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Category: France

  • MIL-OSI: Equasens: Appointment at the head of the Pharmagest Division

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Villers-lès-Nancy (France), July 03, 2025 – 06 :00pm (CET)

    Press Release

    Equasens announces the departure of Damien VALICON, as Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Director of the Pharmagest Division

    He will be replaced by François-Pierre MARQUIER as Director of the Pharmagest Division.

    ***

    Equasens Group (Euronext Paris™ – Compartment B – FR 0012882389 –$EQS), announces the departure of Damien VALICON, who held the position of Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Director of the Pharmagest Division for 18 months, and the appointment of François-Pierre MARQUIER, who is resuming his operational duties as Director of the Pharmagest Division.

    The appointment of François-Pierre MARQUIER, proposed by Denis SUPPLISSON, Chief Executive Officer of the Equasens Group, will be effective after a transition period. It was approved by the Board of Directors at its meeting on June 25, 2025, chaired by Thierry CHAPUSOT, Chairman of the Board of Directors.

    François-Pierre MARQUIER, who joined Pharmagest in May 2021 as Regional Director for the Ile-de-France region, has headed the Pharmacy France business since January 2023. He will now oversee all the Division’s activities, both in France and the rest of Europe.

    Denis SUPPLISSON, Chief Executive Officer of Equasens Group, states: « François-Pierre has a deep understanding of our business sectors, a precise grasp of our challenges and the sectoral expertise we need to accelerate our European development. »

    Biography François-Pierre MARQUIER – LinkedIn – Graduate of IDRAC Business School and Emlyon Business School (DUA), he began his career in 1996 with DHL as Marketing Manager. In 2000, he joined Cegid Group where he evolved for over 20 years, holding management positions in marketing and sales.
    He joined Equasens Group in May 2021 as Regional Director, before being appointed Director of the Pharmacy France business in January 2023.
    He has represented Pharmagest within FEIMA for over 2 years.

    Upcoming financial communications

    • 31 July 2025:                 Q2 2025 revenue – After the close of trading
    • 26 September 2025:         H1 2025 results

    About Equasens Group – Follow us also on LinkedIn

    Founded over 35 years ago, Equasens Group, a leader in digital healthcare solutions, today employs over 1.400 people across Europe.
    Equasens Group’s specialized business applications facilitate the day-to-day work of healthcare professionals and their teams, working in private practice, collaborative medical structures or healthcare establishments. The Group also provides comprehensive support to healthcare professionals in the transformation of their profession by developing electronic equipment, digital solutions and healthcare robotics, as well as data hosting, financing and training adapted to their specific needs.
    And reflecting the spirit of its tagline “Technology for a More Human Experience”, the Group is a leading provider of interoperability solutions that improve coordination between healthcare professionals, their communications and data exchange resulting in better patient care and a more efficient and secure healthcare system.

    Listed on Euronext Paris™, Equasens Group (Compartment B – FR 0012882389 – $EQS) applies a two-pronged development strategy combining organic growth with targeted acquisitions at a European level.

    CONTACTS

    Analyst and Investor Relations:
    Chief Administrative and Financial Officer: Frédérique Schmidt
    Tel: +33 (0)3 83 15 90 67 – frederique.schmidt@equasens.com

    Financial communications agency:
    FIN’EXTENSO – Isabelle Aprile

    Tel.: +33 (0)6 17 38 61 78 – i.aprile@finextenso.fr

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Equasens: Appointment at the head of the Pharmagest Division

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Villers-lès-Nancy (France), July 03, 2025 – 06 :00pm (CET)

    Press Release

    Equasens announces the departure of Damien VALICON, as Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Director of the Pharmagest Division

    He will be replaced by François-Pierre MARQUIER as Director of the Pharmagest Division.

    ***

    Equasens Group (Euronext Paris™ – Compartment B – FR 0012882389 –$EQS), announces the departure of Damien VALICON, who held the position of Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Director of the Pharmagest Division for 18 months, and the appointment of François-Pierre MARQUIER, who is resuming his operational duties as Director of the Pharmagest Division.

    The appointment of François-Pierre MARQUIER, proposed by Denis SUPPLISSON, Chief Executive Officer of the Equasens Group, will be effective after a transition period. It was approved by the Board of Directors at its meeting on June 25, 2025, chaired by Thierry CHAPUSOT, Chairman of the Board of Directors.

    François-Pierre MARQUIER, who joined Pharmagest in May 2021 as Regional Director for the Ile-de-France region, has headed the Pharmacy France business since January 2023. He will now oversee all the Division’s activities, both in France and the rest of Europe.

    Denis SUPPLISSON, Chief Executive Officer of Equasens Group, states: « François-Pierre has a deep understanding of our business sectors, a precise grasp of our challenges and the sectoral expertise we need to accelerate our European development. »

    Biography François-Pierre MARQUIER – LinkedIn – Graduate of IDRAC Business School and Emlyon Business School (DUA), he began his career in 1996 with DHL as Marketing Manager. In 2000, he joined Cegid Group where he evolved for over 20 years, holding management positions in marketing and sales.
    He joined Equasens Group in May 2021 as Regional Director, before being appointed Director of the Pharmacy France business in January 2023.
    He has represented Pharmagest within FEIMA for over 2 years.

    Upcoming financial communications

    • 31 July 2025:                 Q2 2025 revenue – After the close of trading
    • 26 September 2025:         H1 2025 results

    About Equasens Group – Follow us also on LinkedIn

    Founded over 35 years ago, Equasens Group, a leader in digital healthcare solutions, today employs over 1.400 people across Europe.
    Equasens Group’s specialized business applications facilitate the day-to-day work of healthcare professionals and their teams, working in private practice, collaborative medical structures or healthcare establishments. The Group also provides comprehensive support to healthcare professionals in the transformation of their profession by developing electronic equipment, digital solutions and healthcare robotics, as well as data hosting, financing and training adapted to their specific needs.
    And reflecting the spirit of its tagline “Technology for a More Human Experience”, the Group is a leading provider of interoperability solutions that improve coordination between healthcare professionals, their communications and data exchange resulting in better patient care and a more efficient and secure healthcare system.

    Listed on Euronext Paris™, Equasens Group (Compartment B – FR 0012882389 – $EQS) applies a two-pronged development strategy combining organic growth with targeted acquisitions at a European level.

    CONTACTS

    Analyst and Investor Relations:
    Chief Administrative and Financial Officer: Frédérique Schmidt
    Tel: +33 (0)3 83 15 90 67 – frederique.schmidt@equasens.com

    Financial communications agency:
    FIN’EXTENSO – Isabelle Aprile

    Tel.: +33 (0)6 17 38 61 78 – i.aprile@finextenso.fr

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Qatar Participates in 131st Session of Permanent Council of La Francophonie

    Source: Government of Qatar

    Paris, July 3, 2025

    The State of Qatar participated in the 131st Session of the Permanent Council of La Francophonie, held in Paris.

    HE Qatar’s Ambassador to the French Republic and its Representative to the Organization, Sheikh Ali bin Jassim Al-Thani represented the State of Qatar at the session .

    In her opening remarks, HE Secretary-General of the International Organization of La Francophonie, Louise Mushikiwabo praised the State of Qatar’s role in mediating between the Republic of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to reach a peaceful solution to the conflict in eastern DRC. She expressed her gratitude to Qatar for its contribution to establishing security and peace at the regional and international levels.

    Participants in the session discussed the outcomes of the 19th La Francophonie Summit, held in France in October 2024, and the preparations for the 46th Session of the La Francophonie Ministerial Conference, slated for November in Kigali, Rwanda. 

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI: New Online Casinos Canada: Reddit Users Share the Leading Real Money Online Casinos for 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Vancouver, Canada, July 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As Canada’s online gambling market continues to expand, Reddit has emerged as a key platform for players seeking authentic, community-driven insights into the best real money new online casinos in Canada for 2025. All-iGaming experts have thoroughly reviewed numerous Reddit discussions, where subreddits buzz with conversations about platforms offering exceptional gaming experiences, generous promotions, and robust security measures.

     This article highlights the qualities that make these top-ranked casinos stand out, explores the roles of bonuses and game variety, and addresses Canada’s evolving legal framework for online gambling, providing a comprehensive guide for players navigating the digital casino landscape.

    >>CANADA’S PREMIER CASINO – CHECK OUT ITS FEATURES & LATEST BONUSES!

    The Surge of Online Gambling in Canada

    Online gambling in Canada has seen remarkable growth, fueled by advancements in technology, increased mobile accessibility, and a shift toward digital entertainment. Reddit’s community-driven discussions provide a unique lens into this dynamic market, with players sharing firsthand experiences about platforms that prioritize fairness, entertainment, and reliability. 

    Unlike traditional review sites, which may be influenced by affiliate partnerships, Reddit offers unfiltered opinions from real players who have tested deposits, gameplay, and withdrawals. These discussions focus on critical factors like game diversity, bonus transparency, payout speeds, and customer support, making them invaluable for Canadians seeking trustworthy new online casinos.

    In 2025, the Canadian online casino market is more competitive than ever, with platforms vying to offer innovative features, seamless user experiences, and compliance with provincial regulations. Reddit users have identified key qualities that set top casinos apart, including robust game libraries, player-friendly promotions, and adherence to strict security standards, ensuring a safe and enjoyable gaming environment.

    >>INSIDE LOOK AT HIGH-PERFORMING NEW ONLINE CASINO

    Key Features of Highly Influencing Online Casinos According to Reddit Users

    Reddit users consistently highlight several factors that define the best online casinos in Canada for 2025. These platforms excel in delivering a balanced experience that caters to both casual players and seasoned gamblers, with a focus on accessibility, fairness, and entertainment.

    • Game Variety: A Diverse and Engaging Selection

    Best online casinos in Canada boast extensive game libraries that cater to a wide range of player preferences. Reddit discussions emphasize the importance of platforms offering thousands of titles, including slots, table games, live dealer experiences, and specialty games like video poker or crash games. Slots remain a favorite, with players gravitating toward titles featuring high return-to-player rates—often exceeding 96%—for better long-term value. Popular categories include progressive jackpots, which offer life-changing payouts, and MegaWays slots, known for their dynamic paylines.

    Live dealer games, powered by leading providers, are another standout feature, delivering immersive experiences like blackjack, roulette, and baccarat with professional dealers and real-time streaming. Reddit users praise platforms with lag-free live tables, particularly during peak hours, and those offering high-RTP table games, such as blackjack variants with RTPs. The inclusion of games from top-tier developers ensures high-quality graphics, smooth gameplay, and fair outcomes, making variety a key driver of player satisfaction.

    • Bonuses and Promotions: Value with Transparency

    Bonuses and promotions are a cornerstone of the online casino experience, and Reddit users place a premium on offers that balance generosity with fairness. Welcome bonuses, often matching initial deposits or including free spins, are a major draw for new players. Top platforms provide substantial welcome packages—sometimes worth thousands of dollars—spread across multiple deposits to sustain engagement. Free spins, cashback offers, and daily promotions further enhance value, particularly for loyal players.

    However, Reddit communities stress the importance of transparent bonus terms. Wagering requirements, which dictate how many times a bonus must be played through before withdrawal, are a focal point. Top casinos maintain reasonable requirements, typically around 35x, compared to the industry average of 40x-50x. Players also value clear communication about eligible games, expiration dates, and withdrawal conditions. Reddit discussions often caution against promotions with overly restrictive terms, urging players to prioritize platforms that offer fair and attainable rewards.

    • Security and Payout Reliability

    Security is non-negotiable for Reddit users, who prioritize platforms with robust encryption, transparent operations, and licensing from reputable authorities. Fast and reliable payouts are another critical factor, with top casinos processing withdrawals via popular Canadian methods like Interac, e-wallets, and cryptocurrencies in under 24 hours. Platforms that offer instant or near-instant withdrawals, particularly for crypto transactions, earn high praise for eliminating delays that frustrate players.

    Reddit users also value platforms certified by independent auditors, which verify game fairness and RTP accuracy. Licensing from recognized jurisdictions ensures compliance with strict standards, protecting players’ funds and personal data. These features collectively build trust, making security and payout reliability defining traits of top-ranked casinos.

    • User Experience: Accessibility and Support

    Online casinos in Canada prioritize seamless user experiences, offering mobile-optimized interfaces that enable players to enjoy games on smartphones and tablets without compromising quality. Reddit users frequently praise platforms with intuitive navigation, fast load times, and multilingual support, particularly in English and French, to cater to Canada’s bilingual population. 

    Round-the-clock customer support, available via live chat, email, or phone, is another hallmark of top casinos, ensuring players can resolve issues promptly.

    >>FIND A CASINO WITH TOP FEATURES AND FAIR PROMOTIONS!

    Canada’s Legal Framework for Online Gambling

    The legal landscape for online gambling in Canada is complex, with regulations varying by province. In 2022, Ontario launched a regulated market under iGaming Ontario, setting a benchmark for transparency and player protection. Licensed operators in Ontario must adhere to stringent standards, including accurate RTP reporting, robust cybersecurity, and responsible gambling tools like self-exclusion programs.

    Other provinces, such as British Columbia and Quebec, offer government-run platforms like PlayNow and Espacejeux, while offshore casinos remain accessible to players nationwide.

    Reddit users emphasize the importance of choosing licensed platforms to ensure safety and fairness. Reputable casinos hold licenses from authorities like the Malta Gaming Authority, Kahnawake Gaming Commission, or Curacao, which enforce rigorous standards for security and game integrity. Players are advised to verify licensing details and avoid unregulated platforms, which may pose risks to funds and data.

    Why New Online Casinos Stand Out in 2025

    Reddit users identify several qualities that distinguish the best new online casinos in Canada’s competitive market:

    • Player-Centric Design: Mobile optimization, intuitive interfaces, and multilingual support ensure accessibility for all players, from tech-savvy millennials to older generations.
    • Fair and Transparent Promotions: Generous bonuses with reasonable wagering requirements provide genuine value, avoiding the pitfalls of overly restrictive terms.
    • Diverse and High-Quality Games: Extensive libraries with high-RTP slots, immersive live dealer tables, and innovative game formats cater to diverse preferences.
    • Fast and Secure Transactions: Quick withdrawals via Interac, e-wallets, and cryptocurrencies, combined with robust encryption, build trust and convenience.
    • Commitment to Responsible Gambling: Tools like deposit limits and self-exclusion options reflect a dedication to player well-being, aligning with Canada’s regulatory priorities.

    These qualities resonate with Reddit users, who value platforms that prioritize entertainment, fairness, and accountability. The community’s emphasis on real-world experiences ensures that top-ranked casinos are those that consistently deliver on their promises.

    >>PLAYER-CENTRIC CASINO – UNCOVER WHAT SETS THEM APART!

    The Role of Reddit Players in Shaping Online Casinos

    Reddit’s role as a trusted resource cannot be overstated. Many Subreddits serve as forums for players to share successes, warn against pitfalls, and recommend platforms that exceed expectations. Unlike polished marketing campaigns, Reddit discussions offer raw, unfiltered insights, with users posting screenshots of payouts, detailing bonus experiences, and debating game strategies. This authenticity makes Reddit a vital tool for players navigating the crowded online casino market.

