NewzIntel.com

Category: Europe

  • MIL-OSI China: China sees robust IP progress, fueling high-quality development

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

    BEIJING, July 17 — China has made significant strides in intellectual property (IP) protection during its 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), providing impetus for innovation and high-quality development, the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) said on Thursday.

    CNIPA head Shen Changyu, speaking at a press conference on reviewing China’s IP progress, outlined the administration’s comprehensive strategy to establish a world-class IP governance system, institutional framework, cultural environment and professional talent pool. “Our clear objective is to establish China as a global IP powerhouse by 2035.”

    He emphasized four strategic focus areas: advancing the modernization of the IP governance system and its capabilities, supporting China’s high-level self-reliance in science and technology, cultivating new quality productive forces and modern industrial systems, and promoting high-standard opening-up and market system development.

    Through a quality-oriented approach, the CNIPA has refined key performance metrics such as high-value invention patents per 10,000 people, the value-added of patent-intensive industries as a percentage of GDP, the total import and export volume of IP royalties, and IP examination quality and efficiency standards.

    “These indicators reflect a more scientific approach to measuring China’s IP progress,” Shen said, adding that the administration will actively engage stakeholders in shaping the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) to ensure practical, innovation-friendly policies that boost industries and benefit public welfare.

    As the 14th Five-Year Plan period nears its conclusion, China is clocking up a series of achievements in the transformation and industrialization of patents, IP in green and low-carbon technologies, geographical indication (GI) products and international IP cooperation.

    China has effectively promoted the transformation and industrialization of a large number of patents, with the industrialization rate of enterprise invention patents up from 44.9 percent in 2020 to 53.3 percent in 2024.

    As of June 2025, China’s number of valid domestic invention patents has reached 5.01 million, which is an increase of 13.2 percent year on year, according to Shen, while ownership of high-value invention patents per 10,000 people has reached 15.3.

    Additionally, the dominant position of enterprises in technological innovation continues to be enhanced in China, Shen said.

    There were 524,000 domestic enterprises that held valid invention patents in June 2025, by which time the total number of valid invention patents held by those enterprises had reached 3.7 million, accounting for 74.4 percent of the total number in China — an increase of 6.1 percentage points compared to the end of the 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-2020).

    China has seen increasingly vibrant innovation in green and low-carbon technologies, with 53,000 invention patents granted in the sector in 2024 alone, said Liang Xinxin, an official of the CNIPA. The 2024 figure, which doubled 2020’s, reflects an average annual growth rate of 19.2 percent.

    The clean energy and energy storage sectors showed robust growth, with respective invention patent authorizations rising 34.9 percent and 32.8 percent year on year — the highest increases among all green technology categories, Liang noted.

    China has cumulatively recognized 2,861 GI products, according to Shen. The annual output value of China’s GI products increased from 639.8 billion yuan (about 89.5 billion U.S. dollars) in 2020 to 969 billion yuan in 2024, he noted.

    A total of 7,424 GIs have been registered as collective or certification trademarks, and over 37,000 business entities have been authorized to use the special GI symbol.

    China has established IP cooperation partnerships with over 80 countries and regions. The China-EU agreement on GIs has come into force, realizing the mutual recognition and protection of the first group of listed products, Shen said, adding that China has successfully acceded to the Hague Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Industrial Designs.

    CNIPA Deputy Commissioner Hu Wenhui noted that the administration treats domestic and foreign enterprises equally in terms of IP protection. In the first half of the year, foreign applicants filed 94,000 trademark applications in China — a year-on-year increase of 7.4 percent, with significant growth of over 20 percent in applications from Germany, Italy and the United States, Hu said.

    By the end of 2024, the CNIPA had provided a total of 2,393 guidance services and 6,885 advisory consultations to domestic enterprises engaging in global expansion, helping them reduce litigation costs by 1.32 billion yuan and recover economic losses amounting to 38.04 billion yuan, he said.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Thinking of trekking to Everest Base Camp? Don’t leave home without this expert advice

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Heike Schanzel, Professor of Social Sustainability in Tourism, Auckland University of Technology

    Purnima Shrestha /AFP via Getty Images

    Tourists in Kathmandu are tempted everywhere by advertisements for trekking expeditions to Everest Base Camp. If you didn’t know better, you might think it’s just a nice hike in the Nepalese countryside.

    Typically the lower staging post for attempts on the summit, the camp is still 5,364 metres above sea level and a destination in its own right. Travel agencies say no prior experience is required, and all equipment will be provided. Social media, too, is filled with posts enticing potential trekkers to make the iconic journey.

    But there is a real risk of creating a false sense of security. An exciting adventure can quickly turn into a struggle for survival, especially for novice mountaineers.

    Nevertheless, Sagarmatha National Park is deservedly popular for its natural beauty and the allure of the world’s highest peak, Chomolungma (Mount Everest). It is also home to the ethnically distinctive Sherpa community.

    Consequently, the routes to Everest Base Camp are among the busiest in the Himalayas, with nearly 60,000 tourists visiting the area each year. There are two distinct trekking seasons: spring (March to May) and autumn (September to October).

    High mountains require everyone to be properly prepared. Events which under normal conditions might be a minor inconvenience can be magnified in such an environment and pose a serious risk.

    Even at the start of the trek in Lukla (2,860m), one is exposed to factors that can directly or indirectly affect one’s health, especially altitude mountain sickness or unfamiliar bacteria.

    We interviewed 24 trekkers in May this year, as well as 60 residents and business owners in May 2023, to explore some of the safety issues anyone considering heading to base camp should be aware of.

    Life at high altitude

    First, it’s vital to choose goals within one’s technical and physical capabilities. While the human body can adapt to altitudes of up to 5,300m, the potential risk of altitude mountain sickness can occur at only 2,500m – lower than Lukla.

    Proper acclimatisation above 3,000m means ascending no more than 500m a day and resting every two to three days at the same altitude. The optimal (though rarely followed) approach is the “saw tooth system” of climbing during the day but descending to sleep at a lower level.

    Residents of the Khumbu region (on the Nepalese side of Everest) are familiar with the problem of tourists not acclimatising, or not paying attention to their surroundings. As one hotel owner said, pointing to a trekker setting out:

    He’s going uphill and it’s already late. It’s going to get dark and cold soon. He won’t make it to the next settlement. We have to report this to the authorities or go after him ourselves.

    Inexperienced trekkers should hire a local guide. Several we interviewed had needed medical evacuation, including a woman in her mid-20s who had to leave base camp after one night. She found her guides – not locals – online. But they never checked her vital signs during the trek:

    [The doctors] said that I had high-altitude pulmonary edema […] it was just really important to come down the elevation. And if I had tried to go higher, it probably would have been really bad.

    Health checks throughout the trek are imperative. This includes assessing the four main symptoms of altitude mountain sickness: headache, nausea, dizziness and fatigue. If they appear, the trekker shouldn’t go higher and might even need to descend.

    A Sherpa woman at the market in Namche Bazar, Nepal: respect the culture, eat local food.
    Paula Bronstein/Getty Images

    Take time to adapt

    Using a reputable local trekking agency might be more expensive, but it will help ensure safety and also familiarise the visitor with the local culture, helping avoid negative impacts on the host community.

    Too often, the primary goal of trekkers is a photo on the famous rock at base camp. Once obtained, many simply take a helicopter back to Kathmandu. As a helicopter tour agency owner said:

    They don’t want to get back on their feet. The goal, after all, has been achieved. In general, tourists used to be much better prepared. Now they know they can return by helicopter.

    Helicopter travel can be dangerous on its own, of course. But this tendency to view the trek as a one-way trip also affects host-guest relations and can irritate local communities.

    It’s also important to monitor your food and drink intake and watch for signs of food poisoning. Diarrhoea at high altitudes is particularly dangerous because it leads to rapid dehydration – hard to combat in mountain conditions.

    Low air pressure and reduced oxygen exacerbate the condition, weakening the body’s ability to recover. Also, the symptoms of dehydration can resemble altitude mountain sickness.

    When travelling in other climate zones or countries with different sanitary standards, there is inevitable contact with strains of bacteria not present in one’s natural microbiome.

    A good solution is to spend a few days naturally adapting to bacterial flora at a lower altitude in Nepal before heading to the mountains. Also, try to eat the local food, such as daal bhat, Nepal’s national dish. According to one hotel owner in Pangboche:

    Tourists demand strange food from us – pizza, spaghetti, Caesar salad – and then are angry that it doesn’t taste the way they want. This is not our food. You should probably eat local food.

    Most of the trekkers we interviewed during this spring season reported experiencing gastrointestinal issues, often for several days.

    Overall, diarrhoea-related infections are the leading cause of illness among travellers, including base camp trekkers. Studies conducted in the Himalayas show as many as 14% of mountain tourists contract gastroenteritis, accounting for about 10% of all helicopter evacuations.

    In the end, the commonest cause of failure or accident in the mountains is overestimating one’s abilities – what has been called “bad judgement syndrome” – when the route is too hard, the pace too fast, or there’s been too little time spent acclimatising.

    A simple solution: walk slowly and enjoy the views.

    Michal Apollo receives funding from the National Science Centre NCN Poland, the small-scale project awarded by the Institute of Earth Sciences, and the Research Excellence Initiative of the University of Silesia in Katowice. He is affiliated with the Global Justice Program, Yale University, and Academics Stand Against Poverty.

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

    – ref. Thinking of trekking to Everest Base Camp? Don’t leave home without this expert advice – https://theconversation.com/thinking-of-trekking-to-everest-base-camp-dont-leave-home-without-this-expert-advice-260497

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: expert reaction to Perspective article on genome editing for conservation

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    A Perspective article published in Nature Reviews Diversity looks at genome engineering for biodiversity conservation and restoration. 

    Prof Bruce Whitelaw, Professor of Animal Biotechnology and Director of The Roslin Institute, said:

    “Biodiversity across our planet is both facing unprecedented challenges and increasing recognised as critical for planetary health. Genome editing technology offers approaches that overcome aspects that current approaches addressing biodiversity cannot address – it can restore lost genetic diversity and increase the resilience of endangered species. Genome editing technology is advancing fast and for species where we know much about their genetic make-up could be used now to reduce genetic load and enable adaption to environmental change. This could include restoration of lost variation but we are still some way-off from restoring a species – although this is foreseeable for the future. No single technology can solve all biodiversity concerns. Genome editing should be adopted alongside traditional conservation methods and habitat restoration. The driver should be for social benefit, have societal involvement, and be guided by science-based regulation – and should be viewed as another useful method in the race to safeguard the world’s needed biodiversity.”

    Prof Dusko Ilic, Professor of Stem Cell Science at King’s College London, said:

    “The article is a thoughtful and forward-looking synthesis, offering a powerful vision for integrating genome engineering into conservation biology. However, its weaknesses lie in over-optimism, lack of robust comparative cost-effectiveness analysis, and occasional underplaying of ecological, regulatory, and ethical risks—especially in complex field scenarios.

    “The paper persuasively argues that genome engineering can address genomic erosion—an underappreciated long-term threat in conservation biology—by restoring adaptive genetic variation and reducing genetic load. The technology has potential, but the evidence base is currently stronger in theory and in model organisms than in demonstrated success with real-world.

    “The authors assume that the relationship between genome-wide variation and fitness is sufficiently understood to justify editing decisions. In reality, the genotype–phenotype–fitness map remains poorly resolved in most non-model organisms, which weakens confidence in editing targets. What improves fitness in captivity or small restored habitats may not translate under fluctuating wild conditions.

    “The paper clearly articulates how genome engineering can target fixed deleterious alleles, reintroduce lost immunogenetic diversity, and enhance climate adaptation capacity—things traditional conservation (e.g. protected areas, captive breeding) cannot accomplish once variation is lost.

    “The concept is compelling but lacks quantitative modelling or comparative data to support the claim that genome editing is more effective or feasible than scaled-up traditional approaches in most cases.

    “The argument presumes that ancestral or heterospecific alleles can be confidently identified and reintroduced without negative pleiotropic effects, but this is rarely tested rigorously outside lab settings.

    “The paper is also light on cost-benefit comparisons. For example, how does gene editing for climate resilience compare (in cost, efficacy, and ecological risk) to investing in habitat corridors that allow natural gene flow?

    “International approvals for edited wildlife release is a probable limiter of near-term feasibility. Regulatory inertia and public scepticism that have historically limited the rollout of genetically modified (GM) organisms—particularly in agriculture, where decades of commercial GM crop use remain contentious in many countries despite robust safety data. Scientific bodies (e.g., WHO, NAS, EFSA) consistently find no substantiated health risks from approved GM crops, yet public acceptance varies widely. The first GM crop was approved in the US in 1994. Thirty years later, only about 30 countries cultivate GM crops, and about 70 allows imports but not domestic cultivation.

    “The distinction between technical readiness (editing) and ecological readiness (release, integration, adaptation) is important. Timescales needed for breeding, backcrossing, release, and population establishment, are equally complex. In species with long generation times, edited lineages may not reach ecological relevance for decades.

    “While critical of de-extinction, the authors do not fully confront the blurring of boundaries in practice—e.g. Colossal Biosciences’ projects (which some authors are affiliated with) walk a fine line between de-extinction branding and conservation justification.

    “The critique of de-extinction would be more credible if potential conflicts of interest were explicitly addressed, and if more scrutiny were applied to projects that market proxy-species restorations as conservation.

    “The call for responsibility is ethically sound, but implementation guidance is vague. How, for example, will conservation scientists ensure openness when working with private-sector collaborators like biotech firms or proprietary genome platforms? How engineered lineages may tie future conservation efforts to specific technologies or patents, raising issues of access, control, and continuity?”

    Prof Tony Perry, Head of the Laboratory of Mammalian Molecular Embryology at the University of Bath, said:

    “This timely Perspective collates potential contributions from the revolution in ‘genome engineering’ (including genome editing) to biodiversity conservation.  The piece points out that to be effective, these advances need to include advanced assisted reproduction methodologies, such as embryonic and stem cell chimeras and nuclear transfer cloning.  In addition, the behaviour of individual or small numbers of gene variants moved into a foreign genome may be difficult or impossible to predict, making it desirable to replicate entire genomes from the oldest sources available.  

    “The challenges of achieving this are considerable even for well-studied species, but by raising the profiles of these challenges, the Perspective promises to accelerate our efforts to solving them for species conservation and its retroactive cousin, de-extinction.”

    ‘Genome engineering in biodiversity conservation and restoration’ by Cock van Oosterhout et al. was published in Nature Reviews Biodiversity at 00.01 UK time Friday 18 July.

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s44358-025-00065-6

    Declared interests

    Dusko Ilic: “I declare no conflict of interest.”

    Tony Perry: “None”

    Bruce Whitelaw: “I receive funding from BBSRC, Roslin Foundation, and Gates Foundation.  I am a member of FSA’s Advisory Committee for Novel Foods & Processes, and the Engineering Biology Responsible Innovation Advisory Panel.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: expert reaction to study looking at scarring and heart arrhythmia in veteran male athlete’s hearts

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    A study published in Circulation: Cardiovascular Imaging looks at cardiac scarring and arrhythmia in veteran males. 

    Prof Steffen Petersen, Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine, Queen Mary University of London; Consultant Cardiologist at Barts Health NHS Trust; BHF Data Science Centre Interim Director; and Immediate Past President, European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging, said:

    “This study is an important contribution to improving our current understanding of the long-term heart health impact of endurance exercise in older asymptomatic male athletes.  First, scar formation in the heart is common in about half of those athletes enrolled.  Second, a type of scar which is not due to poor blood supply of the heart muscle predicts the occurrence of ventricular arrhythmias, but a very common type (insertion point between the left and right heart) is not concerning, which is reassuring to know.

    “A strength of the study is the confidence we can have in the accuracy of the outcome regarding ventricular arrhythmias, as determined by implantable loop recorders.  A weakness is the limited generalisability of the findings due to the small sample size, exclusive inclusion of male endurance athletes over 50 years of age from a single centre.”

    Prof James Ware, Professor of Cardiovascular and Genomic Medicine, Imperial College London and the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences, and NHS consultant cardiologist, said:

    “This is in my opinion a well designed and well executed study.  The authors themselves acknowledge the principal limitations of the study, and the conclusions are balanced and fair.  The press release is a fair reflection of the science described in the article.

    “I would note:

    “This is a highly selected group of competitive athletes who have trained intensively for many years.  I would not expect these findings to have direct relevance to most recreational athletes, and I would not want anyone to be scared of exercise as a result of this study.  Regular physical activity is hugely beneficial for the vast majority of people, and I would encourage participation and enjoyment.  Dr Swoboda emphasises this in his own comments.

    “Nonetheless, fibrosis (scarring) is evidently more common in these high intensity athletes, and associated with heart rhythm abnormalities.  This is something we need to understand better.

    “Most of the arrhythmias observed were non-sustained ventricular arrhythmia (NSVT) – that is short runs of abnormal rhythm lasting

    ‘VENTricular arrhythmia and cardiac fibrOsis in endUrance eXperienced athletes (VENTOUX)’ by Wasim Javed first author et al. was published in Circulation: Cardiovascular Imaging at 00:01 UK time on Friday 18 July 2025. 

    Declared interests

    Prof Steffen Petersen: “Disclosures:

    1. Consultancy, Circle Cardiovascular Imaging, Inc., Calgary, Alberta, Canada (in my view no conflict related to this work).
    2. Named reviewer of two relevant European guidelines:
    1. Pelliccia A, Sharma S, Gati S, Bäck M, Börjesson M, Caselli S, Collet JP, Corrado D, Drezner JA, Halle M, Hansen D, Heidbuchel H, Myers J, Niebauer J, Papadakis M, Piepoli MF, Prescott E, Roos-Hesselink JW, Graham Stuart A, Taylor RS, Thompson PD, Tiberi M, Vanhees L, Wilhelm M; ESC Scientific Document Group. 2020 ESC Guidelines on sports cardiology and exercise in patients with cardiovascular disease. Eur Heart J. 2021 Jan 1;42(1):17-96. doi: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehaa605. Erratum in: Eur Heart J. 2021 Feb 1;42(5):548-549. doi: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehaa835. PMID: 32860412.
    2. Visseren FLJ, Mach F, Smulders YM, Carballo D, Koskinas KC, Bäck M, Benetos A, Biffi A, Boavida JM, Capodanno D, Cosyns B, Crawford C, Davos CH, Desormais I, Di Angelantonio E, Franco OH, Halvorsen S, Hobbs FDR, Hollander M, Jankowska EA, Michal M, Sacco S, Sattar N, Tokgozoglu L, Tonstad S, Tsioufis KP, van Dis I, van Gelder IC, Wanner C, Williams B; ESC Scientific Document Group. 2021 ESC Guidelines on cardiovascular disease prevention in clinical practice. Eur J Prev Cardiol. 2022 Feb 19;29(1):5-115. doi: 10.1093/eurjpc/zwab154. PMID: 34558602.
    1. Author of relevant European consensus paper:

    Galderisi M, Cardim N, D’Andrea A, Bruder O, Cosyns B, Davin L, Donal E, Edvardsen T, Freitas A, Habib G, Kitsiou A, Plein S, Petersen SE, Popescu BA, Schroeder S, Burgstahler C, Lancellotti P. The multi-modality cardiac imaging approach to the Athlete’s heart: an expert consensus of the European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging. Eur Heart J Cardiovasc Imaging. 2015 Apr;16(4):353. doi: 10.1093/ehjci/jeu323. PMID: 25681828.”

    Prof James Ware: “I was not involved in this study, though have collaborated with Dr Swoboda on other research projects.

    Industry relationsships (in the last 2 years):  I have received research support from Bristol Myers Squibb, and have acted as a paid advisor to Health Lumen, Tenaya Therapeutics, and Solid Biosciences.  I am a founder with equity in Saturnus Bio.

    I do not consider that these relationships are directly related to the subject of this paper.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI China: Europe urged to diversify trade markets over US tariff coercion, supply chains disruption

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

    As Washington presses ahead with additional tariffs on products from the European Union (EU) and beyond, European officials and experts are urging the diversification of trade markets to mitigate the damage that such coercive financial statecraft is inflicting on global supply chains.

    TARIFF GAME SETTING OFF CHAIN REACTION

    U.S. President Donald Trump announced Saturday that his administration would impose 30 percent tariffs on EU and Mexican exports, arguing that bilateral trade had long been unbalanced and lacked reciprocity.

    Trucks wait to enter the Container Terminal Tollerort in Hamburg, Germany, May 28, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhang Fan)

    The Irish Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald described the tariff threat as “volatile” and “not helpful at all.” “That poses a challenge for Ireland, for Europe, for the world,” she told Xinhua at a press conference in London.

    Countries across Europe have been warning about the impact of the seemingly unrelenting tariff assaults on their economies.

    The Bank of Slovenia estimated that U.S. tariffs could indirectly disrupt the broader European value chain and impact about 15,000 jobs in Slovenia, a significant number in a country of just 2.1 million people.

    The Bank of England also said in its latest Financial Stability Report that the global economy faces rising downside risks, citing U.S. tariffs, and despite a new trade agreement between Britain and the United States in May, a further escalation in trade disputes globally could amplify financial stress and drag on economic growth in Britain.

    Companies of all sizes, from those exporting to the U.S. to manufacturers heavily reliant on global supply chains, are feeling the strain that the tariffs are placing on their operations.

    Neb Chupin, founder of Croatia’s Hermes International, a successful fig jam producer in the U.S. market, said, “With 10 percent tariffs, we are losing about 20,000 U.S. dollars a week. What would happen with 30 or even 50 percent tariffs? I cannot even sleep at night as the situation is very unstable.”

    With 40 percent of exports going to the U.S., Finland’s pharmaceutical industry could also be severely affected by potential U.S. tariffs. Johanna Sipola, deputy CEO of Keskuskauppakamari, or the Finnish Chamber of Commerce, called the tariffs “unrealistic” and warned that the greater risk is the uncertainty they create.

    “If the tariffs were implemented, the repercussions for international pharmaceutical production would be significant. The industry’s delivery chains are unusually global, and even minor disruptions can trigger substantial changes in medicine prices and demand,” Sipola said.

    Beyond the immediate effects, the high-stakes tariff game is setting off a chain reaction across global supply chains and geopolitical dynamics.

    Gavran Igor, an economic analyst from Bosnia and Herzegovina, said that the longer-term impact of the tariffs could prove even more damaging for Balkan manufacturers that are integrated into EU-based industries, particularly automotive supply chains.

    Czech Republic’s Finance Minister Zbynek Stanjura said that exports to the United States account for less than 3 percent of the country’s total exports. However, the country would also be indirectly affected through its European partners who purchase Czech goods and components.

    STRENGTHENING COOPERATION WITH MULTI-PARTNERS URGED

    Inevitably, even countries with modest trade ties to the world’s largest economy can still feel the ripple effects of Washington’s unpredictability. In response, experts recommend that European nations broaden their trade partnerships, especially with China, Southeast Asia and other regions.

    “Europe must, in the long term, become more independent from the American market. A joint free trade zone with the ASEAN countries and the rapid ratification of the agreement with Mercosur are urgently needed,” Dirk Jandura, president of the Federation of German Wholesale, Foreign Trade and Services, said in a statement after Trump’s new tariff announcement.

    Mario Boselli, chairman of the Italy China Council Foundation, said that the shifting dynamics might prompt Europe to reconsider its external economic strategy. In his view, strengthening cooperation with China is a “highly strategic choice.”

    “If economies, like the EU, China, the United Kingdom, Brazil and India, keep global trade open, the U.S. tariffs’ impact on global supply chains will be lower. That’s the opportunity,” said Carlo Altomonte, associate professor of the Department of Social and Political Sciences of Bocconi University in Milan.

    Martin Geissler, Partner at the management consultancy Advyce & Company, echoed the suggestions by sharing Germany’s auto industry as an example. “German automakers have often not yet recognized the growth prospects that exist in Africa and many emerging countries,” Geissler said, contrasting this with China’s strategic engagement with multi-partners.

    Bernardo Mendia, Secretary General of the Portugal-China Chamber of Commerce and Industry, is leading a Portuguese delegation to the ongoing China International Supply Chain Expo in Beijing.

    A key factor driving Portugal’s participation this year, in his words, is the rise of protectionism, logistical disruptions and geopolitical shifts. In the face of these challenges, China offers a distinctive platform to develop innovative solutions, business models, and collaborative partnerships, he said.

    Looking ahead, experts believe that Washington’s trade policies could ultimately backfire on the U.S. economy itself.

    “The U.S. needs many of our industrial products, which cannot be easily replaced in the short term. This allows German manufacturers of these goods to largely pass on the tariffs in their prices to the detriment of the U.S. economy,” said Juergen Matthes, head of International Economic Policy, Financial and Real Estate Markets Research Unit at the German Economic Institute. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Intel Chairs Cotton and Crawford to Gabbard: Review Intelligence Sharing with Spain

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Arkansas Tom Cotton
    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEContact: Caroline Tabler or Patrick McCann (202) 224-2353July 17, 2025
    Intel Chairs Cotton and Crawford to Gabbard: Review Intelligence Sharing with Spain
    Washington, D.C. — Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, and Congressman Rick Crawford (Arkansas-01), Chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, today sent a letter to Tulsi Gabbard, the Director of National Intelligence requesting a review on all intelligence sharing with Spain’s intelligence, defense, and law enforcement services. This letter comes after Spain’s Ministry of the Interior reportedly awarded €12.3 million in contracts for Huawei, which has deep ties to the CCP, to provide servers and consulting services for Spain’s wiretap systems.
    In part, Senator Cotton and Congressman Crawford wrote:
    “Since the first Trump administration, the United States has waged a whole of government effort to remove the threat Huawei equipment poses to American networks, infrastructure, and privacy. Until Spain follows suit, the U.S. Government should ensure that any information shared with the Spanish government is redacted of details that should not be shared with the CCP.”
    Full text of the letter may be found here and below.
    The Honorable Tulsi GabbardDirector of National IntelligenceOffice of the Director of National Intelligence1500 Tysons McLean DriveMcLean, VA 22102
    Dear Director Gabbard:
    We write to urge you to review intelligence sharing arrangements with the government of Spain to ensure that any information shared with Spanish intelligence, defense, and law enforcement services does not reveal U.S. national security secrets to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).  
    As you are likely aware, Spain’s Ministry of the Interior reportedly awarded €12.3 million in contracts for Huawei to provide servers and consulting services for Spain’s wiretap systems.   Huawei has deep ties to the CCP and is subject to China’s National Intelligence and Data Security laws, which compel Huawei to provide the CCP access to any Huawei information that the CCP deems necessary.  In essence, Huawei and the CCP could have backdoor access to the lawful intercept system of a NATO ally—enabling them to monitor Spanish investigations of CCP spies and innumerable other intelligence activities. 
    Since the first Trump administration, the United States has waged a whole of government effort to remove the threat Huawei equipment poses to American networks, infrastructure, and privacy. Until Spain follows suit, the U.S. Government should ensure that any information shared with the Spanish government is redacted of details that should not be shared with the CCP.  Thank you in advance for your attention to this matter. 
    Sincerely,
    Tom Cotton Chairman, Senate Select Committee on Intelligence
    Rick CrawfordChairman, House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Huge boost for UK industry as Government powers ahead with cuts to electricity costs

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Press release

    Huge boost for UK industry as Government powers ahead with cuts to electricity costs

    The Government has announced a huge boost to UK industry as it powers ahead with its plan to cut electricity costs.

    • Plans to slash electricity network costs for energy-intensive businesses by 90% are set in motion as Government launches new consultation.
    • Around 500 of UK’s most energy-intensive firms set to save up to £420m a year when current 60% discount on network charging costs increases to 90% from 2026.
    • Shows UK getting on with delivering announcements in Modern Industrial Strategy that will level the playing field for British businesses, backed by Plan for Change

    Around 500 of the UK’s most energy-intensive businesses such as British Steel and INEOS are set for a huge boost as the Government powers ahead with a 90% discount for businesses’ network charging costs.

    Delivering on its promise in the UK’s modern Industrial Strategy launched last month to slash energy costs for heavy industry, the Government today (18 July) launches a four-week consultation on its plans to increase the discount on businesses’ electricity network charges from 60% to 90%.

    The landmark new support is expected to save around 500 of Britain’s most energy-intensive firms in key sectors like steel, ceramics, glass and chemicals up to £420m per year from 2026 when in force and bring the UK’s industrial energy prices in line with European competitors, helping secure jobs and attract new investment as part of the Plan for Change.

    Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said:

    This government is on the side of British industry. When we make promises we deliver on them. That’s why we’re wasting no time in powering ahead with our plans to tackle energy costs for great British businesses and level the playing field.

    The cornerstone of our modern Industrial Strategy, this landmark new support will meet a longstanding need from industry which other governments shirked – paving the way for new investment and job creation at the heart of our Plan for Change.

    The launch of the consultation on the Network Charging Compensation (NCC) scheme, part of the Government’s British Industry Supercharger package of measures to tackle industrial electricity costs, will seek industry’s views on the 30% uplift and double the window which businesses have to apply for support through the scheme from one month to two.

    Network charges are the costs paid by electricity network users for access to the service and are already discounted by 60% for some of the UK’s biggest industrial businesses through the NCC scheme since April 2024, saving businesses millions of pounds every month.

    The proposals in the consultation launched today would see their costs fall by around a further £7 per megawatt hour (/MWh) bringing electricity prices more into line with European countries such as France and Germany.

    The news follows Deloitte’s latest survey of finance officers which has found the UK is the joint top location for investment in the world, and new data from Make UK and BDO which finds that manufacturing in the UK has recovered to 2019, pre-pandemic, levels in every region, with 12,000 new jobs created in the year to March 2024.

    The uplift follows other new landmark support for British industry announced in last month’s modern Industrial Strategy, with the new British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme expected to slash energy costs by up to 25 percent for over 7,000 businesses.

    This scheme, which government will consult on shortly and is due to come into force in 2027, will cut costs for thousands of electricity-intensive businesses in key manufacturing sectors like aerospace, automotive and chemicals, supporting hundreds of thousands of skilled jobs by exempting firms from paying levies like the Renewables Obligation, Feed-in Tariffs and the Capacity Market.

    A new Connections Accelerator Service will also come into force by the end of 2025, streamlining access to the UK electricity grid for major investment projects to speed up delivery and bring new high-quality jobs and economic growth.

    New powers in the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, currently before Parliament, could also allow the Government to reserve grid capacity for strategically important projects, cutting waiting times and unlocking growth in key sectors.

    Gareth Stace, Director General of UK Steel, and Chair of Energy Intensive Users Group, said:

    Increasing network charge compensation under the Government’s Supercharger scheme is a very welcome and much-needed step towards achieving competitive electricity prices for the UK’s steel sector and other foundation industries.

    These reforms reflect solutions that UK Steel has long advocated to address the persistent challenge of uncompetitive industrial electricity costs. While more still needs to be done, this is meaningful progress.

    Truly competitive energy prices are essential to unlocking investment, creating jobs, accelerating decarbonisation, and securing the long-term future of steelmaking in the UK.

    Investment Minister Baroness Gustafsson visited Special Melted Products – an historic British advanced manufacturing firm which currently benefits from the 60% network charging discount – in Sheffield yesterday to welcome the news, as well as a major investment in the company from Taiwanese firm Walsin Lihwa, set to create over 200 skilled jobs by 2028.

    Notes to editors:

    • The Government’s modern Industrial Strategy can be found here.
    • The consultation will be published on Gov.UK later today here.
    • The total estimated value of the network charging compensation component of the Supercharger (at 90%) is £310-420m this year (in 2025 prices).
    • The NCC uplift will provide an estimated additional £7-10/MWh discount to eligible businesses.

    Updates to this page

    Published 18 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Leading lights of UK research spearhead search for world’s best talent

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Press release

    Leading lights of UK research spearhead search for world’s best talent

    12 leading universities and research institutions selected to deliver government’s £54 million fund to recruit world’s top researchers.

    • 12 leading universities and research institutions selected to deliver government’s £54 million fund to recruit world’s top researchers
    • From AI to medicine, cutting-edge research is delivering the new breakthroughs and products that are key to economic growth, the core mission of the Plan for Change   
    • Global Talent Fund is just one part of over £115 million in funding dedicated to attracting top talent to the UK

    12 of the UK’s leading universities and research institutions, across all 4 nations, will deliver the Global Talent Fund: a £54 million investment in Britain’s future prosperity and economic growth.

    The new £54 million Global Talent Fund is designed to attract a total of 60-80 top researchers (both lead researchers and their teams) to the UK, working in the 8 high priority sectors critical to our modern Industrial Strategy like life sciences and digital technologies.  By bringing the very best minds in fields that will be critical to the future of life and work to the UK, we can pave the way for the products, jobs and even industries that define tomorrow’s economy, to be made and grow in Britain.

    From Argentine César Milstein’s work on antibodies, to Hong Kong-born Sir Charles Kao who led the development of fibre optics, through to German Ernst Chain’s efforts to make penicillin usable in medicine, there is a long pedigree of overseas researchers making great breakthroughs whilst working in the UK. We want the UK to continue to be the natural home of the very best science and research, the world over. 

    Driving new tech innovations and scientific breakthroughs will fire up the UK economy and put rocket boosters on the government’s Plan for Change. The IMF estimates that breakthroughs in AI alone could boost productivity by as much as 1.5 percentage points a year, which could be worth up to an average £47 billion to the UK each year over a decade. Other technologies could be gamechangers too: quantum computing could add over £11 billion to the UK’s GDP by 2045, while engineering biology could drive anywhere between £1.6-£3.1 trillion in global impact by 2040. 

    Science Minister Lord Vallance said:

    Genius is not bound by geography. But the UK is one of the few places blessed with the infrastructure, skills base, world-class institutions and international ties needed to incubate brilliant ideas, and turn them into new medicines that save lives, new products that make our lives easier, and even entirely new jobs and industries. Bringing these innovations to life, here in Britain, will be critical to delivering this government’s Plan for Change.

    My message to the bold and the brave who are advancing new ideas, wherever they are, is: our doors are open to you. We want to work with you, support you, and give you a home where you can make your ideas a reality we all benefit from.

    Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said:

    The UK is home to some of the world’s best universities which are vital for attracting international top talent. Supported by our new Global Talent Taskforce, the Global Talent Fund will cement our position as a leading choice for the world’s top researchers to make their home here, supercharging growth and delivering on our Plan for Change.

    The institutions selected to deliver the Global Talent Fund are:

    • University of Bath 
    • Queen’s University Belfast 
    • University of Birmingham 
    • University of Cambridge 
    • Cardiff University 
    • Imperial College London 
    • John Innes Centre 
    • MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology 
    • University of Oxford 
    • University of Southampton 
    • University of Strathclyde
    • University of Warwick 

    These organisations will each get an equal share of the £54 million Fund, to use bringing some of the world’s foremost researchers and their teams to the UK. Each of them has a track record of recruiting and supporting top international R&D talent, as well as securing international competitive research funding to the UK. They are empowered to develop their own approaches and plans to spend their share of the Global Talent Fund to attract research talent from the around the globe in their choice of Industrial Strategy areas, including covering visa and relocation costs for researchers and their family members.

    The Global Talent Fund, administered by UKRI, is just one part of over £115 million funding that is being dedicated to attracting the very best scientific and research talent to the UK. In addition to this fund, 2 fellowships have been launched, aimed at bringing groundbreaking AI research teams to UK organisations and labs: the £25 million Turing AI ‘Global’ Fellowships, as well as a UK-based expansion of the Encode: AI for Science Fellowship.

    Alongside this, 2 new fast-track research grant routes have been announced by the National Academies – including £30 million from the Royal Society for a Faraday Discovery Fellowship accelerated international route, part-funded by their £250 million DSIT endowment. The Royal Academy of Engineering has announced a similar fast track international route, as part of its £150 million Green Future Fellowships endowment from DSIT – this funding will ensure the UK competes for the best global talent in science and research. While researchers looking to relocate to the UK can also benefit from the Choose Europe scheme, thanks to the UK’s association to Horizon Europe.

    All of these efforts will be supported by the Global Talent Taskforce. Launched as part of the Industrial Strategy, the taskforce will report directly to the Prime Minister and Chancellor, and support researchers, scientists and engineers as well as top-tier investors, entrepreneurs and managerial talent to bring their skills to Britain.

    Work to cultivate top AI research talent in the UK is further bolstered through the Spärck AI scholarships, which will provide full funding for master’s degrees at 9 leading UK universities specialising in artificial intelligence and STEM subjects. These scholarships will open for applications in Spring 2026. We also support postgraduate research broadly, with £500 million UKRI funding supporting over 4.700 students at 45 higher education institutions to study projects in biological, engineering and physical, and natural and environmental sciences.

    Professor Phil Taylor, Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Bath, said: 

    Our university was founded with a mission to work closely with industry, and partnership working has been in our DNA ever since. We are truly delighted to play our part in attracting outstanding global academics to help power research in the UK’s industrial strategy priority areas. 

    This major investment recognises the vital role universities play in driving innovation and growth across the UK. We look forward to working with DSIT and UKRI to attract more bright minds to play their part in our innovation-fuelled and impact-focussed research.

    Professor Sir Ian Greer, President and Vice-Chancellor at Queen’s University Belfast said:

    We are proud that Queen’s has been selected as one of the 12 institutions to deliver the Global Talent Fund. This funding will allow us to bring world-leading researchers to Northern Ireland in priority areas such as advanced manufacturing and cybersecurity, fields that are vital to our economy and to the UK’s global competitiveness.

    By attracting exceptional talent from outside the UK, we are strengthening our research base, and helping to drive innovation within the local economy. This is a clear endorsement of the excellence and impact of research at Queen’s, and of our role in helping to deliver the UK government’s Industrial Strategy.

    Professor Adam Tickell, Vice-Chancellor and Principal at the University of Birmingham said:

    I am delighted that the University of Birmingham has been selected to support the government’s vision to attract exceptional international researchers to the UK. In celebration of our 125 anniversary this year, our University is committed to investing in the recruitment of 125 leading researchers. The Global Talent Fund investment means that we will now go even further – drawing a diverse community of world-leading researchers to Birmingham. They will join a thriving and ambitious research environment, where the potential for discovery, collaboration, and impact has never been greater. We look forward to welcoming a new generation of global research leaders to our University and city and to seeing the positive impact their work will have on the UK economy and on the health and wellbeing of society.

    Professor Deborah Prentice, Vice-Chancellor, University of Cambridge, said:

    The University is grateful for this award of funding. The Fund will bolster emerging and accelerating research areas, in line with the goals of the government’s Industrial Strategy. This investment will be pivotal in securing and supporting international academic expertise and strengthening the strategic opportunities the University is seeking to catalyse for both the University and the UK more widely.  We look forward to the opportunities this will unlock.

    Cardiff University’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Wendy Larner said:

    We are delighted to have secured this funding to help us attract the world’s best minds to Cardiff and Wales.

    It is a clear endorsement of our standing and place in the UK research community and sends a clear message that we are well-positioned to attract global talent. It will enable us to support more of the world’s leading academics in Wales – helping to further boost our research capacity and global reputation in key research areas.

    Professor Hugh Brady, President of Imperial College London said:

    Imperial College London is a global university and international researchers are central to our success. They bring fresh perspectives, new ideas, and a spirit of discovery that enriches our community and drives breakthroughs that benefit all of society – from tackling malaria to breakthroughs in quantum computing.

    The Global Talent Fund will support our efforts to attract the brightest minds from around the world. We look forward to welcoming them and continuing to push the boundaries of knowledge together.

    Professor Cristobal Uauy, Director designate, John Innes Centre said:

    This funding is a major boost to our efforts at the John Innes Centre to attract ambitious world-leading researchers to join our Healthy Plants, Healthy People, Healthy Planet vision.

    By bringing outstanding talent to the Norwich Research Park, we are strengthening the UK’s global leadership in bio-based innovation, data-driven biology, and sustainable, high-value agri-tech, key pillars of the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy.

    As a Chilean researcher who relocated to the UK, I’ve experienced first-hand the friendly, open and collaborative academic environment here. The world-class facilities, technology platforms and institutional support provided at the John Innes Centre are unrivalled. It’s the kind of environment where scientists can take bold ideas forward, build meaningful collaborations, and create lasting global impact.

    Jan Löwe, Laboratory of Molecular Biology Director, said:

    We welcome the government’s drive to attract global talent which addresses key barriers faced by researchers wishing to relocate to the UK.

    The LMB’s scientific breakthroughs and technological advances have been driven by talented scientists of all nationalities since our origins in the 1940s. Science is a creative pursuit, and creativity thrives on diverse input from people of different backgrounds.

    Research has no borders, and this funding will enable the LMB and fellow UK institutions to be competitive in the global scientific talent market and attract gifted scientists from around the world to drive UK innovations for the benefit of all.

    Professor Irene Tracey CBE, FRS, FMedSci, Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University, said:

    Oxford University has a long history of attracting exceptional global talent, enabling world-leading research, teaching, and innovation with wide-reaching social and economic impact. In 2021–2022, our science parks, knowledge exchange, and the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine contributed to a £6.6 billion boost to the UK economy, with our spinouts supporting over 31,600 UK jobs. Globally, the AZ vaccine is estimated to have saved over 6 million lives in its first year, resulting in a worldwide health economic impact of £2 trillion. The Global Talent Fund will draw internationally recognised experts to Oxford, building capability for future innovation and growth in the Industrial Strategy areas we have prioritised.

    Professor Mark E. Smith, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Southampton, said:

    We are proud that the University of Southampton has been chosen as one of the small number of organisations for this exciting and important initiative.

    Attracting world-leading researchers to work in the United Kingdom will help to lead innovation in the technologies of the future, supporting industry and driving economic growth.

    Southampton is a global University with a wealth of research talent and this funding will help us to build further on our existing strengths and partnerships.

    Professor Sir Jim McDonald, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Strathclyde, said:

    We welcome this important investment in global talent that UKRI has committed to and the alignment it creates between the new Industrial Strategy and the research and innovation leadership that is critical to its success. 

    Strathclyde is proud of its position as a leading international technological university. We deliver impact collaboratively by bringing together the excellent talented people we have at Strathclyde and through working closely with partners in other universities, industrial partners, innovation centres and National Laboratories through research that addresses market opportunities and national priorities – from climate resilience and sustainable energy to health innovation, and security and resilience.

    This new funding from UKRI and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology reflects confidence in our ability to translate cutting-edge discovery into real-world applications and solutions, working collaboratively with industry, government and global partners. It will enhance our research environment, widen our talent pipeline and further enable our mission as a place of useful learning.

    Professor Stuart Croft, Vice Chancellor and President of the University of Warwick said:

    The University of Warwick is known for our world-leading expertise in Advanced Manufacturing and the Arts and this £4.35 million investment will accelerate the development of innovative insights, solutions, products, and services in an inter-disciplinary way. It will also help drive inclusive regional and national growth in the Creative Industries.

    Through our strong partnerships with SMEs, industry, and local councils, this initiative will play a key role in advancing UK innovation and delivering meaningful benefits to communities across the West Midlands and the wider UK. 

    In our 60th anniversary year we are reaffirming our commitment to making a better world together and this funding will further strengthen our determination to deliver our vision.

    Professor Christopher Smith, International Champion at UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), said:

    Global challenges from climate change to energy security, food systems to antimicrobial resistance do not respect borders, and neither should the research and innovation required to address them. Time and again, international collaboration has driven transformative breakthroughs: from the discovery of the Higgs boson at CERN, to the global effort to decode the complex wheat genome, enabling the development of high-yield, climate-resilient crops that support food security worldwide. The impact of global partnerships is clear.

    The Global Talent Fund is a vital part of UKRI’s mission to support an open, dynamic, and diverse research and innovation system. By supporting our brilliant research institutes to attract outstanding individuals from across the world and foster collaboration between nations, we are strengthening the UK’s position at the heart of the global knowledge economy. This fund aligns with our enduring commitment to international engagement, and to working together to shape a better future for all.

    Notes to editors

    The £54 million Global Talent Fund comes over 5 years, starting in 2025/2026. The fund, administered by UKRI and delivered by universities and research organisations, will cover 100% of eligible costs, including both relocation and research expenses, with no requirement for match funding from research organisations. The initiative also includes full visa costs for researchers and their dependants, removing significant financial and administrative barriers to relocation.

    Funding will be distributed evenly amongst the 12 research organisations.

    The small number of world-class researchers, and their teams, who go on to be supported by these funds, will come to live and work in the UK via existing routes such as the Skilled Worker, Global Talent, and the Innovator Founder visas.

    There are no plans to change existing visa routes – and the Immigration White Paper sets out the government’s broad approach to restoring order to the immigration system through the Plan for Change.  

    DSIT media enquiries

    Email press@dsit.gov.uk

    Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 6pm 020 7215 3000

    Updates to this page

    Published 18 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: Regulatory Relief for Certain Stationary Sources to Promote American Chemical Manufacturing Security

    Source: US Whitehouse

    class=”has-text-align-center”>By the President of the United States of America

    A Proclamation

    1. The United States relies on a strong chemical manufacturing sector to support industries like energy, national defense, agriculture, and health care. These facilities produce essential inputs for critical infrastructure, advanced manufacturing, medical sterilization, semiconductors, and national defense systems. Maintaining a robust domestic chemical industry is vital to safeguarding the supply chains that underpin our economy and to reducing the Nation’s dependence on foreign control over materials critical to national resilience. As adversaries expand influence over key inputs, continued domestic production is essential not only to economic resilience but also to military readiness, public health, and national preparedness.

    2. On May 16, 2024, the Environmental Protection Agency published a final rule titled New Source Performance Standards for the Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturing Industry and National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for the Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturing Industry and Group I & II Polymers and Resins Industry, 89 FR 42932 (HON Rule). The HON Rule imposes new emissions-control requirements on certain chemical manufacturing facilities, some of which were promulgated pursuant to section 112 of the Clean Air Act, 42 U.S.C. 7412.

    3. The HON Rule imposes substantial burdens on chemical manufacturers already operating under stringent regulations. Many of the testing and monitoring requirements outlined in the HON Rule rely on technologies that are not practically available, not demonstrated at the necessary scale, or cannot be implemented safely or consistently under real-world conditions. For many facilities, the timeline for compliance as set forth at 89 FR 42953-42955 would require shutdowns or massive capital investments before any proven pathway to compliance exists. The HON Rule imposes requirements that assume uniform technological availability across facilities, despite significant variation in site conditions, permitting realities, and equipment configurations. A disruption of this capacity would weaken key supply chains, increase dependence on foreign producers, and impair our ability to respond effectively in a time of crisis. These consequences would ripple across sectors vital to America’s growing industrial strength and emergency readiness.

    NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, by the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, including section 112(i)(4) of the Clean Air Act, 42 U.S.C. 7412(i)(4), do hereby proclaim that certain stationary sources subject to the HON Rule, as identified in Annex I of this proclamation, are exempt from compliance with those aspects of the HON Rule that were promulgated under section 112 of the Clean Air Act, 42 U.S.C. 7412 for a period of 2 years beyond the HON Rule’s relevant compliance dates (Exemption). This Exemption applies to all compliance deadlines established under the HON Rule applicable to the stationary sources listed in Annex I, with each such deadline extended by 2 years from the date originally required for such deadline. The effect of this Exemption is that, during each such 2-year period, these stationary sources will be subject to the emissions and compliance obligations that they are currently subject to under the applicable standard as that standard existed prior to the HON Rule. In support of this Exemption, I hereby make the following determinations:

    a. The technology to implement the HON Rule is not available. Such technology does not exist in a commercially viable form sufficient to allow implementation of and compliance with the HON Rule by the compliance dates in the HON Rule.

    b. It is in the national security interests of the United States to issue this Exemption for the reasons stated in paragraphs 1 and 3 of this proclamation.

    IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this seventeenth day of July, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-five, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and fiftieth.

    DONALD J. TRUMP  

    ANNEX I

    1. Shell Chemical LP
    i. Affected Facility/Source: Geismar Plant, Louisiana

    2. SABIC Innovative Plastics Mt. Vernon, LLC
    i. Affected Facility/Source: Manufacturing Plant, Indiana

    3. Bakelite Synthetics
    i. Affected Facility/Source:
    a. Riegelwood, North Carolina;
    b. Conway, North Carolina;
    c. Crossett, Arkansas;
    d. Louisville, Kentucky;
    e. Lufkin, Texas;
    f. Taylorsville, Mississippi

    4. The Dow Chemical Company
    i. Affected Facility/Source: Glycol II Plant, Louisiana

    5. Trinseo LLC
    i. Affected Facility/Source:
    a. Trinseo Facility, Georgia
    b. Trinseo Facility, Michigan

    6. Formosa Plastics Corporation, U.S.A.
    i. Affected Facility/Source:
    a. Formosa Plastics Corporation, Louisiana
    b. Formosa Plastics Corporation, Texas

    7. Union Carbide Corporation/The Dow Chemical Company
    i. Affected Facility/Source:
    a. Seadrift Operations, Texas
    b. Hahnville, St. Charles Parish Facility, Louisiana

    8. Westlake Vinyl’s LLC/Westlake Corporation
    i. Affected Facility/Source:
    a. Petrochemical Complex, Louisiana
    b. Styrene Monomer Production Facility, Louisiana
    c. Styrene Marine Terminal, Louisiana
    d. Lake Charles South Facility, Louisiana
    e. Lake Charles North Facility, Louisiana

    9. BASF TotalEnergies Petrochemicals LLC
    i. Affected Facility/Source: Port Arthur Facility, Texas

    10. BASF Corporation
    i. Affected Facility/Source:
    a. Geismar Facility, Louisiana;
    b. North Geismar Facility, Louisiana;
    c. Freeport Facility, Texas

    11. Rubicon LLC
    i. Affected Facility/Source: Geismar Facility, Louisiana

    12. CITGO Petroleum Corporation
    i. Affected Facility/Source:
    a. Lake Charles Refinery, Louisiana
    b. Corpus Christi Refinery, Texas
    c. Lemont Refinery, Illinois

    13. INEOS Americas LLC
    i. Affected Facility/Source: Bayport EO Plant, Texas

    14. Celanese Corporation
    i. Affected Facility/Source:
    a. Narrows Facility, Virginia
    b. Clear Lake Facility, Texas
    c. Bishop Facility, Texas
    d. Bay City Facility, Texas

    15. Huntsman Petrochemical LLC
    i. Affected Facility/Source:
    a. Huntsman Pensacola, Florida
    b. Huntsman Conroe, Texas

    16. TotalEnergies Petrochemicals & Refining USA, Inc.
    i. Affected Facility/Source:
    a. TotalEnergies Petrochemicals & Refining USA, Inc., Alabama
    b. Cos-Mar StyreneMonomer Plant, Alabama
    c. TotalEnergies Polystrene Plant, Louisiana
    d. Port Arthur Refinery, Texas

    17. Indorama Ventures Xylenes and PTA
    i. Affected Facility/Source: Decatur Facility, Alabama

    18. Denka Performance Elastomer LLC
    i. Affected Facility/Source: LaPlace Neoprene Production Facility, Louisiana

    19. Sasol Chemicals (USA) LLC
    i. Affected Facility/Source: Lake Charles Chemical Complex, Louisiana

    20. Philips 66 Company
    i. Affected Facility/Source:
    a. Sweeny Refinery, Texas
    b. WRB Refining LP Calvert Refinery, Illinois
    c. WRB Refining LP Borger Refinery, Texas

    21. Indorama Ventures Oxides, LLC
    i. Affected Facility/Source: Port Neches Facility, Texas

    22. Eastman Chemical Company
    i. Affected Facility/Source: Longview Facility, Texas

    23. DuPont Specialty Products USA, LLC
    i. Affected Facility/Source: Pontchartrain Site, Louisiana

    24. Stepan Company
    i. Affected Facility/Source: Millsdale Facility, Illinois

    25. Ascend Performance Materials Operations LLC
    i. Affected Facility/Source:
    a. Ascend Decatur, Alabama;
    b. Ascend Alvin, Texas;
    c. Ascend Pensacola, Florida

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Booker Introduces Pesticide Injury Accountability Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) introduced the Pesticide Injury Accountability Act, legislation that would ensure that pesticide manufacturers can be held responsible for the harm caused by their toxic products. Specifically, this bill would amend the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act of 1972 (FIFRA) to create a federal right of action for anyone who is harmed by a toxic pesticide.

    Despite growing peer-reviewed scientific evidence linking widely used pesticides to a host of health harms including cancers, birth defects, endocrine disruption, Parkinson’s disease, and infertility, a coordinated effort is being led by pesticide manufacturers in state legislatures and in Congress seeking legal immunity – a liability shield – for these big corporations.

    If these largely foreign-owned companies are successful, this liability shield would leave farmers, farmworkers, and other injured individuals without meaningful recourse for the harms caused by these toxic substances. 

    Chemical companies are seeking liability shields because they know the harm their products have already caused. Syngenta, a subsidiary of the Chinese state-owned company ChemChina, reached a $187.5 million settlement in 2021 for paraquat-related Parkinson’s disease claims. Monsanto, now owned by Germany’s Bayer, has paid billions of dollars to settle lawsuits linking Roundup (glyphosate) to non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

    “Rather than providing a liability shield so that foreign corporations are allowed to poison the American people, Congress should instead pass the Pesticide Injury Accountability Act to ensure that these chemical companies can be held accountable in federal court for the harm caused by their toxic products,” said Senator Booker.

    “CHD opposes any liability shield for any industry that has a direct impact on the health of the American people,” said Mary Holland, CEO of Children’s Health Defense. “Granting blanket immunity to corporations who have a fiscal responsibility to their shareholders, and not a responsibility to consumer safety, is one of the most dangerous propositions imaginable. CHD sincerely thanks Senator Booker for his leadership in sponsoring this critical piece of legislation to protect the American people over corporations.”

    “No one can dispute that crop pesticides are poisons. They are designed to kill weeds, but they also kill non-target plants and there is sound evidence linking them to human health problems,” said Jim Goodman, president of the National Family Farm Coalition. “To date, Bayer alone has paid out over $11 billion in legal settlements for medical problems caused by their herbicide Roundup. To avoid paying for damages caused by their poisons, agri-chemical companies routinely lobby for federal and state laws that shield them from any liability for the damages they are responsible for. People sickened by their poisons go bankrupt paying for their medical care and sometimes ultimately die. The Pesticide Injury Accountability Act of 2025 will hold agri-chemical companies accountable for the irreparable harms they cause.”

    “Moms Across America strongly supports the Pesticide Injury Accountability Act, which reaffirms our 7th Amendment right to sue for harm or damage,” said Zen Honeycutt, Founding Executive Director, Moms Across America. “It is unconscionable that corporations are pushing our elected officials to manipulate laws so that they can avoid accountability for safety and protect their profits over the health and safety of Americans. We must protect the American people from harm – especially from products that are proven to cause infertility, cancer, liver disease and many other negative health effects.”

    “People exposed to and suffering from the health effects of toxic chemicals should not be denied their right to seek justice,” said Geoff Horsfield, Policy Director, Environmental Working Group. “We applaud Senator Booker for his efforts to protect the rights of farmers, rural communities, workers, children and families.”

    “Granting legal immunity to pesticide manufacturers would leave farmers and their families with no way to seek justice after suffering health or crop damage from these chemicals,” said Kelly Ryerson, Co-Founder, American Regeneration. “Farmers have a right to hold companies accountable and protect their livelihoods from devastating illness.” 

    Last month, Senator Booker led a group of 20 of his colleagues in calling on Senate leadership to oppose any efforts to limit existing state and local authority to regulate pesticides in the upcoming Farm Bill or any other legislation.  

    To see a full list of endorsing organizations, click here.

    To read the full text of the bill, click here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warnock Renews Effort to Address Bias in Housing Appraisals, Help Families Build Generational Wealth through Homeownership

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock – Georgia

    Warnock Renews Effort to Address Bias in Housing Appraisals, Help Families Build Generational Wealth through Homeownership

    Senator Reverend Warnock’s legislation would empower Georgians with more data and tools to fight bias that would lower their homes’ values
     For most Americans, the largest driver of wealth is their home. This makes it important to have accurate, unbiased home valuations
    Research from Brookings has found homes in Black neighborhoods are valued roughly 21% to 23% below what their valuations would be in non-Black neighborhoods
    In March, Senator Warnock introduced a comprehensive legislative package of housing bills to address the ongoing housing affordability and availability crisis in the United States
    ICYMI from The Atlanta Voice: Warnock leads Senatorial effort to even the playing field in home appraisals
    Senator Warnock: “This bill is an important next step in helping Georgia families and all Americans realize the full value of their homes, and it empowers them with more data and tools to fight bias that would lower their homes’ values”
    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and five of his Senate colleagues introduced new legislation to address appraisal bias in the home buying and selling processes. Housing appraisals are supposed to provide an objective estimate of a home’s market value to ensure homebuyers pay a fair price and homeowners receive the full value of their home. Unfortunately, systemic bias in the appraisal process has disadvantaged families of color for far too long. To combat appraisal biases faced by many current and aspiring homeowners, Senator Warnock’s Appraisal Modernization Act empowers Georgians with more data and tools to fight bias that would lower their homes’ values. The legislation would:
    Increase transparency to support oversight and enforcement against bias by requiring the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) to publish an online database of property-level appraisal and other home valuation data that lenders collect in connection with a mortgage application.
    Protect and empower consumers by codifying a consumer’s right to appeal a home valuation (also known as a Reconsideration of Value (ROV)) or request a second appraisal and directing the development of standardized policies to ensure consistent treatment of consumers who request an ROV or second appraisal.
    Together, these provisions will empower consumers to realize the full value of their homes. The urgency of this legislation was only further heightened when, last week, the Trump administration announced it was ending the federal task force dedicated to removing racial bias from the appraisal process. 
    “Home valuations are a critical part of the mortgage lending process and ensuring families can build generational wealth through homeownership,” said Senator Reverend Warnock. “This bill is an important next step in helping Georgia families and all Americans realize the full value of their homes, and it empowers them with more data and tools to fight bias that would lower their homes’ values.”
    “I am very proud to continue the work I started as County Executive to make homeownership more equitable and accessible. As County Executive I signed a law that outlawed appraisal bias in Prince George’s County – and now it’s time we outlaw it across the nation. Home ownership should not be just a dream for the rich but an opportunity for all. Many Marylanders see home ownership as the surest way to build wealth, and they’re right. This legislation will increase transparency, protect consumers, and give Marylanders a true chance to thrive,” said Senator Alsobrooks.
    “Too many families of color suffer from systemic biases in the home appraisal process,” said Senator Booker. “One of the largest drivers of wealth for Americans is their home, and the color of your skin should not be a determinant of your home’s value. This bill is a critical step in ensuring more reliable appraisal methods, and empowering consumers to appeal potentially discriminatory valuations.”
    “For far too long, the American Dream of buying a home has been kept out of reach for families of color by a system that is fundamentally broken,” said Senator Kim. “Every family should be able to achieve that dream, and this bill will take common sense steps to make the changes needed to make those dreams come true.”
    Inconsistency in the appraisal market can disrupt the entire housing ecosystem by improperly inflating or deflating home values, while bias can perpetuate historic disinvestment in communities of color and contribute to the widening racial and ethnic wealth and homeownership gaps. That is why industry stakeholders and fair housing advocates have long supported increasing transparency in appraisal data and why most responsible lenders believe ROV is an important part of maintaining the integrity of the appraisal process. Several studies have also identified a clear relationship between lower valuations and Black neighborhoods and revealed overt references to race in appraisals. On average, today White families hold $1.3 million in wealth, compared to $211,000 for Black and $227,000 for Latino families. For most Americans, the largest driver of wealth is their home. This makes it important to have accurate, unbiased home valuations.
    “An appraisal has the power to determine the value of a consumer’s most important financial asset and can hold the key to determining whether the consumer is able to purchase a permanent home rather than rent, access credit on reasonable terms, and build wealth for generations to come,” said Nikitra Bailey, Executive Vice President of the National Fair Housing Alliance® (NFHA ). “NFHA commends Senator Warnock and his colleagues for a sensible bill designed to help consumers, appraisers, and lenders obtain the data necessary to ensure home valuations are fair and consistent.”
    “The Housing Policy Council (HPC) has long advocated for extending access to GSE data to all market participants, to enhance risk management models and practices across the housing finance ecosystem. Shared access to all government appraisal data would be a good first step to accomplish this worthy goal. HPC looks forward to working with Senator Warnock on this important policy objective,” said Ed DeMarco, President of the Housing Policy Council.
    “As President of NAMB, I will always support any legislation that ensures the fairness, protection, and privacy of homebuyers, and I applaud Senator Warnock for leading this effort. The reality is that we must be thorough in the quest to protect consumers, and we hope that your colleagues will consider this important bill as it navigates the legislative process,” said James Nabors II, President of the National Association of Mortgage Brokers.
    “The Appraisal Modernization Actis a vital first step toward remedying the decades of discrimination that have been baked into the home valuation system. The public appraisal database will enable researchers to develop more reliable valuation methods that do not rely on old data tainted by unacceptable attitudes and practices. And strengthening the consumer’s right to appeal a defective valuation will help them to protect their home equity going forward,” said Andrew Pizor, Senior Attorney, National Consumer Law Center
    “For most homeowners, their home represents family, stability and their primary financial asset,” says Laura Arce, senior vice president, Economic Initiatives at UnidosUS. “The economic value of that home includes many factors, but the race or ethnicity of its owner should not be one of them. UnidosUS supports the Appraisal Modernization Actand applauds its sponsors, Senators Warnock, Alsobrooks, Blunt Rochester, Kim, Warren, and Booker. The home appraisal industry is overdue modernization, and this bill will bring needed transparency and a common sense right to appeal to the appraisal process. American families should not have to continue to leave equity behind.”
    As a member of the Senate Banking Committee, which oversees federal housing policies, Senator Warnock has worked to increase affordable housing and illuminate a path to homeownership, a cornerstone of the American Dream. As one of twelve brothers and sisters growing up in public housing in Savannah, Senator Warnock deeply understands the importance of having a place to call home and homeownership. In March 2025, Senator Warnock introduced a comprehensive legislative package of housing bills to address the ongoing housing affordability and availability crisis in the United States. In the past few years, Senator Warnock voted for government funding legislation that increased America’s housing supply, strengthened housing affordability, and addressed the homelessness crisis, including by: increasing the supply of affordable housing nationwide with funding to build 10,000 new rental and homebuyer units; extending funding for the Yes In My Backyard (“YIMBY”) grant program to support efforts to increase our nation’s housing supply and lower housing costs through state and local zoning changes; and delivering $275 million in new funding for Homeless Assistance Grants to help address homelessness in communities across the country and providing new resources to better connect people experiencing homelessness with health care services. Senator Warnock has also secured nearly $80 million in housing investments to provide affordable housing options for Georgians at all income levels and repair hazardous housing conditions in low-income housing units. 
    In addition to Senator Warnock, the Appraisal Modernization Act is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Andy Kim (D-NJ), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA). 
    A fact sheet on the legislation can be found HERE.
    Bill text for the Appraisal Modernization Act can be found HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warnock, Capito Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Boost Child Care Workforce, Increase Access to Early Head Start Programs

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock – Georgia

    Warnock, Capito Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Boost Child Care Workforce, Increase Access to Early Head Start Programs

    The bipartisan HEADWAY Act would address staffing shortages in the child care workforce by allowing Early Head Start classroom teachers to teach and earn their Child Development Associate (CDA) credential simultaneously

    Senator Reverend Warnock is one of two Head Start alum currently serving in the Senate

    Senator Warnock is also a founding member of the Head Start to Congress Caucus

    As of February 2023, nearly 20% of Early Head Start and Early Head Start staff positions remained vacant nationwide

    Senator Warnock: “I’m where I am today because of programs like Head Start”

    Senator Capito: “Workforce shortages in childcare centers, including in Head Start and Early Head Start, can be particularly challenging for families and communities because so many parents rely on consistent childcare to be able to work”

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) introduced the bipartisan HEADWAY Act (Head Start Education and Development Workforce Advancement and Yield Act). The legislation would address early child care workforce shortages by allowing Early Head Start classroom teachers to teach and earn their Child Development Associate (CDA) credential simultaneously. As of February 2023, nearly 20% of Early Head Start and Early Head Start staff positions remained vacant nationwide.

    The HEADWAY Act would also help pave the way for greater hiring flexibility, attract more qualified candidates to the profession of early childhood education, and ensure that Early Head Start classrooms are fully staffed.

    “I’m where I am today because of programs like Head Start,” said Senator Warnock, who is one of two Head Start alums currently serving in the Senate.“Ensuring our nation’s children have access to quality childcare and excellent teachers is crucial, which is why I am so pleased to work across the aisle with Senator Capito on this effort. As the father of two young kids, I know how crucial education is during those formative years to their continued growth.”

    “Workforce shortages in childcare centers, including in Head Start and Early Head Start, can be particularly challenging for families and communities because so many parents rely on consistent childcare to be able to work. I am proud to help introduce the HEADWAY Act, which will add staff to Early Head Start classrooms, and give early-career childcare workers the skills, mentorship, and experience they need to thrive,” Senator Capito said.

    “The HEADWAY Act addresses two serious workforce challenges: it provides added flexibility for Early Head Start to hire and train those new to the early childhood workforce, and it enables the beginning of a career path in early childhood education for those who are interested in the field but still need training. The HEADWAY Act provides a career stepping stone, improves Early Head Start’s capacity to serve, and ensures we remain competitive and adaptable in an ever-changing workforce market,” said NHSA’s Executive Director Yasmina Vinci. “We applaud Senators Raphael Warnock – a proud Head Start alumnus – and Shelley Capito for their belief in the potential of our people to bring Head Start to new heights, and helping children and families in Early Head Start to flourish.”

    “We recognize Senators Warnock and Capito for their deep support of Early Head Start and the role the CDA plays in its success. The important thing to remember is that, ultimately, the bill will lead to more teachers with CDAs. We’re at a point where we recognize the need for flexibility to ensure classrooms are fully staffed, as the senators have advanced with their bill. We also believe those who earn a CDA should have that achievement recognized with salary increases.” – The Council for Professional Recognition.

    The HEADWAY Act will allow Head Start to fulfill its commitment to providing high-quality, early childhood education for children from vulnerable families, laying the foundation for their future success. The HEADWAY Act will support Early Head Start learning professionals and give program directors the flexibility they need to respond to employment trends, while still maintaining the high standards and professionalization of the field.

    As a Head Start alum, Senator Warnock has been a strong advocate for the program. Previously, in 2023, Senator Warnock returned to his hometown of Savannah, Georgia, to tour Early Head Start classrooms at the Economic Opportunity Authority (EOA) for Savannah-Chatham County and hear from local early learning leaders about the workforce shortages impacting this critical early education program serving low-income families and their children.

    The bill text for the HEADWAY Act is HERE.

    A one-pager for the HEADWAY Act is HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Warnock Highlights Consequences of Medical Debt Rule Reversal for Millions of Americans to ABC News Live Prime

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock – Georgia

    ICYMI: Warnock Highlights Consequences of Medical Debt Rule Reversal for Millions of Americans to ABC News Live Prime

    Senator Reverend Warnock spoke to ABC News Live Prime anchor Linsey Davis about the Trump administration’s decision to reverse policy to keep medical debt off credit reports

    In January 2025, Senator Warnock successfully pressed the CFPB to ban credit lenders from including medical bills in credit reports and prohibit lenders from using medical information in lending decisions

    On July 14, Senator Warnock led 29 colleagues in demanding answers from the CFPB on why the Trump Administration was actively working to add medical debt back onto credit reports

    Senator Reverend Warnock: “This is an issue that impacts millions of Americans”

    Senator Reverend Warnock joins ABC News Live Prime, watch HERE

    Washington, D.C. – On Wednesday, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) joined ABC News Live Prime with host Linsey Davis to discuss the Trump administration’s decision to add medical debt back onto credit reports. The administration is working to vacate the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) medical debt rule finalized in January 2025. The interview follows a Senator Warnock-led effort to demand the CFPB share relevant data and any communications it had with entities during the process that would profit from its decision.

    “This is an issue that impacts literally millions of Americans,” said Senator Reverend Warnock. “Medical debt is not a good predictor of whether or not people will pay [their debts]. There are a lot of mistakes as it turns out around medical billing.”

    “[Medical debt] drives peoples’ scores down, making it very, very difficult if not impossible to get a mortgage, to get a car loan, to start a small business. As your credit score goes down, of course, everything becomes more expensive. That seems to be a theme of the Trump administration. They’re making everything more expensive,” added Senator Warnock.

    Senator Warnock, a member of the Senate Finance Committee which oversees the federal tax code, continues to stand up in defense of Georgia consumers by holding the CFPB under President Trump accountable. In February, Senator Warnock questioned Trump administration CFPB nominees at a Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee Hearing. During the hearing, Senator Warnock asked the nominees if they agreed with President Trump on the CFPB being, ‘A very important thing to get rid of’ and if the agency would address the 266,560 outstanding complaints from Georgians in a timely manner.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: UN chief reports progress in Cyprus talks, urges swift implementation of trust measures

    Source: United Nations 4

    Mr. Guterres was speaking to reporters after hosting Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar at the UN Headquarters in New York.

    “Today’s discussions were constructive. Both leaders reviewed the progress on the six initiatives they agreed to in March to build trust,” he said.

    Out of these six initiatives, four have been achieved: the creation of a technical committee on youth, initiatives on the environment and climate change, restoration of cemeteries, and an agreement on demining that will be closed once the final technical details are established.

    “And discussions will continue on the remaining two,” the UN chief added, referring to the opening of four crossing points on the divided island and solar energy in the buffer zone.

    New initiatives

    In addition, the leaders reached a common understanding on new initiatives, including a consultative body for civil society engagement, exchanging cultural artifacts, improving air quality monitoring, and addressing microplastic pollution.

    “It is critical to implement these initiatives – all of them – as soon as possible for the benefit of all Cypriots,” Mr. Guterres said.

    The Secretary-General also confirmed that he will meet both leaders again during the UN General Assembly’s high‑level week in September. Another informal meeting in the same format is planned later this year.

    A long road ahead

    “There’s a long road ahead. And it is important to think about what the future can mean – for all Cypriots,” he said.

    “But these steps clearly demonstrate a commitment to continuing a dialogue on the way forward and working on initiatives that benefit all Cypriots,” he added.

    Secretary-General Guterres speaks to the media at the UN Headquarters, in New York.

    Supporting dialogue

    The United Nations has been playing a central role in efforts towards a comprehensive and mutually acceptable settlement to the Cyprus issue, supporting dialogue between Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders.

    While sufficient common ground has not been found to allow for the resumption of formal negotiations, engagement towards that end continues – including informal meetings convened by the Secretary-General and other top UN officials.

    Meanwhile, the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP), deployed since 1964, remains on the ground, helping to maintain stability across the island.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Russia Ukraine War – “Brutal Milestone”: 2000 Attacks on Ukraine’s Hospitals, Clinicians, and Health Infrastructure Since Russia’s Full-Scale Invasion – Physicians for Human Rights

    Source: Physicians for Human Rights (PHR)

    July 17, 2025 – Ukraine has endured 2000 attacks on the country’s health care system, according to documentation and monitoring by human rights and humanitarian organizations. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022 Ukraine has experienced:

    • 2000 total attacks on health care
    • 1059 attacks damaged or destroyed hospitals
    • 285 health workers killed
    • 245 health workers injured
    • 105 attacks affecting children’s hospitals
    • 81 attacks affecting maternal health facilities
    • 178 attacks on hospital utilities.

    “This brutal milestone and pattern of attacks clearly illustrates the Russian Federation’s aim to eliminate Ukrainians’ access to life-saving medical care and create conditions that jeopardize basic treatment and survival,” said Uliana Poltavets, PHR’s Ukraine emergency response coordinator. “As Ukrainian civilians across the country – including health workers and patients – come under sustained attack, the global community must prioritize and advance accountability for these crimes.”

    Russia’s escalating assault on Ukraine in recent months has included mounting attacks on the country’s civilian population and infrastructure, including hospitals and health workers.  

    The attacks on health care have picked up pace in 2025 with the intensification of drone attacks on Ukrainian cities. On Monday, Russian forces reportedly attacked a hospital in Sumy region, with 10 people injured. Last week, a Russian drone and missile assault reportedly damaged a maternity hospital in Kharkiv and destroyed a primary care clinic in Kyiv.  

    The new data is from a coalition of global and Ukrainian organizations, including eyeWitness to Atrocities, Insecurity Insight, the Media Initiative for Human Rights, Physicians for Human Rights, Truth Hounds, and the Ukrainian Healthcare Center. The 2000 attacks are depicted on an interactive map (attacksonhealthukraine.org).  

    The organizations have been monitoring and documenting attacks on Ukraine’s health care system since the onset of the full-scale invasion, including through a series of publications. The dataset uses the definitions of attacks on health care as defined by the World Health Organization and used by the Safeguarding Health in Conflict Coalition.  The interactive map is updated with attacks on health care as of April 2025.

    “The global community should safeguard the Ukrainian health workers who risk it all to save lives,” said Poltavets. “Russia’s continued assault on civilian infrastructure underscores the life-saving impact of humanitarian and health aid. At this critical moment, global leadership, particularly sustained support for accountability efforts, is more needed than ever.”

    Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) is a New York-based advocacy organization that uses science and medicine to prevent mass atrocities and severe human rights violations. Click here for the full document: Attacks on Healthcare in Ukraine. (ref. https://www.attacksonhealthukraine.org )

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Russia Ukraine War – “Brutal Milestone”: 2000 Attacks on Ukraine’s Hospitals, Clinicians, and Health Infrastructure Since Russia’s Full-Scale Invasion – Physicians for Human Rights

    Source: Physicians for Human Rights (PHR)

    July 17, 2025 – Ukraine has endured 2000 attacks on the country’s health care system, according to documentation and monitoring by human rights and humanitarian organizations. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022 Ukraine has experienced:

    • 2000 total attacks on health care
    • 1059 attacks damaged or destroyed hospitals
    • 285 health workers killed
    • 245 health workers injured
    • 105 attacks affecting children’s hospitals
    • 81 attacks affecting maternal health facilities
    • 178 attacks on hospital utilities.

    “This brutal milestone and pattern of attacks clearly illustrates the Russian Federation’s aim to eliminate Ukrainians’ access to life-saving medical care and create conditions that jeopardize basic treatment and survival,” said Uliana Poltavets, PHR’s Ukraine emergency response coordinator. “As Ukrainian civilians across the country – including health workers and patients – come under sustained attack, the global community must prioritize and advance accountability for these crimes.”

    Russia’s escalating assault on Ukraine in recent months has included mounting attacks on the country’s civilian population and infrastructure, including hospitals and health workers.  

    The attacks on health care have picked up pace in 2025 with the intensification of drone attacks on Ukrainian cities. On Monday, Russian forces reportedly attacked a hospital in Sumy region, with 10 people injured. Last week, a Russian drone and missile assault reportedly damaged a maternity hospital in Kharkiv and destroyed a primary care clinic in Kyiv.  

    The new data is from a coalition of global and Ukrainian organizations, including eyeWitness to Atrocities, Insecurity Insight, the Media Initiative for Human Rights, Physicians for Human Rights, Truth Hounds, and the Ukrainian Healthcare Center. The 2000 attacks are depicted on an interactive map (attacksonhealthukraine.org).  

    The organizations have been monitoring and documenting attacks on Ukraine’s health care system since the onset of the full-scale invasion, including through a series of publications. The dataset uses the definitions of attacks on health care as defined by the World Health Organization and used by the Safeguarding Health in Conflict Coalition.  The interactive map is updated with attacks on health care as of April 2025.

    “The global community should safeguard the Ukrainian health workers who risk it all to save lives,” said Poltavets. “Russia’s continued assault on civilian infrastructure underscores the life-saving impact of humanitarian and health aid. At this critical moment, global leadership, particularly sustained support for accountability efforts, is more needed than ever.”

    Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) is a New York-based advocacy organization that uses science and medicine to prevent mass atrocities and severe human rights violations. Click here for the full document: Attacks on Healthcare in Ukraine. (ref. https://www.attacksonhealthukraine.org )

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: California Man Convicted at Trial

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    FORT WAYNE – Petru-Razvan Bruma, 40 years old, a citizen of the United Kingdom and a California resident, was found guilty of possessing device-making equipment after a three-day jury trial presided over by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly A. Brady, announced Acting United States Attorney M. Scott Proctor.

    This case involved the defendant’s possession of shimmer devices and pinhole cameras installed on two local automatic teller machines.  These items were designed to capture the card numbers and personal identification numbers of bank customers. 

    “Bruma traveled into this District with devices made to steal personal bank information from unsuspecting ATM customers,” said Proctor.  “Thanks to excellent work by our team of investigators and prosecutors, he was charged and convicted for his conduct.  This should send a clear message: If you come to Northern Indiana to commit crimes, you will be held accountable.”

    Sentencing is scheduled for August 13, 2025.  Any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the District Court Judge after consideration of federal statutes and the United States Sentencing Guidelines.

    This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Secret Service, and the Fort Wayne Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lesley Miller Lowery and Justin Sheridan.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Secretary-General’s remarks to press following informal meeting on Cyprus

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    Ladies and gentlemen of the media,

    Thank you for joining us.

    Today, I convened a meeting I proposed in March with the clear goal of pursuing the constructive dialogue between the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot Leaders.

    I am grateful for the participation of His Excellency Nicos Christodoulides, and His Excellency Ersin Tatar.

    And I thank the Foreign Minister of Greece, His Excellency Giorgios Gerapetritis, the Foreign Minister of Türkiye, His Excellency Hakan Fidan, and the Minister of State for Europe, North America and Overseas Territories of the United Kingdom, His Excellency Stephen Doughty, who represents the guarantor powers of Cyprus. 

    From the very start of my mandate, I have been committed to the security and well-being of the Cypriots — the Greek Cypriots and the Turkish Cypriots.

    Once again, today’s discussions were constructive.

     Both leaders reviewed the progress on the six initiatives they agreed in March to build trust. 

     Out of these six initiatives, four have been achieved:

     –          the creation of a technical committee on youth;

    –          initiatives on the environment and climate change, including the impact on mining areas;

    –          the restoration of cemeteries;

    –          an agreement on demining will be closed once the final technical details are established;

    Discussions will continue on the remaining two:

    –         – the opening of four crossing points; and

    –          -solar energy in the buffer zone.

    In addition, they came to a common understanding on:

    –          -a consultative body for civil society engagement;

    –          -exchange of cultural artifacts;

    –          -an initiative on air quality monitoring; and

    –          -addressing microplastic pollution.

    It is critical to implement these initiatives – all of them – as soon as possible for the benefit of all Cypriots.

    We also agreed that I would have a joint meeting with Mr. Tatar and Mr. Christodoulides during the high-level week, and that there would be another informal meeting in the present format later this year.

    As with the six initiatives agreed in March, the initiatives agreed today have the potential to have a real and significant positive impact on peoples’ lives across the island.

    They are not merely symbolic gestures, but issues that require cooperation.

    There’s a long road ahead.

    And it is important to think about what the future can mean – for all Cypriots.

    But these steps clearly demonstrate a commitment to continuing a dialogue on the way forward and working on initiatives that benefit all Cypriots.

     Thank you.

    I will answer three questions.
    Question: Thank you. Thank you Secretary-General. Serife Cetin, Anadolu Agency. I just wanted to ask you, sir, what is the impediment that hinders progress on opening of new crossing points? What would you say is the main challenge on this issue?

    Secretary-General: We have reached an agreement on the crossing points themselves. There is a question of an itinerary in relation to one of them that will be further discussed now. But there was important progress in this regard.

    Question: The new points have not been, opening new crossing points have not been decided?

    Secretary-General: Before we need to finish the agreement. As I said, there is still a question of itinerary to be addressed in future discussions.

    Question: What is the problem with the itinerary?

    Secretary-General: These are very technical things that are in the language that I do not dominate.

    But as I said, there was a lot of progress, but there are still some aspects of itinerary that need to be addressed.

    Question: Mr. Secretary-General, would you consider this is a start for a new round of negotiations? Could you say that? Is it a new start for a new round?

    Secretary-General: I think that this is a process, a complex process. We all know that there are very different points of view from the two sides in relation to a solution on the problem of Cyprus. But I think we are building, step by step, confidence and creating the conditions to do concrete things to the benefit of the Cypriot people, and, with a total consensus that this process must go on.

    Question: Were you happy with the results?

    Secretary-General: I am happy, of course, I would like much more, but this is a complex issue and I think that we made progress that needs to be registered.

    Last question.

    Question: Thank you, Mr. Secretary-General, I have a question on Syria. As you know, we see another clashes between the Druze community and the new government in Syria. We saw another massacre a couple of months ago against Alawites, against Christians and the Kurds. So, the question is, in your opinion, do you think a federal system can be a solution for Syria, or do you think it’s something against its territorial integrity? Thank you

    Secretary-General: It’s absolutely essential to achieve two things. One is the unity of the Syrian state, in the respect of its sovereignty, but with the full integration of the different communities in the state of Syria, and with all communities fully respected and their rights fully respected. The second thing is the need to respect the territorial integrity of Syria. It is for the Syrians to solve the Syrian problem.

    Thank you very much.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI: Stifel Financial Schedules Second Quarter 2025 Financial Results Conference Call

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ST. LOUIS, July 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Stifel Financial Corp. (NYSE: SF) will release its second quarter financial results before the market opens on Wednesday, July 30, 2025. The company will host a conference call to review the results at 9:30 a.m. Eastern time that same day. The conference call may include forward-looking statements.

    All interested parties are invited to listen to Stifel Chairman and CEO Ronald J. Kruszewski by dialing (866) 409-1555 and referencing participant ID 2769458. A live audio webcast of the call, as well as a presentation highlighting the company’s results, will be available through Stifel’s website, www.stifel.com. For those who cannot listen to the live broadcast, a replay of the broadcast will be available through the above-referenced website beginning approximately one hour following the completion of the call.

    Stifel Company Information
    Stifel Financial Corp. (NYSE: SF) is a financial services holding company headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, that conducts its banking, securities, and financial services business through several wholly owned subsidiaries. Stifel’s broker-dealer clients are served in the United States through Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated, including its Eaton Partners and Miller Buckfire business divisions; Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc.; and Stifel Independent Advisors, LLC; in Canada through Stifel Nicolaus Canada Inc.; and in the United Kingdom and Europe through Stifel Nicolaus Europe Limited. The Company’s broker-dealer affiliates provide securities brokerage, investment banking, trading, investment advisory, and related financial services to individual investors, professional money managers, businesses, and municipalities. Stifel Bank and Stifel Bank & Trust offer a full range of consumer and commercial lending solutions. Stifel Trust Company, N.A. and Stifel Trust Company Delaware, N.A. offer trust and related services. To learn more about Stifel, please visit the Company’s website at www.stifel.com. For global disclosures, please visit https://www.stifel.com/investor-relations/press-releases.

    Stifel Investor Relations Contact
    Joel Jeffrey, Senior Vice President
    (212) 271-3610 direct
    investorrelations@stifel.com                                

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Stifel Financial Schedules Second Quarter 2025 Financial Results Conference Call

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ST. LOUIS, July 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Stifel Financial Corp. (NYSE: SF) will release its second quarter financial results before the market opens on Wednesday, July 30, 2025. The company will host a conference call to review the results at 9:30 a.m. Eastern time that same day. The conference call may include forward-looking statements.

    All interested parties are invited to listen to Stifel Chairman and CEO Ronald J. Kruszewski by dialing (866) 409-1555 and referencing participant ID 2769458. A live audio webcast of the call, as well as a presentation highlighting the company’s results, will be available through Stifel’s website, www.stifel.com. For those who cannot listen to the live broadcast, a replay of the broadcast will be available through the above-referenced website beginning approximately one hour following the completion of the call.

    Stifel Company Information
    Stifel Financial Corp. (NYSE: SF) is a financial services holding company headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, that conducts its banking, securities, and financial services business through several wholly owned subsidiaries. Stifel’s broker-dealer clients are served in the United States through Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated, including its Eaton Partners and Miller Buckfire business divisions; Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc.; and Stifel Independent Advisors, LLC; in Canada through Stifel Nicolaus Canada Inc.; and in the United Kingdom and Europe through Stifel Nicolaus Europe Limited. The Company’s broker-dealer affiliates provide securities brokerage, investment banking, trading, investment advisory, and related financial services to individual investors, professional money managers, businesses, and municipalities. Stifel Bank and Stifel Bank & Trust offer a full range of consumer and commercial lending solutions. Stifel Trust Company, N.A. and Stifel Trust Company Delaware, N.A. offer trust and related services. To learn more about Stifel, please visit the Company’s website at www.stifel.com. For global disclosures, please visit https://www.stifel.com/investor-relations/press-releases.

    Stifel Investor Relations Contact
    Joel Jeffrey, Senior Vice President
    (212) 271-3610 direct
    investorrelations@stifel.com                                

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Carter Introduces Bill to Spur American Economic Development in Housing

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Earl L Buddy Carter (GA-01)

    Headline: Carter Introduces Bill to Spur American Economic Development in Housing

    WASHINGTON D.C. – Rep. Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (R-GA) and Rep. Greg Stanton (D-AZ) introduced the Catalyzing Housing and American Ready Growth and Expansion (CHARGE) Investments Act, a bill that will encourage economic growth and development throughout the country by modernizing the eligibility for Transit Oriented Development (TOD) projects. The CHARGE Investments Act will create jobs, add housing, revitalize underused urban areas, and drive long-term economic growth without expanding the federal deficit. 

    Currently, federal law restricts TOD loans to projects within a half mile radius of intercity rail stations. This traditional standard largely benefits older Northeast cities, whereas most U.S. cities intentionally built their historic freight rail hubs modestly further from their downtowns. The CHARGE Investments Act ensures fair access to fiscally responsible federal loan financing administered by the Build America Bureau by expanding the TOD eligibility radius for those U.S. cities whose central business district is more than half a mile from its intercity rail or light rail. Projects inside the closest central business district within a two-mile radius of intercity rail stations, or for cities lacking intercity rail, projects within a ¼ mile radius from a light rail station, shall now be eligible.  

    “By modernizing the Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing program, the CHARGE Investments Act marks a critical step towards unlocking economic development for rural towns and growing cities alike. This bill will stimulate economic activity in not only Georgia but nationwide, ensuring some regions are not given preference over others,” said Rep. Carter. 

    “Light Rail has absolutely transformed the Valley, driving billions in private and public investment along the lines. As the cost of living rises and Arizona grows, we need more tools to develop new affordable housing units and businesses near our city centers and along the transit lines,” said Rep. Stanton. “Our CHARGE Investments Act modernizes federal financing options for transit-oriented retail and housing developments—a win-win for Arizona businesses and families.”

    The CHARGE Investments Act preserves the fiscally responsible foundation of the program by maintaining loan-based financing and requiring at least 25% private or non-federal investment while expanding access to cities unintentionally left out due to outdated limitations. These investments often generate 4–5x returns for the Treasury, driven by growth in construction, housing, hospitality, and retail.

    “The CHARGE Investments Act is the kind of forward-looking reform the hotel industry needs to spur new development opportunities, create jobs, and drive economic growth. The proposed legislation would expand loan-based financing for transit-connected projects, providing hoteliers with a critical pathway to develop projects that meet local demand. We thank Congressman Carter for his leadership on this important issue and look forward to working with him to move this legislation swiftly through Congress,” said Rosanna Maietta, President & CEO of the American Hotel & Lodging Association.

    “AAHOA also applauds the bill’s commitment to fiscal responsibility. The CHARGE Investments Act encourages market-driven investment while safeguarding taxpayer dollars by relying on loans instead of grants and requiring a minimum 25% private capital contribution. For our industry, it creates a valuable financing tool that supports smart growth, adaptive reuse, and transit-connected development,” said Kamalesh (KP) Patel, Chairman of the Asian American Hotel Owners of America (AAHOA).

    “By facilitating redevelopment near transit corridors and enabling hotel investment in high-impact areas, the CHARGE Investments Act offers a smart, modern, and locally responsive model for infrastructure and economic growth. GHLA applauds your leadership in advancing this thoughtful, pro-growth legislation. We are proud to support the CHARGE Investments Act and look forward to partnering with your office to move it forward,” said Chris Hardman, Director of Governmental Affairs for the Georgia Hotel and Lodging Association.

    Read full bill text here.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sen. Larry Walker III Appointed to Senate Special Committee on Eliminating Georgia’s State Income Tax

    Source: US State of Georgia

    ATLANTA (July 17, 2025) —  Today, Lt. Governor Burt Jones appointed Senator Larry Walker III (R–Perry) to the newly formed Senate Special Committee on Eliminating Georgia’s State Income Tax.

    “I’m honored to be appointed by Lt. Governor Burt Jones to serve on this important committee,” said Sen. Walker. “This effort marks a critical step toward shaping Georgia’s economic future. Eliminating the state income tax is a bold goal that requires serious, thoughtful commitment. Our mission is to ensure that any proposed changes are fiscally responsible and in the best interest of Georgia’s families and businesses.”

    The Senate Special Committee on Eliminating Georgia’s State Income Tax is charged with identifying viable pathways to eliminate the state income tax for all Georgians entirely. While the General Assembly has taken steps in recent years to reduce income tax rates for households and businesses, many Georgians still face a heavy tax burden. This committee will work to explore responsible solutions that ease that burden and create a more competitive economic environment.

    Senator Blake Tillery (R–Vidalia) will serve as Chairman of the committee.

    More information about this committee can be found here.

    # # # #

    Sen. Larry Walker serves as Secretary of the Majority Caucus and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Insurance and Labor. He represents the 20th Senate District, which includes Bleckley, Dodge, Dooly, Laurens, Treutlen, Pulaski and Wilcox counties, as well as portions of Houston County.  He may be reached by phone at (404) 656-0095 or by email at Larry.Walker@senate.ga.gov.

    For all media inquiries, please reach out to SenatePressInquiries@senate.ga.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Bank OZK Announces Record Second Quarter 2025 Earnings

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LITTLE ROCK, Ark., July 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bank OZK (the “Bank”) (Nasdaq: OZK) today announced that net income available to common stockholders for the second quarter of 2025 was a record $178.9 million, a 3.1% increase from $173.5 million for the second quarter of 2024. For the first six months of 2025, net income available to common stockholders was $346.8 million, a 0.5% increase from $345.0 million for the first six months of 2024. Diluted earnings per common share (“EPS”) for the second quarter of 2025 were a record $1.58, a 3.9% increase from $1.52 for the second quarter of 2024. EPS for the first six months of 2025 were $3.05, a 0.7% increase from $3.03 for the first six months of 2024.

    George Gleason, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, stated, “One of our goals for 2025 is to improve on our record 2024 net income and EPS. Our strong results for the first half of the year put us in a great position to achieve that goal. Our talented, entrepreneurial and veteran team is well suited for the very dynamic environment in which we operate today. Our excellent results for the quarter included record net income, record EPS, record net interest income, excellent growth in loans and deposits, and solid asset quality. These results demonstrate our team’s ability to proactively and effectively manage the various challenges of this environment while capitalizing on numerous opportunities.”

    MANAGEMENT COMMENTS, FINANCIAL SUPPLEMENT AND CONFERENCE CALL

    In connection with this release, the Bank released its management comments on its quarterly results and a financial supplement, which are available at the Bank’s investor relations website.

    Management will conduct a conference call to take questions at 7:30 a.m. CT (8:30 a.m. ET) on Friday, July 18, 2025. Interested parties may access the conference call live via webcast on the Bank’s investor relations website, or may participate via telephone by registering using this online form. Upon registration, all telephone participants will receive the dial-in number along with a unique PIN number that can be used to access the call. A replay of the conference call webcast will be archived on the Bank’s website for at least 30 days.

    GENERAL INFORMATION

    Bank OZK (Nasdaq: OZK) is a regional bank providing innovative financial solutions delivered by expert bankers with a relentless pursuit of excellence. Established in 1903, Bank OZK conducts banking operations in over 250 offices in nine states including Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, Texas, Tennessee, New York, California and Mississippi and had $41.5 billion in total assets as of June 30, 2025. For more information, visit ozk.com.

    The Bank files annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy materials, and other information required by the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”), copies of which are available electronically at the FDIC’s website and are also available on the Bank’s investor relations website at ir.ozk.com. Use this online form to receive automated email notifications for these materials.

    FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

    This press release and other communications by the Bank and its management may include certain statements that constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. Forward-looking statements often use words such as “anticipates,” “targets,” “expects,” “hopes,” “estimates,” “intends,” “plans,” “goals,” “believes,” “continue” and other similar expressions or future or conditional verbs such as “will,” “may,” “might,” “should,” “would” and “could.” Forward-looking statements represent the Bank’s current expectations, plans or forecasts of its future results, revenues, liquidity, net interest income, provision for credit losses, expenses, efficiency ratio, capital measures, strategy, deposits, assets, and future business and economic conditions more generally, and other future matters. These statements are not guarantees of future results or performance and involve certain known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict and are often beyond the Bank’s control. Actual outcomes and results may differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, any of these forward-looking statements.

         
    Investor Contact:   Jay Staley (501) 906-7842
    Media Contact:   Michelle Rossow (501) 906-3922
         

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News in Brief: SOUTHERN STAR ’25: 27th Special Operations Wing projects power with partners in Chile

    Source: United States Airforce

    The multinational training exercise emphasizes operational and tactical missions, bringing together joint, combined, interagency and military forces to strengthen coordination and interoperability within a unified special operations command.

    SANTIAGO, Chile (AFNS) —  

    From the sunbaked airstrips of Antofagasta to the bustling port of Valparaíso and the icy channels of Punta Arenas, elite troops from six nations dived into SOUTHERN STAR 25, Latin America’s premier multinational special operations exercise. Designed around a simulated United Nations stabilization mandate, the event brings together special forces from Chile, the United States, Spain, Argentina, Colombia and Paraguay, with 10 additional nations participating as observers.

    A key part of the U.S. contribution is the 27th Special Operations Wing, whose aircraft and Air Commandos have delivered mobility, surveillance, and refueling capabilities across more than 3,700 kilometers of challenging terrain — an unmistakable demonstration of the U.S. commitment to its partners in the Southern Cone and the broader Western Hemisphere.

    Deploying from Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico, the 27 SOW brought two of the most versatile aircraft in the U.S. Air Force’s arsenal: the MC-130J Commando II and the U-28A Draco. Designed to thrive in austere, high-threat environments, these platforms were crucial to the operational tempo and complexity of SOUTHERN STAR 25.

    “We’re closely integrated with our joint partners in U.S. Special Operations Command and that partnership drives how we operate across the world. Down here in Chile, we are integrating and providing the same type of support to the exercise that we would anywhere else in the world if there’s a special operations mission set going on,” said Lt. Col. Graydon Sponaugle, 27 SOW mission commander for SOUTHERN STAR 25.

    An Air Commando assigned to the 27th Special Operations Wing pulls a hose connected to an MC-130 Commando II for a forward arming and refueling point demonstration for Chilean Airmen at Antofagasta, Chile, May 29, 2025, as part of Southern Star 25. Southern Star is a multinational training exercise emphasizing operational and tactical missions, bringing together joint, combined, interagency, and military forces to strengthen coordination and interoperability within a unified special operations command. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Gracelyn Hess)
    U.S. and Chilean Air Commandos work together to process intelligence video from multiple platforms, including the U-28A Draco, in Rancagua, Chile, June 2, 2025, as part of exercise SOUTHERN STAR 25. Southern Star ’25 is a multinational special operations exercise across Chile from May 26 to June 8. The exercise brings together forces from six nations and 10 observer countries to enhance interoperability and strengthen global special operations partnerships through joint training from Antofagasta to Punta Arenas. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Gracelyn Hess)
    A U-28A Draco from the 27th Special Operations Wing provides surveillance over a Visit, Board, Search, and Seizure training exercise involving Air Commandos, Chilean Special Forces, Navy Seals, and the Chilean Navy in Valparaiso, Chile, June 6, 2025, as part of exercise SOUTHERN STAR 25. The exercise is a multinational special operations exercise taking place across Chile from May 26 to June 8. The exercise brings together forces from six nations and 10 observer countries to enhance interoperability and strengthen global special operations partnerships through joint training from Antofagasta to Punta Arenas. (U.S. Air Force courtesy photo)

    In Antofagasta, Air Commandos conducted a forward arming and refueling point demonstration using the MC-130J, showcasing to Chilean airmen how expeditionary refueling operations can sustain special operation forces units operating far from traditional bases. The very next day, the same aircraft supported static line jump training for Chilean paratroopers, or paracaidistas, who practiced airborne insertion techniques alongside U.S. aircrews, strengthening tactical interoperability and deepening trust between the nations’ forces.

    Meanwhile, the U-28A provided critical intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance support across multiple mission profiles.

    In Rancagua, U.S. Air Commandos established a satellite communications node to receive real-time full-motion video from the Draco in flight, illustrating the rapid ISR integration capabilities essential to success during fast-moving missions. Later in the exercise, in Valparaíso, the U-28A provided overwatch during a Visit, Board, Search, and Seizure training operation involving U.S. Navy SEALs, U.S. Air Commandos, Chilean Special Forces, and the Chilean Navy. The mission enhanced maritime interdiction capabilities while exemplifying the layered coordination enabled by airborne ISR platforms.

    Operating across a country as long and geographically diverse as Chile posed logistical challenges that tested every aspect of special operations capability — command, sustainment, adaptability, and communication. Yet, the 27 SOW thrived in this environment, reaffirming AFSOC’s ability to project power and sustain complex missions far from home. From austere airfields to maritime staging areas, the wing’s involvement helped exercise vital capabilities such as the protection of sea lines of communication and affirmed U.S. and partner readiness near strategic regions like the approaches to the Antarctic.

    SOUTHERN STAR 25 also served as a proving ground for innovation. With their involvement in distributed mission planning, real-time ISR delivery and satellite communications, the Air Commandos contributed to emerging integration efforts across the space and cyber domains. These forward-leaning efforts, paired with proven platforms like the MC-130J and U-28A, point toward a future in which special operations forces can operate even more effectively across domains and coalition partnerships.

    “Southern Star has helped demonstrate, yet again, how the U.S. can integrate with anyone across the world to achieve common objectives — and do so in a mutually beneficial manner,” Sponaugle said.

    From airborne operations and tactical refueling to maritime ISR overwatch and technology integration, the 27 SOW’s performance during SOUTHERN STAR 25 was a testament to the strength of partner cooperation and the versatility of AFSOC. As the U.S. and its partners continue to face evolving global security challenges, exercises like this not only prepare forces for what lies ahead — they strengthen the partnerships and interoperability that will define success in the years to come.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: The UK is deeply concerned by violence and attacks on civilians in Syria: UK statement at the UN Security Council

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Speech

    The UK is deeply concerned by violence and attacks on civilians in Syria: UK statement at the UN Security Council

    Statement by Ambassador Barbara Woodward, UK Permanent Representative to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on Syria.

    I would like to make three points.  

    First, the UK is deeply concerned by the escalating violence in Suwayda. 

    We have urged all parties to de-escalate and take immediate action to protect civilians. 

    We are alarmed by reports of attacks on medical personnel and facilities. 

    Civilians and civilian infrastructure must never be targeted, and we call on all parties to ensure humanitarian aid can reach those who need it.

    We take note of President Al Sharaa’s comments on the importance of protection of Syria’s Druze community and accountability for those who have committed attacks. 

    And we urge that investigations and steps towards accountability take place swiftly.

    Second, we are deeply concerned by Israel’s escalatory strikes in Damascus. 

    We repeat our call for Israel to refrain from actions that risk destabilising Syria and the wider region. 

    Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity must be respected.  

    We welcome the news that a ceasefire has been agreed. 

    And we urge all parties to commit to maintaining it.

    Third, this is a critical moment for Syria and for the stability of the region. 

    My Foreign Secretary travelled to Damascus earlier this month, where he held productive talks and heard from the Syrian Government and ordinary Syrians about their aspirations for the country. 

    A peaceful and secure future for the Syrian people requires all of Syria’s communities to be protected and fully included in the political transition. 

    So we call on the Syrian Government to prioritise genuine inclusivity and representation in the appointment and election of People’s Assembly members and in all further elements of the political transition.  

    An accountability process is also critical to ensuring stability and lasting peace. 

    We urge the Syrian Government to investigate human rights violations and abuses by all parties and ensure those responsible are held to account. 

    We look forward to seeing the Syrian Government’s report on the violence in the coastal areas in March. 

    This is a crucial step towards justice and reconciliation for the Syrian people.

    Updates to this page

    Published 17 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Big milestone for the future of quantum computing. We are delivering the world’s first operational deployment of a Level 2 quantum computer, powered by our stack and in partnership with Atom Computing. Congrats to EIFO, Novo Nordisk Foundation and QuNorth.

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: Big milestone for the future of quantum computing. We are delivering the world’s first operational deployment of a Level 2 quantum computer, powered by our stack and in partnership with Atom Computing. Congrats to EIFO, Novo Nordisk Foundation and QuNorth.

    Powerful things can happen when Nordic vision and global collaboration come together. Today, Denmark’s – and Europe’s – quantum ambitions take a bold step forward with the launch of QuNorth. In this new initiative, the EIFO and Novo Nordisk Foundation together invest €80 million to establish QuNorth. Its mission is to acquire, build and operate the world’s most powerful commercial quantum computer. This computer will be called Magne, inspired by a figure of strength in Norse mythology.  We are so proud that this computer will be delivered by Microsoft and Atom Computing and that Magne will be the first operational deployment anywhere in the world of a Level 2 machine powered by logical qubits. This is a milestone moment for the quantum industry as we step past the era of Level 1 NISQ machines and into a new era of increasingly powerful reliable quantum computation. I am also proud that our partnership with QuNorth reflects trust in Microsoft’s quantum expertise and exemplifies our deep roots and commitment to Denmark, the Nordic region, and Europe’s success. It mirrors our mission to help develop vibrant quantum ecosystems through technology-forward investments. Magne will provide quantum startups, academic and research institutions, and the private sector with the latest quantum capabilities, which promise to accelerate innovation and drive further economic growth. At Microsoft, we stand behind milestones like this that represent what we deeply value: advancing technology in ways that matter for our partners and that enable further innovation. QuNorth and Magne are clear examples of what can be achieved when the right people, institutions and ideas come together. I am excited to see QuNorth and Magne come to life over the coming months! #QuantumComputing #Innovation #Microsoft #MicrosoftQuantum #Magne

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Valentina Matvienko, Dmitry Chernyshenko and Valery Falkov launched the 1st All-Russian Festival of Student Families

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – Government of the Russian Federation –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    The first All-Russian Festival of Student Families is taking place in Moscow on the site of the Bauman Moscow State Technical University on July 17 and 18.

    During the plenary session in the question-and-answer format, the Chairperson of the Federation Council Valentina Matviyenko, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko, and the head of the Ministry of Education and Science Valery Falkov told students about support measures in the event of starting a family. The event was also attended by the Chairperson of the Federation Council Committee on Science, Education and Culture Lilia Gumerova and the Head of the Republic of Mordovia, Chairman of the State Council Commission on Family Artem Zdunov.

    Welcoming the festival participants, Valentina Matvienko noted that the number of student families in Russia increased by 17% in 2024, and thanked the Ministry of Education and Science for the work done.

    Dmitry Chernyshenko answered a question from a student family from Volgograd State University, Yakub and Victoria Ziba, about existing and planned measures of support from the state for young families.

    “The day before in Magnitogorsk, our head of state, talking to young guys at the plant, said: “There is no greater happiness in life than children. This is the meaning of life.” Therefore, do not delay this matter. As President Vladimir Putin said, the state will lend a shoulder. We will do everything in this direction. It is gratifying that the majority of Russians would like to have not one or two children, but three or more,” the Deputy Prime Minister said.

    According to VTsIOM, the trend towards having many children is becoming increasingly stable.

    The Deputy Prime Minister thanked Valentina Matviyenko for the adoption by the Federation Council of laws to increase maternity benefits for female students and to establish the concept of a “student family.”

    He added that key tools for self-realization, including for student families, are included in the national project “Youth and Children”.

    Recently, participants of the youth forum “Territory of Meanings” in “Senezh” proposed to create a year-round center dedicated to family and social policy. In August, Rosmolodezh will announce a competition among the subjects of our country. The winning region will receive up to 150 million rubles for organizing programs in 2026 from the federal budget.

    Dmitry Chernyshenko noted that, on the initiative of Valentina Matvienko, a draft standard for family policy in universities was developed.

    “We will need to standardize family units in dormitories, providing for a separate kitchen, mother and child rooms. We have introduced this as a requirement for competitive selection in world-class campuses under construction,” the Deputy Prime Minister concluded.

    He also noted the importance of developing social volunteering and suggested paying special attention to the families of young scientists at the annual Congress of Young Scientists, which will take place this fall.

    Valery Falkov, in turn, said that in order to increase awareness of support measures, universities have launched a “single window” format for young families, mothers and fathers with children. 458 head universities and 264 branches have already implemented this format. In addition, work is underway together with the Ministry of Digital Development and Communications and the Analytical Center under the Government to create a navigator of support measures for student families on the State Services portal.

    “We have so many student families in many universities that the rector should know them all and treat each of them attentively. Along with the presence of a department, the ability to contact a “one-stop shop”, the presence of the corresponding service, we, of course, count on – and see in many universities – the active, proactive participation of rectors, so do not hesitate to communicate directly with the university management,” the head of the Ministry of Education and Science addressed the students.

    Concluding the meeting, Valentina Matvienko put forward the initiative to hold an All-Russian Forum of Student Families annually.

    In addition, Valentina Matvienko, Dmitry Chernyshenko and Valery Falkov got acquainted with the forum’s exposition dedicated to supporting student families. Today, there are more than 25.7 thousand families in Russian universities, of which about 13 thousand families have children.

    Since the beginning of the 2024/2025 academic year, the job description of vice-rectors for youth policy and educational work has officially included the function of supporting young families. This practice is already used in more than 450 universities.

    The exhibition presented a model of a short-term stay group for children (at the beginning of 2024, there were 40 such rooms in universities, their number has already grown to 207, by 2030, 1 thousand rooms will be opened) and a family room in a dormitory (it is planned to be used as a conditional standard for universities). At the moment, 348 universities provide rooms in dormitories for student families.

    Also, the rectors of five Russian universities (Tambov State University, National Research University Higher School of Economics, Buryat State University, State University of Management and Kabardino-Balkarian State University) presented best practices for working with student families.

    The 1st All-Russian Festival of Student Families is held within the framework of the national project “Family”, among its main goals is the popularization of family values, the institution of family and marriage among student youth.

    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 –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Dmitry Chernyshenko: Russia is rightfully proud of its mentoring system.

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – Government of the Russian Federation –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    On July 17, the All-Russian competition “Mentoring” was launched – one of the key projects of the Ministry of Education in the field of mentoring.

    The competition was launched as part of the All-Russian seminar-conference “Mentoring: Traditions, Experience, Cooperation”, which is taking place in Kaluga at the Federal Technopark of Professional Education on July 17-18. The seminar participants will present effective mentoring practices, join the work of pedagogical workshops, round tables and educational events.

    “As our President Vladimir Putin said, issues of training and mentoring are always an appeal to the future. Russia is rightfully proud of its mentoring system, which unites experienced masters and young specialists. It is mentors who tell young people how to become real professionals, support them and help them to reveal their potential, develop and strive for new heights. Continuity of generations is the key to the technological sovereignty of the country,” said Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko.

    Minister of Education Sergey Kravtsov noted that through mentoring it is possible not only to preserve professional knowledge, but also to increase it, creating a strong connection between the past and the future.

    “The Mentoring competition is of great importance for strengthening the system of training qualified personnel in Russia. Mentoring is a bridge between experience and innovation, between traditions and advanced solutions. It is through the transfer of knowledge, skills and values that we form specialists capable of ensuring the technological leadership of our country. Behind every great achievement there is a mentor who inspired, supported and guided,” the head of the Ministry of Education emphasized.

    Contest will be held in online format in the following nominations:

    — “Mentoring in production”: mentoring practices aimed at the professional development and socialization of the mentee/mentees, adaptation in the work collective;

    — “Mentoring in the field of education, upbringing and youth policy”: mentoring practices of educational organizations (regardless of the level of education, form of ownership and departmental affiliation);

    — “Mentoring in the social sphere and public activities”: mentoring practices in the sphere of healthcare, culture, sports, social protection, including practices aimed at accompanying and supporting mentees who are in a difficult life situation and (or) a socially dangerous situation, in various spheres of life, as well as mentoring practices as a voluntary type of activity of socially active people;

    — “Mentoring in service”: mentoring practices in the system of executive bodies of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation, local government bodies of municipal districts, municipal districts or urban districts, aimed at organizing the activities of mentored employees (employees) or students mastering professions of the state civil or municipal service.

    “The All-Russian Mentoring Competition covers various areas of mentoring practice application – these are educational and social spheres, public activities, civil service and production. This is a bright and promising project, which last year brought together more than 20 thousand participants. I am sure that this year their number will grow and relevant and promising solutions will be presented to the competition. And the best of them will find their application not only in the SPO system, but also beyond it,” commented the rector of the Institute for the Development of Professional Education Sergey Kozhevnikov.

    The organizer of the competition is the Ministry of Education, the operator is the Institute for the Development of Professional Education. The partners of the competition are the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, the Federal Agency for Youth Affairs, the autonomous non-profit organization Russia is a Country of Opportunities, the autonomous non-profit organization Mashuk Knowledge Center, the Association of Volunteer Centers, Non-Commercial Organizations and Institutes of Public Development Dobro.RF, the All-Russian public and state movement of children and youth Movement of the First, the All-Russian public and state educational organization Russian Society Knowledge, the youth all-Russian public organization Russian Student Teams, the All-Russian public organization of small and medium entrepreneurship Opora Rossii.

    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 –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Sergey Nazarov assessed the progress of investment projects in the Chechen Republic

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Ministry of Economic Development (Russia) – Ministry of Economic Development (Russia) –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    On July 16, 2025, Deputy Minister of Economic Development of the Russian Federation Sergei Nazarov visited the Chechen Republic on a working visit.

    The program of the visit included a working meeting with the Chairman of the Government of the Chechen Republic Magomed Daudov. The issues of development of the special economic zone of industrial and production type “Grozny”, the course of implementation of the federal and republican investment programs, as well as the development of the all-season tourism and recreation project “Veduchi” were discussed. Special attention was paid to the provision of energy infrastructure for the current residents of the SEZ “Grozny”, as well as strengthening control over the implementation of the objects of the VTRK “Veduchi”.

    “We see the interest of investors, the activity of residents and the significant economic potential of the region. The task is to ensure the full readiness of the infrastructure and precise synchronization of actions at all levels,” noted Sergey Nazarov.

    During the visit, the Deputy Minister also got acquainted with the implementation of the Veduchi VTRK. The participants inspected the engineering and ski infrastructure facilities, including cable cars, trails, pumping stations and an artificial snowmaking system. The site was also attended by the General Director of Kavkaz. RF Andrey Yumshanov, representatives of the Government of the Chechen Republic, employees of contracting organizations and the General Director of the management company OOO CHUS Sulimbek Tsentroyev, who reported on the current stage of work.

    Active construction of all planned facilities is underway. In particular, the construction readiness of the VL1 cable car, the largest facility in the complex, has reached 66%. Its commissioning is expected in 2026. And this year, work is planned to be completed on a number of key facilities, including cable cars, ski slopes and an artificial snowmaking system.

    “Veduchi is one of the most promising tourism projects in the North Caucasus. It has already received serious support and will continue to develop within the framework of the SEZ mechanism. There is a team here that knows what it is doing. It is important for us to maintain the pace and ensure the smooth implementation of all stages,” the deputy minister emphasized.

    Following the visit, proposals were made to federal and regional authorities for further support of the Grozny SEZ and Veduchi VTRK facilities. They will cover priorities in upgrading infrastructure, updating design documentation and financing mechanisms in order to ensure sustainable implementation of strategically important projects.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –