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Headline: Frozen in transit: Russian state actor Secret Blizzard’s AiTM campaign against diplomats
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Category: Europe
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MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Secretary Chavez-DeRemer highlights President Trump’s AI Action Plan, pro-worker accomplishments on ‘America at Work’ listening tour
Source: US Department of Labor
MYRTLE BEACH, SC – U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer continued her nationwide America at Work listening tour this week starting on the West Coast in Washington state to discuss artificial intelligence, before heading to the East Coast and stopping in South Carolina, where she spoke with business leaders and manufacturers in Florence, Georgetown, Hartsville, Mullins, and Myrtle Beach.
In Kirkland, Washington, the Secretary met with software developers at ServiceNow to discuss the growing role of artificial intelligence in the workplace. In South Carolina, she visited with manufacturers across multiple industries to hear directly from business leaders and workers about how President Trump’s pro-growth policies are strengthening the American workforce.
“Every sector of our economy is coming back to life under President Trump’s bold, visionary leadership – from artificial intelligence in Washington state to advanced manufacturing in South Carolina,” said Secretary Chavez-DeRemer. “In just over six months, this President has expanded economic opportunity for hardworking Americans by making historic investments in our workforce through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. I’d like to thank my friend, Congressman Fry, for hosting me in the great state of South Carolina to see the positive impacts of these America First policies firsthand. I’m committed to working with our federal, state, and local partners to ensure workers have the tools they need to succeed in America’s new Golden Age.”
“South Carolina is home to some of the hardest working people in the country, and the One Big Beautiful Bill puts them first – cutting taxes, growing jobs, and investing in the future of our workforce,” said Rep. Russell Fry. “From touring thriving manufacturing facilities, seeing our tourism and hospitality industries in action, and meeting the workers who keep it all running, we saw firsthand how this legislation delivers for South Carolina families and the American people. Thank you to my good friend Secretary Chavez-DeRemer for visiting the Grand Strand and Pee Dee regions of our state to see just how much this bill will mean for South Carolina’s future.”
Washington
In Kirkland, Secretary Chavez-DeRemer toured ServiceNow’s offices and met with employees to discuss how they are helping power a new AI boom in the U.S. The Secretary emphasized that the Department of Labor will play a central role in implementing President Trump’s AI Action Plan, which aims to boost AI literacy, invest in skills training, and ensure American workers are equipped to thrive in an increasingly AI-driven economy.
South Carolina
In Myrtle Beach, Secretary Chavez-DeRemer joined Rep. Fry for a roundtable discussion with business leaders at the Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce. They talked about how the One Big Beautiful Bill Act is reinvigorating American industry by eliminating taxes on tips and overtime and expanding access to Pell Grants for technical schools so students can be ready to fill in-demand jobs. The Secretary also provided an update on her America at Work tour, reiterating that listening directly to workers is critical to developing policies that put American workers first.
Following the roundtable, Secretary Chavez-DeRemer visited several local employers that are driving economic growth and job creation:
- Envirosep, where she met with engineers and technicians developing next-generation heating system technologies designed to improve energy efficiency and reduce operating costs.
- SOPACKO, a manufacturer of ready-to-eat meals for the U.S. military, where she observed how recent investments have strengthened domestic production and bolstered manufacturing capacity to support America’s servicemembers.
- Buc-ee’s, where she toured the company’s only South Carolina location and saw firsthand how the pride and value of hard work is reflected in top-tier customer service.
- Stingray Boats, where she visited with workers to learn more about how one of the nation’s leading independent boat builders has been manufacturing high-performance recreational boats for over four decades.
At each stop, Secretary Chavez-DeRemer highlighted how President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act is creating new pathways to economic prosperity by expanding opportunity and helping more hardworking men and women achieve the American Dream. Learn more about her recent visits to Georgia, Michigan, and Indiana.
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MIL-OSI USA: Nearly $71 Million for Maine Hospitals and Health Centers Advanced by Senator Collins in Funding Bill
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Maine Susan Collins
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced that she advanced $70,872,000 in Congressionally Directed Spending for Maine hospitals and health centers in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations bill. The bill, which was officially approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee today, now awaits consideration by the full Senate and House.
“Mainers in every part of our state should be able to receive the vital medical services they need,” said Senator Collins. “This funding would support much-needed equipment and facility upgrades at hospitals and health centers, helping to expand and improve the quality of an array of health care services throughout the state. As the Chair of the Appropriations Committee, I will continue to advocate for this funding as the appropriations process moves forward.”
This funding advanced through the Committee’s markup of the FY 2026 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations bill—an important step that now allows the bill to be considered by the full Senate.
Funding advanced by Senator Collins is as follows:
Maternal Delivery and New Infant Project
Recipient: Northern Light Eastern Maine Health
Project Location: Bangor, Dover-Foxcroft, Ellsworth, Portland, Presque Isle
Amount Requested: $1,599,000
Project Purpose: To replace and modernize equipment across hospitals with labor and delivery units.
St. Joseph Hospital Emergency Department Expansion
Recipient: St. Joseph Hospital
Project Location: Bangor, ME
Amount Requested: $6,800,000
Project Purpose: To renovate, expand, and equip the Emergency Department.
Bingham Area Health Center Dental Services Expansion
Recipient: HealthReach Community Health Centers
Project Location: Bingham, ME
Amount Requested: $650,000
Project Purpose: To expand the dental services wing of Bingham Area Health Center.
Bridgton Hospital Emergency Department Expansion
Recipient: Bridgton Hospital
Project Location: Bridgton, ME
Amount Requested: $5,000,000
Project Purpose: To renovate, expand, and equip the Emergency Department.
Bucksport Regional Health Center Dental Expansion
Recipient: Bucksport Regional Health Center
Project Location: Bucksport, ME
Amount Requested: $1,980,000
Project Purpose: For facilities and equipment to expand dental services.
Rural Health Clinic Expansion
Recipient: Calais Community Hospital
Project Location: Calais, ME
Amount Requested: $4,990,000
Project Purpose: To expand and renovate the Rural Health Clinic.
Pines Health Services Relocation
Recipient: Pines Health Services
Project Location: Caribou, ME
Amount Requested: $8,900,000
Project Purpose: To support the construction of a new health center for Pines Health Services.
Houlton Regional Hospital Improvements
Recipient: Houlton Regional Hospital
Project Location: Houlton, ME
Amount Requested: $5,458,000
Project Purpose: To support facility and safety improvements.
MaineGeneral Health Electronic Medical Records Infrastructure Improvement
Recipient: MaineGeneral Health
Project Location: Kennebec County, ME
Amount Requested: $5,000,000
Project Purpose: For facilities and equipment to support electronic medical records software upgrades.
Spurwink Lewiston Behavioral Health Center
Recipient: Spurwink Services
Project Location: Lewiston, ME
Amount Requested: $5,666,000
Project Purpose: To renovate an existing structure for behavioral health services.
St. Mary’s Behavioral Health Emergency Department Expansion
Recipient: St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center
Project Location: Lewiston, ME
Amount Requested: $2,619,000
Project Purpose: To renovate, expand, and equip the Behavioral Health Emergency Department.
Stephens Memorial Hospital Renovations
Recipient: Western Maine Health (MaineHealth)
Project Location: Norway, ME
Amount Requested: $10,810,000
Project Purpose: To construct and equip a new Emergency Department and oncology infusion center.
Rumford Hospital Emergency Department Expansion
Recipient: Rumford Hospital
Project Location: Rumford, ME
Amount Requested: $6,400,000
Project Purpose: To renovate, expand, and equip the Emergency Department.
York Hospital Electronic Medical Records Infrastructure Improvement
Recipient: York Hospital
Project Location: York, ME
Amount Requested: $5,000,000
Project Purpose: For facilities and equipment to support electronic medical records software upgrades.
In 2021, Congress reinstituted Congressionally Directed Spending. Following this decision, Senator Collins has secured more than $1 billion for hundreds of Maine projects for FY 2022, FY 2023, and FY 2024. As the Chair of the Appropriations Committee, Senator Collins is committed to championing targeted investments that will benefit Maine communities.
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MIL-OSI USA: Tuberville, Kennedy Call for NATO Members to Increase Defense Spending
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator Tommy Tuberville (Alabama)
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) joined U.S. Senator John Kennedy (R-LA) in introducing a resolution urging North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member countries to fulfill their commitments to spend 5% of their GDP on defense.
“It’s past time for NATO members to pony up,” said Sen. Tuberville. “It’s not the job of the American taxpayers to pay to defend the entire world. Thank God for President Trump who is finally standing up for American taxpayers and fighting to put America First.”
“NATO is one of the greatest defensive alliances in all of human history,” said Sen. Kennedy.“My resolution commends our allies for their commitment to allocate 5% of their GDP to our shared defense and strongly encourages them to fulfill their promises in good faith. If we want to deter our adversaries, we need real investments in our defense, not bridges that have little, if anything, to do with national security.”
Sens. Tuberville and Kennedy were joined by Sens. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Ted Budd (R-NC), John Cornyn (R-TX), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), and Roger Wicker (R-MS) in introducing the resolution.
Read full text of the resolution here.
BACKGROUND:
The Trump Administration secured a historic win by encouraging NATO member countries to move toward spending 5% of their GDP on collective defense. However, the Hague Summit Declaration allows countries to evade their commitments in two ways: (1) by not specifying that all allies must meet the 5% requirement, and (2) by permitting 1.5% of the total to include spending that is only loosely related to defense. Spain has recently said that it will not be meeting the 5% commitment. Italy has said it may include a bridge to Sicily as part of its non-traditional defense total.
Specifically, the resolution would:
- Congratulate President Trump and NATO leadership on this historic agreement,
- Strongly urge NATO leadership to compel its members to adhere to the 5% commitment, and
- Call on NATO allies to ensure their non-traditional defense expenditures are legitimate defense spending.
Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP and Aging Committees.
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MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK outshines global competitors as Arbitration Act comes into effect
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3
Press releaseUK outshines global competitors as Arbitration Act comes into effect
Businesses will benefit from faster and cheaper dispute resolution as major reforms to arbitration law come into effect today.
- New law comes into force today to strengthen UK’s world-leading status in arbitration
- Businesses can now settle disputes faster and at less cost
- Part of Government’s Plan for Change to drive new business straight into £42.6 billion legal sector
The modernisation of the Arbitration Act is set to boost the UK economy by millions while creating new employment opportunities within the legal sector.
The new law will reinforce Britain’s position as the world’s number one destination for arbitration – building on London’s status as the globally preferred location for these services over competitors like Singapore, Hong Kong and Paris.
This will attract further investment to the UK’s £42.6 billion legal services economy and create highly-skilled jobs, supporting the sector’s existing 384,000 workforce.
Minister for Courts and Legal Services, Sarah Sackman KC MP, said:
Businesses around the world already look to the UK as the gold standard in arbitration, and this new law cements our place as the global jurisdiction of choice – competing globally and keeping British companies on top.
As part of our Plan for Change, we will continue to drive new business straight into the UK to boost jobs and support economic growth.
As the largest legal services market in Europe, international arbitration represents a major growth sector for the UK economy. England and Wales handle at least 5,000 domestic and international arbitrations annually, contributing £2.5 billion in fees alone.
From today, arbitrators have the power to dismiss weak cases quickly, preventing businesses from wasting time and money on disputes with no chance of success.
The reforms also require arbitrators to declare any potential conflicts of interest upfront, ensuring fairer outcomes for businesses.
Courts have gained new powers to better support the arbitration process, while simplified procedures will cut delays and costs for all parties involved.
The Arbitration Act received Royal Assent in February and has now been fully implemented.
Cristen Bauer, Director of External Affairs, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators
As the leading professional body globally for dispute resolvers, we are delighted to see the Arbitration Act 2025 come into force. We commend the Government’s commitment to modernise the Arbitration Act and to engage in a collaborative reform process with stakeholders from across the dispute resolution ecosystem.
Ciarb is proud to have contributed to this important reform and stands ready to support the global arbitration community in harnessing the full potential of this new framework. This milestone not only strengthens arbitration in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, but also reinforces global efforts to uphold high standards of fairness, efficiency, and integrity across the profession.
Updates to this page
Published 1 August 2025 -
MIL-OSI USA News: Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Further Modifies the Reciprocal Tariff Rates
Source: US Whitehouse
RESTRUCTURING GLOBAL TRADE TO BENEFIT AMERICAN WORKERS: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order modifying the reciprocal tariff rates for certain countries to further address our exploding, annual U.S. goods trade deficits. This decisive action reflects the President’s continued efforts to protect the United States against foreign threats to the national security and economy of the United States by securing fair, balanced, and reciprocal trade relationships to benefit American workers, farmers, and manufacturers and to strengthen the United States’ defense industrial base.- On April 2, President Trump announced an additional 10% tariff on all countries, and for countries with which the United States has large trade deficits, he announced higher additional tariffs individualized to each country, effective April 9.
