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Category: Transport

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Expanding care for patients at home

    Source: Scottish Government

    Improving the flow of patients through hospitals.

    A new £85 million investment will be targeted at front line NHS frailty services, helping to improve the flow of patients throughout hospitals and providing care for patients in the comfort of their own homes.

    The ‘Hospital at Home’ service is to be expanded to 2,000 beds by December 2026. It predominantly provides care for frail, older people in their own homes and who may be suffering with acute illnesses and health conditions, including respiratory and cardiac conditions, infections, or treatment after a fall.

    Keeping patients in their own homes ensures they can stay in familiar surroundings rather than be separated from family, friends and pets while also helping to reduce some of the risks associated with hospitalisations such as acquiring infections and lessening delayed discharge from hospital due to waits for appropriate care provision.

    The funding will also be used to support the introduction of frailty services in every A&E department by the end of summer 2025, aiming to cut the average length of stay for vulnerable patients.

    Speaking during a visit to Falkirk Community Hospital, where he met clinicians leading the Hospital at Home service across NHS Forth Valley, First Minister John Swinney said:

    “I am resolutely focused on taking the necessary action to reduce wait times and clear the blockages leading to delayed discharges across our NHS. This investment will ensure many patients can receive first class NHS care in the comfort of their own homes and not have to travel to a hospital where it isn’t required.

    “Expanding Hospital at Home to 2,000 beds by December 2026 will create the largest ‘hospital’ in the country, thereby improving the flow of patients throughout the NHS and generating greater capacity for staff. The staff delivering this service at Falkirk Community Hospital are testament to the success of Hospital at Home and it’s been eye opening to see the effort that goes into provide this first class care.

    “The NHS is Scotland’s greatest treasure but we know we must do better to ensure patients get the care they need, when and where they need it. The 2025-26 Budget provides record funding of £21 billion for Health and Social Care services – with NHS boards across Scotland receiving an additional £2 billion to deliver key front line services.”

    Dr Sarah Henderson, Consultant Geriatrician, NHS Forth Valley’s Hospital at Home Service, said:

    “Our local Hospital at Home team do an amazing job to help ensure that patients, who in the past would have to come into hospital, are able to remain in their own homes and access the specialist clinical care and support they require.

    “Over the last four years the service has helped thousands of local patients and the feedback we have received from them and their families has been overwhelmingly positive as they really appreciate everything the team does to help them stay out of hospital and in familiar surroundings at home, close to their family, friends and pets.

    “I am delighted that the additional funding announced today will help us expand the Hospital at Home service further as well as develop local heart failure, respiratory and Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy (OPAT) services to help more people remain at home and still access the specialist care they require.” 

    Marion Denholm’s husband Bill was recently supported by NHS Forth Valley’s Hospital at Home team after he developed a chest infection. Ms Denholm said:

    “There are no words to adequately describe the care and attention my husband received while under the care of Hospital at Home. We’ve had doctors, advanced nurse practitioners, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, a dietitian and a speech and language therapist all visit our home to provide the care and treatment he required so he didn’t have to go into hospital.

    “This meant he was able to stay in familiar surroundings with his family around him at all times and still receive the same type of care he would have received in hospital. I also felt very supported as I could contact the Team direct if I had any worries or concerns. I can’t praise the Hospital at Home service enough and I am sure many other local families feel the same. It also makes so much more sense to treat people in their own homes if you can rather than occupy a bed in a busy hospital – it’s definitely a win-win for everyone involved.”

    Background

    NHS Scotland Operational Improvement Plan

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China has world’s largest, fastest growing renewable energy system – official

    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 9 (Xinhua) — China has now formed the world’s largest and fastest-growing renewable energy system, Zhou Haibing, vice chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission, said Wednesday.

    “As of the end of May this year, the country’s installed capacity of power plants generating electricity from renewable energy sources was 2.09 billion kW, more than double the figure at the end of the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-2020),” the official said at a press conference in Beijing.

    According to him, today every third kWh of electricity consumed in the country is provided by environmentally friendly energy.

    Zhou Haibin also drew attention to the rapid growth of China’s new energy vehicle market, noting that in 2024, the total volume of this category of vehicles in China will reach 31.4 million units, a sharp increase from the 4.92 million at the end of the 13th Five-Year Plan. -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 –

  • Flash floods in New Mexico resort town kills three, traps dozens in homes and vehicles

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Torrential rains triggered flash floods in New Mexico that killed at least three people on Tuesday, including two young children, and trapped dozens in homes and vehicles in the resort village of Ruidoso, a state emergency official and a village statement said.

    The children, aged four and seven years old, and a man were swept downstream and later found dead, the mountain resort village said late Tuesday on its website, adding that rescue operations were underway.

    Dramatic video footage on social media and various news outlets showed an entire house, ripped from its foundations, careening downstream through the brown, muddy waters of the flood-engorged Rio Ruidoso, side-swiping trees as it went.

    “I’ve seen the video. We don’t know if anyone was in the house,” said Danielle Silva, a spokesperson for the New Mexico Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.

    Emergency teams organised by local law enforcement and the National Guard conducted at least 85 swift-water rescues in and around Ruidoso, many of them people stranded in cars and homes by elevated flood waters, Silva said.

    Silva said the river had quickly risen by a provisional record of 20.24 feet (6.2 metres) at the peak of the flood, and as waters began to recede in the evening, authorities began searching for survivors in the debris.

    The latest floods come just four days after a deadly flash flood triggered by heavy rains along the Guadalupe River killed at least 109 people and left scores missing after ravaging a swath of Texas Hill Country.

    In New Mexico, Silva said the severity of the debris flow was heightened by a flame-scarred landscape stripped of vegetation in a wildfire which was then followed by flooding that eroded the soil.

    Ruidoso, a popular summer retreat as well as ski resort nestled in the Sierra Blanca mountain range of south-central New Mexico, is located about 115 miles (185 km) south of Albuquerque, the state’s largest city.

    (Reuters)

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Minutes – Tuesday, 8 July 2025 – Strasbourg – Final edition

    Source: European Parliament 2

    Present:

