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Category: Germany

  • MIL-Evening Report: The special envoy’s antisemitism plan is ambitious, but fails to reckon with the hardest questions

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Matteo Vergani, Associate Professor, Deakin University

    On July 6, an arson attack targeted the East Melbourne Synagogue. It was the latest in a series of antisemitic incidents recorded across Australia since October 7 2023, when Hamas carried out a horrific terrorist attack, killing about 1,200 Israelis. These domestic incidents have escalated in both number and severity.

    Australia has not previously experienced antisemitism at this scale. In response, the Albanese government appointed Jillian Segal as the nation’s first special envoy for combating antisemitism, and commissioned a plan with recommendations to address the issue.

    The plan has now been released. Let’s unpack it.



    Read more:
    Envoy’s plan to fight antisemitism would put universities on notice over funding

    What does the plan say?

    The recommendations fall into three broad areas.

    1. Preventing violence and crime, including a proposed law enforcement framework to improve coordination between agencies, and new policies aimed at stopping dangerous individuals from entering Australia.

    2. Strengthening protections against hate speech, by regulating all forms of hate, including antisemitism, and increasing oversight of platform policies and algorithms.

    3. Promoting antisemitism-free media, education and cultural spaces, through journalist training, education programs, and conditions on public funding for organisations that promote or fail to address antisemitism.

    The government has said it will consider the recommendations.

    These measures are broadly reasonable and make practical sense. Some – such as those aimed at preventing violence and crime – are more straightforward to implement than others. It would also be logical to apply them to all forms of hate, not just antisemitism.

    But that needs to be done with caution. We don’t want to create an environment in which any criticism of a community or group is shut down by regulation.

    In a democracy, open and robust debate is essential. The challenge lies in the details: how we define hate, and where we draw the threshold for what counts as hate.

    The document ignores the elephant in the room: whether the plan could be used to silence legitimate criticism of Israel.

    The special envoy’s plan notes antisemitism has risen since October 7, but it does not fully explain the context. Israel’s military response in Gaza, which has killed more than 57,000 Palestinians, has prompted a wave of global protest and criticism of Israel, including accusations of genocide.

    In this context, the line between antisemitism and criticism of Israel has become more difficult and contested than ever. Some people who attack Israel or Zionism may be expressing antisemitic views. Others may not. Distinguishing between the two is complex, but essential.



    Read more:
    When does anti-Zionism become antisemitism? A Jewish historian’s perspective

    Where criticism ends and antisemitism begins

    The envoy adopts the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of antisemitism, which covers both direct attacks on Jewish identity and certain criticisms of Israel, such as comparisons with Nazi Germany.

    In my experience as a researcher working on online hate (including antisemitism), even members of the Jewish community adopting this definition often disagree on how to apply it.

    The threshold varies – for example when deciding whether an online post or a statement crosses the line into antisemitism.

    So where should we draw that line? It’s a crucial question. If the envoy’s recommendations are implemented, decisions about funding, visas, and even criminal charges could depend on it.

    There is, of course, broad agreement on some cases. Setting fire to a synagogue is clearly antisemitic – it targets a Jewish place of worship.

    Similarly, attacking a Jewish-owned business or damaging property in a Jewish neighbourhood suggests the target was chosen because it was Jewish.

    Some people – often those already harbouring anti-Jewish views – treat the entire Jewish community as if it represents the Netanyahu government or the Israel Defense Forces.

    This ignores the diversity of views within Jewish communities. That lack of nuance fuels antisemitism.

    Few would disagree that antisemitic acts include attacks on Jewish people or property carried out indiscriminately, or when anti-Israel protests attempt to hold the whole Jewish community collectively responsible for the actions of the Israeli government.

    But we also need to be realistic. We are unlikely to eliminate all forms of antisemitic hate or intimidation from public life. Hate can be expressed without breaching laws, and people can intimidate others while staying just within legal boundaries.

    Humour, sarcasm and coded language are often used to incite hatred without triggering any formal consequence. That kind of harm is much harder to prevent – and it may be something we have to learn to live with, while continuing to push back against it.

    Rebuilding trust

    In the long term, the only real solution is building mutual understanding. That’s why personal relationships matter.

    Knowing someone who is Jewish is one of the strongest antidotes to antisemitism. When you have a Jewish friend, you’re less likely to believe or spread the myths that circulate online and offline about what Jewish people think, believe or represent.

    The same applies to all forms of hate. Direct contact helps break down stereotypes across all communities.

    The problem is that the current context is pushing communities apart. Segregation and isolation are increasing. Before October 7, there was meaningful interfaith work happening – Jewish students visiting the Islamic Museum, Muslim students visiting the Holocaust Museum. That work has largely stopped.

    Now, people are retreating into fear, distrust and generalisations. All nuance is lost. The “other” becomes a single, threatening enemy.

    It will take time to rebuild that trust – and the longer the war continues, the harder it will be.

    Matteo Vergani receives funding from the Campbell Collaboration, NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet, the Department of Home Affairs.

    – ref. The special envoy’s antisemitism plan is ambitious, but fails to reckon with the hardest questions – https://theconversation.com/the-special-envoys-antisemitism-plan-is-ambitious-but-fails-to-reckon-with-the-hardest-questions-260914

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI: Bitwise strengthens European crypto research team with appointment of Max Shannon

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

     

     

    • Nomination reflects Bitwise’s continued commitment to research and education
    • Shannon has strong background in token analysis, data-driven research
    • Bitwise publishes a wide range of research seeking to facilitate investor access to rapidly growing digital finance asset class

    10 July 2025. London: Bitwise is pleased to announce the appointment of Max Shannon as Senior Research Associate within its European research team. The move reinforces Bitwise’s ongoing commitment to research and investor education, aimed at making crypto assets more widely accessible to the investment community and support its suite of German domiciled crypto exchange traded products (ETPs), which includes single asset strategies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum and Solana, diversified crypto baskets, and index-based staking ETPs.

    Shannon brings a strong background in token analysis, crypto equities, and data-driven research, and will play a key role in expanding Bitwise’s thought leadership in crypto investing.

    Prior to joining Bitwise, Shannon served as a Crypto & Equity Research Analyst at CoinShares, where he specialized in liquid tokens and publicly listed crypto-related companies. His expertise in Python programming and his hands-on experience analyzing large financial datasets make him a strong fit for Bitwise’s data-centric research approach.

    In his new role, Shannon will report directly to Dr. André Dragosch, Head of Research, Europe at Bitwise, who said: Max’s dual strengths in granular token evaluation and quantitative data analysis align perfectly with our commitment to rigorous, research-first investment strategies. His appointment further strengthens our capabilities in altcoin research and underscores our dedication to delivering institutional-grade insights to our European clients and the investment community.”

    Shannon said: “I’m excited to join such a dynamic and innovative firm as Bitwise, and to work alongside a team of true crypto experts. Being part of a company that places research and investor education at the core of its mission is a unique opportunity for me, and I look forward to contributing to the continued expansion of that vision.”

    Bitwise made its debut on the European market on 18 June 2020, and its portfolio of products has expanded rapidly since then. Its products are designed to integrate seamlessly into traditional portfolios, offering exposure to crypto assets through regulated vehicles— without the operational risks of holding a physical wallet. Based on the country of residence and other applicable local requirements, some of the current offerings may be suitable to individual investors and available via leading brokerage platforms, with features such as physical redemption included as standard. Bitwise publishes regular freely available analysis on the latest developments in the crypto sector, including a weekly commentary, special reports and deep dives on specific topics. Examples are the weekly Crypto Market Compass, the monthly Bitcoin Macro Investor report and the Crypto Market Espresso, an ad-hoc publication focused on market-relevant crypto news and timely insights. Register here or follow our Linkedin newsletter if you’d like to be notified by email when new market commentary and research updates become available. All research is available on the insights section at bitwiseinvestments.eu.

    About Bitwise

    Bitwise is one of the world’s leading crypto specialist asset managers. Thousands of financial advisors, family offices, and institutional investors across the globe have partnered with us to understand and access the opportunities in crypto. Since 2017, Bitwise has established a track record of excellence, managing a broad suite of index and active solutions across ETPs, separately managed accounts, private funds, and hedge fund strategies – spanning both the U.S. and Europe.

    In Europe, for the past five years Bitwise (formerly ETC Group) has developed an extensive and innovative suite of crypto ETPs, including Europe’s most traded bitcoin ETP, or the first diversified Crypto Basket ETP replicating an MSCI digital assets index.

    This family of crypto ETPs is domiciled in Germany and issued under a base prospectus approved by BaFin. We exclusively partner with reputable entities from the traditional financial industry, ensuring that 100% of the assets are securely stored offline (cold storage) through regulated custodians.

    Our European products comprise a collection of carefully designed financial instruments that seamlessly integrate into any professional portfolio, providing comprehensive exposure to crypto as an asset class. Access is straightforward via major European stock exchanges, with primary listings on Xetra, the most liquid exchange for ETF trading in Europe. Retail investors benefit from easy access through numerous DIY/online brokers, coupled with our robust and secure physical ETP structure, which includes a redemption feature. For more information, visit http://www.bitwiseinvestments.eu

    Media contacts:

    JEA Associates
    John McLeod
    00 44 7886 920436
    john@jeaassociates.com

    Important information  
    The information contained in this press release is for information purposes only and does not constitute investment advice, opinions are those of Bitwise and do not constitute an offer or solicitation to buy any financial products or cryptocurrencies. This press release is issued by Bitwise Europe GmbH (“BEU”), a limited company domiciled in Germany, for information only and in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations. BEU gives no explicit or implicit assurance or guarantee regarding the fairness, accuracy, completeness, or correctness of this article or the opinions contained therein. It is advised not to rely on the fairness, accuracy, completeness, or correctness of this article or the opinions contained therein. Please note that certain products may not be available in all jurisdictions or may be offered exclusively to professional or qualified investors, as defined under applicable laws and regulations, including MiFID II (EU), the Financial Services and Markets Act (UK), and the Swiss Financial Services Act (FinSA). Investors should consult their legal or financial advisors for guidance before making any financial decision. For more details, please visit our website or contact us directly via europe@bitwiseinvesmtents.com

    Before investing in crypto Exchange Traded Products (“ETPs”), potential investors should consider the following:  
    Potential investors should seek independent advice and consider relevant information contained in the base prospectus and the final terms for the ETPs, especially the risk factors. Diversification does not guarantee a profit or protect against a loss. ETPs issued by BEU are suitable only for persons experienced in investing in cryptocurrencies and risks of investing can be found in the prospectus and final terms available on www.bitwiseinvestments.eu. The invested capital is at risk, and losses up to the amount invested are possible. ETPs backed by cryptocurrencies are highly volatile assets and performance is unpredictable. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. The market price of ETPs will vary and they do not offer a fixed income or match precisely the performance of the underlying cryptocurrency.  Investing in ETPs involves numerous risks including general market risks relating to underlying, adverse price movements, currency, liquidity, operational, legal and regulatory risks. 

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Secarna Pharmaceuticals and Vect-Horus Announce Research Collaboration to Advance Systemic Delivery of RNA-Targeted Therapeutics for CNS Disorders

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    • The partnership combines Secarna’s OligoCreator® technology with Vect-Horus’ VECTrans® platform to enable systemic delivery of oligonucleotide therapies across the blood-brain barrier
    • This collaboration marks a strategic step for both companies in expanding their presence in targeted delivery and CNS indications, uniting complementary expertise in RNA therapeutics and advanced delivery technologies
    • This strategic agreement unlocks new potential treatments for neurodegenerative and other CNS disorders and delivering solutions that truly impact patient lives

    Martinsried, Germany, and Marseille, France, July 10, 2025 – Secarna Pharmaceuticals GmbH & Co. KG, a company redefining the discovery and development of best-in-class oligonucleotide therapeutics, and Vect-Horus, an expert in the design and development of molecular vectors to facilitate targeted delivery of therapeutic molecules and imaging agents, today announced that the companies have entered into a strategic research collaboration to develop RNA-targeted therapeutics capable of crossing the blood-brain barrier (BBB) to address diseases of the central nervous system (CNS).

    The partnership will combine Vect-Horus’ expertise and delivery technology platform, VECTrans®, a versatile delivery system focused on shuttling therapeutic or imaging payloads across biological barriers, with Secarna’s proprietary OligoCreator® oligonucleotide discovery platform. The combination of these two technologies will expand Secarna’s targeted delivery portfolio, offering a novel approach that could potentially transform the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

    “This partnership brings together two complementary platforms to address one of the most challenging aspects of CNS drug development – effective, targeted, and systemic delivery across the blood-brain barrier,” said Konstantin Petropoulos, PhD, Chief Executive Officer of Secarna Pharmaceuticals. “Our collaboration with Vect-Horus, whose VECTrans® technology has earned major recognition in the world, marks a significant step in our strategic expansion into targeted delivery in the context of CNS diseases, unlocking new possibilities for treating neurodegenerative and other CNS disorders and delivering solutions that truly impact patient lives.”

