NewzIntel.com

Category: Transport

  • MIL-OSI: RYVYL Appoints Industry Veteran Brett Moyer to Its Board of Directors

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SAN DIEGO, CA, June 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — RYVYL Inc. (NASDAQ: RVYL) (“RYVYL” or the “Company”), a leading innovator of payment transaction solutions leveraging electronic payment technology, has appointed industry veteran Brett Moyer as an independent member of its board of directors, effective immediately.

    “I’m delighted to welcome Brett Moyer to our board,” said RYVYL Co-founder and Chairman Ben Errez. “Brett’s experience in building companies and proven expertise in scaling and licensing technology platforms will be instrumental as we focus on our next phase of growth opportunities. We look forward to his insights and leadership as we continue advancing our technology and expanding into new markets.”

    Moyer said, “I’m excited to join the RYVYL board during this transitional phase in the company’s history. I look forward to collaborating with my fellow directors and the management team to help shape strategy and support execution as the company pursues multiple growth opportunities in a dynamic industry, including pursuing a legacy vertical market in North America and expanding its blockchain applications and crypto capabilities.”

    Brett Moyer is currently chief financial officer of Datavault AI, a leader in AI-driven data experience, valuation and monetization. He was founding member of WiSA Technologies and served as president, CEO, and director from August 2010 until December 2024, when the company acquired Data Vault Holdings’ assets and expanded its operations as Datavault AI. Previously, he was president and CEO of Focus Enhancements and held leadership roles at Zenith Electronics earlier in his career. Mr. Moyer has served on the boards of Alliant International University since 2016 and previously for HotChalk, Inc. and NeoMagic Corporation. He holds a BA in Economics from Beloit College and an MBA from Thunderbird School of Global Management.

    On June 10, 2025, David Montoya resigned from his position on the board of directors. The total number of directors remains at five.

    About RYVYL

    RYVYL Inc. (NASDAQ: RVYL) was born from a passion for empowering a new way to conduct business-to-business, consumer-to-business, and peer-to-peer payment transactions around the globe. By leveraging electronic payment technology for diverse international markets, RYVYL is a leading innovator of payment transaction solutions reinventing the future of financial transactions. Since its founding as GreenBox POS in 2017 in San Diego, RYVYL has developed applications enabling an end-to-end suite of turnkey financial products with enhanced security and data privacy, world-class identity theft protection, and rapid speed to settlement. As a result, the platform can log immense volumes of immutable transactional records at the speed of the internet for first-tier partners, merchants, and consumers around the globe. www.ryvyl.com

    Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release includes information that constitutes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These forward-looking statements are based on the Company’s current beliefs, assumptions and expectations regarding future events, which in turn are based on information currently available to the Company. Such forward-looking statements include statements that are characterized by future or conditional words such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “intend,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate” and “continue” or similar words. You should read statements that contain these words carefully because they discuss future expectations and plans, which contain projections of future results of operations or financial condition or state other forward-looking information.

    By their nature, forward-looking statements address matters that are subject to risks and uncertainties. A variety of factors could cause actual events and results to differ materially from those expressed in or contemplated by the forward-looking statements. Risk factors affecting the Company are discussed in detail in the Company’s filings with the SEC. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except to the extent required by applicable laws.

    IR Contact:
    David Barnard, Alliance Advisors Investor Relations, 415-433-3777, ryvylinvestor@allianceadvisors.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Samoan fashion designer fatally shot at Salt Lake City ‘no kings’ protest

    RNZ Pacific

    A renowned Samoan fashion designer was fatally shot at the “No Kings” protest in Salt Lake City on Saturday, the Salt Lake City Police Department (SLCPD) has confirmed.

    Arthur Folasa Ah Loo, known as Afa Ah Loo, an “innocent bystander” at the protest, died despite efforts by paramedics to save his life, police said.

    Ah Loo, a Utah resident, died at the hospital. The Utah Office of the Medical Examiner will determine the official cause and manner of death.