- A lot has happened since then. For example:
- Several countries have agreed to, or are on the verge of agreeing to, meaningful trade deals and security agreements with the United States.
- Some countries, through negotiations, have offered terms that, in the President’s judgment, do not sufficiently address the national emergency he declared on April 2.
- Some countries have not negotiated at all with the United States.
- Based on this additional information and recommendations from senior officials, among other things, the President has determined that it is necessary and appropriate to modify the reciprocal tariff rates for certain countries.
- Countries listed in Annex I of the Executive Order will be subject to the tariff specified therein.
- Countries not listed in Annex I will be subject to a 10% tariff.
STRENGTHENING AMERICA’S POSITION IN THE GLOBAL MARKET: President Trump has reset decades of failed trade policy. Today’s Order underscores President Trump’s commitment to take back America’s economic sovereignty by addressing the many nonreciprocal trade relationships that impact foreign relations, threaten our economic and national security, and disadvantage American workers.
- President Trump’s bold trade strategy has yielded historic agreements with major trading partners, unlocking unprecedented investments in the United States and expanding market access for American goods. These deals strengthen America’s economic and security positions and create opportunities for American workers, farmers, and businesses.
- In a massive deal with the European Union, the EU has agreed to purchase $750 billion in U.S. energy and make new investments of $600 billion in the United States, all by 2028, while accepting a 15% tariff rate.
- Japan has agreed to invest $550 billion in the United States to rebuild and expand core American industries, as well as to further open its own market to U.S. exports, all while paying a baseline 15% tariff rate.
- The United States-United Kingdom trade deal includes billions of dollars of increased market access for American exports.
- Additional trade deals with Indonesia, the Philippines, South Korea, Vietnam, and others will protect our industries, open foreign markets, and encourage foreign investment in American industries.
- These investments position the United States as the world’s premier destination for innovation, manufacturing, and economic growth.
- President Trump is using tariffs as a necessary and powerful tool to put America First after many years of unsustainable trade deficits that threaten our economy and national security.
- President Trump encourages businesses to build and manufacture on American soil: as these countries are aware, they will face no tariff if they decide to build or manufacture products in our country.
- President Trump has committed that the United States will do everything possible to get approvals quickly, professionally, and routinely to bring back manufacturing jobs for Americans.
DELIVERING FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE: President Trump’s tariff policies have generated significant investment into the United States, strengthening the U.S. economy while addressing unfair trade practices that have disadvantaged American workers for decades.
- By imposing tariffs on countries with nonreciprocal trade practices, President Trump is incentivizing manufacturing on American soil and defending our industries.
- With billions in reshoring investments already announced, President Trump is bringing manufacturing jobs back to America, revitalizing communities, and strengthening supply chains.
- The Administration will continue to use all available tools to protect our national security, advance our economic interests, and uphold a system of trade based in fairness and reciprocity.
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MIL-OSI United Kingdom: British steelmakers regain access to EU market
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press releaseBritish steelmakers regain access to EU market
British steelmakers regain access to EU market
- UK steel producers to regain tariff-free access to the EU market for key steel products from today [1 August].
- Cuts costs and gives UK steel producers more certainty when exporting to the EU — one of our largest trading partners.
- Delivers on a UK-EU Summit commitment and reinforces the Government’s Plan for Change to rebuild Britain’s industrial strength.
British steelmakers stand to make millions extra a year as the EU gets rid of its steel tariffs today [Friday 1 August] – a direct win from the Prime Minister’s EU deal signed back in May.
This means UK steelmakers will be able to export more steel used for large building projects – like support beams – to the EU tariff-free, supporting the UK’s wider economic growth ambitions and helping deliver on the Plan for Change.
This follows the decision to take control of British Steel following years of mismanagement – a decision which saved thousands of jobs and secured Britain’s place as a steelmaker. This builds on the significant support that this pro-steel Government has already delivered — from our £500 million investment in Tata’s green steel transition and our deal with the US to reduce tariffs on UK steel.
The UK steel sector supports around 40,000 jobs across 1,145 firms, with a further 61,000 jobs in related industries that supply materials and services to steel producers. These changes will enable UK steelmakers to once again export goods worth several millions of pounds annually to the EU, strengthening vital revenue streams for UK businesses.
Secretary of State for Business and Trade, Jonathan Reynolds said:
This is yet another positive step forward for the UK steel sector and a clear example of our Plan for Change in action — removing barriers, supporting jobs, and backing British industry.
Restoring our steel quota helps give producers the certainty they need to compete, grow, and maintain vital export relationships.
This builds on the significant support that this pro-steel Government has already delivered — from our £500 million investment in Tata’s green steel transition, to action to safeguard jobs at British Steel in Scunthorpe, and our deal with the US to reduce tariffs on UK steel.
The restored quota will re-establish historic trade flows between the UK and the EU, easing the administrative and financial burdens that have affected steel exporters. It will also provide much-needed certainty for UK steel operating in an increasingly volatile global market. Crucially, this change will help safeguard skilled jobs across the country and preserve long-standing supply chains with EU customers.
The country-specific quota allows the UK to export a certain amount of steel to the EU without paying an extra tariff, helping maintain fair trade and avoid sudden surges in imports. We can now export up to 27,000 tonnes of steel to the EU each quarter — that’s roughly a football stadium’s worth of steel every year.
This follows complex negotiations and demonstrates the UK Government’s ability to secure practical wins for domestic industry. It builds on a series of recent measures delivered under the Plan for Change, including a £500 million investment in greener steelmaking at Port Talbot, targeted action to reduce electricity costs and strengthen procurement rules. These steps have been complemented by enhanced trade defences designed to protect jobs and support long-term competitiveness in the sector.
EU Relations Minister Nick Thomas-Symonds said:
We have worked constructively with the EU to deliver in our national interest and achieved a bespoke agreement to help secure jobs in steel across Britain.
Today’s news that the EU is slashing tariffs on British Steel shows our approach is working and is another win for UK PLC.
Gareth Stace UK Steel said:
The restoration of the country specific quota is excellent news for UK steel companies which have been plagued by problems shipping category 17 products into the European Union.
The quota will restore historic trade flows and is good news for both UK steelmakers and their EU customers.
British Steel Chief Commercial Officer (interim) Lisa Coulson said:
The removal of EU tariffs on British-made steel is a significant boost to our business.
The EU is an important market to us, particularly for the products our highly skilled colleagues manufacture in Scunthorpe, Teesside, and Skinningrove.
We are delighted we will be able to provide the high-quality products our loyal and supportive EU customers require tariff-free and thank the UK Government for delivering this agreement.
We now look to the future with even greater optimism as we focus on building stronger futures for our customers.
This announcement reinforces the Government’s commitment to fair, open, and stable trade in key sectors — with steel being a clear example of strengthened UK-EU cooperation delivering results for British industry.
Notes to editors:
- The European Commission’s decision restores the UK’s Country Specific Quota (CSQ) for Category 17 steel products from 1 August 2025.
- The UK steel industry employs thousands of people in key manufacturing regions and supports critical supply chains in construction, automotive, and defence.
- The UK Government will publish a comprehensive Steel Strategy later this year to support long-term competitiveness and sustainability in the sector.
Updates to this page
Published 1 August 2025 -
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Free speech rules to protect academic freedom come into force
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press releaseFree speech rules to protect academic freedom come into force
New legal duties on universities and colleges come into force, as government delivers Plan for Change to restore integrity of higher education.
Students, academics and external speakers at universities in England will have their freedom of speech protected by robust new laws coming into force today (Friday 1 August).
Under the strengthened rules introduced by this government, universities must actively promote academic freedom, ensuring campuses are places where robust discussion can take place without fear of censorship of students, staff or external speakers expressing lawful opinions.
Universities will also be banned from using non-disclosure agreements to silence victims of campus misconduct, protecting vulnerable individuals who may have faced harassment, abuse or sexual assault.
If lawful free speech is silenced the Office for Students (OfS) can investigate, and can take action if universities are found to have failed to protect free speech rights.
The OfS’ director for free speech and academic freedom has warned institutions that flout the new rules could face record penalties, after the University of Sussex was given a landmark £585,000 fine for its failure to uphold free speech in March. Arif Ahmed said future fines could be higher.
These robust protections deliver on the government’s Plan for Change by restoring the integrity of our universities as rigorous centres of intellectual debate, recognising them as a key driver for delivering growth and opportunity across the country.
Skills Minister Jacqui Smith said:
Academic freedom is non-negotiable in our world-leading institutions, and we will not tolerate the silencing of academics or students who voice legitimate views.
These strengthened protections make this explicitly clear in law, and the record fine already handed down by the OfS has put universities on notice that they must comply or face the consequences.
Through our Plan for Change we are restoring our world class universities as engines of growth, opportunity and innovation, and fostering a culture of free enquiry and academic freedom is at the heart of that.
In future a new OfS complaints scheme will ensure academics, external speakers and staff can trigger investigations that could lead to fines if their free speech is not protected. Students will have their free speech complaints considered through the Office of the Independent Adjudicator.
The legislation will also ensure student unions are subject to new rules, by holding universities accountable for their activities.
The Education Secretary has previously announced that elements of the Act that could have saddled universities with disproportionate legal costs will be removed, as they would have rendered the rules unworkable.
Jewish community organisations had also raised fears the tort might lead some providers to unduly prioritise speech which is hateful or degrading over the interests of those who are at risk of being harassed and intimidated.
Overseas transparency measures contained in the Act will remain under review while the government assesses the impact of the recently-introduced Foreign Influence Registration Scheme.
The Office for Students already has powers to require information in response to concerns about free speech or academic freedom, including issues related to suspected foreign interference and funding.
DfE media enquiries
Central newsdesk – for journalists 020 7783 8300
Updates to this page
Published 1 August 2025 -
MIL-OSI USA News: Further Modifying the Reciprocal Tariff Rates
Source: US Whitehouse
class=”has-text-align-left”>By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) (IEEPA), the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.), section 604 of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended (19 U.S.C. 2483), and section 301 of title 3, United States Code, I hereby determine and order:Section 1. Background. In Executive Order 14257 of April 2, 2025 (Regulating Imports With a Reciprocal Tariff To Rectify Trade Practices That Contribute to Large and Persistent Annual United States Goods Trade Deficits), I found that conditions reflected in large and persistent annual U.S. goods trade deficits constitute an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and economy of the United States that has its source in whole or substantial part outside the United States. I declared a national emergency with respect to that threat, and to deal with that threat, I imposed additional ad valorem duties that I deemed necessary and appropriate.
I have received additional information and recommendations from various senior officials on, among other things, the continued lack of reciprocity in our bilateral trade relationships and the impact of foreign trading partners’ disparate tariff rates and non-tariff barriers on U.S. exports, the domestic manufacturing base, critical supply chains, and the defense industrial base. I also have received additional information and recommendations on foreign relations, economic, and national security matters, including the status of trade negotiations, efforts to retaliate against the United States for its actions to address the emergency declared in Executive Order 14257, and efforts to align with the United States on economic and national security matters.
For example, some trading partners have agreed to, or are on the verge of agreeing to, meaningful trade and security commitments with the United States, thus signaling their sincere intentions to permanently remedy the trade barriers that have contributed to the national emergency declared in Executive Order 14257, and to align with the United States on economic and national security matters. Other trading partners, despite having engaged in negotiations, have offered terms that, in my judgment, do not sufficiently address imbalances in our trading relationship or have failed to align sufficiently with the United States on economic and national-security matters. There are also some trading partners that have failed to engage in negotiations with the United States or to take adequate steps to align sufficiently with the United States on economic and national security matters.
After considering the information and recommendations that I have recently received, among other things, I have determined that it is necessary and appropriate to deal with the national emergency declared in Executive Order 14257 by imposing additional ad valorem duties on goods of certain trading partners at the rates set forth in Annex I to this order, subject to all applicable exceptions set forth in Executive Order 14257, as amended, in lieu of the additional ad valorem duties previously imposed on goods of such trading partners in Executive Order 14257, as amended.
Sec. 2. Tariff Modifications. (a) The Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) shall be modified as provided in Annex II to this order. These modifications shall be effective with respect to goods entered for consumption, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time 7 days after the date of this order, except that goods loaded onto a vessel at the port of loading and in transit on the final mode of transit before 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time 7 days after the date of this order, and entered for consumption, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, before 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time on October 5, 2025, shall not be subject to such additional duty and shall instead remain subject to the additional ad valorem duties previously imposed in Executive Order 14257, as amended.
(b) Certain foreign trading partners identified in Annex I to this order have agreed to, or are on the verge of concluding, meaningful trade and security agreements with the United States. Goods of those trading partners will remain subject to the additional ad valorem duties provided in Annex I to this order until such time as those agreements are concluded, and I issue subsequent orders memorializing the terms of those agreements.