    “We are pleased to collaborate with Secarna Pharmaceuticals” said Alexandre Tokay, co-founder and CEO of Vect-Horus. “By combining our VECTrans® delivery platform with Secarna’s OligoCreator® technology, we aim to advance RNA-targeted therapies for CNS disorders. This research collaboration represents a unique opportunity to overcome the long-standing delivery challenges through the blood-brain barrier and bring forward innovative treatment options for patients who today have limited and ineffective treatment options”

    With over 20 years of expertise Vect-Horus’ VECTrans® platform uses engineered peptide and single-domain, heavy chain-only (VHH) antibody vectors to shuttle therapeutic or imaging payloads—ranging from small molecules and oligonucleotides to proteins—across biological barriers like the blood–brain barrier via receptor-mediated transport. This approach enables efficient targeting of specific cells or tissues (e.g., the CNS or tumors) while enhancing pharmacokinetics and minimizing off-target effects. VECTrans® has been validated in multiple preclinical animal models for a variety of diseases. In addition, the platform has one partnered program in the clinical stage targeting glioblastoma multiforme and pancreatic cancer.

    Secarna’s AI-empowered OligoCreator® platform unites multiple delivery solutions with safety and efficacy assessment tools to rapidly discover and refine highly effective and safe oligonucleotide therapies. This powerful integration enhances Secarna’s ability to address diseases once considered untreatable, reinforcing the platform’s critical role in driving the next generation of medical innovation.

    About Secarna Pharmaceuticals
    Secarna Pharmaceuticals is a biopharmaceutical company redefining the discovery and development of best-in-class oligonucleotide therapeutics, offering hope to patients facing conditions that are beyond the reach of current approaches and modalities. With the Company’s proprietary AI-empowered OligoCreator® platform, which includes multiple delivery technologies, Secarna identifies and characterizes oligonucleotide therapeutics with unparalleled speed and excellent safety and efficacy. By delivering these novel therapeutics to the cells, organs, or tissues where they are needed, targeted oligonucleotide therapies have the potential to revolutionize treatments for a wide range of difficult-to-treat disorders. Secarna’s unique ‘OligoCreator®’ platform is leveraged to transform untreatable conditions into treatable ones, profoundly changing the future of medicine. www.secarna.com

    About Vect-Horus
    Vect-Horus designs and develops vectors that facilitate targeting and delivery of therapeutic or imaging agents to organs, including the brain, and to tumors. Founded in 2005, Vect-Horus is a spin-off of the Institute for Neurophysiopathology (INP, UMR7051, CNRS and Aix Marseille University), formerly headed by Dr Michel Khrestchatisky, co-founder of the company. Vect-Horus has 42 employees (most in R&D).
    To learn more about Vect-Horus, visit www.vect-horus.com.

    Contact
    Secarna Pharmaceuticals GmbH & Co. KG

    Konstantin Petropoulos, PhD, MBA
    Chief Executive Officer
    Phone: +49 (0)89 215 46 375
    info@secarna.com

       Secarna Pharmaceuticals

    		 Media Inquiries:

    For Secarna Pharmaceuticals
    MC Services AG

    Lydia Robinson-Garcia
    Phone: + 49 (0)170 7134018
    Email: secarna@mc-services.eu
    Contact
    Vect-Horus
    Emmanuelle Bettendorf
    BD & Alliance Management
    contact@vect-horus.com    		 For Vect-Horus
    Cohesion Bureau

    Sophie Baumont
    sophie.baumont@cohesionbureau.com

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

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

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

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

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

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

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

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

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Revamped Leverkusen prepares for unknown journey

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    MIL OSI China News –

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

    Source: Moldova Innovation Technology Park (MITP)

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

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

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

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

    — said Marina Bzovîi, Administrator of MITP.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    About Moldova Innovation Technology Park (MITP)

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

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

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

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese vice premier meets BASF CEO

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

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

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

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

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

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

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Alexander Novak: REW-2025 will become a key platform for discussing current energy issues

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak held the second meeting of the organizing committee for the preparation and holding of the international forum “Russian Energy Week”. The meeting was attended by representatives of federal authorities, energy companies, and industry communities.

    REW-2025 will be held from October 15 to 17 in Moscow. The forum will traditionally bring together representatives of government, business, science and the expert community to discuss global trends and challenges in the energy industry.

    Opening the meeting of the organizing committee, Alexander Novak emphasized the importance of intensifying the invitation campaign and filling the business program. “REW-2025 will become a key platform for discussing current energy issues, demonstrating technological achievements and strengthening international cooperation. This year, we will pay special attention to the 80th anniversary of the Russian nuclear industry and the integration of energy sovereignty topics,” said the Deputy Prime Minister.

    Adviser to the President of Russia, Executive Secretary of the REW Organizing Committee Anton Kobyakov noted that preparations for the forum are proceeding as usual. “Invitations to take part in REW-2025 events have been sent to more than 6.3 thousand participants, including heads of Russian and foreign businesses, as well as representatives of official delegations. Representatives of 65 companies from nine countries have confirmed their participation, including Azerbaijan, Brazil, Great Britain, Germany, Zambia, Kazakhstan, Côte d’Ivoire, Serbia, and South Africa. The Organizing Committee is actively working to attract foreign partners, especially from Asian, African, and Arab countries,” Anton Kobyakov added.

    As part of REW-2025, in parallel with the demonstration of stands of the forum’s key partners in the Manezh Central Exhibition Hall, a specialized exhibition will once again be organized at the Gostiny Dvor site, which will demonstrate the industry’s achievements in the field of import substitution and innovative development of the country in the context of the Energy Strategy of Russia until 2050.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Microsoft unveils Elevate, putting people first in AI transformation

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: Microsoft unveils Elevate, putting people first in AI transformation

    For a student wondering what to study, a teacher rethinking how to teach, or a business owner managing a workforce—artificial intelligence is no longer theoretical. It’s personal. And it’s why we believe some of the most important work ahead isn’t just building smarter machines—it’s ensuring those machines help people thrive.

    That’s why today we’re announcing Microsoft Elevate and the AI Economy Institute—to ensure that as AI transforms our world, we’re putting people first by equipping them with the skills, knowledge, and tools to thrive with AI.

    Microsoft Elevate brings into one organization our technology support, donations, and sales for schools, community colleges, and nonprofit organizations. It is the successor to and expands upon the longstanding work of Microsoft Philanthropies and the Tech for Social Impact team that supports nonprofits.

    More broadly, this represents our next chapter for corporate philanthropy and our non-commercial business model. As we have with Tech for Social Impact, we will run this new business with commitments to reinvest a share of our profits into nonprofit programs. We are announcing today that over the next five years, we will donate on a global scale more than $4 billion in cash and AI and cloud technology to K-12 schools, community and technical colleges, and nonprofits to help advance their missions.

    Microsoft Elevate will also pursue the next phase of our global skilling programs and initiatives. Through the Microsoft Elevate Academy, it will help bring AI education and skills to people around the world. In the next two years, the Microsoft Elevate Academy will help 20 million people earn an in-demand AI skilling credential ranging from foundational fluency to advanced technical training. Working in close coordination with other groups across Microsoft, including LinkedIn and GitHub, Microsoft Elevate will deliver AI education and skilling at scale. And it will work as an advocate for public policies around the world to advance AI education and training for others.

    Microsoft will partner with governments on a national, state, and local basis, as we have with the largest state in Germany, North Rhine-Westphalia. It will focus on advancing AI education and training with schools, community colleges, and nonprofits. It will launch new and innovative initiatives, including the support we’re announcing today for a new “Hour of AI” with Code.org. It will build on our existing partnerships with leading labor organizations, as we announced yesterday with the American Federation of Teachers. And we will pursue many more partnerships to come. Put together, these efforts represent a bold step to create the skilling infrastructure the world will need to put AI to work.

    A moment to reflect

    Today’s tech sector is in an AI race—with some aiming to be the first to reach artificial general intelligence or even superintelligence. But what do we really hope to create at the supposed finish line?

    The best time to ask hard questions about AI’s future is now—before it becomes even more powerful and pervasive. History shows that technology can empower creativity, expand knowledge, and connect people. But it can also deepen divides. Nearly 150 years after Thomas Edison lit his first light bulb, hundreds of millions still lack electricity. And in just 15 years, social media has gone from what people saw as a promising tool to spread democracy to a weapon of disinformation.

    As we look ahead, we must ask ourselves: Are we building machines to replace people, or to help people thrive? Are we trying to create AI that will outsmart humanity—or elevate it?

    At Microsoft, we’re putting a clear stake in the ground: we believe in advancing AI by putting people first.

    Elevating the humanity of work

    This initiative is part of a broader commitment to help people shape the future of work, not just react to it.

    Work has always been more than a paycheck. It’s how people contribute, grow, and find meaning in their lives. It’s a source of identity, purpose, and dignity. This isn’t a new idea. Two thousand years ago, Aristotle called it eudaimonia—the ability to flourish through purposeful activity. That idea still resonates today, especially as AI begins to reshape the nature of work itself.

    AI is a powerful tool that can help us learn and be more productive. But as with any tool, it needs to be used in the right ways and with a broad perspective. This is one of the lessons from the use of social media. We’ve probably all experienced someone connecting on their phone with a friend far away while ignoring a family member sitting in the same room. We need to use AI to think more, not less. And this is a function not only of technology but culture and habits. It will require thoughtful conversations in homes, schools, and in the workplace about how we make the best use of AI.

    Ultimately, the conversation about AI and jobs must begin with people—not just productivity. Machines can process data, but only humans can exercise judgment. Machines can mimic language, but only humans can offer empathy. Machines can optimize, but only humans can care. The goal isn’t to build machines that replace us—it’s to build machines that help us do more and do it better.

    One key to success will be partnerships, so a broad array of stakeholders can have input into where AI is going. That means working with governments, educators, labor unions, employers, and community leaders to ensure AI reflects human values and serves human needs.

    This is why we have been deepening our partnerships with labor organizations like the AFL-CIO and, as announced yesterday, with the American Federation of Teachers, or AFT, to deliver AI training to union members, apprenticeship instructors, and educators—including a new National Academy for AI Instruction and a summer skilling series across the building trades. We’re also working with policymakers to encourage public policies that support lifelong learning, workforce readiness, and equitable access to AI education.

    A new corporate think tank: Microsoft’s AI Economy Institute

    It’s important to acknowledge that we don’t have all the answers to the new questions that AI will pose for societies around the world. No one does.

    To support our work with deeper research and policy insight, Microsoft Elevate will work in close coordination with the Microsoft AI Economy Institute. We started work this past January on what is a new kind of corporate think tank—one designed to bridge the gap between technological innovation and societal impact.

    Housed within the AI for Good Lab and building on the best traditions of Microsoft Research, the Institute sponsors and convenes researchers to explore how AI is reshaping work, education, and productivity. It’s focused on turning those insights into real-world solutions that inform Microsoft’s strategy and public policy engagement.

    The Institute supports academic research that explores the transformative potential of AI around the world. Current projects, representing academics from universities across the globe, began earlier this year and span from investigating how generative AI can drive transdisciplinary academic innovation to addressing policy gaps in African higher education to evaluating the real-world labor market value of AI skills and micro-credentials. This work underscores the Institute’s commitment to inclusive, evidence-based insights that shape responsible and globally relevant AI futures. With fast publication cycles and a commitment to open collaboration, the Institute ensures that its research reaches not only internal teams but also the public and policymakers around the world.

    The Institute’s work will directly inform Microsoft Elevate’s skilling programs and initiatives, helping to create the training programs, partnerships, and policy frameworks needed to prepare people for the AI economy.

    Through workshops, convenings, and applied research, the AI Economy Institute is poised to become a leading voice in the global conversation on AI and economic transformation—ensuring that the benefits of AI are broadly shared and that the infrastructure for inclusive growth is built alongside the technology itself.

    This is part of an even broader ongoing effort to advance AI as a tool for good around the world. This will include the evolution of our AI for Good Lab, which advances applied research projects to use AI to meet societal needs. It also includes our support for responsible AI with a wide variety of partners, including universities, nonprofits, and the AFL-CIO and its members. It also includes faith-based organizations, including the Vatican and its Rome Call for AI Ethics. And important intergovernmental organizations, including key United Nations agencies.

    Building on a 50-year legacy

    More than any other tech company, Microsoft’s 50-year history gives us a unique appreciation for what it takes for people and technology to flourish together. Because the PC and our operating systems have always functioned as open platforms, we understand how to support a broad global ecosystem of software developers and innovators. And because Microsoft strived early on to put “a computer on every desk and in every home” when that seemed like an implausible dream, we appreciate what technology success truly requires. It’s based not only on great innovations but also critical work to make these innovations accessible and to equip people with the skills needed to use them in their daily lives.

    This is the work ahead—not just building the next generation of AI but building the next generation of opportunity. With Microsoft Elevate, we’re investing in people, institutions, and ideas that will ensure AI serves everyone. Because AI shouldn’t strip away the humanity of work—it should elevate it.

    Tags: AI, digital skills

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: expert reaction to systematic review and meta-analysis on antidepressant withdrawal symptoms

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    A systematic review and meta-analysis published in JAMA Psychiatry looks at antidepressant withdrawal symptoms. 

    Dr Susannah Murphy, Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, said:

    “People taking antidepressants are understandably concerned about what might happen when they stop, particularly about the possibility of withdrawal symptoms. This study is an important contribution to the field, providing a comprehensive review of the current evidence on antidepressant discontinuation. Its strengths lie in the large amount of data analysed—over 50 studies representing more than 17,000 patients—and the useful comparison it makes between those stopping antidepressants and those in placebo group.

    “The findings suggest that while some individuals may experience symptoms like dizziness, nausea, vertigo, or nervousness, the vast majority do not. This indicates it could be helpful for clinicians to inform patients about these potential effects, while also reassuring them that such symptoms are not common.