    The SLPCD said the incident began about 7.56pm local time when a sergeant assigned to the SLCPD Motor Squad reported hearing gunfire near 151 South State Street.

    It said the sergeant and his squad were working to facilitate traffic and help to ensure public safety during a permitted demonstration that drew an estimated 10,000 participants.

    “As panic spread throughout the area, hundreds of people ran for safety, hiding in parking garages, behind barriers, and going into nearby businesses.

    “The first officers on scene notified SLCPD’s incident management team using their police radios.”

    The SLCPD said officers quickly moved in to secure the scene and search for any active threats and found a man who had been shot and immediately began life-saving efforts.

    “Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the 39-year-old man who was killed, and with the many community members who were impacted by this traumatic incident,” Salt Lake City police chief Brian Redd said.

    “When this shooting happened, the response of our officers and detectives was fast, brave, and highly coordinated. It speaks to the calibre of this great department and our law enforcement partners.”

    Detectives working to thoroughly investigate
     The SLCPD said about 8pm, members of its Violent Criminal Apprehension Team (VCAT) and Gang Unit were flagged down near 102 South 200 East, where officers found a man crouching among a group of people with a gunshot wound.

    The man is identified as 24-year-old Arturo Gamboa, who was dressed in all black clothing and wearing a black mask.

    “As officers approached, community members pointed out a nearby firearm, which was described as an AR15-style rifle.

    “Officers also located a gas mask, black clothing, and a backpack in close proximity. The items were collected and processed by the SLCPD Crime Lab.

    “Paramedics took Gamboa to the hospital. Detectives later booked Gamboa into the Salt Lake County Metro Jail on a charge of murder.

    Police said officers also detained two men who were wearing high-visibility neon green vests and carrying handguns.

    Peacekeeping team
    These men were apparently part of the event’s peacekeeping team.

    According to the police, detectives learned during interviews that the two peacekeepers saw Gamboa move away from the crowd and move into a secluded area behind a wall — behavior they found suspicious.

    “One of the peacekeepers told detectives he saw Gamboa pull out an AR15-style rifle from a backpack and begin manipulating it.

    “The peacekeepers drew their firearms and ordered Gamboa to drop the weapon.

    “Witnesses reported Gamboa instead lifted the rifle and began running toward the crowd gathered on State Street, holding the weapon in a firing position.

    “In response, one of the peacekeepers fired three rounds. One round struck Gamboa, while another tragically wounded Mr Ah Loo.”

    “Our detectives are now working to thoroughly investigate the circumstances surrounding this incident,” Redd said.

    “We will not allow this individual act to create fear in our community.”

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Samoan fashion designer fatally shot at Salt Lake City ‘no kings’ protest

    RNZ Pacific

    A renowned Samoan fashion designer was fatally shot at the “No Kings” protest in Salt Lake City on Saturday, the Salt Lake City Police Department (SLCPD) has confirmed.

    Arthur Folasa Ah Loo, known as Afa Ah Loo, an “innocent bystander” at the protest, died despite efforts by paramedics to save his life, police said.

    Ah Loo, a Utah resident, died at the hospital. The Utah Office of the Medical Examiner will determine the official cause and manner of death.

    The SLPCD said the incident began about 7.56pm local time when a sergeant assigned to the SLCPD Motor Squad reported hearing gunfire near 151 South State Street.

    It said the sergeant and his squad were working to facilitate traffic and help to ensure public safety during a permitted demonstration that drew an estimated 10,000 participants.

    “As panic spread throughout the area, hundreds of people ran for safety, hiding in parking garages, behind barriers, and going into nearby businesses.

    “The first officers on scene notified SLCPD’s incident management team using their police radios.”

    The SLCPD said officers quickly moved in to secure the scene and search for any active threats and found a man who had been shot and immediately began life-saving efforts.

    “Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the 39-year-old man who was killed, and with the many community members who were impacted by this traumatic incident,” Salt Lake City police chief Brian Redd said.

    “When this shooting happened, the response of our officers and detectives was fast, brave, and highly coordinated. It speaks to the calibre of this great department and our law enforcement partners.”