(c) As provided in Annex I to this order, the additional ad valorem rate of duty applicable to any good of the European Union is determined by the good’s current ad valorem (or ad valorem equivalent) rate of duty under column 1 (General) of the HTSUS (“Column 1 Duty Rate”). For a good of the European Union with a Column 1 Duty Rate that is less than 15 percent, the sum of its Column 1 Duty Rate and the additional ad valorem rate of duty pursuant to this order shall be 15 percent. For a good of the European Union with a Column 1 Duty Rate that is at least 15 percent, the additional ad valorem rate of duty pursuant to this order shall be zero.
(d) Goods of any foreign trading partner that is not listed in Annex I to this order will be subject to an additional ad valorem rate of duty of 10 percent pursuant to the terms of Executive Order 14257, as amended, unless otherwise expressly provided. This rate shall be effective with respect to goods entered for consumption, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time 7 days after the date of this order.
(e) The HTSUS shall also be modified by continuing to suspend headings 9903.01.43 through 9903.01.62 and 9903.01.64 through 9903.01.76, and subdivisions (v)(xiii)(1)–(9) and (11)‑(57) of U.S. note 2 to subchapter III of chapter 99 of the HTSUS, until the effective date of the modifications provided in Annex II to this order. Upon the effective date of the modifications provided in Annex II to this order, to facilitate implementation of the rates of duty provided in Annex I to this order, headings 9903.01.43 through 9903.01.62 and 9903.01.64 through 9903.01.76, which are organized by rate of duty, and subdivisions (v)(xiii) (1)-(9) and (11)-(57) of U.S. note 2 to subchapter III of chapter 99 of the HTSUS shall be terminated as to future entries and replaced by the new trading partner-specific headings provided in Annex II to this order.
(f) Excluding the changes set forth in subsections (a) through (d) of this section, the terms of Executive Order 14257, as amended, shall continue to apply.
(g) Nothing in this order shall be construed to alter or otherwise affect Executive Order 14298 of May 12, 2025 (Modifying Reciprocal Tariff Rates To Reflect Discussions With the People’s Republic of China).
(h) The Secretary of Commerce and the United States Trade Representative, in consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security, acting through the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and the Chair of the United States International Trade Commission, shall determine whether any additional modifications to the HTSUS are necessary to effectuate this order and may make such modifications through notice in the Federal Register.
Sec. 3. Transshipment. (a) An article determined by CBP to have been transshipped to evade applicable duties under section 2 of this order shall be subject to (i) an additional ad valorem rate of duty of 40 percent, in lieu of the additional ad valorem rate of duty applicable under section 2 of this order to goods of the country of origin, (ii) any other applicable or appropriate fine or penalty, including those assessed under 19 U.S.C. 1592, and (iii) any other United States duties, fees, taxes, exactions, or charges applicable to goods of the country of origin. CBP shall not allow, consistent with applicable law, for mitigation or remission of the penalties assessed on imports found to be transshipped to evade applicable duties.
(b) The Secretary of Commerce and the Secretary of Homeland Security, acting through the Commissioner of CBP, in consultation with the United States Trade Representative, shall publish every 6 months a list of countries and specific facilities used in circumvention schemes, to inform public procurement, national security reviews, and commercial due diligence.
Sec. 4. Implementation. The Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the United States Trade Representative, as applicable, in consultation with the Secretary of State, the Secretary of the Treasury, the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, the Assistant to the President and Senior Counselor for Trade and Manufacturing, the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, and the Chair of the International Trade Commission, are directed and authorized to take all necessary actions to implement and effectuate this order, consistent with applicable law, including through temporary suspension or amendment of regulations or notices in the Federal Register and by adopting rules, regulations, or guidance, and to employ all powers granted to the President by IEEPA, as may be necessary to implement this order. Each executive department and agency shall take all appropriate measures within its authority to implement this order.
Sec. 5. Monitoring and Recommendations. (a) The Secretary of Commerce and the United States Trade Representative shall monitor the circumstances involving the emergency declared in Executive Order 14257 and shall regularly consult on such circumstances with any senior official they deem appropriate. The Secretary of Commerce and the United States Trade Representative shall inform me of any circumstance that, in their opinion, might indicate the need for further action by the President. The Secretary of Commerce and the United States Trade Representative shall also inform me of any circumstance that, in their opinion, might indicate that a foreign trading partner has taken adequate steps to address the emergency declared in Executive Order 14257.
(b) The Secretary of Commerce and the United States Trade Representative, in consultation with any senior official they deem appropriate, shall recommend to me any necessary additional action if this action is not effective in resolving the emergency declared in Executive Order 14257.
(c) The Secretary of Commerce and the United States Trade Representative, in coordination with the appropriate senior officials, shall recommend additional action, if necessary, should a foreign trading partner fail to take adequate steps to address the emergency declared in Executive Order 14257 or should a foreign trading partner retaliate against the United States in response to the actions taken to address the emergency declared in Executive Order 14257 or any subsequent order issued to address that emergency.
Sec. 6. Severability. If any provision of this order, or the application of any provision of this order to any individual or circumstance, is held to be invalid, the remainder of this order and the application of its provisions to any other individuals or circumstances shall not be affected.
Sec. 7. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
(d) The costs for publication of this order shall be borne by the Office of the United States Trade Representative.
DONALD J. TRUMP
THE WHITE HOUSE,
July 31, 2025.
ANNEX I
Countries and Territories Reciprocal Tariff, Adjusted Afghanistan 15% Algeria 30% Angola 15% Bangladesh 20% Bolivia 15% Bosnia and Herzegovina 30% Botswana 15% Brazil 10% Brunei 25% Cambodia 19% Cameroon 15% Chad 15% Costa Rica 15% Côte d`Ivoire 15% Democratic Republic of the Congo 15% Ecuador 15% Equatorial Guinea 15% European Union: Goods with Column 1 Duty Rate[1] > 15% 0% European Union: Goods with Column 1 Duty Rate < 15% 15% minus Column 1 Duty Rate Falkland Islands 10% Fiji 15% Ghana 15% Guyana 15% Iceland 15% India 25% Indonesia 19% Iraq 35% Israel 15% Japan 15% Jordan 15% Kazakhstan 25% Laos 40% Lesotho 15% Libya 30% Liechtenstein 15% Madagascar 15% Malawi 15% Malaysia 19% Mauritius 15% Moldova 25% Mozambique 15% Myanmar (Burma) 40% Namibia 15% Nauru 15% New Zealand 15% Nicaragua 18% Nigeria 15% North Macedonia 15% Norway 15% Pakistan 19% Papua New Guinea 15% Philippines 19% Serbia 35% South Africa 30% South Korea 15% Sri Lanka 20% Switzerland 39% Syria 41% Taiwan 20% Thailand 19% Trinidad and Tobago 15% Tunisia 25% Turkey 15% Uganda 15% United Kingdom 10% Vanuatu 15% Venezuela 15% Vietnam 20% Zambia 15% Zimbabwe 15% [1] For purposes of this Executive Order and its Annexes, “Column 1 Duty Rate” means the ad valorem (or ad valorem equivalent) rate of duty under column 1-General of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS).
ANNEX II
- Effective with respect to goods entered for consumption, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time 7 days after the date of the executive order, excluding the day the executive order is signed, subchapter III of chapter 99 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) is modified as follows:
- Heading 9903.01.25 of the HTSUS shall be amended by deleting the article description and by inserting “Articles the product of any country, except for products described in headings 9903.01.26–9903.01.33, 9903.02.02–9903.02.71, and 9903.96.01, and except as provided for in headings 9903.01.34 and 9903.02.01, as provided for in subdivision (v) of U.S. note 2 to this subchapter . . . . . . .” in lieu thereof; and
- Headings 9903.01.43–9903.01.62 and 9903.01.64–9903.01.76 and corresponding subdivisions (v)(xiii)(1)–(9) and (11)–(57) of U.S. note 2 to subchapter III of chapter 99 of the HTSUS are hereby terminated as to any future entries.
- Subdivision (v) of U.S. note 2 to subchapter III of chapter 99 of the HTSUS shall be amended by:
- Deleting “and 9903.01.43–9903.01.76” each place that it appears and inserting “9903.01.63, and 9903.02.01–9903.02.71” in lieu thereof;
- Inserting the following new subdivision in numerical sequence at the end of subdivision (v) of U.S. note 2:
“As provided in headings 9903.02.19 and 9903.02.20, for any good of the European Union subject to a specific or compound rate of duty under column 1-General, the ad valorem equivalent rate of duty of such good shall be determined by dividing the amount of duty payable under column 1-General by the customs value of the good. For example, if a good were subject to a specific duty of 50 cents per kilogram, and one kilogram of the good were entered with a customs value of $10, then the ad valorem equivalent rate of duty would be obtained by dividing 50 cents by $10, yielding 5 percent.”
- The following new headings shall be inserted in numerical sequence, with the material in the new heading inserted in the columns of the HTSUS labeled “Heading/Subheading”, “Article Description”, “Rates of Duty 1-General”, “Rates of Duty 1-Special”, and “Rates of Duty 2”, respectively:
- Effective with respect to goods entered for consumption, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time 7 days after the date of the executive order, excluding the day the executive order is signed, subchapter III of chapter 99 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) is modified as follows:
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MIL-OSI USA: Cornyn: Senate Must Stay in Session or Change Rules to Break Democrats’ Log-Jam
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn
WASHINGTON – Today on the floor, U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) proposed the Senate remaining in session into the month of August or changing Senate rules if Democrats persist in their extreme and unprecedented obstruction of President Trump’s nominees. Excerpts of Sen. Cornyn’s remarks are below, and video can be found here.
“I don’t believe, Mr. President, that the Senate should leave town without ensuring that President Trump has his nominees and his team in place.”
“We find ourselves really in an unprecedented situation where Democrats, rather than picking and choosing the nominees they choose to object to, have simply chosen to object to all of them, forcing us to burn a lot of valuable floor time that we could be using for other more constructive purposes, and delaying President Trump, who after all, won the election last November, the team he’s entitled to govern and carry out his policies.”
“What our Democratic colleagues are saying is, we will agree to no confirmation votes on Trump nominees during his second term.”
“Many of these nominees – I think roughly 30 of them – are Senate-confirmed nominees to serve as an ambassador in our embassies around the world.”
“I don’t have to remind all of us that the world has become a much more dangerous place and, the idea that the United States would not have a Senate-confirmed ambassador in these embassies around the world is simply shooting ourselves in the foot.”
“China and Russia and our other adversaries, they certainly have their ambassadors working in each of those countries to further their interests, but the idea that the United States would be absent because Senate Democrats simply refuse to confirm these ambassadors is really beyond the pale.”
“What we’re talking about really are rank-and-file people, who are confirmed by a vote of the Senate.”
“I personally believe that we should change the law and not require Senate confirmation for many of these positions.”
“The Democrats simply are mindlessly obstructing the confirmation of these non-controversial, really apolitical nominees.”
“If we can’t reach some sort of negotiated outcome that is satisfactory to President Trump, then we need to either stay here or change the Senate rules.”
“Senate Democrats are the ones that brought us to where we are today, and they’re the ones responsible for the blame.”
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MIL-OSI China: Chen wins 4th world title as Popovici completes sprint double
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
China’s Chen Yuxi captured her fourth world title in the women’s 10-meter platform, while Romania’s David Popovici delivered a historic swim in the men’s 100-meter freestyle at the World Aquatics Championships on Thursday.
Chen, who led both the preliminary and semifinal rounds, secured gold with a score of 430.50 points. Germany’s Pauline Alexandra Pfeif earned silver with 367.10 points, while 15-year-old Chinese diver Xie Peiling took bronze with 358.20 in her world championships debut.
Chen Yuxi of China kisses the medal after the awarding ceremony for the women’s 10m platform final of diving at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, July 31, 2025. (Xinhua/Luo Yuan)
“Every world championship holds a special place in my memory,” Chen said. “This time, under physical strain and the challenge of maintaining form, I was still able to deliver a 430-point performance. I’m very satisfied.”
Chinese swimmers added two bronze medals on the fifth day of competition. In the women’s 50-meter backstroke final, Wan Letian finished third in 27.30 seconds, behind American swimmers Katharine Berkoff and Regan Smith, who claimed gold and silver, respectively.
“I’ve overcome a mental hurdle,” Wan said. “I wasn’t very confident before, but standing on the podium at an international event has given me courage and helped me identify areas for improvement. I hope to go further in future competitions.”
In the women’s 4×200-meter freestyle relay final, the Chinese team of Liu Yaxin, Yang Peiqi, Yu Yiting and Li Bingjie finished third behind Australia and the United States. Li, who previously won silver in the 200m and 400m freestyle, anchored the final leg.
“This was my first time swimming the anchor leg,” Li said. “My teammates swam really well, so I just wanted to fight for the best possible result.”