    The community also fosters a culture of responsible gambling, with users encouraging each other to set budgets, target high-RTP games, and treat gambling as entertainment rather than a financial strategy. Subreddits provide support for those facing challenges, reinforcing the importance of balance and self-awareness.

    Responsible Gambling in Canada

    Responsible gambling is a recurring theme in Reddit discussions, with casino players advocating for moderation and informed decision-making. Top casinos support this ethos by integrating tools to manage spending, such as deposit limits, reality checks, and self-exclusion options. These features empower players to enjoy gambling responsibly, minimizing the risk of financial or emotional harm.

    Reddit players also share practical tips for responsible play, such as setting strict budgets, avoiding chasing losses, and focusing on games with favorable odds. The best casinos prominently feature these tools, demonstrating a commitment to player welfare and aligning with Canada’s regulatory focus on harm reduction.

    Looking Ahead: The Future of Online Gambling in Canada

    1. Thriving Market in 2025: Canada’s online casino industry continues to grow, driven by technological advancements and increasing player demand.
    2. Technological Innovations:
    • Enhanced mobile gaming improves accessibility and user experience.
    • Virtual reality integration in live dealer games offers immersive gameplay.
    1. Rise of Crypto-Friendly Platforms:
    • Reddit users highlight the growing popularity of casinos that support cryptocurrencies.
    • Crypto platforms offer anonymity and instant transactions, appealing to tech-savvy players.
    1. Ontario’s Regulatory Leadership:
    • Ontario’s regulated market sets a benchmark for transparency and player protection.
    • Other provinces are likely to adopt similar regulatory frameworks.
    1. Reddit’s Role as a Resource:
    • Reddit remains a key platform for players seeking authentic, community-driven insights.
    • Subreddits guide players toward licensed casinos with fair promotions and responsible gambling practices.
    1. Player Experience:
    • Canadians enjoy a safe and exciting gaming environment with a diverse range of options.
    • Players can engage in slots, blackjack, live dealer games, and more, blending entertainment with reliability.

    Conclusion: A Player-Driven Guide to 2025

    The Reddit community’s insights into Canada’s top real money online casinos for 2025 offer a roadmap for players seeking quality, security, and value. These platforms stand out for their diverse game libraries, transparent bonuses, fast payouts, and commitment to responsible gambling, aligning with the preferences of Canada’s discerning players. As the industry evolves, Reddit’s role as a trusted, player-driven resource ensures that Canadians can make informed choices in a competitive market.

    Disclaimer:

    The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only. While we strive to present accurate and up-to-date details, the online casino industry is subject to constant changes. Always verify the terms and conditions of any casino platform before engaging. Gambling should be approached responsibly; please ensure you are aware of the risks involved and gamble only within your means. This article does not constitute advice or endorsement for any specific casino or gambling practice.

    Email:support@alligaming.com

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services, May 2025

    Source: US Bureau of Economic Analysis

    The U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis announced today that the goods and services deficit was $71.5 billion in May, up $11.3 billion from $60.3 billion in April, revised.

    U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services Deficit
    Deficit:

    $71.5 Billion

    +18.7%°
    Exports:

    $279.0 Billion

    –4.0%°
    Imports:

    $350.5 Billion

    –0.1%°

    Next release: Tuesday, August 5, 2025

    (°) Statistical significance is not applicable or not measurable. Data adjusted for seasonality but not price changes

    Source: U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis; U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services, July 3, 2025

    Exports, Imports, and Balance (exhibit 1)

    May exports were $279.0 billion, $11.6 billion less than April exports. May imports were $350.5 billion, $0.3 billion less than April imports.

    The May increase in the goods and services deficit reflected an increase in the goods deficit of $11.2 billion to $97.5 billion and a decrease in the services surplus of $0.1 billion to $26.0 billion.

    Year-to-date, the goods and services deficit increased $175.0 billion, or 50.4 percent, from the same period in 2024. Exports increased $73.6 billion or 5.5 percent. Imports increased $248.7 billion or 14.8 percent.

    Three-Month Moving Averages (exhibit 2)

    The average goods and services deficit decreased $16.8 billion to $90.0 billion for the three months ending in May.

    • Average exports increased $0.1 billion to $283.5 billion in May.
    • Average imports decreased $16.7 billion to $373.6 billion in May.

    Year-over-year, the average goods and services deficit increased $18.8 billion from the three months ending in May 2024.

    • Average exports increased $17.9 billion from May 2024.
    • Average imports increased $36.6 billion from May 2024.

    Exports (exhibits 3, 6, and 7)

    Exports of goods decreased $11.4 billion to $180.2 billion in May.

      Exports of goods on a Census basis decreased $10.8 billion.

    • Industrial supplies and materials decreased $10.0 billion.
      • Nonmonetary gold decreased $5.5 billion.
      • Natural gas decreased $1.1 billion.
      • Finished metal shapes decreased $1.0 billion.
    • Capital goods decreased $1.9 billion.
      • Semiconductors decreased $0.6 billion.
      • Civilian aircraft engines decreased $0.5 billion.
      • Telecommunications equipment decreased $0.4 billion.
      • Computer accessories increased $0.8 billion.
    • Consumer goods increased $1.5 billion.
      • Pharmaceutical preparations increased $1.1 billion.

      Net balance of payments adjustments decreased $0.6 billion.

    Exports of services decreased $0.2 billion to $98.8 billion in May.

    • Travel decreased $0.3 billion.
    • Transport decreased $0.2 billion.
    • Charges for the use of intellectual property increased $0.1 billion.
    • Other business services increased $0.1 billion.

    Imports (exhibits 4, 6, and 8)

    Imports of goods decreased $0.2 billion to $277.7 billion in May.

      Imports of goods on a Census basis decreased $0.3 billion.

    • Consumer goods decreased $4.0 billion.
      • Other textile apparel and household goods decreased $0.8 billion.
      • Toys, games, and sporting goods decreased $0.7 billion.
      • Pharmaceutical preparations increased $2.5 billion.
    • Industrial supplies and materials decreased $0.9 billion.
      • Finished metal shapes decreased $1.7 billion.
      • Nuclear fuel materials increased $0.6 billion.
    • Automotive vehicles, parts, and engines increased $3.4 billion.
      • Passenger cars increased $3.1 billion.
    • Other goods increased $1.0 billion.
    • Capital goods increased $0.3 billion.
      • Computers increased $4.4 billion.
      • Computer accessories decreased $2.8 billion.

      Net balance of payments adjustments increased $0.1 billion.

    Imports of services decreased $0.1 billion to $72.8 billion in May.

    • Transport decreased $0.4 billion.
    • Travel decreased $0.2 billion.
    • Other business services increased $0.1 billion.
    • Maintenance and repair services increased $0.1 billion.

    Real Goods in 2017 Dollars – Census Basis (exhibit 11)

    The real goods deficit increased $8.1 billion, or 9.6 percent, to $92.5 billion in May, compared to a 12.3 percent increase in the nominal deficit.

    • Real exports of goods decreased $8.2 billion, or 5.3 percent, to $148.3 billion, compared to a 5.7 percent decrease in nominal exports.
    • Real imports of goods decreased $0.1 billion, or 0.1 percent, to $240.8 billion, compared to a 0.1 percent decrease in nominal imports.

    Revisions

    Revisions to April exports

    • Exports of goods were revised up $1.1 billion.
    • Exports of services were revised up $0.1 billion.

    Revisions to April imports

    • Imports of goods were revised down less than $0.1 billion.
    • Imports of services were revised down $0.2 billion.

    Goods by Selected Countries and Areas: Monthly – Census Basis (exhibit 19)

    The May figures show surpluses, in billions of dollars, with Netherlands ($4.8), Hong Kong ($3.6), South and Central America ($3.3), Switzerland ($3.3), United Kingdom ($3.0), Australia ($1.5), Brazil ($0.5), Saudi Arabia ($0.5), Belgium ($0.4), Singapore ($0.3), and Israel ($0.1). Deficits were recorded, in billions of dollars, with European Union ($22.5), Mexico ($17.1), Vietnam ($14.9), China ($14.0), Ireland ($11.8), Taiwan ($11.5), Germany ($6.8), Japan ($5.8), South Korea ($5.4), India ($5.1), Canada ($2.8), Italy ($2.6), Malaysia ($2.4), and France ($0.5).

    • The deficit with Mexico increased $3.6 billion to $17.1 billion in May. Exports decreased $0.3 billion to $27.5 billion and imports increased $3.3 billion to $44.6 billion.
    • The deficit with Ireland increased $2.4 billion to $11.8 billion in May. Exports increased $0.2 billion to $1.6 billion and imports increased $2.5 billion to $13.4 billion.
    • The deficit with China decreased $5.7 billion to $14.0 billion in May. Exports decreased $1.7 billion to $6.9 billion and imports decreased $7.4 billion to $20.9 billion.

    All statistics referenced are seasonally adjusted; statistics are on a balance of payments basis unless otherwise specified. Additional statistics, including not seasonally adjusted statistics and details for goods on a Census basis, are available in exhibits 1-20b of this release. For information on data sources, definitions, and revision procedures, see the explanatory notes in this release. The full release can be found at www.census.gov/foreign-trade/Press-Release/current_press_release/index.html or www.bea.gov/data/intl-trade-investment/international-trade-goods-and-services. The full schedule is available in the Census Bureau’s Economic Briefing Room at www.census.gov/economic-indicators/ or on BEA’s website at www.bea.gov/news/schedule.

    Next release: August 5, 2025, at 8:30 a.m. EDT
    U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services, June 2025

    Notice

    Update to BEA’s Annual International Services Tables

    BEA’s annual international services tables—BEA’s most detailed trade in services statistics by service type and geographic area—are scheduled for release at 10:00 a.m. on July 3, 2025, for statistics through 2024. With this release, BEA is introducing “Table 2.4. U.S. Trade in Services, Expanded Geographic Detail,” which presents total services exports, imports, and balance for 237 countries and areas, 147 more than the 90 presented in tables 2.2 and 2.3, beginning with statistics for 2018.

    If you have questions or need additional information, please contact BEA, Balance of Payments Division, at InternationalAccounts@bea.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services, May 2025

    Source: US Bureau of Economic Analysis

    The U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis announced today that the goods and services deficit was $71.5 billion in May, up $11.3 billion from $60.3 billion in April, revised.

    U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services Deficit
    Deficit:

    $71.5 Billion

    +18.7%°
    Exports:

    $279.0 Billion

    –4.0%°
    Imports:

    $350.5 Billion

    –0.1%°

    Next release: Tuesday, August 5, 2025

    (°) Statistical significance is not applicable or not measurable. Data adjusted for seasonality but not price changes

    Source: U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis; U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services, July 3, 2025

    Exports, Imports, and Balance (exhibit 1)

    May exports were $279.0 billion, $11.6 billion less than April exports. May imports were $350.5 billion, $0.3 billion less than April imports.

    The May increase in the goods and services deficit reflected an increase in the goods deficit of $11.2 billion to $97.5 billion and a decrease in the services surplus of $0.1 billion to $26.0 billion.

    Year-to-date, the goods and services deficit increased $175.0 billion, or 50.4 percent, from the same period in 2024. Exports increased $73.6 billion or 5.5 percent. Imports increased $248.7 billion or 14.8 percent.

    Three-Month Moving Averages (exhibit 2)

    The average goods and services deficit decreased $16.8 billion to $90.0 billion for the three months ending in May.

    • Average exports increased $0.1 billion to $283.5 billion in May.
    • Average imports decreased $16.7 billion to $373.6 billion in May.

    Year-over-year, the average goods and services deficit increased $18.8 billion from the three months ending in May 2024.

    • Average exports increased $17.9 billion from May 2024.
    • Average imports increased $36.6 billion from May 2024.

    Exports (exhibits 3, 6, and 7)

    Exports of goods decreased $11.4 billion to $180.2 billion in May.

      Exports of goods on a Census basis decreased $10.8 billion.

    • Industrial supplies and materials decreased $10.0 billion.
      • Nonmonetary gold decreased $5.5 billion.
      • Natural gas decreased $1.1 billion.
      • Finished metal shapes decreased $1.0 billion.
    • Capital goods decreased $1.9 billion.
      • Semiconductors decreased $0.6 billion.
      • Civilian aircraft engines decreased $0.5 billion.
      • Telecommunications equipment decreased $0.4 billion.
      • Computer accessories increased $0.8 billion.
    • Consumer goods increased $1.5 billion.
      • Pharmaceutical preparations increased $1.1 billion.

      Net balance of payments adjustments decreased $0.6 billion.

    Exports of services decreased $0.2 billion to $98.8 billion in May.

    • Travel decreased $0.3 billion.
    • Transport decreased $0.2 billion.
    • Charges for the use of intellectual property increased $0.1 billion.
    • Other business services increased $0.1 billion.

    Imports (exhibits 4, 6, and 8)

    Imports of goods decreased $0.2 billion to $277.7 billion in May.

      Imports of goods on a Census basis decreased $0.3 billion.

    • Consumer goods decreased $4.0 billion.
      • Other textile apparel and household goods decreased $0.8 billion.
      • Toys, games, and sporting goods decreased $0.7 billion.
      • Pharmaceutical preparations increased $2.5 billion.
    • Industrial supplies and materials decreased $0.9 billion.
      • Finished metal shapes decreased $1.7 billion.
      • Nuclear fuel materials increased $0.6 billion.
    • Automotive vehicles, parts, and engines increased $3.4 billion.
      • Passenger cars increased $3.1 billion.
    • Other goods increased $1.0 billion.
    • Capital goods increased $0.3 billion.
      • Computers increased $4.4 billion.
      • Computer accessories decreased $2.8 billion.

      Net balance of payments adjustments increased $0.1 billion.

    Imports of services decreased $0.1 billion to $72.8 billion in May.

    • Transport decreased $0.4 billion.
    • Travel decreased $0.2 billion.
    • Other business services increased $0.1 billion.
    • Maintenance and repair services increased $0.1 billion.

    Real Goods in 2017 Dollars – Census Basis (exhibit 11)

    The real goods deficit increased $8.1 billion, or 9.6 percent, to $92.5 billion in May, compared to a 12.3 percent increase in the nominal deficit.

    • Real exports of goods decreased $8.2 billion, or 5.3 percent, to $148.3 billion, compared to a 5.7 percent decrease in nominal exports.
    • Real imports of goods decreased $0.1 billion, or 0.1 percent, to $240.8 billion, compared to a 0.1 percent decrease in nominal imports.

    Revisions

    Revisions to April exports

    • Exports of goods were revised up $1.1 billion.
    • Exports of services were revised up $0.1 billion.

    Revisions to April imports

    • Imports of goods were revised down less than $0.1 billion.
    • Imports of services were revised down $0.2 billion.