    “It’s important to note that the studies included only measured discontinuation symptoms in the first two weeks after stopping medication, so we still need more research to understand how long these effects might last.  The study was also not able to assess the severity of the symptoms, and this is important to consider in future studies”

     

    Prof Katharina Domschke, Full Professor of Psychiatry and Chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Freiburg, Germany, said:

    “The methodologically very robustly collected and analyzed data reported in the study by Henssler et al. (Lancet Psychiatry, 2024) is now supported by the present results published in JAMA Psychiatry, showing only small numbers of antidepressant discontinuation symptoms in some cases. 

    “The study is characterized by an excellent methodological quality being the most comprehensive meta-analysis on the topic to date including 50 studies, 38 of which had an observation period longer than two weeks, the critical time frame during which discontinuation symptoms are expected to occur. With over 17,000 participants, the analysis provides high statistical power. The results are stratified by different antidepressants and specific individual symptoms. Two sub-meta-analyses were conducted: one employing the Discontinuation-Emergent Signs and Symptoms (DESS) scale, which is the most established standardized instrument for assessing discontinuation symptoms; the other using various outcome parameters.

    “An interesting aspect is the breakdown by individual antidepressants, with angomelatine and vortioxetine—the latter unfortunately no longer reimbursed by health insurance in Germany—showing a particularly favorable profile.

    “The present study is very welcome in hopefully correcting worried patients’ impression that antidepressants could cause high rates of withdrawal symptoms as stated by a recent study by Horowitz et al. published in Psychiatry Res. 2025, which, however, is methodologically much weaker than the present one with only 310 patients included in a very specific primary care setting, a very poor response rate of 18% introducing a major bias, and no standardized quantitative outcome measure.

    “It is possible that certain subgroups of patients experience more pronounced discontinuation symptoms than others. Future research efforts should focus on identifying the underlying biological and psychological mechanisms—for example, whether these patients metabolize the medications differently, possess a specific genetic background, or whether comorbidities and concomitant medications might account for these reactions.

    “This new study is extremely welcome in terms of helping to destigmatize antidepressants. Along these lines, in light of the present results in synopsis with the ones reported by Henssler et al in Lancet Psychiatry in 2024, it is high time to stop referring to ‘withdrawal symptoms’ and instead use the term ‘discontinuation symptoms.’ The term ‘withdrawal’ is traditionally reserved for the context of substance dependence, which, in the case of antidepressants, is simply incorrect.” 

    Prof Christiaan Vinkers, Psychiatrist and Professor of Stress and Resilience, Amsterdam UMC, said:

    “This is an important and timely study. The topic of antidepressant withdrawal has generated much discussion and concern, although sometimes more heat than light. This new systematic review and meta-analysis in JAMA Psychiatry brings welcome clarity by using rigorous methods and placebo-controlled comparisons. The findings show that, on average, people who stop taking antidepressants experience about one additional discontinuation symptom, most often dizziness, compared to those continuing treatment or stopping placebo. Crucially, the overall symptom burden remained below the threshold for clinically significant withdrawal syndrome. The study also found no increase in depressive symptoms shortly after discontinuation, suggesting that early mood worsening is not a common withdrawal effect but more likely signals relapse.

    “Importantly, the authors include unpublished trial data and take into account the nocebo effect, which may inflate perceived symptom rates in open-label studies or uncontrolled settings. This helps temper some of the more alarming claims about universal and severe withdrawal. At the same time, the study acknowledges limitations, including short treatment durations and lack of real-world tapering strategies in most included trials. We still need more data on long-term users, individual vulnerability, and best practices for discontinuation.

    “Overall, this is high-quality research that strengthens the evidence base and promotes a more balanced and science-based understanding of antidepressant discontinuation. IIt reminds us that while withdrawal symptoms do occur in a minority of cases, they are on average typically not severe and manageable, especially with proper clinical support.”

    ‘Incidence and Nature of Antidepressant Discontinuation Symptoms, A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis’ by Michail Kalfas et al. was published in JAMA Psychiatry at 16:00 UK time on Wednesday 9th July. 

    DOI: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2025.1362

    Declared interests

    Dr Susannah Murphy: SEM has received consultancy fees from Zogenix, Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma, UCB Pharma and Janssen Pharmaceuticals and held grant income from Zogenix, UCB Pharma, Janssen Pharmaceuticals and ADM.

    Prof Katharina Domschke: Speaker’s fees by Janssen 

    Member of the Neurotorium editorial board, Lundbeck Foundation

    Prof Christiaan Vinkers: I am involved in publically ZonMW-funded research on antidepressant discontinuation, including the TEMPO and HARMONIE studies. I am affiliated with the antidepressant discontinuation outpatient clinic in Amsterdam (www.afbouwpoli.nl), and I serve as a member of the Dutch multidisciplinary guideline committee on psychotropic drug discontinuation. I have received a speaker’s fee from Tiofarma, but no financial ties to pharmaceutical companies relevant to this work.

    This Roundup was accompanied by an SMC Briefing. 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: Fortinet Report: OT Cybersecurity Risk Elevates within Executive Leadership Ranks

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SUNNYVALE, Calif., July 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Fortinet® (NASDAQ: FTNT), the global cybersecurity leader driving the convergence of networking and security, today announced the findings from its global 2025 State of Operational Technology and Cybersecurity Report. The results represent the current state of operational technology (OT) cybersecurity and highlight opportunities for continued improvement for organizations to secure an ever-expanding IT/OT threat landscape. In addition to trends and insights impacting OT organizations, the report offers best practices to help IT and OT security teams better secure their cyber-physical systems. 

    “The seventh installment of the Fortinet State of Operational Technology and Cybersecurity Report shows that organizations are taking OT security more seriously. We see this trend reflected in a notable increase in the assignment of responsibility for OT risk to the C-suite, alongside an uptick in organizations self-reporting increased rates of OT security maturity,” said Nirav Shah, Senior Vice President, Products and Solutions, at Fortinet. “Alongside these trends, we’re seeing a decrease in the impact of intrusions in organizations that prioritize OT security. Everyone from the C-suite on down needs to commit to protecting sensitive OT systems and allocating the necessary resources to secure their critical operations.”

    Key findings from the global survey include:

    • Responsibility for OT security continues to elevate within executive ranks: There has been a significant increase in the global trend of corporations planning to integrate cybersecurity under the CISO or other executives. As accountability continues to shift into executive leadership, OT security is elevated to a high-profile issue at the board level. The top internal leaders who influence OT cybersecurity decisions are now most likely to be the CISO or CSO by an increasingly wide margin. Now more than half (52%) of organizations report that the CISO/CSO is responsible for OT, up from 16% in 2022. For all C-suite roles, this has spiked to 95%. Additionally, the number of organizations intending to move OT cybersecurity under CISO in the next 12 months has increased from 60% to 80% in 2025.
    • OT cybersecurity maturity is affecting the impact of intrusions: Self-reported OT security maturity has made notable progress this year. At the basic Level 1, 26% of organizations report establishing visibility and implementing segmentation, up from 20% in the previous year. The largest number of organizations state their security maturity is at the Level 2 access and profiling phase. The report also found a correlation between maturity and attacks. Those organizations that report being more mature (higher of Levels 0–4) are seeing fewer attacks or indicate that they are better able to handle lower-sophistication tactics, such as phishing. It’s worth noting that some tactics, such as advanced persistent threats (APT) and OT malware, are difficult to detect, and less mature organizations may not have the security solutions in place to determine they exist. Overall, although nearly half of organizations experienced impacts, the impact of intrusions on organizations is declining, with a noteworthy reduction in operational outages that impacted revenue, which dropped from 52% to 42%.
    • Adopting cybersecurity best practices is having a positive impact: In addition to the Levels of maturity affecting the impact of intrusions, it appears that adopting best practices such as implementing basic cyber hygiene and better training and awareness are having a real impact, including a significant drop in business email compromise. Other best practices include incorporating threat intelligence, which spiked (49%) since 2024. Additionally, the report saw a significant decrease in the number of OT device vendors, which is a sign of maturity and operational efficiency. More organizations (78%) are now using only one to four OT vendors, which indicates that many of these organizations are consolidating vendors as part of their best practices. Cybersecurity vendor consolidation is also a sign of maturity and corresponds to Fortinet customer experiences with the Fortinet OT Security Platform. Unified networking and security at remote OT sites enhanced visibility and reduced cyber risks, leading to a 93% reduction in cyber incidents vs. a flat network. The simplified Fortinet solutions also led to a 7x improvement in performance through reductions in triage and setup.1

    Best Practices
    Fortinet’s global 2025 State of Operational Technology and Cybersecurity Report provides actionable insights for organizations to strengthen their security posture. Organizations can address OT security challenges by adopting the following best practices:

    • Establish visibility and compensating controls for OT assets: Organizations need the ability to see and understand everything that’s on their OT networks. Once visibility is established, organizations then need to protect critical devices and ones that may be vulnerable, which requires protective compensating controls that are designed for sensitive OT devices. Capabilities such as protocol-aware network policies, system-to-system interaction analysis, and endpoint monitoring can detect and prevent compromise of vulnerable assets.
    • Deploy segmentation: Reducing intrusions requires a hardened OT environment with strong network policy controls at all access points. This kind of defensible OT architecture starts with creating network zones or segments. Standards such as ISA/IEC 62443 specifically call for segmentation to enforce controls between OT and IT networks and between OT systems. Teams should also evaluate the overall complexity of managing a solution and consider the benefits of an integrated or platform-based approach with centralized management capabilities.
    • Integrate OT into security operations (SecOps) and incident response planning: Organizations should be maturing toward IT/OT SecOps. To get there, OT needs to be a specific consideration for SecOps and incident response plans, largely because of some of the distinctions between OT and IT environments, from unique device types to the broader consequences of an OT breach impacting critical operations. One key step in this direction is to have playbooks that include your organization’s OT environment. This kind of advanced preparation will foster better collaboration across IT, OT, and production teams to adequately assess cyber and production risks. It can also ensure that the CISO has proper awareness, prioritization, budget, and personnel allocations.
    • Consider a platform approach to your overall security architecture: To address rapidly evolving OT threats and an expanding attack surface, many organizations have assembled a broad array of security solutions from different vendors. This has yielded an overly complex security architecture that inhibits visibility while placing an increased burden on limited security team resources. A platform-based approach to security can help organizations consolidate vendors and simplify their architecture. A robust security platform with specific capabilities for both IT networks and OT environments can provide solution integration for improved security efficacy while enabling centralized management for enhanced efficiency. Integration can also provide a foundation for automated responses to threats.
    • Embrace OT-specific threat intelligence and security services: OT security depends on timely awareness and precise analytical insights about imminent risks. A platform-based security architecture should also apply AI-powered threat intelligence for near-real-time protection against the latest threats, attack variants, and exposures. Organizations should ensure their threat intelligence and content sources include robust, OT-specific information in their feeds and services.

    Report Overview

    • The Fortinet 2025 State of Operational Technology and Cybersecurity Report is based on data from a global survey of more than 550 OT professionals, conducted by a third-party research company.
    • Survey respondents were from different locations around the world, including Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Mainland China, Colombia, Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Taiwan, Thailand, United Kingdom, and the United States, among others.
    • Respondents represent a range of industries that are heavy users of OT, including: manufacturing, transportation/logistics, healthcare/pharma, oil, gas, and refining, energy/utilities, chemical/petrochemical, and water/wastewater.
    • Most of those surveyed, regardless of title, are deeply involved in cybersecurity purchasing decisions. Many respondents are responsible for operations technology at their organization and/or have reporting responsibility for manufacturing or plant operations.

    Additional Resources

    1 Fortinet, Fortinet OT Security Platform Customer Success Stories, November 5, 2024.

    About Fortinet
    Fortinet (Nasdaq: FTNT) is a driving force in the evolution of cybersecurity and the convergence of networking and security. Our mission is to secure people, devices, and data everywhere, and today we deliver cybersecurity everywhere our customers need it with the largest integrated portfolio of over 50 enterprise-grade products. Well over half a million customers trust Fortinet’s solutions, which are among the most deployed, most patented, and most validated in the industry. The Fortinet Training Institute, one of the largest and broadest training programs in the industry, is dedicated to making cybersecurity training and new career opportunities available to everyone. Collaboration with esteemed organizations from both the public and private sectors, including Computer Emergency Response Teams (“CERTS”), government entities, and academia, is a fundamental aspect of Fortinet’s commitment to enhance cyber resilience globally. FortiGuard Labs, Fortinet’s elite threat intelligence and research organization, develops and utilizes leading-edge machine learning and AI technologies to provide customers with timely and consistently top-rated protection and actionable threat intelligence. Learn more at https://www.fortinet.com, the Fortinet Blog, and FortiGuard Labs.

