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Category: Europe

  • MIL-OSI Russia: 28 countries condemn Israel over ‘civilian suffering in Gaza’

    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

    LONDON, July 22 (Xinhua) — Twenty-eight countries and the European Union’s Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management issued a joint statement on Monday condemning Israel for the suffering of civilians in Gaza.

    “The suffering of civilians in Gaza has reached new depths. We condemn the crumbs that are being sent as aid and the inhumane killing of civilians,” the statement said. “It is appalling that more than 800 Palestinians have been killed while asking for aid,” the document noted.

    “The Israeli government’s refusal to provide essential humanitarian assistance to civilians is unacceptable. Israel must uphold its obligations under international humanitarian law,” the statement added, calling for an immediate end to the war in Gaza.

    The parties also called on the Israeli government “to immediately lift restrictions on aid and urgently allow the UN and humanitarian NGOs to carry out their life-saving work safely and effectively.”

    Signed by the foreign ministers of Britain, France, Italy, Canada, Japan and other Western countries, the statement also opposes any attempts to change the territorial or demographic status of the occupied Palestinian territories.

    In response, the Israeli Foreign Ministry dismissed the statement as “out of touch with reality” and accused Hamas of being “the only party responsible for the lack of an agreement on the release of hostages and a ceasefire.” –0–

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

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Passenger jet forced to take aggressive evasive action to avoid collision with US bomber in North Dakota

    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

    LOS ANGELES, July 22 (Xinhua) — A passenger jet was forced to make an aggressive maneuver to avoid a collision with a B-52 bomber over the U.S. state of North Dakota last week, multiple media reported on Monday.

    The Delta Connection-branded flight, operated by SkyWest Airlines, was en route from Minneapolis to Minot International Airport on Friday. According to the Washington Post, air traffic controllers cleared the plane to land, but a B-52 bomber suddenly appeared on the route, forcing the civilian plane to make a quick go-around.

    In a video posted to Instagram and verified by Storyful, the pilot explains to passengers that a B-52 was approaching their plane, the article says. He apologized for the sudden and “aggressive maneuver” that was necessary to avoid a collision. “Nobody told us” about the bomber’s presence, the pilot said.

    A U.S. Air Force spokesman told the Minot Daily News that the military is aware of the media reports and is investigating the incident. He confirmed that a B-52 bomber based at Minot Air Force Base, about 20 kilometers north of the airport, was flying over the North Dakota State Fairgrounds Friday night. –0–

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

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: UK Foreign Secretary Condemns Killing of Civilians in Gaza

    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

    LONDON, July 22 (Xinhua) — British Foreign Secretary David Lammy on Monday condemned the killing of civilians in Gaza and criticized Israel’s aid distribution model as “inhumane” after Britain endorsed a joint international statement calling for an end to the conflict.

    “I categorically condemn the killing of civilians trying to meet their basic needs,” Mr Lammy told MPs in the House of Commons.

    “The Israeli government must answer what military justification there can be for strikes that have killed desperate, starving children,” he said.

    While reaffirming support for Israel’s right to security and existence, the minister warned that the country’s current actions “cause incalculable damage to Israel’s reputation in the world and undermine its long-term security.”

    Lammy described Israel’s recently implemented system of delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza as “inhumane, dangerous and dehumanising to the people of Gaza”. He added that it “contradicts long-standing humanitarian principles” by forcing civilians, including children, “to struggle in unsafe conditions for basic necessities”.

    He also mentioned proposals by Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz, which reportedly included moving the entire Gaza population to Rafah and detaining Palestinians unless they emigrated. “This is a cruel idea that should never happen,” Lammy said. –0–

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

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Anticipating Displacement: EUAA looking into Migration Trends in Ukraine

    Source: European Asylum Support Office

    As the Russian war of aggression on Ukraine continues and the situation in Ukraine remains volatile, the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) has strengthened its capacity to combine near to real-time situational awareness, data collection in the field and forecasting. The aim is to go beyond reactive analysis and ensure Member States are equipped to manage not just today’s asylum-related migration flows, but tomorrow’s as well. 

    In July 2025, with no end to the conflict in Ukraine in sight, the fighting is going on with increasing intensity. In June, Ukraine’s Security Service launched “Operation Spiderweb,” targeting Russian strategic bombers, followed by a maritime drone strike that damaged the Kerch Bridge and drone attacks that forced the Russian authorities to temporarily close Moscow airports. Russia responded with intensified aerial attacks on Kyiv and other cities. Simultaneously, ceasefire talks in Türkiye produced no progress beyond a prisoner exchange. These developments reinforce the urgency of equipping EU countries with modern, mixed-method tools to anticipate and prepare for any potential renewed displacement, ensuring that Member States remain responsive in a volatile geopolitical environment.

    A multifaceted approach to intelligence

    The EUAA’s intelligence capability includes Human Intelligence (HUMINT) gathered through the EUAA’s Surveys with Arriving Migrants from Ukraine (SAM–UKR), a flexible tool used to collect testimonies from persons displaced by the Russian invasion who are currently in the EU+. It captures experiences, intentions and aspirations, which in turn allows the Agency to understand push factors, the scale of integration in host countries and possible return prospects.

    Separately, Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) enables the EUAA to monitor near to real-time conflict events and geopolitical developments that may trigger migration — including, for example, the Russian bombardment of Ukraine’s power infrastructure. These various types of qualitative insights are then combined with EUAA’s own quantitative data to produce short-term forecasts according to the needs of Member States and European policymakers.

    Investing in cooperation with local partners

    In Ukraine, the EUAA is collaborating with a Ukrainian public opinion company, Gradus Research, to gather real-time insights on migration intentions. The collaboration offers insights gathered within Ukraine, before displacements materialise at the EU external border. Gradus’ ability to deliver real-time assessments has enabled the EUAA to monitor changes in sentiment following key military and political events.

    By systematically monitoring migration intentions and pull & push factors, we enable the EUAA and Member States to base their preparedness on real-time intelligence — supporting evidence-based planning in a fluid and high-stakes context. Our survey technology allows us to deliver results in real time, which is a crucial factor in a rapidly changing environment and the emergence of new and evolving risks for the population. Therefore, we don’t collect abstract migration sentiments (like a general desire to migrate at some point in the future), but rather capture real, current sentiments on the ground

    Evgeniya BLYZNYUK Sociologist, CEO & Founder of Gradus Research

    Protection in a Dynamic Environment

    In 2025, the share of the population intending to leave Ukraine within the next six months remains at 13 % of respondents. Poland and Germany continue to be the most preferred destinations, primarily due to job opportunities, family ties, access to benefits and support (with a significant increase compared to the previous wave), and safety. Key push factors — such as threats to life and the risk of occupation — have remained stable since the beginning of 2025. Despite ongoing risks, including hostilities and economic concerns, 71 % of respondents plan to stay in Ukraine if the active phase of the war ends.

    At the end of May 2025, around 4.4 million people were benefitting from temporary protection in the EU+. While Germany and Poland hosted the largest in absolute numbers, Czechia hosted the most beneficiaries per capita. These figures illustrate not only the scale of current protection efforts, but also the need for continued investment in preparedness — including intelligence-led, forward-looking tools that can anticipate renewed displacement, returns, or onward movement.

    As Russian attacks on Ukraine continue, the Council has recently extended temporary protection for another year, until March 2027. At the same time, Ukrainians in Europe consider more permanent alternatives to temporary protection like applying for asylum. Clearly, understanding the views of displaced Ukrainians will play a crucial role for any successful transition. The EUAA has the tools, partnerships and expertise needed to inform policy makers, enabling them to navigate it.

    Background

    The EUAA’s intelligence-led activities are anchored in its legal mandate to gather and analyse information on root causes, migratory and refugee flows in support of early warning and Member State preparedness. They feed into scenario development, capacity planning, and contingency plans including regular updates to asylum trends, structured foresight exercises, and the integration of both traditional and non-traditional data sources. Thus, the EUAA supports Member States with agile, evidence-driven tools in the dynamic operational landscape of the ongoing war in Ukraine.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Infinitesima Begins Project to Further Develop the Capabilities of the Metron3D 300 mm In-line Wafer Metrology System

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ABINGDON, United Kingdom, July 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Infinitesima is pleased to announce a three-year development project with partners including ASML. The Metron3D 300 mm in-line wafer metrology system will be used to optimise and explore metrology solutions for cutting-edge applications, including hybrid bonding, high-NA EUV lithography and 3D logic device structures such as complementary field-effect transistors (CFETs). This project will combine the extensive expertise of the project partners with Infinitesima’s Rapid Probe Microscope (RPM™) technology, enabling in-depth three-dimensional (3D) surface detection, high-speed imaging, and interferometric accuracy. This will address the industry’s urgent need for detailed 3D metrology information throughout the full structure of features at high throughput and in high-volume manufacturing environments.

    As part of this project, Infinitesima will be siting a tool at imec, a world-leading research and innovation hub in nanoelectronics and digital technologies. The system will be used to advance next-generation device development by partners including ASML to continue with the characterization and development of high-NA EUV resist imaging. Infinitesima will work closely with imec to develop new tool capabilities and enhancements. This joint effort aims to deliver true 3D process control — critical for enabling the production of future semiconductor devices.

    Infinitesima’s partnership with imec began in 2021, starting with enabling tip-induced nanoscale tomographic sensing using its patented RPM™ for research and failure analysis applications. This new collaboration marks the expansion of the Infinitesima-imec partnership into high-speed, in-line production metrology, supporting the semiconductor industry’s advancing inspection and metrology demands for sub-nanometer features and increasingly complex 3D structures.

    “We are delighted to extend our existing collaboration with imec to support the critical metrology challenges of some of the most critical process steps for next-generation semiconductor processes,” said Peter Jenkins, CEO of Infinitesima.

    With this expanded partnership, Infinitesima is set to reinforce its leading position in in-line semiconductor metrology, supporting the industry’s evolution toward smaller and increasingly complex device architectures.

    About Infinitesima

    Infinitesima Limited is a UK-based leader in advanced metrology solutions for the semiconductor industry. The company has pioneered an innovative technology combining the 3-dimensional surface detection capability of atomic force microscopy, with high-speed laser activation, and the accuracy of interferometry, the RPM™ (Rapid Probe Microscope), protected by an extensive patent portfolio.

    Semiconductor manufacturers increasingly require higher resolution 3D metrology solutions to control next-generation processes that cannot be addressed by current optical and electron beam techniques. Infinitesima has introduced a high-speed metrology system, Metron®3D, featuring the company’s patented RPM™ technology, to address the growing customer need for in-line sub-nanometer* 3D process control. For more information, visit www.infinitesima.com.

