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  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Battle of Britain Pilot’s Grave Identified in the Netherlands

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Battle of Britain Pilot’s Grave Identified in the Netherlands

    More than eighty five years after his death, the previously unmarked grave of Flying Officer Philip Anthony Neville Cox, has finally been identified and a service of rededication held at his graveside.

    The Reverend Jonathan Steward at the graveside of Flying Officer Cox (Crown Copyright)

    The rededication service, organised by the MOD’s Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC), also known as the ‘MOD War Detectives’, was held at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s (CWGC) Bergen op Zoom War Cemetery in The Netherlands, yesterday afternoon (4 June 25). The service was conducted by the Reverend Jonathan Stewart CF, Station Chaplain RAF Odiham. 

    JCCC Caseworker, Tracey Bowers, said: 

    I am grateful to the researcher who originally submitted evidence suggesting this brave Pilot was buried in the grave in Bergen op Zoom cemetery. Cox was a brave and talented Officer and excelled in all aspects of service life, serving his Country for 8 years, he will never be forgotten.

    Flying Officer Philip Anthony Neville Cox RAF No.501 (County of Gloucestershire) Sqn, Royal Auxiliary Air Force 

    Evidence and research undertaken by the researcher, RAF Air Historical Branch, CWGC and JCCC shows that Cox was reported missing, believed dead when his Hurricane P3808 failed to return from an operation on 27 July 1940, over Dover. A month later a body was washed ashore on the Westenschouwen (Dutch coast) and buried as an unknown British Air Force Officer, the records also showed some details of his name and number (Cox 33XXX). When he was concentrated into Bergen op Zoom cemetery in 1946 it appears some of these details were accidentally struck off and attempts to identify him missed resulting in him being buried as an “Unknown”. Research shows there was only one other missing with the name Cox but he was not an Officer and the date and location of his crash ruled him out.  

    Reverend Jonathan Steward CF said 

    It has been a real honour to be part of the rededication service for Flying Officer Cox. Having his name forever written in stone is more than symbolic. It shows our commitment to honour and commemorate his sacrifice and show that it will not be forgotten.

    The military party stand behind the newly erected headstone for Flying Officer Cox (Crown Copyright)

    Cox was not only a talented Pilot but sportsman too excelling in both fencing and soccer he was described in his RAF reports as “A good all-round sportsman and very keen on all games. He has showed judgement and will be an asset to the Service”. 

    The grave will now be cared for by CWGC. Fergus Read, Commemorations Case Officer at the CWGC, said:  

    It is an honour to have been involved in the research that led to the formal identification of Flying Officer Cox. This case involved evidence from multiple sources – including Dutch and German archives – which had not been previously connected. It was a privilege to play a part in establishing where this Battle of Britain pilot was buried and the Commission will care for his grave, in perpetuity.

    Updates to this page

    Published 5 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Change of British High Commissioner to Lesotho: Martine Sobey

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Change of British High Commissioner to Lesotho: Martine Sobey

    Mrs Martine Sobey has been appointed British High Commissioner to the Kingdom of Lesotho in succession to Mr Harry MacDonald.

    Martine Sobey

    Mrs Martine Sobey has been appointed British High Commissioner to the Kingdom of Lesotho in succession to Mr Harry MacDonald who will be transferring to another Diplomatic Service appointment. Mrs Sobey will take up her appointment during September 2025.

    Curriculum vitae         

    Full name: Martine Sunshine Sobey       

    Year Role
    2023 to present Abuja, Climate Change and Nature Team Lead
    2022 to 2023 BEIS-FCDO, Team Leader, Joint International Forests Unit
    2021 to 2022 BEIS, Team Leader Forests, Land Use and Carbon Markets
    2019 to 2020 BEIS, Bilateral Partnerships Lead, International Climate Finance
    2019 Joined Civil Service
    2017 to 2019 Rockefeller Foundation, Senior Manager – Africa Region
    2009 to 2017 Environment, climate and international development consulting roles
    2008 to 2009 King’s College London, Masters in Climate Change, Environment and Globalisation

    Media enquiries

    Email newsdesk@fcdo.gov.uk

    Telephone 020 7008 3100

    Email the FCDO Newsdesk (monitored 24 hours a day) in the first instance, and we will respond as soon as possible.

    Updates to this page

    Published 5 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • India Services PMI Remains Strong at 58.8 in May, Driven by Robust Demand

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    India’s services sector maintained its high pace of growth in May, driven by strong demand for exports, which also saw firms increase staff hiring to an all-time high during the month, according to the latest HSBC survey.

    The seasonally adjusted HSBC India Services Purchasing Managers’ Business Activity Index (PMI) registered 58.8 in May. This was broadly in line with April’s reading of 58.7 and therefore signalled another sharp rate of expansion. The survey states that growth was reportedly underpinned by healthy demand conditions, new client wins and greater staffing capacity.

    Notably, companies observed a near-record improvement in international demand for their services during May. Over the course of the survey’s 19-and-a-half-year history, faster increases in new export orders were only recorded in May and June 2024. When citing sources of growth, firms mentioned Asia, Europe and North America in particular, the survey said.

    Similar to the trend for output, new orders rose at a sharp pace that was largely aligned with those registered from February to April. To accommodate ongoing expansions in new business, service providers continued to recruit additional staff, the survey added.

    Price gauges showed an intensification of input cost and output charge inflation, with the rates of increase edging above their historical averages in each case.

    Pranjul Bhandari, Chief India Economist at HSBC, said: “India registered a services PMI of 58.8 in May 2025, broadly in line with the steady readings from recent months. Strong international demand continued to fuel services activity, as evidenced by the new export business index’s uptick from April.”

    “To keep up with swelling demand, India’s service providers heavily increased staff recruitment. Indeed, the employment index rose to the highest reading ever recorded by this survey. Meanwhile, price pressures continued to intensify, with both input prices and prices charged rising last month,” Bhandari added.

    (IANS)

  • PM Modi plants sapling in Delhi, pushes Aravalli Green Wall Project on World Environment Day

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    On the occasion of World Environment Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in a special tree plantation drive at Bhagwan Mahavir Vanasthali Park in Delhi, planting a sapling as part of the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign. The event marked a renewed push for environmental conservation, with a focus on reforesting the ancient Aravalli range under the Aravalli Green Wall Project.

    In a post on X, PM Modi said, “Today, on #WorldEnvironmentDay, we strengthened the #EkPedMaaKeNaam initiative with a special tree plantation drive. I planted a sapling at the Bhagwan Mahavir Vanasthali Park in Delhi. This is also a part of our effort to reforest the Aravalli range—the Aravalli Green Wall project.”

    The PM also planted a Sindoor sapling at his residence in New Delhi. The plant was gifted to him by the brave mothers and sisters of Kutch, Gujarat, who had displayed extraordinary courage and patriotism during the 1971 India-Pakistan war.

    Speaking at the event, the Prime Minister emphasized the ecological importance of the Aravalli range—one of the oldest mountain ranges in the world—spanning the states of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana, and Delhi. He noted that the region has been facing a series of environmental challenges over the years, and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to restoring and protecting the fragile ecosystem.

    PM Modi outlined the government’s vision for rejuvenating the Aravalli landscape, which includes improving water systems, curbing dust storms, halting the eastward expansion of the Thar desert, and working in coordination with local administrations. He stressed that plantation efforts will not be limited to traditional methods; instead, innovative techniques suitable for urban and semi-urban areas with limited space will also be encouraged.

    To ensure accountability and transparency, all plantation activities will be geo-tagged and monitored through the Meri LiFE portal—part of India’s broader sustainability mission.

    Calling on the younger generation to take active part in the initiative, the Prime Minister said, “I call upon the youth of our nation to take part in this movement and add to our planet’s green cover.”

    The Aravalli Green Wall project is aimed at creating a continuous green belt to combat desertification, improve biodiversity, and enhance climate resilience across the 700-kilometre stretch of the Aravalli range. The initiative is expected to bring ecological and socio-economic benefits to 29 districts across Delhi, Rajasthan, Haryana, and Gujarat.

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Breakthrough in Biomedicine: Polytechnic Project Receives International Award

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University – Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University –

    Project Biomedical Image and Data Analysis Laboratories The Institute of Biomedical Systems and Biotechnology received the international university award in the field of artificial intelligence and big data “Gravity” in the nomination “Breakthrough scientific research and development”.

    The competition was held in 2025, organized by the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, Tomsk State University and the University Consortium of Data Scientists Association. This is the largest annual event in the country dedicated to popularizing the most significant university projects in the field of AI and introducing breakthrough technologies into leading sectors of the economy.

    SPbPU scientists presented the project “Decoding the Brain Code: AI Platform for Multimodal Analysis of Neural Data”. It involves using AI models for multi-level and multimodal analysis of data on the structure of synapses, neurons and neural networks of the brain, as well as their relationship with behavior and cognitive functions.

    The project is aimed at solving complex problems and finding new research hypotheses in neurobiology and medicine. The main stages include pre-processing and image quality improvement, automatic segmentation of biological structures, data analysis in research tasks and preclinical trials, as well as the development of LLM adapted for the industry. For the first time in Russia, we have developed and applied large fundamental models for analyzing significant arrays of data on neuronal activity, – said the head of the laboratory Ekaterina Pchitskaya.

    The project was implemented by a team of 11 people – research associates and programmers of the laboratory, research engineers and laboratory assistants, postgraduates and students of the IBSiB. Representatives of the Physics and Mechanics Institute also participated: Vyacheslav Chukanov, Alexander Sachuk, Ivan Zolin, Darya Smirnova, Daniil Baev, Evgeny Gerasimov, Georgy Raev, Vyacheslav Karasev, Grigory Chevykalov, Vladimir Skvortsov.

    We are proud of our young researchers who are constantly searching and offering non-standard solutions to current problems. It is gratifying that their efforts in the field of applying artificial intelligence technologies have been noted at such a high expert level and will receive a moral and material incentive for further development, – noted Vice-Rector for Research at SPbPU Yuri Fomin.

    The award ceremony took place at the scientific congress of the University Consortium of Big Data Researchers. Participants presented research and applied projects in the field of data analysis and AI. Ivan Zolin, a programmer at the SPbPU Laboratory of Biomedical Image and Data Analysis, presented a report entitled “Neural Networks for Improving Microscopic Images in Biomedicine”. He presented a cloud-based complex of fluorescence microscopy processing models, including TriDeFusion denoising and deconvolution, accessible through a user-friendly web interface.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Sobyanin: Organ and tissue transplant department opened at hospital No. 52

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    A department for organ and tissue transplantation has opened at City Clinical Hospital No. 52. It specializes in providing surgical care to patients with terminal stage chronic kidney disease. Sergei Sobyanin reported this in his telegram channel.

    “Kidney transplantation is the priority and most effective form of renal replacement therapy. Now in

    City Clinical Hospital No. 52 “patients with chronic kidney disease can receive the full range of medical care in one place: from primary diagnosis to kidney transplantation and subsequent outpatient monitoring,” the Mayor of Moscow wrote.

    Source: Sergei Sobyanin’s Telegram channel @mos_sobyanin

    The department is located in a building with a modern operating unit, two resuscitation and intensive care units.

    It became the fourth in the city. organ transplant center along with the Moscow Multidisciplinary Scientific and Clinical Center named after S.P. Botkin, the Research Institute of Emergency Care named after N.V. Sklifosovsky and the Moscow Clinical Scientific Center named after A.S. Loginov.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect

    https: //vv.mos.ru/mayor/tkhemes/1290505/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China’s domestically produced 9-valent HPV vaccine aims to boost immunization coverage

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    BEIJING, June 5 (Xinhua) — China’s medical device administration has approved the launch of the country’s first domestically produced 9-valent HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccine, ending a decade of foreign dominance in the Chinese market.

    The new vaccine, called Cecolin 9, was included in a list of approved drugs released Wednesday by China’s National Medical Products Administration.

    “The approval of Cecolin 9 not only opens up more opportunities for women to be vaccinated in China, but may also expand the availability and coverage of vaccination, helping to reduce the risk of cervical cancer,” said Zhang Jun, director of the Institute of Public Health at Xiamen University and a leading scientist on the vaccine development team.

    HPV vaccines are commonly used to prevent cervical cancer in women, as well as genital cancers and warts in both men and women.

    Cecolin 9, which targets nine HPV strains, was developed by Xiamen University, Xiang An Key Laboratory of Biomedicine and Xiamen Innovax Biotech Co., Ltd.

    With the approval of Cecolin 9, China has become the second country in the world after the United States to have independent self-sufficiency in the production of highly valent HPV vaccine.

    Compared with bivalent HPV vaccines, which are effective against two high-risk genotypes (HPV 16 and 18), 9-valent HPV vaccines additionally protect against five high-risk genotypes (HPV 31, 33, 45, 52, and 58) and two low-risk genotypes (HPV 6 and 11), and have been shown to be more effective in protecting against cervical cancer.

    After 18 years of hard work, Chinese researchers have overcome major technical challenges in producing virus-like particles (VLPs) from several HPV types using the E. coli platform and completed key clinical trial processes.

    Since 2019, five targeted clinical trials have been conducted in China, in which the new vaccine has demonstrated a favorable safety profile and a strong immune response comparable to similar international drugs on the market.

    Statistics show that there are approximately 700,000 cases of HPV-related cancer worldwide each year, including about 530,000 cases of cervical cancer. At the same time, the vaccination method can effectively prevent HPV infection by 94 percent.

    In 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) launched a global programme to accelerate the elimination of cervical cancer, aiming to ensure that 90% of girls are fully vaccinated against HPV by age 15 by 2030.

    In line with the WHO programme, China’s National Health Commission has launched an action plan to eliminate cervical cancer for the period 2022-2030, which urges expansion of HPV immunisation coverage across the country. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: V. Putin and D. Trump held a telephone conversation

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    Moscow, June 5 /Xinhua/ – Russian and US Presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump held their fourth telephone conversation on Wednesday, TASS reported, citing the Russian leader’s aide Yuri Ushakov.

    “How did the conversation begin: naturally, with a discussion of the situation around Ukraine. Vladimir Putin spoke in detail about the results of the second round of direct Russian-Ukrainian negotiations in Istanbul,” the Kremlin spokesman said.

    “In addition to Ukraine, a whole range of international issues were discussed, I would say, with an emphasis on the somewhat stalemate in the negotiations between the US and Iran on the Iranian nuclear program,” he noted. According to Yu. Ushakov, D. Trump stated in a telephone conversation the need for assistance from Russia in the situation with the Iranian nuclear program.

    The two leaders also discussed the situation in the Middle East and the ongoing armed conflict between India and Pakistan. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: D. Trump signed a document banning entry from 12 countries

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    LOS ANGELES, June 5 (Xinhua) — U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday evening signed a proclamation banning travel from 12 countries on national security grounds.

    The White House said the document completely bans entry for citizens of Afghanistan, Haiti, Iran, Yemen, Libya, Myanmar, the Republic of Congo, Somalia, Sudan, Chad, Equatorial Guinea and Eritrea. These countries were found to be “deficient in their background checks and determined to pose a very high risk to the United States,” the statement said.

    In addition, the decree partially restricts entry for citizens of seven countries: Burundi, Venezuela, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo and Turkmenistan.

    The ban is set to come into effect on June 9 at 00:01.

    “The restrictions imposed by this proclamation are necessary to secure the cooperation of foreign governments, enforce our immigration laws, and advance other important foreign policy, national security, and counterterrorism goals,” the White House said.

    The ban does not apply to lawful permanent residents of the United States, holders of valid visas, recipients of certain categories of visas, or persons whose entry is in the national interest of the United States. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI: Atos to deliver key IT services and applications for UEFA Nations League Finals™ 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

                                                                    Press Release

    Atos to deliver key IT services and applications for UEFA Nations League Finals™ 2025

    Paris, France – 5 June, 2025 – Atos, the Official Information Technology Partner of UEFA National Team Football, will deliver key IT services and applications support for the UEFA Nations League Finals™(UNLF) 2025, taking place from June 4 to June 8, 2025, in Germany. Atos’ expertise will once again support hundreds of millions of fans worldwide to share the electrifying experience of one of the highest profile football tournaments.

    To provide the best experience for all stakeholders, from the European football family to fans and media, Atos will be responsible for managing core IT planning and operations systems all requiring the highest level of reliability, efficiency and security. These solutions include:

    • Event Management systems including accreditation, access control solutions, competitions solutions, radio communication and service desk services.
    • Diffusion system like the football service platform, the mobile app, the website including some embedded gaming functionalities such as match predictor and quiz about competitions.
    • End-to-end cybersecurity services, from compliance and threat intelligence to on-the-ground and hybrid-cloud security.

    Since the inception of their partnership in 2022, Atos have assisted UEFA on a day-to-day basis to manage, improve, and optimize its complex technology landscape and in facing new technology challenges. In a new data consumption era, large sport associations need to keep pace with the expectations of their audiences, especially the youth fan base, who are craving for more personalization, technology and data, engagement and real-time information. To meet these challenges, Atos and UEFA have been striving to continuously introduce innovations driving immersive fan experiences with secure, real-time data and deliver best-in class, AI-powered IT solutions.

    Atos, helped make the UEFA EURO 2024™ a tremendous success, supporting over 200 applications, over 6 million app download, almost 1.3 billion email and app push notifications, and a cumulated live audience of over 5 billion. Atos and UEFA also introduced innovative applications like the Football Service Platform, providing data and statistics such as results, line-ups, live match events, players status and ranking of all UEFA teams, transforming all stakeholders’ experience.

    The entire Atos team, from the IT Command Center of UEFA in Nyon (Switzerland) to the delivery centers in Madrid and Barcelona (Spain), as well as Egypt, Poland, Romania and France are committed on daily basis to making sure UEFA is well-prepared to deliver exceptional experiences to fans around the world.

    “We are excited to feel the competition pressure building up as we enter the last stages of UEFA Nations League preparation. Our team is working tirelessly to make sure we once again deliver a secure, flawless and innovative service to UEFA and provide all football fans with an unforgettable tournament experience.” said Nacho Moros, Head of Atos Major Events.

    “Since the beginning of our partnership with Atos in 2022, we have been making advances in the quality of services we are introducing and providing to all the Football stakeholders. We are confident that the 2025 edition of the Nations League will once again leverage the most advanced technologies to provide all football fans an amazing experience”, stated Hosni Ajala, Chief of ICT at UEFA.

    Atos has been serving its partners and customers through a dedicated in-house sports and major events division (“Major Events”) for over 3 decades, giving it an unmatched experience and the flexibility to serve its customers regardless of their exposure, size and scale. From global events to local competitions, Atos consistently strives to deliver technology excellence to its entire customer base. 

    Atos has been involved with the Olympic Movement since 1992 and the Paralympic Movement since 2002 and is the Official Digital Technology Partner of the European Olympic Committees, as well as the official Digital partner for Special Olympics International. The company is also the Official Information Technology Partner of UEFA National Team Football. Most recently, Atos has been instrumental in delivering successful leading-edge IT services for iconic events such as the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024 or inspiring events such as Invictus Games Vancouver 2025 or the Special Olympics Torino Winter Games 2025. 

    To learn more about Atos solutions for sporting events and major events, visit  Atos Major event. 

    ***

    About Atos Group

    Atos Group is a global leader in digital transformation with c. 72,000 employees and annual revenue of c. € 10 billion, operating in 68 countries under two brands — Atos for services and Eviden for products. European number one in cybersecurity, cloud and high-performance computing, Atos Group is committed to a secure and decarbonized future and provides tailored AI-powered, end-to-end solutions for all industries. Atos is a SE (Societas Europaea) and listed on Euronext Paris.

    The purpose of Atos is to help design the future of the information space. Its expertise and services support the development of knowledge, education and research in a multicultural approach and contribute to the development of scientific and technological excellence. Across the world, the Group enables its customers and employees, and members of societies at large to live, work and develop sustainably, in a safe and secure information space.

    Press contact

    Laurent Massicot – laurent.massicot@atos.net – 33 (0)7 69 48 01 80

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    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Enko Capital welcomes commitment from IFC to new Impact Credit Fund

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LONDON, June 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —  Enko Capital (“Enko”), an African-focused asset management firm managing debt, private debt, equity and private equity investments across Africa, has welcomed commitment from International Finance Corporation (“IFC”) to its new Impact Credit Fund (“EICF”).

    The commitment has been confirmed by IFC with the planned equity investment in the fund being up to the lower of US$25 million or 20% of total Limited Partner (LP) commitment to EICF. The project is being processed under IFC’s Debt Funds Project (DFP) Investment Framework. 

    EICF is Enko’s first private credit vehicle. It has a target LP commitment size of US$150 million, targeting US$80 million at first close, expected to take place in Q3 2025. EICF’s objective is to invest in a diversified portfolio of USD denominated senior secured and unsecured debt to mid-sized corporates in sub-Saharan Africa, excluding South Africa. 

    EICF will seek to invest in SDG-aligned, ESG focused and gender-oriented businesses, while generating commercial returns and utilising guarantees, insurance wraps and collateral to hedge downside credit risks.  

    Alain Nkontchou, Managing Partner of Enko, said, “We are delighted to have received this invaluable support from IFC for our debut private credit fund. The fund will provide critical growth capital for mid-market SMEs on the continent and will deliver both positive social impact and compelling risk-adjusted returns. This growth capital can help address the massive funding gap which businesses on the continent face while driving sustainable development.”

    About Enko:

    Enko Capital (“Enko”), is an African-focused asset management firm managing debt, private debt, equity and private equity investments across Africa. Enko offers deep knowledge of the continent combined with best-in-class investment expertise. Enko was founded in 2008 by Alain and Cyrille Nkontchou, and has over $1bn in assets under management.

    Contact:

    nick.white@enkocapital.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Capgemini becomes an Official Partner of the Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift until 2029 to power cycling through tech and innovation

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Capgemini becomes an Official Partner of the Tour de France
    and Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift until 2029
    to power cycling through tech and innovation

    The new partnership encompasses 14 international cycling events including La Vuelta, Paris-Roubaix and Liège-Bastogne-Liège races, as well as five standalone women’s races

    Paris, June 5, 2025 – Capgemini announced today that it has become the Official Technology Partner, for the next 5 years, of 14 cycling races, including the world renowned Tour de France, to help drive innovation in professional cycling. Together, they will leverage technology, innovation and artificial intelligence (AI) to grow the cycling community, engage fans all over the world and bring cycling into people’s lives.

    This agreement, that goes beyond the Tour de France and the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, will see Capgemini support a series of international cycling events, that include both men’s races – such as La Vuelta, Paris-Nice, Critérium du Dauphiné, Paris-Roubaix, Paris-Tours, La Flèche Wallonne, Liège-Bastogne-Liège, the Tro Bro Leon, and the women’s races of La Vuelta Femenina by Carrefour.es, Paris-Roubaix Femmes avec Zwift, La Flèche Wallonne Femmes, Liège-Bastogne-Liège Femmes.

    As part of this new global long-term partnership, Capgemini is the Official Technology Partner of each of these events, bringing its deep expertise in digital innovation, technology and AI into the professional cycling field. Over the next five years, Capgemini will support these top cycling events in realizing their technology roadmap, delivering cutting-edge technological solutions aimed at enhancing performance insights, supporting international audiences and engaging fans, from casual enthusiasts to amateur cyclists. In 2024, the Tour de France reached more than 1 billion TV viewed hours in 190 countries and broke digital records with nearly 100 million website visits and 1.6 billion impressions on social media.

    With this partnership, Capgemini extends its sports sponsorship portfolio that focuses on bringing the breadth of the Group’s capabilities to enhance leading global events with technological innovation, high performance and team spirit at the heart. As a global company based in 50 countries, with well-established operations across regions that have a strong cycling fanbase such as Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, UK, and USA, Capgemini will promote the fourteen cycling races internationally.