    Aaltola Mika, Abadía Jover Maravillas, Adamowicz Magdalena, Aftias Georgios, Agirregoitia Martínez Oihane, Agius Peter, Agius Saliba Alex, Alexandraki Galato, Allione Grégory, Al-Sahlani Abir, Anadiotis Nikolaos, Anderson Christine, Andresen Rasmus, Andrews Barry, Andriukaitis Vytenis Povilas, Androuët Mathilde, Angel Marc, Annemans Gerolf, Annunziata Lucia, Antoci Giuseppe, Arias Echeverría Pablo, Arłukowicz Bartosz, Arnaoutoglou Sakis, Arndt Anja, Arvanitis Konstantinos, Asens Llodrà Jaume, Assis Francisco, Attard Daniel, Aubry Manon, Auštrevičius Petras, Axinia Adrian-George, Azmani Malik, Bajada Thomas, Baljeu Jeannette, Ballarín Cereza Laura, Bardella Jordan, Barley Katarina, Barna Dan, Barrena Arza Pernando, Bartulica Stephen Nikola, Bartůšek Nikola, Bausemer Arno, Bay Nicolas, Bay Christophe, Beke Wouter, Beleris Fredis, Bellamy François-Xavier, Benifei Brando, Benjumea Benjumea Isabel, Beňová Monika, Bentele Hildegard, Berendsen Tom, Berger Stefan, Berg Sibylle, Berlato Sergio, Bernhuber Alexander, Biedroń Robert, Bielan Adam, Bischoff Gabriele, Blaha Ľuboš, Blinkevičiūtė Vilija, Blom Rachel, Bloss Michael, Bocheński Tobiasz, Boeselager Damian, Bogdan Ioan-Rareş, Bonaccini Stefano, Bonte Barbara, Borchia Paolo, Borrás Pabón Mireia, Borvendég Zsuzsanna, Borzan Biljana, Bosanac Gordan, Boßdorf Irmhild, Bosse Stine, Botenga Marc, Boyer Gilles, Boylan Lynn, Brandstätter Helmut, Brasier-Clain Marie-Luce, Braun Grzegorz, Brejza Krzysztof, Bricmont Saskia, Brnjac Nikolina, Brudziński Joachim Stanisław, Bryłka Anna, Buchheit Markus, Buczek Tomasz, Buda Daniel, Buda Waldemar, Bugalho Sebastião, Buła Andrzej, Bullmann Udo, Buxadé Villalba Jorge, Bystron Petr, Bžoch Jaroslav, Camara Mélissa, Canfin Pascal, Carberry Nina, Cârciu Gheorghe, Carême Damien, Casa David, Caspary Daniel, Cassart Benoit, Castillo Laurent, del Castillo Vera Pilar, Cavazzini Anna, Cavedagna Stefano, Ceccardi Susanna, Cepeda José, Ceulemans Estelle, Chahim Mohammed, Chaibi Leila, Chastel Olivier, Chinnici Caterina, Christensen Asger, Ciccioli Carlo, Cifrová Ostrihoňová Veronika, Ciriani Alessandro, Cisint Anna Maria, Clausen Per, Clergeau Christophe, Cormand David, Corrado Annalisa, Costanzo Vivien, Cotrim De Figueiredo João, Cowen Barry, Cremer Tobias, Crespo Díaz Carmen, Cristea Andi, Crosetto Giovanni, Cunha Paulo, Dahl Henrik, Danielsson Johan, Dauchy Marie, Dávid Dóra, Decaro Antonio, de la Hoz Quintano Raúl, Della Valle Danilo, Deloge Valérie, De Masi Fabio, De Meo Salvatore, Demirel Özlem, Deutsch Tamás, Dibrani Adnan, Diepeveen Ton, Dieringer Elisabeth, Dîncu Vasile, Di Rupo Elio, Disdier Mélanie, Dobrev Klára, Doherty Regina, Doleschal Christian, Dömötör Csaba, Do Nascimento Cabral Paulo, Donazzan Elena, Dorfmann Herbert, Dostalova Klara, Dostál Ondřej, Droese Siegbert Frank, Düpont Lena, Dworczyk Michał, Ecke Matthias, Ehler Christian, Ehlers Marieke, Eriksson Sofie, Erixon Dick, Eroglu Engin, Estaràs Ferragut Rosa, Everding Sebastian, Ezcurra Almansa Alma, Falcă Gheorghe, Falcone Marco, Farantouris Nikolas, Farreng Laurence, Farský Jan, Ferber Markus, Ferenc Viktória, Fernández Jonás, Fidanza Carlo, Fiocchi Pietro, Firmenich Ruth, Fita Claire, Flanagan Luke Ming, Fourlas Loucas, Fourreau Emma, Fragkos Emmanouil, Freund Daniel, Frigout Anne-Sophie, Fritzon Heléne, Froelich Tomasz, Fuglsang Niels, Funchion Kathleen, Furet Angéline, Furore Mario, Gahler Michael, Gál Kinga, Galán Estrella, Gálvez Lina, Gambino Alberico, García Hermida-Van Der Walle Raquel, Garraud Jean-Paul, Gasiuk-Pihowicz Kamila, Geadi Geadis, Gedin Hanna, Geese Alexandra, Geier Jens, Geisel Thomas, Gemma Chiara, Georgiou Giorgos, Gerbrandy Gerben-Jan, Germain Jean-Marc, Gerzsenyi Gabriella, Geuking Niels, Gieseke Jens, Giménez Larraz Borja, Girauta Vidal Juan Carlos, Glavak Sunčana, Glück Andreas, Glucksmann Raphaël, Goerens Charles, Gomart Christophe, Gomes Isilda, Gómez López Sandra, Gonçalves Bruno, González Casares Nicolás, González Pons Esteban, Gori Giorgio, Gosiewska Małgorzata, Gotink Dirk, Gozi Sandro, Grapini Maria, Gražulis Petras, Gregorová Markéta, Grims Branko, Griset Catherine, Gronkiewicz-Waltz Hanna, Groothuis Bart, Grossmann Elisabeth, Grudler Christophe, Gualmini Elisabetta, Guarda Cristina, Guetta Bernard, Guzenina Maria, Győri Enikő, Gyürk András, Hadjipantela Michalis, Hahn Svenja, Haider Roman, Halicki Andrzej, Hansen Niels Flemming, Hassan Rima, Hauser Gerald, Häusling Martin, Hava Mircea-Gheorghe, Heide Hannes, Heinäluoma Eero, Henriksson Anna-Maja, Herbst Niclas, Herranz García Esther, Hetman Krzysztof, Hojsík Martin, Holmgren Pär, Hölvényi György, Homs Ginel Alicia, Humberto Sérgio, Ijabs Ivars, Imart Céline, Incir Evin, Inselvini Paolo, Iovanovici Şoşoacă Diana, Jamet France, Jarubas Adam, Jerković Romana, Jongen Marc, Joński Dariusz, Joron Virginie, Jouvet Pierre, Joveva Irena, Juknevičienė Rasa, Junco García Nora, Jungbluth Alexander, Kabilov Taner, Kalfon François, Kaliňák Erik, Kaljurand Marina, Kalniete Sandra, Kamiński Mariusz, Kanev Radan, Kanko Assita, Karlsbro Karin, Kartheiser Fernand, Karvašová Ľubica, Katainen Elsi, Kefalogiannis Emmanouil, Kelleher Billy, Keller Fabienne, Kelly Seán, Kemp Martine, Kennes Rudi, Khan Mary, Kircher Sophia, Knafo Sarah, Knotek Ondřej, Kobosko Michał, Köhler Stefan, Kohut Łukasz, Kokalari Arba, Kolář Ondřej, Kollár Kinga, Kols Rihards, Konečná Kateřina, Kopacz Ewa, Körner Moritz, Kountoura Elena, Kovatchev Andrey, Krištopans Vilis, Kruis Sebastian, Krutílek Ondřej, Kubín Tomáš, Kuhnke Alice, Kulja András Tivadar, Kulmuni Katri, Kyllönen Merja, Kyuchyuk Ilhan, Lagodinsky Sergey, Lakos Eszter, Lalucq Aurore, Lange Bernd, Langensiepen Katrin, Laššáková Judita, László András, Latinopoulou Afroditi, Laurent Murielle, Laureti Camilla, Laykova Rada, Lazarov Ilia, Lazarus Luis-Vicențiu, Le Callennec Isabelle, Leggeri Fabrice, Lenaers Jeroen, Leonardelli Julien, Lewandowski Janusz, Lexmann Miriam, Liese Peter, Lins Norbert, Loiseau Nathalie, Løkkegaard Morten, Lopatka Reinhold, López Javi, López Aguilar Juan Fernando, López-Istúriz White Antonio, Lövin Isabella, Lucano Mimmo, Luena César, Łukacijewska Elżbieta Katarzyna, Lupo Giuseppe, McAllister David, Madison Jaak, Maestre Cristina, Magoni Lara, Magyar Péter, Maij Marit, Maląg Marlena, Manda Claudiu, Mandl Lukas, Maniatis Yannis, Maran Pierfrancesco, Marczułajtis-Walczak Jagna, Maréchal Marion, Marino Ignazio Roberto, Marquardt Erik, Martín Frías Jorge, Martins Catarina, Martusciello Fulvio, Marzà Ibáñez Vicent, Mato Gabriel, Matthieu Sara, Mavrides Costas, Maydell Eva, Mayer Georg, Mazurek Milan, Mažylis Liudas, McNamara Michael, Mebarek Nora, Mehnert Alexandra, Meimarakis Vangelis, Meleti Eleonora, Mendes Ana Catarina, Mendia Idoia, Mertens Verena, Mesure Marina, Metsola Roberta, Metz Tilly, Mikser Sven, Milazzo Giuseppe, Millán Mon Francisco José, Minchev Nikola, Miranda Paz Ana, Molnár Csaba, Montero Irene, Montserrat Dolors, Morace Carolina, Morano Nadine, Moreira de Sá Tiago, Moreno Sánchez Javier, Moretti Alessandra, Motreanu Dan-Ştefan, Mularczyk Arkadiusz, Müller Piotr, Mullooly Ciaran, Mureşan Siegfried, Muşoiu Ştefan, Nagyová Jana, Nardella Dario, Navarrete Rojas Fernando, Negrescu Victor, Nemec Matjaž, Nerudová Danuše, Nesci Denis, Neuhoff Hans, Neumann Hannah, Nica Dan, Niebler Angelika, Niedermayer Luděk, Niinistö Ville, Nikolaou-Alavanos Lefteris, Nikolic Aleksandar, Ní Mhurchú Cynthia, Noichl Maria, Nordqvist Rasmus, Novakov Andrey, Nykiel Mirosława, Obajtek Daniel, Ódor Ľudovít, Oetjen Jan-Christoph, Oliveira João, Olivier Philippe, Omarjee Younous, Ondruš Branislav, Ó Ríordáin Aodhán, Orlando Leoluca, Ozdoba Jacek, Paet Urmas, Pajín Leire, Palmisano Valentina, Panayiotou Fidias, Papadakis Kostas, Papandreou Nikos, Pappas Nikos, Pascual de la Parte Nicolás, Paulus Jutta, Pedulla’ Gaetano, Pellerin-Carlin Thomas, Peltier Guillaume, Penkova Tsvetelina, Pennelle Gilles, Pereira Lídia, Pérez Alvise, Peter-Hansen Kira Marie, Petrov Hristo, Picaro Michele, Picierno Pina, Picula Tonino, Piera Pascale, Pietikäinen Sirpa, Pimpie Pierre, Piperea Gheorghe, de la Pisa Carrión Margarita, Pokorná Jermanová Jaroslava, Polato Daniele, Polfjärd Jessica, Popescu Virgil-Daniel, Pozņaks Reinis, Prebilič Vladimir, Princi Giusi, Protas Jacek, Pürner Friedrich, Rackete Carola, Radev Emil, Radtke Dennis, Rafowicz Emma, Ratas Jüri, Razza Ruggero, Rechagneux Julie, Regner Evelyn, Repasi René, Ressler Karlo, Reuten Thijs, Riba i Giner Diana, Ricci Matteo, Ridel Chloé, Riehl Nela, Ripa Manuela, Rodrigues André, Ros Sempere Marcos, Roth Neveďalová Katarína, Rougé André, Ruissen Bert-Jan, Ruotolo Sandro, Rzońca Bogdan, Saeidi Arash, Salini Massimiliano, Salis Ilaria, Salla Aura, Sánchez Amor Nacho, Sanchez Julien, Sancho Murillo Elena, Saramo Jussi, Sardone Silvia, Šarec Marjan, Sargiacomo Eric, Satouri Mounir, Saudargas Paulius, Sbai Majdouline, Sberna Antonella, Schaldemose Christel, Schaller-Baross Ernő, Schenk Oliver, Scheuring-Wielgus Joanna, Schieder Andreas, Schilling Lena, Schneider Christine, Schnurrbusch Volker, Schwab Andreas, Scuderi Benedetta, Seekatz Ralf, Sell Alexander, Serrano Sierra Rosa, Sidl Günther, Sienkiewicz Bartłomiej, Sieper Lukas, Simon Sven, Singer Christine, Sinkevičius Virginijus, Sippel Birgit, Sjöstedt Jonas, Śmiszek Krzysztof, Smith Anthony, Smit Sander, Sokol Tomislav, Solier Diego, Solís Pérez Susana, Sommen Liesbet, Sonneborn Martin, Sorel Malika, Sousa Silva Hélder, Søvndal Villy, Squarta Marco, Staķis Mārtiņš, Stancanelli Raffaele, Ștefănuță Nicolae, Steger Petra, Stier Davor Ivo, Storm Kristoffer, Stöteler Sebastiaan, Stoyanov Stanislav, Strack-Zimmermann Marie-Agnes, Strada Cecilia, Streit Joachim, Strik Tineke, Strolenberg Anna, Sturdza Şerban Dimitrie, Stürgkh Anna, Sypniewski Marcin, Szczerba Michał, Szekeres Pál, Szydło Beata, Tamburrano Dario, Tânger Corrêa António, Tarczyński Dominik, Tarquinio Marco, Tarr Zoltán, Târziu Claudiu-Richard, Tavares Carla, Tegethoff Kai, Temido Marta, Teodorescu Georgiana, Teodorescu Måwe Alice, Terheş Cristian, Ter Laak Ingeborg, Terras Riho, Tertsch Hermann, Thionnet Pierre-Romain, Timgren Beatrice, Tinagli Irene, Tobback Bruno, Tobé Tomas, Tolassy Rody, Tomac Eugen, Tomašič Zala, Tomaszewski Waldemar, Tomc Romana, Tonin Matej, Toom Jana, Topo Raffaele, Torselli Francesco, Tosi Flavio, Toussaint Marie, Tovaglieri Isabella, Toveri Pekka, Tridico Pasquale, Trochu Laurence, Tsiodras Dimitris, Turek Filip, Tynkkynen Sebastian, Uhrík Milan, Vaidere Inese, Valchev Ivaylo, Vălean Adina, Valet Matthieu, Van Brempt Kathleen, Van Brug Anouk, van den Berg Brigitte, Vandendriessche Tom, Van Dijck Kris, Van Lanschot Reinier, Van Leeuwen Jessika, Vannacci Roberto, Van Overtveldt Johan, Van Sparrentak Kim, Varaut Alexandre, Vasconcelos Ana, Vasile-Voiculescu Vlad, Vautmans Hilde, Vedrenne Marie-Pierre, Ventola Francesco, Verheyen Sabine, Verougstraete Yvan, Veryga Aurelijus, Vešligaj Marko, Vicsek Annamária, Vieira Catarina, Vigenin Kristian, Vilimsky Harald, Vincze Loránt, Vind Marianne, Vistisen Anders, Vivaldini Mariateresa, Volgin Petar, von der Schulenburg Michael, Vondra Alexandr, Voss Axel, Vozemberg-Vrionidi Elissavet, Vrecionová Veronika, Vázquez Lázara Adrián, Waitz Thomas, Walsh Maria, Walsmann Marion, Warborn Jörgen, Warnke Jan-Peter, Wąsik Maciej, Wawrykiewicz Michał, Wcisło Marta, Wechsler Andrea, Weimers Charlie, Werbrouck Séverine, Wiesner Emma, Wiezik Michal, Wilmès Sophie, Winkler Iuliu, Winzig Angelika, Wiseler-Lima Isabel, Wiśniewska Jadwiga, Wölken Tiemo, Wolters Lara, Yar Lucia, Yon-Courtin Stéphanie, Yoncheva Elena, Zacharia Maria, Zajączkowska-Hernik Ewa, Zalewska Anna, Žalimas Dainius, Zan Alessandro, Zarzalejos Javier, Zdechovský Tomáš, Zdrojewski Bogdan Andrzej, Zijlstra Auke, Zīle Roberts, Zingaretti Nicola, Złotowski Kosma, Zoido Álvarez Juan Ignacio, Zovko Željana, Zver Milan

    Excused:

    Andersson Li, Friis Sigrid, Hazekamp Anja

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI: No Credit Check Dental Financing with Bad Credit, Implant, Cherry, and Guaranteed Options 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LOS ANGELES, July 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — 50KLoans, a leading platform in online loan matching, has officially launched a nationwide dental financing solution designed to make essential and cosmetic dental care more affordable across the US. The new service offers dental care financing, dental implant financing, and dental financing with bad credit, helping patients secure treatment even if they have low or no credit history.

    With procedures like implants, crowns, and root canals becoming increasingly expensive, many Americans struggle to pay out of pocket. This platform solves that gap by providing tailored dental financing options, including no credit check dental financing, through a network of trusted lenders offering flexible repayment terms, fast approvals, and funding within 24 hours.

    Check Eligibility for Dental Financing with Bad Credit Now >>

    Dental Financing with Bad Credit and No Credit Check Options Now Available

    The 50KLoans dental financing program connects users to a national network of partner lenders offering loans from $500 to $25,000, covering everything from basic cleanings to full-mouth dental implants.

    Key Benefits:

    • Loan amounts from $500 to $25,000
    • Dental financing with bad credit accepted
    • No credit check dental financing options available
    • Terms ranging from 6 months to 60 months
    • Pre-qualification in 2 minutes without affecting your credit score
    • Funding as fast as the next business day

    Why Traditional Dental Financing Falls Short — and How 50KLoans Closes the Gap

    For millions of Americans, traditional dental financing options come with barriers like credit score checks, long approval timelines, and limited flexibility. Many banks and credit unions require FICO scores above 650, leaving patients with bad credit or no credit history without access to necessary dental care financing.

    50KLoans solves this problem by offering an alternative path. Instead of focusing on credit history, the platform helps applicants find lenders that evaluate income, employment stability, and ability to repay, making dental financing with bad credit a real, accessible option.

    Get Fast Approval for Dental Financing >>

    What Types of Dental Financing Are Offered?

    • Dental implant financing – Full or partial mouth implants, sinus lifts, and bone grafts
    • Cherry dental financing – Flexible buy-now-pay-later solutions for qualified clinics
    • Dental first financing – First-time borrowers or those new to dental financing
    • Emergency dental financing – Immediate help for urgent extractions, root canals, or pain relief
    • Cosmetic dental financing – Veneers, whitening, braces, and aligners

    How to Apply for Dental Implant Financing

    • Visit 50KLoans and select the “Dental Financing” option.
    • Fill out a short 2-minute application with basic personal and financial information.
    • Get instantly matched with lenders offering dental financing near you, including no credit check dental financing options.
    • Compare loan offers with flexible repayment terms and transparent rates.
    • Choose the best offer for your needs and receive the funds, often within few hours.

    FAQs

    Can I get dental financing with bad credit?
    Yes, 50KLoans works with lenders offering dental financing with bad credit, so even those with poor or no credit history can qualify.

    Is there dental financing near me?
    Yes. The platform provides dental care financing options nationwide, including local and online lenders.

    Are no credit check dental financing plans really available?
    Some lenders may offer no credit check dental financing, based on income and employment verification rather than credit score.

    Media Contact
    Mukesh Bhardwaj
    Email: mukesh@paydayventures.com

    Disclaimer: 50KLoans is not a lender and does not make credit decisions. Loan approval, APRs, and terms are set by independent lenders based on eligibility criteria.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Axi launches institutional liquidity provider AxiPrime, announces strategic partnership with Your Bourse

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SYDNEY, July 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Axi, a leading force in global financial services, announced the launch of AxiPrime, its institutional and next-generation B2B liquidity provider (LP) to meet the evolving needs of professional trading firms. With a focus on multi-asset liquidity and cutting-edge technology and execution infrastructure, AxiPrime offers access to a broad range of markets including forex, metals, equities, cryptocurrencies, and commodities – all designed to empower the broker’s partners and elevate their profitability potential.

    Axi also announced a strategic partnership between AxiPrime and renowned tech provider Your Bourse to support their expansion. “Our collaboration with Your Bourse reflects our shared commitment to enhancing client experience with powerful tools and technology,” says Louis Cooper, Chief Commercial Officer at Axi, before adding: “Built for scale, the infrastructure behind AxiPrime is designed for institutional-grade speed, processing up to 500,000 order events per second on a single CPU, delivering execution in just two microseconds. This ensures that we consistently meet the performance demands of high-frequency trading, algorithmic strategies, and institutional desks.”

    Institutional clients benefit, among others, from unified price feeds, a single API connection, and optional FIX/REST endpoints, creating a seamless gateway for multi-asset execution. Furthermore, AxiPrime offers a comprehensive product suite, transparent costs, top-tier execution and premier technical support. “Axi’s mission has always been to give our traders and partners a competitive edge – AxiPrime and our partnership with Your Bourse is a natural evolution of that goal,” says Louis. “And there’s more innovation on the way.”

    Further information can be found at https://yourbourse.cloud/free-account.

    About Axi

    Axi is a global online FX and CFD trading company, with thousands of customers in 100+ countries worldwide. Axi offers CFDs for several asset classes including Forex, Shares, Gold, Oil, Coffee, and more.

    For more information or additional comments from Axi, please contact: mediaenquiries@axi.com

    The Axi program is only available to clients of AxiTrader Limited. CFDs carry a high risk of investment loss. In our dealings with you, we will act as a principal counterparty to all of your positions. This content is not available to AU, NZ, EU and UK residents. For more information, refer to our Terms of Service. *Standard trading fees apply.  

    **Granted to the Axi Group of Companies.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d57b26a0-a2f9-472d-a0e6-102b08758a88

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: RSH downgrades Sustain to V3

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Press release

    RSH downgrades Sustain to V3

    The Regulator of Social Housing has downgraded Sustain (UK) Ltd to V3 meaning that the landlord does not meet the financial viability requirements and there are issues of serious regulatory concern.

    Sustain provides supported housing in Birmingham through short term leases. It has not demonstrated it is able to manage its financial risk and that its business planning is sufficiently robust to ensure its long-term viability.   

    The regulator’s previous G3 grading remains unchanged. Its governance arrangements are not effective to ensure adequate oversight of third parties it relies on to deliver services to its tenants and to ensure that it is not inappropriately advancing third party interests.   

    The previous judgement that Sustain is not delivering the outcomes of the Rent Standard also remains unchanged.   

    Jonathan Walters, Deputy Chief Executive of RSH, said:  

    It is disappointing that Sustain has not made the necessary improvements in its governance since the last judgement.   

    Failing to meet the requirements of the rent standard in this case has given rise to serious financial risks.  

    It must now take effective action to demonstrate a financial plan that is based on appropriate and reasonable assumptions that protects its homes and delivers quality services for its tenants.” 

    Separately, RSH has placed Phoenix Community Housing Association on its gradings under review list. 

    RSH is currently investigating matters which may indicate serious failings in the landlord delivering the outcomes of the Governance and Financial Viability Standard and the Consumer Standards. The outcome of the investigation will be confirmed in a regulatory judgement, once completed. 

    Notes to Editors

    1. The regulatory standards page provides information about the economic and consumer standards that registered providers must meet. 

    2. RSH promotes a viable, efficient and well-governed social housing sector able to deliver more and better social homes. It does this by setting standards and carrying out robust regulation focusing on driving improvement in social landlords, including local authorities, and ensuring that housing associations are well-governed, financially viable and offer value for money. It takes appropriate action if the outcomes of the standards are not being delivered.  

    3. If RSH is investigating a landlord due to suspected serious failings, we may place them on the gradings under review list. This is likely to be where our engagement is ongoing and we think it is appropriate to alert stakeholders to the fact that we have serious concerns about that landlord’s delivery of the standards outcomes, which we are investigating. More information about the gradings under review list and RSH’s approach is available on its website.  

    4. Phoenix Community Housing Association’s current regulatory grades are G2/V2/C1.

    For general enquiries email enquiries@rsh.gov.uk. For media enquiries please see our Media Enquiries page.

    Updates to this page

    Published 9 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Empowering the Frontlines: Skill Fest 2025 Celebrates Samsung India’s Commitment to Service Excellence

    Source: Samsung

     
    Samsung India’s relentless pursuit of customer delight isn’t just built on innovation. It thrives on the strength of its people. In a powerful display of that commitment, Skill Fest 2025, a national-level skill enhancement initiative, has emerged as a one-of-a-kind platform that empowers Samsung’s Service Engineers and Customer Care Officers to excel, evolve, and lead with purpose.
     
    With over 3,500 nominations received from across the country, Skill Fest 2025 stands as a testament to the passion, capability, and diversity of Samsung’s frontline teams. From the hands that repair our devices to the voices that assure our customers, Skill Fest is designed to celebrate and elevate the very people who make Samsung India’s service experience seamless, responsive, and human.
     
    More Than a Competition—A Journey of Growth
    At its core, Skill Fest is more than a competition. It’s a nationwide learning journey that sharpens technical acumen, deepens customer understanding, and sparks creativity. Engineers and CCOs bring their best to the table not just in diagnostics and repair, but also in real-time customer handling, creative problem-solving, and process innovation.
     
    Participants demonstrate their prowess through:

    Innovative Jig Ideas for service efficiency
    Short Reels and repair tips to share best practices
    Real-time customer interaction assessments
    Personality and grooming benchmarks that reflect professionalism
    Core knowledge of smart connectivity, system tools, and service processes

     
    These touchpoints reflect Samsung’s people-first service DNA: skill, empathy, innovation, and ownership.
     
    A Rigorous, Three-Level Platform
    Skill Fest 2025 follows a robust three-tier structure that challenges and nurtures talent at every step:
     

    Level 1: MCQ-based Online Screening Test — Assessing theoretical knowledge of products, systems, and service basics.
    Level 2: Practical & Customer Handling Assessments — Evaluating hands-on repair skills, real-time problem-solving, and soft skills such as grooming and interaction.
    Level 3: Final Round of Regional Skill Fest at Samsung’s Service Academies — A high-stakes showcase of excellence, where top performers present their abilities to a panel of expert judges.

     
    Every level is carefully weighted to ensure fairness and precision in evaluation, while bonus points are awarded for originality, creativity, and initiative, further reinforcing Samsung’s commitment to holistic talent development.
     
    Samsung’s Service Engineers and Customer Care Officers at Skill fest 2025
     
    Inspiring a Culture of Ownership and Excellence
    Skill Fest is part of Samsung’s broader culture of care, where employees are trusted, respected, and enabled to grow. It aligns with the brand’s philosophy that a great service professional not only repairs a device, but also restores trust, comfort, and satisfaction.
     
    By investing in such comprehensive platforms, Samsung India ensures that its people, from audio-visual and digital appliance experts to mobile care officers, are equipped with the tools, recognition, and motivation they need to thrive. And when they thrive, the ultimate winner is the consumer.
     
    A Celebration of Passion, Innovation and Service
    The final leg of Skill Fest 2025 will unfold at Samsung’s Regional Service Academies, where shortlisted stars will battle it out in a celebration of talent and resolve. Winners will be honored not just for their skill, but for the heart and hustle they bring to the job every day.
     
    As India’s most loved technology brand, Samsung believes every service experience is a moment of truth—and Skill Fest 2025 proves that empowered employees create unforgettable ones.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Gauteng’s Rustervaal Clinic closes temporarily

    Source: Government of South Africa

    Gauteng’s Rustervaal Clinic closes temporarily

    The Gauteng Department of Health has announced the temporarily closure of the Rustervaal Clinic for safety reasons emanating from infrastructural challenges.

    “During the temporary closure, patients are advised to access health services from neighbouring public health facilities. Furthermore, there will be daily transportation via the Gauteng Scheduled Emergency Transport (G-SET) to and from Rustervaal Clinic to Market Avenue Clinic in Vereeniging between Monday to Friday at 8 am,” said the department.

    The clinic, which serves the community of Emfuleni, including Rochnee, Springcol and the Ramaphosa informal settlement closed on Monday.

    “The Department of Employment and Labour has issued a prohibition notice preventing the use of the Rustervaal Clinic until the identified infrastructural challenges (such as the dilapidated sections of building, collapsing ceiling in one of the rooms, poor electrical network in another section) are addressed. 

    “The Gauteng Department of Health affirms its commitment to addressing the infrastructural challenges at Rustervaal Clinic as part of the broader Infrastructure Revitalisation Plan that is underway across all five health districts in the province,” said the department in a statement on Tuesday.

    The plan includes not only rehabilitating existing infrastructure, but also constructing new facilities to meet the increasing demand. 

    “It is not yet clear how long the clinic will be closed. This will be subject to a full assessment of the facility and budget reallocation. However, as part of the commitment to expand access to healthcare services for the growing community of Emfuleni, work is already underway to convert Johan Heyns Community Health Centre (CHC) into a district hospital. 

    “This will improve access to quality health care by expanding primary health care and specialist services to both in-patients and outpatients, ultimately reducing the volume of referrals to Sebokeng Regional Hospital.”

    The provincial department assured the community of Emfuleni that the required infrastructural upgrades at the clinic is receiving urgent attention and appeals for cooperation as patients are diverted to nearby facilities. – SAnews.gov.za

    Neo

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Department working on turning SA into a successful tourism nation

    Source: Government of South Africa

    Department working on turning SA into a successful tourism nation

    Tourism is a vehicle for creating jobs, destroying poverty and creating inclusive economic growth and sustainability, says Deputy Minister of Tourism Maggie Sotyu.

    “The nation has given this Government of National Unity a clear mandate to turn South Africa into a successful tourism nation and to unite all of us – citizens, visitors and tourists alike – in the joy of discovering our country, discovering each other, and in the shared hope of equality for all,” said the Deputy Minister.

    She was speaking at the tabling of the department’s Budget Vote in Cape Town on Tuesday.

    Sotyu said sustainable SMMEs are key drivers of inclusive growth and poverty eradication; therefore, economic growth without transformation entrenches exclusion and transformation without growth is unsustainable

    The department, together with South African Tourism, champions conditions for sustainability. 

    “To lower the many barriers that inhibit SMMEs’ entry into the hotel industry, for example, the department has a programme called the Tourism Grading Support Programme (TGSP) which continues to subsidise grading costs. 

    “In financial year 2024/25, the TGSP supported 2 970 establishments, encouraging active participation in the TGCSA’s grading system. These efforts contribute to the standardisation of service excellence, helping South Africa to remain competitive in global tourism markets.”

    To sustain profits and benefit the local economy, the department will continue to support the tourism industry towards reaching the threshold of local development.

    “Some big hotels do not appear in the list of graded establishments on the website of the Tourism Grading Council but still ‘sell’ themselves as 5-star hotels. 

    “To ensure that the grading system remains world-class and relevant to our local environment in South Africa, we have initiated the Grading Criteria Review which will be finalised this financial year. 

    “Grading of tourist establishments that host international events is a crucial factor in the sustainability of economic growth and job creation. 

    “It is for this reason the South African National Conventions Bureau (SANCB), through the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) sub-sector, will focus on capitalising on previous successes to accelerate growth through the consolidation of multiple national efforts when bidding for international meetings.”

    The secured conferences will also contribute to the regional spread of business events. 

    Given that tourism is a highly labour-intensive industry, people will rightfully expect to see significant local employment within these successfully bided international conferences. 

    The Deputy Minister said the biggest international conference to be held in South Africa later this year, the G20, will be a catalyst for this yearned-for job creation. 

    “The G20 presents an opportunity to showcase the nation’s unparalleled hospitality, world-class infrastructure, quality-assured accommodations, and experiences, as well as its ability to host global events. 

    “As the department, we are very committed to ensure that no one is left behind on the knowledge, importance and benefit of this G20,” said Sotyu. – SAnews.gov.za

    Janine

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: City businesses and start-ups in line for quadruple Council grants boost

    Source: Scotland – City of Aberdeen

    Fledgling and established small and medium businesses are in line for a grant funding boost thanks to four Aberdeen City Council-led schemes aimed at developing environmentally friendly growth and strengthening communities.

    The schemes, being led by the council will see over £500,000 of UK Shared Prosperity Fund grants made available through to February 2026 or whenever the total allocations are fully disbursed.

    The four grant streams will help provide start-up funding, slash energy costs and boost sustainability, grow business through innovation and help businesses host events to energise the city centre and increase footfall through fostering community spirit.

    Councillor Alex McLellan, Finance and Resources Convener, said “These grant schemes are to help smaller businesses, and start-ups, in Aberdeen to grow sustainably, reduce energy costs and to help them play their part in revitalising our city centre.

    “Aberdeen is home to a huge number of successful businesses which contribute to making our city a vibrant place.

    “I would encourage businesses across the city to take this opportunity and apply for funding.”
    The four grant schemes are:  
    Aberdeen Energy Efficiency Programme – Aberdeen City Council, in partnership with Scarf is offering non-repayable grants of up to £10,000 to help businesses, sole traders and third sector organisations through covering up to 50% of their energy saving project costs. Applications will be accepted up until 23 November 2025 and should be made through

     https://www.scarf.org.uk/organisation/sustainable-business/aberdeen-energy-efficiency-programme/

    Business Start-up Grant Scheme– the Council is offering start up grants of up to £1,000 for home-based or mobile businesses and £3,000 for traders in rateable businesses premises, with businesses launched since 1 October 2024 also being eligible. Applications will be accepted up until 28 February 2026 and should be made via: 
    https://www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/services/services-business/business-start-grant-scheme

    Business Growth and Innovation Grant Scheme – offering businesses match-funded grants of up to £2,500 and 50% of eligible capital costs to help with expanding premises, adopting new technology, building a more sustainable future, workforce expansion and other business ambitions. Applications should be submitted by 28 February 2026 to https://www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/services/services-business/business-growth-and-innovation-grant-scheme

    Support for City Centre Events and Markets – offers discretionary grant funding to businesses looking to host events boosting community spirit, attracting footfall and energising the city centre. Funding is £1,000 per business per event with up to two applications allowed if multiple businesses co-organise. Applications are welcomed up until 28 February and should be submitted to  
    https://www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/services-business/support-city-centre-events-and-markets

    Previous recipients of grant funding have highlighted their positive impacts.

    Philip Sutherland, Director, Freeland Freight Services, said: “We’re already seeing a significant impact from the new high-efficiency boiler installed by Aberdeen Gas Services. Our gas consumption has dropped by over 60% compared to the same period last year, which not only reduces our energy bills but also supports our efforts to lower carbon emissions.

    “The entire process, from application to installation, was straightforward and efficient. This upgrade marks a major step forward in our sustainability journey, and we’re extremely grateful to Scarf and for grant funding from Aberdeen City Council for making it possible”

    Harvey Logan, Founders Associate, Ember, said: “In March this year we installed a 145kWp solar array supplying power to our electric bus depot in Bridge of Don. The grant from Aberdeen City Council and support from Scarf was instrumental in our decision to go ahead with this installation as it supported the commercial case and provided momentum to the project.

    “Since the solar system went live it’s generated over 43MWh of renewable electricity. We’re delighted with this outcome and now plan to use lessons learnt to install solar at more Ember sites across Scotland”

    Brenda Young, Head of Income and Impact, Aberdeen Foyer, said: “Applying for the grant was a straightforward process, and we’re incredibly grateful for the support. The funding enabled us to upgrade our boiler, helping us create a warm, safe space for programme participants while also reducing our running costs. This means we can focus more of our resources on supporting those who need it most across Aberdeen City.” 
     

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Leeds City Council participates in international programme to tackle LGBT+ discrimination

    Source: City of Leeds

    Leeds City Council is to partner with Portuguese city Oeiras on a new project to tackle anti-LGBT+ discrimination by improving understanding between different communities.

    The five-month long Rainbow Connections project is funded through the Council of Europe’s Intercultural Cities (ICC) programme. It will see the two local authorities work with their LGBT+ staff and local non-governmental organisations in a series of awareness-raising sessions bringing together LGBT+ people and the wider community.

    The project will also examine how organisations interact with their own LGBT+ employees and communities and aims to help create good practice and ultimately to produce a training pack that can be shared and applied internationally.

    As part of the project, Leeds City Council will share its experiences and learning on the development of a successful LBGT+ staff network, as well as the development and implementation of the “what makes us different, makes us Leeds” anti-discrimination campaign, which included information and advice for communities to combat homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia,  offering Oeiras valuable insights as it develops its own initiatives in this important area.

    In both cities, the project’s objectives support longer-term plans for communities, where all voices feel included, and no group is left behind or ignored. It is hoped the project will also have a long-term legacy of acting as a catalyst for more regular, honest, and effective conversations between different communities in both local authorities and, indeed, internationally.

    Above: Oeiras Town Hall

    In Leeds, this project closely aligns with already well-established strategies for LGBT+ inclusion and will automatically be built into Leeds’s city-wide strategy.

    Deputy Leader and executive member for economy, transport and sustainable development, Councillor Jonathan Pryor, said: “Leeds is committed to being a city where everyone, whatever their identity or background, feels safe, welcomed and included, and that obviously includes our LGBT+ citizens.

    “Working with international partners provides a fresh perspective and an opportunity to exchange of ideas and working practices, so we are excited to work with like-minded cities such as Oeiras on tackling LGBT+ discrimination in all its forms”

    Councillor Fiona Venner, Executive Member for Equality, Health and Wellbeing, added

    “Many members of the LGBT+ community still face discrimination in some form, and that’s not the type of city Leeds wants to be. We have a responsibility to lead efforts to stop discrimination in all its forms, both in our city and elsewhere, and one of the best places to start is by encouraging better conversations and understanding.

    “We welcome funding from the Council of Europe’s Intercultural Cities programme to help us achieve this and further our aim to stop discrimination in all its forms, wherever it happens.”  

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI China: China rolls out sweeping employment push for record number of college graduates

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

    Students attend a campus job fair held at Qinghai College of Architectural Technology in Xining, northwest China’s Qinghai Province, April 23, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    China has unveiled a tiered strategy to boost employment prospects for the nation’s 2025 college graduates, a number which is expected to reach a record 12.22 million this year.

    Key national moves include job channel expansion, skills enhancement, and targeted support for disadvantaged students.

    A recent recruitment fair at Guangxi Medical University in south China demonstrated the campaign’s scale, featuring both provincial and national employers across sectors like health care, AI and education.

    “Large fairs like this help us engage directly with employers,” said Huang Chenxi, a student seeking administrative hospital work.

    The number of college graduates in China has been rising steadily, surpassing the 10-million mark for the first time in 2022, when 10.76 million students entered the job market.

    This upward trend has continued, with the number of graduates expected to reach a record 12.22 million this year — an increase of 430,000 compared to last year.

    The key to boosting graduate employment is expanding channels and creating more job opportunities.

    To that end, government authorities have intensified policy support, specifically targeting job retention and creation in private enterprises and small-to-medium-sized businesses.

    In a recent policy innovation, China has for the first time extended its one-time job expansion subsidies — previously available only to enterprises — to include social organizations, incentivizing employers of all types to hire graduates.

    The Chinese government has also been launching “100 counties for 100 universities” recruitment drives since June to bridge information gaps between local enterprises and universities.

    Last month, an event in Ningbo in east China’s Zhejiang Province offered over 7,000 jobs, and another event in Nanning in south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region offered over 15,000 jobs. More fairs are also planned for other parts of the country.

    To thrive in today’s rapidly evolving labor market, graduates need more than just degrees — they need industry-relevant skills.

    “New industries, business models and economic paradigms represent a crucial driver of innovation-led development, injecting fresh vitality into China’s economy,” said Wang Peng, an associate researcher at the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences.

    “These emerging sectors have created significant employment growth opportunities and are increasingly serving as primary channels absorbing college graduates into the workforce,” Wang noted, highlighting their growing importance in China’s employment landscape.

    Responding to the evolving needs of emerging industries, the Ministry of Education (MOE) has launched a national program to enhance student preparedness. Over 2,600 “micro-major” programs and more than 1,100 professional training courses have been established to sharpen students’ knowledge and competencies in high-demand fields prior to graduation.

    A national employment services platform for college graduates has undergone a digital overhaul, and is now equipped with AI and big-data-powered tools.

    Enhanced algorithms and closer coordination with social recruitment platforms and universities have made it more efficient: To date, the platform has hosted 111 online job fairs and posted over 20 million job openings for the graduating class of 2025.

    Complementing national efforts, provinces across China are also implementing localized solutions. In northeast China’s Jilin Province, for example, 69 human resources officials have been assigned to support 69 local universities, offering tailored guidance and services.

    As we enter July and the graduation season reaches its peak, particular attention is being paid to those who have yet to secure jobs — especially those from underprivileged backgrounds.

    Backed by funding from the Ministry of Finance, the MOE has organized 1,124 dedicated job fairs, offering more than 1.1 million targeted positions for the 2025 graduate cohort.

    Looking ahead, uninterrupted support will continue via the national employment platform. In one example of such support, a special online campaign linking research assistant positions and livestreamed job fairs will remain active through the end of August.

    Together, these efforts reflect China’s commitment to helping graduates move from classrooms to careers, and to ensuring their talents find the opportunities they deserve.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: SCIO briefing on China’s economic performance in April 2025

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

    中文

    Speakers:

    Mr. Fu Linghui, spokesperson of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and director general of the Department of Comprehensive Statistics of the NBS

    Chairperson:

    Zhou Jianshe, deputy director general of the Press Bureau of the State Council Information Office (SCIO) and spokesperson of the SCIO

    Date:

    May 19, 2025

    Zhou Jianshe:

    Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. Welcome to this press conference held by the State Council Information Office (SCIO). This is a regular briefing on China’s economic data. Today, we are joined by Mr. Fu Linghui, spokesperson of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and director general of the Department of Comprehensive Statistics of the NBS. Mr. Fu will brief you on China’s economic performance in April 2025 and then take your questions.

    First, I will give the floor to Mr. Fu for his introduction.

    Fu Linghui:

    Good morning, everyone. As usual, I will start by briefing you on the main economic indicators for this April and then take your questions.

    In April, the national economy withstood pressure and maintained stable growth.

    In April, in the face of a complicated situation marked by increasing external shocks and multiple domestic difficulties and challenges, under the strong leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, all regions and departments strictly implemented the decisions and arrangements made by the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, adhered to the general principle of pursuing progress while ensuring stability, fully and faithfully applied the new development philosophy on all fronts, accelerated efforts to create a new pattern of development, took solid steps to promote high-quality development, stepped up the implementation of more proactive and effective macro policies, and responded to the external shocks effectively. As a result, production and demand grew steadily, employment was generally stable, and new growth drivers accumulated and grew. The national economy maintained stable growth despite pressure, sustaining the new and positive development momentum.

    Fu Linghui:

    First, industrial production grew quickly, with equipment manufacturing and high-tech manufacturing showing good growth momentum.

    In April, the total value added of industrial enterprises above designated size grew by 6.1% year on year, or 0.22% month on month. In terms of sectors, the value added of mining went up by 5.7% year on year, manufacturing up by 6.6%, and the production and supply of electricity, thermal power, gas and water up by 2.1%. The value added of equipment manufacturing increased by 9.8% year on year, and that of high-tech manufacturing increased by 10.0%, which were 3.7 percentage points and 3.9 percentage points faster than that of industrial enterprises above designated size, respectively. In terms of ownership, the value added of state holding enterprises was up by 2.9% year on year; that of share-holding enterprises was up by 6.6%; that of enterprises funded by foreign investors or investors from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan was up by 3.9%; and that of private enterprises was up by 6.7%. In terms of products, the outputs of 3D printing devices, industrial robots and new energy vehicles (NEVs) grew by 60.7%, 51.5% and 38.9% year on year, respectively. In the first four months, the total value added of industrial enterprises above designated size went up by 6.4% year on year. In April, the Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index was 49.0%; and the Production and Operation Expectation Index was 52.1%. In the first three months, the total profits made by industrial enterprises above designated size were 1,509.4 billion yuan, up by 0.8% year on year.

    Second, the service sector grew steadily and modern services developed well.

    In April, the Index of Services Production grew by 6.0% year on year. In terms of sectors, that of information transmission, software and information technology services, leasing and business services, wholesales and retails, and finance grew by 10.4%, 8.9%, 6.8% and 6.1% year on year, respectively, which were 4.4 percentage points, 2.9 percentage points, 0.8 percentage point and 0.1 percentage point faster than that of the Index of Services Production. In the first four months, the Index of Services Production increased by 5.9% year on year. In the first three months, the business revenue of service enterprises above designated size went up by 7.0% year on year. In April, the Business Activity Index for Services was 50.1%, and the Business Activity Expectation Index for Services was 56.4%. Specifically, the Business Activity Index for industries like air transportation, telecommunication, broadcast, television and satellite transmission services, internet software and information technology services, and insurance stayed within the high expansion range of 55.0% and above.

    Third, market sales maintained steady growth and trade-in goods grew quickly.

    In April, the total retail sales of consumer goods reached 3,717.4 billion yuan, up by 5.1% year on year, or up by 0.24% month on month. Analyzed by different areas, the retail sales of consumer goods in urban areas reached 3,237.6 billion yuan, up by 5.2% year on year; and that in rural areas reached 479.8 billion yuan, up by 4.7%. Grouped by consumption patterns, the retail sales of goods were 3,300.7 billion yuan, up by 5.1%; and the income of catering was 416.7 billion yuan, up by 5.2%. Sales of basic living goods and certain upgraded goods showed sound growth. The retail sales of grain, oil and food and of sports and recreational articles by enterprises above designated size went up by 14.0% and 23.3%, respectively. The effect of trade-in of consumer goods continued to manifest, with the retail sales of household appliances and audiovisual equipment, cultural and office supplies, furniture, and communication equipment by enterprises above designated size growing by 38.8%, 33.5%, 26.9% and 19.9%, respectively. In the first four months, the total retail sales of consumer goods reached 16,184.5 billion yuan, up by 4.7% year on year. Online retail sales reached 4,741.9 billion yuan, up by 7.7% year on year. Specifically, the online retail sales of physical goods were 3,926.5 billion yuan, up by 5.8%, accounting for 24.3% of the total retail sales of consumer goods. In the first four months, the retail sales of services grew by 5.1% year on year.

    Fourth, investment in fixed assets continued to expand and investment in manufacturing grew quickly.

    In the first four months, investment in fixed assets (excluding rural households) reached 14,702.4 billion yuan, up by 4.0% year on year; and investment in fixed assets was up by 8.0% with the investment in real estate development deducted. Specifically, investment in infrastructure grew by 5.8% year on year, that in manufacturing grew by 8.8%, and that in real estate development declined by 10.3%. The floor space of newly-built commercial buildings sold was 282.62 million square meters, down by 2.8% year on year; and the total sales of newly-built commercial buildings were 2,703.5 billion yuan, down by 3.2%. By industry, investment in the primary industry increased by 13.2% year on year, that in the secondary industry up by 11.7%, and that in the tertiary industry down by 0.2%. Private investment increased by 0.2% year on year, or increased by 5.8% with the investment in real estate development deducted. In terms of high-tech industries, investment in information services, computer and office device manufacturing, aerospace vehicle and equipment manufacturing, and professional technical services grew by 40.6%, 28.9%, 23.9% and 17.6%, respectively. In April, investment in fixed assets (excluding rural households) increased by 0.10% month on month.

    Fifth, imports and exports of goods kept growing and the trade structure continued to be optimized.

    In April, the total value of imports and exports of goods was 3.84 trillion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 5.6%. Specifically, the total value of exports was 2.26 trillion yuan, up by 9.3%. The total value of imports was 1.57 trillion yuan, up by 0.8%. In the first four months, the total value of imports and exports of goods was 14.13 trillion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 2.4%. Specifically, the total value of exports was 8.39 trillion yuan, up by 7.5%. The total value of imports was 5.74 trillion yuan, down by 4.2%. In the first four months, the imports and exports of general trade went up by 0.6%, accounting for 64% of the total value of imports and exports. Imports and exports by private enterprises went up by 6.8%, accounting for 56.9% of the total value of imports and exports, which is 2.3 percentage points higher than that of the same period last year. The exports of mechanical and electrical products grew by 9.5%, accounting for 60.1% of the total value of exports.

    Sixth, employment was generally stable and the surveyed urban unemployment rate declined.

    From January to April, the average surveyed unemployment rate in urban areas remained flat year on year at 5.2%. In April, the national surveyed urban unemployment rate was 5.1%, 0.1 percentage point lower than that of the previous month. The surveyed unemployment rate of population with local household registration was 5.2% and that of population with non-local household registration was 4.8%, of which the rate of population with non-local agricultural household registration was 4.7%. The surveyed urban unemployment rate across 31 major cities was 5.1%, 0.1 percentage point lower than that of the previous month. Employees of enterprises nationwide worked an average of 48.3 hours per week.

    Seventh, the consumer price index (CPI) fell slightly year on year, and the core CPI growth rate was stable.

    In April, the CPI decreased by 0.1% year on year, and increased by 0.1% compared to the previous month. By category, prices for food, tobacco and alcohol went up by 0.3%; clothing up by 1.3%; housing up by 0.1%; household goods and services for daily use up by 0.2%; transportation and communication prices down by 3.9%; education, culture and recreation up by 0.7%; medical services and health care up by 0.2%; and other articles and services up by 6.6%. In terms of food, tobacco and alcohol, prices for fresh vegetables fell by 5%, grain fell by 1.4%, pork up by 5%, and fresh fruits up by 5.2%. The core CPI, excluding the prices of food and energy, grew by 0.5% year on year. In the first four months, the CPI went down by 0.1% year on year.

    In April, the national producer price index (PPI) for industrial products went down by 2.7% year on year and 0.4% month on month. The purchasing price index for industrial producers went down by 2.7% year on year and 0.6% month on month. In the first four months, the national producer price and purchasing price indexes for industrial products both dropped by 2.4% compared with the same period last year.

    Overall, in April, despite increased external pressures, the coordinated efforts of macro policies ensured steady and relatively rapid growth in major indicators, sustaining the upward and improving trend of the national economy. It should also be noted that external instabilities and uncertainties still remain significant, and the foundation for the continuous improvement of the national economy needs to be further consolidated. In the next stage, we must adhere to the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, resolutely implement the decisions and deployments of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, and adhere to the general principle of seeking progress while maintaining stability. We must fully and accurately implement the new development philosophy, accelerate the construction of a new development paradigm, coordinate domestic economic work and international economic and trade efforts, unswervingly handle our own affairs well, unswervingly expand high-level opening up, focus on stabilizing employment, enterprises, markets and expectations, solidly promote high-quality development, and promote the continuous recovery and improvement of the economy. Thank you.

    Zhou Jianshe:

    The floor is now open for questions. Please identify your media outlet before raising your questions.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • 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 –

  • MIL-OSI China: Rooftop solar innovation powers China’s clean energy shift

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

    On the rooftops of Shuangjing Village in the city of Xuzhou, east China’s Jiangsu Province, rows of gleaming solar panels shimmer under the summer sun, resembling a vast azure sea from a distance.

    The installation is part of a village-wide distributed solar photovoltaic (PV) power generation initiative led by the State Grid Xuzhou Power Supply Company. With a total installed capacity of 2,709 kilowatts, the network supplies steady renewable power to both the local homes and nearby industrial parks.

    “This village-wide rooftop solar program is very efficient,” said Liu Zhichuang, a company technician. “Farmers contribute their unused roof space and earn reliable rental income in return.”

    Over the solar panels’ lifetime, this village project is expected to generate more than 6.4 million yuan (about 890,000 U.S. dollars) in revenue, Liu explained. “At the same time, it cuts both construction and upkeep expenses by about 22 percent.”

    “Where land is scarce, massive solar farms just aren’t practical,” he noted. “That’s why distributed rooftop solar makes more sense. Xuzhou is proving it works, with panels already installed on 140,000 roofs across the city, leading all of Jiangsu province.”

    Distributed solar power is gaining traction across China, from rural homes to industrial parks. According to the National Energy Administration, by the end of 2024, the cumulative installed capacity of distributed PV had reached 370 gigawatts (GW), 121 times that of the end of 2013.

    Rooftop solar has become a significant player in China’s transition to clean energy. In March, China’s energy authorities highlighted the triple benefits of their initiatives: accelerating power sector reforms, increasing farmers’ earnings, and driving rural revitalization.

    As a major economic and manufacturing hub, Jiangsu boasts a complete photovoltaic industrial chain and has led the nation in distributed solar energy growth. Since 2024, the province has added an average of 1.5 gigawatts of distributed solar capacity per month. It has also developed seven village-wide pilot projects for distributed solar power.

    Factories are also tapping into the sun. At a Xuzhou-based new energy vehicle industrial park, a large digital display screen flashes real-time data on solar power output and carbon dioxide reduction.

    With 52,000 square meters of rooftop panels, the park generates an annual power output of nearly 7 million kilowatt-hours. “It’s enough to offset 2,800 tonnes of coal use and cut carbon emissions by about 7,500 tonnes,” Liu said, adding that businesses in the park have seen energy costs drop by more than 20 percent on average.

    As part of its accelerated green energy transition plan, Shanghai will comprehensively implement the “PV Plus” program, aiming to deploy over 4.5 GW of photovoltaic capacity citywide by 2027.

    In south China’s Guangdong Province, regulations require solar energy coverage on half of newly constructed factory rooftops by 2025, and full coverage by 2030. Existing industrial parks are also undergoing green retrofits to ensure at least 50 percent solar adoption by 2030.

    Technological innovation is further driving the surge of solar power adoption. In Jiangsu’s Wuxi, China’s first industrial park dedicated to perovskite PV — an emerging solar technology — recently opened. Perovskite solar modules can be integrated into building facades, transforming walls into energy generators.

    While solar panels were once confined to rooftops, technological breakthroughs now enable their seamless integration into building structures, said Jiang Weilong, vice president of the perovskite PV project developer.

    Jiang added that the industrial park’s pilot installation features hundreds of meters of boundary walls incorporating over 3,000 perovskite solar modules, which are expected to deliver an estimated annual carbon dioxide reduction of 110 tonnes.

    “Imagine a future where every fence, wall, rooftop, and even footpath doubles as a power generator,” said Jiang. “This will further unlock the space and potential for green transformation.” 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China-Egypt practical cooperation yields fruitful outcomes

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

    Under the strategic guidance of leaders of the two countries, China-Egypt relations have, over the past years, made great strides, becoming a model of solidarity, cooperation and mutual benefit between China and Arab, African, and other developing countries.

    By aligning China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) with Egypt’s Vision 2030, the two countries have drawn up a promising blueprint for practical cooperation and achieved remarkable outcomes across various sectors.

    STRATEGIC COOPERATION

    Chinese Ambassador to Egypt Liao Liqiang said that since the China-Egypt comprehensive strategic partnership was established in 2014, leaders of both countries have frequently met on bilateral and multilateral occasions, jointly steering Belt and Road cooperation and shaping a shared future in the new era.

    Frequent high-level exchanges have laid a solid foundation for deepening ties, anchored by both countries’ firm support for each other’s core interests, former Egyptian ambassador to China Magdy Amer told Xinhua, adding that under the BRI, bilateral trade has surged, and Chinese investment in Egypt has expanded rapidly.

    Waleed Gaballah, a member of the Egyptian Association for Political Economy, Statistics and Legislation, said that BRI projects, including the Central Business District in Egypt’s New Administrative Capital, and the China-Egypt TEDA Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone within the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZone) located southeast of Cairo, have invigorated Egypt’s economy.

    On July 2, the foundation stone was laid for the Deli Glass production base in the TEDA zone. With a 70 million U.S. dollar investment, its first phase will include a high-grade glass furnace and advanced automated production lines.

    The site will produce high-quality household glassware and evolve into an industrial cluster integrating research and development, manufacturing, advanced processing, packaging, logistics, and export.

    SCZone chairman Waleid Gamal El-Dein said the project marks the latest outcome of deepening cooperation between the zone and global investors, especially Chinese ones, reflecting the growing bilateral relations, political trust and economic collaboration between Egypt and China.

    So far, 185 enterprises have settled in the TEDA zone, bringing total investment to around 3 billion U.S. dollars and generating over 5.3 billion U.S. dollars in sales, with key industries including building materials, petrochemicals, textiles and new energy, among others, according to Cao Hui, executive director of Egypt-TEDA SEZone Development Company.

    After touring Haier Egypt Ecological Park and the welding factory of Jetour Egypt in mid-June, former Egyptian Prime Minister Essam Sharaf described the projects as the fruits of a long-term partnership, strengthened by Belt and Road cooperation.

    “They reflect the initiative’s aim to promote shared development among participating countries,” he told Xinhua, emphasizing the importance of working with China to modernize Egypt’s industrial base.

    ACHIEVEMENTS ON MULTIPLE FRONTS

    In recent years, China and Egypt have jointly achieved several “firsts”: Chinese companies constructed Africa’s tallest skyscraper in Egypt, built Egypt’s first electrified light rail, and supported Egypt to become the continent’s leading fiberglass base. Chinese technology has also enabled Egypt to become the first African country with full satellite assembly and testing capabilities.

    In addition, Chinese firms helped drill over 680 desert water wells in Egypt over nine years, gradually turning barren land into farmland. Tech company Huawei has trained about 40,000 Egyptian youth through its ICT programs.

    Meanwhile, the flourishing cultural ties between the two countries have enhanced mutual understanding and added vitality to the partnership.

    Chinese has been formally integrated into Egypt’s national education system, with 30 universities offering Chinese courses and more than 20 secondary schools providing Chinese as an elective subject.

    Chinese cultural festivals and events held in Egypt, like “Happy Spring Festival,” “Tea for Harmony,” and “Chinese Film Week,” as well as various music performances, have attracted wide interest in Egypt and greatly promoted cultural interaction.

    Joint archaeological efforts have further deepened. In Luxor’s Karnak Temple complex, a Sino-Egyptian archaeological team revived the Montu Temple ruins, which had remained buried for over 3,000 years. Another collaborative initiative involves the digital documentation and study of thousands of anthropoid coffins discovered in the Saqqara necropolis, alongside efforts to restore the Ramses II statue at Karnak Temple.

    From museums and pyramids to southern temples and Red Sea resorts, Chinese tourists have been arriving in Egypt in growing numbers. To enhance their travel experience, Egypt has introduced Chinese-language signage in famous tourist sites, increased Chinese-speaking guides, and encouraged more hotels to offer Chinese cuisine.

    Last month, Air China announced a new direct flight between Beijing and Cairo, which is to be launched on Wednesday, operating three times weekly.

    “The new route will strengthen people-to-people exchanges and further deepen tourism cooperation between the two nations,” said Ahmed Youssef, chairman of the Egyptian Tourism Promotion Authority. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: When lived experience speaks, everyone listens 

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    News story

    When lived experience speaks, everyone listens 

    How ACE drives mission impact at pace in some of the hardest-hitting situations facing government and wider society.

    On June 18th the Accelerated Capability Environment (ACE) brought together over 80 people across government, industry and academia, to tackle some of the most pressing issues facing government and wider society, with a focus on knife crime.  

    We demonstrated our ability to drive mission impact at pace through a range of work, from Rape and Serious Sexual Offences (RASSO) to the world of deepfakes.  

    We shared inspirational capabilities, tools and approaches already helping to solve some of these challenges, through 10 suppliers and universities from the ACE community. 

    We provided a collaborative space to have open conversations and share ideas on how we might pull together and intervene, to lead to better outcomes.  

    But there was one part of the day that really hit home. Where the emotion was so raw and the stories so powerful, that everyone stopped and listened. We got to hear stories from three people with lived experience about the devastating impact of knife crime. 

    Martin Cosser, the father of 17-year-old Charlie Cosser, who was murdered almost two years ago, shared his family’s story. Charlie’s death, perpetrated by someone who decided to carry and use a knife, led to the creation of Charlie’s Promise, a campaign against knife crime.  

    Chantell Hayles, a knife crime survivor, spoke about her own experiences of bullying and violence from other young girls, and an abusive relationship which only ended when her partner died suddenly. She now runs Living Without Limits, to provide young people with a platform to be heard and to support those living through similar experiences, especially young girls who are often overlooked in knife crime narratives. 

    Tim Haigh, a former gang member and knife carrier, told how his early potential was derailed by crime, leading to nine years in prison and a near fatal addiction. He now works through Lived Experience Speakers, helping others avoid the path he took. 

    At ACE we create experiences and connections to some of the hardest-hitting situations facing society. We don’t shy away from the cutting emotion or minimise the realities that people face. Instead, we give them a voice, a platform and access to the people that can make a difference and help others avoid similar situations.  

    Lived experiences working alongside industry, academia and government.  

    To find out more, get in touch with the team at ace@homeoffice.gov.uk.  

    Updates to this page

    Published 9 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ22: Support for public rental housing tenants

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Following is a question by the Hon Kingsley Wong and a written reply by Secretary for Housing, Ms Winnie Ho, in the Legislative Council today (July 9):

    Question:

    It has been learnt that a number of cases involving deaths of public rental housing (PRH) tenants in their own PRH flats occurred in Hong Kong in the past, in which the deaths of such tenants remained unknown for a long time, and there were even cases where their bodies had been reduced to skeletons by the time they were discovered; and there were also cases in which carers died suddenly in their PRH flats, but the relatives living with them were forced to “stay with the dead bodies” as their relatives were unable to seek assistance and report to the Police due to mental incapacity or other reasons. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

    (1) of the number of cases in each of the past 10 years, in which staff of the Housing Department (HD) found people dead in the flats concerned during home visits or flat recovery work (e.g. breaking into the flats concerned);

    (2) of the number of cases in each of the past 10 years, in which the Social Welfare Department (SWD) found people dead in the flats concerned in the course of following up the welfare service matters of PRH tenants;

    (3) it is learnt that, following the default on rental payment for two consecutive months by PRH tenants, HD will make several attempts to contact the tenants concerned by means of telephone, written notification or home visits, etc., of the criteria adopted by HD for determining whether it is necessary to refer the cases to other departments for follow-up or to report to the Police after repeated unsuccessful attempts to contact the tenants;

    (4) regarding cases in which HD is unable to contact the tenants successfully, whether HD will consider seeking assistance from the Police within a shorter period of time, so as to decide if further actions will be taken in respect of the tenants concerned (e.g. breaking into the flats); if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

    (5) as there are views that enhanced cooperation among different departments will facilitate early detection of death cases in PRH flats and even save lives, whether HD, SWD, the Home Affairs Department and the Police will consider setting up a mechanism for information sharing and cooperation; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

    (6) whether it will promote and encourage the District Services and Community Care Teams (Care Teams), management companies and PRH tenants to set up a system for assuring safety, so that PRH tenants who live alone or need relevant support may participate on a voluntary basis;

    (7) given that HD has launched the pilot scheme of Door Sensor Installation for Elderly Households to equip the elderly households who have voluntarily participated in the scheme with the system which allows designated relatives or friends to keep track of the movement of the elderly in and out of their flats, whether the authorities will extend the scheme to cover non-elderly PRH tenants in the future; whether they will promote and encourage the Care Teams and management companies to become one of the designated contact persons, so as to expeditiously follow up the situation of the tenants concerned; and

    (8) given that the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions and the Hong Kong and China Gas Company Limited have joined forces to launch the Gas Guardian Care Network programme, which utilises smart meters to monitor the gas usage patterns of the elderly in real-time, whether the authorities will make reference to the programme and launch other projects in collaboration with the business sector and community organisations to enable carers to check the condition of the elderly, so as to enhance home safety of the elderly?

    Reply:

    President,

    The estate management staff of the Housing Department (HD) will contact public rental housing (PRH) tenants through daily management work, proactively understanding their living conditions in PRH units and will pay special attention to elderly residents living alone. Cases will be referred to other government departments and social welfare organisations as needed to provide assistance. 

    In response to the question raised by the Hon Kingsley Wong, in consultation with the Labour and Welfare Bureau (LWB) and the Home Affairs Department, our reply is as follows:

    (1), (2) and (5) In the past 10 years (i.e. 2015 to 2024), the number of natural deaths recorded in PRH units under the HD is listed in the Annex. These cases are mainly discovered through the HD’s routine management work (such as patrols, home visits, flat recovery operations, etc.), or were reported by the tenants’ relatives, friends, or neighbours to the estate offices, or referred by other government departments including the police and the Social Welfare Department (SWD) or social welfare organisations. The HD does not maintain statistical breakdowns of the means by which these cases are discovered.

    At present, the HD and the SWD have established an inter-departmental referral mechanism to handle special cases of housing assistance for PRH tenants. Liaison groups have been formed at both the headquarters and regional levels to regularly review and improve the cooperation mechanism for housing assistance cases. The HD is also closely collaborating with the LWB and is providing information of PRH tenants under the premise of protecting personal data privacy, with a view to facilitating the LWB to develop a database for following up on hidden and needy elderly individuals.

    (3) and (4) According to Section 19(1)(b) of the Housing Ordinance (Cap. 283), when the Housing Authority (HA) serves a notice-to-quit to tenant, at least one month’s notice for termination of tenancy should be given. Upon expiry of the notice, if the occupier still does not voluntarily surrender the unit, the HD can then deploy staff to proceed flat recovery action in accordance with the Housing Ordinance. For rent arrears cases, a series of actions will be taken initially by the HD before serving notice-to-quit, including communicating with tenants through home visits, phone calls or face-to-face interviews. If the tenants still cannot be reached, HD staff will try to reach their relatives and emergency contacts. For some singleton elderly tenants who live by themselves and have not provided any relatives or other contact persons, we will make every effort to contact them through alternative means, including slipping notes through the door gap and into the letter box to ask the tenants to contact the estate office as soon as possible, instructing security guards to monitor the tenants’ entry into and exit from the building, and recording their water and electricity consumption to more closely monitor their situation. If the tenants are in rent arrears due to financial difficulties, cases may be referred to the SWD for follow-up or be provided with assistance to apply for Rent Assistance Scheme, subject to their consent and fulfilment of eligibilities. If the tenants or any of their relatives still cannot be reached despite multiple attempts, the HD will inquire with other departments such as the SWD to check if the tenants are their care cases and their latest situation; or the Immigration Department to check the tenants’ immigration records, etc.; and will seek assistance from the police if necessary. In addition, if HD staff discover suspicious cases during daily management work (e.g. unusual odours emanating from the unit), they will notify the police immediately to take appropriate action, including breaking into the unit as necessary.

    (6), (7) and (8) In order to encourage property management companies and security service contractors to be more proactive in assisting PRH tenants in need, we give bidders who can provide effective suggestions for caring the tenants, e.g. establishing volunteer teams to provide volunteer services to the community in the estate and to visit the elderly or individuals/ families in need, etc., additional marks during the tender evaluation, thereby increasing their chances of winning the bid. In addition, the HD organises the annual Estate Management Services Contractor Awards and the Best Security Staff election to commend service contractors and security personnel who have performed well and actively assisted needy residents in the estate. This aims to encourage them to go the extra mile and take the initiative to care for the estates’ PRH residents.

    Starting from April this year, the HD launched the pilot scheme of Door Sensor Installation for Elderly Households in Wan Hon Estate in Kwun Tong and Sheung Lok Estate in Ho Man Tin. The elderly households who voluntarily participate in the scheme are equipped with the system which allows designated relatives or friends to keep track of the movement of the elderly in and out of their flats so as to provide timely support when needed. The HD will actively explore the feasibility of implementing other similar schemes in collaboration with other government departments and social welfare organisations, with a view to benefitting more elderly households in other PRH estates.

    In addition, the HA also provides subsidies to eligible elderly tenants for the installation of emergency alarm system (Safety Bell), allowing the tenants to seek help timely in case of emergencies. Elderly tenants who require to install Safety Bell but are not receiving Comprehensive Social Security Assistance can apply for the Emergency Alarm System (EAS) Grant from the HA. Since February 2021, the grant has been extended to mobile devices, including mobile phones and watches equipped with EAS, smartphones with dedicated EAS mobile app installed and other products, allowing elderly tenants to purchase suitable emergency alarm system products on their own. Since the implementation of the grant scheme, approximately 26 000 applications have been approved. The HD has also installed fall detection systems in accessible toilets in some housing estates on a pilot basis to detect situations such as falls, fainting, prolonged stays, etc.

    The estate offices under the HA actively assist the Care Teams in promoting care activities, organising community events and providing visits and services to families in need (including elderly households). In addition, the HA collaborates with non-governmental organisations annually to organise activities in various PRH estates.  These activities include outreach visits to identify elderly singleton and hidden elders, providing them with support services such as meal delivery, home repair and cleaning services, escort service for medical appointments, etc., so as to help them maintain basic living needs, expand their social networks and provide emotional support.

    The HA will continue to implement the aforementioned measures and will conduct timely reviews, striving to meet the needs of tenants.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Heihe Port handled record number of cross-border e-commerce parcels in first half of 2025

    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 9 (Xinhua) — A total of 29.596 million pieces of cross-border e-commerce mail were exported through Heihe Port in northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province in the first half of 2025, up 4,824.3 percent year on year, the Heihe Daily reported.

    During the reporting period, the total weight of these parcels was 4,302 tons, and their value was 2.38 billion yuan (approximately 332.68 million US dollars), an increase of 482 percent and 1,552.8 percent year-on-year, respectively. Notably, all of these figures reached record highs.

    According to Heihe Customs, the maximum daily number of processed cross-border e-commerce parcels at the border crossing reached 829,000 units.

    The cities of Heihe and Blagoveshchensk are separated by the border river Heilongjiang /Amur/. Due to the geographical advantage and the efficient operation of local customs, it takes only 7-8 days to export postal items through the Heihe automobile checkpoint and undergo customs clearance, which ensures the timeliness of land transportation of goods sold within the framework of cross-border e-commerce.

    Convenient logistics channel allows Heihe to attract many enterprises engaged in cross-border e-commerce. To date, the city has built border warehouses for CET /cross-border e-commerce/ with an area of almost 20 thousand square meters, and 38 e-business entities have been registered. -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 Asia-Pac: LCQ10: Home ownership by public

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    (2) whether it has compiled statistics for each year over the past 10 years on the median monthly income and the median value of monthly mortgage repayment of local owner-occupied households; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

    (3) as there are views that home ownership can enhance people’s sense of belonging to community and foster strong work values, but according to a research brief published by the Legislative Council Secretariat in March 2021 and data from the Census and Statistics Department, the overall local home ownership rate and the home ownership rate among young people aged below 35 have both declined in recent years, whether the authorities will consider setting a home ownership rate afresh in LTHS in the future; if not, of the reasons for that; and 
    Reply:
     
    President,
     
         Hong Kong’s housing policy has all along been an important cornerstone of social development. The current-term Government put in place measures to enhance quantity, speed, efficiency and quality in land production. With our unremitting efforts in the past three years, the problem of back-loaded public housing supply (including public rental housing (PRH) and subsidised sale flats (SSF)) has completely turned around. Coupled with Light Public Housing (LPH), the total public housing supply (including also PRH and SSF) in the coming five years (i.e. 2025-26 to 2029-30) will reach 197 000 units, which is a significant increase of 85 per cent as compared with the first five year period since the current-term Government took office (i.e. 2022-23 to 2026-27). In addition, we have successfully capped the waiting time for PRH, which has reduced from the peak of 6.1 years to 5.3 years. The oversubscription rate of Home Ownership Scheme (HOS) has also dropped from the peak of 62 times in HOS 2019 to 14 times in HOS 2024. Looking ahead, with the completion of various public housing (including PRH and SSF) as well as LPH projects, the Composite Waiting Time for Subsidised Rental Housing will gradually decline. Therefore, we have more confidence to provide more SSF to further meet the home ownership aspiration of the public.
     
         Currently, about half of the households are residing in accommodations that they own. For most people, buying a property is a major life decision involving many considerations, such as family and childbearing plans as well as the pursuit of a more independent and modern lifestyle, etc. For low- to middle-income persons who cannot afford private housing, SSF is a very suitable first step in realising their dream of home ownership. In this regard, we have all along been striving to enhance the housing ladder through the provision of various types of SSF in response to the home ownership aspiration of households with different income and encourage citizens from all walks of life to move up the social ladder according to their abilities.
     
         In consultation with the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau and the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD), our reply to the questions raised by Dr the Hon Wendy Hong is as follows:
     
    (1) and (2) Results of the 2016 Population By-census and the 2021 Population Census conducted by C&SD provide statistics regarding home ownership and related demographic and socio-economic characteristics of Hong Kong’s domestic households in the past decade. The number of owner-occupier domestic households by age group of household head and type of housing are listed in Annex 1. Over the past five years, the number of owner-occupier households and households owning SSF increased by over 80 000 and nearly 30 000 respectively, representing growth rates of 6 per cent and 7 per cent. This reflects a rising trend of homeownership among families. The median monthly income and the median mortgage payment and loan repayment of owner-occupier domestic households are listed in Annex 2.
     
         It is worth noting that between 2016 and 2021, only an average of about 4 200 flats were put up for sale under each HOS sale exercise, and the oversubscription rate was as high as about 43 times on average. However, the current-term Government is very determined to tackle the housing problem in Hong Kong. As a result, in the coming five years (i.e. 2025-26 to 2029-30), in addition to PRH/Green Form Subsidised Home Ownership Scheme (GSH) flats, the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) and the Hong Kong Housing Society (HS) will have a completion of about 56 500 SSF, averaging about 11 000 units annually. This is 2.6 times of the annual output before the current-term Government took office.
     
    (3) and (4) As stated above, the current-term Government is very determined to resolve housing problem in Hong Kong and we also care about our young people. Therefore, we have introduced a number of policy measures to assist citizens (especially young people) in realising their home ownership aspiration through various aspects, such as supply, allocation and financial arrangements. Since the current-term Government took office, more than 33 000 applicants have purchased SSF, and the difficulties faced by low- and middle-income families in acquiring their own properties over the past decade or so have been clearly reversed by the concerted efforts of the various teams of the current-term Government in providing more land and housing. With the increasing supply of SSF in the coming years, more residents will experience the happiness and sense of fulfillment brought by homeownership over the next decade, enabling more families to settle securely and thrive in our city.
     
         In addition, in terms of supply, the Chief Executive announced in the 2024 Policy Address that the HA would adjust the ratio between PRH (including GSH units) and SSF to gradually adjust the ratio from 7:3 to 6:4 in order to increase the supply of SSF. In the next five years (i.e. 2025-26 to 2029-30), the HA and the HS will complete about 56 500 SSF. As stated above, we believe that a continuous and stable supply of SSF led by the Government is conducive to the upward mobility along the housing ladder and it will help those in need realise their dream of owning a home according to their respective needs and abilities.
     
         At the same time, we have also proposed a series of policy measures to meet the housing needs and demands of different citizens, including revising the ratio between Green Form and White Form in respect of HOS flats from the current 4:6 to 5:5 so as to allow more PRH tenants who would like to purchase HOS flats to move upwards; and increasing the chance of young people and applicants who have made repeated attempts to purchase SSF by optimising the sales arrangements.
     
         Starting from HOS 2024, the HA has implemented the Families with Newborns Flat Selection Priority Scheme which was announced in the 2023 Policy Address. A quota of about 40 per cent of the new flats for sale (i.e. 2 900 flats) under HOS 2024 were set aside for eligible applicants under the Families with Newborns Flat Selection Priority Scheme and the Priority Scheme for Families with Elderly Members for balloting and priority flat selection. During the application period of HOS 2024, the HA received a total of around 106 000 applications. Among them, around 50 000 came from family applicants, in which around 19 000 applied under the Priority Scheme for Families with Elderly Members and Families with Newborns Flat Selection Priority Scheme, representing around 40 per cent of family applicants. If eligible families applying under the Families with Newborns Flat Selection Priority Scheme fail to purchase a flat under HOS 2024, they may still apply under the Scheme for priority flat selection as long as their children are aged three or below on the closing day of the application of subsequent SSF sale exercises. In addition, following GSH 2024, the HA will allocate an extra ballot number to applicants who had failed to purchase a flat in the last two consecutive sale exercises starting from the next HOS exercise, so as to increase their chances of success in purchasing SSF. Based on the figures of HOS 2024, assuming all factors remain constant (including the number of applicants, their age, etc), the success rate of eligible families applying under the of Families with Newborns Flat Selection Priority Scheme in purchasing a flat will increase by about 60 per cent, after obtaining an extra ballot number.
     
         The HA has also been assisting low- to middle-income families in purchasing homes through pricing and financial arrangements. First of all, the Government revised the pricing mechanism of SSF in 2018. The pricing of SSF is calculated on the basis of applicants’ affordability, which is delinked from the private housing market. Under the current pricing mechanism, at least 75 per cent of the flats for sale can allow non-owner occupier households earning the median monthly household income to spend no more than 40 per cent of their monthly income on mortgage payment. Based on affordability calculations, the selling prices of the flats offered under latest GSH and HOS sale exercises were set at 60 per cent and 70 per cent of their assessed market value respectively.
     
         On top of this, the HA relaxed mortgage arrangements for SSF in 2024, including extending the maximum mortgage default guarantee from 30 years to 50 years and extending the maximum mortgage repayment period from 25 years to 30 years to enable purchasers of first-hand and second-hand SSF to obtain mortgage loans from banks and authorised financial institutions participating in the provision of mortgage loans for such flats. After the implementation of relevant arrangements, the number of HOS/GSH flats with a residual guarantee period of more than 10 years increased substantially from about 14 per cent to about 98 per cent. As at May 2025, the average number of transactions of second-hand SSF was about 360 per month, which was about 60 per cent higher than the average number of transactions of about 230 per month in the 12 months before the implementation. Besides, after extending the maximum mortgage repayment period for flats sold under the secondary market from 25 years to 30 years, among buyers who applied for mortgages to purchase SSF in the secondary market, more than half of the cases have a repayment period of 25 years or more. This shows that the above measures have successfully revitalised the secondary market and facilitated the turnover of SSF in the secondary market.
     
         For the secondary market, starting from White Form Secondary Market Scheme (WSM) 2024, the HA has also significantly increased the quota by 1 500 to 6 000, all of which will be allocated to young family applicants and one-person applicants aged below 40. Of all the applications for WSM 2024, more than 80 per cent (i.e. about 28 000 applications) were from young applicants who chose to participate in Youth Scheme (WSM), reflecting that the scheme is well received by young people.
     
         In addition, the Government also responds to the home ownership aspirations of higher-income persons who are not eligible for the HOS and yet cannot afford private housing through Starter Homes for Hong Kong Residents (SH) projects. Apart from the first two SH projects offered for sale by the Urban Renewal Authority (i.e. eResidence Towers 1 and 2, as well as eResidence Tower 3) with a total of over 600 SH units sold, the Government is also taking forward a few other SH projects, which will provide a total of around 5 000 SH units from the next few years onwards. Amongst applicants and final purchasers of SH units offered for sale in the past, around 85 per cent were youth aged 40 or below. We believe that this initiative may help another batch of youngsters from the middle class with higher income yet still cannot afford private housing achieve home ownership with more available options.
     
         Having regard to changes in the overall situation of the property market, the current-term Government has since February 2024 abolished all demand-side management measures for residential properties. The Hong Kong Monetary Authority has also since October 2024 adjusted the countercyclical macroprudential measures for property mortgage loans. The maximum loan-to-value (LTV) ratio and debt servicing ratio (DSR) limit were reverted to the pre-2009 levels before the countercyclical macroprudential measures were first introduced, with the maximum LTV ratio for all residential properties adjusted to 70 per cent, regardless of the value of the property, and the DSR limit adjusted to 50 per cent, providing facilitation to persons with different needs for property purchase. Individuals may also obtain high LTV ratio mortgage loans through the Mortgage Insurance Programme according to their own needs. In particular, for first-time homebuyers with regular income purchasing properties priced at $10 million or below, the LTV ratio can be up to 90 per cent, which greatly reduces their down payment burden.
     
         Furthermore, to ease the burden on buyers of properties at lower values, the Government has since 26 February 2025 adjusted the value bands of Ad Valorem Stamp Duty payable for sale and purchase or transfer of residential and non-residential properties, raising the maximum value of properties chargeable to $100 stamp duty from $3 million and $4 million, facilitating those who wish to purchase flats. As most SSF units are priced below $4 million, buyers may benefit from the aforementioned reduction in stamp duty to $100, with savings up to over $59 000. According to the information from the Inland Revenue Department, there were 3 780 duly stamped sale and purchase agreements for residential properties valued between $3 million and $4 million from March to May 2025, which represents a significant increase of over 70 per cent as compared to the same period last year (March to May 2024) where 2 183 sale and purchase agreements were duly stamped.
     
         We will continue to review whether there is room to optimise various relevant arrangements having regard to factors including developments of the property market, the home ownership needs of different citizens, etc.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • 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 China: Xi’s reply inspires American, Chinese youths to carry on friendship forged through pickleball

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Xi’s reply inspires American, Chinese youths to carry on friendship forged through pickleball

    “We are extremely honored to receive a response from President Xi,” said Jeffrey Sullivan, head of the U.S. youth pickleball cultural exchange delegation from Montgomery County, Maryland.

    Chinese President Xi Jinping recently replied to the delegation’s letter, congratulating them on their successful visit to China. In April, Sullivan led a group of 44 teachers and students from 13 U.S. schools to China under Xi’s “50,000 in Five Years” initiative, which aims to bring 50,000 young Americans to China for exchange and study programs in a five-year span.

    After visiting Shanghai, Shenzhen and Beijing, the delegation sent a letter to Xi, expressing their gratitude for the initiative, noting they had forged unforgettable friendships with Chinese youths during the trip.

    In his reply, Xi said he was pleased to see that pickleball has become a new bond for youth exchanges between China and the United States. The future of China-U.S. relations depends on the youth, said Xi, expressing the hope that the delegation members will become a new generation of ambassadors for friendship between the two countries and make greater contributions to enhancing the friendship between the two peoples.

    A TRANSFORMATIVE JOURNEY

    “Thank you again for your vision and commitment to providing opportunities for our students and our countries to come together and build friendships, relationships and cultural learning opportunities,” the delegation wrote in the letter to Xi.

    Hailing the trip as life-changing, Sullivan said it enabled his delegation to immerse themselves in the Chinese culture and experience interpersonal relationships.

    “That was made possible because of the hospitality of the Chinese people, who opened their doors to us, who served us wonderful food, who had wonderful performances showcasing the culture and traditions of China,” he said, adding, “It (the visit) would be something that we would take with us forever.”

    Echoing Sullivan, Wang Pengfei, one of the initiators of the tour, said, “We want young Americans to see today’s China for themselves.”

    “Every high-five on the court, every hands-on experience in traditional craft workshops and every visit to a high-tech company is reshaping how they perceive China’s development,” said Wang.

    For student Isabella Brant, celebrating her birthday in China was the most memorable part of the trip. She recalled playing pickleball with her Chinese partners on that day, receiving flowers, but more importantly, gaining friendship.

    “Definitely life-changing!” said Brant, adding, “I was a little nervous to go over to China, but it definitely changed my perspective on things and how I viewed everything.”

    NEW BONDS

    “It was an amazing trip for our students to build friendships through sport,” Sullivan said, adding that the exchange between American and Chinese youths during this tour is “not just on the pickleball court, but also off the court.”

    Pickleball, a paddle sport that originated in the United States that blends elements of tennis, badminton and table tennis, is easy to pick up for beginners and has rapidly gained popularity in China.

    According to Sullivan, Montgomery is the first U.S. school district to offer pickleball as a varsity sport, as this activity is fully inclusive and continues to bring people of all ability levels together.

    The Montgomery County public schools have now begun cooperation with Shenzhen Nanshan District Education Bureau, education groups of Beijing Middle School and Beijing No. 10 Middle School to establish long-term partnerships, with pickleball included as a key area of exchange.

    “I witnessed firsthand how the power of sports can transcend borders and bring people from different cultural backgrounds closer together,” said Xie Yuan, a student from Wenhua School in Shenzhen who took part in the event.

    Speaking of the friends she made during the tour, Ella Geary, a student from the delegation, said, “I find it amazing that you can just instantly bond with someone who lives on the other side of the globe.”

    Echoing Geary, Sullivan’s daughter, Reagan Sullivan, also a student from the delegation, depicted the bonds they built as “amazing and unbreakable.”

    Pickleball has become a new bond for building friendships, she said.

    PEOPLE-TO-PEOPLE FRIENDSHIP

    In April 1971, a 15-member U.S. table tennis delegation took a historic trip to China, becoming the first delegation of Americans to visit China in decades.

    Recalling the China-U.S. “Ping-Pong Diplomacy” 54 years ago, Sullivan said that sports have a unique power to bring people together.

    Beyond discovering China’s cultural charm and technological innovation, many students played Ping-Pong for the first time. Sullivan said a visit to the China Table Tennis Museum gave them deeper insight into the history of “Ping-Pong Diplomacy,” which once helped bridge U.S.-China relations.

    Upon hearing Xi’s reply, Stephen Mull, former U.S. acting undersecretary of state for political affairs, emphasized the unifying power of sports.

    “It encourages each participant to be the very best version of himself or herself while underscoring the common humanity that binds us all together on the field of play,” he explained.

    “Pickleball has served as a unique and joyful bridge between our two cultures, one that allowed for connection, mutual respect and shared learning. Like your vision, we believe that sports engagement is essential in building the foundation for lasting international friendship,” the delegation wrote in the letter to Xi.

    The vision refers to Xi’s “50,000 in Five Years” initiative, launched in November 2023. Nearly 15,000 American youth visited China by the end of 2024 under the initiative, observing China with their own eyes and traveling the expanse of the country on their own feet.

    “If I had the opportunity, I would definitely go back,” said Joel Geary, a student from the delegation.

    “We are all part of the ‘50,000 in Five Years’ initiative,” said Sun Yuyan, a student who participated in the event from Shanghai Luwan High School, adding, “The future of China-U.S. relations should be a shared future shaped by our generation, one that lives up to the promise of our youth.”

    “I would love to organize additional exchanges and opportunities, whether it’s through pickleball or other sports, using them as a platform to bring people together,” said Sullivan.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Xi’s reply inspires American, Chinese youths to carry on friendship forged through pickleball

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Xi’s reply inspires American, Chinese youths to carry on friendship forged through pickleball

    “We are extremely honored to receive a response from President Xi,” said Jeffrey Sullivan, head of the U.S. youth pickleball cultural exchange delegation from Montgomery County, Maryland.

    Chinese President Xi Jinping recently replied to the delegation’s letter, congratulating them on their successful visit to China. In April, Sullivan led a group of 44 teachers and students from 13 U.S. schools to China under Xi’s “50,000 in Five Years” initiative, which aims to bring 50,000 young Americans to China for exchange and study programs in a five-year span.

    After visiting Shanghai, Shenzhen and Beijing, the delegation sent a letter to Xi, expressing their gratitude for the initiative, noting they had forged unforgettable friendships with Chinese youths during the trip.

    In his reply, Xi said he was pleased to see that pickleball has become a new bond for youth exchanges between China and the United States. The future of China-U.S. relations depends on the youth, said Xi, expressing the hope that the delegation members will become a new generation of ambassadors for friendship between the two countries and make greater contributions to enhancing the friendship between the two peoples.

    A TRANSFORMATIVE JOURNEY

    “Thank you again for your vision and commitment to providing opportunities for our students and our countries to come together and build friendships, relationships and cultural learning opportunities,” the delegation wrote in the letter to Xi.

    Hailing the trip as life-changing, Sullivan said it enabled his delegation to immerse themselves in the Chinese culture and experience interpersonal relationships.

    “That was made possible because of the hospitality of the Chinese people, who opened their doors to us, who served us wonderful food, who had wonderful performances showcasing the culture and traditions of China,” he said, adding, “It (the visit) would be something that we would take with us forever.”

    Echoing Sullivan, Wang Pengfei, one of the initiators of the tour, said, “We want young Americans to see today’s China for themselves.”

    “Every high-five on the court, every hands-on experience in traditional craft workshops and every visit to a high-tech company is reshaping how they perceive China’s development,” said Wang.

    For student Isabella Brant, celebrating her birthday in China was the most memorable part of the trip. She recalled playing pickleball with her Chinese partners on that day, receiving flowers, but more importantly, gaining friendship.

    “Definitely life-changing!” said Brant, adding, “I was a little nervous to go over to China, but it definitely changed my perspective on things and how I viewed everything.”

    NEW BONDS

    “It was an amazing trip for our students to build friendships through sport,” Sullivan said, adding that the exchange between American and Chinese youths during this tour is “not just on the pickleball court, but also off the court.”

    Pickleball, a paddle sport that originated in the United States that blends elements of tennis, badminton and table tennis, is easy to pick up for beginners and has rapidly gained popularity in China.

    According to Sullivan, Montgomery is the first U.S. school district to offer pickleball as a varsity sport, as this activity is fully inclusive and continues to bring people of all ability levels together.

    The Montgomery County public schools have now begun cooperation with Shenzhen Nanshan District Education Bureau, education groups of Beijing Middle School and Beijing No. 10 Middle School to establish long-term partnerships, with pickleball included as a key area of exchange.

    “I witnessed firsthand how the power of sports can transcend borders and bring people from different cultural backgrounds closer together,” said Xie Yuan, a student from Wenhua School in Shenzhen who took part in the event.

    Speaking of the friends she made during the tour, Ella Geary, a student from the delegation, said, “I find it amazing that you can just instantly bond with someone who lives on the other side of the globe.”

    Echoing Geary, Sullivan’s daughter, Reagan Sullivan, also a student from the delegation, depicted the bonds they built as “amazing and unbreakable.”

    Pickleball has become a new bond for building friendships, she said.

    PEOPLE-TO-PEOPLE FRIENDSHIP

    In April 1971, a 15-member U.S. table tennis delegation took a historic trip to China, becoming the first delegation of Americans to visit China in decades.

    Recalling the China-U.S. “Ping-Pong Diplomacy” 54 years ago, Sullivan said that sports have a unique power to bring people together.

    Beyond discovering China’s cultural charm and technological innovation, many students played Ping-Pong for the first time. Sullivan said a visit to the China Table Tennis Museum gave them deeper insight into the history of “Ping-Pong Diplomacy,” which once helped bridge U.S.-China relations.

    Upon hearing Xi’s reply, Stephen Mull, former U.S. acting undersecretary of state for political affairs, emphasized the unifying power of sports.

    “It encourages each participant to be the very best version of himself or herself while underscoring the common humanity that binds us all together on the field of play,” he explained.

    “Pickleball has served as a unique and joyful bridge between our two cultures, one that allowed for connection, mutual respect and shared learning. Like your vision, we believe that sports engagement is essential in building the foundation for lasting international friendship,” the delegation wrote in the letter to Xi.

    The vision refers to Xi’s “50,000 in Five Years” initiative, launched in November 2023. Nearly 15,000 American youth visited China by the end of 2024 under the initiative, observing China with their own eyes and traveling the expanse of the country on their own feet.

    “If I had the opportunity, I would definitely go back,” said Joel Geary, a student from the delegation.

    “We are all part of the ‘50,000 in Five Years’ initiative,” said Sun Yuyan, a student who participated in the event from Shanghai Luwan High School, adding, “The future of China-U.S. relations should be a shared future shaped by our generation, one that lives up to the promise of our youth.”

    “I would love to organize additional exchanges and opportunities, whether it’s through pickleball or other sports, using them as a platform to bring people together,” said Sullivan.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Xi’s reply inspires American, Chinese youths to carry on friendship forged through pickleball

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Xi’s reply inspires American, Chinese youths to carry on friendship forged through pickleball

    “We are extremely honored to receive a response from President Xi,” said Jeffrey Sullivan, head of the U.S. youth pickleball cultural exchange delegation from Montgomery County, Maryland.

    Chinese President Xi Jinping recently replied to the delegation’s letter, congratulating them on their successful visit to China. In April, Sullivan led a group of 44 teachers and students from 13 U.S. schools to China under Xi’s “50,000 in Five Years” initiative, which aims to bring 50,000 young Americans to China for exchange and study programs in a five-year span.

    After visiting Shanghai, Shenzhen and Beijing, the delegation sent a letter to Xi, expressing their gratitude for the initiative, noting they had forged unforgettable friendships with Chinese youths during the trip.

    In his reply, Xi said he was pleased to see that pickleball has become a new bond for youth exchanges between China and the United States. The future of China-U.S. relations depends on the youth, said Xi, expressing the hope that the delegation members will become a new generation of ambassadors for friendship between the two countries and make greater contributions to enhancing the friendship between the two peoples.

    A TRANSFORMATIVE JOURNEY

    “Thank you again for your vision and commitment to providing opportunities for our students and our countries to come together and build friendships, relationships and cultural learning opportunities,” the delegation wrote in the letter to Xi.

    Hailing the trip as life-changing, Sullivan said it enabled his delegation to immerse themselves in the Chinese culture and experience interpersonal relationships.

    “That was made possible because of the hospitality of the Chinese people, who opened their doors to us, who served us wonderful food, who had wonderful performances showcasing the culture and traditions of China,” he said, adding, “It (the visit) would be something that we would take with us forever.”

    Echoing Sullivan, Wang Pengfei, one of the initiators of the tour, said, “We want young Americans to see today’s China for themselves.”

    “Every high-five on the court, every hands-on experience in traditional craft workshops and every visit to a high-tech company is reshaping how they perceive China’s development,” said Wang.

    For student Isabella Brant, celebrating her birthday in China was the most memorable part of the trip. She recalled playing pickleball with her Chinese partners on that day, receiving flowers, but more importantly, gaining friendship.

    “Definitely life-changing!” said Brant, adding, “I was a little nervous to go over to China, but it definitely changed my perspective on things and how I viewed everything.”

    NEW BONDS

    “It was an amazing trip for our students to build friendships through sport,” Sullivan said, adding that the exchange between American and Chinese youths during this tour is “not just on the pickleball court, but also off the court.”

    Pickleball, a paddle sport that originated in the United States that blends elements of tennis, badminton and table tennis, is easy to pick up for beginners and has rapidly gained popularity in China.

    According to Sullivan, Montgomery is the first U.S. school district to offer pickleball as a varsity sport, as this activity is fully inclusive and continues to bring people of all ability levels together.

    The Montgomery County public schools have now begun cooperation with Shenzhen Nanshan District Education Bureau, education groups of Beijing Middle School and Beijing No. 10 Middle School to establish long-term partnerships, with pickleball included as a key area of exchange.

    “I witnessed firsthand how the power of sports can transcend borders and bring people from different cultural backgrounds closer together,” said Xie Yuan, a student from Wenhua School in Shenzhen who took part in the event.

    Speaking of the friends she made during the tour, Ella Geary, a student from the delegation, said, “I find it amazing that you can just instantly bond with someone who lives on the other side of the globe.”

    Echoing Geary, Sullivan’s daughter, Reagan Sullivan, also a student from the delegation, depicted the bonds they built as “amazing and unbreakable.”

    Pickleball has become a new bond for building friendships, she said.

    PEOPLE-TO-PEOPLE FRIENDSHIP

    In April 1971, a 15-member U.S. table tennis delegation took a historic trip to China, becoming the first delegation of Americans to visit China in decades.

    Recalling the China-U.S. “Ping-Pong Diplomacy” 54 years ago, Sullivan said that sports have a unique power to bring people together.

    Beyond discovering China’s cultural charm and technological innovation, many students played Ping-Pong for the first time. Sullivan said a visit to the China Table Tennis Museum gave them deeper insight into the history of “Ping-Pong Diplomacy,” which once helped bridge U.S.-China relations.

    Upon hearing Xi’s reply, Stephen Mull, former U.S. acting undersecretary of state for political affairs, emphasized the unifying power of sports.

    “It encourages each participant to be the very best version of himself or herself while underscoring the common humanity that binds us all together on the field of play,” he explained.

    “Pickleball has served as a unique and joyful bridge between our two cultures, one that allowed for connection, mutual respect and shared learning. Like your vision, we believe that sports engagement is essential in building the foundation for lasting international friendship,” the delegation wrote in the letter to Xi.

    The vision refers to Xi’s “50,000 in Five Years” initiative, launched in November 2023. Nearly 15,000 American youth visited China by the end of 2024 under the initiative, observing China with their own eyes and traveling the expanse of the country on their own feet.

    “If I had the opportunity, I would definitely go back,” said Joel Geary, a student from the delegation.

    “We are all part of the ‘50,000 in Five Years’ initiative,” said Sun Yuyan, a student who participated in the event from Shanghai Luwan High School, adding, “The future of China-U.S. relations should be a shared future shaped by our generation, one that lives up to the promise of our youth.”

    “I would love to organize additional exchanges and opportunities, whether it’s through pickleball or other sports, using them as a platform to bring people together,” said Sullivan.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • India set to explore over 2.5 lakh sq km in one of the largest offshore energy efforts

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    In one of the world’s largest offshore energy exploration initiatives, India is set to explore more than 2.5 lakh square kilometres under the Open Acreage Licensing Programme (OALP) Round X, Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri said on Wednesday.

    “We are ready to enter a new era of energy… In the field of oil and gas exploration and production, there are no longer obstacles, only possibilities,” the minister said in a post on X.

    Hardeep Singh Puri is currently attending a meeting of the Offshore Energy Cluster in Bergen, Norway.

    “The bold decision taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the ‘no-go’ area is not only strengthening the country’s energy security but also preparing India to lead a major transformation in the energy sector,” he added.

    The Union Minister also met Kristian Sorensen, CEO of BW LPG, the world’s leading owner and operator of LPG vessels, which owns and operates Very Large Gas Carriers (VLGCs) with a total carrying capacity of over 4 million CBM.

    “The company is among the leaders in LPG shipping, accounting for 20 per cent of LPG imports into India. During our meeting in Oslo, we discussed ways to further strengthen the collaboration between BW LPG and Indian energy companies,” Puri said.

    Meanwhile, the oil and gas blocks being offered under the OALP have already attracted interest from both global and domestic energy players. Round X is expected to set new benchmarks for participation and investment.

    The Petroleum Ministry has also invited feedback and suggestions on the Draft Petroleum and Natural Gas Rules, the Model Revenue Sharing Contract (MRSC), and the Petroleum Lease by July 17, 2025, as part of India’s push to accelerate the oil and gas sector.

    Hardeep Puri is scheduled to engage with ministers, officials and industry leaders at ‘Urja Varta 2025’ at Bharat Mandapam on July 17, ahead of India’s Round X of exploration and production bidding for oil and gas blocks, which is among the largest globally.

    —IANS

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Representatives of SPbGASU took part in the congress of young scientists

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Chairperson of the Council of Young Scientists of SPbGASU Alexandra Glukhova, head of the student scientific society of the construction faculty Ksenia Ivanyuzhenko and student of the faculty of forensic examinations and law in construction and transport Kirill Besedin took part in the XIII Congress of councils of young scientists and student scientific societies “From the depths of traditions – to the heights of technology”, which was held from July 2 to 5 in Ufa.

    This year, the congress was the largest in its history. Its main objective was to involve young people in the development of science to ensure Russia’s technological leadership. Numerous sessions, divided into blocks, provided an opportunity to adopt experience and directly ask questions of interest to leading representatives of the business community, science and the state. The sessions were held in various formats: reports, master classes, panel discussions, round tables.

    “I especially remember the panel discussion “How to become a rector?” and the round table of the industry community “Construction and architecture”. There were many opportunities to prove yourself at the congress: to participate in sessions, in special stations from partners, in the evening program, which helped to establish useful connections. I received a powerful boost of motivation: when you get into an environment of like-minded people, where everyone’s eyes light up from what they do, it is impossible to remain indifferent,” noted Ksenia Ivanyuzhenko.

    “During the congress, we managed to attend many lectures, round tables, scientific discussions and other events dedicated to issues of scientific career, interaction between science and business, grant support for young scientists, advanced information technologies. In addition, a great program of informal events was organized, as a result of which we were able to meet and communicate with outstanding figures of modern science, establish friendly relations with representatives of student scientific societies of Moscow State University, the Academy under the President of the Russian Federation, the Customs Academy, which, I hope, will become the necessary foundation for organizing inter-university scientific events,” said Kirill Besedin.

    “An important milestone of the congress was the creation of the industry community “Construction and Architecture”, which included representatives of such specialized universities as the Nizhny Novgorod State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Moscow State University of Civil Engineering, Tomsk State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Penza State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Moscow Architectural Institute and others. In the round table format, we discussed the problems of organizing scientific activity within our areas and outlined ways to combine efforts in promoting research by young scientists, holding joint events and exchanging experience.

    I managed to talk with the Chairman of the Coordinating Council for Youth Affairs in the Scientific and Educational Spheres of the Council under the President of the Russian Federation for Science and Education, Nikita Marchenkov, and discuss issues of participation of representatives of the Construction and Architecture community in the sessions of the Congress of Young Scientists,” said Alexandra Glukhova.

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

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    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: 9 July 2025 Departmental update WHO, UNICEF update country tracker on water, sanitation and hygiene in health-care facilities, showing progress across 107 countries

    Source: World Health Organisation

    The World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF have released an updated country progress tracker that shows how countries are advancing efforts to improve water, sanitation, hygiene (WASH) and waste services in health-care facilities. The tracker, now covering 107 countries – up from 75 two years ago – underpins global monitoring against the 2023 United Nations General Assembly Resolution on WASH, waste and electricity in health-care facilities.

    The tracker provides the most comprehensive picture yet of how countries are taking forward the eight practical steps to improve WASH services in health facilities, from establishing national standards to developing costed roadmaps, strengthening health information systems and building workforce capacity.

    “This data shows that nearly every country is taking action,” said Maggie Montgomery, Technical Officer at WHO. “We see strong momentum on developing national standards and conducting baseline assessments, but critical gaps remain. Only 17% of countries have secured sufficient financing to improve and sustain these essential services. That means patients, staff and communities continue to face unnecessary risks.”

    Half of healthcare facilities worldwide lack basic hygiene services with water and soap or alcohol-based hand rub where patients receive care and at toilets in these facilities, according to the latest Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) report by WHO and UNICEF. Around 3.85 billion people use these facilities, putting them at greater risk of infection, including 688 million people who receive care at facilities with no hygiene services at all.

    The updated analysis also highlights encouraging trends. Over 90% of countries have undertaken baseline assessments or developed standards. Nearly half of countries updating WASH and waste guidelines are integrating climate resilience and sustainability considerations, such as installing safe water storage, using greener plumbing materials and expanding non-burn waste treatment.

    “We’ve seen that progress is possible even in the most challenging contexts,” said Lindsay Denny Naughton, WASH Specialist at UNICEF. “Where countries work on multiple areas at once – from standards to infrastructure to integrating WASH into national health monitoring – these efforts reinforce each other and drive system-wide improvements. It’s clear that equity, including addressing the needs of women, girls and people with disabilities, has to be central to these efforts.”

    The updated tracker comes ahead of a global webinar on 29 July, hosted by WHO and UNICEF, which will share country experiences and highlight what more is needed to meet the targets set in the 2023 UN Resolution. The forthcoming WHO/UNICEF Global Progress Report on WASH and waste in health-care facilities, to be launched in October 2025, will provide further insights based on these country updates.

    Last week, WHO Europe convened countries and partners in Budapest under the Protocol on Water and Health to explore how global commitments can be translated into action at the national level, including through better financing models and integrating WASH into broader health, climate and antimicrobial resistance strategies.

    Montgomery emphasized: “We know what actions need to be taken, we have the tools and evidence and investing makes sense. Every dollar spent on hand hygiene in health-care facilities yields a return of 25 dollars. Now is the time to translate this momentum into concrete, sustainable improvements.”

    MIL OSI United Nations News –