    * 1 nanometer (nm) is 10-9of a meter (a single silicon atom is ~0.2 nm in diameter).

    Company contacts

    James Robinson, Product Marketing, Director
    james.robinson@infinitesima.com

    Peter Jenkins, CEO
    peter.jenkins@infinitesima.com

    www.infinitesima.com
    https://www.linkedin.com/company/6717920

    The MIL Network –

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Sizewell C gets green light with final investment decision

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Sizewell C gets green light with final investment decision

    Government agrees final investment decision to give Sizewell C nuclear plant the go-ahead.

    • Energy Secretary signs off on multi-billion-pound deal for Sizewell C, that will deliver clean power for the equivalent of six million homes and support 10,000 jobs at peak construction. 

    • Government secures deal that will see Sizewell deliver electricity system savings of £2 billion a year on average once operational. 

    • The government will become the largest shareholder, alongside private investors EDF, Centrica, La Caisse and Amber Infrastructure. 

    •  Project will be built for around 20 per cent less than virtual replica Hinkley Point C, as part of the government’s Plan for Change to kick-start economic growth and protect family finances.

    Millions of working people will benefit from cheaper clean power, as the government agrees a landmark, multi-billion-pound deal to build Sizewell C – a major step forward in the delivery of a new ‘golden age’ of nuclear under the government’s Plan for Change. 

    The Energy Secretary has today (22 July) signed the final investment decision for Sizewell C, which will deliver clean power for the equivalent of six million homes and support 10,000 jobs once operational. The deal represents the country’s most significant public investment in clean, homegrown energy this century – in a major boost for energy security, jobs and economic growth.  

    The deal ends an era of dithering and delay to give Sizewell C the go-ahead, that will help secure Britain’s home-grown nuclear supply far beyond 2030. It marks a major step in the government’s clean energy superpower mission, which is about replacing the UK’s dependence on fossil fuel markets with clean homegrown power that the country controls, to bring down bills for good and protect family finances. 

    The plant will deliver cheaper clean electricity for generations of families for at least six decades. Analysis shows the project could create savings of £2 billion a year across the future low-carbon electricity system once operational – leading to cheaper power for consumers. 

    The project will also help to kick-start economic growth and get Britain building. At peak construction, Sizewell C will support 10,000 jobs directly employed in the project, and thousands more in the nationwide supply chain, as well as creating 1,500 apprenticeships. Seventy per cent of the value of construction is set to be awarded to British businesses – Sizewell C Ltd anticipates it will have 3,500 UK companies in its supply chain across the entire country.   

    Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said:

    It is time to do big things and build big projects in this country again- and today we announce an investment that will provide clean, homegrown power to millions of homes for generations to come. 

    This government is making the investment needed to deliver a new golden age of nuclear, so we can end delays and free us from the ravages of the global fossil fuel markets to bring bills down for good.

    The government has confirmed it will take an initial 44.9 per cent stake to become the single biggest equity shareholder in the project – meaning the British people will benefit from the government’s investment.  

    The new Sizewell C shareholders include La Caisse with 20 per cent, Centrica with 15 per cent, and Amber Infrastructure with an initial 7.6 per cent. This comes alongside French energy giant EDF taking a 12.5 per cent take in the project, set out earlier this month, as well as a proposed £5 billion debt guarantee from France’s export credit agency, Bpifrance Assurance Export, to back the company’s commercial bank loans.  

    Alongside this investment, the National Wealth Fund – the government’s principal investor and policy bank – is making its first investment in nuclear energy. It will provide the majority of the project’s debt finance, working alongside Bpifrance Assurance Export, to help support the building of the power plant. 

    Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said:

    La Caisse, Centrica and Amber’s multi-billion pound investment is a powerful endorsement of the UK as the best place to do business and as a global hub for nuclear energy. 

    Delivering next generation, publicly-owned clean power is vital to our energy security and growth, which is why we backed Sizewell C.  This investment will create thousands of good quality jobs and boost the local economy as we deliver on our Plan for Change.

    Julia Pyke and Nigel Cann, Joint Managing Directors of Sizewell C, said:

    We’re delighted to welcome new investors alongside Government and EDF who, like our suppliers, have strong incentives to keep costs under control and ensure we deliver Sizewell C successfully for consumers and taxpayers 

    By investing in Sizewell C, they are laying the foundations for a more secure, cleaner and more affordable energy system. Because 70% of our construction spend will be in the UK, with a £4.4bn commitment to the east of England, they will also help to create thousands of great jobs and new opportunities for people and businesses up and down the country.  

    We are determined to deliver this major infrastructure differently, and to make sure this is a project Britain can be proud of.

    The investment deal builds on lessons learnt from the construction of Hinkley Point C to provide a funding model that spreads the around £38 billion cost of constructing Sizewell C between consumers, taxpayers and private investors. This represents a saving of around 20 per cent compared with Hinkley Point C and demonstrates the value of building a virtual replica project. 

    For the first time, the British people will be co-owners of a nuclear power plant alongside experienced private sector partners – with consumers to benefit from the government’s investment. This will ensure the impact on consumer bills is limited to an average of around £1 per month over the duration of Sizewell C’s construction, with the nuclear plant to deliver cheaper clean power for decades to come once operational. 

    Despite the UK’s strong nuclear legacy, including opening the world’s first commercial nuclear power station in the 1950s, no new nuclear plant has opened in the UK since 1995, with all of the existing fleet except Sizewell B likely to be phased out by the early 2030s.   

    Sizewell C was one of eight sites identified in 2009 by then-Energy Secretary Ed Miliband as a potential site for new nuclear. However, the project was not fully funded in the 14 years that followed under subsequent governments.   

    The government’s nuclear programme is now the most ambitious for a generation. Once small modular reactors and Sizewell C come online in the 2030s, combined with Hinkley Point C, this will deliver more new nuclear to the grid than over the previous half century combined. 

    Recently, the government also set out next steps for small modular reactors in the UK and last month selected Rolls-Royce SMR as the preferred bidder to build first reactors of this kind in the country. Following this, the Prime Minister signed a new agreement with Czech Prime Minister Fiala last week that will see the two countries work more closely on small modular reactors to seize export opportunities and support high-skilled jobs. 

    John Flint, National Wealth Fund CEO, said:

    Nuclear energy is a key component on the path to deliver the Government’s growth and clean energy missions, and our financing for Sizewell C will help provide decades of clean, reliable electricity for millions of homes across the country.  

    We have a critical role to play in solving financing problems across a broad waterfront of relevant sectors and Treasury has recognised that today by providing the NWF with additional capital required to enable our lending to Sizewell C. As the government’s flagship investor and policy bank, it is a privilege to be able to play such a significant role in a project of such national importance.

    Gavin Tait, Chief Executive Officer, Amber Infrastructure Group, a Boyd Watterson Global Company, investment adviser to International Public Partnerships Limited, said: 

    We have worked in partnership with the UK Government to adapt the way a construction project of Sizewell C’s scale and importance can be financed to attract the long-term investment of institutional investors and retail savers. INPP has helped finance new infrastructure in the UK since 2006, and Sizewell C is a landmark example of how the public and private sectors can invest together to strengthen national energy security and support future economic growth.

    Chris O’Shea, Centrica Group Chief Executive, said:

    The UK needs more reliable, affordable, zero carbon electricity, and Sizewell C will be critical to supporting the country’s energy system for many decades to come. That’s why I’m delighted to be announcing this milestone investment which will see Centrica commit £1.3 billion for a 15% equity stake in the project, and deepens our long-standing involvement in the UK nuclear industry. This isn’t just an investment in a new power station – it’s an investment in Britain’s energy independence, our net zero journey, and thousands of high-quality jobs across the country. 

    Sizewell C is a compelling investment for our shareholders and the country as a whole, and I look forward to working with our world-class partners, EDF, La Caisse, Amber Infrastructure Group and the UK government, to make the project a great success.

    Simone Rossi, CEO of EDF in the UK said:

    EDF welcomes the government’s announcement that it has delivered on its commitment to take a final investment decision on the Sizewell C project.  

    Alongside Hinkley Point C, the project will help drive economic growth, strengthen energy security and lower bills over the long term. 

    The confirmation of the private investment is very positive and reflects the growing attraction of the role of nuclear power in the energy transition. It could also pave the way for the financing of future large nuclear projects in the UK.

    Emmanuel Jaclot, Executive Vice-President and Head of Infrastructure at La Caisse said:

    Our commitment to invest in Sizewell C reflects La Caisse’s constructive capital approach, working to deliver optimal financial performance for our clients alongside broader economic and societal progress.  

    La Caisse has a strong track record of bringing private sector expertise alongside governments and industrial players to invest in complex, regulated infrastructure where value-for-money for consumers is key. Sizewell C is a positive development for UK consumers, as it is expected to provide long-term reliable baseload power and low carbon energy to more than 6 million homes across the UK, while contributing to the creation of 10,000 new jobs at peak construction and thousands more in the nationwide supply chain.  

    We’re proud to support the UK Government in delivering this landmark project, advancing the country’s energy security and economic growth ambitions. Our investment demonstrates our confidence in the UK market – our largest destination outside North America – and aligns with our commitment to the energy transition and decarbonization, enabled by our long-term capital and active ownership.

    Ofgem CEO Jonathan Brearley said:

    Ofgem welcomes the government’s decision to move forwards with the Sizewell C project. New nuclear power stations such as this have a key role to play in enhancing Great Britain’s energy security with reliable domestically generated clean power.  

    Ofgem has been working closely with the government to develop the new regulatory framework to help drive investment in nuclear energy and deliver the best deal for consumers.

    Neil McDermott, Chief Executive of LCCC, said:

    Sizewell C is a pivotal project in the transition to a clean, secure energy system. It will deliver reliable low carbon power for decades to come, while supporting jobs and investment across the country. 

    LCCC is proud to support this milestone through its role as the revenue collection counterparty. Our independent role ensures funds are managed fairly and transparently, protecting value for consumers and enabling long-term investor confidence in low carbon infrastructure.

    Notes to editors:

    • Sizewell C has already signed £330 million in contracts with local companies and will boost supply chains across the UK with 70% of contracts predicted to go to 3,500 British suppliers – supporting new jobs in construction, welding, and hospitality.  

    • The government has published a subsidy scheme for the Final Investment Decision in Sizewell C. This scheme covers the government’s equity and debt investment in the project, as well as the value of consumer levies from the RAB delivery model – a Government Support Package to protect investors from high-impact low-probability risks, and other guarantees.  

    • The Sizewell C project is consolidated to the government’s balance sheet, meaning that all investment from the government and new investors is on the balance sheet.  

    • The total equity and debt finance made available exceeds the target construction cost of around £38 billion (2024 prices), this acts as a safeguard for taxpayers in case of overruns and is standard for a project of this size and complexity.  The project supply chain is strongly incentivised to keep costs down and investors will lose potential revenue if there are overruns, reducing risk for taxpayers. 

    • According to our Value for Money assessment SZC could reduce the cost of a low-carbon electricity system by around £2 billion per year on average, once operational.  

    • Urenco recently confirmed a 15-year deal with EDF to produce fuel for nuclear power stations. The multi-billion-euro contract, with significant value for the UK, will support Urenco UK’s workforce of more than 1,400 people and support the company’s important contribution to UK economic growth, which represented more than £256 million in 2023.  

    • French engineering company Assystem has also set out plans to double its nuclear workforce in the UK, creating 1,000 new engineering, digital and management jobs by 2030 across 10 UK sites, including in Sunderland, Blackburn, Derby, Bristol and London. 

    • The government is providing the National Wealth Fund with additional capital to facilitate this lending to Sizewell C, separate to the existing £27.8bn which will continue to be invested across the NWF’s priority sectors. For National Wealth Fund queries, please contact press@nationalwealthfund.org.uk

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    Updates to this page

    Published 22 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Apple Retail arrives in Saudi Arabia with launch of Apple Store online

    Source: Apple

    Headline: Apple Retail arrives in Saudi Arabia with launch of Apple Store online

    July 21, 2025

    PRESS RELEASE

    Apple Retail arrives in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with launch of the Apple Store online

    RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA Apple today announced the expansion of Apple Retail into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with the launch of the Apple Store online and Apple Store app, introducing support directly from Apple in Arabic for the very first time. The arrival of the online store marks a new era for customers in Saudi Arabia, who will be able to shop Apple’s full range of products with exceptional service delivered by Apple’s talented, dedicated team members.

    “We are thrilled to bring the Apple Store online and the Apple Store app to Saudi Arabia, offering customers a new way to explore and shop Apple’s extraordinary lineup of products and services,” said Deirdre O’Brien, Apple’s senior vice president of Retail and People. “Our customers in Saudi Arabia are passionate about the things they can do with technology, and our teams can’t wait to connect with customers and help them discover how Apple innovations can meaningfully enrich their daily lives.”

    The Most Personalized Shopping Experience

    The Apple Store online is the best place for customers in Saudi Arabia to discover and shop Apple’s full lineup of products. With the Apple Store app, customers can enjoy a personalized shopping experience with recommendations tailored to the Apple products they already own. Additionally, customers can compare different models, access their saved items, and easily track their orders.

    The Apple Store online and Apple Store app offer the most personalized experience for customers to shop iPhone. The iPhone 16 lineup is built from the ground up for Apple Intelligence, unlocking exciting new capabilities that make iPhone even more helpful and powerful, all while taking an extraordinary step forward for privacy.1

    Apple offers configure-to-order options for Mac customers, allowing them to select and customize the device to their specific requirements, including chip memory and storage. Customers can also personalize their Apple Watch case and band combination to create a unique look.

    For the first time ever, free engraving is available in Arabic and English on apple.com/sa-en/store. Customers can personalize their AirPods, Apple Pencil, AirTag, and more with text, emoji, and numbers in dual language.

    Apple’s Retail Services

    Apple’s incredible retail services make it easier than ever for customers in Saudi Arabia to discover and shop Apple technology.

    Personalized shopping support via chat and phone helps customers to find the best product that suits their needs. After receiving their order, customers can also connect with an Apple team member online to get help with Personal Setup, switching to iOS with easy and safe data migration, as well as cellular activation.

    To support flexible shopping, the Apple Store online will offer an affordability option through Tamara. With Buy Now Pay Later, customers can shop their favorite lineups and pay in four-month installments at 0 percent interest.

    The Apple Trade In program allows customers in Saudi Arabia to trade in their current device and receive credit toward a new one. If their device is not eligible for a credit, Apple will recycle it for free, diverting electronic waste from landfills and saving precious materials.

    With AppleCare+, customers can receive one-stop service and support from Apple experts available on iPhone, Mac, iPad, and Apple Watch. AppleCare+ provides customers with two years of priority support and service, priority access to experts, and protection for their devices.

    Through the Apple Education Store, higher education students, their parents, and teachers and staff at all levels can exclusively save on a Mac or iPad with Apple education pricing. And until September 30, eligible customers can take advantage of a special back-to-school offer that includes AirPods or an accessory of their choice when they buy an eligible Mac or iPad.

    Apple announced its plans to begin opening the first of several flagship Apple Store locations in Saudi Arabia starting in 2026. As part of this expansion, Apple is in the initial stages of planning an iconic retail store coming to Diriyah, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Apple’s retail expansion builds on its existing investments and activities in the country. This includes the region’s first Apple Developer Academy, which opened in Riyadh in 2021 in partnership with the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Tuwaiq Academy, and Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University.

    For all of the latest information and to learn more about Apple’s products and services, visit apple.com/sa-en/store.

    About Apple Apple revolutionized personal technology with the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984. Today, Apple leads the world in innovation with iPhone, iPad, Mac, AirPods, Apple Watch, and Apple Vision Pro. Apple’s six software platforms — iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, visionOS, and tvOS — provide seamless experiences across all Apple devices and empower people with breakthrough services including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay, iCloud, and Apple TV+. Apple’s more than 150,000 employees are dedicated to making the best products on earth and to leaving the world better than we found it.

    1. Apple Intelligence is available in beta on all iPhone 16 models, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, iPad mini (A17 Pro), and iPad and Mac models with M1 and later, with Siri and device language set to the same supported language, as part of an iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia software update. Supported languages include English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese (Brazil), Chinese (simplified), and Spanish. More languages will be coming by the end of this year: Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese (Portugal), Swedish, Turkish, Chinese (traditional), and Vietnamese. Some features may not be available in all languages or regions, and availability may vary due to local laws and regulations. For more details, visit apple.com/apple-intelligence.

    Press Contacts

    Pia Fontes

    Apple

    pia_fontes@apple.com

    Brian Bumbery

    Apple

    bumbery@apple.com

    Apple Media Helpline

    media.help@apple.com

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Income levels of people with disabilities are rising in China

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

    BEIJING, July 22 (Xinhua) — The annual net income of households with disabled people in China grew by an average of 6.9 percent a year from 2020 to 2023, almost in line with the country’s GDP growth rate, Cheng Kai, chairman of the China Federation of Disabled People, said Tuesday.

    He spoke at a press conference organized by the State Council Information Office of the People’s Republic of China and dedicated to the results of the implementation of the 14th Five-Year Plan in China. -0-

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

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China, Egypt Seek to Strengthen Global South Cooperation within SCO

    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

    CAIRO, July 22 (Xinhua) — The Chinese Embassy in Egypt and the Egyptian Foreign Affairs Council jointly held a seminar here on Sunday, pointing to the steady development of China-Egypt relations under the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

    The event was attended by senior diplomats, foreign affairs experts and media representatives from both countries.

    In his keynote speech, Chinese Ambassador to Egypt Liao Liqiang noted that Egypt is a dialogue partner of the SCO and welcomed Egypt’s active participation in various events of the organization.

    He expressed the hope that China and Egypt will establish close coordination and cooperation within the SCO framework and advance bilateral relations so as to build a China-Egypt community with a shared future in the new era and contribute to world peace and development.

    The guests attending the meeting praised the booming Egyptian-Chinese relations and the role of the SCO. They expressed hope that Egypt and China can take advantage of the development opportunities provided by the SCO to work together to improve global governance and promote the revival of the Global South.

    Chairing the seminar, Director of the Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs Ezzat Saad told Xinhua that Egypt remains committed to strengthening cooperation with China both bilaterally and within the SCO framework.

    “We believe that the SCO is an important platform for promoting the development of Egyptian-Chinese relations. Egypt looks forward to further deepening political and economic cooperation between the countries of the Global South based on the initiatives put forward by China,” he said. –0–

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

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: In China, the coverage rate of children and adolescents with disabilities in compulsory education has reached 97%.

    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 22 (Xinhua) — The compulsory education coverage rate for children and adolescents with disabilities in China has reached 97 percent, with more than 30,000 students with disabilities entering the country’s universities every year to pursue higher education, Cheng Kai, chairman of the China Federation of Disabled Persons, said at a press conference held by the State Council Information Office on Tuesday. -0-

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

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: LHV Group unaudited financial results for Q2 and 6 months of 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    In Q2 of 2025, LHV Group was able to earn higher net profit and increase business volumes against the background of lower interest rates. The loan portfolio of LHV Group reached 5 billion euros.

    In Q2 2025, LHV Group earned a net profit of 30.8 million euros, which was 1.6 million euros more than in the previous quarter (+6% increase). The return on equity attributable to the shareholders of the Group was 17.4% in Q2.

    All subsidiaries of the Group were profitable in the quarter. LHV Pank earned a net profit of 29.7 million euros, LHV Bank Ltd 0.1 million euros, LHV Varahaldus 0.5 million euros and LHV Kindlustus 1.1 million euros.

    On a consolidated basis, LHV Group earned 73.9 million euros in revenue in Q1 2025, i.e. 7% less than in the previous quarter and 14% less than a year ago. Of the revenue of Q2 of this year, net interest income accounted for 57.6 million euros, and net fee and commission income for 15.6 million euros of total net income. Expenditure totalled 40.5 million euros, being 8% more than in the previous quarter and 11% more than a year ago. Due to the improvement of the macroeconomic situation, the previous provisions were undervalued in the amount of 4.2 million euros in the second quarter, which finally had a positive effect at the level of net profit.

    As at the end of June, LHV Group consolidated assets amounted to 9.38 billion euros, which was 10% more than in the previous quarter and 28% more than in the same period last year. The consolidated loan portfolio increased by 269 million euros or 6% to 5.0 billion euros over the quarter (the loan portfolio increased by 1.1 billion euros or 28% year-on-year). Consolidated deposits of LHV Group increased by 760 million euros, i.e. by 12%, to 7.36 billion euros. The volume of funds managed by LHV increased by 3.7 million euros, to 1.56 billion euros. The number of payments made by clients who are financial intermediaries was 19.9 million in the second quarter, which was slightly less than in the previous quarter.

    LHV Group’s consolidated net revenue for the 6 months of 2025 amounted to 153.3 million euros, which is 16.5 million euros or 10% less compared to the same period last year. Expenditure totalled 78.1 million euros, which was 7.8 million euros or 11% more. The Group’s 6-month consolidated net profit was 59.9 million euros, being a decrease of 19.4 million euros, or 24%, compared to the previous year. In six months, LHV Pank earned a net profit of 54.9 million euros, LHV Bank Ltd 2.3 million euros, LHV Varahaldus 0.6 million euros and LHV Kindlustus 1.7 million euros. LHV Group’s ROE for the first half of the year was 17.0%.

    Based on the first half of the year, LHV Group outperforms the financial forecast at the level of net income by 2.0 million euros and at the level of net profit by 2.3 million euros.

    Income statement, EUR Th Q2 2025 Q1 2025 Q2 2024
    adjusted
    Net interest income 57,643 62,010 70,424
    Net fee and commission income 15,579 14,071 14,352
    Net financial income -380 2,747 -37
    Net insurance income 1,065 597 421
    Other operating income and expense 0 -4 638
    Total net income 73,907 79,421 85,798
    Staff costs -22,901 -22,655 -20,420
    Office expenses -679 -659 -874
    IT costs -4,017 -3,576 -3,267
    Marketing expenses -1,526 -1,258 -796
    Other operating expenses -11,387 -9,394 -10,741
    Total expenses -40,510 –37,542 –36,098
    Operating profit 33,397 41,879 49,700
    Profit before allowances 33,397 41,879 49,700
    Allowances 4,152 -5,667 -5,043
    Income tax expenses -6,784 -7,052 -6,071
    Net profit 30,765 29,160 38,586
    Minority holding 716 592 300
    Shareholders’ share of profit of parent    company 30,049 28,568 38,286
           
    Net earnings per share, EUR 0.09 0.09 0.12
    Diluted earnings per share, EUR 0.09 0.09 0.12
           
           
           
     Balance sheet, EUR Th June 2025 March 2025 June 2024
    Cash and due from banks 3,867,487 3,279,271 3,217,448
    Financial assets 454,979 442,463 157,131
    Loans to clients 5,038,379 4,774,970 3,925,877
    Loan impairment reserve -39,734 -45,629 -35,333
    Receivables from clients 16,626 9,439 15,380
    Other assets 46,058 47,771 49,220
    Total assets 9,383,795 8,508,285 7,329,723
    Demand deposits 4,669,435 4,189,062 3,659,675
    Term deposits 2,694,906 2,415,430 2,124,254
    Loans received 1,037,347 936,215 735,281
    Due to clients and loans received 8,401,688 7,540,707 6,519,211
    Accruals and other liabilities 105,692 163,690 100,709
    Subordinated loans 161,155 126,247 107,521
    Total liabilities 8,668,535 7,830,644 6,727,441
    Owners’ equity 715,260 677,641 602,282
    incl. minority holding 7,850 7,134 7,694
    Total liabilities and owner’s equity 9,383,795 8,508,285 7,329,723
             
                 

    LHV Group’s net income in the second quarter was affected by the continuing decline in interest rates. The higher profitability compared to the previous quarter resulted in a write-down effect of the previous provisions, which resulted in an increase of the Group’s net profit by 1.6 million euros in the second quarter. The second quarter was also marked by strong growth in loan volumes and deposits, which were 269 and 760 million euros, respectively, compared to the previous quarter.

    The number of LHV Pank clients increased by 8,300 over the quarter. During the same period, the bank’s deposits increased by 576 million euros, of which 113 million euros were deposits from financial intermediaries and 113 million euros were platform deposits. In the second quarter, an innovative banking service LHV Premium was also launched, combining everyday banking, insurance and travel services offering investment comfort. In addition, a new price list for the securities trading and investment account for pension entered into force in the second quarter, which reduced several investment-related fees by almost half.

    LHV Pank’s loan portfolio increased by 190 million euros and the quality of the portfolio remained strong. Due to the resolution of one of the major problems with creditworthiness and the improved economic situation, the provisions made earlier were reduced by 4.1 million euros.

    In the second quarter, LHV Pank issued covered bonds with a maturity of four years in the amount of 300 million euros, which were listed on the Dublin Stock Exchange for the purpose of diversifying financing sources. Covered bonds secured by Estonian home loans were sold to European institutional investors. 44 institutional investors participated in the offer and the offer was 2.5 times oversubscribed.

    The volume of deposits and loans of LHV Bank operating in the United Kingdom continued to grow in the second quarter – the loan portfolio increased by 79 million euros to 569 million euros. At the same time, loans worth 204 million euros have been approved by the Credit Committee but not yet issued.

    The deposits taken by LHV Bank increased by 202 million quarter-on-quarter and reached a record 1.02 billion euros. In the second quarter, the mobile bank of retail banking was launched, where the first 1,000 clients have opened an account and 17 million euros of new deposits have been received. LHV Bank earned a net profit of 0.1 million euros in quarter-on-quarter terms – lower profitability was due to higher marketing costs, conference participation fees, allocated costs and changes in the value of interest rate risk hedging contracts. In order to support the rapid growth of the loan portfolio, the share capital was increased by 12 million euros and subordinated bonds were issued in the amount of 12 million euros. As of the first half of the year, LHV Bank’s net income and net profit exceed strongly the financial plan.

    LHV Kindlustus showed strong growth in the second quarter, when the insurance revenue increased by 78% and net profit by 62% compared to the previous quarter, but the result of the second quarter was slightly below the financial plan. The volume of insurance premiums across the market decreased significantly compared to the same quarter of the previous year. The results for the first half of the year are well above the financial forecast. As of the end of June, LHV Kindlustus had 176,000 clients and 278,000 valid insurance contracts.

    The good rate of return shown by global financial markets in the second quarter was also reflected in LHV’s pension funds, which all offered a positive rate of return. The rates of return of LHV pension funds M, L and XL were 1.2%, 1.0% and 2.8%, respectively, in the quarter. The rate of return of the more conservative funds XS and S was 0.7% and 0.8%, respectively. Pensionifond Indeks increased by 3.0% and Pensionifond Roheline lost 4.4% in value. Net income of LHV Varahaldus remained largely the same as in the previous quarter and net profit increased. The number of second pillar clients making active monthly contributions was 110,000 by the end of the quarter.

    As important information, it was disclosed that as of September 2, the green pension funds of LHV II and III pillar will cease operations, merge with other LHV funds and will be consolidated into LHV pension funds S and M, and the names of the II pension pillar funds will change. As a result of the changes, LHV clients will have the option to choose from four actively managed pension funds to grow their savings. Starting in September, LHV’s actively managed pension funds will be named Julge, Ettevõtlik, Tasakaalukas, and Rahulik.

    As of the end of the half-year, LHV Group is well capitalised. AT1 bonds worth 50 million euros and unsecured bonds worth 60 million euros were issued in the second quarter. Moody’s Ratings raised the ratings for LHV Pank’s covered bond programme and covered bonds to the highest level, Aaa. The Moody’s Investors Service ratings agency left AS LHV Pank’s long-term deposits rating at A3 (with a positive outlook) and LHV Group’s long-term issuer rating at Baa3 (positive outlook).The ratings confirm LHV’s strong financial position and capitalisation and express the expectation of a strengthening of creditworthiness.

    Comment by Madis Toomsalu, the Chairman of the Management Board at LHV Group: 

    “We are pleased that LHV has continued on a strong growth trajectory. Over the past year, our loan portfolio has grown by 1 billion euros, reaching 5 billion euros by the end of the half-year. This reflects increased investment confidence among Estonian companies, as well as the expansion of our UK loan book, which has now surpassed the 500 million euros mark. We’ve also seen a rise in demand for home loans and an overall increase in client activity. Several initiatives are underway to support continued growth going forward.”

    To access the reports of AS LHV Group, please visit the website at https://investor.lhv.ee/aruanded.

    In order to present the results of the quarter, LHV Group will organise an investor meeting via the Zoom webinar platform. The virtual investor meeting will take place before the market opens on 22 July at 9.00. The presentation will be in Estonian. We kindly ask you to register at the following address: https://lhvbank.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_6RKaesfVT1qxJZ5BWiT4TA

    LHV Group is the largest domestic financial group and capital provider in Estonia. LHV Group’s key subsidiaries are LHV Pank, LHV Varahaldus, LHV Kindlustus, and LHV Bank Limited. The Group employs over 1,100 people. As at the end of June, LHV Pank services are being used by 474,000 clients, the pension funds managed by LHV have 110,000 active clients, and LHV Kindlustus protects a total of 176,000 clients. LHV Bank Limited, a subsidiary of the Group, holds a banking licence in the United Kingdom and provides banking services to international financial technology companies, as well as loans to small and medium-sized enterprises.

    Investor Relations

    Sten Hans Jakobsoo
    Head of Investor Relations and Corporate Development
    Email: stenhans.jakobsoo@lhv.ee

    Communications

    Paul Pihlak
    Head of Investment Communications
    Email: paul.pihlak@lhv.ee 

    Attachments

    The MIL Network –

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-Evening Report: Here’s why 3-person embryos are a breakthrough for science – but not LGBTQ+ families

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jennifer Power, Principal Research Fellow, Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society, La Trobe University

    Last week, scientists announced the birth of eight healthy babies in the United Kingdom conceived with DNA from three people. Some headlines have called it “three-person IVF”.

    The embryo uses the DNA from the egg and sperm of the intended father and mother, as well as cells from the egg of a second woman (the donor).

    This process – known as mitochondrial replacement therapy – allows women with certain genetic disorders to conceive a child without passing on their condition.

    While it’s raised broader questions about “three-parent” babies, it’s not so simple. Here’s why it’s unlikely this development will transform the diverse ways LGBTQ+ people are already making families.

    What this technology is – and isn’t

    The UK became the first country in the world to allow mitochondrial donation for three-person embryos ten years ago, in 2015.

    In other countries, such donations are banned or strictly controlled. In Australia, a staged approach to allow mitochondrial donation was introduced in 2022. Stage one will involve clinical trials to determine safety and effectiveness, and establish clear ethical guidelines for donations.

    These restrictions are based on political and ethical concerns about the use of human embryos for research, the unknown health impact on children, and the broader implications of allowing genetic modification of human embryos.

    There are also concerns about the ethical or legal implications of creating babies with “three parents”.

    Carefully and slowly considering these ethical issues is clearly important. But it’s inaccurate to suggest this process creates three parents.

    First, the amount of DNA the donor provides is tiny, only 0.1% of the baby’s DNA. The baby will not share any physical characteristics with the donor.

    While it is significant that two women’s DNA has been used in creating an embryo, it doesn’t mean lesbian couples will be rushing to access this particular in vitro fertilisation (IVF) technology.

    This technique is only used for people affected by mitochondrial disease and is closely regulated. It is not available more widely and in Australia, is not yet available even for this use.

    Second, while biological lineage is an important part of many people’s identity and sense of self, DNA alone does not make a parent.

    As many adoptive, foster and LGBTQ+ parents will attest, parenting is about love, connection and everyday acts of care for a child.

    How do rainbow families use IVF?

    Existing IVF is already expensive and medically invasive. Many fertility services offer a range of additional treatments purported to aid fertility, but extra interventions add more costs and are not universally recommended by doctors.

    While many lesbian couples and single women use fertility services to access donor sperm, not everyone will need to use IVF.

    Less invasive fertilisation techniques, such as intrauterine insemination, may be available for women without fertility problems. This means inserting sperm directly into the uterus, rather than fertilising an egg in a clinic and then implanting that embryo.

    Same-sex couples who have the option to create a baby with a sperm donor they know – rather than from a register – may also choose home-based insemination, the proverbial turkey baster. This is a cheaper and more intimate way to conceive and many women prefer a donor who will have some involvement in their child’s life.

    In recent years, “reciprocal” IVF has also grown in popularity among lesbian couples. This means an embryo is created using one partner’s egg, and the other partner carries it.

    Reciprocal IVF’s popularity suggests biology does play a role for LGBTQ+ women in conceiving a baby. When both mothers share a biological connection to the child, it may help overcome stigmatisation of “non-birth” mothers as less legitimate.

    But biology is by no means the defining feature of rainbow families.

    LGBTQ+ people are already parents

    The 2021 census showed 17% of same-sex couples had children living with them; among female same-sex couples it was 28%. This is likely an underestimate, as the census only collects data on couples that live together.

    Same-sex couples often conceive children using donor sperm or eggs, and this may involve surrogacy. But across the LGBTQ+ community, there are diverse ways people become parents.

    Same-sex couples are one part of the LGBTQ+ community. Growing numbers of trans and non-binary people are choosing to carry a baby (as gestational parents), as well as single parents who use donors or fertility services. Many others conceive children through sex, including bi+ people or others who conceive within a relationship.

    While LGBTQ+ people can legally adopt children in Australia, adoption is not common. However, many foster parents are LGBTQ+.

    When they donate eggs or sperm to others, some LGBTQ+ people may stay involved in the child’s life as a close family friend or co-parent.

    Connection and care, not DNA

    While mitochondrial replacement therapy is a remarkable advance in gene technology, it is unlikely to open new pathways to parenthood for LGBTQ+ people in Australia.

    Asserting the importance of families based on choice – not biology or what technology is available – has been crucial to the LGBTQ+ community’s story and to rainbow families’ fight to be recognised.

    Decades of research now shows children raised by same-sex couples do just as well as any other child. What matters is parents’ consistency, love and quality of care.

    Jennifer Power receives funding from the Australian Department of Health, Disability and Aged Care and the Australian Research Council.

    – ref. Here’s why 3-person embryos are a breakthrough for science – but not LGBTQ+ families – https://theconversation.com/heres-why-3-person-embryos-are-a-breakthrough-for-science-but-not-lgbtq-families-261462

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-Evening Report: Eugene Doyle: Nagasaki now a celebration of Israeli genocide

    Report by Dr David Robie – Café Pacific. –

    COMMENTARY: By Eugene Doyle

    Israel’s key enablers, the G7, plus Australia and New Zealand, have succeeded in muscling Israel back onto the invite list for the commemorations in Nagasaki on August 9.

    Last year Israel was excluded, triggering a refusal by these countries to attend in 2024.

    Does the “personal” invitation that Nagasaki has just sent to Israel represent a triumph of Western diplomacy or a sick joke?

    You know who your mates are when you’re committing genocide
     As I wrote at the time, the boycott by the powerful white-dominated Western nations was a stunning “Fuck you” to the Hibakusha, the last few survivors of the US’s 1945 nuclear attack.

    More importantly it was as clear a statement of collective commitment to Israel’s war on Palestine as you could possibly wish for.  You really find out who your true mates are when you’re committing genocide.

    At the time, Shigemitsu Tanaka, the 83-year-old head of the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Survivors Council, said he supported the move to keep the Israelis away from the commemorations, saying it was inappropriate to invite representatives from countries waging armed conflicts in defiance of calls from the international community.

    Israel’s invitation is a triumph of Western pressure
     A year later, the City buckled under pressure and has personally invited the Israelis.

    “After Israel was excluded last year over the Gaza war, Nagasaki’s mayor is avoiding renewed diplomatic tensions — especially following a clear message from the US,” Israel’s influential news site Ynet reported this month.

    It is a triumph for Netanyahu and his government, cause for celebration in Tel Aviv, but diminishes the nobility of an event that was created with the explicit intention to say Never Again and to remind the world of the indefensible criminality of attacks on defenceless civilian populations.

    Nagasaki and the Boycott Israel campaign
     Israel goes to incredible lengths to break efforts to impose BDS (Boycotts, Divestment and Sanctions) and so Nagasaki had to be brought to heel.  July 2025 marked the 20th anniversary of the founding of BDS, a non-violent campaign designed to hold Israel accountable for its crimes and apply real-world pressure for the state to change course.

    BDS is potentially a game-changer which is why Israeli government ministers routinely make threats of physical violence against leading BDS activists.

    Israel Katz, currently the Israeli Defence Minister, is on record as calling for Israel to engage in “targeted civil eliminations” of BDS leaders with the help of Israeli intelligence.

    70,000 tons of bombs on Gaza – and Israel is invited to a peace ceremony
     Think for a moment what the presence of Israel at this year’s event represents as an astonishing piece of semiology.  A state that is actively committing the crime of crimes, genocide, sitting alongside the Hibakusha.

    They won’t be the only war criminals in attendance. American, German, and British bombs have levelled the tiny enclave of Gaza.  More of their bombs — 70,000 tons and climbing — have been used to massacre Palestinians in Gaza than were used in the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki (36,000 tons), the fire bombings of Tokyo (1,665 tons) and Dresden (3,900 tons), and the London Blitz (19,000 tons) combined. And it is happening on our watch.

    Another piece of astonishing optics: less than two months ago the US and Israel bombed Iran’s nuclear facilities, doing so with no UN mandate but only their position as powerful, lawless states.

    Their actions dramatically raise the prospect of Iran, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and others deciding they need nuclear weapons as deterrence.  What look will the US and Israeli ambassadors cast over their faces as the Mayor of Nagasaki delivers the message of “Nagasaki’s wish for the establishment of lasting world peace and the abolition of nuclear weapons?”

    Is the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize the next to be trashed?
     Talking of tone deaf and morally repellent, Donald Trump has been openly lobbying to receive the Nobel Peace Prize despite having killed thousands of people and bombed multiple countries this year.

    Interestingly, the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize winner was Nihon Hidankyo (Japan’s Atomic Bomb Survivors Organisation).

    In his acceptance speech last year, Terumi Tanaka, one of the co-chairpersons of Nihon Hidankyo, said that the organisation was created in 1956 “to demand the immediate abolition of nuclear weapons, as extremely inhumane weapons of mass killing, which must not be allowed to coexist with humanity”.

    New Zealand is a genocide enabler.  What happened to our soft power?
     As a New Zealander I am deeply ashamed of my country for having refused to attend last year’s ceremony and for its criminal complicity with Israel today. New Zealand’s tragic trajectory from humanitarian champions and nuclear-free pioneers to racist genocide enablers is captured in all its horror in this month’s Nagasaki commemorations.

    New Zealand, the country that went to the brink of civil war in 1981 to stop sporting contact with Apartheid South Africa is now a fully-paid up member of Apartheid Israel’s war on Palestine.

    Everywhere our government is tearing down the pillars built by decades of struggle in New Zealand. The anti-nuclear policy, the anti-apartheid victories, the non-aligned foreign policies, the sacred principles of partnership between indigenous Māori and the Pākehā (those who settled from Europe and elsewhere) are all being shredded.

    We refuse to recognise Palestine, we refuse to join South Africa’s case against Israel at the ICJ, we refuse to join the Hague Group which is mobilising countries to make those responsible for the genocide accountable and to shoulder state-level responsibility for forcing the end to it.

    But we mobilise to get Israel invited to the Nagasaki peace events.

    From Auschwitz to Nagasaki to Gaza: whatever happened to Never Again? Whatever happened to our decency?

    The Australian journalist Caitlin Johnstone wrote this month “If you’re still supporting Israel in the year 2025, there’s something seriously wrong with you as a person.”  That goes triple for governments.

    Eugene Doyle is a writer based in Wellington. He has written extensively on the Middle East, as well as peace and security issues in the Asia Pacific region. He contributes to Asia Pacific Report and Café Pacific, and hosts the public policy platform solidarity.co.nz

    This article was first published on Café Pacific.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    July 22, 2025

  • IMF’s Gita Gopinath to step down in August, return to Harvard University

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Gita Gopinath, the No. 2 official at the International Monetary Fund, will leave her post at the end of August to return to Harvard University, the IMF said in a statement on Monday.

    IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva will name a successor to Gopinath in “due course,” the IMF said.

    Gopinath joined the fund in 2019 as chief economist – the first woman to serve in that role – and was promoted to first deputy managing director in January 2022.

    No comment was immediately available from the U.S. Treasury, which manages the dominant U.S. shareholding in the IMF. While European countries have traditionally chosen the Fund’s managing director, the U.S. Treasury has traditionally recommended candidates for the first deputy managing director role.

    Gopinath is an Indian-born U.S. citizen.

    The timing of the move caught some IMF insiders by surprise, and appears to have been initiated by Gopinath.

    Gopinath, who had left Harvard to join the IMF, will return to the university as a professor of economics.

    Gopinath’s departure will offer Treasury a chance to recommend a successor at a time when U.S. President Donald Trump is seeking to restructure the global economy and end longstanding U.S. trade deficits with high tariffs on imports from nearly all countries.

    She will return to a university that has been in the Trump administration’s crosshairs after it rejected demands to change its governance, hiring, and admissions practices.

    Georgieva said Gopinath joined the IMF as a highly respected academic and proved to be an “exceptional intellectual leader” during her time, which included the pandemic and global shocks caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

    “Gita steered the Fund’s analytical and policy work with clarity, striving for the highest standards of rigorous analysis at a complex time of high uncertainty and rapidly changing global economic environment,” Georgieva said.

    Gopinath has also overseen the fund’s multilateral surveillance and analytical work on fiscal and monetary policy, debt, and international trade.

    Gopinath said she was grateful for a “once in a lifetime opportunity” to work at the IMF, thanking both Georgieva and the previous IMF chief, Christine Lagarde, who appointed her as chief economist.

    “I now return to my roots in academia, where I look forward to continuing to push the research frontier in international finance and macroeconomics to address global challenges, and to training the next generation of economists,” she said in a statement.

    (Reuters)

    July 22, 2025

  • IMF’s Gita Gopinath to step down in August, return to Harvard University

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Gita Gopinath, the No. 2 official at the International Monetary Fund, will leave her post at the end of August to return to Harvard University, the IMF said in a statement on Monday.

    IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva will name a successor to Gopinath in “due course,” the IMF said.

    Gopinath joined the fund in 2019 as chief economist – the first woman to serve in that role – and was promoted to first deputy managing director in January 2022.

    No comment was immediately available from the U.S. Treasury, which manages the dominant U.S. shareholding in the IMF. While European countries have traditionally chosen the Fund’s managing director, the U.S. Treasury has traditionally recommended candidates for the first deputy managing director role.

    Gopinath is an Indian-born U.S. citizen.

    The timing of the move caught some IMF insiders by surprise, and appears to have been initiated by Gopinath.

    Gopinath, who had left Harvard to join the IMF, will return to the university as a professor of economics.

    Gopinath’s departure will offer Treasury a chance to recommend a successor at a time when U.S. President Donald Trump is seeking to restructure the global economy and end longstanding U.S. trade deficits with high tariffs on imports from nearly all countries.

    She will return to a university that has been in the Trump administration’s crosshairs after it rejected demands to change its governance, hiring, and admissions practices.

    Georgieva said Gopinath joined the IMF as a highly respected academic and proved to be an “exceptional intellectual leader” during her time, which included the pandemic and global shocks caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

    “Gita steered the Fund’s analytical and policy work with clarity, striving for the highest standards of rigorous analysis at a complex time of high uncertainty and rapidly changing global economic environment,” Georgieva said.

    Gopinath has also overseen the fund’s multilateral surveillance and analytical work on fiscal and monetary policy, debt, and international trade.

    Gopinath said she was grateful for a “once in a lifetime opportunity” to work at the IMF, thanking both Georgieva and the previous IMF chief, Christine Lagarde, who appointed her as chief economist.

    “I now return to my roots in academia, where I look forward to continuing to push the research frontier in international finance and macroeconomics to address global challenges, and to training the next generation of economists,” she said in a statement.

    (Reuters)

    July 22, 2025

  • Meri Panchayat App secures WSIS Champion Award 2025 for Digital Governance Excellence

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The “Meri Panchayat” mobile application, a transformative digital governance initiative by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj and the National Informatics Centre (NIC), has been honored with the prestigious World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Prizes 2025 Champion Award. The accolade, awarded under the Action Line Category for Cultural Diversity and Identity, Linguistic Diversity, and Local Content, was presented at the WSIS+20 High-Level Event 2025 in Geneva, Switzerland, organized by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). The WSIS Champion Certificate was formally handed over to Union Minister of Panchayati Raj, Rajiv Ranjan Singh, during a ceremonial event in New Delhi, attended by Minister of State for Panchayati Raj, Prof. S. P. Singh Baghel, and Secretary MoPR, Vivek Bharadwaj, among other senior officials.

    Rajiv Ranjan Singh praised the Meri Panchayat initiative for advancing citizen-centric governance through digital innovation. He highlighted the importance of leveraging such tools to enhance transparency, promote participatory democracy, and bridge the knowledge divide at the grassroots level. The app, recognized as a WSIS Prizes 2025 Champion Project, exemplifies India’s global leadership in digital governance.

    The WSIS+20 High-Level Event, held from July 7 to 11 in Geneva, marked two decades since the original WSIS. Co-hosted by ITU and the Swiss Confederation, and co-organized by ITU, UNESCO, UNDP, and UNCTAD, the forum served as a platform to evaluate progress and address challenges in building inclusive information societies. Sunita Jain, Senior Director, NIC/MoPR, accepted the Champion Award on behalf of the Government of India on July 10 during the event.

    The Meri Panchayat app empowers over 25 lakh elected representatives and approximately 950 million rural residents across India’s 2.65 lakh Gram Panchayats. It provides real-time access to panchayat budgets, receipts, payments, and development plans, along with details of elected representatives, public infrastructure, and civic services. The app also offers access to Gram Panchayat Development Plans (GPDPs), project tracking, weather forecasts at the Gram Panchayat level, social audit tools, fund utilization data, and grievance redressal with geo-tagged and geo-fenced features. Supporting over 12 Indian languages, the app ensures inclusivity through its multilingual interface. Citizens can propose new projects, review and rate implemented works, and access Gram Sabha agendas and decisions, fostering greater civic engagement and transparency in rural governance.

    July 22, 2025

  • Meri Panchayat App secures WSIS Champion Award 2025 for Digital Governance Excellence

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The “Meri Panchayat” mobile application, a transformative digital governance initiative by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj and the National Informatics Centre (NIC), has been honored with the prestigious World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Prizes 2025 Champion Award. The accolade, awarded under the Action Line Category for Cultural Diversity and Identity, Linguistic Diversity, and Local Content, was presented at the WSIS+20 High-Level Event 2025 in Geneva, Switzerland, organized by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). The WSIS Champion Certificate was formally handed over to Union Minister of Panchayati Raj, Rajiv Ranjan Singh, during a ceremonial event in New Delhi, attended by Minister of State for Panchayati Raj, Prof. S. P. Singh Baghel, and Secretary MoPR, Vivek Bharadwaj, among other senior officials.

    Rajiv Ranjan Singh praised the Meri Panchayat initiative for advancing citizen-centric governance through digital innovation. He highlighted the importance of leveraging such tools to enhance transparency, promote participatory democracy, and bridge the knowledge divide at the grassroots level. The app, recognized as a WSIS Prizes 2025 Champion Project, exemplifies India’s global leadership in digital governance.

    The WSIS+20 High-Level Event, held from July 7 to 11 in Geneva, marked two decades since the original WSIS. Co-hosted by ITU and the Swiss Confederation, and co-organized by ITU, UNESCO, UNDP, and UNCTAD, the forum served as a platform to evaluate progress and address challenges in building inclusive information societies. Sunita Jain, Senior Director, NIC/MoPR, accepted the Champion Award on behalf of the Government of India on July 10 during the event.

    The Meri Panchayat app empowers over 25 lakh elected representatives and approximately 950 million rural residents across India’s 2.65 lakh Gram Panchayats. It provides real-time access to panchayat budgets, receipts, payments, and development plans, along with details of elected representatives, public infrastructure, and civic services. The app also offers access to Gram Panchayat Development Plans (GPDPs), project tracking, weather forecasts at the Gram Panchayat level, social audit tools, fund utilization data, and grievance redressal with geo-tagged and geo-fenced features. Supporting over 12 Indian languages, the app ensures inclusivity through its multilingual interface. Citizens can propose new projects, review and rate implemented works, and access Gram Sabha agendas and decisions, fostering greater civic engagement and transparency in rural governance.

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: A friendly football tournament between China and Russia has started in the Chinese city of Hunchun

    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 22 (Xinhua) — The first China-Russia friendly football tournament in 2025, the Friendship Cup, kicked off in Hunchun, northeast China’s Jilin Province on Monday, with 17 junior and youth teams from the two countries taking part, China’s Zhongxinshe News Agency reported.

    The competition, aimed at promoting sports exchanges between China and Russia, is organized by the Hunchun Municipal People’s Government, the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture Sports Administration, to which Hunchun is administratively subordinate, and the Jilin Provincial Association for Cultural Exchange with Foreign Countries.

    During the tournament, individual matches will be held among the abovementioned teams. It is planned that the competition among youth teams will end on July 23, and the juniors will last until July 24.

    “We are very grateful to the Chinese side for the invitation to participate in the competition and hope that all teams will be able to play at their best level and achieve good results,” Russian footballer Alexey told a Zhongxinshe correspondent.

    As Secretary General of the Hunchun Football Association Wang Liang noted, football competitions are an important part of cultural exchanges between China and Russia. Holding this football tournament is aimed at creating a platform for exchanging football experiences and strengthening friendship between teenagers and young people of the two 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 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Trump Administration Declassifies Martin Luther King Assassination Files

    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

    WASHINGTON, July 21 (Xinhua) — The Donald Trump administration has released more than 230,000 pages of documents related to the assassination of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said on social media on Monday.

    She said the documents were released after questions about the murder had been swept under the rug for nearly 60 years.

    “The documents include details of the FBI’s investigation into M.L. King’s murder, discussions of potential leads, internal FBI memos detailing the investigation, information about a former cellmate of James Earl Ray who said he discussed the alleged murder plan with Ray, and more,” Gabbard wrote.

    On January 23, three days after taking office, D. Trump signed an order to declassify all remaining documents related to the assassinations of former President John F. Kennedy, his brother Robert, and M.L. King.

    M. L. King is one of the most prominent figures in the American civil rights movement. He is widely known for his commitment to nonviolent campaigns against racial segregation and inequality, and for his famous “I Have a Dream” speech. –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 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Nearly 20 people trapped after jade mine collapses in northern Myanmar

    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

    YANGON, July 22 (Xinhua) — About 20 people were trapped after a jade mine collapsed in northern Myanmar’s Kachin State, a local police official told Xinhua.

    The incident took place in Hpakant township on Monday morning. “Two bodies have been found so far and rescue efforts are ongoing,” a local rescue official said.

    The death toll could exceed 10 people, he said, adding that the incident led to the destruction of nearby houses. –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 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Afghanistan Begins Polio Vaccination of 7.3 Million Children

    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

    KABUL, July 22 (Xinhua) — The Afghan interim government’s Ministry of Health on Monday announced a four-day polio vaccination campaign to target 7.3 million children under five.

    Children in 19 of the country’s 34 provinces will be vaccinated against polio as part of the campaign, which runs from Monday to Thursday, ministry spokesman Sharafat Zaman Amarkhil said.

    He called on tribal elders, religious leaders and parents to actively participate and fully cooperate with health workers for the proper conduct of the campaign.

    “The Ministry of Health is committed to combating infectious diseases by taking all preventive measures. Through the polio vaccination campaign, we are aiming to prevent the spread of polio in Afghanistan,” said M. Z. Amarkhil. –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 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Belarus used $7.25 billion in fixed capital investments in January-June 2025 — Belstat

    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

    MINSK, July 22 (Xinhua) — Belarus spent 23.7 billion Belarusian rubles (7.25 billion U.S. dollars) in fixed capital investments in the first half of 2025, the country’s National Statistical Committee (Belstat) reported on Monday.

    The share of Minsk region in the total volume of investments in fixed capital of the country was 25.5%. In Minsk, 21.2% of investments were used, in Gomel region – 13.3%, in Brest region – 13%, in Grodno region – 9.6%, in Vitebsk region – 8.8%, in Mogilev region – 8.7%.

    In the technological structure of investments in fixed capital, 48.2% were spent on construction and installation works, 38% on machinery, equipment, and vehicles, 11.4% on other works and costs, and 2.4% on intellectual property.

    By type of ownership, 38.4 percent of the total investment in fixed capital was state-owned. In turn, 55.4 percent was investment in private property, and 6.2 percent in foreign property.

    In terms of sources of financing, the consolidated budget accounted for 20.2% of the total investment in fixed capital, while organizations’ own funds accounted for 43.6%. Borrowed funds from other organizations accounted for 0.6%, foreign investment – 1.9%, bank loans/borrowings – 13.6%, household funds – 12.7%, off-budget funds – 0.3%, and other sources – 7%.

    In terms of the main types of economic activity, real estate transactions accounted for 22.6 percent of the total investment in fixed capital, manufacturing accounted for 18.7 percent, and agriculture, forestry and fisheries accounted for 14.7 percent. Transportation, warehousing, postal and courier services accounted for 6.8 percent, and the supply of electricity, gas, steam, hot water and air conditioning accounted for 6.3 percent. –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 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI China: Zelensky says Ukraine, Russia to hold talks in Türkiye on Wednesday

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

    The next round of peace talks between Russia and Ukraine will be held Wednesday in Türkiye, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Monday.

    In his daily address, Zelensky said he discussed with Rustem Umerov, secretary of the National Security and Defense Council, about the meeting. “Umerov said the meeting was scheduled for Wednesday. There will be more details tomorrow.”

    Umerov, the former defense minister, was appointed to his current position last week and headed the Ukrainian delegation in the previous two talks in Istanbul, Türkiye.

    However, Russia’s TASS news agency quoted a source as saying that the third round of talks will take place on Thursday. “The meeting is scheduled for July 24, the delegations may arrive in Istanbul on the 23rd,” the source said.

    Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Sunday that Russia is ready to move quickly toward a settlement on Ukraine, but the main objective is to achieve its goals. 

    MIL OSI China News –

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI China: 28 countries condemn Israel over ‘suffering of civilians in Gaza’

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

    Twenty-eight countries and the European Union Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management issued a joint statement on Monday, condemning Israel for the suffering of civilians in Gaza.

    “The suffering of civilians in Gaza has reached new depths. We condemn the drip feeding of aid and the inhumane killing of civilians,” said the statement. “It is horrifying that over 800 Palestinians have been killed while seeking aid.”

    “The Israeli Government’s denial of essential humanitarian assistance to the civilian population is unacceptable. Israel must comply with its obligations under international humanitarian law,” the statement added, urging an immediate end to the war in Gaza.

    The statement called on the Israeli government to “immediately lift restrictions on the flow of aid and to urgently enable the UN and humanitarian NGOs to do their life-saving work safely and effectively.”

    Signed by the foreign ministers of Britain, France, Italy, Canada, Japan, and other Western countries, the statement also opposes any attempts to alter the territorial or demographic status of the occupied Palestinian territories.

    In response, the Israeli Foreign Ministry rejected the statement as being “disconnected from reality” and accused Hamas of being “the only party responsible for the lack of a deal for the release of hostages and a ceasefire.”

    “The statement fails to focus the pressure on Hamas and fails to recognize Hamas’s role and responsibility for the situation,” the ministry said in an announcement. 

    MIL OSI China News –

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Rally Estonia: Day 4 Sensational Solberg debut secures 100th WRC triumph for TOYOTA

    Source: Toyota

    Headline: Rally Estonia: Day 4
    Sensational Solberg debut secures 100th WRC triumph for TOYOTA

    Oliver Solberg has secured a sensational victory on debut for TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Team at Rally Estonia, claiming both his first win as well as the 100th for TOYOTA in the history of the FIA World Rally Championship.

    MIL OSI Economics –

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: NSU students and staff presented their developments in the field of prosthetics at the national forum “Hope for Technology”

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Novosibirsk State University –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    The 10th National Forum of the Rehabilitation Industry and Universal Design “Hope for Technology”, dedicated to demonstrating comprehensive solutions for creating an accessible environment, modern technologies for people with disabilities, was held in Moscow on July 10-11. The large-scale exhibition display of Russian manufacturers presented more than 450 domestic solutions in 9 areas: prostheses, orthoses and functional units, rehabilitation equipment and exercise machines. The biomechanics and medical engineering group of the Novosibirsk State University, which consists of students from several faculties, presented its developments to the professional community. This scientific group was created on the basis of Mathematical center in Akademgorodok

    The exhibition of assistive technologies was attended by the head of the group, candidate of physical and mathematical sciences Vladimir Serdyukov, 4th year students Faculty of Mechanics and Mathematics of NSU Daria Korostovskaya and Alexander Niukkanen, 3rd year student Faculty of Mechanics and Mathematics of NSU Tatyana Shashkina, 5th year student Institute of Medicine and Medical Technologies NSU Sofia Eksharova, 2nd year master’s student Faculty of Mechanics and Mathematics of NSU Andrey Karavan, Master’s degree graduate Faculty of Geology and Geophysics of NSU Innokenty Serdyuk and postgraduate student of the Institute of Thermal Physics SB RAS Konstantin Lebeda. Young researchers got acquainted with developments in the field of assistive technologies, learned a lot of interesting things, showed the results of their projects, received feedback and acquired valuable contacts for further cooperation.

    At their stand, the young researchers presented a motion capture system for studying the kinematics of patients’ walking, as well as an adaptive prosthetic socket for a hand prosthesis using 3D printing technology.

    The group also presented its latest developments: a 3D-printed prosthetic foot for activity levels 1–2 and insoles for gait biomechanics diagnostics for amputees, which will complement and improve the motion capture system.

    — The most feedback was received by one of our new developments, which was tested for the first time at the forum — a foot prosthesis printed on a 3D printer. Working on this project, we set ourselves the following goal: to make a foot prosthesis that would have a low cost, be easy to manufacture, have the ability to be personalized and manufactured in a short time using simple equipment, which would increase its availability, but at the same time maintain the general biomechanics of walking. An important point is that our prosthesis belongs to activity levels 1-2 and is intended only for walking, but is not suitable for running or sports. To develop the geometry, a digital stand was used that imitates human loads when walking. This way, we were able to create a prosthesis geometry that meets the goal, — said Andrey Karavan.

    For the precise design of the prosthesis, 3D modeling and load analysis technologies in Ansys were used. Manufacturing using FDM printing technology took about 12 hours. The weight of the finished product was about 700 grams. This project received financial support from the Ministry of Science and Innovation Policy of the Novosibirsk Region.

    The first time a patient tested a printed prosthesis was at the forum. The guys offered to test and evaluate it to the head of the prosthetic center “Instep” (St. Petersburg), who is an amputee himself.

    — He liked that the sole is non-slip – even on wet floor tiles, which allows the user to take a shower without the risk of falling. However, he pointed out the shortcomings and shortcomings regarding the geometry of the product and made constructive suggestions for its improvement. His opinion is very important to us, and taking this feedback into account, we will adjust the prosthesis model and organize re-testing on other amputees. It will not be difficult to make adjustments due to the simplicity of the technology, — explained Daria Korostovskaya.

    Another new development of the NSU biomechanics and medical engineering group attracted great interest from the forum participants — a pressure insole that will accurately determine the step phases and gait asymmetry. This “smart” insole was previously tested together with a motion capture system for analyzing gait kinematics. The invention will allow specialists in prosthetic centers to analyze the distribution of the load between healthy and amputated limbs, evaluate the distribution of pressure on the foot or prosthesis, and the dynamics of rehabilitation outside the clinic. This project received support from the FSI Foundation as part of the Student Startup competition.

    — The video we recorded while testing this insole shows the distribution of the load on the foot when walking. It is important that it allows us to divide the gait cycles into support and transfer phases. We have the opportunity to analyze their ratio and draw conclusions about the gait asymmetry indicator of amputees, which is important for monitoring rehabilitation and correct placement of the prosthesis. When diagnosing the biomechanics of amputees’ gait, such insoles are placed in shoes under both the patient’s healthy foot and the prosthesis. To transmit and read data from the insole, we developed software for processing and visualizing the data, — said Tatyana Shashkina.

    Young researchers plan to combine the motion capture system with a “smart” insole. During early research, the guys came to the conclusion that combining these technical solutions will allow for a more complete gait analysis. The motion capture system records the kinematics of the gait, and the insole records the pressure of the foot and prosthesis on the surface. By combining these data, it is possible to track the biomechanical indicators and symmetry of the patient’s gait, which is of great importance for assessing the progress of rehabilitation and adjusting the prosthesis settings.

    This development has attracted great interest from representatives of prosthetic centers, some of whom have expressed interest in testing it in their institutions and working together. Among them are the Alorto prosthetic and orthopedic center (Barnaul) and the Ortho-Innovation prosthetic center (Moscow).

    — We will be glad to cooperate with these and other prosthetic centers, including because during joint testing we will be able to replenish the database of gait kinematics of patients with lower limb amputations, which we are currently forming in the course of joint work with the Novosibirsk branch of the Moscow Prosthetic and Orthopedic Enterprise. In addition, at the forum we received a request to develop an adaptive prosthetic socket for a leg using 3D printing technology, similar to our existing development of a prosthetic socket for an arm. This is exactly what we intend to do in the near future, — Vladimir Serdyukov summed up.

    Material prepared by: Elena Panfilo, NSU press service

    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 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI China: FM spokesperson speaks about China’s expectations for 25th China-EU Summit

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

    China and the European Union (EU) will hold the 25th China-EU Summit in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said at a daily news briefing on Monday, when he also talked about China’s expectations for the upcoming summit and current China-EU relations.

    Guo said that this year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the EU, as well as the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations.

    The world is currently undergoing a historic transformation — the international landscape is experiencing more instability and rapid change, and unilateralism and bullying practices are significantly undermining international rule and order, placing humanity at a critical crossroads once again, Guo said.

    As two major forces advancing multipolarity, two major markets supporting globalization and two major civilizations championing diversity, the 25th China-EU summit is of great importance and is drawing widespread attention from the international community, he added.

    “Over the past half century, China-EU relations have weathered challenges and are now progressing toward maturity and stability, becoming one of the most influential bilateral relationships in the world,” Guo said.

    Cooperation between China and the EU has yielded fruitful results, he said, with each providing significant support for the other’s development and providing tangible benefits to nearly 2 billion Chinese and EU people, making important contributions to global peace and development, and setting an example of mutually beneficial cooperation in the era of economic globalization.

    Guo noted that over the past 50 years, annual trade between China and the EU has skyrocketed from 2.4 billion U.S. dollars to 785.8 billion U.S. dollars, and the stock of mutual investment has expanded from near zero to almost 260 billion U.S. dollars. People-to-people exchanges have become increasingly frequent, and both sides have engaged in effective cooperation to address climate change and other issues, he said.

    “However, China-EU relations are also confronted with challenges,” Guo added. Certain individuals in the EU have played up the “partner-competitor-rival” characterization of bilateral relations, exaggerated individual trade and business issues and made baseless accusations against China on the Ukraine issue, unnecessarily hampering China-EU relations, he said.

    China holds that over the course of their 50-year history, China-EU relations have accumulated ample experience and positive forces to navigate any winds or tides that may come, and to overcome difficulties and meet challenges, he noted.

    He said that as the 25th China-EU Summit will be held soon, China-EU relations are at an important point as they build on past achievements and open up a new chapter.

    “China hopes that the EU will work with China, view its relations with China from a comprehensive, dialectical and forward-looking perspective, draw experience and inspiration from bilateral relations over the past 50 years, follow the trend of the times, meet the expectations of the two peoples and the international community, pool consensus, rise above differences, jointly plan for the cooperation in the next 50 years, and open up a brighter future for the China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership,” said Guo.

    MIL OSI China News –

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-OSI China: Poland ready for China clash in women’s VNL Finals

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

    Poland’s middle blocker Aleksandra Gryka has emphasized that the team is well prepared for Wednesday’s game against China in the quarterfinals of the FIVB Women’s Volleyball Nations League (VNL).

    Poland beat China 3-1 in a friendly match on home ground in Radom last Saturday. The Chinese team coached by Zhao Yong will have a chance to take revenge in Wednesday’s encounter in Lodz, Poland.

    Martyna Lukasik (R) of Poland spikes the ball during the Pool 3 match between Poland and Thailand at the Women’s Volleyball Nations League (VNL) 2025 at the National Indoor Stadium in Beijing, China, June 4, 2025. (Xinhua/Luo Yuan)

    “It’s good we played against China in Radom. The game wasn’t as important as the coming match, but we could feel the atmosphere of the competition. China is a strong opponent,” Gryka told Polish media on Monday.

    “In the opening set we made too many mistakes, but then we proved we were able to beat them. On Wednesday we should stay focused from the beginning until the end. We are ready for the challenge. I’m sure the friendly game helped us in our preparations for the encounter in the Volleyball Nations League,” she added.

    Poland is preparing for a tough challenge, as it has lost all three matches against China under coach Stefano Lavarini, failing to win a single set. Two years ago, China eliminated Poland in the women’s VNL semifinals.

    “Our team has changed from that time. In the past we often fought against our weaknesses on the court. Now we’re a more experienced team. We know what it’s like to compete for high stakes,” Poland’s outside hitter Martyna Czyrnianska explained.

    The final phase of the Women’s VNL will be held from July 23 to 27.

    MIL OSI China News –

    July 22, 2025

  • MIL-Evening Report: ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for July 22, 2025

    ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on July 22, 2025.

    New study finds the gender earnings gap could be halved if we reined in the long hours often worked by men
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lyndall Strazdins, Professor, Australian National University asylun/Shutterstock There are lots of reasons why people work extra hours. In some jobs, it’s the only way to cover the workload. In others, the pay is poor, so people need to work extra time. And in others still, working back

    New study finds the gender earnings gap could be halved if we reined in the long hours often worked by men
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lyndall Strazdins, Professor, Australian National University asylun/Shutterstock There are lots of reasons why people work extra hours. In some jobs, it’s the only way to cover the workload. In others, the pay is poor, so people need to work extra time. And in others still, working back

    Sky TV to buy channel Three owner Discovery NZ for $1
    By Anan Zaki, RNZ News business reporter Sky TV has agreed to fully acquire TV3 owner Discovery New Zealand for $1. Discovery NZ is a part of US media giant Warner Bros Discovery, and operates channel Three and online streaming platform ThreeNow. NZX-listed Sky said the deal would be completed on a cash-free, debt-free basis,

    Suffering in Gaza reaches ‘new depths’ – Australia condemns ‘inhumane killing’ of Palestinians
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amra Lee, PhD candidate in Protection of Civilians, Australian National University Australia has joined 28 international partners in calling for an immediate end to the war in Gaza and a lifting of all restrictions on food and medical supplies. Foreign Minister Penny Wong, along with counterparts from

    As female independent MPs descend on parliament, they’re fulfilling the dreams of women across history
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elizabeth Chappell, Post Doctoral Research, University of New England Australia’s 48th parliament has a record 112 women members. Ten of those women are independents. As they take their seats in the chamber, they’ll be realising the aspirations of some of Australia’s first suffragists who, more than a

    Are screenwriters paid for a product or a service? The definition matters for their workplace rights
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kim Goodwin, Lecturer in Arts Management and Human Resources, The University of Melbourne Vitaly Gariev/Unsplash The film and television sector in Australia employs over 26,000 workers and generated more than A$4.5 billion in income in 2021–22. TV dramas generate a large part of this revenue. Australian screen

    NZ and allies condemn ‘inhumane’, ‘horrifying’ killings in Gaza and ‘drip feeding’ of aid
    RNZ News New Zealand has joined 24 other countries in calling for an end to the war in Gaza, and criticising what they call the inhumane killing of Palestinians. The countries — including Britain, France, Canada and Australia plus the European Union — also condemed the Israeli government’s aid delivery model in Gaza as “dangerous”.

    Everyone’s talking about the Perseid meteor shower – but don’t bother trying to see it in Australia or NZ
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jonti Horner, Professor (Astrophysics), University of Southern Queensland View of the 2023 Perseid meteor shower from the southernmost part of Sequoia National Forest, US. NASA/Preston Dyches In recent days, you may have seen articles claiming the “best meteor shower of the year” is about to start. Unfortunately,

    Pumped up with poison: new research shows many anabolic steroids contain toxic metals
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy Piatkowski, Lecturer in Psychology, Griffith University MilosStankovic/Getty Images Eighteen-year-old Mark scrolls Instagram late at night, watching videos of fitness influencers showing off muscle gains and lifting the equivalent of a baby elephant off the gym floor. Spurred on by hashtags and usernames indicating these feats involve

    How EVs and electric water heaters are turning cities into giant batteries
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bin Lu, Senior Research Fellow in Renewable Energy, Australian National University Leonid Andronov/Shutterstock As the electrification of transport and heating accelerates, many worry the increased demand could overload national power grids. In Australia, electricity consumption is expected to double by 2050. If everyone charges their car and

    The end of open-plan classrooms: how school design reflects changing ideas in education
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    Labor to put disclaimer under Mark Latham’s caucus room picture
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    Newspoll and Resolve give Labor big leads as parliament resumes after the election
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne With federal parliament to sit for the first time since the election on Tuesday, Newspoll gives Labor a 57–43 lead and Resolve a 56–44 lead. In Tasmania,

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

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  • MIL-OSI Russia: The AI Revolution in Education: Are Chinese Algorithms Teaching You?

    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 22 (Xinhua) — China has released guidelines to accelerate digital education this year. Based on three years of experience summarizing the national digital education strategy, Chinese authorities have put forward comprehensive work plans to further advance national digital education.

    How far has digital education progressed in China now and how will it develop in the future?

    A BREAKTHROUGH IN DIGITAL EDUCATION

    In 2022, the state public service platform for intellectual education was opened, marking the official launch of the national digital education strategy.

    After three years of development, this platform integrates 5 sub-platforms and has access to 32 provincial-level platforms. It has registered more than 163 million users and the number of visits and views on the platform has exceeded 60.8 billion times.

    At the same time, the platform has launched more than 110 thousand educational resources for primary and secondary schools, more than 11 thousand high-quality online courses for vocational education and 31 thousand courses for higher education.

    “Over the past three years, breakthroughs have been made in implementing the national digital education strategy and the world’s largest platform for public learning resources and services and a lifelong public learning platform have been established,” said Zhou Dawan, head of the Department of Science, Technology and Information Technology of the Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China.

    At present, digital education in China is being comprehensively promoted with faster speed and efficiency. All schools at different levels in China are connected to the Internet, and more than 75% of schools have wireless network coverage. In addition, new infrastructure has been built in many places to build provincial-level intelligent education platforms.

    “In the future, it is necessary to work hard to build a diversified system of platforms, catalog systems, resources, data and application systems, and improve the platform’s intelligence level to create a digital base with high intelligence and strong interaction,” said Yang Zongkai, head of the advisory committee of experts on digital education at the Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China.

    AI IN EDUCATION REFORM

    Nowadays, the application of artificial intelligence is becoming a hot topic in the field of education. From cities to rural areas, many educational institutions have begun to study specific areas of application of artificial intelligence.

    In March this year, China released the intelligent version of the national intelligent education platform 2.0 and launched an “artificial intelligence testing ground” to promote innovation in human-computer interaction.

    Zhou Dawan noted that in the future, the “AI testing ground” will be improved, focusing on four main aspects – student learning, teacher teaching, educational management and scientific research, and the innovative forces of high-level universities and enterprises will be combined to develop promising practical AI tools.

    It should be recalled that the guidelines on accelerating digital education state that it is necessary to promote the digital transformation of academic disciplines, teaching materials and teaching models, and to improve the digital literacy and skills of the entire population, especially teachers and students.

    In addition, the document also proposes to establish an “AI education” security assurance system and explore the possibility of establishing an algorithm security assessment system to effectively avoid problems such as cyber attacks, information cocoons, algorithm hegemony and Internet addiction.

    PROMOTING DIGITAL EDUCATION AS AN INTERNATIONAL BRAND

    The above document points out that the internationalization of digital education should be actively promoted and international cooperation in the joint creation and utilization of resources, joint training of personnel, etc. should be deepened so as to form an international brand of Chinese digital education.

    After more than 10 years of development, China ranks first in the world in the number and scale of application of massive open online courses (MOOCs), creating an international brand in higher education worldwide.

    In January 2024, the international version of the government’s public service platform in the field of intelligent education was launched, which will provide all-weather support for the education of students around the world.

    In addition, according to the data, the state intellectual education platform in the field of higher education has been visited by more than 106 million people, and its users cover 183 countries and regions of the world.

    The document also said that it is necessary to deepen the application of the international version of the national public service platform in the field of intelligent education, so that digital education can benefit students all over the world and China’s digital education can become a benchmark for the world.

    “Digital education is an inevitable trend of modern development,” Zhou Dawan said, adding that it is not only a technological revolution in education, but also a profound reform of the concept, model and management of education.

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

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    July 22, 2025
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