    “At Capgemini, we are proud to partner with 14 iconic global sports competitions including the world-famous Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift. Each embody the driving principles of precision, endurance, high performance and teamwork – attributes that we, at Capgemini, live by every day,” said Aiman Ezzat, Chief Executive Officer of Capgemini. “This partnership reflects our commitment to bringing the Group’s breadth of expertise and capabilities to enhance the future of sport through cutting-edge innovation, data-led insights and an augmented fan experience.”

    “We are very proud to launch this long-term partnership with Capgemini, leader in technology and innovation. This strategic partnership will help to promote and accelerate our digital ambitions for the Tour de France and all A.S.O. Cycling events around the world. New digital solutions will help to further enhance the Fan experience and engage new communities with innovative and upgraded features and services,” says Yann Le Moënner, A.S.O. Managing Director.

    Transforming sport through technology and innovation
    The partnership builds on Capgemini’s already strong track record in adding value to the fan experience and sporting performance through its portfolio of sports sponsorships.

    • In 2024, for the 37th America’s Cup, Capgemini and America’s Cup Media revealed the breakthrough WindSight IQTM technology in Barcelona. Through a combination of technology, engineering, data, and design, Capgemini developed a LiDAR-based sensor system that made the yacht racing more understandable and engaging for viewers. The solution enabled the viewers to visualize the wind and model potential race results, enhancing the fan experience.
    • This year, Capgemini is a Principal Partner of Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025, set to kick off in the UK in August. Since 2022, the Group has played a pivotal role in advancing inclusivity in the sport as a Global Partner of the Women in Rugby initiative and enabling the Capgemini Women in Rugby Leadership Programme, to support a new generation of female leaders in rugby.
    • For the 2025 Ryder Cup in September, Capgemini will bring a generative AI powered version of its Outcome IQ, a tool that puts the intelligence of real-time data in the palm of every fan’s hand, helping to enhance the fan experience by tracking outcome probabilities shot by shot. Capgemini is Worldwide Partner to the Ryder Cup up until and including the 2027 Ryder Cup in County Limerick, Ireland.

    About Capgemini
    Capgemini is a global business and technology transformation partner, helping organizations to accelerate their dual transition to a digital and sustainable world, while creating tangible impact for enterprises and society. It is a responsible and diverse group of 340,000 team members in more than 50 countries. With its strong over 55-year heritage, Capgemini is trusted by its clients to unlock the value of technology to address the entire breadth of their business needs. It delivers end-to-end services and solutions leveraging strengths from strategy and design to engineering, all fueled by its market leading capabilities in AI, generative AI, cloud and data, combined with its deep industry expertise and partner ecosystem. The Group reported 2024 global revenues of €22.1 billion.
    Get The Future You Want | www.capgemini.com

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    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Focus Session – Non-time critical payments – Panel

    Source: European Central Bank (video statements)

    Learn more about the benefits that NTC payments offer PSPs with regards to the 24/7 availability of the SCT Inst features combined with the certainty offered by the SCT scheme. Why do banks support NTC payments in TIPS? And how can you benefit?

    Martijn de Ruijter, Head of SEPA Products and Payments Fraud Prevention, Rabobank
    Michael Knetsch, Tribe Lead Instant Payments, Deutsche Bank
    Carl Bengtzon, Business Developer, SEB Treasury
    Moderator: Karen Birkel, Head of Market Infrastructure Development Division, ECB

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xt2nhZMB0t0

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Focus Session – Non-time critical payments – Technical introduction to the NTC solution

    Source: European Central Bank (video statements)

    Discover more on how NTC payments can be made possible in TIPS and gain insights on the technical functionality for the NTC solution.

    Andrea Dimartina, Market Infrastructure Expert and TIPS Functional Manager, Banca d’Italia

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-w2t9kkkQ8

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Focus Session – Non-time critical payments – Welcome address

    Source: European Central Bank (video statements)

    Non-time critical (NTC) payments in TARGET Instant Payment Settlement (TIPS) would be a new functionality which allows for a tailored payment processing based on the criticality of the payment. Discover what benefits this would bring to payment service providers (PSPs) and the purpose for implementation.

    Dimitri Pattyn, Deputy Director General, ECB

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPAhvp8cqBE

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Focus Session – Non-time critical payments – Business cases for NTC payments

    Source: European Central Bank (video statements)

    In TIPS, NTC transactions would come in addition to SCT Inst transactions. Examples of possible business cases would be payments whose immediacy is not necessary. Learn more about what advantages this would bring and how NTC payments can benefit PSPs.

    Fabrizio Dinacci, Team Lead Market Infrastructure PM, ECB

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUXQNeb1sdM

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Focus Session – Non-time critical payments – Closing remarks

    Source: European Central Bank (video statements)

    Dimitri Pattyn, Deputy Director General, Market Infrastructure and Payments, ECB

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBjmaYBJdq0

    MIL OSI Video –

  • India’s Services Sector on a Roll: PMI Strong, Hiring Hits Record

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    India’s services sector maintained its high pace of growth in May, driven by strong demand for exports, which also saw firms increase staff hiring to an all-time high during the month, according to the latest HSBC survey.

    The seasonally adjusted HSBC India Services Purchasing Managers’ Business Activity Index (PMI) registered 58.8 in May. This was broadly in line with April’s reading of 58.7 and therefore signalled another sharp rate of expansion. The survey states that growth was reportedly underpinned by healthy demand conditions, new client wins and greater staffing capacity.

    Notably, companies observed a near-record improvement in international demand for their services during May. Over the course of the survey’s 19-and-a-half-year history, faster increases in new export orders were only recorded in May and June 2024. When citing sources of growth, firms mentioned Asia, Europe and North America in particular, the survey said.

    Similar to the trend for output, new orders rose at a sharp pace that was largely aligned with those registered from February to April. To accommodate ongoing expansions in new business, service providers continued to recruit additional staff, the survey added.

    Price gauges showed an intensification of input cost and output charge inflation, with the rates of increase edging above their historical averages in each case.

    Pranjul Bhandari, Chief India Economist at HSBC, said: “India registered a services PMI of 58.8 in May 2025, broadly in line with the steady readings from recent months. Strong international demand continued to fuel services activity, as evidenced by the new export business index’s uptick from April.”

    “To keep up with swelling demand, India’s service providers heavily increased staff recruitment. Indeed, the employment index rose to the highest reading ever recorded by this survey. Meanwhile, price pressures continued to intensify, with both input prices and prices charged rising last month,” Bhandari added.

    (IANS)

  • Putin tells Trump Russia has to respond to Ukrainian attacks

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Russian President Vladimir Putin told U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday that he would have to respond to Ukrainian drone attacks on Russia’s nuclear-capable bomber fleet, while also describing peace talks with Ukraine as “useful.”

    The war in Ukraine is intensifying after nearly four months of cajoling and threats to both Moscow and Kyiv from Trump, who says he wants peace after more than three years of the deadliest conflict in Europe since World War Two.

    After Ukraine bombed bridges and attacked Russia’s fleet of bombers deep in Siberia and Russia’s far north, Putin on Wednesday said he did not think Ukraine’s leaders wanted peace.

    Shortly after Putin discussed the attacks with top ministers in Moscow, Trump said he had spoken by telephone with Putin for one hour and 15 minutes, and that they had discussed the Ukrainian attacks and Iran.

    “We discussed the attack on Russia’s docked airplanes, by Ukraine, and also various other attacks that have been taking place by both sides. It was a good conversation, but not a conversation that will lead to immediate peace,” Trump said on social media.

    Russia has unleashed several massive aerial attacks on Ukraine over recent weeks.

    “President Putin did say, and very strongly, that he will have to respond to the recent attack on the airfields,” Trump said.

    A foreign policy aide to Putin, Yuri Ushakov, said the Russian leader told Trump on the call that ceasefire talks between Moscow and Kyiv have been productive, despite what he termed attempts by Ukraine to “disrupt” them.

    “Let me stress that our president described in detail the content of the talks and that these talks on the whole were useful,” Ushakov said.

    Memorandums outlining peace plans were exchanged and will be analysed, Ushakov said, “and we hope that afterwards the two sides will be able to continue their talks.”

    Ushakov confirmed the two presidents discussed other international issues, particularly the Middle East conflict and how Russia could help deal with Iran and its nuclear programme.