    Copyright © 2025 Fortinet, Inc. All rights reserved. The symbols ® and ™ denote respectively federally registered trademarks and common law trademarks of Fortinet, Inc., its subsidiaries and affiliates. Fortinet’s trademarks include, but are not limited to, the following: Fortinet, the Fortinet logo, FortiGate, FortiOS, FortiGuard, FortiCare, FortiAnalyzer, FortiManager, FortiASIC, FortiClient, FortiCloud, FortiMail, FortiSandbox, FortiADC, FortiAgent, FortiAI, FortiAIOps, FortiAgent, FortiAntenna, FortiAP, FortiAPCam, FortiAuthenticator, FortiCache, FortiCall, FortiCam, FortiCamera, FortiCarrier, FortiCASB, FortiCentral, FortiCNP, FortiConnect, FortiController, FortiConverter, FortiCSPM, FortiCWP, FortiDAST, FortiDB, FortiDDoS, FortiDeceptor, FortiDeploy, FortiDevSec, FortiDLP, FortiEdge, FortiEDR, FortiEndpoint FortiExplorer, FortiExtender, FortiFirewall, FortiFlex FortiFone, FortiGSLB, FortiGuest, FortiHypervisor, FortiInsight, FortiIsolator, FortiLAN, FortiLink, FortiMonitor, FortiNAC, FortiNDR, FortiPAM, FortiPenTest, FortiPhish, FortiPoint, FortiPolicy, FortiPortal, FortiPresence, FortiProxy, FortiRecon, FortiRecorder, FortiSASE, FortiScanner, FortiSDNConnector, FortiSEC, FortiSIEM, FortiSMS, FortiSOAR, FortiSRA, FortiStack, FortiSwitch, FortiTester, FortiToken, FortiTrust, FortiVoice, FortiWAN, FortiWeb, FortiWiFi, FortiWLC, FortiWLM, FortiXDR and Lacework FortiCNAPP. Other trademarks belong to their respective owners. Fortinet has not independently verified statements or certifications herein attributed to third parties and Fortinet does not independently endorse such statements. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, nothing herein constitutes a warranty, guarantee, contract, binding specification or other binding commitment by Fortinet or any indication of intent related to a binding commitment, and performance and other specification information herein may be unique to certain environments.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: ​​​​​​​‘Do not invest in US gas exports’ Greenpeace warns EU, backed by new report

    Source: Greenpeace Statement –

    ‘Do not invest in US gas exports’ Greenpeace warns EU, backed by new report

    Brussels – As European leaders and companies are pushing for increased imports of US liquefied gas (LNG), a new report by Greenpeace USA, Earthworks, and Oil Change International highlights the climate threats and financial risks posed by five major new liquefied gas export projects proposed for the US Gulf Coast, most of them still awaiting a final investment decision.[1]

    “What we found was crystal clear – any further investment in LNG is not compatible with a livable climate,” said Andres Chang, Senior Research Specialist at Greenpeace USA and lead author of the report. “The massive growth in infrastructure along the Texas and Louisiana Gulf Coast has already created significant public health and ecosystem impacts, threatening entire coastal communities. But it doesn’t stop there. We believe this report shows that, if built, these projects would put global climate goals even further out of reach.”

    The report analyses five major US LNG projects – Venture Global CP2, Cameron LNG Phase II, Sabine Pass Stage V, Cheniere Corpus Christi LNG Midscale 8-9, and Freeport LNG Expansion – and finds that each would fail the climate test derived from models in the US Department of Energy’s 2024 LNG Export public interest studies.[2] Each would increase greenhouse gas emissions by edging out renewable energy and driving up global fossil fuel use, undermining the world’s ability to meet the Paris Agreement targets and driving more frequent and intense extreme weather events. The report suggests that future US administrations could therefore revoke export authorisations issued under current US President Trump.

    Pressured by Trump and facing the threat of sweeping tariffs, the EU Commission is proposing increased LNG imports.[3] It has also agreed to look into direct public investments by the EU and its member states in gas export facilities outside the EU – including potentially the five US LNG projects analysed in this report – in its Affordable Energy Action Plan released in February 2025.[4]

    “Increasing US gas imports will deepen Europe’s dependence on the US, making the EU and national governments even more vulnerable to Trump’s political extortion. EU leaders must break free from fossil fuel dependency and take control of Europe’s future by investing in a renewable, secure and peaceful energy system. A ban on all new fossil fuel projects in the EU would be the right first step, certainly not funding projects abroad,” said Thomas Gelin, Greenpeace EU climate and energy campaigner.

    Another result of Trump’s pressure is the calls by some Member States and other EU policymakers to weaken the EU methane regulation, which was adopted just last year, in order to continue importing US liquefied gas despite the fact that its production – mostly coming from fracking – is associated with particularly high methane emissions.[5][6]

    “This report adds to a rapidly growing body of evidence that financing U.S. LNG is not a sound decision for insurers, investors, or purchasers – something the EU and America’s Asian allies must keep in mind as President Trump pressures them to increase their imports of U.S. LNG under threat of sweeping tariffs. Countries with climate commitments, such as those in the EU, should be very wary of the climate cost of importing US LNG,” said Dr Dakota Raynes, Senior Manager of Research, Policy, and Data at Earthworks.

    European energy companies have already signed long-term purchase agreements for four of the projects analysed in the report. These contracts extend well beyond 2035, the year by which Europe must phase-out fossil gas if it is serious about meeting its international climate commitments. These companies include SEFE (Germany), BASF (Germany), GASTRADE S.A. (Greece), DTEK (Ukraine), TotalEnergies (France), PKN Orlen (Poland), Gap (Portugal) and Equinor (Norway) – several of which are fully or partially state-owned.[7] 

    “Fossil fuel dependency has long externalized its true costs, forcing communities to bear the burden of pollution, sickness, and economic instability,” says James Hiatt, founder and director of For a Better Bayou. “For decades the oil and gas industry has known about the devastating health and climate impacts of its operations, yet it continues to expand, backed by billions in private and public financing. These harms are not isolated – they’re systemic, and they threaten all of us. This report is a call to conscience. It’s time we stop propping up deadly false solutions and start investing in a transition to energy systems that sustain life, not sacrifice it.”

    Greenpeace calls on EU leaders to stop new long-term purchase agreements for liquefied gas and drop the proposal for direct financial investments in gas export facilities. Instead, the EU should impose a ban on all new fossil fuel projects, including new liquefied gas import terminals, stop all public investments in fossil fuel infrastructure and agree to end fossil gas by 2035 at the latest.

    ENDS

    Notes

    Read the full report: Failing the climate test: LNG projects awaiting final investment decision do not stand up to US Government analysis

    Read the European media briefing

    Watch the press conference recording

    [1] At the time of drafting of the report, all five were awaiting a final investment decision. On June 24, 2025, Cheniere Corpus Christi LNG announced a positive final investment decision.

    [2] December 2024 | ENERGY, ECONOMIC, AND ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT OF US LNG EXPORTS

    [3] Trump says EU must buy $350B of US energy to get tariff relief – POLITICO

    [4] Action Plan for Affordable Energy 

    [5] The Member States are: Bulgaria, Czechia, Greece, Hungaria, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia.

    [6] Liquefied natural gas carbon footprint is worse than coal | Cornell Chronicle

    [7] Source: Sierra Club US LNG Export Tracker, date as of 4 June 2025

    Contacts

    Greenpeace International Press Desk: [email protected], +31 (0) 20 718 2470 (available 24 hours)

    Katie Nelson, Senior Communications Specialist, Greenpeace USA, [email protected], +1 (678) 644-1681, (GMT -8)

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • Are flash floods directly linked to climate change?

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The catastrophic flash floods in Texas a couple of days earlier, triggered by extremely heavy rainfall, which caused over 100 deaths and widespread destruction, have once again raised a pressing question- are flash floods directly linked to climate change? Successive research by environmental agencies corroborates this, saying climate change is a significant factor in the increased risk, frequency and intensity of floods in several parts of the world.

    Research suggests human-caused climate change is driving more and more extreme weather conditions, which include extremely heavy and sometimes untimely rains, which directly contribute to flooding, especially when proper city planning is not in place.

    Studies say warmer temperatures cause a more moisture-laden atmosphere, which turns into more intense rainfall with increased frequency. The recent Texas floods were found to have been made significantly worse by climate change, as atmospheric conditions favoured slow-moving thunderstorms, which caused heavy rains in the same area for hours. Warmer global temperatures have increased the atmosphere’s capacity to hold moisture, resulting in heavier and more concentrated rainfall events that can overwhelm drainage systems and waterways.

    In layman’s terms, climate change leads to higher global temperatures and warmer air holds more moisture. Climate-related researches say with every one-degree Celsius rise in temperature, the atmosphere’s capacity to hold more water vapour rises by about 7%.

    It can be understood from the fact that the recent very heavy rainstorms in Texas delivered about 20% more rainfall than they did in the late 1950s, a time when global temperatures were considerably lower, according to the National Climate Assessment. As climate change continues to warm the planet, extreme rainfall events in Texas are projected to become even more frequent in the coming decade, as highlighted in a 2024 report by the state’s climatologist. The worry is that it’s not just Texas, but across the US, the heaviest storms are predicted to produce more rain as the Earth continues to warm.

    Such storms can trigger deadly flooding far inland, which was on full display in 2024 when Hurricane Helene caused severe flooding across Appalachia. Similarly, in 2021, flash floods caused by Hurricane Ida claimed dozens of lives in the Northeastern US. According to the National Climate Assessment, more than one-third of the estimated 230 billion dollar in inland flood damage in the US between 1988 and 2021 would not have occurred without climate change.

    Storms increase the likelihood of intense and short-duration rainfall in several parts of the globe, which is becoming a major trigger for flash floods. Moreover, climate change also gives rise to sea levels and constantly rising sea levels invariably exacerbate coastal flooding, which seriously threatens human populations and physical assets-infrastructure in the coastal regions.

    In fact, across the US, Europe and other parts of the globe, similar patterns are observed with coastal and inland states facing flood risks due to tropical storms, hurricanes and prolonged rainfall events. In the US, riverine floods are also a concern, especially along major waterways like the Mississippi. In many areas, deforestation, wetland loss and poorly planned development have also disrupted natural drainage systems, reducing the landscape’s ability to buffer heavy rains.

    Like the United States, Europe is also grappling with more frequent and severe flooding. In 2021 and successive years, devastating floods in Germany, Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Austria, Hungary and others highlighted the region’s exposure to extreme weather.

    Climate change is intensifying heavy rainfall events across the continent, particularly in Central and Western Europe. Uncontrolled urban expansion, river channelization and reduced natural water retention due to agricultural and industrial development have made many European regions more prone to flooding. In mountainous areas, rapid snowmelt and glacial lake outbursts, both linked to rising temperatures, also contribute to sudden floods.

    Studies have shown that climate change has increased the likelihood and intensity of heavy rainfall events in both the US and Europe. For example, in Europe, research indicates that human-caused climate change doubled the likelihood of the intense rainfall that caused recent floods in Central Europe. Similarly, in the US, climate change has been linked to more extreme rainstorms and increased flood risk.

    Despite the growing risks, many communities around the country are still not planning for more intense rainstorms as they build roads, floodways, and storm infrastructure. Local governments around the country rely on historical rainfall records from concerned agencies.

    Another factor that may be contributing to the severe floods, however, is human activity and land-use change. Most of the recent floods in Central Europe are river floods, which makes the links between the flooding and climate change less straightforward.

    Central Europe’s devastating floods were made worse by climate change, which scientists say offers glimpses of a bleak future for the world’s fastest-warming continent. In fact, Europe is the fastest-warming continent. The last five years were on average around 2.3°C warmer than the second half of the 19th century, according to the Copernicus Climate Service.

    Addressing these challenges requires a multi-pronged approach. In the short term, improving early warning systems, emergency response mechanisms and public awareness can help save lives. Upgrading drainage infrastructure, reinforcing levees and dams and integrating green infrastructure like rain gardens, permeable pavements and restored wetlands are essential for long-term flood resilience. Urban planning must prioritize flood risk zones, restrict construction in vulnerable areas and promote sustainable land use.

    And at a broader scale, reducing greenhouse gas emissions remains critical to mitigating the root cause of climate-driven floods. International cooperation, climate adaptation funding and policy reforms are necessary to prepare communities for the escalating risks posed by a warming world. Without decisive action, not only the US and Europe, but the majority of countries across the globe are likely to see floods becoming an even more destructive and persistent threat in the decades ahead. Without more ambitious climate action, global warming is expected to reach around 3°C by the end of the century, which would be much more disastrous to the humanity.

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Home Affairs to submit ‘Digital ID’ policy to Cabinet for approval

    Source: Government of South Africa

    Home Affairs to submit ‘Digital ID’ policy to Cabinet for approval

    Minister of Home Affairs Leon Schreiber says government is laying the foundation for an ambitious plan to create South Africa’s first ever Digital ID system.

    “Home Affairs will shortly submit a Digital ID policy to Cabinet for approval to conduct public hearings. Beyond the material benefits, such as clamping down on fraud and enhancing inclusion, the Digital ID system will also restore the integrity and pride of our cherished South African identity,” said the Minister.

    He was delivering the department’s Budget Vote in Parliament on Tuesday.

    Schreiber said the department plans to deliver digital versions of enabling documents that can be accessed online and on smart devices.

    “[The] Digital ID will also enable users to remotely authenticate themselves, laying the foundation for a digital revolution not only for government services, but also for critical private sector services like banking, finance and insurance.”

    The Minister said government was committed to the digital transformation of the department – called Home Affairs @ home.

    “We call this vision Home Affairs @ home… Our goal is nothing less than revolutionising the way citizens interact with their government by moving from manual to digital,” said the Minister.

    He said building a new reform model – based on decentralisation, modernisation, digital transformation and remote access – will “restore the hope that South Africa as a whole can work”.

    The constant investments being made in the reform of Home Affairs, the Border Management Authority and Government Printing Works, is starting to compound and grow.

    “During the past year, we have delivered nearly 3.6 million Smart IDs – almost half a million more than the previous annual record. We cleared a visa backlog of over 306 000 applications dating back over a decade.

    “We deported over 46 000 illegal immigrants, the highest number in five years and more than countries like France and Germany combined. We used drones and body cameras to increase the number of attempted illegal crossings that were detected and prevented by up to 215%.