The men’s 100-meter freestyle final was one of the most anticipated races of the day. Popovici clocked a blistering 46.51 seconds, setting a new championship record and securing gold. Jack Alexy of the United States took silver, and Australia’s Kyle Chalmers earned bronze.
Popovici’s time is the second-fastest ever in the event, just behind the world record of 46.40 seconds set by China’s Pan Zhanle at the Paris Olympics.
“I’d give myself a 10 tonight,” Popovici said. “I’m not the kind of person who usually says something is perfect, but I think today really was.”
In the men’s 200-meter individual medley final, France’s Leon Marchand, who broke the world record in the semifinals, won gold in 1:53.68. Shaine Casas of the U.S. took silver, and Hungary’s Hubert Kos earned bronze. China’s Wang Shun, the Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion, finished seventh.
Reflecting on his eighth appearance at the world championships since 2011, Wang noted the rise in competition. “Especially at this edition, you can feel the level has risen a lot – perhaps because everyone refocused after the Olympics.”
Canada’s Summer McIntosh set a new championship record in the women’s 200-meter butterfly, winning gold in 2:01.99. Regan Smith of the U.S. and Australia’s Elizabeth Dekkers rounded out the podium. China’s Yu Zidi narrowly missed a medal, finishing fourth.
In semifinal action, Qin Haiyang advanced to the men’s 200-meter breaststroke final with the eighth-fastest time. Teammate Dong Zhihao finished 15th and did not advance. In the women’s 100-meter freestyle, Cheng Yujie qualified for the final with the fifth-fastest time; Wu Qingfeng placed 15th. In the women’s 200-meter breaststroke, Lyu Qinyao finished 10th and did not move on. Yu Jingming did not advance from the men’s 200-meter backstroke heats.
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MIL-OSI USA: Volcano Watch — Distant versus local earthquakes and tsunami response times in Hawaii
Source: US Geological Survey
Volcano Watch — Distant versus local earthquakes and tsunami response times in Hawaii
Earthquakes and tsunamis in the news over the past few days are a reminder that we live on a dynamic planet with different hazards and associated response times. While tsunamis generated by large, distant earthquakes take hours to traverse the Pacific Ocean, it is important to remember that local earthquakes can also generate tsunamis—but with much less warning.
Volcano Watch is a weekly article and activity update written by U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists and affiliates.
On July 29, 2025 at 1:24 p.m. HST, a magnitude-8.8 earthquake struck the Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia. A tsunami warning was issued for the State of Hawaii at 2:43 p.m. HST, and the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) issued a forecast for the first waves of a tsunami to arrive on Hawaiian shores a few minutes after 7:00 p.m. HST. With hours to prepare for the eventual arrival of tsunami waves, sirens sounded and cell phones received multiple alarms as coastal areas were evacuated. As PTWC modeled, tsunami waves began moving through the Hawaiian Islands after 7:00 p.m. HST and had a maximum measurement of 1.7 meters (5.7 feet) in Kahului, Maui. There was ultimately no significant damage in Hawaii and the warning was cancelled just before 11:00 p.m. HST.
Large distant earthquakes in the past have generated tsunamis that caused significant damage and deaths in Hawaii. In 1946, a magnitude-7.9 Aleutian Islands, Alaska earthquake generated a tsunami that killed 159 people in the State of Hawaii, with a maximum wave run-up height of 16 meters (55 feet) measured at Pololū Valley on the Island of Hawaiʻi. In 1960, a magnitude-9.5 earthquake in Chile, South America generated a tsunami that killed 66 people in Hilo, with a maximum wave run-up height of 10.6 m (35 feet). Then in 2011, the magnitude-9.0 Tohoku, Japan earthquake generated a tsunami with maximum wave heights of about 3.6 m (12 feet) in Hawaii. Though there was significant damage in Hawaii from the Tohoku tsunami, there were no deaths locally.
Improved earthquake detection and tsunami monitoring, along with streamlined emergency communication techniques—such as the text alarms sent in Hawaii on July 29—reduce the risk of people being injured or killed by tsunamis. Another important factor is the response time; tsunami waves generated by distant earthquakes take hours to reach the Hawaiian Islands, which gives people time to evacuate vulnerable areas. Local tsunamis, however, do not need to travel far to reach our shores, which leaves residents and emergency management agencies a much shorter time to respond.
Large fault slips along the bases of Hawaiian volcanoes have historically produced damaging earthquakes that generated local tsunamis, and they will certainly do so again in the future. These events leave residents little time to evacuate to safety. Researchers from the University of Hawai‘i have modeled that a tsunami generated from the south flank of the Island of Hawai‘i can wrap around and reach Hilo Bay 4–5 minutes after the earthquake, before propagating through the Hawaiian Islands in less than an hour.
In 1868, an estimated magnitude-7.9 earthquake occurred beneath Mauna Loa volcano in the District of Kaʻū. It caused landslides and a local tsunami that affected the entire south coast of the Island of Hawaiʻi, killing nearly 100 people. In 1975, a magnitude-7.2 earthquake beneath the south flank of Kīlauea volcano generated a tsunami with maximum wave run-up heights of about 14 meters (47 feet). Two people were killed and many more were injured. Even the magnitude-6.9 earthquake beneath Kīlauea in 2018 generated a small local tsunami with a maximum wave height of 40 centimeters (15.7 inches) in Hilo.
A USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologist measures a scarp that formed on the south flank of Kīlauea during the magnitude-7.2 earthquake in 1975. In this area, near Poliokeawe Pali in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, the scarp is about 1.5 meters (5 feet) high. USGS photo by P. Lipman. During these large local earthquakes, the southeast part of the Island of Hawaiʻi—called the Hilina Slump, with its toe beneath the ocean surface—shifts to the southeast and downwards. As this part of the island moves, it displaces ocean water, generating the damaging tsunamis that quickly inundate local shores.
If you are near the shore in Hawaii, be aware of your surroundings. If you feel strong shaking from a large earthquake, remember that the time you have to respond before the tsunami arrives could be minutes. Receding water could be a sign of an impending tsunami wave to follow. Do not wait for sirens or cell phone alarms, because the tsunami could occur before there is time for those alerts to be sent. Immediately head for higher ground, and wait for emergency management agencies to sound the all-clear before returning to the shoreline.
Volcano Activity Updates
Kīlauea has been erupting episodically within the summit caldera since December 23, 2024. Its USGS Volcano Alert level is WATCH.
Episode 29 of the Kīlauea summit eruption in Halemaʻumaʻu crater occurred on July 20. Summit region inflation since the end of episode 29, along with persistent tremor, suggests that another episode is possible. Current inflation data indicate that episode 30 is likely to start between July 31 and August 3. Sulfur dioxide emission rates are elevated in the summit region during active eruption episodes. No unusual activity has been noted along Kīlauea’s East Rift Zone or Southwest Rift Zone.
Mauna Loa is not erupting. Its USGS Volcano Alert Level is at NORMAL.
No earthquakes were reported felt in the Hawaiian Islands during the past week.
HVO continues to closely monitor Kīlauea and Mauna Loa.
Please visit HVO’s website for past Volcano Watch articles, Kīlauea and Mauna Loa updates, volcano photos, maps, recent earthquake information, and more. Email questions to askHVO@usgs.gov.
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MIL-OSI Russia: An exhibition of xylographic works “Mountains and Rivers of China” opened in the capital of Armenia
Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Yerevan, July 31 /Xinhua/ — The opening of the exhibition “Mountains and Rivers of China” took place at the Yerevan History Museum on Thursday. It features 40 unique works by one of the most prominent representatives of the new Chinese xylography of the 20th century, Shao Keping.
Shao Keping’s works, through the power of visual storytelling, allow visitors to experience the depth and vitality of Chinese artistic heritage.
The exhibition is organized in cooperation with the Ningbo Museum in China, in accordance with a memorandum signed last year, and will run until September 24. Visitors were greeted in a video message by Zhang Liang, director of the Ningbo Museum, who noted that the current event is not only an important step in promoting the Belt and Road Initiative, but also a successful example of cultural interaction.
Sun Ni, Executive Secretary of the Armenian-Chinese Partnership Center, who attended the opening of the exhibition, emphasized that thanks to cultural ties, residents of the two countries can communicate more closely and get to know each other better.
In 2024, the exhibitions “Armenia – the Land of Noah” and “Pomegranate in Bloom” were held in the Chinese cities of Guangzhou, Xi’an and Ningbo. According to the director of the Yerevan History Museum Gevorg Orbelyan, about 120 exhibits from the museum are planned to be presented in China next year. –0–
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
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MIL-OSI Russia: 44 dead, 9 missing after recent rains in Beijing
Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, July 31 (Xinhua) — The death toll from recent heavy rainfall in Beijing has risen to 44, with nine people still missing, city authorities said at a press conference on Thursday.
Beijing Vice Mayor Xia Linmao said 31 people died at a care center for the elderly in Taishitun Township, Miyun District.
The recent flooding in Beijing affected more than 300,000 residents and damaged about 24,000 homes. Heavy rainfall mainly hit the northern mountainous areas, where the infrastructure of 40 townships and townships and 312 administrative villages was seriously damaged.
According to Xia Linmao, heavy rains triggered flash floods of devastating force, aggravated by a sharp increase in water inflow from upper rivers.
From July 23 to 29, the Chinese capital was hit by prolonged and intense rainfall, which hit mountainous areas such as Miyun, Huairou, Yanqing and Pinggu districts the hardest, causing flash floods.
According to Xia Linmao, on the evening of July 26, due to sudden torrential rain, Beijing authorities immediately issued the highest level of “red” warning in the affected areas and activated the first level of emergency response, issuing alerts and safety recommendations for the population. Emergency rescue operations were promptly organized, during which 104 thousand people were evacuated. Thanks to search and rescue operations, it was possible to rescue more than 5,400 people who were trapped due to the disaster. The vice mayor added that assistance to the victims is currently ongoing.
Xia Linmao also said that 364 of the 424 damaged rural highways have been cleared so far, and all major highways are scheduled to be fully reopened to traffic by Thursday. Emergency water supply has been restored to all affected administrative villages, and electricity has been restored to 105 of the 213 villages that experienced power outages. –0–
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
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MIL-OSI Submissions: Global Bodies – World Conference of Speakers of Parliament calls for renewed global unity amid rising crises – IPU
Source: Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU)Thursday 31 July 2025, Geneva, Switzerland – Parliamentary leaders from some 120 countries gathered at the United Nations Office at Geneva for the Sixth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament, a summit convened every five years by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in partnership with the United Nations (UN).
The Conference, regarded as the world’s top parliamentary forum, was held from 29 to 31 July 2025. It gathered hundreds of participants, including 102 Speakers of Parliament, 34 Deputy Speakers, MPs, diplomats, UN officials, experts, and representatives from civil society, academia and the media.
The Conference took place amid rising global tensions and regional conflicts. After three days of debate and negotiations, the Speakers adopted a Declaration outlining the key transitions that are needed to advance peace, justice and prosperity, underpinned by a renewed commitment to deepen parliamentary engagement with the United Nations through a call for stronger and more effective multilateralism.
The Declaration highlights the need for greater collaboration and enhanced political will to tackle issues including climate change, armed conflict, economic instability and digital transformation. Parliamentary leaders underscored the view that global challenges require coordinated responses and solidarity among nations.
The Speakers also stressed the need to restore public trust in democracy and in its key institutions. The Declaration urges governments to fully integrate the UN Sustainable Development Goals into national policy, to tackle the rise in misinformation, and to ensure that legislation is grounded in science and evidence.
Security, the parliamentarians declared, should not be viewed solely through a military lens. Instead, they called for a broader approach that addresses the root causes of insecurity, from poverty and inequality to environmental decline.
Gender equality was a central theme, shaped in part by the 15th Summit of Women Speakers of Parliament, which preceded the Conference. The Summit, co-hosted by the IPU and the Swiss Parliament, reinforced calls to put women’s empowerment and gender parity at the heart of efforts to build peace and foster innovation.
Discussions in Geneva covered the need for economic reform, with parliamentary leaders supporting a shift towards sustainable, people-centred models. The Declaration advocates for investment in the green and care sectors and calls for greater protection of vulnerable populations.
As part of its forward-looking agenda, the Conference also called for stronger regulation of artificial intelligence and digital technologies, ensuring they are governed responsibly and used peacefully, with respect for fundamental rights and for the benefit of all of society.
Quotes:
Michael Douglas, actor, activist and UN Messenger of Peace, opening the Conference, said: “When your faith is in short supply… look to [the] dreamers. To progress, and those who make it possible. Most of all: look to one another. To leaders willing to choose compromise over ego. To parliaments that act as lighthouses, amidst a tempest of authoritarianism. To legislative bodies, struggling towards inclusive democracy – but refusing to give up. And to the parliamentarians not just in here, but out there, linking arms with the people in the fight against cruelty, against corruption, against kings.”
Tulia Ackson, IPU President, said: “We are all products of our communities and of our interaction with others, starting with our parents, day after day, for our entire lives. In Africa we express this idea in one word: Ubuntu. Which roughly means: I am, because you are. Likewise, there is no such thing as a nation that can live and prosper in isolation from the rest of the world. There can be no national interest defined in total juxtaposition to what is good for the world as a whole. Now more than ever, as the world has grown smaller and more interdependent, countries need to work together to find solutions to their common problems.”
Maja Riniker, President of the National Council of Switzerland, said: “We must put gender equality at the very centre of peace and security, now. Conflicts disproportionately affecting women and girls, gender-based violence used as a weapon of war have to stop. Women must be in peace negotiations and peace processes equally with men. We must ensure they are not only present but empowered, supported and resourced to take decisions at every stage of diplomacy, conflict prevention, negotiations, and post-conflict recovery. We must also ensure that international humanitarian law is upheld and that the consequences of conflict are addressed in a gender-responsive manner.”
Tatiana Valovaya, Director General of the UN Office at Geneva, said: “The United Nations deeply values its cooperation with parliaments, which are the beating heart of democracy. Parliamentary leadership is indispensable to the multilateral system: you craft laws, shape budgets, and hold governments to account. We are very pleased that the new era for the Assembly Hall starts with this World Conference.”
Martin Chungong, IPU Secretary General, concluding, said: “Looking at the number of Speakers and other high-level parliamentarians who have gathered here in Geneva and spoken so passionately over the past two days about their priorities to build a better world, I am filled with a renewed hope. A renewed belief that there is a future for the multilateral system that the UN has been building for 80 years… and the IPU for 136 years. A belief that we are stronger together, that dialogue and diplomacy are better tools for solving problems than bullets and bombs, and that parliaments can play a key role in reinvigorating global cooperation.”
The IPU is the global organization of national parliaments. It was founded in 1889 as the first multilateral political organization in the world, encouraging cooperation and dialogue between all nations. Today, the IPU comprises 181 national Member Parliaments and 15 regional parliamentary bodies. It promotes peace, democracy and sustainable development. It helps parliaments become stronger, younger, greener, more innovative and gender-balanced. It also def
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MIL-OSI Submissions: Economics – US tariffs prompt GlobalData to revise India economic growth forecast down to 6.5% in July 2025
Source: GlobalDataFollowing the news that the US will impose 25% tariffs on all Indian imports starting from 1 August 2025.
Ramnivas Mundada, Director of Economic Research and Companies at GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company, offers his view:
“These significant tariffs, coupled with penalties linked to India’s dealings with Russian energy and military supplies, pose serious challenges for key export sectors, including electronics, pharmaceuticals, automobiles, and textiles. Compounding these issues, six Indian companies have recently been sanctioned by the US Department of State for engaging in petroleum trade with Iran. Against this backdrop, GlobalData has revised its 2025 economic growth forecast for India from 6.6% in March 2025 to 6.5% in July 2025.
“The Indian stock market initially reacted sharply to the trade tariff announcement, with the Nifty50 falling below 24,700—down 189 points—and the BSE Sensex dropping 600 points in early trading on July 31, 2025. The MSCI India Index also recorded its weakest monthly performance since February, reflecting heightened investor concerns around trade tensions and export sector exposure. However, market sentiment has since steadied, suggesting that investors have largely absorbed the initial shock and are now recalibrating expectations considering the evolving trade landscape.
“The rupee also weakened significantly in response to the tariff announcement, experiencing its largest one-day decline since May 2025 and falling past the 87 level against the US dollar on 30 July 2025.
“According to ITC Trade Map data, exports of electrical machinery and equipment, gems and jewelry, pharmaceuticals, machinery and mechanical appliances, and mineral fuels collectively represented over 51% of India’s exports to the US in 2024. Additionally, the possibility of manufacturing operations relocating to other Asian countries with lower tariffs poses a significant threat to India’s standing as a manufacturing hub.
“In conclusion, the ongoing stalemate in trade negotiations between the US and India underscores the complexities of their relationship. With the US justifying tariffs due to India’s high trade barriers and procurement of Russian goods, both nations face significant challenges ahead. As a US delegation prepares to visit India on 25 August 2025, for the sixth round of talks, achieving a mutually beneficial agreement is crucial for fostering stronger ties and ensuring the resilience of the Indian economy in an evolving global landscape.”
About GlobalData
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MIL-OSI Submissions: East Europe – €12 Million Investment Brings Moldova’s First ibis Styles Hotel to Chișinău
Source: Invest Moldova AgencyA New Urban Hospitality Hub to Open in Fall 2025 as Part of the “German Village” Concept
Chișinău, Republic of Moldova – July 31, 2025 – Amid a surge in tourism and international travel, Moldova is set to welcome its first ibis Styles hotel, part of the renowned Accor Group, a global leader in the hospitality industry. Scheduled to open in fall 2025, the project represents a €12 million investment and marks a new milestone in the development of Moldova’s HORECA and tourism infrastructure.
The hotel is a flagship component of the “German Village” urban concept, developed by Regata Imobiliare SRL, and is strategically located on the main road to Chișinău International Airport (RMO)—one of Europe’s most dynamic airports in its category, with a 48.3% increase in passenger traffic in the first half of 2025 alone, totaling over 2.45 million travelers.
“The opening of ibis Styles Chișinău marks a defining moment in the evolution of tourism in the Republic of Moldova. Through this project, we are contributing to the creation of a new hub of economic and touristic appeal, offering guests a hospitality experience that meets international standards in a creative and inclusive space. We are proud to be part of a project with such a broad and forward-looking vision for the urban future of Chișinău,”
– Natalia Dubina, General Manager, ibis Styles Chișinău.“We are encouraged by the growing investment in Moldova’s tourism sector, reflecting the country’s rising profile as an attractive destination for the millions of visitors it welcomes each year.”
– Natalia Bejan, Director, Invest Moldova Agency
With a modern design inspired by tennis—echoing the creative identity of the wider development—the hotel will feature:
- 100 contemporary rooms
- A modular event center (200+ m²)
- A restaurant with bar and terrace
- A fitness area
- 45 parking spaces.
The investment has already generated approximately 50 new jobs and is expected to attract international hospitality expertise to Moldova, further supporting local economic development.
This launch also signals Moldova’s increasing attractiveness for global hospitality groups and highlights the country’s potential to emerge as a competitive destination in Central and Eastern Europe, driven by sustainable, functional, and socially impactful development.
Recent sector tr
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MIL-OSI Submissions: Aviation – Lufthansa Group increases Adjusted EBIT by 27 percent in the second quarter and confirms full-year forecast
Source: Lufthansa Group- Adjusted EBIT improves to EUR 871 million, net profit more than doubles to over 1 billion euros
- Low oil prices have a positive impact on results
- Demand from the US remains strong despite weakness of the US dollar, further growth on the North Atlantic
- Lufthansa Cargo doubles quarterly result compared with previous year
- Lufthansa Technik posts record result in first half of year
- Unit cost increase reflects ongoing high cost inflation and higher location costs in home markets
- Full-year forecast reaffirmed despite uncertainties.
Carsten Spohr, Chairman of the Executive Board and CEO of Deutsche Lufthansa AG: “The Lufthansa Group remains on course. Although the second quarter was again marked by geopolitical crises and economic uncertainties, we are today confirming our positive outlook for the full year. However, 2025 will remain a year of transformation for us, as delays in aircraft deliveries, certifications, and engine overhauls continue. The disproportionate burden on European airlines due to unilateral EU regulations also continues to put us at a disadvantage in global competition.
In this challenging environment, we were able to increase our operating result by almost a third in the second quarter and double the Lufthansa Group result. The basis for this economic success is and remains the regained operational stability of our airlines. Thanks to the tremendous commitment of our employees on board and on the ground, we are now able to report positive operating results for the first six months of the year. Our core brand achieved its best stability and punctuality figures since 2016. This not only significantly improved customer satisfaction but also had a noticeable impact on earnings due to lower compensation payments.
Lufthansa Cargo and Lufthansa Technik once again demonstrated their global leading performance in the first half of 2025. It is also encouraging that our investment in ITA Airways is already contributing to the Group’s financial success.
We are continuing our necessary efforts to increase efficiency, productivity, and profitability, particularly in the turnaround of our core brand, in order to expand our position as the world’s largest airline group outside the US.”
Results
In the second quarter of 2025, the Lufthansa Group increased its revenue by three percent year-on-year to 10.3 billion euros (previous year: 10.0 billion euros). The Lufthansa Group generated an operating profit (Adjusted EBIT) of 871 million euros (previous year: 686 million euros). The improvement in earnings was mainly due to the four percent expansion of the flight program in the passenger business, a positive result from the investment in ITA Airways of 91 million euros, partly due to currency effects, and the doubling of the operating result of the logistics business segment compared to the previous year. As a result, the operating margin increased by 1.5 percentage points year-on-year in the second quarter. The Group net result was 1.01 billion euros, more than double the previous year’s figure (469 million euros). This disproportionate increase was due to extraordinary tax effects and currency effects.
Passenger numbers and traffic development
In the first half of the year, more than 61 million passengers flew with the airlines of the Lufthansa Group, an increase of two percent compared with 2024. In the second quarter alone, the airlines welcomed around 37 million passengers (previous year: 35.9 million) on board. Despite a four percent increase in seat capacity, the load factor remained stable compared with the previous year at 82 percent.
The passenger airlines’ revenue per available seat kilometer (RASK) declined slightly by 0.9 percent in the second quarter compared with 2024 after adjusting for currency effects. This was primarily due to lower average prices in the European business as a result of intensifying competition. In contrast, average revenues from intercontinental traffic remained stable despite a market-wide expansion of capacity. Unit costs (CASK) excluding fuel and emissions expenses rose by 4.1 percent compared with the same quarter last year due to ongoing cost inflation, driven in particular by personnel and location costs.
Overall, revenue from passenger airlines rose by three percent to 8.2 billion euros in the second quarter (previous year: 8.0 billion euros). Adjusted EBIT increased to 690 million euros (previous year: 581 million euros). All airlines generated a positive result in the second quarter.
In the first half year, revenue for the passenger airlines totaled 14.1 billion euros, representing growth of around four percent compared with the previous year. Adjusted EBIT improved to -244 million euros (first half of 2024: -337 million euros). The positive development is mainly attributable to lower fuel costs, higher income from investments, and the absence of financial strike-related expenses in the previous year. In contrast to the first half of 2024, network stability also improved significantly, resulting in a 106 million euros reduction in financial expenses due to flight irregularities.
The integration of ITA Airways, in which the Lufthansa Group holds a 41 percent stake in the first phase, is continuing to progress. The benefits for customers are already clearly noticeable. Since the beginning of July, the airlines of the Lufthansa Group and ITA Airways have harmonized the benefits for their respective status customers, such as mutual lounge access, priority boarding, and conditions for additional baggage.
Also since July, flights from Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, and Brussels Airlines can be combined with long-haul flights from ITA Airways in a single booking. This has been possible for short- and medium-haul flights since March.
Starting in September, ITA Airways guests will be able to store their travel profile electronically in the Lufthansa Group Travel ID and benefit from the associated digital customer services of the Lufthansa Group.
Lufthansa Airlines continues to implement Turnaround program
Lufthansa Airlines’ Turnaround program remains on track. Increasing operational stability forms the foundation for the success of this program. Significant progress has already been made in this regard: punctuality and reliability achieved their best figures in ten years in the first six months. At the same time, revenues increased. Revenue from flight-related ancillary services rose by more than 25 percent in the first half of the year. In addition, structural measures have been initiated with the announced closure of the customer service center in Peterborough (Canada) and the associated reduction in personnel, which will make Lufthansa Airlines more efficient in the long term. The Turnaround measures are expected to have a gross earnings effect of 1.5 billion euros in 2026 and 2.5 billion euros in 2028.
Lufthansa Technik at record levels in the first half of the year, Lufthansa Cargo doubles its second quarter result compared with the previous year
The sustained high demand for air travel is leading to a further increase in demand for maintenance and repair services. Lufthansa Technik’s revenue rose by eight percent to 2.0 billion euros in the second quarter (same quarter last year: 1.8 billion euros). Ongoing material shortages, the US dollar exchange rate and increased US tariffs led to a ten percent increase in expenses compared with the same quarter last year. Nevertheless, Lufthansa Technik achieved an Adjusted EBIT of 310 million euros in the first half of 2025, once again setting a new record.
Lufthansa Cargo continued the positive trend of the first three months of the year in the second quarter. With an Adjusted EBIT of 73 million euros, the operating result in the second quarter doubled compared with the previous year (second quarter of 2024: 36 million euros). High demand for Asian e-commerce shipments and capacity bottlenecks in sea freight traffic led to an increase in demand and thus a higher load factor for Lufthansa Cargo. Since June 2025, Lufthansa Cargo has been marketing the freight capacity of ITA Airways’ South American routes to Rome. Lufthansa Cargo plans to gradually expand the marketing of belly capacity to all continental and intercontinental routes of the Italian airline. This will further consolidate Lufthansa Cargo’s route network.
Balance sheet strengthened, debt reduced
The Lufthansa Group’s operating cashflow amounted to around 2.8 billion euros in the first half of the year (previous year: 2.7 billion euros). Net investments remained at the previous year’s level at 1.6 billion euros. Overall, the Lufthansa Group generated an Adjusted Free Cashflow of 1.04 billion euros (previous year: 878 million euros).
Net debt decreased slightly to 5.5 billion euros compared with the end of 2024 (December 31, 2024: 5.7 billion euros). Net pension obligations fell by 400 million euros to 2.2 billion euros due to the higher discount rate. The Lufthansa Group’s available liquidity increased by 100 million euros compared with the beginning of the year to 11.1 billion euros.
Till Streichert, Chief Financial Officer of Deutsche Lufthansa AG: “We continue to operate in a volatile environment with high uncertainty and high cost pressure. I am therefore pleased to be able to present another quarterly result that is significantly above the previous year and to report progress in our Turnaround program. In our assessment, opportunities and risks are balanced. We therefore continue to expect a full year 2025 result significantly above the previous year and Adjusted Free Cashflow at approximately the previous year’s level. We thereby confirm our guidance. At the same time, we are closely monitoring macroeconomic developments and can respond flexibly to changes in the business environment.”
Outlook
Global demand for air travel remains strong. However, geopolitical crises and macroeconomic uncertainties, particularly commodity price and exchange rate volatility, are affecting the accuracy of forecasts for the rest of the year. In addition, the tendency of many travelers to book at shorter notice is limiting visibility for the second half of the year.
Despite ongoing global uncertainties, the Lufthansa Group is reaffirming its forecast for the full year and expects operating profit (Adjusted EBIT) to be significantly higher than last year (previous year: 1.6 billion euros) with capacity growth of around four percent.
The company continues to expect Adjusted Free Cashflow to remain at the previous year’s level (previous year: 840 million euros). This includes net investments of 2.7 to 3.3 billion euros, primarily for the ongoing fleet renewal.
Among other things, this will finance the remaining payments for the first Boeing 787-9 long-haul aircraft at the group’s largest hub in Frankfurt. By the end of the year, up to ten of these ‘Dreamliner’ with the new Allegris seat generation are expected to be added to the group’s fleet. In summer 2026, Lufthansa Airlines plans to operate a total of 15 Boeing 787-9 s from Frankfurt, more than doubling the number of aircraft offering the Lufthansa Allegris premium product to customers.
Further information
Further information on the results of individual business segments will be published in the report for the second quarter of 2025. This will be published simultaneously with this press release on July 31 at 7:00 a.m. CEST at https://investor-relations.lufthansagroup.com/en/financial-reports-publications/financial-reports.html.
Traffic figures for the second quarter of 2025 will also be published at 7:00 a.m. CEST at https://investor-relations.lufthansagroup.com/en/financial-reports-publications/traffic-figures.html.
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MIL-OSI China: Lithuanian Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas resigns
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Lithuanian Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas on Thursday informed the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party’s board of his decision to resign.
According to the Baltic News Service (BNS), the announcement comes ahead of a planned vote by the party’s executive board on Thursday.
Paluckas’ decision follows a warning issued by Saulius Skvernelis, Speaker of the Seimas and leader of the Democratic Union “For Lithuania,” who stated that his party would withdraw from the governing coalition if Paluckas remained in office.
Paluckas is also stepping down as the chairman of the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party (LSDP) and Mindaugas Sinkevicius, the mayor of Jonava District and Paluckas’ former first deputy will take over the leadership, party sources confirmed to BNS on Thursday.
Sinkevicius stated that he has no intention of seeking the prime minister’s post following Gintautas Paluckas’ resignation and promised that the party will nominate a new candidate without delay.
It remains unclear who the Social Democrats will nominate for the new prime minister, with the names of the first deputy speaker of the Seimas, Juozas Olekas, and Social Security and Labor Minister Inga Ruginiene mentioned in the political corridors.
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda welcomed Paluckas’ decision to resign as prime minister, describing the step as the only right choice.
Under the Constitution of Lithuania, the entire Cabinet must step down along with the prime minister.
Since Paluckas is named as prime minister in the current center-left coalition agreement, a new agreement will also need to be negotiated.
Paluckas announced his resignation amid two pre-trial investigations into his business dealings and controversy surrounding his involvement in business, ties to certain businesspeople and failure to pay damages owed to the Vilnius municipality.
Paluckas said that he does not feel he made any serious mistakes but wants to prevent the governing coalition and cabinet from becoming hostages to the political scandals surrounding him.
“Seeing how these escalating scandals are bogging down the work of the government, I believe I cannot allow our ruling coalition and cabinet to become hostages to these controversies. That’s why I have decided to take a swift and firm decision,” Paluckas said in a statement released by the party.
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MIL-OSI China: China seeks to deepen dialogue, consultations with US
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
China looks forward to deepening dialogue and consultations with the United States to seek more mutually beneficial outcomes, Ministry of Commerce spokesperson He Yadong said on Thursday.
The spokesperson made the remarks while responding to a media question about the recent China-U.S. trade talks held in Stockholm, Sweden.
The two sides held candid, in-depth and constructive exchanges on China-U.S. economic and trade relations, macroeconomic policies, and other topics of mutual concern. Both sides reviewed and acknowledged the consensus reached in Geneva and implementation of the framework established in London, the spokesperson said.
Based on the consensus reached during the Stockholm talks, both sides will continue to push for extending the suspension of 24 percent of the U.S. reciprocal tariffs, along with China’s corresponding countermeasures, for an additional 90 days, he said.
The consensus is expected to help further stabilize China-U.S. economic and trade relations and inject more certainty into global economic development and stability, he said.
China looks forward to working with the United States in accordance with the important consensus reached by the two heads of state to maximize the effectiveness of the bilateral economic and trade consultation mechanism, the spokesperson added.
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MIL-OSI China: 14 years on, veteran Wang still chasing elusive world title
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Fourteen years after making his debut at the World Aquatics Championships, China’s Wang Shun knows that winning a world title is becoming increasingly challenging. But the 31-year-old former Olympic champion is not ready to give up just yet.
Wang, who captured gold in the 200m individual medley at the Tokyo 2020, finished seventh in Thursday’s final, clocking 1:57.92 – well off his personal best of 1:54.62 and slower than the 1:56.00 that earned him bronze at last year’s Paris Olympics.
Wang Shun of China competes during the men’s 200m individual medley final of swimming at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, July 31, 2025. (Xinhua/Wu Zhizun)
“I don’t think I was fully activated today,” Wang said. “I felt a bit soft overall. At the start, I didn’t push out strongly or decisively enough.”
His journey on the world stage began in 2011 in Shanghai, where the 17-year-old Wang finished 18th in his signature event – the men’s 200m individual medley – as American Ryan Lochte set a then-world record of 1:54.00.
That mark was shattered on Wednesday by France’s Leon Marchand, who clocked 1:52.69 in the semifinals, raising the bar even higher for the next generation.
“It’s been an emotional journey,” Wang said. “Back in 2011, Lochte broke the world record – that was a benchmark for me to chase. Now in my eighth Worlds, Marchand breaks it again. There’s always someone ahead to catch up with. That’s what keeps us moving forward.”
Marchand, just 23 years old, now holds both the 200m and 400m IM world records and has already secured four Olympic gold medals and six world titles.
“First of all, congratulations to Marchand for breaking the world record – it’s an incredibly inspiring result,” Wang said. “It’s truly an unbelievable performance and really uplifting for all of us.”
While Wang remains the only Asian man to have ever won Olympic gold in the 200m IM, a world title still eludes him. He previously earned bronze in the event at the 2015 Kazan and 2017 Budapest championships.
“This is already my eighth World Championships,” Wang said. “Every time, I can feel how opponents and the field are evolving. Especially after last year’s Olympics, everyone seems to have stepped up. In the 200m IM, the overall level has risen really quickly. Sometimes I just have to sigh in awe – the rate of progress in this sport is incredibly fast.”
Asked if he still dreams of winning a world title, Wang smiled. “Chasing dreams and staying passionate – that’s what matters most,” he said. “We need to face challenges, fatigue, and worry with courage, and keep a brave heart moving forward.”
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MIL-OSI Russia: Moscow Metro – Moscow has updated the design of its metro map
Source: Moscow Metro
Moscow has updated the design of its metro map. Now, only smooth lines are used for the design, and large parks within walking distance from the metro are depicted on the map. The last time the map’s design was radically changed was in 2013.
Moscow Metro. The Moscow Department of Transport has unveiled the updated map of the capital’s metro. Among the main changes: only smooth lines are used for the schematic representation, and large parks within walking distance from the metro are shown on the map. Maksim Liksutov, Deputy Mayor of Moscow for Transport and Industry, noted that the innovations are aimed at making the map more convenient for passengers.
According to Liksutov, some elements on the map have been introduced for the first time in 90 years; the last time its design was radically changed was in 2013. The new map was prepared for the opening of the new section of the Line 16, Novatorskaya — ZIL.
“This year, we will change the design of the metro map for the convenience of users. A total of more than 38 thousand maps will be placed for the opening of the new section of the Troitskaya line. The design was developed taking into account feedback from passengers, and the new approach to creating navigation will allow Muscovites and tourists to read information even faster,” – commented the Deputy Mayor.
The Moscow Metro is the largest in Europe in terms of passenger traffic and ranks second in the world in this indicator. The metro development program provides for the construction of 31 more stations in Moscow by 2030.
Currently, work continues on the construction of the Lines 16 and 17, as well as the Dostoevskaya station of the Circle Line. Additionally, design work is underway for the Line 18 and the extension of the Line 3 with the construction of a new terminal station, Golyanovo.
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MIL-OSI Russia: Financial news: Three Federal Treasury deposit auctions will take place on 01.08.2025
Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: Moscow Exchange – Moscow Exchange –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Application selection parameters Date of the selection of applications 01.08.2025 Unique identifier of the application selection 32025016 Deposit currency rubles Type of funds funds of the Social Fund of Russia (funds of the ROOSS) Maximum amount of funds placed in bank deposits, million monetary units 237 862 Placement period, in days 129 Date of deposit 01.08.2025 Refund date 08.12.2025 Interest rate for placement of funds (fixed or floating) Floating Minimum fixed interest rate for placement of funds, % per annum – Basic floating interest rate for placement of funds Ruonmds Minimum spread, % per annum 0.00 Terms of conclusion of a bank deposit agreement (fixed-term, replenishable or special) Special Minimum amount of funds placed for one application, million monetary units 1 Maximum number of applications from one credit institution, pcs. 5 Application selection form (open or closed) Open Application selection schedule (Moscow time) Venue for the selection of applications PAO Moscow Exchange Applications accepted: from 16:00 to 16:10 *Preliminary applications: from 16:00 to 16:05 *Competition mode applications: from 16:05 to 16:10** **Time interval for the end of accepting applications (seconds): 120 Formation of a consolidated register of applications: from 16:10 to 16:20 Setting a cut-off percentage rate and/or recognizing the selection of applications as unsuccessful: from 16:10 to 16:30 Submission to credit institutions of an offer to conclude a bank deposit agreement: from 16:30 to 17:20 Receiving acceptance of an offer to conclude a bank deposit agreement from credit institutions: from 16:30 to 17:20 Deposit transfer time In accordance with the requirements of paragraph 63 and paragraph 64 of the Order of the Federal Treasury dated 04/27/2023 No. 10n * for the open form of selection of applications from credit institutions for the conclusion of bank deposit agreements.
** the end time for accepting applications from credit institutions to conclude bank deposit agreements is set within the time interval and is determined by the exchange’s information software and hardware arbitrarily, within the established time interval.
RUONmDS = RUONIA – DS, where
RUONIA – the value of the indicative weighted rate of overnight ruble loans (deposits) RUONIA, expressed in hundredths of a percent, published on the official website of the Bank of Russia on the Internet on the day preceding the day for which interest is accrued. In the absence of a RUONIA rate value published on the day preceding the day for which interest is accrued, the last of the published RUONIA rate values is taken into account.
DS – discount – a value expressed in hundredths of a percent and rounded (according to the rules of mathematical rounding) to two decimal places, calculated by multiplying the value of the Key Rate of the Bank of Russia by the value of the required reserve ratio for other liabilities of credit institutions for banks with a universal license, non-bank credit institutions (except for long-term ones) in the currency of the Russian Federation, valid on the date for which interest is accrued, and published on the official website of the Bank of Russia on the Internet.
Application selection parameters Date of the selection of applications 01.08.2025 Unique identifier of the application selection 22025223 Deposit currency rubles Type of funds funds of the single treasury account Maximum amount of funds placed in bank deposits, million monetary units 248,000 Placement period, in days 4 Date of deposit 01.08.2025 Refund date 05.08.2025 Interest rate for placement of funds (fixed or floating) Fixed Minimum fixed interest rate for placement of funds, % per annum 17,19 Basic floating interest rate for placement of funds – Minimum spread, % per annum – Terms of conclusion of a bank deposit agreement (fixed-term, replenishable or special) Urgent Minimum amount of funds placed for one application, million monetary units 1,000 Maximum number of applications from one credit institution, pcs. 5 Application selection form (open or closed) Open Application selection schedule (Moscow time) Venue for the selection of applications PAO Moscow Exchange Applications accepted: from 09:30 to 09:40 *Preliminary applications: from 09:30 to 09:35 *Competition mode applications: from 09:35 to 09:40** **Time interval for the end of accepting applications (seconds): 120 Formation of a consolidated register of applications: from 09:40 to 09:50 Setting a cut-off percentage rate and/or recognizing the selection of applications as unsuccessful: from 09:40 to 10:00 Submission to credit institutions of an offer to conclude a bank deposit agreement: from 10:00 to 10:50 Receiving acceptance of an offer to conclude a bank deposit agreement from credit institutions: from 10:00 to 10:50 Deposit transfer time In accordance with the requirements of paragraph 63 and paragraph 64 of the Order of the Federal Treasury dated 04/27/2023 No. 10n * for the open form of selection of applications from credit institutions for the conclusion of bank deposit agreements.
** the end time for accepting applications from credit institutions to conclude bank deposit agreements is set within the time interval and is determined by the exchange’s information software and hardware arbitrarily, within the established time interval.
Application selection parameters Date of the selection of applications 01.08.2025 Unique identifier of the application selection 22025224 Deposit currency rubles Type of funds funds of the single treasury account Maximum amount of funds placed in bank deposits, million monetary units 100,000 Placement period, in days 14 Date of deposit 01.08.2025 Refund date 08/15/2025 Interest rate for placement of funds (fixed or floating) Floating Minimum fixed interest rate for placement of funds, % per annum – Basic floating interest rate for placement of funds Ruonmds Minimum spread, % per annum 0.00 Terms of conclusion of a bank deposit agreement (fixed-term, replenishable or special) Urgent Minimum amount of funds placed for one application, million monetary units 1,000 Maximum number of applications from one credit institution, pcs. 5 Application selection form (open or closed) Open Application selection schedule (Moscow time) Venue for the selection of applications PAO Moscow Exchange Applications accepted: from 12:00 to 12:10 *Preliminary applications: from 12:00 to 12:05 *Competition mode applications: from 12:05 to 12:10** **Time interval for the end of accepting applications (seconds): 120 Formation of a consolidated register of applications: from 12:10 to 12:20 Setting a cut-off percentage rate and/or recognizing the selection of applications as unsuccessful: from 12:10 to 12:30 Submission to credit institutions of an offer to conclude a bank deposit agreement: from 12:30 to 13:20 Receiving acceptance of an offer to conclude a bank deposit agreement from credit institutions: from 12:30 to 13:20 Deposit transfer time In accordance with the requirements of paragraph 63 and paragraph 64 of the Order of the Federal Treasury dated 04/27/2023 No. 10n * for the open form of selection of applications from credit institutions for the conclusion of bank deposit agreements.
** the end time for accepting applications from credit institutions to conclude bank deposit agreements is set within the time interval and is determined by the exchange’s information software and hardware arbitrarily, within the established time interval.
RUONmDS = RUONIA – DS, where
RUONIA – the value of the indicative weighted rate of overnight ruble loans (deposits) RUONIA, expressed in hundredths of a percent, published on the official website of the Bank of Russia on the Internet on the day preceding the day for which interest is accrued. In the absence of a RUONIA rate value published on the day preceding the day for which interest is accrued, the last of the published RUONIA rate values is taken into account.
DS – discount – a value expressed in hundredths of a percent and rounded (according to the rules of mathematical rounding) to two decimal places, calculated by multiplying the value of the Key Rate of the Bank of Russia by the value of the required reserve ratio for other liabilities of credit institutions for banks with a universal license, non-bank credit institutions (except for long-term ones) in the currency of the Russian Federation, valid on the date for which interest is accrued, and published on the official website of the Bank of Russia on the Internet.
Contact information for media 7 (495) 363-3232Pr@moex.kom
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
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MIL-OSI Russia: Financial News: On the Establishment of Risk Parameters in the Stock Market and Deposit Market
Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: Moscow Exchange – Moscow Exchange –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
From 01.08.2025, by decision of NPO NCC (JSC), the following risk parameters are established on the stock market and deposit market:
No. Trade code Security Minimum Restrictive Level of Market Risk Rates, % Concentration limit, pcs. Short selling ban Inclusion in the list of securities accepted as security for the fulfillment of obligations under Partially Collateralized Securities Transactions 1st level, S1_min 2nd level, S2_min 3rd level, S3_min Level 1 Level 2 1 RU000A10C8A4 Joint Stock Company “Polyplast” 50% 60% 70% 100,000 500,000 No No 2 RU000A10C8C0 Open Joint Stock Company “Russian Railways” 15% 18% 21% 800,000 4,000,000 No Yes Admission to trading with partial security is carried out in accordance with criteria for bonds.
Contact information for media 7 (495) 363-3232Pr@moex.kom
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
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MIL-OSI Russia: Financial news: 07/31/2025, 18-13 (Moscow time) the values of the upper limit of the price corridor and the range of market risk assessment for security RU000A109916 (RostelP10R) were changed.
Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: Moscow Exchange – Moscow Exchange –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
07/31/2025 18:13
In accordance with the Methodology for determining the risk parameters of the stock market and the deposit market of PJSC Moscow Exchange by NCO NCC (JSC) on July 31, 2025, 18-13 (Moscow time), the values of the upper limit of the price corridor (up to 109.83) and the range of market risk assessment (up to 1177.42 rubles, equivalent to a rate of 8.75%) of the security RU000A109916 (Rostel P10R) were changed
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
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MIL-OSI Russia: Financial news: 01.08.2025 JSC “KAVKAZ.RF” will hold a deposit auction.
Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: Moscow Exchange – Moscow Exchange –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
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Parameters Date of the deposit auction 01.08.2025 Placement currency Rub Maximum amount of funds placed (in placement currency) 600,000,000 Placement period, days 122 Date of deposit 08.08.2025 Refund date 04.12.2025 Minimum placement interest rate, % per annum 16.5 Conditions of imprisonment, urgent or special Urgent Minimum amount of funds placed for one application (in placement currency) 600,000,000 Maximum number of applications from one Participant, pcs. 1 Auction form, open or closed Open Basis of the Treaty General Agreement Schedule (Moscow time) Preliminary applications from 10:30 to 10:40 Applications in competition mode from 10:40 to 10:45 Setting a cut-off percentage or declaring the auction invalid until 10:55 Additional terms -
MIL-OSI Submissions: A Hawaiian epic made in NZ: why Jason Momoa’s Chief of War wasn’t filmed in its star’s homeland
Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Duncan Caillard, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, School of Communication Studies, Auckland University of Technology
Jason Momoa’s historical epic Chief of War, launching August 1 on Apple TV+, is a triumph of Hawaiians telling their own stories – despite the fact their film and TV production industry now struggles to be viable.
The series stars Momoa (Aquaman, Game of Thrones) as Kaʻaina, an ali’i (chief) who fights for – and later rises against – King Kamehameha I during the bloody reunification of Hawaii.
Already receiving advance praise, the nine-episode first season co-stars New Zealand actors Temeura Morrison, Cliff Curtis and Luciane Buchanan, alongside Hawaiian actors Kaina Makua, Brandon Finn and Moses Goods.
A passion project for Momoa, the Hawaiian star co-created the series with writer Thomas Pa’a Sibbett after years in development. With a reported budget of US$340 million, it is one of the most expensive television series ever produced.
It is also a milestone in Kānaka Maoli (Native Hawaiian) representation onscreen. Controversially, however, the production only spent a month in Hawaiʻi, and was mostly shot in New Zealand with non-Hawaiian crews.
Momoa has even expressed an interest in New Zealand citizenship, but the choice of location is more a reflection of the troubled state of the film industry in Hawaiʻi. On the other hand, it is a measure of the success of the New Zealand screen industry, with potential lessons for other countries in the Pacific.
Ea o Moʻolelo – story sovereignty
Set at the turn of the 19th century, Chief of War tells the moʻolelo (story, history) of King Kamehameha I’s conquest of the archipelago.
Hawaiʻi was historically governed by aliʻi nui (high chiefs), and each island was ruled independently. Motivated by the threat of European colonisation and empowered by Western weaponry, Kamehameha established the Hawaiian Kingdom, culminating in full unification in 1810.
The series is an important example of what authors Dean Hamer and Kumu Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu have called “Ea o Moʻolelo”, or story sovereignty, which emphasises Indigenous peoples’ right to control their own narrative by respecting the “the inalienable right of a story to its own unique contents, style and purpose”.
Chief of War is also the biggest Hawaiian television series ever produced. Although Hawaiʻi remains a popular setting onscreen, these productions have rarely involved Hawaiians in key decision-making roles.
Sea of troubles
The series hits screens at a time of major disruption in Hollywood, with streaming services upending established business models.
“Linear” network television faces declining viewership and advertising revenue. Movie studios struggle to draw audiences to theatres. The consequences for workers in the the industry have been severe, as the 2023 writers strike showed.
Those changes have had a catastrophic impact on the Hawaiʻi film industry, too.
Long a popular location – Hawaii Five-O (1968-1980, 2010-2020), Magnum P.I. (1980-1988, 2018-2024) and Lost (2004-2010) were all shot on location in Hawaiʻi – it is an expensive place to film.
Actors, crew and production equipment often have to be flown in from the continental United States, and producers compete with tourism for costly accommodation.
Kaina Makua as King Kamehameha and New Zealand actor Luciane Buchanan as Ka’ahumanu in Chief of War.
Apple TV+An industry in transition
These are not uncommon problems in distant locations, and many governments try to attract screen productions through tax incentives and rebates on portions of the production costs.
New Zealand, for example, offers a 20-25% rebate for international productions and 40% for local productions. Hawaiʻi offers a 22-27% rebate.
But this is less than other US states offer, such as Georgia (30%), Louisiana (40%) and New Mexico (40%). Hawaiʻi also has an annual cap of US$50 million on rebates.
To make things even harder, Hawaiʻi offers only limited support for Indigenous filmmakers. Governments in Australia and New Zealand provide targeted funding and support for Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and Māori filmmakers.
By contrast, the Hawaiʻi Film Commission doesn’t provide direct grants to local filmmakers or producers (Indigenous or otherwise). Small amounts of government funding have been administered through the Public Broadcasting Service, but this is now in jeopardy after US President Donald Trump recently cut federal funding.
The Hawaiʻi screen industry faces a perfect storm. For the first time since 2004, film and TV production has ground to a halt. Many workers now doubt the long-term sustainability of their careers.
Lessons from Aotearoa NZ
While there are lessons Hawaiʻi legislators and industry leaders could learn from New Zealand’s example, there should also be a measure of caution.
The Hawaiʻi tax credit system is out of date. But despite industry lobbying, legislation to update it failed to reach the floor of the legislature earlier this year. New tax settings would help make local production viable again.
Secondly, decades of investment in Māori cinema have seen it become diverse, engaging and creatively accomplished. Hawaiʻi could benefit from greater direct investment in Hawaiian storytelling, respecting its cultural value even if it doesn’t turn a commercial profit.
On the other hand, New Zealand has a favourable currency exchange rate with the US which can’t be replicated in Hawaiʻi. And New Zealand film production workers have seen their rights to unionise watered down compared to their American peers.
But if Hawaiʻi can get its settings right, a possible second season of Chief of War may yet be filmed there, which could mark a genuine rejuvenation of its own film industry.
Duncan Caillard 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. A Hawaiian epic made in NZ: why Jason Momoa’s Chief of War wasn’t filmed in its star’s homeland – https://theconversation.com/a-hawaiian-epic-made-in-nz-why-jason-momoas-chief-of-war-wasnt-filmed-in-its-stars-homeland-261742
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MIL-OSI Submissions: Friday essay: libertarian tech titan Peter Thiel helped make JD Vance. The Republican kingmaker’s influence is growing
Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Luke Munn, Research Fellow, Digital Cultures & Societies, The University of Queensland
The money is easy to trace. Scroll back through tech entrepreneur Peter Thiel’s political donations and you’ll soon hit US$15 million worth of transfers sent to Protect Ohio Values, JD Vance’s campaign fund. The donations, made in 2022, are a staggering contribution to an individual senate race, and helped put Vance (Thiel’s former employee at tech fund Mithril Capital) on a winning trajectory.
But if money matters, so do ideas. Scroll back through Vance’s speeches, and you’ll hear echoes of Thiel’s voice. The decline of US elites (and by extension, the nation) is supposedly a result of technological stagnation: declining innovation, trivial distractions, broken infrastructure. To make the nation great again, Thiel believes, tech should come first, corporates should be unshackled, and the state should resemble the startup. For Vance, who has now risen to the office of US vice-president, a Thiel talk on these topics at Yale Law was “the most significant moment” of his time there.
Thiel’s influence on politics is at once financial, technical and ideological. In the New York Times, he was recently described as the “most influential right-wing intellectual of the last 20 years”. And his potent cocktail of networks, money, strategy and support exerts a rightward force on the political landscape. It establishes a powerful pattern for up-and-coming figures to follow.
To “hedge fund investor” and “tech entrepreneur”, Thiel has recently added a new label: Republican kingmaker.
Who is Peter Thiel?
Thiel was born in Germany but grew up in the United States, with a childhood sojourn in apartheid South Africa. Max Chafkin’s critical but balanced biography, The Contrarian, claims Thiel was bullied growing up and protected himself by becoming resolutely “disdainful”. He studied philosophy and then law at Stanford, where he founded The Stanford Review, a libertarian–conservative student paper that signalled his early interest in controversial politics and culture wars.
While difficult to pin down precisely, Thiel’s Christianity shapes his belief in a declining or even apocalyptic world that can only be countered with unapologetic interventions and technological innovations. God helps those who help themselves – but could always use additional help from ambitious tech elites.
In 1998, Thiel cofounded his first tech company, Confinity, which launched its flagship product PayPal in 1999 and merged with Elon Musk’s X.com in 2000. In 2002, eBay bought PayPal for $1.5 billion and Thiel became a multimillionaire. He invested in several startups, including Facebook, and established his hedge fund, Clarium, and his venture capital firm, Founders Fund.
In their own ways, each of these developments is a response to Thiel’s thesis that the world is stuck. In his 2011 essay The End of the Future, he decries the “soft totalitarianism of political correctness in media and academia” and the “sordid world” of entertainment. The result is “50 years of stagnation” that has transformed humanity “into this more docile kind of a species”.
Thiel’s answer is more risk, more tech and more ambition. It’s exemplified most clearly by Palantir Technologies, the data analytics firm he cofounded in 2004.
Palantir has worked closely with US armed forces and intelligence agencies for 14 years. It is currently working closely with the Trump administration to create a “super-database” of combined data from all federal agencies, and building a platform for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) “to track migrant movements in real time”.
Investing in right-wing politics
Thiel’s political interventions have ramped up over time. Libertarianism generally takes an arms-length approach to politics in favour of individual freedom and market determination. But even in “purely” financial spaces, politics creeps in.
Clarium’s macroeconomic approach meant the political landscape had to be factored in: “high-conviction, directional investments based on key drivers of the global economy and fundamental themes underappreciated by the marketplace”.
If politics, like technology, had stagnated – into a non-choice between similar parties – how could it be “disrupted”? Thiel began making political donations in December 2011, with contributions totalling at least $2.6 million, to the third presidential campaign of Ron Paul, a longstanding conservative congressman in Texas.
While Paul would ultimately be unsuccessful, Thiel recognised something others had missed. Voters had not been attracted to some idealistic libertarian, as the media portrayed him, but to the old Ron Paul, a neoconservative whose newsletters published in his name in the 1980s and ‘90s suggested 95% of Black men in Washington DC were criminals. (He denied writing them in 2011, calling the statements “terrible”.) His appeal was never “merely” about economic freedom, but about race and class, fear and grievance.
Donald Trump took this dark undercurrent, a strain that has always underpinned parts of US politics, and ran with it. Dog-whistles were dispensed with in favour of overt claims that most illegal immigrants were rapists, certain Latin American countries were shitholes, women were bitches, and white supremacists were “very fine people”. Trump, noted one article, was “weaponizing the conservative id”.
In these visions, multiculturalism and progressivism are not just cultural threats, but economic ones. They undermine the ability of company founders to exploit labour, blow past regulations, and obey the brutal logic of the market.
“A world safe for capitalism is presumably one of monopoly companies and patriarchal networks,” note media scholars Ben Little and Alison Winch in their profile of Thiel. It’s a world “where ‘the multiculture’ has been transformed into racialised domination”.
Thiel has certainly contributed to the rise of Trump and the new breed of right-wing politicians through his vast wealth. In 2016, Thiel contributed $1.25 million to Trump’s campaign, thinking “he had a 50-50 chance of winning”. This earned him a speaking slot at the Republican convention. But his influence extends beyond mere money.
Thiel’s endorsement of Trump at the 2016 Republican convention was hugely significant for garnering support. So was his famous declaration there that he was proud to be gay, Republican and American. After Trump won his first term, Thiel continued to be involved. He joined the transition team and recommended aligned individuals for key positions, such as Michael Kratsios, who would become chief technology officer.
So, Thiel’s support of Trump should be understood as an investment, just like his early investments in PayPal and Facebook. As Chafkin notes, Thiel’s bet on Trump is a wager with high upsides and low risk. Thiel’s outspoken views in favour of “seasteading” (floating independent city-states) and against immigration and women’s emancipation had already alienated the more progressive sectors of Silicon Valley.
If the bet paid off, Thiel and his empire could benefit handsomely. And this is exactly what has played out. Since Trump has taken office in his second term, Palantir has already netted more than $113 million in federal government spending.
Palantir: from information to domination
Palantir’s origin story reflects its blend of technical expertise and political ambition. To combat rising fraud, members of PayPal developed a software tool that could mine vast amounts of transactions and find the connections between them, homing in on a handful of culprits in a deluge of data.
Thiel was prescient in spinning this core idea from finance to intelligence, where analysts were searching for patterns and anomalies amid the noise – a needle in a haystack. Palantir commercialised and expanded this concept, bringing a leaner, data-driven Silicon Valley approach to a sector dominated by established Washington incumbents.
Thiel and Palantir chief executive Alex Karp believe Silicon Valley has lost its way, frittering away its vast talents and ingenuity on trivial pursuits: advertising, gaming, social media. For them, the era of ambitious scientific projects and unapologetic military industrial collaborations – the Manhattan Project, the Moon landing — needs to be revived.
In his book, the Technological Republic, Karp calls for a state that looks more like a startup – lean, technology-driven, and led authoritatively by a founder-like figure who is not afraid to “move fast and break stuff” (the Silicon Valley motto), especially when it comes to dominating enemies and ensuring the safety of a nation’s citizens.
Palantir, of course, answers this call. It combines machine learning with military spending, data-driven “intelligence” with naked violence. This is most clear in its longstanding collaboration with ICE, which is now carrying out notorious immigration raids at the behest of the Trump administration. “On the factory floor, in the operating room, on the battlefield,” states a recent Palantir recruitment ad placed across US college campuses, “we build to dominate.”
Palantir’s blueprint has been emulated by a growing array of others. Anduril, Skydio and Shield AI are all founded on developing information technologies for military and intelligence use. Last week, Rune Technologies closed a $24 million Series A round of funding to move warfare logistics away from the “Excel era” and towards AI-augmented tools.
Answering Karp’s call, these startups are unapologetic in leveraging engineering expertise for more substantial, authoritarian and historically controversial areas.
Playing the scapegoat
One of the clearest outlines of Thiel’s political philosophy is laid out in the Straussian Moment, a 30-page essay he published in 2007.
For Thiel, the spectacular violence of the September 11 terrorist attacks was a wake-up call, rousing the citizenry from that “very long and profitable period of intellectual slumber and amnesia that is so misleadingly called the Enlightenment”.
Curtis Yarvin.
David Merfield/Wikipedia, CC BYIn Thiel’s view, the Enlightenment project – to advance knowledge, cultivate tolerance, and elevate humanity as a whole – rested on a naive understanding of human nature. Like Curtis Yarvin and other influential Silicon Valley political thinkers, he asserts that humanity is brutal and a shift from Enlightenment optimism to Dark Enlightenment pessimism is required.
It is unsurprising, then, that Thiel looks to René Girard (once called “the new Darwin of the human sciences”) for inspiration; he even organised a symposium at Stanford with Girard in attendance. Girard begins from a bleak view of human nature, a Hobbesian world where life is nasty, brutish and short. For Girard, mimesis or imitation is at the heart of the human. This mirroring quality means violence is always threatening to escalate, to constantly ramp up with no inherent limit.
To corral this violence, ancient cultures created the scapegoat, a sacrificial system where all-against-all was replaced by all-against-one. Yet the scapegoat is no longer viable – the revelation of Christ is that the scapegoat is an innocent victim.
Thiel takes Girard’s insights and twists them to his own ends. First, Thiel asserts that even if violence begets more violence, nonviolence is not an option. Enemies must not be allowed to prevail. In the face of uncompromising adversaries, such as the 9/11 attackers, who threaten to dismantle some idealised way of life, preemptively responding to violence is “urgently demanded”.
Second, Thiel takes the concept of the scapegoat and flips it. In this judo-like manoeuvre, the real victims are not the marginalised or the minority, but the hegemonic class (whites, males, liberals, conservatives), who are being pressured by cancel culture, political correctness, diversity initiatives and so on.
Shortly after graduating, Thiel coauthored a book, The Diversity Myth, about alleged political intolerance at Stanford. In it, he rails against a rampant multiculturalism that he claims stifles freedom of speech and derails education and entrepreneurialism. Here, scapegoating is weaponised. It’s mobilised toward a conservative advance in the ongoing cultural wars, which are always also political wars.
Contradiction or evolution?
Thiel is a walking paradox. He bemoans cancel culture and political correctness, while waging a highly expensive and clearly personal war to bankrupt a media outlet that offended him. (After Gawker printed the “open secret” of Thiel’s gay status in 2007, Thiel funded lawsuits against them until they were shut down.)
He calls himself a libertarian, but has founded a company that derives millions in contracts from the bloated budgets of the many military agencies (the National Security Agency, the FBI, the US Army) that now comprise the sprawling state.
He celebrates capitalism and the free hand of the market, but always stresses that the path to business success rests on establishing monopolies with no real competition. He is a German-born immigrant who actively supports technologies (Palantir) and candidates (Trump) that establish xenophobic environments and seek to deport those deemed “other”. And, most personally, he is both a conservative Republican and an openly gay man.
At a purely logical level, these elements are incompatible. There is a perceived gap between Thiel’s words and actions, a gulf between his ideologies and his activities. For staunch libertarians at Thiel’s companies, his manoeuvrings at the state level make no sense. For queer scholars, Thiel’s exclusionary rather than liberatory politics mean he is a man who has sex with other men, rather than being gay.
For these critics, both things cannot be true; therefore, some labels, identities and activities are fake, marginal or impossible. Yet one of Thiel’s many lessons is that contradiction is a strength rather than a weakness.
Thiel’s philosophy, which journalists have called techno-fascism, recalls philosopher Umberto Eco, who described fascism as a “beehive of contradictions” and “a collage of different philosophical and political ideas”. The radical right, in particular, has no problem mashing together many views that at face value should not fit: scavenger ideologies that are opportunistic in grabbing elements that work for them.
Instead of contradictions, these hybrid forms need to be understood as evolutions. They are tensions, held within the body and the mind of the subject, that push monolithic frameworks like conservatism beyond their existing limits. Thiel’s power – and his political blueprint for others – is insisting you can be a philosophical entrepreneur, an illiberal patriot, and a queer conservative.
Luke Munn 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. Friday essay: libertarian tech titan Peter Thiel helped make JD Vance. The Republican kingmaker’s influence is growing – https://theconversation.com/friday-essay-libertarian-tech-titan-peter-thiel-helped-make-jd-vance-the-republican-kingmakers-influence-is-growing-261856
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MIL-OSI Russia: Jianai Yumtso Lake in the National Wetland Park at an altitude of 4,500 meters
Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Jianai Yumcuo Lake, located in Jiali County, Nagchu City, Xizang Autonomous Region, was listed as a national wetland park in 2016. The total planned area of the park is 3,504.9 hectares, and its altitude reaches about 4,500 meters.
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
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MIL-OSI Russia: Film ‘Nanjing Photo Studio’ Released Simultaneously in Macao and Inland China
Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
On July 25, the film “Nanjing Photo Studio”, dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, was released simultaneously in Macao and inland China, becoming a general cinematic event.
Based on a true story, the film follows the ordinary workers of the Jixiang Photo Studio as they continue their work in Japanese-occupied Nanjing in 1937. Forced to develop photographs for the Japanese army, they discover under the red light of the darkroom negatives that depict the horrific atrocities of the invaders. The workers of the photo studio go from struggling to survive to awakening their conscience, and ultimately, risking their own lives, preserve this irrefutable evidence that reveals the whole truth. Using a unique approach, the film reveals “big history through a small slice” and exposes the crimes of the aggressors, and also praises the courage and spirit of resistance of ordinary people.
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
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