    Detectives working to thoroughly investigate
     The SLCPD said about 8pm, members of its Violent Criminal Apprehension Team (VCAT) and Gang Unit were flagged down near 102 South 200 East, where officers found a man crouching among a group of people with a gunshot wound.

    The man is identified as 24-year-old Arturo Gamboa, who was dressed in all black clothing and wearing a black mask.

    “As officers approached, community members pointed out a nearby firearm, which was described as an AR15-style rifle.

    “Officers also located a gas mask, black clothing, and a backpack in close proximity. The items were collected and processed by the SLCPD Crime Lab.

    “Paramedics took Gamboa to the hospital. Detectives later booked Gamboa into the Salt Lake County Metro Jail on a charge of murder.

    Police said officers also detained two men who were wearing high-visibility neon green vests and carrying handguns.

    Peacekeeping team
    These men were apparently part of the event’s peacekeeping team.

    According to the police, detectives learned during interviews that the two peacekeepers saw Gamboa move away from the crowd and move into a secluded area behind a wall — behavior they found suspicious.

    “One of the peacekeepers told detectives he saw Gamboa pull out an AR15-style rifle from a backpack and begin manipulating it.

    “The peacekeepers drew their firearms and ordered Gamboa to drop the weapon.

    “Witnesses reported Gamboa instead lifted the rifle and began running toward the crowd gathered on State Street, holding the weapon in a firing position.

    “In response, one of the peacekeepers fired three rounds. One round struck Gamboa, while another tragically wounded Mr Ah Loo.”

    “Our detectives are now working to thoroughly investigate the circumstances surrounding this incident,” Redd said.

    “We will not allow this individual act to create fear in our community.”

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • Prime Minister Modi holds bilateral talks with Cyprus President Christodoulides in Nicosia

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday held comprehensive bilateral discussions with the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides, during his official visit to the Mediterranean nation. The talks were held at the Presidential Palace in Nicosia, where Prime Minister Modi was received with ceremonial honours.

    During the talks, Prime Minister Modi conveyed his appreciation for Cyprus’s unequivocal condemnation of the terrorist attack in Pahalgam in April 2025. “India deeply values Cyprus’s solidarity and its consistent support in our fight against terrorism,” the Prime Minister said, adding that “our shared commitment to combating terrorism binds us further.”

    The two leaders reaffirmed their support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of both nations. Prime Minister Modi reiterated India’s longstanding support for the unity of Cyprus and called for a peaceful resolution of the Cyprus issue in accordance with United Nations Security Council resolutions, international law, and the European Union Acquis.

    Both sides reviewed the entire spectrum of bilateral cooperation, including trade and investment, scientific research, cultural engagement, and people-to-people ties. They explored new areas of collaboration in fintech, digitalization, defence, AI, innovation, start-ups, and mobility.

    The leaders agreed to chart a five-year roadmap to deepen engagement in strategic sectors and to establish new dialogues on maritime and cyber security. “We are committed to working together on real-time intelligence sharing to counter terrorism, arms trafficking, and narcotics trade,” Prime Minister Modi said following the discussions.

    Looking ahead to Cyprus’s upcoming Presidency of the Council of the European Union in early 2026, the two leaders expressed their readiness to further strengthen the India-EU partnership. They discussed the progress of the first India-EU Strategic Dialogue and the work under way through the India-EU Trade and Technology Council. Both sides reaffirmed their support for concluding the long-pending EU–India Free Trade Agreement by the end of 2025.

    Cyprus assured its commitment to prioritising the EU–India strategic partnership during its presidency, particularly in areas such as defence and security, green and clean energy, maritime cooperation, and space.

    The two sides welcomed the Bilateral Defence Cooperation Programme signed earlier in January this year, which is expected to further cement the defence partnership. The establishment of the India-Greece-Cyprus (IGC) Business and Investment Council was also noted as a key step in enhancing trilateral cooperation.

    The leaders discussed the importance of improving air connectivity to facilitate business, tourism, and knowledge exchange. Prime Minister Modi also underscored the strategic relevance of the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), stating that the project would bring long-term peace and prosperity to the region.

    On multilateral cooperation, both countries reaffirmed their commitment to global governance reforms. Prime Minister Modi thanked President Christodoulides for reiterating Cyprus’s support for India’s permanent membership in a reformed United Nations Security Council. “India believes the global order must evolve to reflect the realities of the 21st century,” he said.

    The two leaders also exchanged views on pressing international issues, including conflicts in West Asia and Europe. As part of the cultural cooperation between the two countries, an MoU was signed to establish an India Studies Chair under the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) at the University of Nicosia.

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Migrants and Diaspora Drive Development Through Remittance Flows

    Source: International Organization for Migration (IOM)

    Geneva, 16 June 2025 – Against a backdrop of economic uncertainty, conflict, and rising inequality, one financial flow has remained remarkably steady: the money migrants send home. On the International Day of Family Remittances, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) celebrates the powerful role of migrants and diaspora communities in supporting families and driving development worldwide through remittance flows. 

    “When migrants send money home, they are doing far more than providing for their families,” said IOM Director General Amy Pope. “They are building stronger communities, boosting local economies, and helping entire regions recover and grow. Remittances support children’s education, allow women to start businesses, and provide a vital cushion in times of crisis. When invested wisely, they are a powerful tool for development that benefits both countries of origin and destination.” 

    In 2024 alone, migrants sent an estimated USD 700 billion to low- and middle-income countries. These transfers now surpass official development assistance and foreign direct investment to those same countries, making remittances one of the most dependable sources of external financing. 

    More than just lifelines, remittances enable families to meet essential needs, from food and housing to education and healthcare. They also help communities recover and rebuild, supporting job creation, small businesses, and economic resilience, especially in areas affected by conflict and displacement. 

    Beyond their impact on families and communities back home, remittances also support host communities by stimulating local economies and strengthening social ties. Migrants provide a vital workforce for host countries, meeting labor gaps, and bolstering economic growth, creating a win-win situation.

    IOM works globally to expand access to financial services, promote safe and regular migration pathways, and support migrants in contributing meaningfully to both their countries of origin and destination. 

    Despite their impact, remittance flows are often hindered by high transfer costs and limited access to financial services. IOM continues to advocate for lower transaction fees, expanded digital and financial tools, safer and regular migration pathways, and greater inclusion of diaspora communities in national development strategies. 

    As the international community prepares for the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development in Seville, IOM calls on governments, financial institutions, and development partners to work together to create a supportive environment for remittances. Unlocking the full potential of these financial flows will help ensure that they contribute meaningfully to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women Opens Ninety-First Session in Geneva

    Source: United Nations – Geneva

    The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women this morning opened its ninety-first session, hearing a statement from a representative of the Secretary-General and adopting its agenda and programme of work for the session.  During the session, the Committee will review the reports of Afghanistan, Botswana, Chad, Ireland, Mexico, San Marino and Thailand, and adopt concluding observations on the reports of Fiji, Solomon Islands and Tuvalu, which it reviewed during a technical cooperation session held in Fiji in April.

    Andrea Ori, Chief of the Groups in Focus Section, Human Rights Council and Treaty Mechanisms Division, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and Representative of the Secretary-General, said he was pleased to announce the opening of the session, after the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights was able to confirm it only last month due to the ongoing liquidity crisis affecting the United Nations.

    Mr. Ori said this year marked the twenty-fifth anniversary of Security Council resolution 1325 of 31 October 2000, a landmark document that recognised the disproportionate impact of conflicts on women and girls and the crucial role of women in conflict prevention, conflict management and sustainable peace efforts.

    Noting with concern that some 120 conflicts were currently affecting civilians and communities worldwide, and that women and girls were primarily targeted by gender-based violence as a tactic of war, Mr. Ori commended the Committee on its work to update general recommendation 30, which provided authoritative guidance to States parties on concrete measures to ensure that women’s rights were protected before, during and after conflict.