    Goods by Selected Countries and Areas: Monthly – Census Basis (exhibit 19)

    The May figures show surpluses, in billions of dollars, with Netherlands ($4.8), Hong Kong ($3.6), South and Central America ($3.3), Switzerland ($3.3), United Kingdom ($3.0), Australia ($1.5), Brazil ($0.5), Saudi Arabia ($0.5), Belgium ($0.4), Singapore ($0.3), and Israel ($0.1). Deficits were recorded, in billions of dollars, with European Union ($22.5), Mexico ($17.1), Vietnam ($14.9), China ($14.0), Ireland ($11.8), Taiwan ($11.5), Germany ($6.8), Japan ($5.8), South Korea ($5.4), India ($5.1), Canada ($2.8), Italy ($2.6), Malaysia ($2.4), and France ($0.5).

    • The deficit with Mexico increased $3.6 billion to $17.1 billion in May. Exports decreased $0.3 billion to $27.5 billion and imports increased $3.3 billion to $44.6 billion.
    • The deficit with Ireland increased $2.4 billion to $11.8 billion in May. Exports increased $0.2 billion to $1.6 billion and imports increased $2.5 billion to $13.4 billion.
    • The deficit with China decreased $5.7 billion to $14.0 billion in May. Exports decreased $1.7 billion to $6.9 billion and imports decreased $7.4 billion to $20.9 billion.

    All statistics referenced are seasonally adjusted; statistics are on a balance of payments basis unless otherwise specified. Additional statistics, including not seasonally adjusted statistics and details for goods on a Census basis, are available in exhibits 1-20b of this release. For information on data sources, definitions, and revision procedures, see the explanatory notes in this release. The full release can be found at www.census.gov/foreign-trade/Press-Release/current_press_release/index.html or www.bea.gov/data/intl-trade-investment/international-trade-goods-and-services. The full schedule is available in the Census Bureau’s Economic Briefing Room at www.census.gov/economic-indicators/ or on BEA’s website at www.bea.gov/news/schedule.

    Next release: August 5, 2025, at 8:30 a.m. EDT
    U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services, June 2025

    Notice

    Update to BEA’s Annual International Services Tables

    BEA’s annual international services tables—BEA’s most detailed trade in services statistics by service type and geographic area—are scheduled for release at 10:00 a.m. on July 3, 2025, for statistics through 2024. With this release, BEA is introducing “Table 2.4. U.S. Trade in Services, Expanded Geographic Detail,” which presents total services exports, imports, and balance for 237 countries and areas, 147 more than the 90 presented in tables 2.2 and 2.3, beginning with statistics for 2018.

    If you have questions or need additional information, please contact BEA, Balance of Payments Division, at InternationalAccounts@bea.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services, May 2025

    Source: US Bureau of Economic Analysis

    The U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis announced today that the goods and services deficit was $71.5 billion in May, up $11.3 billion from $60.3 billion in April, revised.

    U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services Deficit
    Deficit:

    $71.5 Billion

    +18.7%°
    Exports:

    $279.0 Billion

    –4.0%°
    Imports:

    $350.5 Billion

    –0.1%°

    Next release: Tuesday, August 5, 2025

    (°) Statistical significance is not applicable or not measurable. Data adjusted for seasonality but not price changes

    Source: U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis; U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services, July 3, 2025

    Exports, Imports, and Balance (exhibit 1)

    May exports were $279.0 billion, $11.6 billion less than April exports. May imports were $350.5 billion, $0.3 billion less than April imports.

    The May increase in the goods and services deficit reflected an increase in the goods deficit of $11.2 billion to $97.5 billion and a decrease in the services surplus of $0.1 billion to $26.0 billion.

    Year-to-date, the goods and services deficit increased $175.0 billion, or 50.4 percent, from the same period in 2024. Exports increased $73.6 billion or 5.5 percent. Imports increased $248.7 billion or 14.8 percent.

    Three-Month Moving Averages (exhibit 2)

    The average goods and services deficit decreased $16.8 billion to $90.0 billion for the three months ending in May.

    • Average exports increased $0.1 billion to $283.5 billion in May.
    • Average imports decreased $16.7 billion to $373.6 billion in May.

    Year-over-year, the average goods and services deficit increased $18.8 billion from the three months ending in May 2024.

    • Average exports increased $17.9 billion from May 2024.
    • Average imports increased $36.6 billion from May 2024.

    Exports (exhibits 3, 6, and 7)

    Exports of goods decreased $11.4 billion to $180.2 billion in May.

      Exports of goods on a Census basis decreased $10.8 billion.

    • Industrial supplies and materials decreased $10.0 billion.
      • Nonmonetary gold decreased $5.5 billion.
      • Natural gas decreased $1.1 billion.
      • Finished metal shapes decreased $1.0 billion.
    • Capital goods decreased $1.9 billion.
      • Semiconductors decreased $0.6 billion.
      • Civilian aircraft engines decreased $0.5 billion.
      • Telecommunications equipment decreased $0.4 billion.
      • Computer accessories increased $0.8 billion.
    • Consumer goods increased $1.5 billion.
      • Pharmaceutical preparations increased $1.1 billion.

      Net balance of payments adjustments decreased $0.6 billion.

    Exports of services decreased $0.2 billion to $98.8 billion in May.

    • Travel decreased $0.3 billion.
    • Transport decreased $0.2 billion.
    • Charges for the use of intellectual property increased $0.1 billion.
    • Other business services increased $0.1 billion.

    Imports (exhibits 4, 6, and 8)

    Imports of goods decreased $0.2 billion to $277.7 billion in May.

      Imports of goods on a Census basis decreased $0.3 billion.

    • Consumer goods decreased $4.0 billion.
      • Other textile apparel and household goods decreased $0.8 billion.
      • Toys, games, and sporting goods decreased $0.7 billion.
      • Pharmaceutical preparations increased $2.5 billion.
    • Industrial supplies and materials decreased $0.9 billion.
      • Finished metal shapes decreased $1.7 billion.
      • Nuclear fuel materials increased $0.6 billion.
    • Automotive vehicles, parts, and engines increased $3.4 billion.
      • Passenger cars increased $3.1 billion.
    • Other goods increased $1.0 billion.
    • Capital goods increased $0.3 billion.
      • Computers increased $4.4 billion.
      • Computer accessories decreased $2.8 billion.

      Net balance of payments adjustments increased $0.1 billion.

    Imports of services decreased $0.1 billion to $72.8 billion in May.

    • Transport decreased $0.4 billion.
    • Travel decreased $0.2 billion.
    • Other business services increased $0.1 billion.
    • Maintenance and repair services increased $0.1 billion.

    Real Goods in 2017 Dollars – Census Basis (exhibit 11)

    The real goods deficit increased $8.1 billion, or 9.6 percent, to $92.5 billion in May, compared to a 12.3 percent increase in the nominal deficit.

    • Real exports of goods decreased $8.2 billion, or 5.3 percent, to $148.3 billion, compared to a 5.7 percent decrease in nominal exports.
    • Real imports of goods decreased $0.1 billion, or 0.1 percent, to $240.8 billion, compared to a 0.1 percent decrease in nominal imports.

    Revisions

    Revisions to April exports

    • Exports of goods were revised up $1.1 billion.
    • Exports of services were revised up $0.1 billion.

    Revisions to April imports

    • Imports of goods were revised down less than $0.1 billion.
    • Imports of services were revised down $0.2 billion.

    Goods by Selected Countries and Areas: Monthly – Census Basis (exhibit 19)

    The May figures show surpluses, in billions of dollars, with Netherlands ($4.8), Hong Kong ($3.6), South and Central America ($3.3), Switzerland ($3.3), United Kingdom ($3.0), Australia ($1.5), Brazil ($0.5), Saudi Arabia ($0.5), Belgium ($0.4), Singapore ($0.3), and Israel ($0.1). Deficits were recorded, in billions of dollars, with European Union ($22.5), Mexico ($17.1), Vietnam ($14.9), China ($14.0), Ireland ($11.8), Taiwan ($11.5), Germany ($6.8), Japan ($5.8), South Korea ($5.4), India ($5.1), Canada ($2.8), Italy ($2.6), Malaysia ($2.4), and France ($0.5).

    • The deficit with Mexico increased $3.6 billion to $17.1 billion in May. Exports decreased $0.3 billion to $27.5 billion and imports increased $3.3 billion to $44.6 billion.
    • The deficit with Ireland increased $2.4 billion to $11.8 billion in May. Exports increased $0.2 billion to $1.6 billion and imports increased $2.5 billion to $13.4 billion.
    • The deficit with China decreased $5.7 billion to $14.0 billion in May. Exports decreased $1.7 billion to $6.9 billion and imports decreased $7.4 billion to $20.9 billion.

    All statistics referenced are seasonally adjusted; statistics are on a balance of payments basis unless otherwise specified. Additional statistics, including not seasonally adjusted statistics and details for goods on a Census basis, are available in exhibits 1-20b of this release. For information on data sources, definitions, and revision procedures, see the explanatory notes in this release. The full release can be found at www.census.gov/foreign-trade/Press-Release/current_press_release/index.html or www.bea.gov/data/intl-trade-investment/international-trade-goods-and-services. The full schedule is available in the Census Bureau’s Economic Briefing Room at www.census.gov/economic-indicators/ or on BEA’s website at www.bea.gov/news/schedule.

    Next release: August 5, 2025, at 8:30 a.m. EDT
    U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services, June 2025

    Notice

    Update to BEA’s Annual International Services Tables

    BEA’s annual international services tables—BEA’s most detailed trade in services statistics by service type and geographic area—are scheduled for release at 10:00 a.m. on July 3, 2025, for statistics through 2024. With this release, BEA is introducing “Table 2.4. U.S. Trade in Services, Expanded Geographic Detail,” which presents total services exports, imports, and balance for 237 countries and areas, 147 more than the 90 presented in tables 2.2 and 2.3, beginning with statistics for 2018.

    If you have questions or need additional information, please contact BEA, Balance of Payments Division, at InternationalAccounts@bea.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Quadient recognized for the quality of its financial communication at the 2025 Transparency Awards

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Quadient recognized for the quality of its financial communication at the 2025 Transparency Awards

    Quadient (Euronext Paris: QDT), a global automation platform powering secure and sustainable business connections, was honored at the 16th edition of the Transparency Awards, receiving the Transparency Prize in the “Outside SBF 120” category.

    Organized by Labrador, a leading authority in regulated information, the Transparency Awards are based on a thorough analysis of three public sources: the Universal Registration Document, the Annual General Meeting notice brochure, and the corporate website. For this 16th edition, 135 listed French companies were evaluated between March 31 and June 5, 2025, using a grid of 360 objective criteria structured around five core pillars of transparency: accessibility, accuracy, comparability, availability, and clarity.

    This distinction highlights the Group’s ongoing commitment to rigorous, transparent, and intelligible communication with all its shareholders and stakeholders.

    “Transparency is at the heart of the trust we build every day with our stakeholders. This award acknowledges our commitment to delivering clear, sincere, and comprehensive information. By upholding this standard, we strengthen, over time, the quality of our dialogue with investors, clients, and our broader ecosystem,” said Laurent du Passage, Chief Financial Officer of Quadient.

    ***

    About Quadient®
    Quadient is a global automation platform powering secure and sustainable business connections through digital and physical channels. Quadient supports businesses of all sizes in their digital transformation and growth journey, unlocking operational efficiency and creating meaningful customer experiences. Listed in compartment B of Euronext Paris (QDT) and part of the CAC® Mid & Small and EnterNext® Tech 40 indices, Quadient shares are eligible for PEA-PME investing.

    For more information about Quadient, visit https://invest.quadient.com/.

    Contacts

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • PM Modi receives Ghana’s highest civilian award, now honoured by 24 countries

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on a five-nation tour, was on Wednesday conferred with Ghana’s highest civilian award — the Officer of the Order of the Star of Ghana.

    The honour was bestowed during his landmark visit to the West African nation, the first by an Indian Prime Minister in over three decades.

    With this, PM Modi has now received the highest civilian honours from 24 countries, the most by any Indian leader. These prestigious accolades include Russia’s Order of St. Andrew, the UAE’s Zayed Medal, France’s Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, the Maldives’ Rule of Nishan Izzuddin, as well as similar recognitions from Nigeria, Cyprus, Fiji, and others.

    Accepting the award, PM Modi dedicated it to the 1.4 billion citizens of India, particularly its youth, rich cultural traditions, and diversity. He also highlighted the deep-rooted ties between India and Ghana, built on a shared foundation of democratic values and mutual respect.

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Paul-André Rosental is appointed as Scientific Director

    Source: Universities – Science Po in English

    July 1st, 2025

    Luis Vassy, President of Sciences Po, has appointed Paul-André Rosental as Scientific Director. 

    Paul-André Rosental is a University Professor at Sciences Po, where he has served as Director of the Centre for History since 2022. His research focuses on the history of the biopolitical domain, a broad field encompassing social protection, demography, migration, and public health. With a deeply interdisciplinary academic background, he is the author of several books published both in France and internationally, as well as over one hundred scholarly articles — including around thirty in medical journals. In this field, he has led a major project funded by the European Research Council, rooted in his work as a historian, which has had a tangible impact on occupational health policies in both France and the United States. Paul-André Rosental serves on numerous scientific advisory boards in France and abroad, notably within the Population Europe network in Berlin and the French Institute for Public Health Research (IReSP).

    Luis Vassy, President of Sciences Po: “I am proud to entrust the role of Scientific Director to Paul-André Rosental, who is not only a distinguished scholar but also a leading advocate of interdisciplinarity and a perceptive observer of the higher education and research landscape, both in France and abroad. With his exceptional expertise and strategic vision, he will make a decisive contribution to our scientific excellence, to the dynamism and vitality of our research units, to the integration of research and teaching, and to the opening of new fields of scientific inquiry. I am delighted to rely on him to further elevate the intellectual ambition and visibility of Sciences Po.”

    Paul-André Rosental, Scientific Director: ” Sciences Po must reflect, teach, and act in a historical moment which marks a break with the post-Cold War era. The reason why a historian offers to lead its scientific policy at such a turning point, is because a long-term perspective is essential to distinguish transformations that echo familiar patterns from those that demand new models of understanding. Thinking through the unprecedented — by strengthening our academic and public presence, and preparing our student and doctoral community for the responsibilities they will bear — will be the guiding principle of my mandate as Scientific Director.”