    On Iran, Trump said he believed Putin agreed with Washington that Iran “cannot have a nuclear weapon,” and accused Tehran of “slowwalking” decisions regarding the talks.

    Trump has been unusually silent on the Ukrainian attacks on the Russian bombers – one of the three pillars of Russia’s nuclear arsenal – though Moscow demanded that the United States and Britain restrain Ukraine.

    The Kremlin said Trump had told Putin that Washington was not informed in advance of the Ukrainian attacks. Trump’s Ukraine envoy said the risk of escalation from the war in Ukraine was “going way up” after the strikes.

    Russia and the United States are by far the world’s biggest nuclear powers: together they hold about 88% of all nuclear weapons.

    Each has three ways of nuclear attack – strategic bombers, land-launched intercontinental ballistic missiles and submarine-launched ballistic missiles – and any attack on any part of the “triad” is considered a grave escalation.

    WAR OR PEACE?

    In some of his most hawkish remarks in recent months on the outlook for peace, Putin on Wednesday said the bridge attacks had been directed against civilians and accused Ukrainian leadership of being a “terrorist organisation” supported by powers who were becoming “terrorist accomplices.”

    “The current Kyiv regime does not need peace at all,” Putin said at a meeting with senior officials. “What is there to talk about? How can we negotiate with those who rely on terror?”

    Ukraine has not commented on the bridge attacks. It denies it targets civilians, as does Russia, though civilians have been killed by both sides.

    Kyiv has similarly accused Moscow of not seriously wanting peace, citing as evidence Russian resistance to an immediate ceasefire. Russia says certain conditions must first be met.

    Putin, in his public remarks, did not mention the bomber attacks, which came just before Russia and Ukraine met for direct peace talks in Istanbul where Moscow set out what the United States has called “maximalist” aims.

    Before Putin spoke, other Russian officials said military options were “on the table” for its response to Ukrainian attacks deep inside Russia and accused the West of being involved in them.

    “We urge London and Washington to react in such a way as to stop further escalation,” Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov was quoted by the Interfax news agency as saying. Ryabkov oversees relations with the U.S. and arms control.

    British and U.S. officials have said they had no prior knowledge of the weekend attacks on Russian nuclear-capable long-range bombers. The White House has said Trump was not informed of Ukraine’s drone attack before it unfolded.

    (Reuters)

  • World Environment Day: PM Modi launches ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam 2.0’ tree plantation drive, to flag off 200 buses in Delhi

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (2)

    ata-start=”117″ data-end=”499″>Prime Minister Narendra Modi marked World Environment Day on Wednesday by planting a sapling at Mahavir Jayanti Park in the national capital, as part of the second phase of the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ initiative. The campaign, which encourages individuals to plant a tree in honour of their mothers, aims to promote environmental consciousness through personal and symbolic action.

    Launched by the Prime Minister last year with the planting of a Peepal tree at Buddha Jayanti Park, the initiative returns in an expanded version this year — targeting the plantation of 10 crore trees across India between June 5 and September 30.

    In a post on X, PM Modi said, “This #WorldEnvironmentDay, let’s deepen our efforts towards protecting our planet and overcoming the challenges we face. I also compliment all those working at the grassroots to make our environment greener and better.”

    The plantation drive also marks the anniversary of the campaign’s launch.

    The theme of the campaign — planting a tree in the name of one’s mother — seeks to blend environmental action with cultural values. Officials said the gesture is meant to highlight the nurturing role of both mothers and trees in sustaining life and securing the future.

    In another post on X, the Prime Minister noted that India has seen an increase in forest cover over the past decade. “It would make you all very happy that in the last decade, India has undertaken numerous collective efforts which have led to increased forest cover across the nation. This is great for our quest towards sustainable development,” he said.

    In a parallel move to promote sustainable urban mobility, PM Modi will also flag off 200 electric buses under the Delhi government’s clean transport initiative. The introduction of these electric buses aims to reduce air pollution and boost the adoption of green transportation in the national capital.

    IANS

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: NZ’s firefighters demonstrate life-saving extraction skills in Feilding

    Source: United Fire Brigades’ Association

    Tragically, 2025 has already seen 147 fatal road crashes on NZ roads, which trending higher than this time last year – and who is first on the scene in many areas of the country? Our firefighters are.
    Firefighters today do far more than put water on fire. They now respond to as many medical emergencies and road crashes as they do fires.
    Along with Police and Ambulance, firefighters respond to some of the worst scenes imaginable.
    The United Fire Brigades’ Association (UFBA) Road Crash Rescue Challenge supports the development of our members’ skills in these high-stress and life-threatening situations.
    The challenge is treated with the seriousness and professionalism of real-life and death scenarios while providing a realistic simulation in a controlled and safe environment.
    Imagine a scene where a car has flipped over onto its roof, wedged against a dangerously leaning pole. The driver lies suspended, unconscious and bleeding. In the dim light it’s hard to know whether there are fractures, cuts or worse. Shattered glass litters the road.
    Everyday, our members from over 600 paid and volunteer fire brigades across Aotearoa must make precise and difficult calls in these situations, deciding on the safest, most efficient way to extricate a patient, while a life literally hangs in the balance.
    From Thursday 12 to Saturday 14 June, over 110 firefighters from all across the country will gather in Feilding at the UFBA Road Crash Rescue Challenge to take part in complex, timed rescues – working in teams to remove live ‘patients’ from multiple crash scenes using real vehicles, real tools and real pressure.
    It’s raw, intensely visual, and an exciting test of firefighters’ critical life-saving skills and teamwork that demonstrates the mental and physical demands of real-life patient extraction in serious car crashes or medical situations.
    The UFBA Road Crash Rescue Challenge is supported by Fire and Emergency New Zealand and AA Insurance who have supplied all the wrecked vehicles used in the simulations – meaning that damaged vehicles are re-purposed for good.
    This event is open to the public; it’s a great opportunity for a close-up experience of what firefighters do.
    Location: Manfeild Park Stadium, 59 South Street, Feilding Date/Times: Thursday 12 June: 12pm to 5pm Friday 13 June: 9.30am to 5pm Saturday 14 June: 9am to 2pm
    About the UFBA – for over 140 years the United Fire Brigades’ Association has been the leading association representing firefighters in New Zealand. Today our services support c.14,000 firefighters throughout the fire and emergency services sector by providing advocacy, skills-based challenges, workshops, and service honours.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Property Market – Regional resilience but weaker main centres in May – Cotality

    Source: Cotality

    Property values in Aotearoa New Zealand edged down by -0.1% in May and remain -1.6% below a year ago.

    The latest slight fall in values on the Cotality hedonic Home Value Index comes after some previous months of modest gains, with the national median now at $818,132. That remains 16.3% below the January 2022 peak.
    Values were patchy around the main centres in May, with Kirikiriroa Hamilton inching up by +0.1%, but Ōtepoti Dunedin and Tauranga both edging down by -0.1%. Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland dipped by -0.3%, Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington by -0.4%, and after a period of resilience, Ōtautahi Christchurch fell by -0.8%.
    Cotality NZ (formerly CoreLogic) Chief Property Economist Kelvin Davidson said May’s figures were a reminder that any emerging housing upturn could well remain slow and variable for the time-being, both from month to month and across regions.
    “Lower mortgage rates are clearly going to be bolstering households’ confidence as well as their wallets, and there were signs of higher loan-to-value and debt-to-income ratio lending activity in the latest Reserve Bank figures.”
    “But it’s not one-way traffic. After all, housing isn’t necessarily affordable in absolute terms, while the economy and labour market remain subdued too. Indeed, filled jobs edged lower again in April. These are certainly restraints on buyers’ willingness to push ahead with property deals or to pay higher prices.”
    “May’s drop in values at the national level was fairly trivial and could be reversed next month. But anybody who was anticipating a sharp or widespread increase in property values as we got further into 2025 continues to be disappointed.

    National and Main Centres
    Change in dwelling values
     Region
    Month
    Quarter
    Annual
    From peak
    Median  value
    Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland
    -0.3%
    -0.6%
    -2.7%
    -21.4%
    $1,073,222
    Kirikiriroa Hamilton
    0.1%
    1.0%
    1.4%
    -10.5%
    $754,800
    Tauranga
    -0.1%
    -0.5%
    -1.0%
    -16.3%
    $918,320
    Te-Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington*
    -0.4%
    -0.2%
    -5.2%
    -23.9%
    $797,126
    Ōtautahi Christchurch
    -0.8%
    -0.2%
    0.6%
    -6.0%
    $695,117
    Ōtepoti Dunedin
    -0.1%
    -0.8%
    -0.9%
    -10.9%
    $610,669
    Aotearoa New Zealand
    -0.1%
    -0.1%
    -1.6%
    -16.3%
    $818,132
    Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland
     Region
    Change in dwelling values
    Month
    Quarter
    Annual
    From peak
    Median  value
    Rodney
    0.4%
    0.5%
    -2.5%
    -19.6%
    $1,227,830
    Te Raki Paewhenua North Shore
    -1.0%
    -1.6%
    -1.4%
    -18.4%
    $1,283,925
    Waitakere
    0.0%
    -0.6%
    -1.7%
    -23.3%
    $940,295
    Auckland City
    -0.3%
    -0.9%
    -4.0%
    -22.2%
    $1,149,279
    Manukau
    -0.3%
    -0.1%
    -2.6%
    -22.6%
    $1,000,134
    Papakura
    -0.6%
    -0.8%
    -1.8%
    -22.0%
    $840,185
    Franklin
    0.2%
    1.3%
    0.1%
    -19.3%
    $969,887
    Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland
    -0.3%
    -0.6%
    -2.7%
    -21.4%
    $1,073,222

    May was a patchy month for the various sub-markets across Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, with Rodney recording a +0.4% rise, Franklin up by +0.2%, and Waitakere holding steady. But Auckland City and Manukau both fell by -0.3%, with Papakura (-0.6%) and North Shore (-1.0%) registering even larger drops.

    Franklin and Rodney remain higher than three months ago, but the rest of Auckland’s sub-markets have seen values drop since February (albeit only -0.1% in Manukau).

    Mr Davidson said, “Auckland is a pretty good example of the wider forces that are playing out across the housing market at present. In an environment where lower interest rates are being counteracted by other restraints, the tr

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Sixth project approved under Subsidy Scheme for Using Hotels and Guesthouses as Youth Hostels

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    The Home and Youth Affairs Bureau (HYAB) approved the sixth project under the Subsidy Scheme for Using Hotels and Guesthouses as Youth Hostels to the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals (TWGHs).

    To meet young people’s aspirations of having their own living space, apart from continuing to fully fund non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to construct youth hostels on under-utilised sites through the Youth Hostel Scheme (YHS), the current-term Government expanded the YHS in 2023 to subsidise NGOs to rent suitable hotels and guesthouses for use as youth hostels. The current-term Government is committed to taking forward the youth hostel projects. The number of hostel places launched under the YHS, including this project by the TWGHs, has increased significantly from about 80 when the current-term Government took office to over 3 700.

    The sixth youth hostel project approved under the Subsidy Scheme is named the TN Residence, which will be launched by the TWGHs and the Hong Kong Ferry (Holdings) Company Limited. The project is located at 280 Tung Chau Street, Sham Shui Po, providing up to 676 hostel places. The TWGHs has introduced the concept of a “youth vertical community” for the project, and it is hoped that in addition to enjoying their own living space, youth tenants could also interact with other tenants in the common areas, thereby establishing a social network with mutual assistance and trust. Another feature of the project is the V-Mile programme, which encourages youth tenants to actively participate in value-added activities and community services recognised by the TWGHs or organise activities on their own. This aims to facilitate their personal development, cultivate their physical and mental well-being and foster proper values, so that they could achieve self-enrichment, widen their personal and social networks, and even contribute to society. For details about the project and the means of application, please visit the website of the TN Residence (tnresidence.tungwahcsd.org).

    A HYAB spokesperson said, “The TN Residence is the third project under the Subsidy Scheme located in Kowloon. It is in close proximity to railway stations, and situated within the cultural and creative industry hub with many specialty shops and restaurants nearby. This project provides young people who aspire to have their own living space an opportunity to realise their ideal way of life, and enables them to proactively equip themselves and formulate a better plan for the future during their stay. Furthermore, the HYAB will set up a physical platform for interaction for members of Youth Link in the adjacent Nam Cheong District Community Centre and Tung Chau Street Temporary Market. It is envisaged that the additional activity space for young people would create synergy with the youth hostel project. The TN Residence fully demonstrates the power of the tripartite collaboration among the Government, the business sector and the community. We are delighted that the Subsidy Scheme has gained support from society and we will continue to collaborate with relevant stakeholders who share our vision to take forward youth hostel projects.”

    Details about the Subsidy Scheme, including the guidelines for applications and the application forms, have been uploaded onto the HYAB website (www.hyab.gov.hk/en/policy_responsibilities/Social_Harmony_and_Civic_Education/youth_hostel_scheme.htm). Relevant organisations can submit their applications to the HYAB by post, email or other means.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Samsung Expands Global Availability of Sleep Apnea Feature on Galaxy Watch Series

    Source: Samsung

    Samsung Electronics announced today that the Sleep Apnea feature1 on the Galaxy Watch series — available through the Samsung Health Monitor app2 — is expanding to 34 European markets,3 as well as Australia and Singapore, bringing the global total to 70 markets.4
     
    This growth follows the feature’s receipt of CE (Conformité Européenne or European Conformity) marking for the European Economic Area. The CE marking affirms that Samsung meets the European Union’s health, safety and environmental protection standards, reinforcing its leadership in sleep technology. Additionally, the feature was recently approved by Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration and Singapore’s Health Sciences Authority.
     
    The milestone builds on Samsung’s groundbreaking De Novo authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) — the first of its kind for a wearable device to detect signs of moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea.5 The Sleep Apnea feature was also approved by Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, Brazil’s health regulatory agency ANVISA and Health Canada.
     
    Recognizing the critical role of sleep in overall health, Samsung is committed to helping users improve sleep quality by understanding their sleep patterns, providing personalized sleep coaching and optimizing their sleep environments. With the Sleep Apnea feature, more users can now detect symptoms6 earlier — helping to prevent health issues associated with this common yet often undiagnosed condition.
     
    The Sleep Apnea feature reflects Samsung’s ongoing commitment to providing users with meaningful insights to support healthy sleep habits. By expanding access to this FDA-authorized feature globally, Samsung is empowering users worldwide to take proactive steps toward better sleep health.
     

     
     
    1 The Sleep Apnea feature is an over-the-counter (OTC), software-only mobile medical application operating on compatible Galaxy Watch series models and Galaxy smartphones. It is intended to detect signs of moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea in the form of significant breathing disruptions in adult users age 22 and older over a two-night monitoring period. The feature is designed for on-demand use and is not intended for individuals previously diagnosed with sleep apnea. Users should not rely on this feature as a substitute for professional diagnosis or treatment by a qualified healthcare provider. The data provided by this device is also not intended to assist clinicians in diagnosing sleep disorders.
    2 Availability may vary by market, carrier, model or paired smartphone. The feature is available on Galaxy Watch4 series and later models running Wear OS 5.0 or later and must be paired with a Galaxy smartphone running Android 12.0 or later. Due to regulatory restrictions in obtaining approval and registration as a Software as a Medical Device (SaMD), the feature only works on supported Galaxy Watch series models and Galaxy smartphones purchased in markets where the service is currently available. Service may be restricted when users travel to unsupported markets.
    3 Availability may vary depending on country-specific registration in some European markets.
    4 Supported markets include Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, Faroe Islands, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kuwait, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mauritius, Mayotte, Mexico, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Norfolk Island, Norway, Oman, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Réunion, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Venezuela, Vietnam and Yemen.
    5 Considered a common yet serious medical condition, sleep apnea causes someone to stop breathing while asleep, which can result in disruptions in oxygen supply, lower sleep quality, and other health complications such as hypertension, cardiac disorder, stroke or cognitive disorder.
    6 The Sleep Apnea feature utilizes the BioActive Sensor to measure blood oxygen saturation (SpO₂) during sleep. It analyzes changes in SpO₂ levels related to apnea and hypopnea patterns and estimates the Apnea-Hypopnea Index to inform users of potential symptoms.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Solomon Islands – HKH Constituency invests over $500k in CDF for Human Resources Development

    Source: Solomon Islands Government

    The Hograno-Kia-Havulei Constituency (HKHC) last year invested $542,014.35 of its Constituency Development Funds (CDF) allocation in education, supporting the country’s human resource development. 

    This provision is from the constituency’s 2024 budget of $3.88 million. The money was paid directly to educational institutions in tuition fees for 191 students undertaking studies at SINU, USP, and Rural Training Centers (RTCs).

    Apart from the essential and social sectors, which covered school fee support, HKHC also commits ongoing support to other sectors, including productive, resource, cultural, and cross-sectoral initiatives.

    Support to the education sector is an ongoing commitment of the HKHC office under the leadership of the Member of Parliament (MP), Honourable Jeremiah Manele.

    “Education is one of our top priorities,” Constituency Development Officer (CDO), Apollos Manegere, who spoke on behalf of the constituency office said.

    “The constituency office has, over the years, invested a significant portion of its CDF allocation in this sector with the desire and commitment to contribute to the development of human resources in the constituency and the country as a whole.

    “HKHC office has always prioritized education and will continue to support this sector to ensure students excel in their studies,” CDO Manegere added.

    Mr. Manegere explained that this support is specifically to assist students with tuition fees, with payments made directly to the respective institutions, as has been the process over the years.

    “This is not the first time for the HKHC office, under the leadership of Hon. Manele, to provide support in this way, as it has always been his ongoing commitment to support his constituency’s human resources development since becoming the MP for HKHC.

    “Our MP continues to prioritize the development of human resources in his constituency by allocating grants to the education sector. This is undertaken with support from the Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development (MEHRD) through the constituency education grant, as well as the CDF under its essential and social sector allocations. We would like to thank him for his commitment and tremendous support toward this important cause,” CDO Manegere emphasized.

    Over the years, the HKHC office has assisted students studying at SINU, the University of the South Pacific (USP), vocational schools, Rural Training Centers, and other tertiary institutions in the country.

    Mr. Manegere also acknowledged the national government through the Ministry of Rural Development (MRD) for its unwavering commitment and support to the CDF program, which allows constituencies to access much-needed funds to support the country’s human resource development.  

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Solomon Islands – HKH Constituency submits 2024 CDF Expenditure Report, reinforces accountability & compliance with CDF Act 2023

    Source: Government of the Solomon Islands

    The Hograno-Kia-Havulei Constituency (HKHC) on Monday this week submitted its 2024 CDF Expenditure Report to the Ministry of Rural Development (MRD), reinforcing accountability and compliance with the reporting obligation under Section 29 of the CDF Act 2023.

    The report submitted comprised of the records of the total CDF allocation of about 3.88m disbursed to each constituency at the end of the Financial Year 2024.

    The presentation was done by the Constituency Development Officer for HKH Constituency, Mr Apollos Manegere on behalf of the Member of Parliament for the Constituency, Honourable Jeremiah Manele.  

    Receiving the report on behalf of the Ministry of Rural Development, PS John Misite’e, said that this is a reassuring pace, as the Ministry continues to implement the CDF legislation and bringing guidance in the administration of the constituency program under this legal framework.

    PS Misite’e emphasised that Annual Reports inclusive of the financial expenditures’ reports are important processes and documents within any organisation and more so when public resources are being utilised in service delivery.  These reports re-enforce transparency and demonstrated accountability in the use of public resources and funds.

    PS Misite’e thanked the HKH constituency for its diligent efforts in complying with the reporting obligations and also thanked other constituencies that already made their submissions on this 2024 CDF disbursement.

    PS Misitee reiterated calls on other constituencies who are yet to submit their reports to do so as soon as possible. By law all constituency annual reports and expenditure reports should be submitted by February each year and to be compiled by MRD by March of any financial year.

    ‘I am now calling on these constituencies to come forward with their reports soon’. PS Misite’e reiterated.

    The HKH Constituency Development Officer (CDO), Manegere on behalf of the Honourable Member of Parliament, Jeremiah Manele and its Constituency Officers was very delighted with its office for submitting their report and pledge to support MRD in the process annually to satisfy the legal requirements for reporting.

    The CDF Act 2023 was passed by Parliament on 22nd December 2023 and came into commencement/enforcement on the 5th of January 2024.

    This means that whatever offence (s) committed by a recipient (s) of the CDF program after the commencement date of the new Act will be subject to penalties.

    Penalties apply to constituents, Members of Parliament (MPs), and Public Officers if they commit an offence (s).

    The CDF Act 2023 specific offences are as follows;

    A Member of Parliament (MP), or a Public officer or a fund (CDF) recipient commits an offence if he or she:

    Misappropriates any funds or assets from the fund; or
    Advances materials and cash from a supplier without prior approval from the responsible ministry; or
    Fraudulently converts project assets or materials to his own use or to the use of some other person; or
    Deliberately victimises non-voters by excluding them from receiving Constituency Development Funds projects and funds without justifiable grounds; or
    Assists or causes a person to misappropriate or apply the funds otherwise than in the manner provided in this Act and Regulations.

    Now that we have a new CDF Act, the responsibility is on all of us to take responsibility and comply with the new CDF law to avoid legal penalties.

    We (constituents) should not be fearful of this legislation as it is there to act as a guide to our conduct in working with and applying the CDF in our development processes.

    The purposes of the new CDF Act 2023 are;

    To strengthen good governance;
    To ensure improved and effective delivery mechanisms of the Constituency Development Funds and
    To promote equal and inclusive participation of all Solomon Islanders in development.

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: New Zealand Economy – Interim Financial Statements of the Government of New Zealand for the ten months ended 30 April 2025

    Source: The Treasury

    The Interim Financial Statements of the Government of New Zealand for the ten months ended 30 April 2025were released by the Treasury today. The April results are reported against forecasts based on the Budget Economic and Fiscal Update 2025 (BEFU 2025), published on 22 May 2025, and the results for the same period for the previous year.

    The majority of the key fiscal indicators for the ten months ended 30 April 2025 were slightly better than forecast. The Government’s main operating indicator, the operating balance before gains and losses excluding ACC (OBEGALx), showed a deficit of $7.4 billion. This was $0.1 billion smaller than forecast. While the core Crown results were favourable to forecast, this was largely offset by the results of State-owned Enterprises. Net core Crown debt was in line with forecast at $184.6 billion, or 43.2% of GDP.

    Core Crown tax revenue, at $100.4 billion, was $0.7 billion (0.7%) higher than forecast. Corporate tax and other individuals’ tax contributed $0.4 billion and $0.2 billion respectively to the above forecast result.

    Core Crown expenses, at $115.8 billion, were $0.1 billion (0.1%) below forecast. This variance is mostly timing in nature and was spread across a range of agencies.

    The OBEGALx was a deficit of $7.4 billion, $0.1 billion less than the forecast deficit. When including the revenue and expenses of ACC, the OBEGAL deficit was $11.7 billion, in line with the forecast deficit.

    The operating balance deficit of $6.7 billion was $2.8 billion higher than the forecast deficit. This reflected both the OBEGAL result and net unfavourable valuation movements. Net gains on financial instruments were $4.3 billion lower than forecast, driven by New Zealand Superannuation Fund (NZS Fund) and ACC’s investment portfolios. This unfavourable variance was partly offset by net gains on non-financial instruments being $1.3 billion higher than the forecast loss. This was largely owing to the New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme with net gains on the liability being $1.1 billion higher than the forecast loss.

    The core Crown residual cash deficit of $8.4 billion was $0.1 billion lower than forecast. While net core Crown operating cash outflows were $0.4 billion higher than forecast, net core Crown capital cash outflows were $0.5 billion lower than forecast.

    Net core Crown debt at $184.6 billion (43.2% of GDP) was in line with forecast. With core Crown residual cash broadly in line with forecast, this and minor movements in non-cash items contributed to the net core Crown debt result.

    Gross debt at $203.5 billion (47.7% of GDP) was $6.3 billion lower than forecast, largely owing to lower than forecast unsettled trades and issuances of Euro Commercial Paper.

    Net worth at $181.4 billion (42.5% of GDP) was $3.1 billion lower than forecast largely reflecting the year-to-date operating balance result.

                     

                      

      Year to date Full Year
    April
    2025
    Actual1
    $m    		 April 
    2025
    BEFU 2025
    Forecast1
    $m    		 Variance2
    BEFU 2025
    $m    		 Variance
    BEFU 2024
    %    		 June
    2025
    BEFU 2025
    Forecast3
    $m
    Core Crown tax revenue 100,365 99,645 720 0.7 120,894
    Core Crown revenue 110,787 110,304 483 0.4 134,188
    Core Crown expenses 115,808 115,937 129 0.1 142,207
    Core Crown residual cash (8,439) (8,565) 126 1.5 (9,990)
    Net core Crown debt4 184,620 184,622 2 –  185,644
              as a percentage of GDP 43.2% 43.2%     42.7%
    Gross debt 203,505 209,766 6,262 3.0 209,999
              as a percentage of GDP 47.7% 49.1%     48.3%
    OBEGAL excluding ACC (OBEGALx) (7,444) (7,526) 82 1.1 (10,175)
    OBEGAL (11,667) (11,660) (7) (0.1) (14,740)
    Operating balance (excluding minority interests) (6,665) (3,872) (2,793) (72.1) (5,493)
    Net worth 181,424 184,553 (3,129) (1.7) 183,130
              as a percentage of GDP 42.5% 43.2%     42.1%
    1. Using the most recently published GDP (for the year ended 31 December 2024) of $426,925 million (Source: Stats NZ).
    2. Favourable variances against forecast have a positive sign and unfavourable variances against forecast have a negative sign.
    3. Using BEFU 2025 forecast GDP for the year ending 30 June 2025 of $435,148 million (Source: The Treasury).
    4. Net core Crown debt excludes the NZS Fund and core Crown advances. Net core Crown debt may fluctuate during the year largely reflecting the timing of tax receipts.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Weather News – Brace for the cold: a wintry weekend in store – MetService

    Source: MetService

    Covering period of Thursday 5 – Monday 9 June
    After a night of wild weather, MetService is forecasting on-and-off showers on Thursday, before a cold cup of winter is served across the country from Friday into the weekend.

    What’s happened and updates:
    • Between Wednesday afternoon and Thursday morning several areas experienced brief but intense periods of rain
    • Taupō was just 0.2 mm shy of their wettest June day at 61.2 mm of rain from 9am Wednesday to 9am Thursday
    • The band of heavy rain and downpours that lashed the country overnight has now shifted east away from New Zealand
    • Scattered showers are expected today – and even sunny spells for some
    • However, the West Coast of the South Island remains unsettled, with rain and a chance of thunderstorms forecast for later today

    Parts of inland Canterbury woke up to a snowy scene on Thursday morning, but there’s more to come. Snow is set to return on Friday and Saturday to Southland, Otago, Canterbury and Marlborough. Heavy Snow Watches and Warnings have been issued, with the largest accumulations expected above 400 metres. However, flurries are possible down to around 200 to 300 metres including in Queenstown. Several Road Snowfall Warnings are also in place.

    “The snow may affect travel and could have an impact on rural communities and farmers,” says MetService meteorologist Mmathapelo Makgabutlane. “It’s a good idea to prepare ahead of time and allow extra time if you have to head out on the roads.”

    Elsewhere, the weekend brings a mix of showers and drier spells, and windy conditions in Westland where there is a Watch for Strong Winds in place. But it’s the cold that most people will be feeling.

    “Firewood, warm drinks, and plenty of extra layers will go a long way, I would imagine!” Makgabutlane says.

    Temperatures across the South Island are forecast to peak in the low to mid-single digits during the day, with overnight lows well below freezing. Wānaka stands out, with a daytime high of just 2°C and a chilly low of -6°C. The North Island will be feeling the cold too, with a sharp drop in temperatures over the next couple of days. Napier sees a warm 22°C today but will struggle to 13°C on Friday. Waiouru is only expected to reach 4°C this weekend, with highs of 10°C in Palmerston North and 13°C in Auckland.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Local News – Porirua City Council makes budget decisions

    Source: Porirua City Council

    After listening to feedback from residents Porirua City Council has made changes to next year’s budget, including not increasing paid parking charges in the city or Cannons Creek pool entry fees.
    The Council’s Te Puna Kōrero committee met this morning to deliberate on the Annual Plan, which sets the city’s budget for the coming financial year.
    When preparing the draft Annual Plan, the starting point for this year’s rates increases had increased from the planned 10 per cent to 15 per cent, due to cost pressures.
    Council acknowledged this wasn’t sustainable for households and businesses, so took a hard look at internal operations to find cost savings. This process brought the new starting point for the average rates increase down to 6.75 per cent.
    Council consulted on five options, which if adopted would decrease the rates increase even further. A total of 343 submissions were received, with a mix of opinions on the items on the table.
    Committee Chair Councillor Ross Leggett thanked everyone who made submissions and shared their thoughts.
    “Your feedback is shown in this paper and we do read and appreciate all of it,” he said.
    Of the options consulted on, the committee voted to discontinue the Chamber of Commerce grant and increase Council’s building consent hourly rate.
    They voted against increasing the paid parking hourly rate, putting up Cannons Creek Pool entry fees, and discontinuing the Event Investment Programme.
    With these changes, the average rates increase for residential properties for the 2025/26 year will be 6.39 per cent, subject to confirmation by the full Council on 26 June.
    Mayor Anita Baker said everything possible was done to keep rates increases as low as possible.
    “Nobody wants the big increases we saw last year and we know the community is struggling. The organisation has done a deep dive internally and made significant cuts that got us to a lower starting point than planned.
    “In terms of the further cuts we could have made, we asked for feedback and we’ve listened to our people. That’s why we are not supporting some of the ideas that were on the table.”
    Councillors spoke about the community benefits of swimming pools, the life that events bring to the city, and the need to support local businesses through keeping parking charges as they are. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Local News – Porirua backs regional approach to water services delivery

    Source: Porirua City Council

    Porirua City Council’s Te Puna Kōrero committee has endorsed a joint regional approach for water services delivery.
    As part of the Local Water Done Well reform, the Government has mandated that councils must review how water services are delivered.
    Te Puna Kōrero met this morning to deliberate and made a recommendation to Council, after consulting on two options for a future water services delivery model – a new water services organisation, or a modified version of the status quo.
    They voted unanimously to recommend that Council should jointly establish and co-own a new water organisation with Upper Hutt City Council, Hutt City Council, Wellington City Council and Greater Wellington Regional Council.
    Under this model, a multi-council-owned water organisation will take ownership of public water assets. The alternative was a modified version of the current Wellington Water model, where councils retain ownership while Wellington Water manages water services.
    That recommendation will need to be endorsed at the full Council meeting on 26 June.
    All five councils are independently making decisions by the end of June on how to proceed.
    Officers will then develop a joint Water Services Delivery Plan and foundation documents for the new organisation, which must be lodged with the Department of Internal Affairs by 3 September 2025.
    The intention is that Council will transfer its assets, debt, liabilities and services in relation to drinking water, wastewater and stormwater to the new organisation by1 July 2026.
    In making today’s decision, the committee unanimously supported an amendment from Councillor Geoff Hayward, setting out the principles Porirua City wants reflected in the new organisation’s foundation documents.
    These include recognising water as a public good, safeguarding households from disconnection, value for money, fair pricing, supporting local employment, and upholding Te Mana o te Wai.
    Porirua Mayor Anita Baker said like many parts of the country, Porirua’s water networks faced significant challenges.
    “We have old pipes that cause water leaks, contribute to water shortages and are a main contributor to pollution in the harbour.
    “While we’ve poured all the money we can into funding water assets, we simply can’t address these challenges on our own. Doing nothing is not an option, and we believe the new model is the best way forward for Porirua.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –