Police are appealing for witnesses to come forward after a man was shot in Tottenham.
Officers were called at 04:29hrs on Thursday, 6 February, to reports of gunshots at a property in Tottenham Green East, N15.
Police attended alongside the London Ambulance Service, and found a man in his 20s suffering from gunshot wounds. Immediate medical attention was provided. He was taken to hospital, where his injuries were assessed as non-life-threatening.
CCTV captured a suspect walking away from the scene. Detectives are keen to identify him and asking for the public’s help.
Detective Inspector Darren Jones, who is leading the investigation, said: “A man was brutally shot earlier this year in Tottenham. It’s vital that we determine exactly what happened and bring the person or people responsible for this crime to justice.
“If you recognise the man caught on CCTV, we urge you to come forward and speak to us.
“A 25-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder during the course of our investigation and has been released on bail but our enquiries continue.
“I am especially keen to locate the gun used which has now been connected to four separate shootings in north London.
“Any information to help identify the suspect or the location of the gun, could be essential in helping us piece together the circumstances of this incident.”
Detectives are asking anyone who witnessed the incident – or who has relevant doorbell or CCTV footage if they were around Tottenham Green East at the time – to call 101, quoting CAD 741/06FEB. To remain anonymous, contact the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
On 9 July 2025, the general meeting of Bigbank AS resolved to extend the term of Sven Raba as a member of the Supervisory Board of Bigbank AS for a further two years, from 31 July 2025 to 30 July 2027.
Bigbank AS (www.bigbank.eu), with over 30 years of operating history, is a commercial bank owned by Estonian capital. As of 31 May 2025, the bank’s total assets amounted to 3.0 billion euros, with equity of 278 million euros. Operating in nine countries, the bank serves more than 172,000 active customers and employs 600 people. The credit rating agency Moody’s has assigned Bigbank a long-term bank deposit rating of Ba1, along with a baseline credit assessment (BCA) and an adjusted BCA of Ba2.
Argo Kiltsmann Member of the Management Board Telephone: +372 5393 0833 E-mail: argo.kiltsmann@bigbank.ee www.bigbank.ee
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are refusing to implement a government plan to move hundreds of thousands of Palestinians into a what it calls a “humanitarian city” in Rafah on Gaza’s southern border with Egypt. Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, chief of the IDF general staff said the plan was not part of the military’s operational plan for destroying Hamas and freeing the remaining hostages.
Army reservists have reportedly also complained that the plan amounts to a war crime. In my view as an expert in international law, they are correct. Forcibly relocating a population is prohibited, even in war. It is also a crime against humanity and could even amount, under certain circumstances, to genocide.
There is some important historical context to consider before examining the legal issues at play.
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The prosecution of crimes against humanity first took place at the Nuremberg trials of surviving senior Nazis after the second world war. By that time the idea of war crimes was clearly established – but they tended to concern what you should not do to the enemy civilian population.
The problem was that the worst atrocities of the Nazis were committed against their own people – the German Jews (and many, many others too). The idea of crimes against humanity was created to fill this gap, and was used to prosecute the surviving masterminds of the Holocaust.
Conditions for a ‘crime against humanity’
Crimes against humanity are a category that contains several separate crimes. If the right conditions are there, you might talk about “the crime against humanity of murder” or the “crime against humanity of rape”. The conditions are that the underpinning crime takes place against a backdrop of a “widespread or systematic” attack on a civilian population.
The attack does not have to include a literal armed attack: apartheid, for example, was established as a crime against humanity in 1973 in response to the policies of the South African government. It is also not necessary that there is an armed conflict for a particular crime to be a crime against humanity.
This is what the Israeli government’s plan for moving Palestinians into a “humanitarian city” would appear to amount to. If the plan stopped at leaving Gazan Palestinians in Rafah then it would be “forcible transfer”, and if they were relocated to another country it would be “deportation”.
Coercion is key to the crime of forcible transfer. It’s fanciful to think that every single Gazan civilian would want to move to Rafah in circumstances where they would be security-checked on entry and thereafter forbidden from leaving.
How could a liveable city, with all the infrastructure needed, even be created? What of the dentists, doctors, teachers, lawyers, mechanics, entrepreneurs and anyone else who was able to make an honest living? Will they really be given a place to carry out their work?
Ethnic cleansing
The term “ethnic cleansing” is sometimes used to describe what is being proposed by the Israeli government. I dislike the term, and it has no meaning in law. It became a commonly used term during the 1990s conflict in the former Yugoslavia when ethnic Serbs, and in some instances ethnic Croats, expelled hundreds of thousands of people of any other ethnicity out of the territory that they held.
For this practice, the president of the former Yugoslavia, Slobodan Milošević, and a string of Bosnian Serb and Bosnian Croat leaders were charged with crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY).
Milošević died before the ICTY could deliver a verdict in his case, but many others were found guilty. The actions of the Bosnian Serb forces in the town of Srebrenica were even found by the ICTY to have been an act of genocide, because they were not just expelling non-Serbs but wiping them out: at one point in July 1995 they killed around 8,000 men and boys in just a few days.
A lot would depend on the conditions in which the Palestinians would live in the “humanitarian city”. If they were deprived of sufficient food and medical supplies in a way that could only be seen as intended to lead to their deaths, then that too could be held to qualify as an act of genocide.
Justice and accountability
It is clear to me that the forced relocation of Gazans to a “humanitarian city” would violate international law. What is not so clear cut is how to hold its instigators to account.
There are already arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and his former defence minister, Yoav Gallant. But there is no international police force and so the ICC relies on participating states to arrest suspects on its behalf. Hungary welcomed Netanyahu in April this year, while announcing it would withdraw from the ICC.
South Africa has also sought to hold the state of Israel to account at the International Court of Justice, alleging the crime of genocide. The court has yet to rule, saying only that it is plausible that acts of genocide might occur in Gaza.
Since Hamas launched its vicious attack on Isreal on the October 7 2023, there has been constant violence and massive loss of life in the region. However, the proposed “humanitarian city” is not, in my view, a lawful route to peace and stability. As for anyone actually facing justice for the many atrocities that we have seen, an international consensus in favour simply doesn’t exist. And, in the current climate, there’s little sign that it will exist any time soon.
James Sweeney 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.
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
KUNMING, July 10 (Xinhua) — Two of the five people who went missing after heavy rain hit Zhaotong City in southwest China’s Yunnan Province as of 6:40 p.m. Thursday have been confirmed dead, local authorities said.
Active search and rescue operations are underway for the three remaining missing persons.
Since 07:00 on July 8, continuous heavy rain has covered most of Zhaotong City, seriously affecting several counties including Zhenxiong, Weixin and Yongshan.
Two houses collapsed as a result of the disaster in Luobu Township, Weixin County.
Zhaotong authorities have mobilized all forces to organize emergency rescue operations. As of 7 p.m. Thursday, local authorities have already managed to evacuate more than 7,200 residents. –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.
The ongoing shift in the way we pay is affecting the fundamental fabric of our economies. Whether we are consumers browsing digital marketplaces, entrepreneurs pursuing digital innovation, or decision-makers facing the digital transition, we are all involved in reshaping payments.
Payments are more than a means of settling transactions, they are the lifeblood of a modern economy. And in a digital world, our economies will only be as competitive, inclusive, autonomous and resilient as our payments are.
Slovenia has put the digital transformation at the heart of its economic strategy, aiming to place the country among the top five most digitalised economies in Europe by 2030.An innovative and striving digital payments ecosystem can play a key role in this journey.
As a central bank, our responsibility is to accompany and enable this transition. We must ensure that the shift to digital payments enhances accessibility and efficiency, without creating fragmentation or new dependencies.
San Bernardino (Agenzia Fides) – They are being taken from the streets or public places, and even from parish churches. In California, the policy of the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which carries out hundreds of arrests and deportations, has prompted the Bishop of the Diocese of San Bernardino, located just a few kilometers from Los Angeles, to take action.In recent days, in an open letter, Bishop Alberto Rojas expressed his dismay at some government arrests considered arbitrary, which are also said to have taken place in some parishes in the diocese. “While we respect and value the right of law enforcement to protect our communities from violent offenders,” the letter reads, “we are now seeing officers arrest people as they leave their homes, workplaces, and other randomly selected public places. We have experienced at least one instance in which U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents entered the property of a parish and arrested several individuals. It should not be surprising that this is causing a tremendous amount of fear, confusion, and anxiety for many people.”The recent arrests have so intimidated people that many are avoiding going to public places, including parishes. In light of this situation, Bishop Rojas has now issued a decree exempting Catholic migrants from Sunday observances of religious observance who could be subject to ICE’s detention and deportation measures.”Considering that fear of immigration control measures, such as raids by U.S. immigration authorities, may deter some people in our diocese from fulfilling their obligation to attend Sunday and feast Masses (cf. Canon 1247),” it states, “and recognizing that such fear constitutes a serious obstacle that can harm the spiritual well-being of the faithful, I decree the following: All the faithful of the Diocese of San Bernardino who are unable to attend Sunday Mass due to genuine fear of immigration enforcement measures are hereby released from this obligation, in accordance with the provisions of Canon 1247, until this decree is revoked or modified.”At the same time, in his dispensation, the bishop asks “those who are exempt from attending Holy Mass to maintain their spiritual communion with Christ and the Church by saying their personal prayer, reading Sacred Scripture, or participating in devotions such as the Rosary. If possible, the faithful may also attend live-streamed Masses.Parish priests, assistant parish priests, and other pastoral ministers, the provision further states, “must offer compassionate support to those affected by this anxiety and ensure that they feel welcomed and safe in our parishes. I urge parishes to develop alternatives for catechesis and sacramental preparation for those who cannot attend church regularly.” (F.B.) (Agenzia Fides, 10/7/2025)
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TORONTO, July 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — BULGOLD Inc. (TSXV: ZLTO) (the “Company” or “BULGOLD”) is pleased to announce the closing of its previously announced non-brokered private placement (the “Offering”) for gross proceeds of approximately $1,076,720 from the sale of 21,534,407 common shares in the capital of the Company (each, a “Share”) at a price of $0.05 per Share (the “Issue Price”).
In consideration for the services rendered by certain arm’s length parties (the “Finders”) in connection with the Offering, the Finders received an aggregate cash fee of $7,700 and an aggregate of 154,000 finder’s warrants (the “Finder’s Warrant”). Each Finder’s Warrant entitles the holder to acquire one additional common share in the capital of the Company at an exercise price of $0.07 until January 9, 2027.
Management of the Company subscribed for $138,567 of the Offering. The issuances of Common Shares to such insiders are considered related party transactions under Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions (“MI 61-101”). The Company relied on exemptions from the formal valuation and minority approval requirements in sections 5.5(b) and 5.7(1)(b) of MI 61-101, respectively, in respect of such insider participation. The Offering remains subject to the final approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. The Shares are subject to a hold period ending on November 10, 2025.
The Company will use the proceeds from the Offering for exploration, as well as for general corporate purposes.
The securities described herein have not been, and will not be, registered under the United States Securities Act, or any state securities laws, and accordingly may not be offered or sold within the United States except in compliance with the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities requirements or pursuant to exemptions therefrom. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation to buy any securities in any jurisdiction.
About BULGOLD Inc.
BULGOLD is a gold exploration company focused on the exploration and development of mineral exploration projects in Central and Eastern Europe. The Company controls 100% of three quality quartz-adularia epithermal gold projects located in the Bulgarian and Slovak portions of the Western Tethyan Belt: the Lutila Gold Project, the Kostilkovo Gold Project and the Kutel Gold Project. Management of the Company believes that its assets show potential for high-grade, good-metallurgy, low-sulfidation epithermal gold mineralisation.
On July 10, 2025, BULGOLD’s issued and outstanding shares were 49,132,335 of which approximately 28.3% were held by Founders, Directors and Management. Additional information about the Company is available on BULGOLD’s website (www.BULGOLD.com) and on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca).
Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information
This press release contains forward‐looking statements and forward‐looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. These statements relate to future events or future performance and include statements relating to the Offering, including but not limited to, the use of proceeds, the timing and ability of the Company to receive necessary regulatory and other approvals, including the final acceptance of the Offering by the TSX Venture Exchange. All statements other than statements of historical fact may be forward-looking statements or information. The forward‐looking statements and information are based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by management of the Company. Although management of the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which such forward-looking statements and information are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward‐looking statements and information since no assurance can be given that they will prove to be correct.
Forward-looking statements and information are provided for the purpose of providing information about the current expectations and plans of management of the Company relating to the future. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such statements and information may not be appropriate for other purposes, such as making investment decisions. Since forward‐looking statements and information address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks, including the inherent uncertainty of mineral exploration; risks related to title to mineral properties; and credit, market, currency, operational, commodity, geopolitical, liquidity and funding risks generally, including changes in economic conditions, interest rates or tax rates and general market and economic conditions. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward‐looking statements and information contained in this press release. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. The forward‐looking statements and information contained in this press release are made as of the date hereof and no undertaking is given to update publicly or revise any forward‐looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by applicable securities laws. The forward-looking statements and information contained in this press release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.
VILNIUS, Lithuania, July 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — BTCC, the world’s longest-serving crypto exchange, has expanded its tokenized futures products with the addition of Pop Mart International Group Ltd. (POPMART) and WTI Crude Oil (USOIL), while integrating TradingView’s advanced technical analysis tools into its web platform.
Tokenized futures allow traders to gain exposure to traditional financial assets using cryptocurrency. BTCC now offers over 370 futures contracts, with new tokenized additions recording 1 million USDT in trading volume within their first week of launch in June 2025.
BTCC’s tokenized futures now span 49 traditional market assets across four main categories, with USDT as the trading currency:
Stocks: Tesla, Apple, Microsoft (up to 50x leverage)
Commodities: Gold, silver (up to 150x leverage)
Forex: EUR, GBP (up to 200x leverage)
Indices: S&P 500, Dow Jones (up to 50x leverage)
“We’ve been offering tokenized futures ahead of this trend, recognizing early how blockchain technology can revolutionize access to traditional markets,” said Alex Hung, Head of Operations at BTCC. “This product category seamlessly integrates traditional finance with DeFi, allowing easy access to diverse markets through a single crypto platform.”
The tokenized futures market has seen growing interest as traders seek traditional asset exposure through crypto platforms. BTCC’s approach provides leveraged trading opportunities with the convenience of trading traditional assets using cryptocurrency.
The exchange plans to continue expanding its tokenized offerings throughout 2025, with new assets being added regularly to meet growing trader demand.
About BTCC Exchange
Founded in 2011, BTCC is one of the world’s longest-serving cryptocurrency exchanges, offering secure and user-friendly trading services to millions of users globally. With a commitment to security, innovation, and community building, BTCC continues to be a trusted platform in the evolving cryptocurrency landscape.
VILNIUS, Lithuania, July 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — BTCC, the world’s longest-serving crypto exchange, has expanded its tokenized futures products with the addition of Pop Mart International Group Ltd. (POPMART) and WTI Crude Oil (USOIL), while integrating TradingView’s advanced technical analysis tools into its web platform.
Tokenized futures allow traders to gain exposure to traditional financial assets using cryptocurrency. BTCC now offers over 370 futures contracts, with new tokenized additions recording 1 million USDT in trading volume within their first week of launch in June 2025.
BTCC’s tokenized futures now span 49 traditional market assets across four main categories, with USDT as the trading currency:
Stocks: Tesla, Apple, Microsoft (up to 50x leverage)
Commodities: Gold, silver (up to 150x leverage)
Forex: EUR, GBP (up to 200x leverage)
Indices: S&P 500, Dow Jones (up to 50x leverage)
“We’ve been offering tokenized futures ahead of this trend, recognizing early how blockchain technology can revolutionize access to traditional markets,” said Alex Hung, Head of Operations at BTCC. “This product category seamlessly integrates traditional finance with DeFi, allowing easy access to diverse markets through a single crypto platform.”
The tokenized futures market has seen growing interest as traders seek traditional asset exposure through crypto platforms. BTCC’s approach provides leveraged trading opportunities with the convenience of trading traditional assets using cryptocurrency.
The exchange plans to continue expanding its tokenized offerings throughout 2025, with new assets being added regularly to meet growing trader demand.
About BTCC Exchange
Founded in 2011, BTCC is one of the world’s longest-serving cryptocurrency exchanges, offering secure and user-friendly trading services to millions of users globally. With a commitment to security, innovation, and community building, BTCC continues to be a trusted platform in the evolving cryptocurrency landscape.
TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, July 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The national payment system HUMO has announced the launch of a project for issuing its own token backed by Uzbekistan’s government bonds. The new token is issued by HUMO Digital, a subsidiary of the system. This marks an important step in advancing innovative financial solutions in the country’s economy.
The issuance of the HUMO token has been registered in the Unified Electronic Register of Crypto-Assets maintained by the National Agency for Prospective Projects of the Republic of Uzbekistan (NAPP). Oversight of the token’s collateral and its safekeeping is handled by the Asterium crypto depository. The HUMO token is backed by government bonds of Uzbekistan, which ensures its stability and protects it from sharp price fluctuations.
The HUMO token is a project of the national payment system HUMO, a key driver of Uzbekistan’s digital transformation in the financial sector. With over 35 million issued cards and deep integration into the country’s banking and retail infrastructure, HUMO plays a vital role in the everyday financial life of millions of citizens.
The token’s launch aims to attract foreign investment, simplify business payments, and enhance financial transparency. A token backed by government bonds also strengthens control over transactions and builds trust in innovative financial instruments.
The HUMO token offers several key advantages: instant and automated fiat conversion, no delays or intermediaries, lower transaction costs, and full transparency and security through blockchain-based data recording.
The goal of the current stage is to test settlement and integration mechanisms with participation from businesses and retail users, and to explore real-world use cases for the backed token in financial processes.
Looking ahead, the project plans to introduce new features for companies interested in using advanced tools for payments and operations. The HUMO token will be integrated into payment solutions and is expected to be listed on digital trading platforms. The issuance and circulation mechanisms were designed to fit seamlessly into Uzbekistan’s existing financial infrastructure.
Maqsad Mukhitdinov, Acting Chairman of the Board of the National Interbank Processing Center (operator of the HUMO national system), stated:
“The issuance of the HUMO token is a logical step in the evolution of our ecosystem, aimed at creating a secure and regulated backed asset. We seek to combine the benefits of blockchain technology with the reliability of our national payment infrastructure, ensuring user convenience and transparency.”
Komilkhuzha Sultonov, Director of Asterium, added:
“This project is more than just a tech innovation — it’s a major step toward building a transparent and resilient financial environment. It opens new opportunities for shaping the economy of the future while reinforcing Asterium’s role as a driver of digital transformation in Uzbekistan.”
About HUMO
HumoCard is a national payment system based on banking payment cards, enabling transactions both within Uzbekistan and internationally. HUMO is an integral part of the country’s payment ecosystem. It connects participants, instruments, and platforms in interbank settlements, enabling smooth domestic money transfers and interactions with foreign payment systems.
HUMO has established direct relationships with major global payment systems such as Visa, MasterCard, and UnionPay International, allowing for foreign currency operations with HUMO bank cards abroad and accepting foreign-issued cards in Uzbekistan. The system is actively expanding integrations with Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, South Korea, Turkey, Armenia, and India.
Contact: Aleksey Maksimov Chairman of the Board of the National Interbank Processing Center (NMPC) info@humocard.uz
Disclaimer: This is a paid post and is provided by HUMO token.The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform or its publisher. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. We do not guarantee any claims, statements, or promises made in this article. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or trading advice. Investing in crypto and mining-related opportunities involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital. It is possible to lose all your capital. These products may not be suitable for everyone, and you should ensure that you understand the risks involved. Seek independent advice if necessary. Speculate only with funds that you can afford to lose. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. However, due to the inherently speculative nature of the blockchain sector—including cryptocurrency, NFTs, and mining—complete accuracy cannot always be guaranteed. Neither the media platform nor the publisher shall be held responsible for any fraudulent activities, misrepresentations, or financial losses arising from the content of this press release. In the event of any legal claims or charges against this article, we accept no liability or responsibility. Globenewswire does not endorse any content on this page.
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STMicroelectronics and Metalenz Sign a New License Agreement to Accelerate Metasurface Optics Adoption
New license agreement enabling the proliferation of metasurface optics across high-volume consumer, automotive and industrial markets: from smartphone applications like biometrics, LIDAR and camera assist, to robotics, gesture recognition, or object detection.
The agreement broadens ST’s capability to use Metalenz IP to produce advanced metasurface optics while leveraging ST’s unique technology and manufacturing platform combining 300mm semiconductor and optics production, test and qualification.
Geneva, Switzerland, and Boston, MA, USA – July 10, 2025 — STMicroelectronics (NYSE: STM), a global semiconductor leader serving customers across the spectrum of electronics applications and Metalenz, the pioneer of metasurface optics, announced a new license agreement. The agreement broadens ST’s capability to use Metalenz IP to produce advanced metasurface optics while leveraging ST’s unique technology and manufacturing platform combining 300mm semiconductor and optics production, test and qualification.
“STMicroelectronics is the unique supplier on the market offering a groundbreaking combination of optics and semiconductor technology. Since 2022, we have shipped well over 140 million metasurface optics and FlightSense™ modules using Metalenz IP. The new license agreement with Metalenz bolsters our technology leadership in consumer, industrial and automotive segments, and will enable new opportunities from smartphone applications like biometrics, LIDAR and camera assist, to robotics, gesture recognition, or object detection,” underlined Alexandre Balmefrezol, Executive Vice President and General Manager of STMicroelectronics’s Imaging Sub-Group.“Our unique model, processing optical technology in our 300mm semiconductor fab, ensures high precision, cost-effectiveness, and scalability to meet the requests of our customers for high-volume, complex applications.”
“Our agreement with STMicroelectronics has the potential to further fast-track the adoption of metasurfaces from their origins at Harvard to adoption by market leading consumer electronics companies,” said Rob Devlin, co-founder and CEO of Metalenz. “By enabling the shift of optics production into semiconductor manufacturing, this agreement has the possibility to further redefine the sensing ecosystem. As use cases for 3D sensing continue to expand, ST’s technology leadership in the market together with our IP leadership solidifies ST and Metalenz as the dominant forces in the emergent metasurface market we created.”
The new license agreement aims to address the growing market opportunity for metasurface optics projected to experience significant growth to reach $2B by 2029*; largely driven by the industry’s role in emerging display and imaging applications. (*Yole Group, Optical Metasurfaces, 2024 report)
Note to editors In 2022, metasurface technology from Metalenz, which spun out of Harvard and holds the exclusive license rights to the foundational Harvard metasurface patent portfolio, debuted with ST’s market leading direct Time-of-Flight (dToF) FlightSense modules.
Replacing the traditional lens stacks and shifting to metasurface optics instead has improved the optical performance and temperature stability of the FlightSense modules while reducing their size and complexity.
The use of 300mm wafers ensures high precision and performance in optical applications, as well as the inherent scalability and robustness advantage of semiconductor manufacturing process.
About STMicroelectronics At ST, we are 50,000 creators and makers of semiconductor technologies mastering the semiconductor supply chain with state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities. An integrated device manufacturer, we work with more than 200,000 customers and thousands of partners to design and build products, solutions, and ecosystems that address their challenges and opportunities, and the need to support a more sustainable world. Our technologies enable smarter mobility, more efficient power and energy management, and the wide-scale deployment of cloud-connected autonomous things. We are on track to be carbon neutral in all direct and indirect emissions (scopes 1 and 2), product transportation, business travel, and employee commuting emissions (our scope 3 focus), and to achieve our 100% renewable electricity sourcing goal by the end of 2027. Further information can be found at www.st.com.
About Metalenz Metalenz is at the forefront of driving innovation in optics with metasurface technology, providing solutions that redefine the possibilities of mobile imaging and sensing. Metalenz is the first company to bring metasurfaces to mass markets, with millions of its meta-optics already integrated in consumer devices, combining the functionality of three or four complex lenses and components into a single flat device, mass produced in existing semiconductor foundries. The company’s first full system solution, Polar ID, is a groundbreaking, ultra-secure, small, and affordable face unlock solution for mobile that harnesses the unique polarized light sorting capabilities of metasurfaces, enabling mobile devices to see beyond the limits of current visual systems. metalenz.com
CONTACTS
STMicroelectronics
INVESTOR RELATIONS Jérôme Ramel EVP Corporate Development & Integrated External Communication Tel: +41.22.929.59.20 jerome.ramel@st.com
MEDIA RELATIONS Alexis Breton Corporate External Communications Tel: +33.6.59.16.79.08 alexis.breton@st.com
64th Round of the Geneva International Discussions: UK statement to the OSCE
Ambassador Holland welcomes the discussions held during the 64th round, and commends the Co-Chairs for their continued efforts to facilitate dialogue among all participants.
The United Kingdom reaffirms its strong support for the Geneva International Discussions (GID) as a vital platform for addressing the consequences of the 2008 conflict in Georgia and promoting long-term peace and stability in the region. We commend the Co-Chairs for their continued efforts to facilitate dialogue among all participants.
The UK reaffirms its full support for Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders. We continue to call on the Russian Federation to reverse its recognition of the so-called independence of Georgia’s Abkhazia and South Ossetia regions.
We welcome the discussions held during the 64th round, particularly the focus on security arrangements, non-use of force and humanitarian issues – including freedom of movement, documentation, and the rights of displaced persons. We regret that the agenda item on internally displaced persons and refugees could not be addressed due to a walkout by some participants, and we urge all parties to engage constructively in future rounds.
The UK remains deeply concerned by the ongoing restrictions on freedom of movement and the human rights situation in the Georgian regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. We again call for full access for international humanitarian and human rights mechanisms.
We look forward to the next round of discussions in November 2025 and encourage all parties to engage in good faith to achieve tangible progress for the benefit of all conflict-affected communities.
In 2018, when the idea of establishing a global learning centre for health – what would become the WHO Academy – was under discussion between the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Government of France, they didn’t have to look far for its new home. Since the Middle Ages, Lyon has been a European capital for human, animal and environmental health. Doctors from across Europe came to study in Lyon, and it was the first centre of medical literature on the continent in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. The city is even the home of the first veterinary school in Europe, opening in Lyon in 1761.
In more recent times, Marcel Mérieux, a former assistant to Pasteur, opened one of the city’s first pharmaceutical research institutes in 1897, the beginnings of what would become the Lyon-Gerland Biodistrict. The city brings together over 2000 global public institutions, research centres and businesses focused on life sciences and health employing nearly 80 000 people, including the WHO International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and a WHO office dedicated to health emergencies.
“The City of Lyon has demonstrated exceptional leadership in public health, making it an ideal partner for the WHO Academy,” explains Dr David Atchoarena, Executive Director of the WHO Academy. “The local ecosystem provides a myriad of opportunities for collaboration and maximizing the impact of the WHO Academy’s initiatives. Together with the City of Lyon we are committed to advancing global health through innovative approaches that address the complex challenges of our time.”
Meeting these challenges depends on a well-prepared, highly skilled global health and care workforce. The aim of the WHO Academy is to become a global hub for lifelong learning and to provide health and care workers, and decision-makers, in France and around the world, with access to the knowledge and competencies they need to meet current and future needs. The Academy has developed a comprehensive portfolio of courses across most health topics addressed by WHO and has three flagship programmes: Biomanufacturing, Healthy Cities and One Health.
Leveraging the local ecosystem for innovative health solutions
The partnership between the WHO Academy and the City of Lyon has already yielded numerous collaborative activities since the launch of the Academy in December 2024. The Academy is an observer to the Contrat Local de Santé 2022-2027, led by the City of Lyon and the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Regional Health Agency, to reduce health inequalities, improve access to care, promote prevention and integrate the One Health approach to health services in the region. In addition, the Academy acted as an observer to AGORA 2030, a participatory initiative accelerating climate action through collaboration among various city stakeholders.
In April 2025, the Academy participated in the month-long ‘Explore your Health’ festival, most significantly by hosting a roundtable discussion on ‘Urban Planning through the One Health Lens’ at the WHO Academy campus, featuring experts in health, urbanism and research to discuss sustainable city development.
Lyon is a committed member of the WHO French Healthy Cities Network, and the city’s municipal strategy aligns with the principles of the Academy’s Healthy Cities flagship: equity, participation, multisectoral governance and sustainability. Most recently the WHO Academy and the City of Lyon co-organized a two-day study visit and knowledge exchange for more than 50 mayors from the Korea Healthy Cities Partnership.
In May, the Séminaire des directeurs meeting held at the Academy campus raised awareness among the 80 City of Lyon directors of public services about the importance of integrating a One Health approach into their work.
“The City of Lyon is committed to addressing the key determinants of health, such as nutrition, housing, environmental health, access to care and physical activity for the citizens of Lyon, but also for people around the world,” said Céline de Laurens, Lyon Deputy Mayor for Health, Prevention, and Environmental Health. “Being able to share our experiences, and hear from others like those in Korea, is critical to creating better health for all. This is why having the WHO Academy in Lyon is so important – it brings global experience to our doorstep and also amplifies our own lessons to the world.”
Global cooperation supporting local solutions
The collaboration between WHO and the City of Lyon is set to expand with several initiatives recently implemented or planned in the coming months. The city will begin contributing local case studies and examples of city-led innovation in health, environmental sustainability and social equity to the Healthy Cities and One Health flagship programmes. Plus, the Academy will soon start developing learning content for municipal leaders around the world, to be hosted on its online learning platform, based on Lyon’s experience in health-enabling urban planning, food systems and climate-responsive public health strategies.
“With the establishment of the WHO Academy campus, the City of Lyon is poised to further its contributions to public health, fostering innovation and collaboration to address global health challenges,” noted Dr Atchoarena. “We couldn’t have asked for a better partner for the Academy, and working with the City of Lyon allows us to share a model for other global cities to follow.”
Chicago, IL., July 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Applied Systems® today announced that the company earned multiple honors for its commitment to creating an outstanding employee experience. For the second year, Applied received the Great Place To Work® Certification™, the most definitive “employer-of-choice” recognition that companies aspire to achieve and the only recognition based entirely on what employees report about their workplace experience – specifically, how consistently they experience a high-trust workplace.
As eligible by its Great Place To Work® Certification, Applied was also ranked #14 on the Fortune Best Workplaces in Chicago™ 2025 list. This list highlights organizations excelling in creating positive, inclusive, and engaging environments.
Applied Systems has also been recognized with rankings on multiple Newsweek Greatest Workplaces lists. These lists are backed by a rigorous, independent study conducted by Newsweek and market research firm Plant-A Insights, highlighting organizations committed to workplace excellence. The lists include:
America’s Greatest Workplaces for Women 2025
America’s Greatest Workplaces for Mental Wellbeing 2025
“We are honored to receive recognition for the workplace we have built as Team Applied,” said Bridget Penney, chief people officer, Applied Systems. “The Great Place to Work Certification and rankings on the Fortune and Newsweek lists demonstrate our commitment to upholding a culture developed on values that make us indispensable to each other and our customers.”
# # #
The Applied products and logos are trademarks of Applied Systems, Inc., registered in the U.S.
About Applied Systems Applied Systems is the leading global provider of cloud-based software that powers the business of insurance. Recognized as a pioneer in insurance automation and the innovation leader, Applied is the world’s largest provider of agency and brokerage management systems, serving customers throughout the United States, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, and the United Kingdom. By automating the insurance lifecycle, Applied’s people and products enable millions of people around the world to safeguard and protect what matters most.
Chatbot ‘therapists’ use artificial intelligence to mimic real-life therapeutic conversations.Pooja Shree Chettiar/ChatGPT, CC BY-SA
Recently, I found myself pouring my heart out, not to a human, but to a chatbot named Wysa on my phone. It nodded – virtually – asked me how I was feeling and gently suggested trying breathing exercises.
Artificial intelligence-powered mental health tools are becoming increasingly popular – and increasingly persuasive. But beneath their soothing prompts lie important questions: How effective are these tools? What do we really know about how they work? And what are we giving up in exchange for convenience?
Of course it’s an exciting moment for digital mental health. But understanding the trade-offs and limitations of AI-based care is crucial.
Stand-in meditation and therapy apps and bots
AI-based therapy is a relatively new player in the digital therapy field. But the U.S. mental health app market has been booming for the past few years, from apps with free tools that text you back to premium versions with an added feature that gives prompts for breathing exercises.
Headspace and Calm are two of the most well-known meditation and mindfulness apps, offering guided meditations, bedtime stories and calming soundscapes to help users relax and sleep better. Talkspace and BetterHelp go a step further, offering actual licensed therapists via chat, video or voice. The apps Happify and Moodfit aim to boost mood and challenge negative thinking with game-based exercises.
Somewhere in the middle are chatbot therapists like Wysa and Woebot, using AI to mimic real therapeutic conversations, often rooted in cognitive behavioral therapy. These apps typically offer free basic versions, with paid plans ranging from US$10 to $100 per month for more comprehensive features or access to licensed professionals.
While not designed specifically for therapy, conversational tools like ChatGPT have sparked curiosity about AI’s emotional intelligence.
Some users have turned to ChatGPT for mental health advice, with mixed outcomes, including a widely reported case in Belgium where a man died by suicide after months of conversations with a chatbot. Elsewhere, a father is seeking answers after his son was fatally shot by police, alleging that distressing conversations with an AI chatbot may have influenced his son’s mental state. These cases raise ethical questions about the role of AI in sensitive situations.
Whether your brain is spiraling, sulking or just needs a nap, there’s a chatbot for that. But can AI really help your brain process complex emotions? Or are people just outsourcing stress to silicon-based support systems that sound empathetic?
And how exactly does AI therapy work inside our brains?
Most AI mental health apps promise some flavor of cognitive behavioral therapy, which is basically structured self-talk for your inner chaos. Think of it as Marie Kondo-ing, the Japanese tidying expert known for helping people keep only what “sparks joy.” You identify unhelpful thought patterns like “I’m a failure,” examine them, and decide whether they serve you or just create anxiety.
But can a chatbot help you rewire your thoughts? Surprisingly, there’s science suggesting it’s possible. Studies have shown that digital forms of talk therapy can reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression, especially for mild to moderate cases. In fact, Woebot has published peer-reviewed research showing reduced depressive symptoms in young adults after just two weeks of chatting.
These apps are designed to simulate therapeutic interaction, offering empathy, asking guided questions and walking you through evidence-based tools. The goal is to help with decision-making and self-control, and to help calm the nervous system.
The neuroscience behind cognitive behavioral therapy is solid: It’s about activating the brain’s executive control centers, helping us shift our attention, challenge automatic thoughts and regulate our emotions.
The question is whether a chatbot can reliably replicate that, and whether our brains actually believe it.
A user’s experience, and what it might mean for the brain
“I had a rough week,” a friend told me recently. I asked her to try out a mental health chatbot for a few days. She told me the bot replied with an encouraging emoji and a prompt generated by its algorithm to try a calming strategy tailored to her mood. Then, to her surprise, it helped her sleep better by week’s end.
As a neuroscientist, I couldn’t help but ask: Which neurons in her brain were kicking in to help her feel calm?
This isn’t a one-off story. A growing number of user surveys and clinical trials suggest that cognitive behavioral therapy-based chatbot interactions can lead to short-term improvements in mood, focus and even sleep. In randomized studies, users of mental health apps have reported reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety – outcomes that closely align with how in-person cognitive behavioral therapy influences the brain.
Several studies show that therapy chatbots can actually help people feel better. In one clinical trial, a chatbot called “Therabot” helped reduce depression and anxiety symptoms by nearly half – similar to what people experience with human therapists. Other research, including a review of over 80 studies, found that AI chatbots are especially helpful for improving mood, reducing stress and even helping people sleep better. In one study, a chatbot outperformed a self-help book in boosting mental health after just two weeks.
While people often report feeling better after using these chatbots, scientists haven’t yet confirmed exactly what’s happening in the brain during those interactions. In other words, we know they work for many people, but we’re still learning how and why.
AI chatbots don’t cost what a human therapist costs – and they’re available 24/7.
Red flags and risks
Apps like Wysa have earned FDA Breakthrough Device designation, a status that fast-tracks promising technologies for serious conditions, suggesting they may offer real clinical benefit. Woebot, similarly, runs randomized clinical trials showing improved depression and anxiety symptoms in new moms and college students.
While many mental health apps boast labels like “clinically validated” or “FDA approved,” those claims are often unverified. A review of top apps found that most made bold claims, but fewer than 22% cited actual scientific studies to back them up.
In addition, chatbots collect sensitive information about your mood metrics, triggers and personal stories. What if that data winds up in third-party hands such as advertisers, employers or hackers, a scenario that has occurred with genetic data? In a 2023 breach, nearly 7 million users of the DNA testing company 23andMe had their DNA and personal details exposed after hackers used previously leaked passwords to break into their accounts. Regulators later fined the company more than $2 million for failing to protect user data.
Unlike clinicians, bots aren’t bound by counseling ethics or privacy laws regarding medical information. You might be getting a form of cognitive behavioral therapy, but you’re also feeding a database.
And sure, bots can guide you through breathing exercises or prompt cognitive reappraisal, but when faced with emotional complexity or crisis, they’re often out of their depth. Human therapists tap into nuance, past trauma, empathy and live feedback loops. Can an algorithm say “I hear you” with genuine understanding? Neuroscience suggests that supportive human connection activates social brain networks that AI can’t reach.
So while in mild to moderate cases bot-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy may offer short-term symptom relief, it’s important to be aware of their limitations. For the time being, pairing bots with human care – rather than replacing it – is the safest move.
Pooja Shree Chettiar does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
The images coming out of Gaza break my heart every single day – they paint a horrifying picture of human suffering, starvation and desperation.
This suffering has been referred to as a humanitarian catastrophe. This is true – but using that type of language risks leaving people with the idea that this horror has simply come out of the ether as some sort of natural phenomenon.
So I will speak plainly. This suffering is a result of the ongoing actions of the government of Israel. Israel has imposed a suffocating blockade on Gaza since early March – with severe restrictions on food and aid shipments into Gaza throughout the war.
Thousands of people have been killed and injured. Children are dying of starvation and lack of water. Entire cities have been almost completely erased and populations displaced. Pregnant women are unable to access critical medical care, and the rate of miscarriage in Gaza has increased by 300% since October 2023.
The population has been pushed past breaking point, and the suffering being inflicted on the people of Gaza is beyond any justification.
This must end now. The hostages must be released immediately. Israel must lift all restrictions and allow unfettered, safe, and dignified access to humanitarian aid throughout Gaza immediately. The international community must insist on it.
The statements made this week by Israel’s Defence Minister on his plans to force all Palestinians in Gaza into a camp built on the ruins of Rafah – plans which are illegal, inhumane and risk worsening the humanitarian crisis in Gaza – must be rejected by all.
We must stand firm against all efforts to make the conflict in Gaza go on one minute longer than it has gone on today. A two-state solution, one which recognises the sovereignty and the independence of a Palestinian state, is vital for a just and lasting peace, and will be at heart of the Scottish Government’s work towards justice on the international agenda.
In the last year, we have provided £550,000 to charities working in the Middle East who are helping people affected by the ongoing conflict with access to emergency assistance, including food, clean water and medical care. That support is important, but not in itself enough – we are ready and willing to do more.
Getting injured children out of Gaza
Earlier this week, I met with Unicef who raised the particular issue of medical evacuations with me. With hospitals destroyed and medical supplies running out, this is an emergency and a race against time to provide specialist medical care for the children and babies suffering from injuries caused by the war.
Scotland’s world-class National Health Service stands ready to play our full part in supporting these medical evacuations and the treatment of injured Palestinian children.
This requires the support of the UK Government, and I have asked the Prime Minister to support facilitating a transfer of these children, who need medical care to survive, to Scotland.
The suffering of the people of Gaza is one of the greatest international failings of my lifetime – and the international community cannot let it go on one second longer than it already has.
We need to see nations across the world demand that international law is enforced and renew their efforts to support a just and lasting peace for civilians both in Israel and Palestine. History will judge world leaders on how they act at this moment and up until now, that judgement will be damning.
I can give my assurance, that Scotland’s position on the world stage will continue to be one of compassion, justice and global citizenship – and we will keep using our voice to demand peace in the region, and justice for the Palestinian people.
We need to see nations across the world demand that international law is enforced and renew their efforts to support a just and lasting peace for civilians both in Israel and Palestine. History will judge world leaders on how they act at this moment and up until now, that judgement will be damning.
I can give my assurance, that Scotland’s position on the world stage will continue to be one of compassion, justice and global citizenship – and we will keep using our voice to demand peace in the region, and justice for the Palestinian people.
This article was first published in The National on the 10th of July 2025.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Case study
Large language models (LLMs) solve wargaming challenge
Dstl and Frazer-Nash demonstrate how large language models (LLMs) can solve the challenge of getting through large amounts of wargaming data.
The huge volume of outputs wargaming generates can often be unfathomable, even for the most experienced data processing team.
The Defence, Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) and Frazer-Nash have produced detailed research demonstrating how large language models (LLMs) can solve this challenge.
The LLMs can turn complex wargaming output data into easy to use, secure information that improves the scenario interrogation and analysis – simultaneously reducing the burden on the operator.
What LLMs can do
LLMs can:
summarise complex data through their text processing and generating capabilities
analyse and assess large data sets from a variety of sources faster than any manual approach (perfect for Command: Modern Operations (CMO) – a wargaming simulation platform that produces large volumes of complex data on completion of a given scenario)
provide more privacy and data control compared with online counterparts such as Chat GPT
More on the research
The 6-month Dstl funded research scrutinised whether an LLM could be used reliably and securely to interrogate the output of a CMO scenario – for example, a complex multi-domain engagement involving sea, air and land units. It helped the analyst understand the result of a battlefield scenario and the key factors that drove it much more easily.
The research considered multiple technologies. This included combining Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) with a local LLM. RAG is a technique that improves the quality of LLM-generated responses, allowing use-case specific data in everyday formats such as PDF, CSV or XML so it can be easily included in the context for an LLM response.
A set of possible use cases were provided and tested across 2 phases during the 6-month research, and a robust framework tool was created for quantifying the accuracy and reliability of the LLM-generated information.
Results
The research showed that LLMs can helpfully interrogate and disseminate output information of complex wargaming scenarios, if used in the right way.
Other positive outcomes of the research include:
strengthening the training benefits
reducing operator burden
improving resilience and preparedness
The techniques can be developed flexibly around changing components. For instance, data types, tools, methodologies and evaluation metrics. This new approach can then evolve with ever-changing demands and challenges.
Home » Latest News » Important information about postal votes
Elections and voting may be the last things on your mind right now, but for those voters who have a postal vote, there has been a very important change that you need to be aware of and may require you to take action.
Due to a change in national legislation (the Elections Act), a sizeable majority of those people in our district who currently have a postal vote must now reapply for it.
This affects everyone who applied for a postal vote up until 30 January 2024 – you will all need to reapply.
Only by reapplying will these people be able to vote by post in future elections.
An alternative option is to download and print off an application form (using the same link as above), which can be completed and sent to us.
People will need their National Insurance number and will also have to provide a photo of their handwritten signature in black ink on plain white paper.
To be clear, those who do not reapply will have their postal vote cancelled and they will need to vote in person at a polling station at future elections.
We have started sending out emails to our registered postal voters to let them know what is happening and the action they need to take.
A quick response now instead of waiting for an election to be called means people will be in the first batch of postal votes sent out when the time comes, giving them the maximum amount of time to return it.
And if everyone leaves it until the last minute, it will be challenging for us to process and despatch a large volume of applications, which could lead to delays in people receiving them.
The only people who need do nothing are those who applied for a postal vote from 31 January 2024 onwards.
30th anniversary of the Srebrenica Genocide: UK statement to the OSCE, July 2025
Ambassador Holland honours the memory of those killed in the Srebrenica genocide, and underlines the UK’s support to Bosnia and Herzegovina in its ongoing efforts to build a stable, inclusive country for all its citizens.
Madam Chair, 30 years ago in Srebrenica, genocide took place in Europe for the first time since 1945. Over 8,000 innocent men and boys were brutally killed in a single month that summer, and more than 20,000 women and children were forcibly uprooted from their homes. We honour the memory of those killed, pay tribute to the survivors, and stand firm alongside them in their pursuit of justice and reconciliation.
On 16 June, the UK marked our National Srebrenica Memorial Day at a ceremony in St Paul’s Cathedral, attended by the Deputy Prime Minister. Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Edinburgh will visit Bosnia and Herzegovina this week for the official Commemoration at the Srebrenica Memorial Centre.
The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia found that several individuals were guilty of genocide in Srebrenica. Acknowledgement of that fact should in no way be seen as an attempt to blame an entire country or people for the suffering of another, and it should not be a cause for tension and division. Rather, it is a basis on which true reconciliation can be achieved.
The UK stands with Bosnia and Herzegovina in its ongoing efforts to build a stable, inclusive country for all its citizens, regardless of religion or ethnicity, and to heal the divisions inflicted by war. It is deeply troubling that divisive and inciteful rhetoric, reckless secessionist ambitions, and direct attacks on the Dayton Peace Agreement – which remains Bosnia and Herzegovina’s constitutional framework – continue to threaten peace and stability.
Madam Chair, this will be the fourth successive year that we mark this anniversary in the shadow of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. Terrible events such as the genocide at Srebrenica show the consequences of inaction. We owe it to the victims to create societies that are stable, inclusive and cohesive, and to fight against prejudice, hatred, fear and division. Remaining true to our shared commitment to the concept of comprehensive security, articulated by the Helsinki principles and central to membership of the OSCE, remains the best way to achieve this.
Only through such collective responsibility can we honour the past, respect the survivors’ enduring efforts, and work to ensure that atrocities such as the Srebrenica genocide are never repeated.
Report of the External Auditor, Audit Committee and Financial Report: UK statement to the OSCE, July 2025
Ambassador Holland thanks Austria’s Court of Audit for their professional work as External Auditor, and urges other participating States to engage constructively towards agreeing an OSCE Unified Budget.
The United Kingdom thanks the Secretary General, and representatives of the Austrian Court of Audit and the Audit Committee for their presentations today and their comprehensive reports.
The External Auditor and Audit Committee reports provide an important overview of the OSCE’s financial health, and oversight of the organisation’s administration and internal controls. We recognise that the audit assessments have been made in the context of significant ongoing challenges – including the impact of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, and the continued non-agreement of the OSCE Unified Budget.
The UK welcomes the unqualified opinion of the External Auditor that the OSCE’s financial statements for 2024 presented fairly the financial position of the organisation. We appreciate the Austrian Court of Audit’s professional work in this role, and warmly welcome your earlier agreement to extend for a further two audit cycles until July 2026.
Mr Chair, it is vital for the work of all OSCE structures that participating States agree a Unified Budget for 2025 and beyond. As the Reports and presentations this morning clearly illustrate, the continued non-agreement of the Unified Budget – and the lack of an updated Post Table – continue to severely constrain all parts of the organisation in delivering their mandates. We again urge all participating States to engage constructively with budget proposals and ensure the organisation is able to carry out its work effectively in line with the OSCE principles we have all signed up to.
We welcome the assessments in the Reports that the OSCE’s overall financial liquidity remains sound. We commend the OSCE executive structures for their ongoing work to adapt to the financial challenges facing the organisation, and for helping to maintain continuity of business. We also appreciate the tireless efforts of successive Chairs-in-Office – Malta and Finland – in advancing budget proposals and agreeing additional expenditure authorisations.
I again thank the Austrian Court of Audit and the Audit Committee for the comprehensive reports. As always, the UK looks forward to engaging constructively on the report recommendations.
Russia’s shameful record-breaking attacks on Ukrainian civilians and use of chemical weapons on the front line in Ukraine are a disgrace: UK statement to the OSCE
Ambassador Holland condemns Russia’s latest aerial bombardment of Ukrainian cities, which have killed civilians and damaged civilian infrastructure, and highlights the UK’s recent sanctions package in response to Russia’s use of chemical weapons in Ukraine.
Thank you, Mr Chair. Last week in this Council we said that Russia had launched its biggest aerial attacks of the war so far. One day later, it was already out of date. Last Friday, on 4 July, Russia broke its record again, launching overnight 539 drones and 11 missiles at Ukraine. Apartments, businesses, a school, a medical facility and other civilian infrastructure were damaged. A thick smoke cloud hung over central Kyiv, prompting health warnings. And, overnight on Tuesday, 8 July, Russia exceeded that again, launching 728 drones and 13 missiles at Lutsk and other Ukrainian cities. This was the largest such attack in the war to date. Russia shows no sign of letting up these aerial assaults. The barrage and destruction continue.
So far in 2025, Russia has launched over 20,000 drones at Ukraine. That’s around 3,500 per month. This is more than 3.5x the average in 2024. Russia has launched the nine largest daily air attacks of the war in the past six weeks.
Mr Chair, the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights recently published its periodic report on the human rights situation in Ukraine. It stated: “Our findings strongly suggest a failure to distinguish between civilian and military targets, and to take all feasible precautions to verify the military nature of those targets – or worse, an intentional decision not to.”
These aerial attacks are not the actions of a government that is serious about peace. President Putin has demonstrated that amply in recent days by repeating his maximalist objectives for the war. Following his call with the Kremlin on 3 July, President Trump told reporters that he was ‘very disappointed with the conversation’ because Putin was ‘not looking to stop’.
Mr Chair, the statement published last week by the Dutch and German intelligence services indicating Russian use of chemical weapons on the front line is deeply concerning. The OPCW has now published three reports confirming the presence of CS gas in samples collected by Ukraine from the battlefield. We will not ignore such disregard of the Chemical Weapons Convention. That is why the UK announced a second package of sanctions this week against two senior Russian military officials and a Russian research institute for their involvement in Russia’s chemical weapons violations.
Mr Chair, we must also redouble our efforts to support Ukraine to get through this, and to rebuild after the war is over. The Ukraine Recovery Conference being held in Rome this week is a pivotal moment for the international community to demonstrate its commitment. In total, the UK has committed £5.3 billion in non-military support to Ukraine. The World Bank has estimated that Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction needs will cost USD $524bn over the next decade. Early recovery and reconstruction are vital to get through the war and secure a just and lasting peace. It is essential for all countries to step up their support, ensuring a unified and effective response to Ukraine’s recovery needs. Thank you.
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Rector of the State University of Management Vladimir Stroyev and Vice-Rector Dmitry Bryukhanov held a working meeting with the Deputy Chairman, Head of the Executive Committee of the All-Russian Public Organization “Business Russia” Nonna Kagramanyan.
The meeting discussed a wide range of issues of cooperation between the State University of Management and Delovaya Rossiya, including holding events aimed at developing entrepreneurial competencies among students and students of additional education programs, developing joint educational and expert activities, and developing a business education system.
One of the key areas is cooperation within the framework of the implementation of MBA programs – creation of joint programs, their examination for compliance with market trends, involvement of experts from Delovaya Rossiya, and consulting of program students.
The Basic Department of “Business Russia” operates on the basis of the Higher School of Business and Technology of the State University of Management, which coordinates joint projects and provides scientific and methodological support in the field of entrepreneurship and business development management.
“Delovaya Rossiya”, founded in 2001, unites more than 10 thousand businessmen of our country. The total number of employees at the enterprises of “Delovaya Rossiya” is more than 4.5 million people, and the total annual revenue of the enterprises exceeds 10 trillion rubles. More than 700 members of the organization are included in public councils of government bodies, working groups of state councils and national projects.
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.
Save the Children and its partners spoke to over 450 of these displaced children in Tawila for the assessment “Children Caught in Conflict”, with children describing traumatic journeys and expressing fear, grief, and a profound sense of uncertainty about their futures.
Hundreds of children have recounted harrowing stories of terror and loss after their homes in Sudan’s North Darfur region were attacked, with many telling Save the Children how they lost contact with friends and loved ones [1].
Violence is happening daily in North Darfur, the epicentre of Sudan’s two-year conflict, with fighting intensifying over the past 12 months and spiking in April this year when the Zamzam camp housing people forced from their homes was viciously attacked.
Nearly 500,000 people – including 260,000 children – were displaced from Zamzam camp between April and May, which amounts to 99% of the camp’s population. About 75% of the displaced people ended up in the Tawila camp [2], which is located around 60km southeast of Zamzam.
Save the Children and its partners spoke to over 450 of these displaced children in Tawila for the assessment “Children Caught in Conflict”, with children describing traumatic journeys and expressing fear, grief, and a profound sense of uncertainty about their futures.
Many children witnessed killings and dead bodies in the streets, with some reporting witnessing young people being arrested or killed, and more than half of the girls interviewed (53%) reported incidents of sexual violence during their journey out of Zamzam to Tawila.
Three children reported that their mothers died during the journey to Tawila, while four others said they lost a brother, and five reported the death of their fathers.
Some children recounted supporting elderly relatives travelling long distances on donkeys, with others saying they were forced to leave behind exhausted family members under threat of violence.
Salma*, 12, originally from El Fasher, was displaced twice — first to Zamzam, then to Tawila. She described witnessing rape, killings, and looting along the road. Her grandfather died during the journey due to exhaustion and lack of care. Upon arrival in Tawila, her family had no food or shelter and slept in the open.
Talha*, 12, was fetching water for his family when the Zamzam camp came under attack. He witnessed shootings, and widespread panic. He ran home to find his family but discovered the house empty. He searched the schools where people were hiding but couldn’t find them. Believing his family had fled to Tawila, Talha followed the crowds on foot. After arriving, he stayed with a host family for seven days before they too left, leaving him alone. Talha told the survey team his only wish is to return to El Fasher and reunite with his family — though he doesn’t know if they are still alive.
While some children said they feel relatively safe in Tawila, many — especially girls — expressed deep grief over the loss of family members and fear of ongoing violence.
Children cited poor living conditions, including sleeping on the ground, extreme heat, food shortages, and the presence of armed individuals, as sources of distress.
Girls reported high levels of fear and vulnerability, particularly when using toilets or traveling long distances for water. Many shared that friends were raped during displacement or in the camps. Both boys and girls acknowledged a rise in sexual violence, with girls aged 12–18 being the most affected. Boys were also aware of the abuse experienced by their sisters and peers.
Francesco Lanino, Deputy Country Director of Programmes and Operations for Save the Children in Sudan, said:
“Children in North Darfur have been to hell and back. They are grieving deeply, while contemplating uncertain futures. Many lost family members before and during their displacement, and don’t have adequate tools to process their experiences. Some children have described to our staff harrowing experiences of parting with older family members on the route, many of whom they haven’t seen since.
“Since the conflict began, children’s lives have been upended. They now wake to the sound of gunfire and shelling. Families dig trenches for protection, schools are closed, and access to healthcare is limited. Many children reported that their peers have joined armed groups or been forced into early marriage due to economic hardship.
“Children’s rights have been completely ignored in Sudan. They are being separated from their families, seeing loved ones killed or maimed, and have already missed years of critical education, with terrible consequences for their long-term well-being. We are incredibly concerned for these children’s futures – and the future of Sudan – if this conflict doesn’t end now.”
Save the Children is urging the international community to redouble efforts to demand a ceasefire in Sudan, to allow safe and unhindered humanitarian access and a drastic scale-up of humanitarian assistance.
Save the Children has worked in Sudan since 1983 and is currently supporting children and their families across Sudan providing health, nutrition, education, child protection and food security and livelihoods support. Save the Children is also supporting refugees from Sudan in Egypt and South Sudan.
Since April 2025, Save the Children has been leading a major humanitarian response in North Darfur, addressing the urgent needs of displaced populations following mass displacement from Zamzam camp and El Fasher. With hundreds of thousands of internally displaced persons across the region, Save the Children has scaled up operations in El Fasher, Tawila and Central Darfur, delivering life-saving services in health, nutrition, water and sanitation, protection, and shelter.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Save the Children.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press release
Kent farmers in innovative Chalk to Coast project
Farmer-led initiative to create vital nature network across Kent’s diverse landscapes. Project contributes to government’s Nature Recovery Network commitment
Nightingale in nest – credit Ben Andrew (RSPB-images.com)
An ambitious farmer-led initiative connecting Kent’s diverse landscapes from chalk downlands to coastal habitats has officially launched, bringing new hope for wildlife conservation across the region.
The Chalk to Coast project unites three established farm clusters, Hoo Peninsula, Swale and North Kent Downs and Medway Gap, forming a ‘super cluster’ that will create natural wildlife corridors across different habitats.
A farm cluster is a plan to help farmers and partners work more cohesively together in their locality, enabling them to collectively deliver greater benefits for soil, water and wildlife at a landscape scale.
Part of the project includes the creation of ‘natural corridors’ that will be placed strategically on strips of land and help connect fragmented wildlife habitats, allowing plants and animals to move freely and enhancing biodiversity.
These corridors are crucial for supporting wildlife movement, enabling them to find food, mates and suitable breeding grounds, ultimately contributing to a more resilient and thriving natural environment.
The creation of the nature corridors between the three farm clusters, including linking the new North Kent Woods and Downs National Nature Reserve in the countryside with Elmley National Nature Reserve by the sea, will link habitats together, creating a continuous ecological corridor for wildlife to travel between from ‘Chalk to Coast’ in Kent.
Barn owl in flight – credit Robert Canis
Things that can be done to enable nature corridors includes:
Planting more trees and hedges and getting more woodland coppiced and back into healthy management use.
Planting more hedgerows to encourage the dispersal of the rare and endangered dormice simultaneously connecting woodlands.
And creating stepping stones of thick scrub to encourage wider populations of nightingale. Kent has the stronghold of nightingale, an incredibly rare species in the UK.
James Seymour, Natural England deputy director for Kent, said:
Nature’s recovery is core to delivering the Plan for Change with economic growth and a healthy environment. This project shows how Natural England provides expert advice that enhances ecosystems while supporting agricultural businesses.
This collaborative approach demonstrates how agriculture and nature recovery can work together, delivering biodiversity gains while maintaining profitable farming businesses.
Natural England has played a pivotal role in supporting this initiative, which forms part of the government’s commitment to a growing network of wildlife-rich places that supports nature recovery and sustainable farming practices nationwide.
With a new website now live at www.chalktocoast.co.uk, organisers are calling on more farmers and landowners across Kent to pledge their land to expand this vital nature network.
The three landowners and co-founders of the Chalk to Coast project explain more.
Guy Nevill, of North Kent Downs and Medway Gap Farm cluster, said:
This initiative shows how agriculture and nature recovery can work hand in hand. By connecting farm clusters, we’re creating wildlife corridors across Kent’s landscapes. We’re now encouraging more farmers to join this collaborative approach to land management.
Tom Gore, from Hoo Peninsula Farm cluster, said:
This is an exciting opportunity for both commercial farmers and environmental organisations to come together. Linking wildlife corridors and carrying out a large-scale biodiversity project, where both food production and nature work in harmony
Gareth Fuller, of Swale Farm cluster, said:
We are very excited to be part of Chalk to Coast. Over the last forty years, we have worked to restore abundant nature to the coastal wetlands of Elmley and Swale, and more recently to develop a sustainable nature-based economy though nature tourism and education.
To do more we want to collaborate with others across a much larger area. Chalk to Coast offers the inspiration, ambition, opportunities, and scale to achieve a more connected, abundant landscape for nature and people. We are hugely grateful to Guy Nevill and the other founders for driving this initiative forwards.
Boxing hares – credit Robert Canis
The project contributes to the government’s Plan for Change through the development of a national Nature Recovery Network, helping wildlife thrive and respond to climate change while connecting people with nature, farming and food.
The initiative builds on existing farm clusters in Kent, enabling coordinated action on soil conservation, water management, habitat creation, and species recovery across property boundaries.
Six new sites for the location of speed cameras across Birmingham have been announced by the city council, which will be installed by the end of the year.
The average speed enforcement cameras will be funded through the Clean Air Zone net surplus revenues and the locations agreed following joint working with West Midlands Police.
Routes have been selected and prioritised based on the number and severity of road traffic collisions along the route and/or where compliance with speed limits is poor which leads to an increased risk of road harm. All the routes chosen have the full endorsement of WMP.
Cllr Majid Mahmood, cabinet member for environment and transport, said: “Safety on our busy highway network is paramount and these cameras have an important role to play – far too many collisions on our roads involve excessive speed.
“However, they can never be a solution on their own. We all have a role to play in keeping our roads safe and everyone has a duty to think about others, whether pedestrians, cyclists or other motorists. This is not about making money – the majority of revenue goes direct to government – it is about road safety. I would be happy if no fines were issued as that means people are not speeding.
“We also need to rethink how we move people and goods around the city and regions, which is why our Birmingham Transport Plan and Road Harm Reduction Strategy are looking at redesigning street in a way that put people first, and not only reducing speed but reducing the number of vehicles on our streets.”
BCC and WMP entered into a new Joint Working Agreement covering camera enforcement of traffic offences in April 2025. This not only secures ongoing enforcement of existing ASE locations, but also paves the way for new ASE, spot speed and red-light camera locations to be brought forward.
Chief Constable Craig Guildford said: “I fully support this initiative, which will hopefully reduce the number of people who are killed or seriously injured on our roads.”
The new camera locations are:
A45 Coventry Road (extension of existing operation from Berkeley Road to Bordesley Middleway)
A47 Nechells/Fort Parkway (A4040 Ring-road to A452 Chester Road)
B4121 West Boulevard (Selcroft Avenue to California Way)
A34 Walsall Road (Wellinton Road to Newton Road/City Boundary)
B4114 Washwood Heath Road (Ward End Park Road to Bromford Lane)
A34 Stratford Road (Coniston Close to Robin Hood Lane)
Source: State University “Higher School of Economics” –
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Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
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Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, July 10 (Xinhua) — Chinese authorities on Thursday announced that basic pension payments for retirees will be increased in 2025.
The average monthly old-age pension benefit will be increased by 2 percent from the 2024 level starting from Jan. 1, 2025, for those who retired before the end of 2024, according to a notice jointly released by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security and the Ministry of Finance. -0-
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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 10 (Xinhua) — China has taken measures to crack down on smuggling of strategic minerals while continuing to process legitimate applications for their export for civilian use, Ministry of Commerce spokeswoman He Yongqian said Thursday.
Responding to a question about strategic minerals reportedly transiting to the United States, He Yongqian said at a press conference that strategic minerals such as antimony and gallium have obvious dual-use properties, and export controls on them are in line with internationally accepted practices.
In order to resolutely prevent the illegal export of such minerals, China launched a special operation to combat their smuggling in May this year, He Yongqian said, adding that relevant information is available on the ministry’s website.
She stressed that China, as a responsible major country, fully takes into account the reasonable civilian needs of various countries for these strategic minerals.
China reviews applications for export licenses in accordance with laws and regulations and approves those that meet the requirements, she said. -0-
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Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
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Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
TIANJIN, July 10 (Xinhua) — Igor Khodachek, director of the Eurasian Studies Center of the European University at St. Petersburg, entered his name on a computer while visiting the Tianjin Vocational Institute of Light Industry and a laser marking machine engraved his name on the surface of a metal plate.
“This is a wonderful souvenir of this trip,” said I. Khodachek, who participated in the “Dialogue of World Mayors – SCO Summit Cities,” which was held from July 6 to 9 in Tianjin, northern China. During the event, guests at the aforementioned institute visited an exhibition hall dedicated to Lu Ban’s Workshop and a base integrating production and training in the field of high-precision instrument manufacturing and intelligent manufacturing.
Lu Ban Workshop, named after the famous ancient Chinese craftsman Lu Ban, is a brand of international vocational education initiated and promoted by Tianjin City Government.
To date, China has built 34 Lu Ban Workshops in 30 countries and regions around the world. 10 of them were established in Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Russia, Pakistan, Cambodia, Egypt and other SCO countries.
With the construction of a practical training center and the provision of modern teaching equipment in Lu Ban Workshop, Chinese teachers and technical personnel are also sent to learn technical skills from local teachers who may be invited to China for experience exchange.
Since 2022, Wu Zhengpeng, a teacher from Tianjin Vocational and Technical Institute of Urban Administration and Construction, has been teaching at Lu Ban Workshop in Tajikistan using China’s advanced equipment and 3D teaching resources.
“We had a comprehensive discussion with the teachers of the Tajik side and jointly formulated the curriculum, discussed the methodology and agreed to invite them to Tianjin for exchanges,” Wu Zhengpeng shared. In July last year, representatives of the teachers and students of the Tajik Technical University named after Academician M.S. Osimi visited Tianjin as planned.
Lu Ban’s workshop provides an opportunity for more and more young people from SCO countries to study abroad.
Ibrahim Maher, a 21-year-old student from Egypt, is currently studying at Tianjin Light Industry Vocational and Technical Institute under the Lu Ban Workshop project, majoring in Computer Numerical Control (CNC) technology.
“Lu Ban Workshop has many advanced teaching equipment and data centers from China, which enables students to transform theoretical knowledge into practical skills and adapt to the working environment more quickly. We are also provided with many opportunities to visit companies, participate in internships, and experience a large number of projects in practice,” he said.
At the end of the tour, Director of the Institute of World Politics of Kyrgyzstan Sheradil Baktygulov said that Lu Ban’s Workshop provides assistance to Kyrgyzstan in developing such areas as robotics, autonomous driving and computer technology.
At present, Lu Ban’s Workshop is an important platform for international exchanges and cooperation in the field of professional education, and also serves as a bridge to promote humanities exchanges and the rapprochement of peoples. -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.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
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Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
KUALA LUMPUR, July 10 (Xinhua) — Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, a member of the Politburo of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, spoke about the fruitful achievements of bilateral cooperation while delivering a speech at the China-ASEAN foreign ministers’ meeting here on Thursday.
First, the community of shared future between neighboring countries has become stronger. In April 2025, Chinese President Xi Jinping made successful visits to Vietnam, Malaysia and Cambodia, which brought the construction of bilateral communities of shared future to a higher level and promoted mutually beneficial cooperation in the direction of improving quality.
Secondly, steps towards regional openness and cooperation have become more decisive. The negotiations on the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area 3.0 have been fully completed, and the protocol is expected to be signed within a year. The ASEAN-China-GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) summit has launched a new model of interregional cooperation.
Third, security cooperation has deepened. The two sides completed the third reading of the draft text of the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea, effectively resolving differences and maintaining overall maritime stability. China has also joined hands with Myanmar, Laos, Thailand and other countries to combat transnational crimes such as online gambling and cyber fraud.
Fourth, mutual travel has become easier. Over the past two years, the two sides have held more than 100 cultural and humanitarian events. The issuance of “Lancang-Mekong visa” and “ASEAN visa” has officially begun, making mutual travel as convenient and frequent as family reunions.
Wang Yi noted that China always regards ASEAN as a priority area of its diplomatic relations with its neighbors. Beijing views this region as a pioneering platform for the creation of a community with a common future for mankind, the minister added.
According to him, China will continue to adhere to the principles of good-neighborliness, stable and prosperous neighborhood, benevolence, sincerity, mutual benefit, inclusiveness and common destiny. China is willing to work with ASEAN to promote Asia’s values of peace, cooperation, openness and inclusiveness, and build a common home of peace, security, prosperity, beauty and friendship, Wang said. He also said that China and ASEAN will actively promote the building of an even closer community with a shared future, accelerating the rise of Asia amid the rapid strengthening of the Global South. –0–
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