    “We empowered naturalised citizens and permanent residents to obtain Smart IDs for the first time, expanding inclusion and making our country less reliant on the green ID book that is 500% more vulnerable to fraud than the Smart ID.

    “If this is just some of what Home Affairs could do in one year. Just imagine what we can do in five,” said Schreiber.

    Now that the department is enabling all qualifying categories of persons to obtain Smart IDs, “the next step will be to dramatically scale up access to this critical and more-secure enabling document”.

    In line with the Medium-Term Development Plan adopted by Cabinet, the department will do so by expanding the successful pilot project that currently delivers Smart ID and passport services in about 30 bank branches across the country.

    “We will use digital transformation to integrate the Home Affairs IT platform onto banks’ networks, thereby enabling many more bank branches to deliver this service around the country.

    “Our target for this financial year is to expand this service to at least 100 more branches.”

    This same technology reform will enable South Africans to order Smart IDs and passports through their banking app, just like they already when buying electricity or data.

    The department will further introduce the option of home delivery for Smart IDs and passports, using advanced facial recognition technology to secure the process.

    “Through scaling up the existing collaboration with banks, we will rapidly accelerate access to Smart IDs with the goal of ending the production of new Green ID books by the end of this year.

    “This will be a momentous step towards delivering dignity for all, while simultaneously clamping down on fraud,” said the Minister.

    He announced that, by the end of this month, Home Affairs will launch new facilities abroad to assist South Africans living and working overseas. These new facilities will ensure a five-week turnaround time for IDs and passports.

    “We are starting in Australia, New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates, followed by France, Germany and The Netherlands later this year, and North America in the new year.”

    He said the ultimate aim is to deliver “Home Affairs @ home”, which will enable every South African, no matter where they are in the world, to obtain services from their government online. – SAnews.gov.za

    Janine

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Persecution of the opposition in Germany – E-002713/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-002713/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Alexander Jungbluth (ESN)

    In the German federal state of Bavaria, the political party Alternative für Deutschland, which, according to recent surveys, is the second strongest party nationwide[1], was added to the list of extremist organisations. This has serious consequences for the members of the party. In the selection procedure for the civil service, such people are now being treated as supporters of a terrorist group such as Al-Qaeda or the Taliban[2].

    • 1.Does the Commission consider it appropriate to classify a country’s largest opposition party as an extremist organisation like terrorist organisations such as the Taliban or Al-Qaeda?
    • 2.Does the Commission see a threat to democracy when, in a country, the opposition is persecuted by, among others, the domestic intelligence service, its members are attacked and the leading opposition party is treated like a terrorist organisation responsible for the murder of thousands of people?
    • 3.What action does the Commission intend to take against the persecution of opposition parties in EU Member States with measures familiar from dictatorships?

    Supporters[3]

    Submitted: 2.7.2025

    • [1] https://dawum.de/Bundestag/
    • [2] https://apollo-news.net/auf-einer-liste-mit-al-qaida-bayern-ueberprueft-beamte-auf-afd-mitgliedschaft/
    • [3] This question is supported by Members other than the author: Petr Bystron (ESN), Markus Buchheit (ESN)
    Last updated: 9 July 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • Indian NBFCs to clock 25 pc growth in education loan assets in FY26 amid US uncertainties

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    For non-banking finance companies (NBFCs) in India, education loans have been the fastest-growing asset class, clocking over 50 per cent growth in the assets under management (AUM) over the past few years, a report said on Wednesday. This fiscal (FY26), growth is seen moderating to 25 per cent with AUM reaching Rs 80,000 crore.

    The pace is likely to halve this fiscal as disbursements for pursuing educational courses in the US decelerate following a raft of policy changes in that country, according to the report by Crisil Rating.

    To mitigate the impact, NBFCs are diversifying into new geographies and product adjacencies. While non-performing assets (NPAs) have remained stable so far, asset quality will be monitorable given the global uncertainties and a large proportion of AUM (85) remaining under contractual principal moratorium, the report mentioned.

    The education loan AUM of NBFCs grew a rapid 48 per cent to Rs 64,000 crore last fiscal. That followed an even faster 77 per cent growth in fiscal 2024.

    “Policy uncertainties in the US, combined with measures including reduced visa appointments and the proposed elimination of Optional Practical Training norms have culled newer loan originations. This has led to a 30 per cent decline in total disbursements to that geography last fiscal,” said Malvika Bhotika, Director, Crisil Ratings.

    Disbursements linked to even Canada, the second-largest market, fell as student visa rules turned stricter, including increased financial requirements via proof of available funds, and cap on permits.

    “Consequently, overall education loan disbursements were up only 8 per cent in fiscal 2025, compared with 50 per cent in fiscal 2024, Bhotika mentioned.

    To offset these headwinds, NBFCs have sharpened focus on other geographies.

    Disbursements linked to courses in the UK, Germany, Ireland and smaller countries have doubled in the past fiscal as students opted for alternative destinations.

    The share of such geographies in total disbursements rose to almost 50 per cent in fiscal 2025 from 25 per cent a year ago.

    NBFCs are also looking at domestic student loans and adjacencies such as school funding, loans for skill development, certification and coaching. Given the lower ticket sizes of such loans, their share in the overall portfolio is unlikely to be material, but they may lend some stability in times of global uncertainties.

    “The ability of NBFCs to scale up and maintain asset quality in some of the newer domestic products will bear watching as well,” said Sonica Gupta, Associate Director, Crisil Ratings. Moreover, the agility of the NBFCs to navigate the complexities of the global landscape, characterised by uncertainty and change in preferences of students, will be crucial for sustained growth and success.

    (IANS)

  • MIL-OSI China: Wang powers into WTT US Smash last 16, Sun survives

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

    Reigning world champion Wang Chuqin advanced to the men’s singles last 16 with a 3-1 win over Kao Cheng-jui of Chinese Taipei, while women’s world No. 1 Sun Yingsha endured another full-game battle at the World Table Tennis (WTT) United States Smash on Tuesday.

    As Team China’s only remaining player in the bottom half, Wang started strong with an 11-2 opening game. Kao leveled with an 11-9 win, but Wang responded confidently, taking the next two games 11-6, 11-3 to close out the match.

    Wang Chuqin hits a return during the men’s singles round of 32 match between Wang Chuqin of China and Wong Chun Ting of China’s Hong Kong at ITTF World Table Tennis Championships Finals Doha 2025 in Doha, Qatar, May 20, 2025. (Xinhua/Liu Xu)

    “We met many times before, so I was fully prepared for this match, especially considering the uncertainties brought by the venue and table,” said Wang. “When leading in the second game, I was a bit conservative, but after negotiations with my coach, I felt that I needed to stick to my own style of play.”

    French qualifier Lilian Bardet, who upset China’s Liang Jingkun in the previous round, continued his surprise run with a 3-1 victory over Germany’s Ricardo Walther.

    “I’m very happy and very proud of myself for this run. It’s not over yet and I hope to go as far as possible,” said Bardet.

    “Now I just want to carry this confidence and continue to play relaxed and let’s see how it goes,” he added.

    Sixth seed Felix Lebrun won 3-1 in an all-French clash with Simon Gauzy. German seeds Benedikt Duda and Qiu Dang also progressed to the third round.

    Sun Yingsha, who was pushed to five games by Australia’s Liu Yangzi in the opening round, faced another test against 17-year-old Hana Goda. The Egyptian teenager led two-one before Sun rallied with back-to-back 11-7 wins to complete the comeback.

    “Hana is quite young. She posed a huge challenge to me today with determination to win. Facing adversities, I just tried to improve my game with staunch belief,” commented Sun.

    Sun was joined in the women’s last 16 by teammates Chen Xingtong, Kuai Man and Chen Yi, as well as Japan’s Miwa Harimoto and Hina Hayata.

    Kuai also advanced to the mixed doubles quarterfinals with Lin Shidong after the top seeds swept Austria’s Robert Gardos and Sofia Polcanova in straight games.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • Indian NBFCs to clock 25 pc growth in education loan AUM in FY26 amid US uncertainties

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    For non-banking finance companies (NBFCs) in India, education loans have been the fastest-growing asset class, clocking over 50 per cent growth in the assets under management (AUM) over the past few years, a report said on Wednesday. This fiscal (FY26), growth is seen moderating to 25 per cent with AUM reaching Rs 80,000 crore.

    The pace is likely to halve this fiscal as disbursements for pursuing educational courses in the US decelerate following a raft of policy changes in that country, according to the report by Crisil Rating.

    To mitigate the impact, NBFCs are diversifying into new geographies and product adjacencies. While non-performing assets (NPAs) have remained stable so far, asset quality will be monitorable given the global uncertainties and a large proportion of AUM (85) remaining under contractual principal moratorium, the report mentioned.

    The education loan AUM of NBFCs grew a rapid 48 per cent to Rs 64,000 crore last fiscal. That followed an even faster 77 per cent growth in fiscal 2024.

    “Policy uncertainties in the US, combined with measures including reduced visa appointments and the proposed elimination of Optional Practical Training norms have culled newer loan originations. This has led to a 30 per cent decline in total disbursements to that geography last fiscal,” said Malvika Bhotika, Director, Crisil Ratings.

    Disbursements linked to even Canada, the second-largest market, fell as student visa rules turned stricter, including increased financial requirements via proof of available funds, and cap on permits.

    “Consequently, overall education loan disbursements were up only 8 per cent in fiscal 2025, compared with 50 per cent in fiscal 2024, Bhotika mentioned.

    To offset these headwinds, NBFCs have sharpened focus on other geographies.

    Disbursements linked to courses in the UK, Germany, Ireland and smaller countries have doubled in the past fiscal as students opted for alternative destinations.

    The share of such geographies in total disbursements rose to almost 50 per cent in fiscal 2025 from 25 per cent a year ago.

    NBFCs are also looking at domestic student loans and adjacencies such as school funding, loans for skill development, certification and coaching. Given the lower ticket sizes of such loans, their share in the overall portfolio is unlikely to be material, but they may lend some stability in times of global uncertainties.

    “The ability of NBFCs to scale up and maintain asset quality in some of the newer domestic products will bear watching as well,” said Sonica Gupta, Associate Director, Crisil Ratings. Moreover, the agility of the NBFCs to navigate the complexities of the global landscape, characterised by uncertainty and change in preferences of students, will be crucial for sustained growth and success.

    (IANS)

  • Germany move closer to Euro 2025 knockouts with 2-1 win over Denmark

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Germany’s Sjoeke Nuesken and Lea Schueller struck in the second half to fire the eight-times champions to the verge of the Euro 2025 quarter-finals with a 2-1 victory over Denmark on Tuesday that left the Danes on the brink of an early exit.

    Trailing 1-0 in a game in which two key VAR decisions in the first half went against them, Germany finally got on the scoresheet when they were awarded a penalty in the 56th minute. Nuesken stepped up and calmly slotted her spot-kick into the bottom corner.

    Schueller put the Germans ahead 10 minutes later after a failed clearance by Denmark landed at the Bayern Munich forward’s feet and she swept it into the far corner.

    “This is a victory of mentality, we knew it was going to be tight, we were very happy we were able to turn it around,” Germany coach Christian Wueck said. “It was the mentality, they really wanted to win, so we love to take that away with us.”

    Germany had celebrated what they thought was the opening goal by Klara Buehl but boos rang around the packed St Jakob-Park stadium when it was ruled offside.

    That seemed to halt Germany’s momentum and Amalie Vangsgaard struck for Denmark in the 26th minute when she took a touch before unleashing a shot from a tight angle past Ann-Katrin Berger.

    Germany thought they had won a penalty earlier when the referee whistled and pointed to the spot because of a Denmark handball but VAR determined it was outside the box, prompting more boos from the German fans.

    The Germans will secure their quarter-final place if Poland fail to beat Sweden in Tuesday’s late Group C game.

    Germany defeated Poland in their tournament opener but it came at a heavy cost as captain Giulia Gwinn suffered a knee injury that ended her tournament. Banners of support for the absent skipper dotted the crowd on Tuesday.

    Although Gwinn’s loss was huge, the team’s collective strength enabled them to come from behind after trailing at halftime for only the fourth time in Euros history, as they cranked up the intensity in the second half, finishing the game with 27 shots to Denmark’s five.

    Germany have dominated the Euros since they won the competition for the first time as West Germany in 1989. They lost 2-1 to England in the 2022 final, but have been rebuilding after suffering a shock exit in the group stage of the 2023 World Cup. Denmark had lost to neighbours Sweden in their opener.

    “I think our performance is good in general for a team working extremely hard, but it’s a very good German team,” Denmark coach Andree Jeglertz said.

    “It’s about winning and taking points, and I’m very disappointed that we don’t manage to keep the result, or at least get a point in the end.”

    (Reuters)

  • Germany move closer to Euro 2025 knockouts with 2-1 win over Denmark

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Germany’s Sjoeke Nuesken and Lea Schueller struck in the second half to fire the eight-times champions to the verge of the Euro 2025 quarter-finals with a 2-1 victory over Denmark on Tuesday that left the Danes on the brink of an early exit.

    Trailing 1-0 in a game in which two key VAR decisions in the first half went against them, Germany finally got on the scoresheet when they were awarded a penalty in the 56th minute. Nuesken stepped up and calmly slotted her spot-kick into the bottom corner.

    Schueller put the Germans ahead 10 minutes later after a failed clearance by Denmark landed at the Bayern Munich forward’s feet and she swept it into the far corner.

    “This is a victory of mentality, we knew it was going to be tight, we were very happy we were able to turn it around,” Germany coach Christian Wueck said. “It was the mentality, they really wanted to win, so we love to take that away with us.”

    Germany had celebrated what they thought was the opening goal by Klara Buehl but boos rang around the packed St Jakob-Park stadium when it was ruled offside.

    That seemed to halt Germany’s momentum and Amalie Vangsgaard struck for Denmark in the 26th minute when she took a touch before unleashing a shot from a tight angle past Ann-Katrin Berger.

    Germany thought they had won a penalty earlier when the referee whistled and pointed to the spot because of a Denmark handball but VAR determined it was outside the box, prompting more boos from the German fans.

    The Germans will secure their quarter-final place if Poland fail to beat Sweden in Tuesday’s late Group C game.

    Germany defeated Poland in their tournament opener but it came at a heavy cost as captain Giulia Gwinn suffered a knee injury that ended her tournament. Banners of support for the absent skipper dotted the crowd on Tuesday.

    Although Gwinn’s loss was huge, the team’s collective strength enabled them to come from behind after trailing at halftime for only the fourth time in Euros history, as they cranked up the intensity in the second half, finishing the game with 27 shots to Denmark’s five.

    Germany have dominated the Euros since they won the competition for the first time as West Germany in 1989. They lost 2-1 to England in the 2022 final, but have been rebuilding after suffering a shock exit in the group stage of the 2023 World Cup. Denmark had lost to neighbours Sweden in their opener.

    “I think our performance is good in general for a team working extremely hard, but it’s a very good German team,” Denmark coach Andree Jeglertz said.

    “It’s about winning and taking points, and I’m very disappointed that we don’t manage to keep the result, or at least get a point in the end.”

    (Reuters)

  • Sweden reach Euro 2025 knockouts with 3-0 win over Poland

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Sweden subjected Poland to an all-out aerial attack, scoring three headed goals in a 3-0 win to reach the knockout stages of the women’s European Championship, with captain Kosovare Asllani playing the role of air traffic controller throughout.

    The mercurial 35-year-old sent an early looping header bouncing off the woodwork before teeing up Stina Blackstenius to open the scoring.

    She then netted a header herself after the break, with Lina Hurtig adding a third from a corner as the Swedes guaranteed a top-two spot in Group C and a place in the next round. They will face Germany in their final group game on Saturday to decide who finishes top.

    “The plan was to attack through the flanks and through the wings, because we knew we would have a lot of space there, so we tried to attack, and got a lot of crosses in,” Asllani told Reuters.

    “The first goal, I waited one second extra, waited for their defenders to move, for me to chip it in to Stina. So it’s three headers, three beautiful goals, the three points.”

    The Swedes never relented, pushing down the wings throughout the game.

    “We had seen clips where they are centred themselves a lot, so it felt natural for us to go wide and work from there. It worked for the whole game, so we just kept going at it,” midfielder Filippa Angeldahl told Reuters.

    “We’ll go through Germany and we’ll take a lot of things with us from today. Obviously we’re strong in the box and we want to get in the box as much as possible.”

    With Poland and Denmark now eliminated, it remains to be seen whether the Swedes will adopt the same tactics against Germany when the two sides battle it out in Zurich, and Asllani had a steely look when asked what the plan would be.

    “We want to win the group. That’s clear,” she said.

    (Reuters)

     

  • MIL-OSI Europe: OSCE training on arms control enhances border security in Turkmenistan

    Source: Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe – OSCE

    Headline: OSCE training on arms control enhances border security in Turkmenistan

    Opening of an OSCE-organized training course on Combatting Illicit Trafficking of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW), Conventional Ammunition (CA) and Explosives, Ashgabat, 4 July 2025, OSCE (OSCE) Photo details

    An OSCE-organized training course on Combatting Illicit Trafficking of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW), Conventional Ammunition (CA) and Explosives took place from 1 to 4 July 2025 in Ashgabat.
    The OSCE Centre in Ashgabat, in close co-operation with the Conflict Prevention Centre/Forum for Security Co-operation of the OSCE Secretariat, organized the course to strengthen the existing institutional capacities of border, customs, police and other law enforcement bodies in the area of combating illicit trafficking of SALW, CA and Explosives.
    The training course presented the Frontex Handbook on Firearms and shared European and international good practices and experiences in the fight against illicit trafficking of SALW, ammunition and explosives at the borders. In addition, this course offered comprehensive training in SALW/CA identification, documentation, post-seizure record-keeping and tracing, focusing on the target groups.
    In his address at the opening of the training course, William Leaf, Acting Head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat, said: “As the largest regional security organization in the world, representing one billion people, the OSCE supports all 57 participating States in their efforts to improve comprehensive security through a number of OSCE commitments related to border security and management.”
    “Illicit trafficking and uncontrolled spread of SALW, ammunition, and explosives—pose threats across the OSCE region, and the OSCE works with the Organization’s 57 participating States to mitigate these risks,” stressed Leaf.
    “As frontline defenders, border and customs officers play a key role in identifying and preventing such threats,” he added.
    The course was delivered by international experts from the German Bundeswehr Verification Centre (BwVC), Interpol, and Forum for Security Co-operation of the OSCE Secretariat.  Applying concrete example-based exercises, the experts involved trainees in practical exercises that were carefully tailored to control measures at the border crossing points and enhance co-operation between various services at the borders, in particular between border police/ guards and customs.
    The training course was organized within the framework of the Centre’s extrabudgetary project “Strengthening State Border Service Capacities of Turkmenistan” and financially supported by the Government of Germany. The training efforts reflect the OSCE’s commitment to significantly supporting the fight against the proliferation of illicit firearms and related threats.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: OSCE leads regional effort to prevent youth violence across South-Eastern Europe

    Source: Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe – OSCE

    Headline: OSCE leads regional effort to prevent youth violence across South-Eastern Europe

    As peer violence and early criminal behavior among young people become growing concerns, the OSCE held an intensive two-day regional training in Jahorina, Bosnia and Herzegovina, on 2 and 3 July. The event brought together key frontline professionals from across South-Eastern Europe to strengthen efforts to prevent youth violence.
    Organized by the OSCE Transnational Threats Department and the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities, the training equipped 23 social workers, educators, youth officers, and law enforcement representatives from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro with practical tools to prevent and de-escalate violence among youth.
    The training focused on real-life challenges that professionals face in schools and communities, aiming to building trust, resilience, and supportive environments for young people. Participants explored the root causes of youth violence, from family issues and peer pressure to the influence of social media. Through interactive group work, simulations, and expert-led exercises, they learned how to spot early warning signs, manage conflict, and encourage mutual respect.  A key goal of the training was to strengthen regional collaboration and promote shared approaches to preventing youth violence.
    “This training on youth violence prevention was a valuable opportunity to exchange experiences with colleagues from the region facing similar challenges,” said Arijana Muzaferovic, Director of the Centre for Social Work in Bosanska Krupa, Bosnia and Herzegovina. “Through practical exercises, we explored concrete ways to identify early signs of risk and provide timely, meaningful support to young people before problems escalate into violence,” she added.
    Participants concluded the training with concrete ideas on how to apply the lessons learned in their local contexts and how to enhance co-operation across borders.
    The training was part of the OSCE-wide multi-year extrabudgetary project “Enhancing youth crime and drug use prevention through education on legality and awareness campaigns addressing threats of organized crime and corruption”, funded by Italy with additional support from Andorra, Finland, Germany, Norway, Poland and Thailand.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Disproportionate impact of EU building renovation rules on homeowners – E-002643/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-002643/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Markus Buchheit (ESN)

    The revised Energy Performance of Buildings Directive will force millions of homeowners to undertake costly renovations. These one-size-fits-all rules place a massive financial burden on ordinary citizens, especially in countries such as Germany where home ownership is high[1].

    Such green regulations, driven by ideological goals, risk deepening social inequality and eroding public trust in the EU.

    • 1.How does the Commission plan to protect homeowners from the heavy financial burden imposed by mandatory renovation obligations in the revised directive?
    • 2.Has the Commission assessed the social impact of these measures on middle- and low-income citizens, particularly in Member States with high rates of private home ownership?
    • 3.Will the Commission introduce exemptions, support schemes or national flexibility to avoid backlash and further disconnect between EU policies and citizens?

    Submitted: 30.6.2025

    • [1] British journalists have started to think about the new UK Energy Performance Certificates, based on EU Directives (https://bebeez.eu/2025/06/17/are-epcs-destined-to-fail).
    Last updated: 8 July 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Tackling digital threats to youth mental health – E-002673/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-002673/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Dan-Ştefan Motreanu (PPE)

    At the EU Health Council on 20 June 2025, ministers called for stronger action to protect the mental health of children and adolescents in the digital era. The conclusions emphasise the need for a safer and more age-appropriate digital environment, particularly given concerns over the impact of social media on young users.

    France has proposed a ban on social networks for minors under 15, citing links to substance abuse and cyberbullying. Germany highlighted the harmful effects of ‘manipulative and addictive design’ in digital platforms, while Spain advocated for youth mental health to be prioritised in the upcoming 2028–2034 multiannual financial framework.

    Despite broad agreement on the seriousness of the issue, there is still no unified EU strategy or regulatory framework to address these risks effectively.

    • 1.Given the urgency, what policy measures does the Commission plan to introduce to curb harmful digital practices, ensure age-appropriate content and support the mental well-being of young users?
    • 2.How will the Commission coordinate with the Member States to implement meaningful protections across the EU and ensure that digital platforms are held accountable for their impact on youth mental health?

    Submitted: 1.7.2025

    Last updated: 8 July 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej congratulates the Winners of Merck Foundation Media Awards- 125 Winners from 36 Countries announced

    Source: APO

    • Merck Foundation CEO announced call for application of 2025 Merck Foundation Media Recognition Awards in partnership with African First Ladies – apply now at submit@merck-foundation.com

    Merck Foundation (www.Merck-Foundation.com), the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany, in partnership with the First Ladies of Africa, proudly announced the Winners of their Merck Foundation Africa Media Recognition Awards 2024 under the categories “More Than a Mother” and “Diabetes and Hypertension”.

    The Awards Ceremony was conducted virtually to honor and celebrate the outstanding contributions of all the winning media professionals. The winners were warmly acknowledged by Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation and President of the “More Than a Mother” campaign.

    Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej expressed, “I am truly happy to announce the winners of our Media Awards, together with my dear sisters, The First Ladies of Africa, who are also the Ambassadors of the Merck Foundation ‘More Than a Mother’ Campaign. This year, we are delighted to celebrate 125 outstanding winners from 36 countries. It brings me joy to see such impressive participation not only from across Africa but also from several Asian and Latin American countries. Congratulations to all our incredible winners!

    It is a true pleasure to welcome you all as Merck Foundation Alumni. Let’s continue to work together to raise awareness about critical social and health challenges, be the voice of the voiceless, and create culture shift in our communities.”

    Merck Foundation Media Awards launched in 2017, are announced annually, with over 640 Winners from 52 countries celebrated to date.

    The theme of the “More Than a Mother” Media Awards is to raise awareness about important social issues like: Breaking Infertility Stigma, Supporting Girl Education, Women Empowerment, Ending Child Marriage, Ending Female Genital Mutilation and/or Stopping Gender-Based Violence. The theme of the “Diabetes and Hypertension” Media Awards is to Promote a Healthy Lifestyle and raise awareness about prevention and early detection of Diabetes and Hypertension.

    The Merck Foundation CEO also launched the Call for Applications for the 2025 Media Awards. “I am pleased to invite entries for the Merck Foundation Media Recognition Awards 2025 – “More Than a Mother” & “Diabetes and Hypertension”, in partnership with the African First Ladies. I look forward to receiving another outstanding round of impactful entries this year as well.” Said Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej.

    Winners of Merck Foundation “More Than a Mother” Media Recognition Awards 2024

    Here are the winners from West African Countries in partnership with The First Lady of the Republic of The Gambia, H.E. Mrs. FATOUMATTA BAH-BARROW; and The First Lady of the Republic of Sierra Leone, H.E. Dr. FATIMA MAADA BIO:

    PRINT CATEGORY WINNER

    • Jennifer Ambolley, The Chronicle, Ghana (First Position)
    • Mackie Muctarr Jalloh, News Times Daily, Sierra Leone (Second position)
    • Alao Abiodun, The Nation, Nigeria (Second position)

    ONLINE CATEGORY WINNERS

    • Dzifa Tetteh Tay, The Spectator, Ghana (First Position)
    • Laudia Sawer, Ghana News Agency, Ghana (First Position)
    • Nyima Sillah, The Voice, The Gambia (Second Position)
    • Isatou Ceesay, The Gambia Point, The Gambia (Third Position)
    • Abigail Arthur, Citi Newsroom, Ghana (Third Position)
    • Odimegwu Onwumere, The Nigerian Voice, Nigeria (Third Position)

    RADIO CATEGORY WINNER

    • Mavis Offei Acheampong, GBC Radio, Ghana (First Position)
    • Joyce Kantam Kolamong, GBC Radio, Ghana(Second Position)
    • Zainab Sunkary Koroma, Star Radio, Sierra Leone (Third Position)

    MULTIMEDIA CATEGORY WINNERS

    • Tolulope Adeleru-Balogun, News Central TV, Nigeria (First Position)
    • Alieu Ceesay, QTV, The Gambia (Second Position)
    • Mona Lisa Frimpong, Joy News, Ghana (Third Position)

    Here are the Winners from Southern African Countries in partnership with The First Lady of the Republic of Malawi, H.E. Mrs. MONICA CHAKWERA; The First Lady of the Republic of Zimbabwe, H.E. Amai Dr. AUXILLIA MNANGAGWA:

    PRINT CATEGORY WINNERS

    • Precious Kumbani, The Nation, Malawi (First Position)
    • Gresham Ngwira, Freelancer, Malawi (Second Position)
    • Simon Muntemba, Daily Nation, Zambia (Second Position)
    • Charlotte Nambadja, The Namibian, Namibia (Third Position)
    • Silence Mugadzaweta, The Standard, Zimbabwe (Third Position)

    ONLINE CATEGORY WINNERS

    • Alain Kabinda, Daily News Agency, Zambia (First Position)
    • Catherine Murombedzi, Freelancer, Zimbabwe (First Position)
    • Alick Ponje, The Times, Malawi (second Position)
    • Wallace Mawire, Pan African Visions, Zimbabwe (Second Position)
    • Hamu Madzedze, 365 Health Diaries, Zimbabwe (Third Position)
    • Kundai Michael Magoronga, Chronicle, Zimbabwe (Third Position)
    • Mlondi Mkhize, Briefly News, South Africa (Third Position)

    RADIO CATEGORY WINNERS

    • Glendah Fadzai Takachicha, Capitalk FM, Zimbabwe (First Position)
    • Tina Nyirenda, Smooth FM, Zambia (Second Position)
    • Sylviah Chisi, Trans World Radio, Malawi (Second Position)
    • Nyasha Mandimutsira, Capitalk FM, Zimbabwe (Third Position)
    • Perina N. Wahara, PL FM, Malawi (Third Position)

    MULTIMEDIA CATEGORY WINNERS

    • Keneilwe Pono, YTV, Botswana (First Position)
    • Taati Niilenge, The Namibian, Namibia (Second Position)
    • Lame Lucas, YTV, Botswana (Third Position)

    Here are the winners from East African Countries:

    PRINT CATEGORY WINNERS

    • Elizabeth Angira, People Daily, Kenya (First Position)
    • Marco Maduhu, Nipashe, Tanzania (Second Position)
    • Margaret Maina, Nation Media, Kenya (Second Position)
    • Beatrice Philemon Mukocho, The Guardian, Tanzania (Third Position)
    • Vitus Audax, The Guardian, Tanzania (Third Position)

    ONLINE CATEGORY WINNERS

    • Kamau Maichuhie, Nation Online, Kenya (First Position)
    • Isabella Maua Chemosit, Freelancer, Kenya (Second Position)
    • Anne Robi, Daily News, Tanzania (Second Position)
    • Nteza Michael, UG Standard, Uganda (Third Position)
    • Benjamin Takpiny, Anadolu Agency, South Sudan (Third Position)
    • Ayele Addis Ambelu, Ethiopian Mass Media Action News, Ethiopia (Third Position)

    RADIO CATEGORY WINNERS

    • Caren Waraba Sisya, Radio Citizen, Kenya (First Position)
    • Mamer Abraham Kuot, Voice of America, South Sudan, (Second Position)
    • Mwanaisha Makumbuli, Highlands FM, Tanzania (Second Position)
    • Fatuma Mustapha Mtemangani, Pambazuko FM, Tanzania (Third Position)
    • Daniel Byiringiro, Flash FM, Rwanda (Third Position)

    MULTIMEDIA CATEGORY WINNER

    • Rose Wangui, NTV Kenya, Kenya (First Position)
    • Andrew Juma, TV47, Kenya (Second Position)
    • Leonard Kigozi  and Isabel Nakirya, CGTN Africa, Uganda (Third Position)
    • Mackriner Siyovelwa, Crown Media, Tanzania (Third Position)

    Here are the winners from French Speaking African Countries in partnership with The First Lady of the Republic of Burundi, H.E. Madam ANGELINE NDAYISHIMIYE; The First Lady of Democratic Republic of the Congo, H.E. Madam DENISE NYAKERU TSHISEKEDI:

    PRINT CATEGORY WINNER

    • Issa Moussa, Niger Times, Niger (First Position)
    • Koami Agbetiafa, Niger Inter Press Group, Niger (Second Position)

    ONLINE CATEGORY WINNERS

    • AZODODASSI Mêmèdé Ambroisine, Savoir News, Togo (First Position)
    • Julio Gada, Global News, Benin (Second Position)
    • Boris Esono Nwenfor, Pan African Visions, Cameroon (Third Position)
    • Bakari Guèye, Initiatives News, Mauritania (Third Position)
    • Frimo Koukou Djipro, Lelus, Côte d’Ivoire (Third Position)

    RADIO CATEGORY WINNERS

    • Remy RUKUNDO, Radio TV Buntu, Burundi (First Position)
    • Magnus MFURANZIMA, ISÔKO FM, Burundi (First Position)
    • Mame Mbagnick DIOUF, Radio Oxyjeunes, Senegal (Second Position)
    • Tanko Worou, Radio SU TII DERA, Benin (Second Position)
    • Moussa KONE, Radio Channel 2, Mali (Third Position)

    MULTIMEDIA CATEGORY WINNERS

    • Matthias KABUYA TSHILUMBA, RTDK, DRC (First Position)

    Here are the winners from Portuguese Speaking African Countries in partnership with The First Lady of the Republic of Cabo Verde, H.E. Dr. DÉBORA KATISA CARVALHO:

    ONLINE CATEGORY WINNERS

    • Edisângela Tavares, Expresso das Ilhas, Cabo Verde (First Position)
    • Sheilla Ribeiro, Sociedade, Cabo Verde (Second Position)

    RADIO CATEGORY WINNERS

    • Teresa Monteiro Pinto, Rádio Televisão de Cabo Verde, Cabo Verde (First Position)

    MULTIMEDIA CATEGORY WINNERS

    • Ângelo Semedo, Deutsche Welle, Cabo Verde (First Position)

    Merck Foundation “Diabetes & Hypertension” Media Recognition Awards 2024

    Here are the winners from West African Countries in partnership with The First Lady of the Republic of The Gambia, H.E. Mrs. FATOUMATTA BAH-BARROW; and The First Lady of the Republic of Sierra Leone, H.E. Dr. FATIMA MAADA BIO:

    PRINT CATEGORY WINNER

    • Agnes Opoku Saprong, Ghanaian Times, Ghana (First Position)
    • Patience Ivie Ihejirika, Leadership Newspaper, Nigeria (Second Position)

    ONLINE CATEGORY WINNERS

    • Muhammed Lamin Touray, Freelancer, The Gambia (First Position)
    • Prince Owusu Asiedu, Adom Online, Ghana (Second Position)
    • Lara Adejoro, The Punch, Nigeria (Third Position)

    RADIO CATEGORY WINNERS

    • Godwin Awuni Anafo, Odadee Radio, Ghana (First Position)

    MULTIMEDIA CATEGORY WINNER

    • Emmanuel Dzivenu Seyram Abla De-Souza, Joy TV, Ghana (First Position)
    • Ezedimbu Karen Ogomegbunem, Africa Independent Television, Nigeria, (Second Position)
    • Lois Abba Sambo, Abuja Broadcasting Corporation, Nigeria (Third Position)
    • Akua Oforiwa Darko, TV3, Ghana (Third Position)

    Here are the Winners from Southern African Countries in partnership with The First Lady of the Republic of Malawi, H.E. Mrs. MONICA CHAKWERA; The First Lady of the Republic of Zambia, H.E. Mrs. MUTINTA HICHILEMA; The First Lady of the Republic of Zimbabwe, H.E. Amai Dr. AUXILLIA MNANGAGWA:

    PRINT CATEGORY WINNER

    • Nancy Kefilwe Ramokhua, The Patriot, Botswana (First Position)
    • Matilda Chimwaza Majawa, Times Group, Malawi (Second Position)

    ONLINE CATEGORY WINNERS

    • June Shimuoshili, Unwrap Online, Namibia (First Position)
    • Tendai Chisiri, Sport Way News Net, Zimbabwe (Second Position)
    • Shireen van Wyk, Shay Blogger, Namibia (Third Position)
    • Prince Kurupati, Pan African Visions, Zimbabwe (Third Position)

    RADIO CATEGORY WINNERS

    • Elvis Howahowa, Times Radio, Malawi (First Position)
    • Stella Mlotha, Trans World Radio, Malawi (Second Position)

    Here are the winners from East African Countries:

    PRINT CATEGORY WINNER

    • Lucy Johnbosco, Mwananchi, Tanzania (First Position)
    • Christina Mwakangale, Nipashe, Tanzania (Second Position)

    ONLINE CATEGORY WINNERS

    • Joan Mbabazi, The New Times, Rwanda (First Position)
    • Leon Lidigu, Nation Online, Kenya (Second Position)
    • Namwalo Daniel Absalom, Kenya News Agency, Kenya (Third Position)
    • Angela Kezengwa, Citizen Digital, Kenya (Third Position)
    • Veronica Mrema, M24 Tanzania, Tanzania (Third Position)

    RADIO CATEGORY WINNERS

    • Kintu Khalid, Radio Simba, Uganda (First Position)
    • Asha Bekidusa, Bahari FM, Kenya (Second Position)

    MULTIMEDIA CATEGORY WINNER

    • Walter Mwesigye, NTV, Uganda (First Position)
    • Edvesta Tarimo, Tumaini Media, Tanzania (Second Position)

    Here are the winners from French Speaking African Countries in partnership with The First Lady of the Republic of Burundi, H.E. Madam ANGELINE NDAYISHIMIYE; and The First Lady of Democratic Republic of the Congo, H.E. Madam DENISE NYAKERU TSHISEKEDI:

    PRINT CATEGORY WINNERS

    • Konan N’Guessan Attoumgbre Joseph, La Retraite Active, Côte d’Ivoire (First Position)
    • Nkurunziza Moise, Le Renouveau, Burundi (Second Position)

    ONLINE CATEGORY WINNERS

    • Bahwa Ferdinand, Le Journal Africa, Burundi (First Position)
    • Abdoulaye Ouédraogo, Queen Mafa, Burkina Faso (Second Position)
    • Richard Manirakiza, l’Agence Burundaise de Presse, Burundi (Second Position)
    • Mapote Gaye, Infomedia27, Senegal (Second Position)
    • Atha Menssan Woffa Assan, Focus Infos, Togo (Third Position)
    • Catherine Aimée Biloa, Échos Santé, Cameroon (Third Position)
    • Nadège Omoladé SANNY, SRTB Online, Benin (Third Position)

    RADIO CATEGORY WINNERS

    • MVUYEKURE Jean Claude, Radio TV Buntu, Burundi (First Position)
    • Abdoul Razak Sani Oumarou, Radio Saraounia Maradi, Niger (Second Position)
    • Kabamba Ngalamulume Fabrice, Radio Télévision de l’éducation (RTEDUC), DRC (Third Position)

    MULTIMEDIA CATEGORY WINNER

    • Chris IRAMBONA, Radio Television Buntu, Burundi (First Position)

    Here are the winners from ASIAN Countries:

    PRINT CATEGORY WINNER

    • Parikshit Nirbhay, Amar Ujala, India (First Position)
    • Revathi Murugappan, Star Health, Malaysia (Second Position)
    • Pooja Biraia, The Week, India (Third Position)

    ONLINE CATEGORY WINNERS

    • Rashe Zoe Sophia B Piquero, Cebu Daily News, Philippines (First Position)
    • Roshan Bhandari, Medicoliterature, Nepal (Second Position)
    • Crystal Chow, Undark Magazine, China (Third Position)

    Here are the winners from LATIN AMERICA Countries:

    ONLINE CATEGORY WINNERS

    • Adriana Becerra, Agencia Brunch, Mexico (First Position)
    • Rafaela Polo, UOL, Brazil (Second Position)

    MULTIMEDIA CATEGORY WINNER

    • Roxana Fabiola Lopresti, Channel 9 Televida, Argentina (First Position)
    • Ana Paula Pedrosa, R7, Brazil (Second Position)

    Details of Merck Foundation Media Awards 2025:

    1. Merck Foundation Africa Media Recognition “More Than a Mother” Awards 2025

    Theme for the awards: Breaking Infertility Stigma, Supporting Girl Education, Women Empowerment, Ending Child Marriage, Ending FGM, and/or Stopping GBV at all levels.

    Who can apply: Journalists from Print, Radio, Online, and Multimedia platforms from the following groups:

    1. Southern African Countries
    2. West African Countries
    3. East African Countries
    4. French Speaking African Countries
    5. Portuguese Speaking African Countries

    Submission deadline: 30th September 2025.

    2. Merck Foundation Media Recognition “Diabetes & Hypertension” Awards 2025

    Theme for the awards: Promoting a healthy lifestyle and raising awareness about prevention and early detection of Diabetes and Hypertension.

    Who can apply: Journalists from Print, Radio, Online, and Multimedia platforms from the following groups:

    1. Southern African Countries
    2. West African Countries
    3. East African Countries
    4. French Speaking African Countries
    5. Portuguese Speaking African Countries
    6. Latin American Countries
    7. Asian Countries

    Submission deadline: 30th October 2025.

    All entries are to be submitted to submit@merck-foundation.com.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Merck Foundation.

    Contact:
    Mehak Handa
    Community Awareness Program Manager 
    Phone: +91 9310087613/ +91 9319606669
    Email: mehak.handa@external.merckgroup.com

    Join the conversation on our social media platforms below and let your voice be heard:
    Facebook: https://apo-opa.co/4lh6O9Q
    X: https://apo-opa.co/4nUxlf9
    YouTube: https://apo-opa.co/460DFew
    Instagram: https://apo-opa.co/3Ge6Ikj
    Threads: https://apo-opa.co/3U0B8JS
    Flickr: https://apo-opa.co/40uz8xp
    Website: www.Merck-Foundation.com
    Download Merck Foundation App: https://apo-opa.co/3U1RIZQ

    About Merck Foundation:
    The Merck Foundation, established in 2017, is the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany, aims to improve the health and wellbeing of people and advance their lives through science and technology. Our efforts are primarily focused on improving access to quality & equitable healthcare solutions in underserved communities, building healthcare & scientific research capacity, empowering girls in education and empowering people in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) with a special focus on women and youth. All Merck Foundation press releases are distributed by e-mail at the same time they become available on the Merck Foundation Website. Please visit www.Merck-Foundation.com to read more. Follow the social media of Merck Foundation: Facebook (https://apo-opa.co/4lh6O9Q), X (https://apo-opa.co/4nUxlf9), Instagram (https://apo-opa.co/3Ge6Ikj), YouTube (https://apo-opa.co/460DFew), Threads (https://apo-opa.co/3U0B8JS) and Flickr (https://apo-opa.co/40uz8xp).

    The Merck Foundation is dedicated to improving social and health outcomes for communities in need. While it collaborates with various partners, including governments to achieve its humanitarian goals, the foundation remains strictly neutral in political matters. It does not engage in or support any political activities, elections, or regimes, focusing solely on its mission to elevate humanity and enhance well-being while maintaining a strict non-political stance in all of its endeavors.

    Media files

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    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ernst Names Small Business of the Week, Edd the Florist

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA)

    RED OAK, Iowa – U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Chair of the Senate Small Business Committee, today announced her Small Business of the Week: Edd the Florist of Wapello County.  Throughout the 119th Congress, Chair Ernst plans to recognize a small business in every one of Iowa’s 99 counties.
    “Since the Wiltz family purchased it in 1956, Edd the Florist has blossomed into a scent-sational institution in Ottumwa,” said Chair Ernst. “Hans Wilz has stayed rooted to his parents’ dreams, while expanding to provide gifts and gourmet foods for the community. Serving the community for nearly 70 years, this small business is blooming with success.”
    As the second-generation owner of Edd the Florist, Hans Wilz remains committed to providing Ottumwa and beyond with quality products curated with care. Family and entrepreneurial values are front and center as the business approaches its 70th anniversary. After emigrating from Germany, Margaret and Karl Wilz purchased the shop to pursue the American Dream, and Hans carries their legacy on today.
    Stay tuned as Chair Ernst recognizes more Iowa small businesses across the state with her Small Business of the Week award.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Record breakers! Stoke-on-Trent hosts world’s biggest tea party

    Source: City of Stoke-on-Trent

    The people of Stoke-on-Trent are officially world record holders, after the city smashed a Guinness World Record.

    Around 15,000 people came together across 194 venues today (Tuesday, 8 July), breaking the world record for the largest cream tea party held across multiple venues.

    The event was held to mark 100 years of city status as people came together across the city to share jam and cream scones and a cup of tea in a bid to make history.

    Guinness World Records adjudicators attended five venues – the Victoria Hall, Hanley; DoubleTree by Hilton, Festival Park; Jubilee Hall, Stoke Town Hall; Stoke Minster and NatWest Bank, Hanley – to formally verify the record.

    Tea and scones were enjoyed by 777 people across the five officially-verified venues – successfully breaking the previous record and making Stoke-on-Trent’s Centenary year even more unforgettable.

    Stoke-on-Trent’s twin city, Erlangen in Germany, also held a number of tea parties to celebrate the record attempt. The city’s mayor – and a number of schools – all took part to support Stoke-on-Trent.

    Councillor Steve Watkins, the Lord Mayor of Stoke-on-Trent, said: “What an incredible way to mark our centenary year, by officially breaking the record for the world’s biggest tea party and bringing thousands of people together in a true show of unity and community spirit.

    “This wasn’t just about the numbers – it was about celebrating who we are, a city built on pride, resilience and togetherness. Vis unita fortior – united strength is stronger – is our motto. And today we proved exactly that, by coming together and being record breakers.

    “Congratulations to everyone who took part, wherever you took part – you’ve made history, and you’ve done Stoke-on-Trent proud.”

    Councillor Lyn Sharpe, Stoke-on-Trent City Council’s Centenary Champion, said: “Well done, Stoke-on-Trent. You’re record breakers, ducks!

    “I’m so proud that the city I love came together to celebrate our centenary by smashing an official world record. What a way to mark 100 years of Stoke-on-Trent.

    “Families, friends, neighbours and colleagues came together proving that the simple act of sharing a cuppa can be something extraordinary when done together.”

    Nicky Twemlow from YMCA North Staffordshire, part of the event’s organising team, said: “This incredible achievement shows the world what we’ve always known here in Stoke-on-Trent, that when we come together, we can achieve great things.

    “Every cup of tea shared today was a reminder of our city’s warmth, pride and community spirit.”

    Hassan Rizvi, principal and chief executive at Stoke on Trent College, said: “Stoke on Trent College is truly honoured to play our part in a Guinness World Record, for the world’s largest cream tea party.

    “This is a fantastic way to continue the celebrations for the Centenary of Stoke-on-Trent.”      

    Lisa Healings, Chief Executive of VAST, said: “Stoke-on-Trent’s Centenary year has been a fantastic chance for the city to come together, and to remember and celebrate the amazing community spirit that exists.

    “The Big Centenary Tea Party was an opportunity for local voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations to bring together their staff, volunteers, members, and clients to say thank you, for the people of Stoke-on-Trent to be part of something memorable, and for local businesses to get involved in supporting events in their local area.

    “To have also broken a Guinness World Record just makes the event even more special for everyone involved and proves that when we put our minds to it, the people of Stoke-on-Trent can achieve great things.”

    Tom Nadin, head of project and business services at the Staffordshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “The City of Stoke-on-Trent setting the Guinness World Record for the world’s largest tea party, during our Centenary year, is more than a feel-good moment – it’s proof of our community’s warmth and togetherness.

    “For the Chamber, it shows what’s possible when local businesses and residents come together with pride and creativity. In Stoke-on-Trent, we don’t just make the tea – we make history with it.”

    Steve Adams, chief executive of Community Foundation for Staffordshire & Shropshire, said: “That’s how you win a world record attempt!

    “The true winner in this is our fantastic city, and this event demonstrated how much unity exists in Stoke-on-Trent.

    “People, charities and businesses from all walks of life, all backgrounds and all environments have come together to celebrate our city and work together for one goal.

    “It just goes to show how much we can achieve when we all pull together. That’s what makes Stoke-on-Trent great, and now we hold the record the world will know it too!”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: Ageas and BlackRock, Inc.: Transparency notification

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    In accordance with the rules on financial transparency*, BlackRock, Inc. has notified Ageas on 3 July 2025 that, on 1 July 2025, its interest has exceeded the legal threshold of 5% of the shares issued by Ageas. Its current shareholding stands at 7,78%.

    Reason for the notification
    Acquisition or disposal of the control of an undertaking that holds a participating interest in an issuer

    Notification by
    A parent undertaking or a controlling person

    Persons subject to the notification requirement
    See annex 1a

    Date on which the threshold is crossed
    1 July 2025

    Threshold that is crossed (in %)
    5%

    Denominator
    198.938.286

    Notified details
    See annex 1 b

    Chain of controlled undertakings through which the holding is effectively held, if applicable
    The full chain of command can be found on https://www.ageas.com/investors/shareholders

    Additional information
    As a result of the acquisition of HPS Investment Partners, there has been a change to BlackRock’s group structure. Upon the close of the transaction, BlackRock, Inc. contributed all of its equity interests in BlackRock Finance, Inc. and Global Infrastructure Management, LLC to BlackRock Saturn Subco, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company.

    This press release and the notifications received by Ageas are available on the website.

    * article 14, paragraph 1 of the law of 2 May 2007 on disclosure of major holdings us provisions.

    Ageas is a Belgian rooted listed international insurance Group with a heritage spanning 200 years. It offers Retail and Business customers Life and Non-Life insurance products designed to suit their specific needs, today and tomorrow, and is also engaged in reinsurance activities. As one of Europe’s larger insurance companies, Ageas concentrates its activities in Europe and Asia, which together make up the major part of the global insurance market. It operates successful insurance businesses in Belgium, the UK, Portugal, Türkiye, China, Malaysia, India, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Singapore, and the Philippines through a combination of wholly owned subsidiaries and long term partnerships with strong financial institutions and key distributors. Ageas ranks among the market leaders in the countries in which it operates. It represents a staff force of about 50,000 people and reported annual inflows of EUR 18.5 billion in 2024.

    ANNEX 1a

    Name Address (for legal entities)
    BlackRock, Inc. 50 Hudson Yards, New York, NY, 10001, U.S.A.
    BlackRock (Singapore) Limited 20 Anson Road #18-01, Singapore, 79912, Singapore
    BlackRock Advisors (UK) Limited 12 Throgmorton Avenue, London, EC2N 2DL, U.K.
    BlackRock Advisors, LLC 50 Hudson Yards, New York, NY, 10001, U.S.A.
    BlackRock Asset Management Canada Limited 161 Bay Street, Suite 2500, Toronto, Ontario, M5J 2S1, Canada
    BlackRock Asset Management Deutschland AG Lenbachplatz 1 1st Floor, Munich, 80333-MN3, Germany
    BlackRock Asset Management North Asia Limited 15/F, 16/F, 17/F Citibank Tower & 17/F ICBC Tower, 3 Garden Road, Central, Hong Kong
    BlackRock Financial Management, Inc. 50 Hudson Yards, New York, NY, 10001, U.S.A.
    BlackRock Fund Advisors 400 Howard Street, San Francisco, CA, 94105, U.S.A.
    BlackRock Institutional Trust Company, National Association 400 Howard Street, San Francisco, CA, 94105, U.S.A.
    BlackRock International Limited Exchange Place One, 1 Semple Street, Edinburgh, EH3 8BL, U.K.
    BlackRock Investment Management (Australia) Limited Level 37 Chifley Tower, 2 Chifley Square, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia
    BlackRock Investment Management (UK) Limited 12 Throgmorton Avenue, London, EC2N 2DL, U.K.
    BlackRock Investment Management, LLC 1 University Square Drive, Princeton, NJ, 8540, U.S.A.
    BlackRock Japan Co., Ltd. 1-8-3 Marunouchi Chiyoda-ku, Trust Tower Main, Tokyo, 100-8217, Japan
    Aperio Group, LLC 3 Harbor Dr Suite 204, Sausalito, CA 94965, U.S.A.
    SpiderRock Advisors, LLC Corporation Service Company, 251 Little Falls Drive, Wilmington, DE 19808, U.S.A.

    ANNEX 1b

    A) Voting rights Previous notification After the transaction  
      # of voting rights # of voting rights % of voting rights  
    Holders of voting rights   Linked to securities Not linked to the securities Linked to securities Not linked to the securities S
    BlackRock, Inc. 0 0   0,00%   1
    BlackRock (Singapore) Limited 26.755 26.310   0,01%   1
    BlackRock Advisors (UK) Limited 2.917.790 3.172.318   1,59%   1
    BlackRock Advisors, LLC 203.203 332.981   0,17%   1
    BlackRock Asset Management Canada Limited 147.243 262.978   0,13%   1
    BlackRock Asset Management Deutschland AG 1.811.227 1.362.308   0,68%   1
    BlackRock Asset Management North Asia Limited 25.474 25.829   0,01%   1
    BlackRock Financial Management, Inc. 50.348 190.132   0,10%   1
    BlackRock Fund Advisors 3.769.688 3.810.650   1,92%   1
    BlackRock Institutional Trust Company, National Association 2.088.675 2.690.187   1,35%   1
    BlackRock International Limited 1.637 12.647   0,01%   1
    BlackRock Investment Management (Australia) Limited 69.199 56.242   0,03%   1
    BlackRock Investment Management (UK) Limited 895.264 1.142.495   0,57%   1
    BlackRock Investment Management, LLC 418.682 373.405   0,19%   1
    BlackRock Japan Co., Ltd. 285.173 300.448   0,15%   1
    Aperio Group, LLC 18.343 21.757   0,01%   1
    Subtotal 12.728.700 13.780.688   6,93%   S
      TOTAL 13.780.688 0 6,93% 0,00%  
    B) Equivalent financial instruments After the transaction
    Holders of equivalent
    financial instruments    		 Type of financial instrument Expiration date Exercise period or date # of voting rights that may be acquired if the instrument is exercised % of voting rights Settlement  
    BlackRock Advisors, LLC Contract Difference     641.303 0,32% cash  
    BlackRock Financial Management, Inc. Contract Difference     513.136 0,26% cash  
    BlackRock Institutional Trust Company, National Association Contract Difference     326.027 0,16% cash  
    BlackRock Investment Management (UK) Limited Contract Difference     13.097 0,01% cash  
    BlackRock Investment Management, LLC Contract Difference     845 0,00% cash  
    Aperio Group, LLC Depositary Receipt     195.684 0,10%    
    SpiderRock Advisors, LLC Depositary Receipt     158 0,00%    
      TOTAL   1.690.250 0,85%    
      TOTAL (A & B)     # of voting rights % of voting rights    
          CALCULATE 15.470.938 7,78%    

            

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –