Category: Europe

MIL-OSI Banking: [Galaxy Unpacked 2025] The Next Chapter in Personalized, Multimodal Galaxy Innovation

Source: Samsung

▲ Galaxy Unpacked 2025 took place at Duggal Greenhouse in Brooklyn.

On July 9, Samsung Electronics hosted Galaxy Unpacked 2025 in Brooklyn — a borough known for its culture, creativity and spirit of collaboration. Under the theme of “Unfold Ultra,” the event reimagined what’s possible in the era of mobile AI. The all-new Galaxy Z Fold7, Galaxy Z Flip7, Galaxy Z Flip7 FE and Galaxy Watch8 series showcased seamless integration of Galaxy AI, redefined form factors and transformative performance.

Samsung Newsroom was on the ground at Galaxy Unpacked 2025, where the next chapter of mobile AI innovation unfolded.

Galaxy AI: A True AI Companion
▲ Roh opens the showcase by boldly announcing a new direction for Galaxy AI.

Building on a legacy of human-centered innovation, Samsung’s latest lineup reflects a clear vision — making AI more meaningful, personal and accessible. From slimmer foldables to personalized health-tracking wearables, these devices chart a bold trajectory for how AI companions can support users in every moment.

▲ Roh shares the vision for Galaxy AI as a true AI companion.

“When AI is paired with powerful mobile technology, it opens up a whole new world of opportunities,” said TM Roh, President, Acting Head of Device eXperience (DX) Division and Head of Mobile eXperience (MX) Business at Samsung Electronics. “The biggest breakthroughs are made when hardware, software and services challenge each other to grow.”

▲ The Galaxy Z Fold7 and Galaxy Z Flip7 are revealed through a launch video.

One UI 8: Made for Foldables, Powered by AI
▲ Won-Joon Choi, Chief Operating Officer of Mobile eXperience (MX) Business at Samsung Electronics, introduces One UI 8.

At the center of this transformation is One UI 8 — Samsung’s next-generation interface designed specifically for foldables, optimized for AI and built on the principles of multimodal understanding and deep personalization.

Privacy and security are core to One UI 8. The on-device Personal Data Engine learns from user preferences, while Knox Enhanced Encrypted Protection secures and isolates information within the app where it’s used.

Android 16 is available on the Galaxy Z Fold7 and Galaxy Z Flip7 at launch — made possible through close collaboration with Google.

▲ Rick Osterloh, Senior Vice President of Platforms & Devices at Google, discusses ongoing AI collaboration with Samsung.

Galaxy Z Fold7: A Larger Canvas for Galaxy AI
▲ Annika Bizon, Vice President of Product & Marketing at Samsung Electronics, highlights the Galaxy Z Fold7.

Pushing the limits of design, the Galaxy Z Fold7 is the slimmest Z Fold to date.

Features like Writing Assist and Drawing Assist help shape thoughts into polished prose and ideas into visuals. Now Brief displays insights — such as travel advisories, weather updates and exchange rates — by analyzing location, time and schedule.

▲ Circle to Search is demonstrated in a video.

Circle to Search has evolved to recognize in-game elements and provide contextual assistance without breaking immersion. Meanwhile, Vulkan optimizations boost graphics and responsiveness, powered by Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy — engineered for next-level performance.

▲ The Galaxy Z Fold7 delivers next-generation resolution and effortless cropping.

For the first time, a 200-megapixel wide-angle camera headlines the Z Fold series, empowering users to shoot wide and crop tight without compromise. AI-powered editing tools have been optimized for the large display. Generative Edit now includes a new Suggest Erases feature that automatically detects and removes passersby. Audio Eraser offers intelligent sound isolation — with support for adjusting up to four sound types at once.

▲ Audio Eraser is demonstrated in a video.

Galaxy Z Flip7: A Full Experience, Even When Closed
▲ Dale Hogen, Mobile Communications at Samsung Electronics, reveals the Galaxy Z Flip7.

Compact yet uncompromising, the Galaxy Z Flip7 is the slimmest Z Flip yet. With a reengineered Flex Hinge and the largest battery in Galaxy Z Flip history, the device features a 6.9-inch bar-type display that delivers vivid visuals through an embedded polarizer.

The redesigned 4.1-inch FlexWindow spans edge to edge and supports a 120Hz refresh rate for ultra-smooth interaction. To maximize screen space, the bezel has slimmed to just 1.25 millimeters — nearly a third the thickness of its predecessor. Supporting numerous apps and widgets, One UI 8 brings greater functionality to the cover screen.

▲ The Galaxy Z Flip7 features a newly expanded Flex Window and thinner bezels.

The Galaxy Z Flip7 is a pocket-perfect AI assistant. Timely information — such as the day’s schedule or current playlist — appears on Now Bar. Meanwhile, holding the side button activates Google’s Gemini for hands-free AI. Gemini Live can even analyze outfits via the camera and suggest style tips based on the weather or calendar events.

▲ The Galaxy Z Flip7’s camera has FlexCam that allows users to take selfies in an easier way.

The 50-megapixel camera delivers sharp detail and true-to-life color thanks to the ProVisual Engine, and FlexCam gives users a one-of-a-kind selfie experience.

The revolutionary Galaxy Z Flip design is now even more accessible with the Galaxy Z Flip7 FE — featuring the same iconic foldable form, complete with a 50-megapixel camera, ProVisual Engine and Galaxy AI.

Galaxy Watch8: A New Standard for Personalized Health
▲ John Englehardt, Sales at Samsung Electronics, presents the Galaxy Watch8 series.

The Galaxy Watch8 series is an evolution in Samsung’s design philosophy to create a clearer, more iconic design identity with distinctive cushion design — first introduced on the Galaxy Watch Ultra. The slim design, combined with Dynamic Lug System provides an unparalleled all-day comfort. Galaxy Watch’s sleek form is complemented by its exceptional performance, with a new 3-nanometer processor, dual-frequency GPS and the advanced BioActive Sensor.

▲ Running Coach delivers personalized training.

The new Running Coach feature analyzes users’ running level and provides personalized insights to keep users motivated through the tailored coaching program. Simultaneously, Samsung Health informs users when it’s time to wind down via the new Bedtime Guidance feature.

▲ Vascular Load and other advanced health tracking features have been added.

Vascular Load monitors stress levels on the vascular system during sleep. Meanwhile, the Antioxidant Index uses the BioActive Sensor to measure carotenoid levels, delivering lifestyle insights for healthy aging.

The experience of having a true AI companion now comes full circle with the introduction of One UI 8 Watch across the Galaxy Watch8 series. In addition, the Galaxy Watch8 is the first smartwatch to come out of the box with Google’s Gemini and be powered by Wear OS 6.

Sustainability: A Commitment to the Planet
▲ This year’s Galaxy foldable align with Samsung’s sustainability vision.

Sustainability remains central to Galaxy’s design philosophy. The Galaxy Z Fold7 and Galaxy Z Flip7 incorporate nine recycled materials — including recycled lithium and plastics sourced from discarded fishing nets. These efforts align with Samsung’s broader Galaxy for the Planet initiative and reflect an enduring commitment to environmental stewardship.

The Experience Zone: A Galaxy of Possibilities, Unfolded
Attendees from around the world gathered in the product experience zone after the announcement, excited to explore the newly launched Galaxy devices. The Galaxy Z Fold7, in particular, drew attention for its noticeably slimmer, lighter build — with many eager to try it firsthand.

▲ The product experience zone draws a crowd at Galaxy Unpacked 2025.

“When I first saw the Galaxy Z Fold7, I was surprised by how slim and lightweight it is,” said Francisco Javier, a Samsung Member from Spain. “The larger screen makes a big difference.”

▲ Francisco Javier, a Samsung Member from Spain

“I love the Galaxy Z Flip7 because there are so many creative ways to use it,” said Ana Carolina Sandoval Diaz, an influencer from El Salvador. “I’m always making new content, and this gives me more freedom to do that.”

▲ Ana Carolina Sandoval Diaz, an influencer from El Salvador

“Samsung always surprises us — and this year, it’s how thin the Galaxy Z Fold7 is,” said Adi Fida, a journalist from Indonesia. “Despite the larger screen, it still feels easy to use with one hand.”

▲ Adi Fida, a journalist from Indonesia

“I like that the Galaxy Watch8 focuses on health,” said Bilge Suisik, an influencer from Türkiye. “I’ve never been great at sleeping, so I think it’ll help me get back on schedule — I could really use the reminders.”

▲ Bilge Suisik, an influencer from Türkiye

With the Galaxy Z Fold7, Galaxy Z Flip7, Galaxy Z Flip FE and Galaxy Watch8 series, Samsung has made a groundbreaking leap in delivering personalized, intelligent experiences that adapt, anticipate and empower. Galaxy AI is now more deeply embedded than ever across the Galaxy ecosystem — positioning Samsung at the forefront of a future where mobile technology is both personal and powerful.

MIL OSI Global Banks –

July 10, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: NSU student develops software for configuring SKIF accelerator

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

Source: Novosibirsk State University –

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

As is known, SKIF is a mega-science facility that has become the first in Russia and the most powerful source of fourth-generation synchrotron radiation in the world. This complex opens up the broadest possibilities for research in a variety of fields – from materials science to medicine. Due to the high brightness and coherence of the radiation, SKIF allows you to literally “look inside” a substance, obtain ultra-precise data on its structure and behavior. The implementation of such projects significantly strengthens Russia’s position in international scientific cooperation and creates a technological base for breakthrough developments in science-intensive industries.

The program created by Vladislav is a configuration database. It stores information about the accelerator devices and allows it to be automatically transferred to the control systems.

— Essentially, this is a description of a number of parameters of SKIF devices, which is then transferred to the control software. That is, my program provides other programs with up-to-date data for working with the accelerator hardware, — says Vladislav Rodyakin, a bachelor’s degree graduate Physics Department of NSU.

The work on the program became Vladislav’s final qualification work. He did it as part of a team of employees of the Institute of Nuclear Physics SB RAS, which is responsible for the automation of processes in the SKIF project and other Russian accelerators. The software was developed from October to May and took about 20 hours a week for several months. Now Vladislav continues to support and improve his system based on requests received during operation.

— I especially liked that working at INP gave me real independence. I went through the whole cycle — from database design to creating an interface, web application and integration into the management system. This is a unique experience: in the business industry, novice programmers often get routine tasks, but here I worked like a one-man band, — he notes.

Close cooperation between the scientific institutes of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences and Novosibirsk State University has continued throughout the history of the university. This approach allows students to get involved in real research and engineering projects already at the stage of study. And the project completed by Vladislav is a vivid confirmation of this.

— Our program at the NSU Physics Department specifically prepares students to work with scientific installations and write software for them. In my third year of study, I took a course whose teacher was working on software for SKIF — he invited me to join the team. That’s how I ended up in a large scientific project, — says Vladislav.

Today, Vladislav Rodyakin continues his studies in the Master’s program and works at the Institute of Nuclear Physics. His experience shows that a university can be not only a place of study, but also a launching pad for participation in advanced projects of national and international scale.

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

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MIL OSI Russia News –

July 10, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Summer School “Cryptography and Information Security” Started in Saint Petersburg

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

Source: Novosibirsk State University –

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

From July 7 to 21, the summer school “Cryptography and Information Security” is taking place at the Saint Petersburg State University of Aerospace Instrumentation. It is a traditional event organized by the Cryptographic Center (Novosibirsk) and the International Mathematical Center in Akademgorodok.

More than 200 teachers and students, postgraduates and schoolchildren from 35 cities of Russia took part in the summer school dedicated to the issues of modern cryptography and information security. Participants will have 15 days of work and interesting communication at the Boiling Point of GUAP: 40 hour-long lectures from leading experts from the scientific field and business, unique offers from the event partners, excursions around St. Petersburg and key enterprises of the city, training and sports games. School schedule — on the website.

The organizers and partners of the summer school are the Cryptographic Center (Novosibirsk), the International Mathematical Center in Akademgorodok, the Saint Petersburg State University of Aerospace Instrumentation, the Southern Federal University, Special Technology Center LLC, Practical Security Systems LLC, Infotex JSC, Perspective Monitoring JSC, NeoQUEST and Enseukripto-lab LLC.

The head of the summer school is Natalia Tokareva, director of the Cryptographic Center (Novosibirsk). The co-head of the summer school is GUAP professor Sergey Bezzateev.

At the opening of the summer school, GUAP Rector Yulia Antokhina wished the participants fruitful work, interesting lectures and vivid impressions

“During the two weeks of participation in the summer school, you will learn a lot of new things in the field of your chosen specialty, meet your peers, gain invaluable experience in teamwork on projects and see the sights of our beautiful city,” noted Yulia Anatolyevna.

Participants were welcomed by representatives of the event partners.

— The direction you have chosen for your future professional activity is very much in demand today. And we are interested in your support, in developing your competencies, — noted Svetlana, a representative of the company “Special Technology Center”.

— The summer school can become the beginning of such a long journey for you, immersion in such an interesting science as cryptography, such an important field of activity as information security. New professional personnel in these areas are very important, — said Elena Mareeva, Deputy General Director of the company “Systems of Practical Security”.

— This summer school has attracted a record number of participants. They are all active and interested. Our goal as organizers is to give students from many regions of the country the opportunity to try themselves as researchers and open up prospects for their professional growth. We are doing everything for this, — noted the head of the summer school Natalia Tokareva, head of the cryptography laboratory of the NSU MMC.

The students were presented with research projects that they will work on during the summer school. Participants listen to lectures, go on excursions and participate in sports activities. The topics of the projects touch upon various issues of modern cryptography and information security: algorithms of symmetric and asymmetric cryptography, issues of constructing cryptographic protocols for solving authentication, identification, key transfer, and message exchange problems.

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

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MIL OSI Russia News –

July 10, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: Keith Rankin Analysis – Public Debt, Japan, and Wilful Blindness
Analysis by Keith Rankin.

Keith Rankin, trained as an economic historian, is a retired lecturer in Economics and Statistics. He lives in Auckland, New Zealand.

I just heard on Radio New Zealand a claim by a British commentator, Hugo Gye (Political Editor of The i Paper), that the United Kingdom (among other countries) has a major public debt crisis, and that if nothing is done about it (such as what Rachel Reeves – Chancellor of the Exchequer – is wanting to do), then in 2070 the public debt to GDP ratio would reach an ‘extreme’ level of 270% of GDP (gross domestic product). He added for good measure that no country in the world has public debt at a level anything like that. (Refer UK: Macron meets the King, RNZ, 10 July 2025.)

So I checked the International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook Database, April 2025, and found the following about Japan, the world’s fourth-largest national economy, looking at years from 2010 to 2024, with respect to government gross debt and general government financial deficit:
- minimum debt 206% (in 2010)
- maximum debt 258% (in 2020)
- average debt 234%
- current debt 237% (in 2024)
- projected debt 232% (in 2030)
- minimum deficit 2.3% (in 2023)
- maximum deficit 9.1% (in 2010)
- average deficit 5.3%
- current deficit 2.5% (in 2024)
- projected deficit 5.3% (in 2030)
Japan does not have a ‘cost of living crisis’. Below is a list of Japan’s interest (source: tradingeconomics.com) and inflation rates (again the reference period is 2010 to 2024):
- minimum interest -0.1% (in 2016-2024)
- maximum interest 0.25% (in 2024)
- average interest 0.0%
- current interest 0.5% (in 2025)
- minimum inflation -0.7% (in 2010)
- maximum inflation 3.3% (in 2023)
- average inflation 0.9%
- current inflation 2.4% (in 2025)
- projected inflation 2.0% (in 2030)
Japan is a prosperous country, with high life expectancy (85, the highest in the world for large economy nations), a very high ratio of retired people to working-age people, low inflation, and low interest rates. It was able to host the Olympic Games in 2021 without any financial fuss, and is about to host World Expo 2025. It has some of the world’s most sophisticated infrastructure.

Despite its high government debt – actually, to a large extent because of its high government debt – Japan’s is a creditor economy. Japan is not in debt to the rest of the world. Japan’s national debt is non-existent. Japan’s government debt is widely acknowledged, however, to be the world’s highest. Too many commentators – using wilful laziness – conflate national debt with government debt.

Japan’s is the world’s most successful twenty-first century large economy. It operates by Japanese savers lending much of their savings to their government at very low interest rates; those savers prefer to lend to their government rather than to pay high taxes to their government. Prosperous Japanese people are not greedy in the way that many rich westerners are. Their mantra is ‘private wealth, public wealth’; not ‘private wealth, public poverty’. Japan’s is not a zero-sum economy; in a zero-sum economy the prosperity of some comes at the expense of the impoverishment of others.

Hugo Jye was negligently dishonest – a case of wilful blindness or ignorance – in claiming that no countries had anything like 270% of GDP government debt. Western economists and financial commentators are likewise wilfully negligent in failing to alert their countries’ governments that there is an alternative – in plain sight – to our woeful policies of financial suffocation.

Note about three other economies

Within the European Union, it is rare for professional commentators to sing the praises of Spain and Italy. Spain, with 101% public debt, is enjoying a low inflation economic boom. It has a life expectancy of 83, higher than all European Union countries other than Malta and Luxembourg. Spain has had only government budget deficits since the surpluses of the years leading up to the 2008 Global Financial Crisis (a crisis which hit Spain particularly badly). Despite – no, because of – these accumulated deficits, Spain’s public debt (as a percent of GDP) has been falling since 2020; the deficits stimulated GDP. Spain had one year of high inflation (8.3% in 2022; the next highest since 2020 were 3.05% in 2011 and 3.0% in 2021); it recovered very quickly from that one year. Spain’s current interest rate is 2.15%.

Italy had 135% government debt to GDP in 2024. Its people’s life expectancy is high, marginally lower than Spain’s and slightly higher than New Zealand’s; significantly higher than Germany, Netherlands and the United States. Italy’s economy has been growing faster than the European Union average. Its public debt (compared to GDP) has been falling despite government deficits.

Spain and Italy are doing relatively well despite having among the highest older-person to younger-person age ratios in Europe. Spain is pro-actively utilising immigrant labour, whereas Northern Europe is scapegoating immigrants. And Spain, unlike most of Europe, is not looking to its ‘Defence’ budget to boost future growth.

Türkiye’s public debt has fallen from a high (since 2006) of 40% in 2021 to under 30% in 2023. This is despite double-digit inflation since 2016 and an average budget deficit since 2011 of 5.3%. While high inflation has benefitted Türkiye by bringing about negative real interest rates (meaning interest payments effectively flow from richer to poorer, generally benefitting indebted Turkish businesses and households), current interest rate settings look like suffocating for Türkiye for the remainder of the 2020s. (This monetary policy of suffocation is also true for Australia in 2025, with its particularly hawkish Reserve Bank at present.)

Despite challenging geopolitical and climatic circumstances, Türkiye has, at least until 2024, managed to achieve rising living standards for a substantial majority of its people. Unlike the United Kingdom and some northern European countries, Türkiye has not been a crisis economy despite (or because of) a reputation for unsound public finance.

*******

Keith Rankin (keith at rankin dot nz), trained as an economic historian, is a retired lecturer in Economics and Statistics. He lives in Auckland, New Zealand.
MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –
July 10, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: D. Trump announced the introduction of 50 percent tariffs on Brazilian goods

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

NEW YORK, July 9 (Xinhua) — U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday afternoon that goods imported from Brazil will be subject to a 50 percent tariff starting Aug. 1.

D. Trump posted a letter addressed to Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on his social media platform Truth Social, in which he said that “in part because of Brazil’s insidious attacks on free elections and the fundamental rights of Americans to free speech… we will be imposing a 50 percent tariff on all Brazilian goods shipped to the United States.”

Trump announced new tariffs on 14 countries on Monday and another seven on Wednesday, with rates ranging from 20 percent to 40 percent. Brazil’s tariff was the highest so far in this round. –0–

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

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MIL OSI Russia News –

July 10, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Two Indian Air Force pilots killed in plane crash

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

NEW DELHI, July 10 (Xinhua) — Two Indian Air Force pilots were killed during a training exercise in the western state of Rajasthan on Wednesday, the Indian Air Force confirmed.

A training aircraft crashed during a routine training session in Churu district of Rajasthan.

“An Indian Air Force (IAF) Jaguar fighter jet trainer suffered an accident during a routine training mission and crashed near Churu in Rajasthan today. Both pilots sustained fatal injuries. No damage to civilian property reported,” the IAF said on social media.

An investigative commission was created to establish the causes of the accident.–0–

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

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MIL OSI Russia News –

July 10, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: English-language version of animated film “Nezha 2” to hit screens overseas

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

SHANGHAI, July 10 (Xinhua) — The English-language version of Chinese animated film “Nezha 2” will hit theaters in the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand in IMAX and 3D from Aug. 22, CMC Pictures said Wednesday.

Directed by Yang Yu, aka Jiaozi, Ne Zha 2 is a milestone in modern animation, combining emotionally charged storytelling, mythological spectacle, and cutting-edge visual artistry.

The dubbed version of Ne Zha 2 will be co-produced by A24 and CMC Pictures. It is worth noting that Ne Zha 2 has already become the highest-grossing animated film and the highest-grossing non-English-language film in world cinema history, as well as the fifth-highest-grossing film worldwide.

At the 2025 Shanghai International Film Festival, Enlight Media Chairman Wang Changtian said that the overseas box office revenue of “Nezha 2” will exceed US$100 million. -0-

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

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MIL OSI Russia News –

July 10, 2025
MIL-OSI China: OPEC seminar focuses on energy transition, calls for stronger global cooperation

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

Artists perform at the opening ceremony of the 9th OPEC International Seminar in Vienna, Austria, on July 9, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

The 9th OPEC International Seminar opened on Wednesday, bringing together global energy leaders to discuss key issues including energy transitions, market stability, energy security, investment, technology, and innovation.

Under the theme “Charting Pathways Together: The Future of Global Energy,” the two-day event features exhibitions, ministerial sessions, and high-level roundtables aimed at exploring energy security and cooperation across the energy sector.

OPEC Secretary General Haitham Al Ghais said at the opening ceremony that 2025 holds special significance for OPEC, marking its 65th anniversary and the 60th anniversary of its Vienna headquarters. How to reduce carbon emissions while achieving energy security, improving energy accessibility and reducing global energy poverty is a key topic of the seminar, he added.

Meanwhile, Saudi Energy Minister Abdulaziz bin Salman Al Saud highlighted that energy transition is not a threat, but an opportunity to drive innovation, investment and economic development.

In a video address, Mohsen Paknejad, president of the OPEC Conference for 2025, urged countries to commit to peace and cooperation to ensure secure and sustainable energy supplies.

During the seminar, the organization will launch the 19th edition of the World Oil Outlook, one of its flagship publications that provides in-depth review and analysis of the global oil and energy industries and offers assessments of various scenarios in the medium- and long-term development.

The first OPEC International Seminar was held in 2001. As one of the most influential platforms for dialogue and cooperation in the energy sector, this year’s seminar attracted numerous ministers from OPEC member countries, representatives from major energy-producing and consuming nations, heads of international organizations, executives from energy companies and financial institutions, as well as experts and scholars.

MIL OSI China News –

July 10, 2025
MIL-OSI China: EU seeks trade deal framework with US, keeps retaliation option open: Officials

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

The European Union (EU) is pushing for a framework of trade agreement in principle with the United States while retaining the options to retaliate, multiple EU officials said on Wednesday.

“We are looking for a reliable framework — from which we can keep building our common trade,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told the European Parliament during a plenary session in Strasbourg, France.

While reaffirming the EU’s adherence to its principles and readiness for “all scenarios,” von der Leyen said the 27-nation bloc favored a negotiated settlement.

A Commission spokesperson echoed von der Leyen’s remarks, adding that an agreement in principle could be reached “in the coming days.”

“We’re working hard to get an agreement in principle with the U.S., and that is where our focus is at this point,” the spokesperson said.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he would “probably” send a letter to the EU within two days, adding: “A letter means a deal.”

“They treated us very badly until recently, and now they’re treating us very nicely. It’s like a different world, actually,” he said.

Trump also escalated trade tensions by threatening tariffs of up to 200 percent on foreign pharmaceuticals and 50 percent on copper. According to EU data, medical and pharmaceutical products, as well as medicaments have been among the bloc’s top exports to the United States over the past two years.

EU trade chief Maros Sefcovic told lawmakers that Brussels and Washington had made “good progress” on the text of a joint statement or agreement in principle.

“I hope to reach a satisfactory conclusion, potentially even in the coming days,” Sefcovic said. However, he emphasized that EU legislation and regulatory autonomy remain “red lines” and are “non-negotiable” in the talks.

Bernd Lange, chair of the European Parliament’s trade committee, said the EU continues to face “illegal and unjustified” U.S. tariffs, referring to the 50 percent duties on steel and aluminum, and the 25 percent on cars and auto parts.

“Of course, we are not really accepting this,” Lange told reporters in Strasbourg, adding that two key issues remain unresolved: Washington has yet to commit to significantly cutting existing tariffs or refraining from new ones.

Lange warned that the EU is prepared to retaliate, with a first package of countermeasures set to take effect on July 14 if no agreement is reached.

Regarding Trump’s letter, Lange said the EU had not received any correspondence so far and had “no clue” about its contents.

MIL OSI China News –

July 10, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Djokovic survives late fall to set Sinner SF at Wimbledon

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

Seven-time champion Novak Djokovic battled past Italy’s Flavio Cobolli in a hard-fought match on Wednesday, securing his place in the Wimbledon semifinals, where he will face Jannik Sinner in a highly anticipated showdown.

The Serbian star, chasing a record 25th Grand Slam title, rallied from a set down to defeat Cobolli 6-7 (6), 6-2, 7-5, 6-4.

Djokovic converted six of his 12 break points, while Cobolli’s 44 unforced errors – double Djokovic’s 22 – proved costly.

Novak Djokovic set up a mouthwatering Wimbledon semi-final against world number one Jannik Sinner as he moved a step closer to claiming a historic 25th Grand Slam title.

Top seed Sinner overcame lingering discomfort from an elbow injury to defeat American Ben Shelton 7-6 (2), 6-4, 6-4.

The 23-year-old Italian had injured his right elbow after slipping during his fourth-round match against Grigor Dimitrov on Monday. Wearing a protective sleeve, Sinner showed little sign of trouble as he controlled the match against Shelton.

After the match, he admitted trying to ignore the injury during play. “When you are in a match with a lot of tension, you try not to think about it.”

“It has improved a lot from yesterday to today. Yesterday my day was very short on the practice court,” he added.

Friday’s semifinal will be a rematch of their 2023 encounter, which Djokovic won in straight sets.

The other men’s semifinal will feature world No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz against fifth seed Taylor Fritz.

In the women’s draw, 18-year-old Russian Mirra Andreeva’s impressive run came to an end with a 7-6 (3), 7-6 (2) loss to Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic.

The 35th-ranked Swiss, a former Olympic champion, will now face eighth seed Iga Swiatek, who booked her semifinal place with a 6-2, 7-5 win over Russia’s Liudmila Samsonova.

The other semifinal will see world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka take on American 13th seed Amanda Anisimova.

MIL OSI China News –

July 10, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: In the first half of this year, 1,830 China-Europe freight trains entered the country through the Erenhot checkpoint.

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

BEIJING, July 10 (Xinhua) — A total of 1,830 China-Europe freight trains entered China through the Ereenhot port in north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on the border with Mongolia in the first half of this year, up 6.1 percent year on year, data released by the local commerce bureau showed.

According to the city administration press service, during the period from January to June of this year, cargo turnover through the checkpoint increased by 9.5 percent year-on-year to 2.35 million tons.

Ereenhot is the largest land border crossing between China and Mongolia. Currently, regular rail service through it connects more than 60 Chinese cities with 70 cities and stations in more than 10 countries around the world, including Germany, Poland and Russia.