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Decree of the Dicastery for Legislative Texts on the Formulary and Biblical Readings for the Mass for the Care of Creation

    Source: The Holy See

    Decree of the Dicastery for Legislative Texts on the Formulary and Biblical Readings for the Mass for the Care of Creation, 03.07.2025
    DECREE
    on the formulary and Biblical readings
    for the Mass for the Care of Creation
    “Let Your works praise You, that we may love You; and let us love You, that Your works may praise You (Augustine, Confessions, 13,33; PL 32)
    The mystery of creation is the beginning of salvation history, which culminates in Christ and from the mystery of Christ it receives definitive light; in fact, by manifesting His goodness, “in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Gen 1,1) God already from these origins had in mind the glory of the new creation in Christ.
    Sacred Scripture exhorts humankind to contemplate the mystery of creation and to give endless thanks to the Holy Trinity for this sign of His benevolence, which, like a precious treasure, is to be loved, cherished and simultaneously advanced, as well as handed down from generation to generation.
    At this time it is evident that the work of creation is seriously threatened because of the irresponsible use and abuse of the goods God has endowed to our care (cf. Laudato si’ n. 2).
    This is why it is considered appropriate to add a Mass formulary “pro custodia creationis” to the Missae “pro variis necessitatibus vel ad diversa” of the Roman Missal.
    In the Eucharist “The world which came forth from God’s hands returns to him in blessed and undivided adoration: in the bread of the Eucharist, ‘creation is projected towards divinization, towards the holy wedding feast, towards unification with the Creator himself’ (Benedict XVI, Homily for the Mass of Corpus Domini, 15 June 2006). Thus, the Eucharist is also a source of light and motivation for our concerns for the environment, directing us to be stewards of all creation” (Laudato si’ n. 236).
    The Supreme Pontiff LEO XIV approved this formulary along with appropriate biblical readings, drawn up in Latin and attached to this Decree, and ordered that they be disseminated, and now the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments promulgates it and declares it to be the typical text.
    Anything to the contrary notwithstanding.
    From the Dicastery for the Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, 8 June 2025, Solemnity of Pentecost.
    Arthur Card. Roche
    Prefect
    ✠ Vittorio Francesco Viola, O.F.M.
    Archbishop Secretary

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: ‘Gas station heroin’: the drug sold as a dietary supplement that’s linked to overdoses and deaths

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Michelle Sahai, Computational Biochemist, Brunel University of London

    US Food and Drug Administration, Office of Regulatory Affairs, Health Fraud Branch

    The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued an urgent warning about tianeptine – a substance marketed as a dietary supplement but known on the street as “gas station heroin”.

    Linked to overdoses and deaths, it is being sold in petrol stations, smoke shops and online retailers, despite never being approved for medical use in the US.

    But what exactly is tianeptine, and why is it causing alarm?

    Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.

    Tianeptine was developed in France in the 1960s and approved for medical use in the late 1980s as a treatment for depression.

    Structurally, it resembles tricyclic antidepressants – an older class of antidepressant – but pharmacologically it behaves very differently. Unlike conventional antidepressants, which typically increase serotonin levels, tianeptine appears to act on the brain’s glutamate system, which is involved in learning and memory.

    It is used as a prescription drug in some European, Asian and Latin American countries under brand names like Stablon or Coaxil. But researchers later discovered something unusual, tianeptine also activates the brain’s mu-opioid receptors, the same receptors targeted by morphine and heroin – hence it’s nickname “gas station heroin”.

    As a prescription drug, tianeptine is sold under various brand names, including Stablon.
    Wikimedia Commons

    At prescribed doses, the effect is subtle, but in large amounts, tianeptine can trigger euphoria, sedation and eventually dependence. People chasing a high might take doses far beyond anything recommended in medical settings.

    Despite never being approved by the FDA, the drug is sold in the US as a “wellness” product or nootropic – a substance supposedly used to enhance mood or mental clarity. It’s packaged as capsules, powders or liquids, often misleadingly labelled as dietary supplements.

    This loophole has enabled companies to circumvent regulation. Products like Neptune’s Fix have been promoted as safe and legal alternatives to traditional medications, despite lacking any clinical oversight and often containing unlisted or dangerous ingredients.

    Some samples have even been found to contain synthetic cannabinoids and other drugs. According to US poison control data, calls related to tianeptine exposure rose by over 500% between 2018 and 2023. In 2024 alone, the drug was involved in more than 300 poisoning cases. The FDA’s latest advisory included product recalls and import warnings.

    Users have taken to the social media site Reddit, including a dedicated channel, and other forums to describe their experiences, both the highs and the grim withdrawals. Some report taking hundreds of pills a day. Others struggle to quit, describing cravings and relapses that mirror those seen with classic opioid addiction.

    Since tianeptine doesn’t show up in standard toxicology screenings, health professionals may not recognise it. According to doctors in North America, it could be present in hospital patients without being detected, particularly in cases involving seizures or unusual heart symptoms.

    People report experiencing withdrawal symptoms that resemble those of opioids, like fentanyl, including anxiety, tremors, insomnia, diarrhoea and muscle pain. Some have been hospitalised due to seizures, loss of consciousness and respiratory depression.

    UK legality

    In the UK, tianeptine is not licensed for medical use by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and it is not classified as a controlled substance under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. That puts it in a legal grey area, not formally approved, but not illegal to possess either.

    It can be bought online from overseas vendors, and a quick search reveals dozens of sellers offering “research-grade” powder and capsules.

    There is little evidence that tianeptine is circulating widely in the UK; to date, just one confirmed sample has been publicly recorded in a national drug testing database. It’s not mentioned in recent Home Office or Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs briefings, and it does not appear in official crime or hospital statistics.

    But that may simply reflect the fact that no one is looking for it. Without testing protocols in place, it could be present, just unrecorded.

    Because of its chemical structure and unusual effects, if tianeptine did show up in a UK emergency department, it could easily be mistaken for a tricyclic antidepressant overdose, or even dismissed as recreational drug use. This makes it harder to diagnose and treat appropriately.

    It’s possible, particularly among people seeking alternatives to harder-to-access opioids, or those looking for a legal high. With its low visibility, online availability and potential for addiction, tianeptine ticks many of the same boxes that once made drugs like mephedrone or spice popular before they were banned.

    The UK has seen waves of novel psychoactive substances emerge through similar routes, first appearing online or in head shops, then spreading quietly until authorities responded. If tianeptine follows the same path, by the time it appears on the radar, harm may already be underway.

    Michelle Sahai 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. ‘Gas station heroin’: the drug sold as a dietary supplement that’s linked to overdoses and deaths – https://theconversation.com/gas-station-heroin-the-drug-sold-as-a-dietary-supplement-thats-linked-to-overdoses-and-deaths-259194

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Virgin by Lorde is a layered work of performance art – her smartest references explained

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Lillian Hingley, Postdoctoral Researcher in English Literature, University of Oxford

    With her latest album, Virgin, Lorde is stretching the concept of the virgin beyond the common definition. Some may consider the album’s title and its cover art – an X-ray of Lorde’s pelvis showing an IUD – to be contradictory.

    But while Lorde could still be using contraception for purposes beyond birth control, its presence shows that the album doesn’t shy away from discussions of sexual activities and the risk of pregnancy (two themes that are clearly discussed in the track Clearblue).

    As she also shows with her approach to gender in the album’s opening song, Hammer (“Some days, I’m a woman, some days, I’m a man”), Lorde is testing and muddying common dualisms.

    The scientific perspective offered by the album art forces the viewer to look through Lorde’s body, but we are also looking beyond her reproductive organs. Certainly, Lorde sometimes conceptualises virginity as something that can only be given once, as she explains on David.

    Looking for something good? Cut through the noise with a carefully curated selection of the latest releases, live events and exhibitions, straight to your inbox every fortnight, on Fridays. Sign up here.

    In Hammer, her quip “don’t know if it’s love or if it’s ovulation” is a comedic musing on whether an experience is profoundly transcendental or just the product of hormones. But what strikes me is the fact that her concepts and themes are not static or singular.

    This album is exploring the idea of being made, or even remade, through experience. In If She Could See Me Now, Lorde recounts how painful moments “made me a woman”.

    Like French philosopher Simone de Beauvoir’s phrase “one is not born, but rather becomes, a woman”, Lorde is exploring how her body is being changed by what she has been through. As she sings in What Was That?: “I try to let whatever has to pass through me pass through.”

    Again, while she on the one hand describes something moving through her body, she’s also describing an attempt to move through something that has happened to her – turning a passive experience into one of acceptance and action. Here we might think of another notion of virginity: a substance before it is processed. Virginity is part of the experience of being changed, or reborn, into something else.

    This is not to say that Virgin is uninterested in the body. Lorde’s discussion of her eating disorder in Broken Glass is a case in point.

    Lorde as performance artist

    The visuals accompanying Virgin emphasise Lorde’s status as a performance artist. The crescendo of the What Was That video is a spontaneous public performance of Virgin’s first single.

    The music video for What Was That.

    When Lorde released the second single, Man of the Year, she posted on her website:

    TRYING TO MAKE IT SOUND LIKE A FONTANA, LIKE PAINTING BITTEN BY A MAN, LIKE THE NEW YORK EARTH ROOM. THE SOUND OF MY REBIRTH.

    The simile here, or the idea of making music sound “like” visual art, emphasises the tactility of Lorde’s work. Each artistic piece referenced here is concerned with physically intervening into the conventional art gallery set-up.

    Italian artist Lucio Fontana’s Spacial Concept series (1960) included slashed canvases a disruption of the body of the artwork with yonic – in other words, vulva-like – imagery (indeed, it challenges how “damaged” artworks are usually hidden from audiences, waiting to be restored).

    Similarly, American artist Jasper Johns’ Painting Bitten by a Man (1961) is an encaustic painting (derived from the Greek word for “burned in”), which shows off the markings of someone who has bitten into the canvas.

    The video for Man of the Year.

    The music video for Man of the Year is filmed in a room that is filled with dirt. This is a clear nod to American sculptor Walter de Maria’s New York Earth Room (1977). The piece also fills a white room in New York with this unexpected material: earth inside a building, where mushrooms can grow.

    The video for Man of the Year may also be referencing another artwork. Lorde is shown using duct tape to bind her breasts. While this points to Lorde’s exploration of her body and gender identity, the material also recalls Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan’s duct-taped banana artwork, Comedian.

    Offering phallic imagery to Fontana’s yonic imagery, Cattelan’s piece mirrors Lorde’s concern with ontology, or definition. What makes something art?

    Prometheus (Un)bound?

    But just as Lorde is binding herself in new ways, she is unbinding herself in others. In If She Could See Me Now, Lorde declares: “I’m going back to the clay.”

    Here that the album recalls the Prometheus myth: the ancient Greek story that Prometheus fashioned humans out of mud (or clay) and gave his creations fire.

    The closing track, David, offers another ancient allusion, this time about David and Goliath. David – who, as a harpist, is a musician like Lorde – kills the giant man with stones. This reference furthers the song’s discussion of the problem of treating a man, a lover, like a god.

    In David Lorde explores similar themes to Mary Shelley.

    This subtle reference to the killing of Goliath adds another layer to the euphemism for male testicles explored in Shapeshifter: “Do you have the stones?”. Perhaps Virgin is doing what Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (1818) did with the Prometheus tale: both exploring what happens when a man tries to create and determine the fate of another being, whether nature or nurture make a person, and how a new body can be refashioned from old ones.

    After listening to the entire album, I was struck by how Lorde is exploring different facets of another question: who, exactly, is Lorde? Especially now that she is embracing who she is beyond the yoke of other people – or the demons – that have shaped her? Virgin shows that Lorde now wants to return “to the clay”, or to remake who she is, now that she is unbound by Prometheus.

    This article features references to books that have been included for editorial reasons, and may contain links to bookshop.org. If you click on one of the links and go on to buy something from bookshop.org The Conversation UK may earn a commission.

    Lillian Hingley 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. Virgin by Lorde is a layered work of performance art – her smartest references explained – https://theconversation.com/virgin-by-lorde-is-a-layered-work-of-performance-art-her-smartest-references-explained-260181

    MIL OSI –

  • UN expert urges states to cut Israel trade ties over ‘apocalyptic’ Gaza situation

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    A U.N. expert on Thursday called on states to impose an arms embargo and cut off trade and financial ties with Israel, which she alleged is waging a “genocidal campaign” in Gaza.

    In a speech to the U.N. Human Rights Council, U.N. Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories Francesca Albanese said: “The situation in the occupied Palestinian territory is apocalyptic.”

    “Israel is responsible for one of the cruellest genocides in modern history,” she added, in a speech that was met with a burst of applause from the Geneva council.

    Israel’s diplomatic mission in Geneva did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Albanese’s speech.

    Israel has rejected accusations of genocide in Gaza, citing its right to self-defence following the deadly October 7, 2023, Hamas attack. Its delegate was not present in the room in line with a new policy to disengage with the council which Israel says has an antisemitic bias.

    Albanese, one of dozens of independent U.N.-mandated experts to document abuses around the world, was presenting her latest report which named over 60 companies she said were involved in supporting Israeli settlements and military actions in Gaza.

    “What I expose is not a list, it is a system, and that is to be addressed,” she told the council.

    “We must reverse the tide,” she added, calling for states to impose a full arms embargo, suspend all trade agreements and ensure companies face legal consequences for their involvement in violations of international law.

    Israel’s diplomatic mission in Geneva earlier this week said Albanese’s latest report was “legally groundless, defamatory and a flagrant abuse of her office”.

    (Reuters)

  • UN expert urges states to cut Israel trade ties over ‘apocalyptic’ Gaza situation

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    A U.N. expert on Thursday called on states to impose an arms embargo and cut off trade and financial ties with Israel, which she alleged is waging a “genocidal campaign” in Gaza.

    In a speech to the U.N. Human Rights Council, U.N. Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories Francesca Albanese said: “The situation in the occupied Palestinian territory is apocalyptic.”

    “Israel is responsible for one of the cruellest genocides in modern history,” she added, in a speech that was met with a burst of applause from the Geneva council.

    Israel’s diplomatic mission in Geneva did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Albanese’s speech.

    Israel has rejected accusations of genocide in Gaza, citing its right to self-defence following the deadly October 7, 2023, Hamas attack. Its delegate was not present in the room in line with a new policy to disengage with the council which Israel says has an antisemitic bias.

    Albanese, one of dozens of independent U.N.-mandated experts to document abuses around the world, was presenting her latest report which named over 60 companies she said were involved in supporting Israeli settlements and military actions in Gaza.

    “What I expose is not a list, it is a system, and that is to be addressed,” she told the council.

    “We must reverse the tide,” she added, calling for states to impose a full arms embargo, suspend all trade agreements and ensure companies face legal consequences for their involvement in violations of international law.

    Israel’s diplomatic mission in Geneva earlier this week said Albanese’s latest report was “legally groundless, defamatory and a flagrant abuse of her office”.

    (Reuters)

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Virgin by Lorde is a layered work of performance art – her smartest references explained

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Lillian Hingley, Postdoctoral Researcher in English Literature, University of Oxford

    With her latest album, Virgin, Lorde is stretching the concept of the virgin beyond the common definition. Some may consider the album’s title and its cover art – an X-ray of Lorde’s pelvis showing an IUD – to be contradictory.

    But while Lorde could still be using contraception for purposes beyond birth control, its presence shows that the album doesn’t shy away from discussions of sexual activities and the risk of pregnancy (two themes that are clearly discussed in the track Clearblue).

    As she also shows with her approach to gender in the album’s opening song, Hammer (“Some days, I’m a woman, some days, I’m a man”), Lorde is testing and muddying common dualisms.

    The scientific perspective offered by the album art forces the viewer to look through Lorde’s body, but we are also looking beyond her reproductive organs. Certainly, Lorde sometimes conceptualises virginity as something that can only be given once, as she explains on David.

    Looking for something good? Cut through the noise with a carefully curated selection of the latest releases, live events and exhibitions, straight to your inbox every fortnight, on Fridays. Sign up here.

    In Hammer, her quip “don’t know if it’s love or if it’s ovulation” is a comedic musing on whether an experience is profoundly transcendental or just the product of hormones. But what strikes me is the fact that her concepts and themes are not static or singular.

    This album is exploring the idea of being made, or even remade, through experience. In If She Could See Me Now, Lorde recounts how painful moments “made me a woman”.

    Like French philosopher Simone de Beauvoir’s phrase “one is not born, but rather becomes, a woman”, Lorde is exploring how her body is being changed by what she has been through. As she sings in What Was That?: “I try to let whatever has to pass through me pass through.”

    Again, while she on the one hand describes something moving through her body, she’s also describing an attempt to move through something that has happened to her – turning a passive experience into one of acceptance and action. Here we might think of another notion of virginity: a substance before it is processed. Virginity is part of the experience of being changed, or reborn, into something else.

    This is not to say that Virgin is uninterested in the body. Lorde’s discussion of her eating disorder in Broken Glass is a case in point.

    Lorde as performance artist

    The visuals accompanying Virgin emphasise Lorde’s status as a performance artist. The crescendo of the What Was That video is a spontaneous public performance of Virgin’s first single.

    The music video for What Was That.

    When Lorde released the second single, Man of the Year, she posted on her website:

    TRYING TO MAKE IT SOUND LIKE A FONTANA, LIKE PAINTING BITTEN BY A MAN, LIKE THE NEW YORK EARTH ROOM. THE SOUND OF MY REBIRTH.

    The simile here, or the idea of making music sound “like” visual art, emphasises the tactility of Lorde’s work. Each artistic piece referenced here is concerned with physically intervening into the conventional art gallery set-up.

    Italian artist Lucio Fontana’s Spacial Concept series (1960) included slashed canvases a disruption of the body of the artwork with yonic – in other words, vulva-like – imagery (indeed, it challenges how “damaged” artworks are usually hidden from audiences, waiting to be restored).

    Similarly, American artist Jasper Johns’ Painting Bitten by a Man (1961) is an encaustic painting (derived from the Greek word for “burned in”), which shows off the markings of someone who has bitten into the canvas.

    The video for Man of the Year.

    The music video for Man of the Year is filmed in a room that is filled with dirt. This is a clear nod to American sculptor Walter de Maria’s New York Earth Room (1977). The piece also fills a white room in New York with this unexpected material: earth inside a building, where mushrooms can grow.

    The video for Man of the Year may also be referencing another artwork. Lorde is shown using duct tape to bind her breasts. While this points to Lorde’s exploration of her body and gender identity, the material also recalls Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan’s duct-taped banana artwork, Comedian.

    Offering phallic imagery to Fontana’s yonic imagery, Cattelan’s piece mirrors Lorde’s concern with ontology, or definition. What makes something art?

    Prometheus (Un)bound?

    But just as Lorde is binding herself in new ways, she is unbinding herself in others. In If She Could See Me Now, Lorde declares: “I’m going back to the clay.”

    Here that the album recalls the Prometheus myth: the ancient Greek story that Prometheus fashioned humans out of mud (or clay) and gave his creations fire.

    The closing track, David, offers another ancient allusion, this time about David and Goliath. David – who, as a harpist, is a musician like Lorde – kills the giant man with stones. This reference furthers the song’s discussion of the problem of treating a man, a lover, like a god.

    In David Lorde explores similar themes to Mary Shelley.

    This subtle reference to the killing of Goliath adds another layer to the euphemism for male testicles explored in Shapeshifter: “Do you have the stones?”. Perhaps Virgin is doing what Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (1818) did with the Prometheus tale: both exploring what happens when a man tries to create and determine the fate of another being, whether nature or nurture make a person, and how a new body can be refashioned from old ones.

    After listening to the entire album, I was struck by how Lorde is exploring different facets of another question: who, exactly, is Lorde? Especially now that she is embracing who she is beyond the yoke of other people – or the demons – that have shaped her? Virgin shows that Lorde now wants to return “to the clay”, or to remake who she is, now that she is unbound by Prometheus.

    This article features references to books that have been included for editorial reasons, and may contain links to bookshop.org. If you click on one of the links and go on to buy something from bookshop.org The Conversation UK may earn a commission.

    Lillian Hingley 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. Virgin by Lorde is a layered work of performance art – her smartest references explained – https://theconversation.com/virgin-by-lorde-is-a-layered-work-of-performance-art-her-smartest-references-explained-260181

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Bali to Biarritz: Surf spot overcrowding and the fight to protect the essence of catching a wave

    Source: The Conversation – France – By Jérémy Lemarié, Maître de conférences à l’Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne, Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne (URCA)

    Invented in Hawaii, surfing gained popularity in the United States and Australia in the 1950s before becoming a global phenomenon. Now practiced in more than 150 countries, its spread has been driven by media and tourism. Surf tourism involves travelling to destinations to catch waves, either with a surfboard or through activities such as body surfing or bodyboarding. Tourists range from seasoned surfers to beginners eager to learn.

    The allure of California

    For many, surf tourism evokes exotic imagery shaped by California production companies. Columbia Pictures in 1959 and Paramount Pictures in 1961 introduced surfing to the middle class, showcasing the sport as a gateway to summer adventure and escape. However, it was the 1966 movie The Endless Summer, directed and produced by Bruce Brown, that became a box office success. The film follows two Californians travelling the globe in search of the perfect wave, which they ultimately find in South Africa. Beneath the seemingly lighthearted portrayal of a “surf safari”, it carries undertones of colonial ambition.

    In the film, the Californians tell people in Africa that waves are untapped resources ready to be named and conquered. This sense of Western cultural dominance over populations in poorer countries has permeated surf tourism. Since the 1970s, French surfers have flocked to Morocco for its long-breaking waves, Australians have flocked to Indonesia and Californians to Mexico. The expansion of surfing to Africa, Asia and Latin America was enabled by easier international travel and economic disparities between visitors and hosts.

    Surfing’s impact on local communities

    Indonesia, for instance, became a surfing hotspot after Australian surfers started to explore the waves of Bali and the Mentawai Islands in the 1970s. Once remote regions with modest living standards, these areas saw tourism infrastructure mushroom to meet demand. Today, destinations such as Uluwatu in Bali and Padang Padang in Sumatra attract surfers of all skill levels.

    Similarly, Morocco has experienced a surge in surf tourism, with spots such as Taghazout drawing European visitors in search of affordable waves and sunshine. While this has boosted local economies, it has also raised concerns about environmental degradation and the strain of tourism on previously untouched areas.

    The challenges of overtourism in coastal areas

    Although surfing is often seen as an activity in harmony with nature, mass tourism has created tensions between local surfers and visitors. Overtourism refers to the negative impact of excessive tourist numbers on natural environments and local communities.

    One response to overtourism is localism – where local surfers assert ownership of waves, sometimes discouraging or even intimidating outsiders. This has been particularly pronounced in economically dependent surf destinations. For example, in Hawaii during the 1970s and 1980s, local surfers protested against the influx of professional Australian surfers and international competitions. Today, localism persists globally, from Maroubra in Sydney to Boucau-Tarnos in France’s Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. These places are not systematically off-limits to beginners, but major conflicts can arise during peak tourist seasons.

    Surf schools, while crucial for teaching newcomers, also exacerbate crowding. During high seasons, beaches such as Côte des Basques in Biarritz become overcrowded, straining relations between experienced surfers, instructors and novices. Beginners, often unaware of surf etiquette and safety rules, contribute to frustrations among seasoned surfers.


    A weekly e-mail in English featuring expertise from scholars and researchers. It provides an introduction to the diversity of research coming out of the continent and considers some of the key issues facing European countries. Get the newsletter!

    The role of public authorities

    In response to these challenges, public initiatives have emerged to promote sustainable surf tourism. For instance, the Costa Rican government has established marine protected areas and regulated tourism activities to preserve a part of the coastal environment. Local authorities have also begun capping the number of surf schools and making access to the practice more difficult.

    In southwestern France, municipalities use public service delegations (DSP), temporary occupation authorisations (AOT) and other tools to regulate surf schools operating on public beaches. Environmental awareness programmes have been launched to educate tourists on responsible behaviour toward beaches and oceans.

    Gaps in regulation

    Despite these measures, many coastal regions face insufficient action to address the environmental and social challenges posed by surf tourism. In Fiji, a 2010 decree deregulated the surf tourism industry, eliminating traditional indigenous rights to coastal and reef areas. This allowed unregulated development of tourism infrastructure, often ignoring long-term ecological impacts.

    Similar issues are seen in Morocco, where lax regulations allow foreign investors to exploit coastal land for hotel development, often providing little benefit to local communities.

    Yet, there are success stories. In Santa Cruz, California, the initiative Save Our Shores mobilises citizens and tourists to protect beaches through anti-pollution campaigns and regular cleanups.

    Surf tourism has brought significant economic benefits to many coastal regions. However, it has also introduced social and environmental challenges, including localism, overcrowding and ecological strain. Managing these issues requires a collaborative approach, with governments, local stakeholders and tourists working together to preserve the sport’s connection to nature.

    This article was published as part of the 2024 Fête de la Science, of which The Conversation France was a partner. The year’s theme, “Oceans of Knowledge,” explored the wonders of the marine world.

    Jérémy Lemarié is a member of the Fulbright network, as the recipient of the “Chercheuses et Chercheurs” grant from the Franco-American Commission in 2022-2023.

    – ref. Bali to Biarritz: Surf spot overcrowding and the fight to protect the essence of catching a wave – https://theconversation.com/bali-to-biarritz-surf-spot-overcrowding-and-the-fight-to-protect-the-essence-of-catching-a-wave-244550

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Bali to Biarritz: Surf spot overcrowding and the fight to protect the essence of catching a wave

    Source: The Conversation – France – By Jérémy Lemarié, Maître de conférences à l’Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne, Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne (URCA)

    Invented in Hawaii, surfing gained popularity in the United States and Australia in the 1950s before becoming a global phenomenon. Now practiced in more than 150 countries, its spread has been driven by media and tourism. Surf tourism involves travelling to destinations to catch waves, either with a surfboard or through activities such as body surfing or bodyboarding. Tourists range from seasoned surfers to beginners eager to learn.

    The allure of California

    For many, surf tourism evokes exotic imagery shaped by California production companies. Columbia Pictures in 1959 and Paramount Pictures in 1961 introduced surfing to the middle class, showcasing the sport as a gateway to summer adventure and escape. However, it was the 1966 movie The Endless Summer, directed and produced by Bruce Brown, that became a box office success. The film follows two Californians travelling the globe in search of the perfect wave, which they ultimately find in South Africa. Beneath the seemingly lighthearted portrayal of a “surf safari”, it carries undertones of colonial ambition.

    In the film, the Californians tell people in Africa that waves are untapped resources ready to be named and conquered. This sense of Western cultural dominance over populations in poorer countries has permeated surf tourism. Since the 1970s, French surfers have flocked to Morocco for its long-breaking waves, Australians have flocked to Indonesia and Californians to Mexico. The expansion of surfing to Africa, Asia and Latin America was enabled by easier international travel and economic disparities between visitors and hosts.

    Surfing’s impact on local communities

    Indonesia, for instance, became a surfing hotspot after Australian surfers started to explore the waves of Bali and the Mentawai Islands in the 1970s. Once remote regions with modest living standards, these areas saw tourism infrastructure mushroom to meet demand. Today, destinations such as Uluwatu in Bali and Padang Padang in Sumatra attract surfers of all skill levels.

    Similarly, Morocco has experienced a surge in surf tourism, with spots such as Taghazout drawing European visitors in search of affordable waves and sunshine. While this has boosted local economies, it has also raised concerns about environmental degradation and the strain of tourism on previously untouched areas.

    The challenges of overtourism in coastal areas

    Although surfing is often seen as an activity in harmony with nature, mass tourism has created tensions between local surfers and visitors. Overtourism refers to the negative impact of excessive tourist numbers on natural environments and local communities.

    One response to overtourism is localism – where local surfers assert ownership of waves, sometimes discouraging or even intimidating outsiders. This has been particularly pronounced in economically dependent surf destinations. For example, in Hawaii during the 1970s and 1980s, local surfers protested against the influx of professional Australian surfers and international competitions. Today, localism persists globally, from Maroubra in Sydney to Boucau-Tarnos in France’s Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. These places are not systematically off-limits to beginners, but major conflicts can arise during peak tourist seasons.

    Surf schools, while crucial for teaching newcomers, also exacerbate crowding. During high seasons, beaches such as Côte des Basques in Biarritz become overcrowded, straining relations between experienced surfers, instructors and novices. Beginners, often unaware of surf etiquette and safety rules, contribute to frustrations among seasoned surfers.


    A weekly e-mail in English featuring expertise from scholars and researchers. It provides an introduction to the diversity of research coming out of the continent and considers some of the key issues facing European countries. Get the newsletter!

    The role of public authorities

    In response to these challenges, public initiatives have emerged to promote sustainable surf tourism. For instance, the Costa Rican government has established marine protected areas and regulated tourism activities to preserve a part of the coastal environment. Local authorities have also begun capping the number of surf schools and making access to the practice more difficult.

    In southwestern France, municipalities use public service delegations (DSP), temporary occupation authorisations (AOT) and other tools to regulate surf schools operating on public beaches. Environmental awareness programmes have been launched to educate tourists on responsible behaviour toward beaches and oceans.

    Gaps in regulation

    Despite these measures, many coastal regions face insufficient action to address the environmental and social challenges posed by surf tourism. In Fiji, a 2010 decree deregulated the surf tourism industry, eliminating traditional indigenous rights to coastal and reef areas. This allowed unregulated development of tourism infrastructure, often ignoring long-term ecological impacts.

    Similar issues are seen in Morocco, where lax regulations allow foreign investors to exploit coastal land for hotel development, often providing little benefit to local communities.

    Yet, there are success stories. In Santa Cruz, California, the initiative Save Our Shores mobilises citizens and tourists to protect beaches through anti-pollution campaigns and regular cleanups.

    Surf tourism has brought significant economic benefits to many coastal regions. However, it has also introduced social and environmental challenges, including localism, overcrowding and ecological strain. Managing these issues requires a collaborative approach, with governments, local stakeholders and tourists working together to preserve the sport’s connection to nature.

    This article was published as part of the 2024 Fête de la Science, of which The Conversation France was a partner. The year’s theme, “Oceans of Knowledge,” explored the wonders of the marine world.

    Jérémy Lemarié is a member of the Fulbright network, as the recipient of the “Chercheuses et Chercheurs” grant from the Franco-American Commission in 2022-2023.

    – ref. Bali to Biarritz: Surf spot overcrowding and the fight to protect the essence of catching a wave – https://theconversation.com/bali-to-biarritz-surf-spot-overcrowding-and-the-fight-to-protect-the-essence-of-catching-a-wave-244550

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Bali to Biarritz: Surf spot overcrowding and the fight to protect the essence of catching a wave

    Source: The Conversation – France – By Jérémy Lemarié, Maître de conférences à l’Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne, Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne (URCA)

    Invented in Hawaii, surfing gained popularity in the United States and Australia in the 1950s before becoming a global phenomenon. Now practiced in more than 150 countries, its spread has been driven by media and tourism. Surf tourism involves travelling to destinations to catch waves, either with a surfboard or through activities such as body surfing or bodyboarding. Tourists range from seasoned surfers to beginners eager to learn.

    The allure of California

    For many, surf tourism evokes exotic imagery shaped by California production companies. Columbia Pictures in 1959 and Paramount Pictures in 1961 introduced surfing to the middle class, showcasing the sport as a gateway to summer adventure and escape. However, it was the 1966 movie The Endless Summer, directed and produced by Bruce Brown, that became a box office success. The film follows two Californians travelling the globe in search of the perfect wave, which they ultimately find in South Africa. Beneath the seemingly lighthearted portrayal of a “surf safari”, it carries undertones of colonial ambition.

    In the film, the Californians tell people in Africa that waves are untapped resources ready to be named and conquered. This sense of Western cultural dominance over populations in poorer countries has permeated surf tourism. Since the 1970s, French surfers have flocked to Morocco for its long-breaking waves, Australians have flocked to Indonesia and Californians to Mexico. The expansion of surfing to Africa, Asia and Latin America was enabled by easier international travel and economic disparities between visitors and hosts.

    Surfing’s impact on local communities

    Indonesia, for instance, became a surfing hotspot after Australian surfers started to explore the waves of Bali and the Mentawai Islands in the 1970s. Once remote regions with modest living standards, these areas saw tourism infrastructure mushroom to meet demand. Today, destinations such as Uluwatu in Bali and Padang Padang in Sumatra attract surfers of all skill levels.

    Similarly, Morocco has experienced a surge in surf tourism, with spots such as Taghazout drawing European visitors in search of affordable waves and sunshine. While this has boosted local economies, it has also raised concerns about environmental degradation and the strain of tourism on previously untouched areas.

    The challenges of overtourism in coastal areas

    Although surfing is often seen as an activity in harmony with nature, mass tourism has created tensions between local surfers and visitors. Overtourism refers to the negative impact of excessive tourist numbers on natural environments and local communities.

    One response to overtourism is localism – where local surfers assert ownership of waves, sometimes discouraging or even intimidating outsiders. This has been particularly pronounced in economically dependent surf destinations. For example, in Hawaii during the 1970s and 1980s, local surfers protested against the influx of professional Australian surfers and international competitions. Today, localism persists globally, from Maroubra in Sydney to Boucau-Tarnos in France’s Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. These places are not systematically off-limits to beginners, but major conflicts can arise during peak tourist seasons.

    Surf schools, while crucial for teaching newcomers, also exacerbate crowding. During high seasons, beaches such as Côte des Basques in Biarritz become overcrowded, straining relations between experienced surfers, instructors and novices. Beginners, often unaware of surf etiquette and safety rules, contribute to frustrations among seasoned surfers.


    A weekly e-mail in English featuring expertise from scholars and researchers. It provides an introduction to the diversity of research coming out of the continent and considers some of the key issues facing European countries. Get the newsletter!

    The role of public authorities

    In response to these challenges, public initiatives have emerged to promote sustainable surf tourism. For instance, the Costa Rican government has established marine protected areas and regulated tourism activities to preserve a part of the coastal environment. Local authorities have also begun capping the number of surf schools and making access to the practice more difficult.

    In southwestern France, municipalities use public service delegations (DSP), temporary occupation authorisations (AOT) and other tools to regulate surf schools operating on public beaches. Environmental awareness programmes have been launched to educate tourists on responsible behaviour toward beaches and oceans.

    Gaps in regulation

    Despite these measures, many coastal regions face insufficient action to address the environmental and social challenges posed by surf tourism. In Fiji, a 2010 decree deregulated the surf tourism industry, eliminating traditional indigenous rights to coastal and reef areas. This allowed unregulated development of tourism infrastructure, often ignoring long-term ecological impacts.

    Similar issues are seen in Morocco, where lax regulations allow foreign investors to exploit coastal land for hotel development, often providing little benefit to local communities.

    Yet, there are success stories. In Santa Cruz, California, the initiative Save Our Shores mobilises citizens and tourists to protect beaches through anti-pollution campaigns and regular cleanups.

    Surf tourism has brought significant economic benefits to many coastal regions. However, it has also introduced social and environmental challenges, including localism, overcrowding and ecological strain. Managing these issues requires a collaborative approach, with governments, local stakeholders and tourists working together to preserve the sport’s connection to nature.

    This article was published as part of the 2024 Fête de la Science, of which The Conversation France was a partner. The year’s theme, “Oceans of Knowledge,” explored the wonders of the marine world.

    Jérémy Lemarié is a member of the Fulbright network, as the recipient of the “Chercheuses et Chercheurs” grant from the Franco-American Commission in 2022-2023.

    – ref. Bali to Biarritz: Surf spot overcrowding and the fight to protect the essence of catching a wave – https://theconversation.com/bali-to-biarritz-surf-spot-overcrowding-and-the-fight-to-protect-the-essence-of-catching-a-wave-244550

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Bali to Biarritz: Surf spot overcrowding and the fight to protect the essence of catching a wave

    Source: The Conversation – France – By Jérémy Lemarié, Maître de conférences à l’Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne, Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne (URCA)

    Invented in Hawaii, surfing gained popularity in the United States and Australia in the 1950s before becoming a global phenomenon. Now practiced in more than 150 countries, its spread has been driven by media and tourism. Surf tourism involves travelling to destinations to catch waves, either with a surfboard or through activities such as body surfing or bodyboarding. Tourists range from seasoned surfers to beginners eager to learn.

    The allure of California

    For many, surf tourism evokes exotic imagery shaped by California production companies. Columbia Pictures in 1959 and Paramount Pictures in 1961 introduced surfing to the middle class, showcasing the sport as a gateway to summer adventure and escape. However, it was the 1966 movie The Endless Summer, directed and produced by Bruce Brown, that became a box office success. The film follows two Californians travelling the globe in search of the perfect wave, which they ultimately find in South Africa. Beneath the seemingly lighthearted portrayal of a “surf safari”, it carries undertones of colonial ambition.

    In the film, the Californians tell people in Africa that waves are untapped resources ready to be named and conquered. This sense of Western cultural dominance over populations in poorer countries has permeated surf tourism. Since the 1970s, French surfers have flocked to Morocco for its long-breaking waves, Australians have flocked to Indonesia and Californians to Mexico. The expansion of surfing to Africa, Asia and Latin America was enabled by easier international travel and economic disparities between visitors and hosts.

    Surfing’s impact on local communities

    Indonesia, for instance, became a surfing hotspot after Australian surfers started to explore the waves of Bali and the Mentawai Islands in the 1970s. Once remote regions with modest living standards, these areas saw tourism infrastructure mushroom to meet demand. Today, destinations such as Uluwatu in Bali and Padang Padang in Sumatra attract surfers of all skill levels.

    Similarly, Morocco has experienced a surge in surf tourism, with spots such as Taghazout drawing European visitors in search of affordable waves and sunshine. While this has boosted local economies, it has also raised concerns about environmental degradation and the strain of tourism on previously untouched areas.

    The challenges of overtourism in coastal areas

    Although surfing is often seen as an activity in harmony with nature, mass tourism has created tensions between local surfers and visitors. Overtourism refers to the negative impact of excessive tourist numbers on natural environments and local communities.

    One response to overtourism is localism – where local surfers assert ownership of waves, sometimes discouraging or even intimidating outsiders. This has been particularly pronounced in economically dependent surf destinations. For example, in Hawaii during the 1970s and 1980s, local surfers protested against the influx of professional Australian surfers and international competitions. Today, localism persists globally, from Maroubra in Sydney to Boucau-Tarnos in France’s Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. These places are not systematically off-limits to beginners, but major conflicts can arise during peak tourist seasons.

    Surf schools, while crucial for teaching newcomers, also exacerbate crowding. During high seasons, beaches such as Côte des Basques in Biarritz become overcrowded, straining relations between experienced surfers, instructors and novices. Beginners, often unaware of surf etiquette and safety rules, contribute to frustrations among seasoned surfers.


    A weekly e-mail in English featuring expertise from scholars and researchers. It provides an introduction to the diversity of research coming out of the continent and considers some of the key issues facing European countries. Get the newsletter!

    The role of public authorities

    In response to these challenges, public initiatives have emerged to promote sustainable surf tourism. For instance, the Costa Rican government has established marine protected areas and regulated tourism activities to preserve a part of the coastal environment. Local authorities have also begun capping the number of surf schools and making access to the practice more difficult.

    In southwestern France, municipalities use public service delegations (DSP), temporary occupation authorisations (AOT) and other tools to regulate surf schools operating on public beaches. Environmental awareness programmes have been launched to educate tourists on responsible behaviour toward beaches and oceans.

    Gaps in regulation

    Despite these measures, many coastal regions face insufficient action to address the environmental and social challenges posed by surf tourism. In Fiji, a 2010 decree deregulated the surf tourism industry, eliminating traditional indigenous rights to coastal and reef areas. This allowed unregulated development of tourism infrastructure, often ignoring long-term ecological impacts.

    Similar issues are seen in Morocco, where lax regulations allow foreign investors to exploit coastal land for hotel development, often providing little benefit to local communities.

    Yet, there are success stories. In Santa Cruz, California, the initiative Save Our Shores mobilises citizens and tourists to protect beaches through anti-pollution campaigns and regular cleanups.

    Surf tourism has brought significant economic benefits to many coastal regions. However, it has also introduced social and environmental challenges, including localism, overcrowding and ecological strain. Managing these issues requires a collaborative approach, with governments, local stakeholders and tourists working together to preserve the sport’s connection to nature.

    This article was published as part of the 2024 Fête de la Science, of which The Conversation France was a partner. The year’s theme, “Oceans of Knowledge,” explored the wonders of the marine world.

    Jérémy Lemarié is a member of the Fulbright network, as the recipient of the “Chercheuses et Chercheurs” grant from the Franco-American Commission in 2022-2023.

    – ref. Bali to Biarritz: Surf spot overcrowding and the fight to protect the essence of catching a wave – https://theconversation.com/bali-to-biarritz-surf-spot-overcrowding-and-the-fight-to-protect-the-essence-of-catching-a-wave-244550

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: The EIB Group joins the Debt Pause Clause Alliance

    Source: European Investment Bank

    • Debt pause clauses allow for the postponement of debt servicing during climate, health, or other crises, freeing up resources for response and recovery without compromising long-term economic and social sustainability.
    • The initiative, led by Spain and co-led by the EIB, is part of the agreements reached at the IV International Conference on Financing for Development, held in Seville.
    • The alliance remains an open and flexible coalition and brings together many countries and major multilateral banks

    Spain, with the support of other countries and major multilateral development banks such as the European Investment Bank Group, unveiled the Debt Pause Clause Alliance at the IV International Conference on Financing for Development in Seville.

    These clauses allow for the temporary suspension of debt payments in the face of extraordinary events — such as natural disasters, food crises, or health emergencies — offering borrowing countries immediate fiscal space to respond to the crisis without jeopardizing their solvency or their ability to meet social expenses. Their adoption promotes a more resilient and predictable development financing framework in times of crisis. 

    The alliance is an international coalition that seeks to accelerate the systematic inclusion of these clauses in public and private financial instruments. Additionally, it seeks to develop common principles and standard contractual language, thus generating transparent regulation that mobilizes the private sector.

    The co-leaders of the initiative include the Inter-American Development Bank, the European Investment Bank, the African Development Bank, the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean, the Asian Development Bank, as well as the governments of Barbados, Canada, Spain, France, and the United Kingdom.

    The EIB has made Debt Pause Clauses available for contracts on its new operations in 70 countries.

    “As the financial arm of the European Union, the EIB is offering solutions to countries and communities to ensure the most vulnerable are not left behind. In the past year, the EIB has made climate resilient debt clauses available to 70 developing countries around the world. Today, we show our commitment to global partnerships for prosperity, win win outcomes and peace,” said Nadia Calviño, president of the European Investment Bank.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: ‘Net Zero’ Concept Actually Offers Mankind Energy Regression – Igor Sechin

    Source: Rosneft – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Proponents of the “net zero” concept are leading humanity to energy regression, said Igor Sechin, Chief Executive Officer of Rosneft, in his report “Odyssey of The Global Economy in Search of The Golden Fleece. The New Landscape of Global Energy”.

    During his speech at the Energy Panel of the XXVIII St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, the CEO of the Company noted that every time mankind switched to a new type of fuel, the efficiency of the energy system increased and its capabilities expanded. “This was due to the fact that the new energy source usually had a higher energy flux density,” Sechin added.

    He recalled that the outstanding scientist Pyotr Kapitsa proved that energy flux density is a key characteristic of any energy source. “By this indicator, such types of fossil fuels as coal (135.1 W/m2), oil (195 W/m2) and gas (482 W/m2), well as nuclear energy (241 W/m2) are far ahead of both solar (6.6 W/m2) and wind energy (1.8 W/m2). Thus, the concept of ‘net zero’ actually crosses out centuries of progressive development of society, offering mankind an energy regression”, – said the CEO of Rosneft.

    He stressed that European politicians lack the courage to publicly recognize this fact. “Their blind faith in the ‘green’ transition already resembles an addiction. As one of the classics of French literature aptly put: ‘A red nose is a sign of constancy of character’,” Igor Sechin emphasized.

    “Clearly, the integration of renewables requires a profound transformation of infrastructure, the scale of which is underestimated. The IEA estimates that global investment in grid development is two and a half times behind investment in generation,” he concluded.

    Department of Information and Advertising
    Rosneft Oil Company
    June 21, 2025

    Please note; this information is the raw content received directly from the information source. This is exactly what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Igor Sechin Talks About Renaissance of Nuclear Power Sector

    Source: Rosneft – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    The importance of nuclear power, which is a natural complement to fossil fuels, is growing, said Igor Sechin, Chief Executive Officer of Rosneft, at the Energy Panel at the XXVIII St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.

    “However, against the backdrop of growing consumption, all types of generation, including nuclear, are experiencing a rebirth. This is clearly illustrated by the price of uranium fuel, which has more than tripled over the past seven years,” Igor Sechin noted.

    He recalled that back in the 1930s the idea of thermonuclear fusion was formulated, and many famous scientists, including Nobel laureates Hans Bethe, Peter Kapitsa, Igor Tamm and later Andrei Sakharov, sought to reproduce and control this process. In theory, fusion can generate almost four million times more energy than burning oil or coal, Igor Sechin said. However, in order to sustain a fusion reaction and sustainably generate energy, it is still necessary to improve methods of plasma confinement, ensure its stability, and increase efficiency.

    The CEO of Rosneft noted that a few years ago the nuclear power industry was in a deep crisis due to the decline in activity in the industry and such large companies as Westinghouse and Areva had to go through restructuring and ownership changes. However, the situation then began to change. “Over the past five years, global annual investments in nuclear energy have increased by 50%, reaching 70 billion dollars last year. China has become one of the leaders in nuclear power today. Over the past ten years, the installed capacity of nuclear generation in this country has increased fivefold and approached 60 GW. China plans to complete the construction of 32 more reactors in the coming years,” he said.

    At the same time, Sechin said it is important that China relies on the latest technological achievements of the leading nuclear powers – Russia, the United States and France – to develop its nuclear industry.

    He noted that Russia has many years of experience in building nuclear power plants. The cost of the most modern Russian VVER-1200 reactor is much lower than the American AP-1000. Today such reactors are already operating in Russia and are planned to be commissioned in friendly countries.

    At the same time, Sechin noted, the resource base is of particular importance. Today, just seven countries, including the Russian Federation, control more than 90% of the world’s uranium fuel production and about 70% of the world’s uranium reserves.

    “Today, Russia is the only country in the world that has expertise in the entire technological chain of the nuclear fuel cycle, from uranium mining to nuclear fuel disposal. In total, 80 nuclear reactors have been built in the world using Russian technologies,” he said

    Russia has also commissioned the world’s only floating nuclear power plant of small capacity. Currently, four more nuclear power plants are under construction.

    Also, a sodium-cooled nuclear reactor belonging to the category of fast neutron reactors, the BN-800, has been successfully operating in our country for ten years, another latest-generation fast neutron reactor, the BN-1200, is under construction.

    “Reactors of this type take into account the most advanced technical solutions, including the enlargement of fuel elements, the use of uranium-plutonium mixed fuel, as well as well as new structural steels with increased radiation resistance, which provide deeper fuel burnup and higher efficiency.  In particular, the efficiency of electricity generation increases by 20-25%, even without taking into account the significantly higher efficiency of fuel use,” said the CEO of Rosneft

    Investments in the nuclear sector are expected to continue growing According to the IEA forecast, by 2050 the global installed nuclear generation capacity will grow by nearly 60% to reach 650 GW. “I believe this estimate is understated. Just a few weeks ago, the US President set a goal to quadruple the country’s nuclear generation capacity to 400 GW,” Sechin noted.

    The CEO of Rosneft expects further growth of investments in the nuclear sector: new technologies, such as small modular reactors, are now attracting increased attention of investors. While such reactors are more mobile, their implementation also requires investments in the development of power grids. In addition, special attention should be paid to their safety and security against terrorist threats.

    “Rolls-Royce recently won a tender for the construction of such reactors in the UK. Experts note that these reactors have a number of features. One of them is described in Ecclesiastes: “What is crooked cannot be straightened; what is lacking cannot be counted.” None of these reactors have been put into operation yet,” Sechin explained.

    The proposed smaller reactors will require no less effort and cost, including those related to fuel utilization and safety, than existing larger reactors.

    “Finally, nuclear energy is, in any case, a dual-use technology. The issue of non-proliferation of nuclear weapons must be given the utmost attention, as it is precisely because of this that the Middle East conflict is currently intensifying. It is crucial to consider whether we want further expansion of the nuclear club,” Igor Sechin concluded.

    Department of Information and Advertising
    Rosneft Oil Company
    June 21, 2025

    Please note; this information is the raw content received directly from the information source. This is exactly what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: RUDN received the ‘Time of Innovations’ award for its own patented development ‘Digital Pre-University Faculty’

    Source: Peoples’Friendship University of Russia –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Peoples‘ Friendship University of Russia (’RUDN’) has been awarded the All-Russian prize “Time for Innovations” for its patented development ‘Digital Pre-University Faculty’, which allows you to study Russian from anywhere in the world.

    RUDN project stood out among many participants in the nomination ‘Innovative and Active Company of the Year’ in the category ‘IT and Digital Technologies’.

    Currently, the platform has trained more than 16,000 users from 82 countries who have studied and continue to study Russian using their native intermediate language. This unique feature of the platform makes the learning process more accessible and effective.

    Speakers of 9 languages can learn Russian through their native language: Chinese, Farsi, Turkish, Arabic, English, French, Spanish, Vietnamese, Myanmar.

    Russian language rules, instructions and hints are available in users’ native language. 

    In addition to Russian, users can also study 8 general education disciplines on the platform, including maths, computer science, chemistry, physics, biology, history, literature and social studies.

    Despite the large number of educational resources, there are currently no similar learning platform software solutions in the world, the use of which is possible without prior preparation – knowledge of the alphabet and the ability to read in the language being learnt, which makes the Digital Pre-University Faculty a truly unique development. The project is currently at the stage of improvement and expansion of technological and user capabilities.

    Please note; this information is raw content received directly from the information source. It is an accurate account of what the source claims, and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Video: ECB Forum on Central Banking 2025 – A conversation about tapping Europe’s growth potential

    Source: European Central Bank (video statements)

    A conversation about tapping Europe’s growth potential

    Philippe Aghion, Professor, Collège de France and London School of Economics
    Lars Feld, Professor, University of Freiburg, and Director of the Walter Eucken Institute
    Moderator: Beatrice Weder di Mauro, Professor, Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies Geneva, and President of the CEPR

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vC0YgzhJPrI

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI China: China Travel, Easy Go! Shanghai launches all-in-one platform for intl travelers

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

    China Travel, Easy Go! Shanghai launches all-in-one platform for intl travelers

    Xinhua | July 3, 2025

    Shanghai on Wednesday launched “Easy Go,” an all-in-one platform to streamline digital services for international visitors, leveraging China’s expanded visa facilitation and instant tax refunds.

    The platform, developed by the Foreign Affairs Office of the Shanghai Municipal People’s Government, the People’s Bank of China Shanghai Head Office, along with other city departments, integrates consumption services and tourism information onto Alipay’s international version, eliminating the need for multiple app downloads and addressing previous language barriers.

    Foreign users can register with one click to access 30 mini-programs across the four key areas of dining, transport, sightseeing and shopping. Core functions include food delivery, restaurant recommendations, public transit, ride-hailing, travel advice, ticket booking, luggage storage and tax refund service locations. The service operates primarily in English and offers real-time multilingual translation.

    Easy Go also features a “tap for tax refund” function that links to a tax refund map of the city, and provides updated city guides and travel tips. Media and influencer videos promoting Shanghai and China are available on the platform too.

    “Easy Go is a very convenient platform because it’s just all in one,” said Clarisse Le Guernic, who comes from France. “Foreign tourists coming to Shanghai, they don’t need to download many different apps, and they can do payment, translation, order food, take shared bikes just with Easy Go.”

    As of June, citizens from 55 countries can utilize China’s 240-hour visa-free transit program. The country has also expanded its unilateral visa-free access program, allowing travelers from 47 countries to stay for up to 30 days.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: The Rainbow Warrior saga: 1. French state terrorism and NZ’s end of innocence

    COMMENTARY: By Eugene Doyle

    Immediately after killing Fernando Pereira and blowing up Greenpeace’s flagship the Rainbow Warrior in Auckland harbour, several of the French agents went on a ski holiday in New Zealand’s South Island to celebrate.

    Such was the contempt the French had for the Kiwis and the abilities of our police to pursue them.  How wrong they were.

    To mark the 40th anniversary of the French terrorist attack Little Island Press has published a revised and updated edition of Eyes of Fire: The Last Voyage and Legacy of the Rainbow Warrior, first released in 1986.

    A new prologue by former prime minister Helen Clark and a preface by Greenpeace’s Bunny McDiarmid, along with an extensive postscript which bring us up to the present day, underline why the past is not dead; it’s with us right now.

    Written by David Robie, editor of Asia Pacific Report, who spent 11 weeks on the final voyage of the Warrior, the book is the most remarkable piece of history I have read this year and one of those rare books that has the power to expand your mind and make your blood boil at the same time. I thought I knew a fair bit about the momentous events surrounding the attack — until I read Eyes of Fire.

    Heroes of our age
     The book covers the history of Greenpeace action — from fighting the dumping of nuclear and other toxic waste in European waters, the Arctic and the Pacific, voyages to link besieged communities across the oceans, through to their epic struggles to halt whaling and save endangered marine colonies from predators.

    The Rainbow Warrior’s very last voyage before the bombing was to evacuate the entire population of Rongelap atoll (about 320 people) in the Marshall Islands who had been exposed to US nuclear radiation for decades.

    This article is the first of two in which I will explore themes that the book triggered for me.

    Neither secret nor intelligent – the French secret intelligence service

    Jean-Luc Kister was the DGSE (Direction-générale de la Sécurité extérieure) agent who placed the two bombs that ripped a massive hole in the hull of the Warrior on 10 July 1985. The ship quickly sank, trapping Greenpeace photographer Fernando Pereira inside.

    Former colonel Kister was a member of a large team of elite agents sent to New Zealand. One had also infiltrated Greenpeace months before, some travelled through the country prior to the attack, drinking, rooting New Zealand women and leaving a trail of breadcrumbs that led all the way to the Palais de l’Élysée where François Mitterrand, Socialist President of France, had personally given the order to bomb the famous peace vessel.

    Robie aptly calls the French mission “Blundergate”. The stupidity, howling incompetence and moronic lack of a sound strategic rationale behind the attack were only matched by the mendacity, the imperial hauteur and the racist contempt that lies at the heart of French policy in the Pacific to this very day.

    Thinking the Kiwi police would be no match for their élan, their savoir-faire and their panache, some of the killers hit the ski slopes to celebrate “Mission Accompli”. Others fled to Norfolk Island aboard a yacht, the Ouvéa.

    Tracked there by the New Zealand police it was only with the assistance of our friends and allies, the Australians, that the agents were able to escape. Within days they sank their yacht at sea during a rendezvous with a French nuclear submarine and were evenually able to return to France for medals and promotions.

    Two of the agents, however, were not so lucky. As everyone my age will recall, Dominique Prieur and Alain Mafart, were nabbed after a lightning fast operation by New Zealand police.

    With friends and allies like these, who needs enemies?
     We should recall that the French were our allies at the time. They decided, however, to stop the Rainbow Warrior from leading a flotilla of ships up to Moruroa Atoll in French Polynesia where yet another round of nuclear tests were scheduled. In other words: they bombed a peace ship to keep testing bombs.

    By 1995, France had detonated 193 nuclear bombs in the South Pacific.

    David Robie sees the bombing as “a desperate attempt by one of the last colonial powers in the Pacific to hang on to the vestiges of empire by blowing up a peace ship so it could continue despoiling Pacific islands for the sake of an independent nuclear force”.

    The US, UK and Australia cold-shouldered New Zealand through this period and uttered not a word of condemnation against the French. Within two years we were frog-marched out of the ANZUS alliance with Australia and the US because of our ground-breaking nuclear-free legislation.

    It was a blessing and the dawn of a period in which New Zealanders had an intense sense of national pride — a far cry from today when New Zealand politicians are being referred to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague for war crimes associated with the Gaza genocide.

    Eyes of Fire: The Last Voyage and Legacy of the Rainbow Warrior . . . publication next week. Image: ©  David Robie/Eyes Of Fire/Little Island Press

    The French State invented the term ‘terrorism’
     I studied French History at university in France and did a paper called “La France à la veille de révolution” (France on the eve of revolution). One of the chilling cultural memories is of the period from September 1793 to July 1794, which was known as La Terreur.

    At the time the French state literally coined the term “terrorisme” — with the blade of the guillotine dropping on neck after neck as the state tried to consolidate power through terror. But, as Robie points out, quoting law professor Roger S. Clark, we tend to use the term today to refer almost exclusively to non-state actors.

    With the US and Israel gunning down starving civilians in Gaza every day, with wave after wave of terror attacks being committed inside Iran and across the Middle East by Mossad, the CIA and MI6, we should amend this erroneous habit.

    The DGSE team who attached limpet mines to the Rainbow Warrior did so as psychopathic servants of the French State. Eyes of Fire: “At the time, Prime Minister David Lange described the Rainbow Warrior attack as ‘nothing more than a sordid act of international state-backed terrorism’.”

    Don’t get me wrong. I am not “anti-French”. I lived for years in France, had a French girlfriend, studied French history, language and literature. I even had friends in Wellington who worked at the French Embassy.

    Curiously when I lived next to Premier House, the official residence of the prime minister, my other next door neighbour was a French agent who specialised in surveillance. Our houses backed onto Premier House. Quelle coïncidence. To his mild consternation I’d greet him with “Salut, mon espion favori.” (Hello, my favourite spy).

    What I despise is French colonialism, French racism, and what the French call magouillage. I don’t know a good English word for it . . .  it is a mix of shenanigans, duplicity, artful deception to achieve unscrupulous outcomes that can’t be publicly avowed. In brief: what the French attempted in Auckland in 1985.

    Robie recounts in detail the lying, smokescreens and roadblocks that everyone from President Mitterrand through to junior officials put in the way of the New Zealand investigators. Mitterrand gave Prime Minister David Lange assurances that the culprits would be brought to justice. The French Embassy in Wellington claimed at the time: “In no way is France involved. The French government doesn’t deal with its opponents in such ways.”

    It took years for the bombshell to explode that none other than Mitterrand himself had ordered the terrorist attack on New Zealand and Greenpeace!

    Rainbow Warrior III . . . the current successor to the bombed ship. Photographed at Majuro, the capital of the Marshall Islands in April 2025. Image: © Bianca Vitale/Greenpeace

    We the people of the Pacific
     We, the people of the Pacific, owe a debt to Greenpeace and all those who were part of the Rainbow Warrior, including author David Robie. We must remember the crime and call it by its name: state terrorism.

    The French attempted to escape justice, deny involvement and then welched on the terms of the agreement negotiated with the help of the United Nations secretary-general.

    A great way to honour the sacrifice of those who stood up for justice, who stood for peace and a nuclear-free Pacific, and who honoured our own national identity would be to buy David Robie’s excellent book.

    I’ll give the last word to former Prime Minister Helen Clark:

    “This is the time for New Zealand to link with the many small and middle powers across regions who have a vision for a world characterised by solidarity and peace and which can rise to the occasion to combat the existential challenges it faces — including of nuclear weapons, climate change, and artificial intelligence. If our independent foreign policy is to mean anything in the mid-2020s, it must be based on concerted diplomacy for peace and sustainable development.”

    You cannot sink a rainbow.

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

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: The Rainbow Warrior saga: 1. French state terrorism and NZ’s end of innocence

    COMMENTARY: By Eugene Doyle

    Immediately after killing Fernando Pereira and blowing up Greenpeace’s flagship the Rainbow Warrior in Auckland harbour, several of the French agents went on a ski holiday in New Zealand’s South Island to celebrate.

    Such was the contempt the French had for the Kiwis and the abilities of our police to pursue them.  How wrong they were.

    To mark the 40th anniversary of the French terrorist attack Little Island Press has published a revised and updated edition of Eyes of Fire: The Last Voyage and Legacy of the Rainbow Warrior, first released in 1986.

    A new prologue by former prime minister Helen Clark and a preface by Greenpeace’s Bunny McDiarmid, along with an extensive postscript which bring us up to the present day, underline why the past is not dead; it’s with us right now.

    Written by David Robie, editor of Asia Pacific Report, who spent 11 weeks on the final voyage of the Warrior, the book is the most remarkable piece of history I have read this year and one of those rare books that has the power to expand your mind and make your blood boil at the same time. I thought I knew a fair bit about the momentous events surrounding the attack — until I read Eyes of Fire.

    Heroes of our age
     The book covers the history of Greenpeace action — from fighting the dumping of nuclear and other toxic waste in European waters, the Arctic and the Pacific, voyages to link besieged communities across the oceans, through to their epic struggles to halt whaling and save endangered marine colonies from predators.

    The Rainbow Warrior’s very last voyage before the bombing was to evacuate the entire population of Rongelap atoll (about 320 people) in the Marshall Islands who had been exposed to US nuclear radiation for decades.

    This article is the first of two in which I will explore themes that the book triggered for me.

    Neither secret nor intelligent – the French secret intelligence service

    Jean-Luc Kister was the DGSE (Direction-générale de la Sécurité extérieure) agent who placed the two bombs that ripped a massive hole in the hull of the Warrior on 10 July 1985. The ship quickly sank, trapping Greenpeace photographer Fernando Pereira inside.

    Former colonel Kister was a member of a large team of elite agents sent to New Zealand. One had also infiltrated Greenpeace months before, some travelled through the country prior to the attack, drinking, rooting New Zealand women and leaving a trail of breadcrumbs that led all the way to the Palais de l’Élysée where François Mitterrand, Socialist President of France, had personally given the order to bomb the famous peace vessel.

    Robie aptly calls the French mission “Blundergate”. The stupidity, howling incompetence and moronic lack of a sound strategic rationale behind the attack were only matched by the mendacity, the imperial hauteur and the racist contempt that lies at the heart of French policy in the Pacific to this very day.

    Thinking the Kiwi police would be no match for their élan, their savoir-faire and their panache, some of the killers hit the ski slopes to celebrate “Mission Accompli”. Others fled to Norfolk Island aboard a yacht, the Ouvéa.

    Tracked there by the New Zealand police it was only with the assistance of our friends and allies, the Australians, that the agents were able to escape. Within days they sank their yacht at sea during a rendezvous with a French nuclear submarine and were evenually able to return to France for medals and promotions.

    Two of the agents, however, were not so lucky. As everyone my age will recall, Dominique Prieur and Alain Mafart, were nabbed after a lightning fast operation by New Zealand police.

    With friends and allies like these, who needs enemies?
     We should recall that the French were our allies at the time. They decided, however, to stop the Rainbow Warrior from leading a flotilla of ships up to Moruroa Atoll in French Polynesia where yet another round of nuclear tests were scheduled. In other words: they bombed a peace ship to keep testing bombs.

    By 1995, France had detonated 193 nuclear bombs in the South Pacific.

    David Robie sees the bombing as “a desperate attempt by one of the last colonial powers in the Pacific to hang on to the vestiges of empire by blowing up a peace ship so it could continue despoiling Pacific islands for the sake of an independent nuclear force”.

    The US, UK and Australia cold-shouldered New Zealand through this period and uttered not a word of condemnation against the French. Within two years we were frog-marched out of the ANZUS alliance with Australia and the US because of our ground-breaking nuclear-free legislation.

    It was a blessing and the dawn of a period in which New Zealanders had an intense sense of national pride — a far cry from today when New Zealand politicians are being referred to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague for war crimes associated with the Gaza genocide.

    Eyes of Fire: The Last Voyage and Legacy of the Rainbow Warrior . . . publication next week. Image: ©  David Robie/Eyes Of Fire/Little Island Press

    The French State invented the term ‘terrorism’
     I studied French History at university in France and did a paper called “La France à la veille de révolution” (France on the eve of revolution). One of the chilling cultural memories is of the period from September 1793 to July 1794, which was known as La Terreur.

    At the time the French state literally coined the term “terrorisme” — with the blade of the guillotine dropping on neck after neck as the state tried to consolidate power through terror. But, as Robie points out, quoting law professor Roger S. Clark, we tend to use the term today to refer almost exclusively to non-state actors.

    With the US and Israel gunning down starving civilians in Gaza every day, with wave after wave of terror attacks being committed inside Iran and across the Middle East by Mossad, the CIA and MI6, we should amend this erroneous habit.

    The DGSE team who attached limpet mines to the Rainbow Warrior did so as psychopathic servants of the French State. Eyes of Fire: “At the time, Prime Minister David Lange described the Rainbow Warrior attack as ‘nothing more than a sordid act of international state-backed terrorism’.”

    Don’t get me wrong. I am not “anti-French”. I lived for years in France, had a French girlfriend, studied French history, language and literature. I even had friends in Wellington who worked at the French Embassy.

    Curiously when I lived next to Premier House, the official residence of the prime minister, my other next door neighbour was a French agent who specialised in surveillance. Our houses backed onto Premier House. Quelle coïncidence. To his mild consternation I’d greet him with “Salut, mon espion favori.” (Hello, my favourite spy).

    What I despise is French colonialism, French racism, and what the French call magouillage. I don’t know a good English word for it . . .  it is a mix of shenanigans, duplicity, artful deception to achieve unscrupulous outcomes that can’t be publicly avowed. In brief: what the French attempted in Auckland in 1985.

    Robie recounts in detail the lying, smokescreens and roadblocks that everyone from President Mitterrand through to junior officials put in the way of the New Zealand investigators. Mitterrand gave Prime Minister David Lange assurances that the culprits would be brought to justice. The French Embassy in Wellington claimed at the time: “In no way is France involved. The French government doesn’t deal with its opponents in such ways.”

    It took years for the bombshell to explode that none other than Mitterrand himself had ordered the terrorist attack on New Zealand and Greenpeace!

    Rainbow Warrior III . . . the current successor to the bombed ship. Photographed at Majuro, the capital of the Marshall Islands in April 2025. Image: © Bianca Vitale/Greenpeace

    We the people of the Pacific
     We, the people of the Pacific, owe a debt to Greenpeace and all those who were part of the Rainbow Warrior, including author David Robie. We must remember the crime and call it by its name: state terrorism.

    The French attempted to escape justice, deny involvement and then welched on the terms of the agreement negotiated with the help of the United Nations secretary-general.

    A great way to honour the sacrifice of those who stood up for justice, who stood for peace and a nuclear-free Pacific, and who honoured our own national identity would be to buy David Robie’s excellent book.

    I’ll give the last word to former Prime Minister Helen Clark:

    “This is the time for New Zealand to link with the many small and middle powers across regions who have a vision for a world characterised by solidarity and peace and which can rise to the occasion to combat the existential challenges it faces — including of nuclear weapons, climate change, and artificial intelligence. If our independent foreign policy is to mean anything in the mid-2020s, it must be based on concerted diplomacy for peace and sustainable development.”

    You cannot sink a rainbow.

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

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI: Planisware accelerates its development in Asia and announces the opening of an office in Seoul

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Planisware accelerates its development in Asia and announces the opening of an office in Seoul

    Paris, France, July 3, 2025 – Planisware, a leading B2B provider of SaaS in the rapidly growing Project Economy market, announces the opening of an office in Seoul. This move aligns with the company’s international development strategy, and strengthens its footprint in Asia, where it already has a presence in Singapore and Japan.

    Ranked among the OECD’s most innovative countries, South Korea represents a high-potential market for Planisware. The country boasts a dynamic economy, driven by cutting-edge industries such as electronics, chemicals, life sciences and industrial equipment. These are all sectors in which Planisware has recognized expertise and a solid portfolio of international customers.

    The opening of this office aims to forge relationships with new South Korean players, providing them with local support, while consolidating links with existing customers, notably subsidiaries of major international groups. This local presence will enable more effective support for their digital transformation and the management of complex projects, particularly in the financial, telecoms, industrial and public sectors.

    “Asia is a major strategic hub for Planisware,” says Loïc Sautour, CEO of Planisware. “The opening of this third office in Asia marks an important step in our regional expansion. This latest inauguration in South Korea will enable us to support our growth in an economy renowned for its technological excellence and industrial dynamism. I am delighted to welcome Victor Mercier as head of this new office. His experience, in-depth knowledge of our solutions and ability to support our customers’ transformation will be invaluable assets in accelerating our development in South Korea.“

    Yves Humblot, co-founder of Planisware, adds: “South Korea offers a unique environment, at the crossroads of innovation, industrial excellence and digitalization. This new office will enable us to better serve our customers and forge strong partnerships with key local players.”

    With over 15 years’ experience in complex project management and digital transformation, Victor Mercier joined Planisware in 2021. He held the position of Project Director for over four years before taking over the management of the South Korean subsidiary. Prior to this, he spent over seven years with Accenture, where he carried out numerous consulting projects in the energy, industry and infrastructure sectors, developing recognized expertise in IT project management, agile methods and change management. An engineering graduate of IMT Atlantique (2010), he brings solid expertise in digital transformation and complex project management.

    Contact

    Investor Relations: Benoit d’Amécourt

    benoit.damecourt@planisware.com
    +33 6 75 51 41 47

    Media: Brunswick Group
    Hugues Boëton / Tristan Roquet Montégon
    planisware@brunswickgroup.com
    +33 6 79 99 27 15 / +33 6 37 00 52 57

    About Planisware

    Planisware is a leading business-to-business (“B2B”) provider of Software-as-a-Service (“SaaS”) in the rapidly growing Project Economy. Planisware’s mission is to provide solutions that help organizations transform how they strategize, plan and deliver their projects, project portfolios, programs and products.

    With circa 750 employees across 18 offices, Planisware operates at significant scale serving around 600 organizational clients in a wide range of verticals and functions across more than 30 countries worldwide. Planisware’s clients include large international companies, medium-sized businesses and public sector entities.

    Planisware is listed on the regulated market of Euronext Paris (Compartment A, ISIN code FR001400PFU4, ticker symbol “PLNW”).

    For more information, visit planisware.com and connect with Planisware on LinkedIn.

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    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Sudan: Sharp rise in attacks on healthcare after two years of conflict with 1,000 people killed this year – Save the Children

    Source: Save the Children

    PORT SUDAN , 03 July 2025 – Nearly 1,000 people have been killed so far this year in Sudan while seeking health care or visiting loved ones in hospital, with attacks on hospitals nearly tripling after two years of conflict [1] and exacerbating a cholera outbreak, Save the Children said.
    Save the Children analysis of attacks on healthcare as reported by the World Health Organization found that at least 933 people, including children, were killed in over 38 incidents in the first six months of 2025. This is nearly 60 times the number of deaths reported over the same period a year ago [2].
    Over 148 people were injured in healthcare attacks in the first half of 2025, which is nearly triple the number of people injured over the same period last year.
    The deadly attacks targeted clinics, health facilities, major hospitals, ambulances, and medical convoys while looting of warehouses housing drugs and medical supplies has put more people at risk in a country where half the population – 30.4 million people – are in need of humanitarian aid.
    Save the Children said the number of attacks on healthcare has been high since conflict broke out in April 2023 but the spike in casualty numbers this year was alarming, with nearly four times more people killed than in 2023 and 2024 combined.
    The latest attack on healthcare took place last week at Al-Mujlad Hospital in West Kordofan state and left over 40 people dead, including six children and five health workers, the WHO’s office in Sudan said. Dozens were also injured in the attack.
    In January this year, at least one girl and three boys were reportedly killed and three boys injured in an attack on the Saudi Hospital in El Fasher, in Sudan’s North Darfur. The children were among patients receiving care in the hospital’s emergency ward, being treated for injuries resulting from previous bombings in the area.
    The attacks on healthcare facilities and workers have increased as the country is reeling from a spiralling cholera outbreak, with 80,000 confirmed cases including more than 1,000 children under five and more than 2,000 deaths nationwide since the outbreak was declared two months ago [3].
    On top of direct attacks on hospitals, looting of medical supplies is further compounding the suffering for millions in Sudan. This has included the theft of ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) – a crucial treatment for children suffering from severe acute malnutrition – from UNICEF’s supplies at Al Bashair Hospital in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, in March and Save the Children facilities.
    Save the Children is urgently working to increase life-saving supplies, especially ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF), a micronutrient-rich paste used to treat severe acute malnutrition (SAM) in children-especially into Darfur. But RUTF stocks are already dangerously low, and Sudan is among the countries projected to face critical global supply chain gaps in the coming months due to aid cuts.
    “Healthcare workers should never have to worry about their safety while providing health services and patients should never have to look over their shoulders while seeking care in hospitals.
    “The number of people killed and injured in direct attacks on healthcare this year is alarmingly too high and yet the biggest danger posed by these attacks is families and children opting not to seek services from hospitals when in need and turning to unsafe traditional means.
    “We are concerned that in most cases, the hospitals that have come under fire also happen to be the only remaining hospitals in those areas, putting healthcare out of reach for millions including displaced people. With at least 80% of hospitals in Sudan decimated by the conflict, all efforts need to be taken to protect the few standing health facilities still providing services.”
    Save the Children is urgently calling on the international community to redouble efforts to demand a ceasefire to allow safe and unhindered humanitarian access and a drastic scale-up of humanitarian assistance. This includes securing safe passage for food, medical aid, commercial supplies, and critical nutrition interventions for children suffering from wasting especially in the Darfur region.
    Save the Children has worked in Sudan since 1983 and is currently supporting children and their families across Sudan providing health, nutrition, education, child protection and food security and livelihoods support. Save the Children is also supporting refugees from Sudan in Egypt and South Sudan.
    Notes:
    [1] In the first half of 2025 at least 38 attacks on healthcare were reported compared to 13 attacks over the same period in 2024. At least 933 people were killed between 1 January and 30 June 2025 in attacks on healthcare recorded by the World Health Organisation’s Surveillance System for Attacks on Healthcare. This is compared to 16 people killed in 13 attacks on healthcare over a similar period last year. (Database accessed on 01 July 2025). Table below shows the number of attacks, deaths and injuries as retrieved from WHO’s surveillance system for attacks on health care (ssa) on 01 July 2025.
    Period Number of attacks Reported deaths Injuries January – June 2024 13 16 55 January – June 2025 38 933 148 2023 – 2024 (since start of conflict) 136 238 214
    [2] Important note that the WHO surveillance system came into full effect in November 2024 and there is a possibility of underreporting for previous years/ period.
    [3] According to data from Sudan’s ministry of health.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –