, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Murkowski Celebrates Passage of Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization in Senate

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alaska Lisa Murkowski

    06.18.25

    Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today helped facilitate the Senate’s passage of legislation she is cosponsoring, the Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act of 2025, by unanimous consent. Murkowski worked with the leaders of the Energy and Natural Resources (ENR) Committee and her Democratic colleagues to secure passage of several bills, including this measure to provide critical relief to communities impacted by declines in timber receipts. SRS funds are used to support schools, roads, and additional municipal services. Senator Murkowski has consistently used her role on the ENR Committee to advocate for this legislation.

    “If you’re a city manager building a budget or a school administrator looking at new hires, you need financial certainty. That’s why renewing the Secure Rural Schools program before funding lapses has been one of my top priorities in this Congress, and today was a crucial step in that process,” Senator Murkowski said. “I hope my colleagues in the House will quickly pass this legislation to provide stability for Alaska’s schools and local governments.”

    Background

    The Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act was enacted in 2000 to assist communities negatively impacted by declining timber sale revenues. Payments to eligible communities may be used to support schools and roads, fire prevention, emergency services, and eligible lands projects. This reauthorization also makes permanent changes made via the 2018 Farm Bill and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to help Resource Advisory Committees work more effectively.

    The Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act renews the program through 2026. The measure now goes to the House for further consideration.

    The Forest Service controls 22 million acres of land in Alaska. That includes 17 million acres in Southeast and several million more acres in Southcentral. How much each eligible borough receives is based in part on how much federal forest land is located within its boundaries.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 19, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Baldwin, Marshall Introduce Bill to Lower Costs and Improve Reliability of Freight Rail Service for American Businesses

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Roger Marshall (R-KS) reintroduced the Reliable Rail Service Act to help address the unreliable service and high costs of rail shipping for Wisconsin farmers and manufacturers. The legislation would strengthen our rail supply chain and ensure the largest freight railroads provide American businesses reliable services at reasonable rates so products can get to market more efficiently, and costs are lower for families. The Reliable Rail Service Act is supported by members of the agricultural industry, labor organizations, energy producers, and manufacturers who know firsthand how poor service, significant disruptions, and sky-high prices are impacting their businesses and prices for consumers.
    “Across the Badger State, our farmers, small businesses, and manufacturers rely on rail service to get their products to market and make ends meet,” said Senator Baldwin. “But when rail service is unreliable, it puts their livelihoods on the line, disrupts supply chains, and drives up costs for hardworking Wisconsin families. That’s why I am proud to work with my Republican colleague to once again introduce our Reliable Rail Service Act and help level the playing field for Wisconsin workers, grow our Made in Wisconsin economy, and keep costs down for consumers.”
    “Kansas’s farmers and ranchers depend upon reliable transport of their world-class goods to the rest of the country, and Class 1 railroads are not meeting expectations – this is a disservice to hard-working Kansans,” said Senator Marshall. “This bill lays out reasonable requirements for rail carriers to meet these important obligations, and I look forward to working with Senator Baldwin on getting this to the finish line.”
    Rail shippers including farmers, energy producers, and manufacturers continue to face poor service, significant service disruptions, and sky-high prices that are impacting communities and consumers, all while profits for the nation’s largest railroads are at record highs.
    The Reliable Rail Service Act takes a commonsense approach to addressing high costs and unreliable service by clarifying the “common carrier obligation,” which under current law requires rail carriers to serve the wider shipping public “on reasonable request.” Current ambiguity around this principle has contributed to insufficient rail services and exorbitant costs for American products to get to market. Clearly defining the “common carrier obligation” has taken on greater importance as the railroad industry faces consolidation and has undertaken Wall Street practices that reduce capacity on the rail network.
    The bill establishes specific criteria for the Surface Transportation Board (STB) to consider when evaluating whether carriers are meeting their common carrier obligation to give shippers much-needed certainty that is currently lacking.
    “For years, dairy processors have struggled to use America’s rail system because of lack of reliability and reduced service schedules. The Reliable Rail Service Act is commonsense legislation that will provide greater clarity to the railroad’s common carrier obligations and ensure that they provide more dependable service at sensible rates,” said Dr. Michael Dykes, President and CEO of the International Dairy Foods Association. “IDFA applauds Sen. Baldwin and Sen. Marshall for introducing this legislation to improve transparency in the rail industry and restore the balance between carriers and shippers so the U.S. dairy industry can move products more reliably by rail.”
    “Senators Baldwin and Marshall have proposed smart, and a much-needed reforms to help fix persistent freight rail service failures that are plaguing chemical manufacturers,” said Chris Jahn, President and Chief Executive Officer of the American Chemistry Council. “If members of Congress are serious about bringing jobs back, leading global trade, and making more in America—not China—they should back this bill. We urge Democrats and Republicans to support this important legislation because it will help ensure that railroads deliver on their obligation to provide reliable service to U.S. manufacturers.”
    “IWLA strongly supports the Reliable Rail Service Act and thanks Senator Baldwin for reintroducing this important bill,” said Jay D. Strother, International Warehouse Logistics Association (IWLA) President & CEO. “Clarifying the common carrier obligation is critical to ensuring that railroads provide consistent, fair, and timely service. This legislation gives the Surface Transportation Board the tools it needs to hold carriers accountable, enforce meaningful service standards, and support the 3PL warehouses that keep America’s supply chain moving.”
    “We applaud Senators Baldwin and Marshall for reintroducing the Reliable Rail Service Act to improve our nation’s freight rail network,” said Greg Regan, President of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO. “Unfortunately, America’s freight rail companies too often fail to provide the equal, timely, and affordable service required of them by federal law. Let’s hold railroads accountable and better serve the small businesses, farmers, and other customers who rely on freight rail to transport their goods.”
    “Clarification of the common carrier obligation has been needed for decades and this bipartisan bill provides STB with clear oversight rules to help address our nation’s freight railroad supply chain challenges and improve rail service for agricultural shippers,” said Mike Seyfert, President and CEO of the National Grain and Feed Association. “NGFA members appreciate Senator Baldwin and Senator Marshall’s leadership in responding to rail service issues and for cosponsoring this legislation, which will help regulators respond to service disruptions that cause hardship for livestock producers, grain exporters, and grain processing facilities.”
    “The Wisconsin Farm Bureau appreciates the work of Sen. Baldwin to address the definition of common carrier service obligation and increase the authority of the Surface Transportation Board to address agricultural rail needs,” said Brad Olson, President of the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation. “Wisconsin farmers are dependent on the movement of agricultural goods by rail and we hope this increased authority will lead to greater efficiency within the rail industry.”
    The Reliable Rail Service Act is endorsed by the Agricultural Retailers Association, American Petroleum Institute, American Chemistry Council, American Forest & Paper Association, American Soybean Association, Consumer Brands Association, Essential Minerals Association, Freight Rail Customer Alliance, Glass Packaging Institute, Growth Energy, International Dairy Foods Association, International Warehouse Logistics Association, National Grain and Feed Association, National Industrial Transportation League, National Milk Producers Federation, National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association, North American Millers’ Association, Private Rail Car Food and Beverage Association, The National Grange, Western Coal Traffic League, American Cement Association, Recycled Materials Association, Alliance for Chemical Distribution (ACD), National Farmers Union, Great Lakes Timber Professionals, American Train Dispatchers Association (ATDA), Brotherhood Of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET), Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division (BMWED)-IBT, Brotherhood of Railway Carmen (BRC), Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen (BRS), International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers and Helpers (IBB), International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Teamsters Rail Conference, National Conference of Firemen and Oilers, SEIU (NCFO), Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers-Mechanical Division (SMART-MD), Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers-Transportation Division (SMART-TD), Transportation Communications Union (TCU), Transport Workers Union of America (TWU), and Transportation Trades Department (TTD).
    A one-pager on the legislation is available here. Full text of the legislation is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 19, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reed Urges U.S. Senate to Reject the ‘Big Ugly Betrayal’ of Working Families That Cuts Medicaid Funding

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed

    WASHINGTON, DC – The Senate Finance Committee released their portion of the so-called ‘Big Beautiful Reconciliation Bill,’ which U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) has dubbed a ‘Big Ugly Betrayal’ of working families. 

    The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities outlines how the Senate Republican version of the reconciliation bill, which requires just 50 votes to pass the U.S. Senate, would decimate family and state budgets.  It includes steeper cuts to Medicaid than the House bill, which would terminate health care coverage for 16 million people, raise health care costs across the board, and cut more than $1 trillion from America’s health care system in order to give tax breaks to billionaires.

    Today, Senator Reed issued the following statement:

    “Somehow, Senate Republicans took the House’s terrible bill and made it worse.  They are going to decimate our health care system in order to give bigger tax breaks to billionaires and corporations.

    “This deficit-shattering bill would take Medicaid from even more Americans who need it and inflict a heavier financial burden on patients, hospitals, and blue states.  Instead of shuttering hospitals, raising premiums, and making it harder for families to find a quality, affordable nursing home for their loved ones, Congress should be supporting access to essential health care for those who need it most.

    “While Medicaid and SNAP nutrition assistance are targeted for massive cuts, Big Oil gets a big handout.  Big Oil lobbyists were able to get their preferred industry-backed language in the bill that would solely benefit fossil-fuel companies at the expense of tax payers and clean energy.  This would be a job killer and a giveaway to polluters.

    “Gun lobbyists got a big gift in this bill too: Shockingly, it removes registration requirements not just for silencers but short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns, and other weapons too.

    “Notably, the Senate Republican bill would shift considerable new costs to states and localities, posing a serious risk to critical public services such as schools, health care, and transportation projects.

    “President Trump and Congressional Republicans are prioritizing tax cuts for the rich and powerful at the expense of average Americans.  Billionaires and corporations get tax giveaways while more Americans are being squeezed and living paycheck to paycheck.  Yet the bulk of the benefits here go to the wealthiest while the safety net and basic services for average Americans gets shredded.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 19, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: June 18th, 2025 Heinrich Raises Alarm About New Mexico Public Lands at Risk in Republicans’ Reconciliation Bill

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich

    WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member on the U.S. Energy and Natural Resources Committee, released a list of public lands in New Mexico that are at risk of being sold off if Republicans’ reconciliation package becomes law. Senate Republicans’ reconciliation package mandates the unprecedented sale of two to three million acres of public land, including in both Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service lands.

    “Our public lands hold our shared identity: they are where we gather, fish, hunt, and hike. These lands house our collective history, support jobs, and sustain our rural economies. From the hiking trails near the Sandia Crest to the biking trails of the Monumental Loop to the lands surrounding the Santuario de Chimayo, these places are the anvil on which our identities are forged. We can’t let Republicans take them from us.

    “Republicans can’t fool us: their scheme to sell public lands has nothing to do with affordable housing or lowering costs for families. It’s a direct attack on every New Mexican, whether you have an elk tag, a fishing license, a backpack, a tent, a mountain bike, or a soft spot, special memory, or sacred connection to a particular place important to you, your family, and your ancestors.

    “Now is the time to raise your voices and join our fight to keep public lands in public hands – before we lose these lands forever.”

    The following list includes many, but not all, of the places in New Mexico at risk of being sold off if Senate Republicans’ reconciliation bill becomes law:

    BERNALILLO COUNTY

    • Manzanita Mountains Recreation Zone
      • Oak Flat
      • Pine Flat
      • Tunnel Canyon
      • Cedro Trailheads
    • Sandia Mountains
      • Forest Service Lands East of Sandia Crest
      • 10K Trail

    CHAVES COUNTY

    • BLM Land Surrounding Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge

    CIBOLA COUNTY

    • Mount Taylor (Except Mines)
    • Lobo Canyon
    • La Jara Mesa
    • Zuni Canyon
    • Quartz Hill

    DOÑA ANA COUNTY

    • BLM Land Northeast of Las Cruces
    • Monumental Loop Mountain Biking Route

    EDDY COUNTY

    • La Cueva Trail System

    GRANT COUNTY

    • Fort Bayard Trail System
    • Little Walnut Trail
    • Dragonfly Trail

    LINCOLN COUNTY

    • Grindstone Canyon Loop Trail
    • Ski Run Road

    LOS ALAMOS COUNTY

    • St. Peter’s Dome Trail
    • Forest Service Land and Trails Around Pajarito Ski Area
    • Hiking Trails North and East of Los Alamos

    LUNA COUNTY

    • Little Florida Mountains, via Rockhound State Park
    • Florida Mountains Wilderness Study Area
    • Access to Cooke’s Peak WSA

    MCKINLEY COUNTY

    • Quaking Aspen Campground
    • Sixmile Canyon
    • The Hogback
    • Jagged Edge
    • Zuni Mountain Trail System

    OTERO COUNTY

    • Alamo Canyon trail
    • Dog Canyon Trail
    • Lower Karr Campground

    RIO ARRIBA COUNTY

    • Sombrillo Area of Critical Environmental Concern

    SAN JUAN COUNTY

    • Glade Run Recreation Area

    SAN MIGUEL COUNTY

    • Skyline Trailhead
    • Access to Pecos Wilderness

    SANDOVAL COUNTY

    • Ball Ranch/Espinosa Ridge Area of Critical Environmental Concern
    • Placitas Trailhead
    • Crest of Montezuma
    • Buffalo Tract
    • Strip Mine Trailhead

    SANTA FE COUNTY

    • Lands Between Santuario de Chimayo and Santa Cruz Lake
    • Diablo Canyon
    • Caja del Rio
    • Atalaya Trail
    • La Cieneguilla Petroglyph Site
    • Borrego Mesa Trailhead and Campground

    SIERRA COUNTY

    • East Side of Caballo Lake

    SOCORRO COUNTY

    • The Box Recreation Area
    • San Lorenzo Canyon
    • Quebradas Backcountry Byway
    • Socorro Nature Area

    TAOS COUNTY

    • Lands Surrounding Historic High Road to Taos
    • Recreation Areas on Highway 64 Towards Angel Fire
    • Cabresto Lake and Access to the Latir Peak Wilderness
    • NMDGF Unit 49 Hunting Area

    VALENCIA COUNTY

    • Manzano Wilderness Study Area
    • Encino Trailhead
    • Trigo Canyon Trailhead

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 19, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: OPEC Fund Development Forum 2025 concludes with new commitments to accelerate global development impact

    Source: OPEC Fund

    18 June 2025 – Highlights:  

    – Announcement of over US$1 billion new financing: OPEC Fund signs US$362 million new loan agreements during the Forum and announces approval of US$720 million in new financing in the second Quarter
     – A Country Partnership Framework agreement with Rwanda earmarks US$300 million financing in the next three years 
    – At the high-level Mauritania roundtable hosted by the OPEC Fund, the Arab Coordination Group (ACG) announced a pledge of US$2 billion financing over the next 5 years to support Mauritania’s development priorities.
    June 18, 2025: The fourth OPEC Fund Development Forum concluded today with a strong slate of new commitments, loan agreements and strategic partnerships to advance inclusive transition and sustainable development. The Forum, which took place in Vienna, Austria brought together more than 600 global leaders, including government representatives, development institutions and private sector stakeholders, under the theme “A Transition That Empowers Our Tomorrow”.
    The OPEC Fund announced some US$720 million in new financing to support development efforts across Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and saw the signing of US$362 million in new loan agreements. A new Trade Finance Initiative is set to secure vital supplies and help close trade-related liquidity gaps in partner countries.
    OPEC Fund President Abdulhamid Alkhalifa said: “The OPEC Fund Development Forum reflects our conviction that partnerships must deliver results. Today we achieved tangible progress – with new signings, new partnerships and new approaches to help our partner countries turn ambition into action. Whether in energy, infrastructure, agriculture or finance, we are responding with solutions that make a difference.”
    As part of its Small Island Developing States (SIDS) initiative, the OPEC Fund signed cooperation agreements with Grenada, and the Solomon Islands, expanding support for climate resilience and sustainable infrastructure.
    Deepening Country Partnerships for Long-term Impact: New country-level agreements and cooperation frameworks include:  
    – A US$212 million loan agreement with Oman to finance the Khasab-Daba-Lima Road Project (Sultan Faisal bin Turki Road), improving local and regional connectivity, as well as a Country Partnership Framework (CPF) to strengthen cooperation over the next five years.
    – A US$25 million loan agreement with Cameroon to strengthen the Rice Value Chain Development Project, supporting smallholder farmers and strengthening food security in vulnerable regions, in collaboration with the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) and the Kuwait Fund.
    – A CPF with Rwanda to allocate up to US$300 million in financing for 2025 – 2028, supporting the country’s development priorities, including quality infrastructure, improved essential basic services and the promotion of entrepreneurship and the private sector.
    – Other country partnership agreements included: Azerbaijan to support infrastructure, energy transition and sustainable development; Botswana to support infrastructure, renewable energy, innovation and digital transformation, as well as private sector export-led growth over the next three years; Grenada to build resilience through sustainable development initiatives; Kyrgyz Republic to increase cooperation in transport, water supply and sanitation, energy, agriculture and banking sectors; and Solomon Islands to expand engagement and increase cooperation including in the private sector.
    Scaling up Private Sector Support : The OPEC Fund continues to prioritize private sector-led growth with targeted financing to financial institutions across Africa:
    – In Côte d’Ivoire, a €30 million loan agreement with Coris Bank International Côte d’Ivoire and a €35 million loan agreement with NSIA Banque will facilitate access to finance for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
    – A US$40 million loan agreement with the East African Development Bank (EADB) will boost economic investments across Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda, strengthening regional integration and inclusive growth.
    New Trade Finance Initiative: At the Forum the OPEC Fund also announced a new Trade Finance Initiative to boost trade resilience in partner countries by facilitating access to essential imports, closing liquidity gaps and strengthening resilience to external shocks in vulnerable economies.
    Advancing global cooperation: The Forum also featured new agreements to deepen multilateral cooperation:
    – A new cooperation agreement with the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI) will strengthen collaboration in infrastructure, energy and human development projects across the Latin America and Caribbean region.
    – The OPEC Fund and the Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS) formalized a cooperation agreement to coordinate efforts on climate-resilient agriculture and sustainable food systems.
    – A cooperation agreement with the International Anti-Corruption Academy (IACA) will support training programs to promote institutional transparency and anti-corruption capacity building in partner countries.
    Ahead of the Forum, the OPEC Fund hosted the Annual Meeting of the Heads of Institutions of the Arab Coordination Group (ACG). Delegates participated in a high-level roundtable with the President of Mauritania, Mohamed Ould Ghazouani to strengthen development collaboration and mobilize investment flows to Mauritania. 
    The roundtable resulted in an ACG joint pledge of US$2 billion financing over the next five years. This will be directed to vital sectors, including energy, water, transportation and digital infrastructure to stimulate economic growth. A dedicated Arab Donors Roundtable on the Sahel addressed strategies to mobilize greater support for the region’s urgent challenges. It was organized by the Permanent Interstate Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel (CLISS) and sponsored by the OPEC Fund’s partner institution, the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA).
    About the OPEC Fund
    The OPEC Fund for International Development (the OPEC Fund) is the only globally mandated development institution that provides financing from member countries to non-member countries exclusively. The organization works in cooperation with developing country partners and the international development community to stimulate economic growth and social progress in low- and middle-income countries around the world. The OPEC Fund was established in 1976 with a distinct purpose: to drive development, strengthen communities and empower people. Our work is people-centered, focusing on financing projects that meet essential needs, such as food, energy, infrastructure, employment (particularly relating to MSMEs), clean water and sanitation, healthcare and education. To date, the OPEC Fund has committed more than US$29 billion to development projects in over 125 countries with an estimated total project cost of more than US$200 billion. The OPEC Fund is rated AA+/Outlook Stable by Fitch and S&P Global Ratings. Our vision is a world where sustainable development is a reality for all.  

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

    June 19, 2025
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