China supplies automobiles, auto parts, equipment, electronics, textiles, and consumer goods to the international market through Ereenhot. -0-

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

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MIL OSI Russia News –

July 10, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: The first freight train to travel along the trans-Caspian route departs from Shanxi Province

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

TAIYUAN, July 10 (Xinhua) — A train loaded with 50 standard containers of photovoltaic panels weighing 1,159 tonnes departed Jinzhong City in north China’s Shanxi Province for Azerbaijan’s capital Baku on Wednesday morning, marking the province’s launch of China-Europe rail service along the trans-Caspian route.

According to the press service of the local transport company Huayuan International Land Port, the train departed from the Zhongding logistics center. On the way, it will pass through the territory of Kazakhstan and arrive at the port of Aktau, from where the cargo will be delivered to Azerbaijan by ferry.

Compared to the traditional method, trans-Caspian transportation allows to significantly reduce transportation time, the company recalled. In the future, locally produced photovoltaic modules will be more convenient to deliver to the Transcaucasus, Turkey and Eastern European countries, the company recalled.

Currently, Huayuan International Land Port operates regular rail services on 23 China-Europe and China-Central Asia routes, linking Shanxi Province with 48 cities in 16 countries. -0-

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

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MIL OSI Russia News –

July 10, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Representatives of Chinese and Russian universities discussed new opportunities for cooperation between universities in Sichuan Province and Russia

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

BEIJING, July 10 (Xinhua) — A forum on cooperation between universities in Sichuan Province and the Volga Region of Russia was recently held at Sichuan University. Representatives of Chinese and Russian universities held an in-depth exchange of views on academic exchanges, development of specialties and joint educational programs.

Scientific cooperation was the main topic of discussion. Rector of the Kozma Minin Nizhny Novgorod State Pedagogical University /NSPU/ Viktor Sdobnyakov noted China’s impressive achievements in physical chemistry, mechanical engineering, electronics and artificial intelligence, emphasizing the value of the Chinese model of integrating education, science and production. He expressed interest in joint scientific and technical projects with universities and enterprises in Sichuan Province.

Vice-president of Southwest Petroleum University Pei Xiangjun proposed expanding scientific cooperation in the field of carbon neutrality, artificial intelligence and alternative energy through joint research, the establishment of international laboratories and the commercialization of technologies to promote the socio-economic development of the two countries.

There is a positive trend in humanitarian exchanges between universities in Sichuan Province and Russia: 37 Russian students were enrolled in the summer school of the Southwest University of Finance and Economics, over 2,000 Chinese students are studying at Kazan Federal University, and the Mordovian State University named after N.P. Ogarev created the Center for Chinese Language and Culture.

To deepen ties, forum participants proposed creating cultural and educational platforms and building effective mechanisms for cooperation.

Zhang Haidong, deputy secretary of the Sichuan Normal University Party Committee, recommended using “Internet plus education” technologies to exchange educational resources and jointly train specialists. -0-

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

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MIL OSI Russia News –

July 10, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Trump sends tariff letters to 8 more countries

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

U.S. President Donald Trump sent letters to the leaders of eight countries Wednesday, notifying them that tariffs ranging from 20 percent to 50 percent will be charged on goods imported from these countries starting Aug. 1.

Trump first posted letters to seven countries — the Philippines, Brunei, Moldova, Algeria, Iraq, Libya and Sri Lanka — on Truth Social, his own social media platform.

According to the letters, 30 percent tariffs will be imposed on Libya, Iraq, Algeria and Sri Lanka, 25 percent on Brunei and Moldova, and 20 percent on the Philippines.

Later in the day, Trump announced that tariffs of 50 percent will be charged on goods from Brazil, also effective on Aug. 1.

His letter to Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva claimed that “Due in part to Brazil’s insidious attacks on Free Elections, and the fundamental Free Speech Rights of Americans … we will charge Brazil a Tariff of 50% on any and all Brazilian products sent into the United States.”

“Any unilateral measure to raise tariffs will be responded to in light of Brazil’s economic reciprocity law,” Lula said Wednesday on X.

Brazilian Vice President Geraldo Alckmin said Wednesday it was “unjust” for Trump to impose tariffs of 50 percent on Brazilian products.

“I see no reason to increase tariffs on Brazil. Brazil is not a problem for the United States; it is important to reiterate that. The United States has a trade deficit, but a surplus with Brazil,” Alckmin said.

Trump sent the first batch of tariff letters to 14 countries on Monday, with tariffs ranging from 25 percent to 40 percent.

MIL OSI China News –

July 10, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Revamped Leverkusen prepares for unknown journey

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

The 2023-24 Bundesliga champion Bayer Leverkusen is gearing up for a full reorganization due to the departure of coach Xabi Alonso, along with Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong and Jonathan Tah.

The journey into the unknown is guided by 55-year-old coach Erik ten Hag, who is relishing a second top-level chance after his dismissal from Manchester United in 2024.

Florian Wirtz (L) of Bayer 04 Leverkusen vies with Ozan Kabak of TSG Hoffenheim during the first division of Bundesliga match in Leverkusen, Germany, March 30, 2024. (Photo by Joachim Bywaletz/Xinhua)

The team’s pre-season plans reinforce the idea of a complete restart, including its unusual trip to Brazil from July 14 to 24 where it will visit the training ground of Flamengo.

“You can’t sail on yesterday’s wind,” said Ten Hag. “We start from zero and have to readjust our compass.”

Sporting director Simon Rolfes said the club’s goals include finishing in the top four in Germany and the top 16 in Europe.

“In these spheres, you are inevitably a candidate for winning silverware,” he stated.

With 150 million euros (about 176 million U.S. dollars) earned from Wirtz’s transfer, Leverkusen has signed Jarell Quansah, Malik Tillman, Ibrahim Maza, Abdoulaye Faye and Mark Flekken.

The Brazil trip is said to create an inspiring atmosphere far away from local concerns about the future and display the club’s intention to strengthen ties to South America.

“If you want, ties to South America have been growing over the past decades as we had several players from there in our shirt,” said Rolfes.

While Ten Hag emphasizes that “everyone has to keep it as a pleasant memory to be ready for a new start,” the team is already ahead with tactical changes, as the new coach seems to prefer a back four.

After the departure of Alonso, the team adopted a different model as Ten Hag is said to rely on strict discipline.

Like his predecessor, Ten Hag favors a dominant playing style centered on a high level of ball possession.

He discussed a “perfect foundation” established by Alonso. “It’s on us to rely on these pillars and, at the same time, create something new.”

MIL OSI China News –

July 10, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Hagerty Announces Staff Additions, Trump Admin Appointments

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Tennessee Bill Hagerty
WASHINGTON—Today, United States Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN) announced 6 additions to his staff in Tennessee and Washington, D.C. Hagerty’s team continues to be fully operational and serving the great state of Tennessee.
Brian McCormack will soon assume the role of Chief of Staff. McCormack is currently serving as the Chief of Staff for the National Security Council at the White House. Previously, he served at the White House Office of Management and Budget responsible for nearly a dozen agencies and as the Chief of Staff at the Department of Energy. The current Chief of Staff, Adam Telle, was nominated in March by President Trump to serve as the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works where he will oversee the Corps of Engineers.
“I’m glad to have someone of Brian’s caliber and experience to lead this exceptional team. He brings a set of highly-relevant perspectives to the role where the paramount focus is to serve the people of Tennessee and the interests of our nation,” said Senator Bill Hagerty. “Brian’s background and relationships within the Trump Administration will support my objective of making the federal government work for the American people.”
“I’m thankful for the many years of service Adam has put in leading our team from day one in the Senate, which has helped me build a strong foundation for success here in the U.S. Senate going forward,” said Senator Bill Hagerty. “I’m so proud of the opportunity he’s been given to once again serve as an outstanding member of President Trump’s administration, and his management of the Corps of Engineers will bring the responses we’ve seen in my Senate office to bear on an organization central to Tennessee and our nation.”
Robert Donachie is now serving as Deputy Chief of Staff for Communications. Donachie served as Vice President of a Washington, DC-based public relations and literary agency. He spent several years working in the House of Representatives. He also served as the White House correspondent for The Washington Examiner and as a political reporter for The Daily Caller. Donachie has appeared on Fox News Channel, nationally syndicated radio programs, and provided commentary for The New York Times, POLITICO, Newsweek, The Hill, and other outlets.
Tiffany Delgado recently joined as Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, replacing Jim Durrett. Delgado served as Senior Vice President of a Washington, DC-based marketing agency specializing in custom targeted voter contact, fundraising and issue advocacy programs, where she was recognized with the Rising Star Award from Campaigns and Elections. Previously she worked at the National Republican Senatorial Committee as the Director of Direct Response. Tiffany holds a B.A. from the University of Virginia, and is currently pursuing her MBA from Georgetown University.
Michael Sullivan will become Senior Advisor to Senator Hagerty, where he will continue to be involved in state operations while also providing strategic advice on the Senator’s larger operation, leveraging Sullivan’s experience to benefit Hagerty’s broader mandate.
Alec Richardson will become the State Director for Senator Hagerty. Currently, he serves as Senior Advisor to Governor Bill Lee and Director of External Affairs at the State of Tennessee. In this role, Richardson is responsible for overseeing strategic operations, managing federal relations, and advising on key legislative issues. He formerly served as Deputy Chief of Staff and Personal Aide to the Governor. He resides in Nashville with his wife and their one-year-old son.
Kalleigh Ahern is now serving as Press & Digital Assistant in the office of U.S. Senator Bill Hagerty. Prior to joining the Senate, she worked as a Public Relations and Communications Intern at a national PR agency, where she contributed to strategic campaign planning, media monitoring and cross-sector client research. Ahern also gained firsthand experience in federal outreach and constituent services while working in her home congressional district in Tennessee. She graduated summa cum laude from The University of Alabama with a focus in public relations and political science.
Serving in the Trump Administration
Adam Telle has been advanced out of the Armed Services Committee and Environment and Public Works Committee to lead the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works. Telle has served as Hagerty’s Chief of Staff over the last four years and will continue to serve Hagerty while his nomination is pending before the Senate. Telle served during the first Trump Administration as the White House’s Senate lead in its Office of Legislative Affairs. Prior to that role, Telle served as the top staff member on the Senate Appropriations Committee’s Subcommittee on Homeland Security and as the top policy advisor to the late Senator Thad Cochran. Telle holds degrees in computer science and journalism from Mississippi State University.
Jim Durrett is now the Deputy Chief of Staff to the Vice President and Deputy Assistant to the President. Previously, he served as Deputy Chief of Operations for Senator Hagerty. Durrett is a native of Clarksville, Tennessee.
Luke Pettit has been advanced out of the Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee to be Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Financial Institutions. Pettit has served as Senator Hagerty’s Senior Policy Advisor and will continue to serve Hagerty while his nomination is pending before the Senate. Previously, he worked at the Senate Banking Committee, Bridgewater Associates, and the Federal Reserve. Luke holds a B.A from the University of Pennsylvania, and graduate degrees from the London School of Economics and Johns Hopkins University.
Jonathan Greenstein is nominated to be Deputy Undersecretary of the Treasury for International Finance. Previously, he served as Senator Hagerty’s Senior Policy Advisor. Greenstein is a graduate of Harvard Business School and Yale Law School.
Daniel Zimmerman has been confirmed to be the Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs. Zimmerman previously served in a Congressional Executive Fellowship in the office of Senator Hagerty. He previously has held many roles in the agency realm, and holds both a bachelor’s degree from Asbury University and a master’s degree from the Patterson School of Diplomacy at the University of Kentucky.
Julia Hahn is serving as the Assistant Secretary of the Treasury Department for the Office of Public Affairs. Hahn joins the Department after serving as Deputy Chief of Staff for Communications for Senator Hagerty. Prior to the Senate, Hahn served in the first Trump White House over all four years, most recently as Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy White House Communications Director. Before that, she served as Special Assistant to the President and Director of Rapid Response and Surrogate Operations. Hahn has also worked in media as the Executive Producer of The Laura Ingraham Show and a reporter at Breitbart News. She also worked on Capitol Hill as Press Secretary to former Congressman Dave Brat. Hahn graduated from the University of Chicago with a BA in Philosophy.
Clark Milner is serving as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor for Policy, focusing primarily on domestic policy. Milner formerly served as Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy and Chief Counsel to Senator Bill Hagerty. Milner previously served as Deputy Counsel to Governor Bill Lee.
Natalie McIntyre currently serves as a Special Assistant to the President for the Office of Legislative Affairs where she handles the Healthcare, Education, Labor, Banking, and Agriculture portfolio. Previously, she was Senator Hagerty’s Legislative Director overseeing the legislative team and managing the Health, Education, Labor, Pension, and Veterans portfolio. Prior to her role in Hagerty’s office, she was part of the legislative office at OMB where she managed the Senate offices. She also served as a Senior Policy Advisor and White House liaison at ONDCP.
Jason Hoffman is currently the Executive Secretary at the White House Office of Management and Budget. Hoffman formerly served as a Policy Advisor for Senator Hagerty, focusing on homeland security and judiciary issues. Previously, he worked at the Office of Management and Budget during President Trump’s first term and as a Legislative Assistant in the U.S. House of Representatives.Nels Nordquist is serving as Deputy Assistant to the President for International Economic Policy and Deputy Director of the National Economic Council. Nordquist was Senior Fellow for Economic Policy in the office of Senator Hagerty. In addition, his prior service includes as Staff Director for the National Security, Illicit Finance, and International Financial Institutions Subcommittee of the House Financial Services Committee. From 2018-2021, Nordquist worked in the National Security Council and National Economic Council, first as Director for Trade & Investment and later as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for International Economic Policy. Nordquist graduated from Stanford and earned an MBA from the University of Virginia.
Joel Rayburn is the Trump Administration’s nominee to be Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs. He is a historian, former diplomat, and retired military officer who previously served as special advisor for Middle East affairs in the office of Senator Hagerty. Rayburn is currently a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute. In the first Trump Administration, he served as a senior director on the National Security Council staff and, from July 2018 to January 2021, as the U.S. special envoy for Syria. Before joining the State Department, Rayburn served 26 years as a US Army officer and co-authored the Army’s official history of the Iraq War. He holds an MA in history from Texas A&M University and an MS in strategic studies from the National War College.
Kevin Kim serves as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the State Department’s Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs. He previously worked as a National Security Fellow for Senator Hagerty. Kim was also the Senior Advisor to the Special Presidential Envoy for Arms Control Marshall Billingslea as part of the U.S. delegation to the 2020 U.S.-Russia arms control negotiations. From 2018 to 2020, he served as the Chief of Staff to the Special Representative for North Korea and the Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun and worked closely with then-U.S. Ambassador to Japan Hagerty as he participated in various rounds of U.S.-DPRK nuclear negotiations. Kim received a BA from the Johns Hopkins University, MA from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, and is currently pursuing a Doctorate in International Relations from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies.
Daniel Tirosh now serves on the National Security Council. Tirosh previously served as Deputy National Security Advisor and Counsel for Senator Hagerty. He holds a bachelor’s degree from University of California, Santa Cruz, and graduated from Stanford Law School.
Walton Stivender Mears has taken on a new role as scheduler for Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner. Mears joined HUD earlier this year after serving as Director of Scheduling for Senator Hagerty. She previously handled scheduling and assisted the chief of staff for Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS) and as a Staff Assistant for Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL). Mears is a graduate of Auburn University.
J. Cal Mitchell is serving as Special Advisor for the Office of Legislative Affairs at the U.S. Department of Treasury. He joins the Treasury Department after serving as Personal Aide to Senator Hagerty. Mitchell is a graduate of Hampden-Sydney College.
Nick Checker, a former national security fellow for Senator Hagerty, currently serves as Deputy Executive Secretary on the National Security Council. In that role, Checker provides senior-level review of NSC products for substance, policy relevance, and appropriateness for the President and senior White House officials. Checker has spent the last decade prior to his service on Senator Hagerty’s staff at the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) as a military analyst covering conflicts in the greater Middle East. Most recently, Checker worked in CIA’s office of Congressional Affairs, where he supported the confirmation process for Director John Ratcliffe. He holds a bachelor’s degree in history and political science from the University of Wisconsin and a master’s degree in Security Studies from Georgetown University.
Nicholas Elliot is the Confidential Assistant and Policy Advisor to the President’s Council of Advisors on Digital Assets. Previously, Elliot worked on Senator Hagerty’s 2020 campaign team and spent nearly four years working for Senator Hagerty on the Senator’s financial services and banking portfolio, where he advanced the Senator’s work on the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. Elliot is a graduate of Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business where he received a BS in Business Administration with a major in Finance and a minor in Mandarin.
Taylor Asher serves as Senior Policy Advisor to Chairman Paul Atkins. From April 2023 to January 2025, Asher served as Policy Advisor and Confidential Assistant to Commissioner Uyeda. Prior to his time at the SEC, Asher was Personal Aide to Senator Hagerty. His tenure in public service began with Congresswoman Julia Letlow’s Office, where he served as Staff Assistant and Intern Manager. Asher is currently pursuing a Master of Economics at George Mason University. He holds a Master of Finance with an Energy Specialization as well as a Bachelor of Science in Management from Tulane University. He is originally from Nashville, Tennessee.
Cole Bornefeld will be serving as Director of Correspondence for the Office of the Vice President. He previously served as a Legislative Aide to Hagerty, assisting in the Judiciary, Homeland Security, Commerce, and Rules portfolio. Bornefeld previously served as a Legislative Correspondent, Staff Assistant, and Intern in Senator Hagerty’s office. He graduated from Western Kentucky University with a bachelor’s degree in political science and public relations.

MIL OSI USA News –

July 10, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Murphy Joins Bicameral Letter to Defense Secretary Hegseth to Rein In Dangerous, Wasteful “Golden Dome” Missile Plan

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy

July 09, 2025

WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, joined colleagues in a bicameral letter urging U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to refrain from mindlessly pouring resources into the Trump administration’s unproven and ill-defined “Golden Dome” comprehensive missile defense shield. The letter emphasized how Trump’s proposed Golden Dome program would be technically unfeasible, strategically unwise, and overwhelmingly expensive. Instead of making the U.S. homeland safer from missile threats, this program sets the stage for the Trump administration to waste hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars, open the door to enormous corruption, and set off a destabilizing nuclear arms race that would make Americans less safe.
In the letter, the lawmakers wrote, “The Trump administration’s plans for Golden Dome could make it prohibitively expensive, operationally ineffective, massively corrupt, and detrimental to U.S. and global security by igniting a nuclear arms race with Russia and China. We are concerned that Golden Dome will be much more effective at wasting taxpayer dollars than countering missile attacks.”
The lawmakers continued, “Countering a possible Russian or Chinese attack involving hundreds of warheads would require a much larger, more technologically advanced, and more costly system. That is why Congress, since 1999 on a bipartisan basis, has specifically said that U.S. national missile defenses should aim to counter only ‘limited’ threats, not Russian and Chinese arsenals. Golden Dome would overturn that long-standing consensus with the stroke of a pen.”
The lawmakers requested responses to the following questions by July 21, 2025:
What is the intended purpose of Golden Dome? How many missiles (and of what types) is it being designed to intercept? What system architecture will be used? Has the threat been validated as a requirement by the Joint Chiefs of Staff?
How does the Administration plan to spend the proposed $175 billion on Golden Dome?
What is the 20-year estimated cost of Golden Dome?
How does the Administration plan to deal with known and anticipated countermeasures to space- and ground-based missile defense, including nuclear detonations in space?
What aspects of the system would be based in space?
Will the Administration propose a third missile defense interceptor site on the East Coast?
How does the Pentagon plan to meet requirements for developmental and operational testing of the elements of the proposed system, given the very short timeline for deployment?
How will the Administration award contracts under Golden Dome? Will SpaceX get preferential treatment?
How does the Administration expect China and Russia to react to Golden Dome? How does the administration plan to reconcile its arms control goals with these reactions?
The letter was co-signed in the U.S. Senate by U.S. Senators Edward Markey (D-Mass.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.); and in the U.S. House of Representatives by U.S. Representatives Don Beyer (D-Va.-8), John Garamendi (D-Calif.-8) Bill Foster (D-Ill.-11), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), Greg Casar (D-Texas-35), and Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas-37).
The full text of the letter is available here.

MIL OSI USA News –

July 10, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Murphy Joins Bicameral Letter to Defense Secretary Hegseth to Rein In Dangerous, Wasteful “Golden Dome” Missile Plan
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy

July 09, 2025
WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, joined colleagues in a bicameral letter urging U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to refrain from mindlessly pouring resources into the Trump administration’s unproven and ill-defined “Golden Dome” comprehensive missile defense shield. The letter emphasized how Trump’s proposed Golden Dome program would be technically unfeasible, strategically unwise, and overwhelmingly expensive. Instead of making the U.S. homeland safer from missile threats, this program sets the stage for the Trump administration to waste hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars, open the door to enormous corruption, and set off a destabilizing nuclear arms race that would make Americans less safe.

In the letter, the lawmakers wrote, “The Trump administration’s plans for Golden Dome could make it prohibitively expensive, operationally ineffective, massively corrupt, and detrimental to U.S. and global security by igniting a nuclear arms race with Russia and China. We are concerned that Golden Dome will be much more effective at wasting taxpayer dollars than countering missile attacks.”

The lawmakers continued, “Countering a possible Russian or Chinese attack involving hundreds of warheads would require a much larger, more technologically advanced, and more costly system. That is why Congress, since 1999 on a bipartisan basis, has specifically said that U.S. national missile defenses should aim to counter only ‘limited’ threats, not Russian and Chinese arsenals. Golden Dome would overturn that long-standing consensus with the stroke of a pen.”

The lawmakers requested responses to the following questions by July 21, 2025:

What is the intended purpose of Golden Dome? How many missiles (and of what types) is it being designed to intercept? What system architecture will be used? Has the threat been validated as a requirement by the Joint Chiefs of Staff?

How does the Administration plan to spend the proposed $175 billion on Golden Dome?

What is the 20-year estimated cost of Golden Dome?

How does the Administration plan to deal with known and anticipated countermeasures to space- and ground-based missile defense, including nuclear detonations in space?

What aspects of the system would be based in space?

Will the Administration propose a third missile defense interceptor site on the East Coast?

How does the Pentagon plan to meet requirements for developmental and operational testing of the elements of the proposed system, given the very short timeline for deployment?

How will the Administration award contracts under Golden Dome? Will SpaceX get preferential treatment?

How does the Administration expect China and Russia to react to Golden Dome? How does the administration plan to reconcile its arms control goals with these reactions?

The letter was co-signed in the U.S. Senate by U.S. Senators Edward Markey (D-Mass.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.); and in the U.S. House of Representatives by U.S. Representatives Don Beyer (D-Va.-8), John Garamendi (D-Calif.-8) Bill Foster (D-Ill.-11), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), Greg Casar (D-Texas-35), and Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas-37).

The full text of the letter is available here.
MIL OSI USA News –
July 10, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Murphy Joins Bicameral Letter to Defense Secretary Hegseth to Rein In Dangerous, Wasteful “Golden Dome” Missile Plan
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy

July 09, 2025
WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, joined colleagues in a bicameral letter urging U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to refrain from mindlessly pouring resources into the Trump administration’s unproven and ill-defined “Golden Dome” comprehensive missile defense shield. The letter emphasized how Trump’s proposed Golden Dome program would be technically unfeasible, strategically unwise, and overwhelmingly expensive. Instead of making the U.S. homeland safer from missile threats, this program sets the stage for the Trump administration to waste hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars, open the door to enormous corruption, and set off a destabilizing nuclear arms race that would make Americans less safe.

In the letter, the lawmakers wrote, “The Trump administration’s plans for Golden Dome could make it prohibitively expensive, operationally ineffective, massively corrupt, and detrimental to U.S. and global security by igniting a nuclear arms race with Russia and China. We are concerned that Golden Dome will be much more effective at wasting taxpayer dollars than countering missile attacks.”

The lawmakers continued, “Countering a possible Russian or Chinese attack involving hundreds of warheads would require a much larger, more technologically advanced, and more costly system. That is why Congress, since 1999 on a bipartisan basis, has specifically said that U.S. national missile defenses should aim to counter only ‘limited’ threats, not Russian and Chinese arsenals. Golden Dome would overturn that long-standing consensus with the stroke of a pen.”

The lawmakers requested responses to the following questions by July 21, 2025:

What is the intended purpose of Golden Dome? How many missiles (and of what types) is it being designed to intercept? What system architecture will be used? Has the threat been validated as a requirement by the Joint Chiefs of Staff?

How does the Administration plan to spend the proposed $175 billion on Golden Dome?

What is the 20-year estimated cost of Golden Dome?

How does the Administration plan to deal with known and anticipated countermeasures to space- and ground-based missile defense, including nuclear detonations in space?

What aspects of the system would be based in space?

Will the Administration propose a third missile defense interceptor site on the East Coast?

How does the Pentagon plan to meet requirements for developmental and operational testing of the elements of the proposed system, given the very short timeline for deployment?

How will the Administration award contracts under Golden Dome? Will SpaceX get preferential treatment?

How does the Administration expect China and Russia to react to Golden Dome? How does the administration plan to reconcile its arms control goals with these reactions?

The letter was co-signed in the U.S. Senate by U.S. Senators Edward Markey (D-Mass.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.); and in the U.S. House of Representatives by U.S. Representatives Don Beyer (D-Va.-8), John Garamendi (D-Calif.-8) Bill Foster (D-Ill.-11), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), Greg Casar (D-Texas-35), and Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas-37).

The full text of the letter is available here.
MIL OSI USA News –
July 10, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: Swedish Government Offices Yearbook 2023

Source: Government of Sweden

How many people work at the Government Offices? What was the central government budget like last year? How many acts and ordinances were issued last year? The answer to these and other questions can be found in the Swedish Government Offices Yearbook 2023.

MIL OSI Europe News –

July 10, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: Swedish and Finnish ministers to undertake joint visits

Source: Government of Sweden

Swedish and Finnish ministers will undertake a number of joint visits on the afternoon of 16 September. Media representatives are welcome to take part in the visits. Contact the relevant press contacts for more information, see below. Note that the list is subject to change.

MIL OSI Europe News –

July 10, 2025
MIL-OSI United Nations: Space is not the final frontier – it is the foundation of our future: UN deputy chief

Source: United Nations MIL OSI b

Addressing delegates at a UN forum on peaceful uses of outer space, Amina Mohammed urged greater international cooperation as the world becomes increasingly reliant on satellites for everything from disaster response to climate monitoring.

“Space is not the final frontier. It is the foundation of our present,” she said.

“Without satellites orbiting overhead right now, global food systems would collapse within weeks. Emergency responders would lose their lifelines. Climate scientists would be flying blind. And our hopes of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) would be out of reach,” she added.

Expanding access to space

For nearly seven decades, the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space – the forum’s official name, has advanced international cooperation through five space treaties, sustainability guidelines and the Space 2030 Agenda.

Ms. Mohammed highlighted the UN’s efforts through the Office for Outer Space Affairs (OOSA), in helping make space more accessible – particularly for the more than half of UN Member States that still lack a satellite in orbit.

OOSA’s programmes are opening opportunities for youth and women in developing countries, cultivating a more inclusive new generation of space leaders.

It also supports countries in building their space capabilities through technical workshops and assistance for emerging programmes, having assisted Kenya, Guatemala, Moldova and Mauritius in launching their first satellites.

Similarly, it is helping countries like Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago and Ghana, use satellite data to create detailed digital models of entire cities, allowing faster disaster response and saving lives.

Space and sustainable development

Fresh from the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development in Sevilla, Spain, Ms. Mohammed stressed that the areas the UN defines as critical for sustainable development acceleration all depend on space technologies.

She also relayed a critical message from the conference: “In an era of constrained investment, we must align capital with high-impact solutions,” she said. “Space is one of them.”

“The view from space shows no countries, no borders – only one shared planet, one common home. Let that perspective guide you as you build the governance frameworks for space exploration and use,” she concluded.

“Let us make space a catalyst for achieving the SDGs.”

MIL OSI United Nations News –

July 10, 2025
MIL-OSI Submissions: Technology – Moldova’s Virtual IT Park Attracts Global Attention with Record Growth and €1 Billion Revenue Target – MITP

Source: Moldova Innovation Technology Park (MITP)

Chisinau, Moldova, July 9th,2025 – Moldova Innovation Technology Park (MITP), the first fully virtual IT park in Europe and a key pillar of Moldova’s innovation ecosystem, continues to break records and transform the country’s economic landscape.

In 2025, MITP expects its resident companies to generate over €1 billion in revenue, representing a 30% increase compared to 2024 and reaffirming the IT sector as a major engine of Moldova’s economic growth.

Launched in 2018 by the Government of Moldova, MITP has rapidly evolved into a gateway to Eastern Europe’s emerging tech scene. Today, it unites over 2,370 resident companies from 43 countries, including new entrants from the United States, Germany, the UK, Italy, Ukraine, France, and many others. In 2024 alone, 533 new companies joined — the highest annual growth since the park’s creation.

“The regional geopolitical context has played a decisive role. In 2021, MITP hosted only three Ukrainian companies. By 2024, this number had surged more than fourteen-fold due to strategic relocations caused by the war. Meanwhile, the number of Romanian-owned companies nearly doubled over the past three years, influenced in part by recent tax changes affecting Romania’s IT sector,”

— said Marina Bzovîi, Administrator of MITP.

Beyond the IT sector, Moldova is undergoing a structural economic transformation, marked by a decisive shift from goods-based production to a service-driven growth model. In 2025, the country recorded three historic milestones in services exports:

$626 million USD in Q1 alone — a record high for the first quarter
$2.8 billion USD annually — an all-time maximum
Services now represent 44.5% of total exports, the highest share in Moldova’s history

IT services lead this growth, totaling $686 million USD, followed by transportation services ($561 million), and business support services ($279 million). Education and health services are also on a strong upward trajectory. As a result, Moldova now enjoys a $900 million USD trade surplus in services, helping offset deficits in goods and positioning the country as a dynamic, services-driven economy.

“Moldova’s economic model is undergoing a profound transformation — from a traditional, goods-based economy to one driven by high-value services and digital innovation. The extraordinary growth of MITP is a testament to our unwavering commitment to building a future-ready, service-oriented economy that creates skilled jobs and attracts global investors. As we accelerate our digital transformation and promote smart regulation, Moldova is emerging as a competitive, innovation-led destination in the heart of Europe.”

— Doina Nistor, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Digitalization and Economic Development of the Republic of Moldova

MITP is home to pioneering companies that have chosen Moldova as the ideal place to innovate and grow. For example, Parkopedia, founded by Eugene Tsyrklevich, began as a small operation and now provides smart parking solutions for global automotive giants such as BMW, Audi, and Toyota — all developed from Moldova, thanks to MITP’s supportive environment. Meanwhile, Argus AI, co-founded by neurosurgeon Alexandru Andrusca and AI expert Vladimir Verbulski, has created an advanced virtual reality system for neurosurgical planning, making such technology more accessible worldwide. These success stories showcase Moldova’s emergence as an unexpected but highly attractive home for cutting-edge tech and ambitious entrepreneurs.

The economic impact of MITP is substantial: in 2024, resident companies contributed over €78 million to Moldova’s public budget, four times more than in 2017. About half of this amount comes from businesses established after the park’s launch, highlighting MITP’s role as a catalyst for job creation, investment attraction, and Moldova’s growing digital competitiveness.

About Moldova Innovation Technology Park (MITP)

Launched in early 2018 by the Government of Moldova, MITP is an innovative, fully virtual IT park designed to strengthen Moldova’s technology ecosystem and enhance its regional competitiveness. The park offers a unique 7% single tax system, simplified immigration procedures (including an IT Visa program), reduced bureaucratic barriers, and the possibility of a fully virtual presence.

MITP serves as a central access point to the most attractive incentives and services in the IT sector. Its multi-stakeholder governance model and fully virtual structure make it a one-of-a-kind success story in Europe. The park’s mission is to act as a catalyst for IT investments by promoting flexible government policies, fostering an environment for ICT innovation, and driving Moldova’s economic digital transformation.

Created for a 20-year period, MITP now unites over 2,370 resident companies from 43 countries, positioning Moldova as a rising tech destination on the global map.

MIL OSI – Submitted News –

July 10, 2025
MIL-OSI United Nations: Spain and Brazil push global action to tax the super-rich and curb inequality

Source: United Nations 4

Presented during the UN’s 4th International Conference on Financing for Development – taking place this week in Sevilla, Spain – the proposal highlights a growing problem: the richest individuals often contribute less to public finances than ordinary taxpayers, thanks to lower effective tax rates and legal loopholes.

“Our countries need more and more public revenues to meet their needs. Inequality is a problem everywhere and the richest pay less than the middle class – even less than lower-income taxpayers,” said Spain’s Secretary of State for Finance Jesús Gascón, during a press conference at the conference venue, where temperatures have soared to record highs in recent days.

The two governments are calling on others to join a drive for a fairer, more progressive global tax system. They point to a stark reality: the wealthiest one per cent of the global population owns more than 95 per cent of humanity combined.

UN News/Matt Wells

The Spanish Secretary of State for Finance Jesús Gascón (on screen) addresses a meeting at the Financing for Development conference in Sevilla, Spain.

Sharing knowledge, closing gaps

In today’s interconnected world access to reliable data is essential. The initiative prioritises information sharing – between governments and tax authorities – to help expose gaps in tax systems, close loopholes and combat evasion and avoidance.

Improving data quality and building national capacities for data analysis will help tax administrations identify where and how wealth is concentrated, how much is currently being paid and what needs to change.

Though some progress has already been made, the countries say much more must be done and many more countries should come on board.

“There’s a real need to know who the beneficial owners are behind companies and legal structures used to conceal wealth,” said Mr. Gascón. The initiative also proposes technical cooperation, training in data analytics and peer review mechanisms to strengthen national tax systems.

A global wealth registry?

Spain and Brazil are even considering steps toward a global wealth registry – acknowledging that this would take time, political will and major national efforts.

But the aim is clear: more transparency, more accountability and fairer contributions from the richest.

“We cannot tolerate the intensity of inequality, which has been increasing in recent years,” said Brazil’s Minister-Counsellor to the UN, José Gilberto Scandiucci denying that this was some kind of far-leftist agenda.

“This is a moderate initiative to confront a very radical reality.”

The proposal forms part of the Seville Platform for Action, which is turbocharging voluntary actions to help reach the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – currently way off track for the 2030 deadline.

G20 highlights ‘high worth’ factor

It also follows the 2024 agreement by the G20 industrialised nations who met in Rio (Brazil) last year – the first international accord to commit to a joint tax agenda for high-net-worth individuals.

A three-month work plan is now being drawn up with regular meetings planned to track progress. The goal – bring more countries, international organisations and civil society on board to push forward tax reforms targeting the ultra-rich.

“If we want to effectively tax the super-rich, fight inequality and make our tax systems fairer and more progressive, we need political will – and we need to act within our means,” Mr. Gascón added.

MIL OSI United Nations News –

July 10, 2025
MIL-OSI United Nations: ‘The margins of the budget’: Gender equality in developing countries underfunded by $420 billion annually

Source: United Nations 4

“The money simply is not reaching the women and girls who need it most,” UN Women said in a news release issued on Monday.

This estimate comes in the midst of the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development underway in Sevilla, Spain.

There, world leaders are working to revitalize the international financing structure to better support the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), one of which is gender equality.

“We cannot close gender gaps with budgets that are lacking a gender lens … Gender equality must move from the margins of the budget lines to the heart of public policy,” said Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda, Deputy Executive Director of UN Women.

Move from promise to action

In order to remedy this shortfall, UN Women said that the world needs a decade of targeted and consistent investment to end gender gaps and ensure that no one is left behind.

This includes expanding gender-responsive budgeting which carefully tracks where funding is most needed and supporting programs which target those areas.

Currently, three-fourths of countries do not have systems to track the allocation of public funds in relation to gender equality.

Specifically, investment in public care systems – such as child and elder care programmes – is essential to ensuring that women can enter the workforce.

Overwhelmed by debt

Additionally, UN Women called for urgent debt relief, citing that many countries are so burdened by debt financing that they cannot dedicate money to advancing gender equality.

In this vein, UN Women welcomed the Compromiso de Sevilla, the outcome of the Conference adopted by Member States, which lays out new commitments to development financing, including on promoting gender equality.

Ms. Gumbonzvanda emphasised the need for governments to back the commitments they made in this document with real action.

“[Gender equality] takes money. It takes reform. And it takes leadership that sees women not as a cost, but as a future.”

MIL OSI United Nations News –

July 10, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Chinese vice premier meets BASF CEO

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

Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with Markus Kamieth, chairman of BASF’s Board of Executive Directors, in Beijing, capital of China, July 9, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

BEIJING, July 9 — Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng met with Markus Kamieth, chairman of BASF’s Board of Executive Directors, in Beijing on Wednesday.

He, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, noted that despite a volatile external environment, China’s economy has demonstrated strong resilience and growth potential, with its super-sized market offering vast opportunities for foreign enterprises to develop in the country.

Highlighting China’s steady progress in high-quality development and its implementation of more pragmatic opening-up measures, He welcomed BASF and other foreign-funded enterprises to seize these opportunities and further expand their investment and cooperation in China.

Kamieth expressed strong confidence in China’s economic prospects and BASF’s commitment to expanding its Chinese operations, pledging to actively contribute to the sustained, healthy development of economic and trade relations between Germany and China, as well as between Europe and China.

MIL OSI China News –

July 10, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Lactalis’ proposed acquisition of Fonterra’s consumer, dairy ingredients and food service businesses not opposed

Source: Australian Ministers for Regional Development

The ACCC will not oppose Lactalis BSA S.A.S. (Lactalis)’s proposed acquisition of Fonterra Co-Operative Group (Fonterra)’s consumer, dairy ingredients and food service businesses.

Lactalis and Fonterra both currently acquire raw milk from dairy farmers in Victoria and Tasmania, as well as processing and supplying a range of dairy products across Australia.

“We looked very closely at the transaction as it will combine two of the largest buyers of raw milk in Victoria and lead to some further consolidation in Tasmania,” ACCC Deputy Chair Mick Keogh said.

“While we acknowledge the concerns raised by some representative bodies, after careful consideration we have determined that the acquisition is unlikely to result in a substantial lessening of competition.”

The ACCC found that across Gippsland, the Murray and Western Victoria, alternative buyers of raw milk would continue to constrain Lactalis if the acquisition proceeded.

“We found that while the industry in Tasmania is already concentrated, Lactalis has a limited presence and the acquisition would not substantially alter the market dynamics. If the acquisition proceeded, Lactalis would continue to be constrained by Saputo and, to a lesser extent, Mondelez,” Mr Keogh said.

“Because Fonterra and Lactalis have differing end product mixes, they often seek to acquire milk from farmers with different production profiles. Accordingly, we found that they are not likely to be each other’s closest competitors. This was reflected by analysis which showed very few farmers switched between the two processors.”

The ACCC also concluded that the transaction was unlikely to substantially lessen competition in the wholesale supply of dairy products such as drinking milk, cream, cheese, chilled yellow spreads and dairy ingredients like milk powder.

The differing production focus of Fonterra and Lactalis meant that there was limited overlap between the two in the supply of these products.

For longer-life, readily transportable products such as cheese, dairy ingredients and chilled yellow spreads, the ACCC found that retailers and wholesalers would also continue to benefit from import competition.

“Supermarkets like Coles and Woolworths are also major customers in this market, with significant levels of bargaining power,” Mr Keogh said.

“They also have the ability to sponsor new entry or even enter directly, as Coles has demonstrated through its acquisition of Saputo’s milk processing assets.”

Further information can be found on the ACCC’s public register: Lactalis (BSA S.A.S.) – businesses within the Fonterra Co-operative Group.

Note to editors

The term “chilled yellow spreads” refers to butter and other products with a similar texture and fat content, such as margarine.

The term “raw milk” refers to unpasteurised cow’s milk, whereas “drinking milk” refers to milk that has been pasteurised to make it safe for human consumption.

Background

The ACCC commenced a review of the proposed acquisition on 2 May 2025. As part of the review, the ACCC consulted industry stakeholders including farmers, dairy groups, retailers and foodservice businesses.

Lactalis BSA S.A.S. is a French multinational dairy group based in Laval, France. Lactalis business activities include acquiring raw milk from farmers and processing it into dairy products and ingredients for domestic consumption and export. In Australia, it owns a range of brands such as Pauls, Vaalia, Oak, Président and Lactalis Foodservice.

Fonterra is a New Zealand-based dairy co-operative which is owned by around 8,000 New Zealand farmers. In Australia, Fonterra processes raw milk acquired from its farmers into various dairy products as part of its ingredients and consumer and food service businesses.

It owns consumer brands such as Western Star, Mainland, and Perfect Italiano, and produces certain Bega Cheese products under licence. It supplies foodservice products via the Anchor Food Professionals brand.

While the ACCC has reviewed the proposed acquisition of Fonterra’s consumer, dairy ingredients and food service businesses by Lactalis, this is not an indication that Lactalis’ bid will ultimately be accepted by the target business.

Whether Fonterra will ultimately accept Lactalis’ bid is a matter for Fonterra.

MIL OSI News –

July 10, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: NATO Summit in The Hague

Source: Government of Sweden

On 24–25 June, the NATO Summit took place in The Hague. Sweden was represented by Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, Minister for Foreign Affairs Maria Malmer Stenergard and Minister for Defence Pål Jonson. The focus of the Summit was the serious security situation and the need for increased investment in deterrence and defence.

MIL OSI Europe News –

July 10, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: Sweden and Denmark adopt declaration marking 25th anniversary of the Öresund Bridge

Source: Government of Sweden

Today, 1 July 2025, marks the 25th anniversary of the Öresund Bridge. Sweden and Denmark are close to each other in terms of culture, values and common objectives – and their cooperation has never been closer than it is now. To mark the anniversary, Sweden’s Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen adopted a declaration with the objective of making the Öresund region safer and more competitive and simplifying living and working across the border.

MIL OSI Europe News –

July 10, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New action to tackle illegal and exploitative children’s homes
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

Press release

New action to tackle illegal and exploitative children’s homes

Up to 200 places will be created for vulnerable children in council-run high-quality children’s homes with £53 million
The most vulnerable children in society will be better protected from unsafe, illegal children’s homes thanks to over £53 million investment from the government to create 200 new placements in high-quality council-run homes through its Plan for Change.

For the first time, the government has specifically targeted funding at children who have such complex needs that they are at risk of, or have been, deprived of their liberty.

Children in these situations need extra support from social workers and care teams to stop them running away from home and from harming themselves and others.

The new homes will break down barriers to opportunity by providing support for these young people’s complex behaviour and mental health needs in safe and stable environments. A substantial shortage of placements to meet these young people’s needs over recent years has seen them being placed into accommodation that is operating illegally by not registering with Ofsted.

Data from the Children’s Commissioner shows this also comes at an eye-watering cost to councils, who spend an estimated £440 million a year on unregistered placements. Over 30 placements were costing over £1 million each – and this in a world where private providers sometimes siphon off over 20% of placement costs for private profit.

One teenager with both SEND and mental health needs told the commissioner they had been living in a caravan for two months, at a cost of £75,000, out of her council area.

Today’s announcement builds on measures already announced in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill to give Ofsted stronger powers to impose fines on illegal homes and new powers for the Secretary of State to cap provider profits if excessive profiteering is not brought under control.

Minister for Children and Families Janet Daby said:

The children’s social care system has faced years of drift and neglect, leading to a vicious cycle of late intervention and children falling through the cracks.

One of the worst symptoms of this is when some of the most vulnerable young people in society are shunted from pillar to post – traumatised by shameful illegal homes, while some private companies rack up ludicrous profits.

Through our Plan for Change and our Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, this government is enabling every child to achieve and thrive by investing in the places children need, cracking down on profiteering with new laws, and rebuilding family support services so parents and carers get the help they need to keep their children happy and safe in loving homes.

It comes as part of ambitious reform to rebalance the children’s social care system away from crisis intervention and towards earlier help to keep children safe, with over £2 billion investment over the course of this parliament.

Green shoots are already being seen as an evaluation published today of areas that tested the government’s early intervention reforms show evidence of improved collaboration between agencies leading to more consistent support for families.

Funding for preventative services has already been doubled this year compared to last year from £250 million to £500 million, so that every family who needs support receives it to stop issues getting worse, with the guidance of a dedicated family help worker.

The government committed to continuing the £500m funding each year until 2028-29 at the Spending Review alongside a further increase of at least £300 million over the coming two years.

Children’s Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza said:

My work as Children’s Commissioner has shown there are too many children who need brilliant care who have instead ended up in illegal – and terrible – accommodation. Instead of receiving care and support, they are side-lined, ignored and left waiting while services fail to take responsibility for these children.

This funding, and the social care provisions of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, is an opportunity to bring that to an end. It will increase the number of loving, safe homes for this group of children – whose needs are often urgent and complex – and must provide loving, therapeutic, joined-up care to help these children flourish.

Chief Executive at Action for Children Paul Carberry said:

It’s vital that children and young people with complex needs receive specialist, therapeutic care in a stable environment. Over recent years, too many children have been placed in unregulated, unsuitable accommodation due to the critical shortage of placements in the system, with sometimes devastating consequences on their health, safety, and wellbeing.

Without the right support, their needs can escalate, and placements can break down.

We wholeheartedly welcome this investment, which will ensure more children with complex needs get the care and support they deserve.

Through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, new laws are being brought in to increase the transparency of private providers over their finances, with a backstop provision to introduce a profit cap if providers don’t voluntarily bring an end to exploitative practices.

The department has also brought together an expert ‘market intervention advisory group’, which is working on the details of how the financial oversight and transparency schemes will work in practice to make as quick as possible progress to tackle profiteering, as well as how to bring in more voluntary providers.

Schemes are being considered to encourage charities and ethical investors to open children’s homes, including through innovative funding mechanisms like social financing.

DfE media enquiries

Central newsdesk – for journalists 020 7783 8300

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Published 10 July 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
July 10, 2025