    Mr. Ori also announced with regret that the global funding crisis was affecting the Committee’s work directly. Due to the lack of funding, the Office of the High Commissioner was planning and operating under the assumption that no Committee would have a third session.

    He concluded by thanking the Committee for its unwavering commitment and dedication to advancing women’s rights and wished it a successful and productive session.

    Nahla Haidar, Committee Chairperson, said that the Committee was meeting in one of the most challenging times for the multilateral system, amidst devastating conflicts, a weakening of the rule of law, and scarce resources.  Human rights mechanisms needed to be protected more than ever for the benefit of all stakeholders.

    During the meeting, the Chair and Committee Experts discussed the activities they had undertaken since the last session.  Bandana Rana, on behalf of Brenda Akia, Committee Rapporteur and Chairperson of the Pre-Sessional Working Group, and Jelena Pia-Comella, Committee Rapporteur on follow-up to concluding observations, also briefed the Committee on their work.

    The Committee’s ninety-first session is being held from 16 June to 4 July.  All documents relating to the Committee’s work, including reports submitted by States parties, can be found on the session’s webpage.  Meeting summary releases can be found here.  The webcast of the Committee’s public meetings can be accessed via the UN Web TV webpage. 

    The Committee will next meet at 3 p.m. this today, Monday, 16 June, with the representatives of national human rights institutions and non-governmental organizations of Mexico, Thailand and Ireland, whose reports will be reviewed this week. 

    Opening Statement

    ANDREA ORI, Chief of the Groups in Focus Section, Human Rights Council and Treaty Mechanisms Division, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and Representative of the Secretary-General, said he was pleased to announce the opening of the session, after the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights was able to confirm it only last month due to the ongoing liquidity crisis affecting the United Nations.  The Committee’s pre-sessional working group, scheduled to be held after this session, and the sessions of both Optional Protocol Working Groups directly preceding this session were cancelled due to lack of funding.

    This year marked the twenty-fifth anniversary of Security Council resolution 1325 of 31 October 2000, a landmark document that recognised the disproportionate impact of conflicts on women and girls and the crucial role of women in conflict prevention, conflict management and sustainable peace efforts, reflecting international human rights norms.

    Some 120 conflicts were affecting civilians and communities worldwide, and women and girls were primarily targeted by gender-based violence, in particular sexual violence, as a tactic of war to humiliate, dominate, instil fear in, and displace communities.  Situations of insecurity, organised violence and armed conflicts exacerbated pre-existing gender inequalities and placed women and girls at an increased risk of gender-based violence.  Mr. Ori commended the Committee on its work to update general recommendation 30 on women in conflict prevention, conflict and post-conflict situations, which provided authoritative guidance to States parties on concrete measures to ensure that women’s rights were protected before, during and after conflict, and highlighted the importance of women’s meaningful participation in conflict prevention, resolution and peacebuilding.

    Mr. Ori welcomed that the Committee’s Chair would participate in the first panel of the 2025 annual full-day discussion on the human rights of women at the fifty-ninth session of the Human Rights Council, to be held on 24 June 2025 under the theme “Gender-based violence against women and girls in conflict, post-conflict and humanitarian settings”.  The second panel of the Council’s annual full-day discussion would focus on the theme “Commemoration of the International Day of Women in Diplomacy focusing on overcoming barriers to women’s leadership in peace processes”.  

    Mr. Ori said the global funding crisis was affecting the Committee’s work directly.  It was highly likely that, for those treaty bodies with three annual sessions, the Office of the High Commissioner would not be able to secure the funding to hold their third session.  The Office was therefore planning and operating under the assumption that no Committee would have a third session. The Office had received only 73 per cent of its approved regular budget in 2025, and 87 per cent of its approved regular budget in 2024. 

    The United Nations Office at Geneva’s conference services had also adopted cash conservation measures, which would impact the conference support provided to the United Nations human rights treaty bodies, with an overall reduction of 10 per cent.  With further reduction of the allotment, the mandated activities of treaty bodies would be even more affected in 2025 than in 2024. This would impact the treaty bodies’ ability to hold dialogues with States parties and to take decisions on individual communications, resulting in further delays and backlogs, and the Office was obliged to significantly reduce treaty body capacity building activities. 

    All this caused real damage to predictability, which was so important for States, civil society organizations and rights-holders to engage with treaty bodies.  Given the overall reduction in funds and availability of support services, “business as usual” was no longer possible and the treaty bodies needed to plan on “doing less with less”.

    The thirty-seventh annual meeting of Chairpersons of human rights treaty bodies was able to meet in Geneva from 2 to 6 June.  The Chairs dedicated the meeting to the liquidity crisis, which was affecting the very existence of treaty bodies, and to discussing what could be done to increase predictability under the current financial and human constraints. 

    Mr. Ori said he was aware that the Committee had a heavy programme ahead for the next three weeks, including constructive dialogues with eight States parties, the consideration of several individual communications, and the adoption of an addendum to general recommendation 30 on women in conflict prevention, conflict and post-conflict situations.  He concluded by thanking the Committee for its unwavering commitment and dedication to advancing women’s rights and wished it a successful and productive session.

    Questions by Committee Experts

    A Committee Expert said that more than 123 million people were currently displaced worldwide due to conflict situations, the majority of whom were women and children.  What could be the role of the United Nations in the future if it could not prevent these conflicts?

    Another Committee Expert asked why tens of countries were not providing the funds they had promised to provide. Was the United Nations considering reassessing its priorities to ensure that the Committee could hold three sessions each year?

    A Committee Expert said that the members of the Committee did not take the current situation lightly.  It was a grand shame and a disgust.  How could Member States let this happen?

    A Committee Expert said that reducing the activities of the treaty bodies would further silence them at this important moment.  Human rights systems needed to be reenforced, and this required resourcing.  How could this silencing be prevented?

    NAHLA HAIDAR, Committee Chairperson, said that it was unacceptable that the work of the treaty bodies was becoming less and less visible.  The Committee hoped that something would happen that would allow it to hold its third session in September.

    Responses by the Representative of the Secretary-General

    ANDREA ORI, Chief of the Groups in Focus Section, Human Rights Treaties Branch, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and Representative of the Secretary-General, said the Office of the High Commissioner shared the Committee’s concerns. This was a turning point in multilateralism and in international law.  There were more than 120 conflicts in the world, the primary victims of which were women and children.  Authoritarian regimes were taking advantage of and working to weaken the multilateral system.

    Some 40 per cent of the United Nations’ regular budget depended on two States.  If one of those States decided not to pay its dues, that shook the entire Organization.  This was a major factor in the instability of the United Nations system.  The Secretary-General was working to reform the system through the “UN80” initiative, looking for solutions that kept it functioning with limited resources.

    The UN80 initiative was focused on reform.  This was an opportunity to reform the whole system rationally, to allow it to meet the challenges of today.  As part of the initiative, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights was merging and regionalising its functions.  The Office was thinking optimistically but planning for the worst. It needed to be proactive rather than reactive and consider alternatives to stabilise the human rights system. The Committee also needed to consider alternative ways of carrying out its activities and reviewing States parties. Together, the Office and the Committee could find solutions for the challenges they faced by taking proactive decisions.

    Statements by Committee Experts

    NAHLA HAIDAR, Committee Chairperson, said that the Committee had taken decisions to increase the production of lists of issues prior to reporting.  The United Nations system needed to not be reactive, and UN80 needed to implement thoughtful rather than patchwork reforms.

    The Committee was meeting in one of the most challenging times for the multilateral system, amidst devastating conflicts, a weakening of the rule of law, and scarce resources.  Human rights mechanisms needed to be protected more than ever for the benefit of all stakeholders.

    Since the last session, the number of States parties that had ratified the Convention had remained at 189.  On 15 May 2025, San Marino accepted the amendment to article 20, paragraph one of the Convention concerning the Committee’s meeting time, bringing the total number of States parties having accepted the amendment to 82.  A total of 126 States parties to the Convention were currently required to accept the amendment for it to enter into force.  The number of States parties that had ratified the Optional Protocol remained at 115, but Estonia was in the process of ratification.

    Ms. Haidar said she was pleased to inform that since the last session, Afghanistan, Australia, Cyprus and Guinea-Bissau had submitted their periodic reports to the Committee.  The interim government of Syria had decided to withdraw the combined third and fourth periodic reports that had been submitted by the previous regime and submit a new report under the traditional reporting procedure.  The total number of States parties that had opted out from the simplified reporting procedure since the 2022 decision to make the simplified reporting procedure the default procedure remained at 13. 

    The Committee adopted its agenda and programme of work for the session, and Ms. Haidar and Committee Experts discussed the activities they had undertaken since the last session. 

    BANDANA RANA, on behalf of BRENDA AKIA, Committee Rapporteur and Chair of the Pre-Sessional Working Group, introduced the report of the pre-sessional Working Group for the ninety-first session, which met from 28 October to 1 November 2024 in Geneva.

    The Working Group prepared lists of issues and questions in relation to the reports of Botswana, Cabo Verde, Czech Republic, El Salvador and Lesotho, in addition to lists of issues and questions prior to the submission of the reports of Equatorial Guinea, Libya and Malta under the simplified reporting procedure.  The pre-sessional Working Group had the reports of these States parties, except for those of Equatorial Guinea, Libya and Malta, to be submitted in response to the respective lists of issues prior to reporting.  It further had before it the general recommendations adopted by the Committee; draft lists of issues and questions and lists of issues prior to reporting prepared by the Secretariat; and other pertinent information, including concluding observations of the Committee and other treaty bodies.  In preparing the lists, the Working Group paid particular attention to the States parties’ follow-up to the concluding observations of the Committee on their previous reports.  The Working Group benefited from written and oral information submitted by entities of the United Nations system and non-governmental organizations, as well as by national human rights institutions.  The lists of issues and questions and lists of issues prior to reporting adopted by the Working Group were transmitted to the States parties concerned.

    NAHLA HAIDAR, Committee Chairperson, said that, in light of the backlog of State party reports pending consideration by the Committee accumulated during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Committee had decided to postpone the consideration of the States parties referred to in the report of the pre-sessional Working Group to future sessions, with the exception of Botswana.  The Committee instead decided to, during the present session, consider the reports of Afghanistan, Botswana, Chad, Ireland, Mexico, San Marino and Thailand, and adopt concluding observations on Fiji, Solomon Islands and Tuvalu, following country exchanges held during the Pacific technical cooperation session in Suva, Fiji from 7 to 11 April 2025.

    JELENA PIA-COMELLA, Committee Rapporteur on follow-up to concluding observations, briefed the Committee on the status of the follow-up reports received in response to the Committee’s concluding observations.  She said that at the end of the Committee’s ninetieth session, follow-up letters outlining the outcomes of assessments of follow-up reports were sent to Belgium, Gambia, Portugal, Sweden and Switzerland.  Reminders were sent to Honduras, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Ukraine, as their follow-up reports were scheduled for consideration at the ninetieth session but had not been received.  Ukraine’s report had since been received and would be scheduled for assessment by the Committee at its ninety-second session in October 2025.

    For the present session, the Committee would consider follow-up reports from Finland and Georgia, both received on time; Bahrain and Norway, received with a one-month delay; Armenia, with more than two months’ delay; and Mongolia, Namibia and the United Arab Emirates with more than five months’ delay.  Reminders regarding the submission of follow-up reports would be sent to Costa Rica, Hungary and Mauritania.

    ___________

    Produced by the United Nations Information Service in Geneva for use of the media; 
    not an official record. English and French versions of our releases are different as they are the product of two separate coverage teams that work independently.

     

    CEDAW25.011E

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Johnson’s Jason Foster Recognized for New Technology Reporting Record

    Source: NASA

    Heading into a recent staff meeting for Johnson Space Center’s Business Development & Technology Integration Office, Jason Foster anticipated a typical agenda of team updates and discussion. He did not expect an announcement that he had been named a 2025 Rookie of the Year – Honorable Mention through the Federal Laboratory Consortium’s annual awards program.
    Foster was one of only three technology transfer professionals across the federal government to be recognized in the Rookie of the Year category, which is open to early-career individuals with less than three years of experience. “It was definitely a surprise,” he said. “It was quite an honor, because it’s not only representing Johnson Space Center but also NASA.”

    Foster is a licensing specialist and New Technology Report (NTR) specialist within Johnson’s Technology Transfer Office in Houston. That team works to ensure that innovations developed for aeronautics and space exploration are made broadly available to the public, maximizing their benefit to the nation. Foster’s role involves both capturing new technologies developed at Johnson and marketing and licensing those technologies to companies that would like to use and further develop them.
    He describes much of his work as “technology hunting” – reaching out to branches, offices, and teams across Johnson to teach them about the Technology Transfer Office, NTRs, and the value of technology reporting for NASA and the public. “NTRs are the foundation that allows our office to do our job,” he said. “We need to know about a technology in order to transfer it.”

    Foster’s efforts to streamline and strengthen the reporting and patenting of Johnson’s innovations led to his recognition by the consortium. His proactive outreach and relationship-building improved customer service and contributed to 158 NTRs in fiscal year 2024 – the highest number of NTRs disclosed by federal employees at any NASA center. Foster also proposed a three-month NTR sprint, during which he led a team of seven in an intensive exercise to identify and report new technologies. This initiative not only cleared a backlog of leads for the office, but also resulted in more than 120 previously undisclosed NTRs. “We are still using that process now as we continue processing NTRs,” Foster said. On top of those achievements, he helped secure the highest recorded number of license agreements with commercial entities in the center’s history, with 41 licenses executed in fiscal year 2024.
    “I am very proud of my accomplishments, none of it would be possible without the open-mindedness and continuous support of my incredible team,” Foster said. “They have always provided a space to grow, and actively welcome innovation in our processes and workflows.”

    A self-described “space nerd,” Foster said he always envisioned working at NASA, but not until much later in his career – ideally as an astronaut. He initially planned to pursue an astrophysics degree but discovered a passion for engineering and fused that with his love of space by studying aerospace, aeronautical, and astronautical engineering instead. In his last semester of college at California Polytechnic State University of San Luis Obispo, he landed a Universities Space Research Association internship at Johnson, supporting flight software development for crew exercise systems on the International Space Station and future exploration missions. “I got really involved in the Johnson Space Center team and the work, and I thought, what if I joined NASA now?”
    He was hired as a licensing specialist on the Technology Transfer team under the JETS II Contract as an Amentum employee shortly after graduating and continually seeks new opportunities to expand his role and skillsets. “The more I can learn about anything NASA’s doing is incredible,” he said. “I found myself in this perfect position where literally my job is to learn everything there is to learn.”

    Foster celebrates three years with NASA this July. In his time at the agency, he has learned the value of getting to know and understand your colleagues’ needs in order to help them. Before he meets with someone, he takes time to learn about the organization or team they are a part of, the work they are involved in, and what they might discuss. It is also important to determine how each person prefers to communicate and collaborate. “Doing your homework pays dividends,” Foster said. He has found that being as prepared as possible opens doors to more opportunities, and it helps to save valuable time for busy team members.

    When he is not technology hunting, you might find Foster practicing the art of fire spinning. He picked up the hobby in college, joining a club that met at local beaches to practice spinning and capturing different geometric patterns through long exposure photos. “It was kind of a strange thing to get into, but it was really fun,” he said. His love of learning drives his interest in other activities as well. Gardening is a relatively new hobby inspired by a realization that he had never grown anything before.   
    “It’s a genuine joy, I think, coming across something with curiosity and wanting to learn from it,” he said. “I think it especially helps in my job, where your curiosity switch has to be on at least 90% of the time.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Castellum Announces Closing of $5.0 Million Public Offering of Common Stock and Warrants

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    VIENNA, Va., June 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Castellum, Inc. (the “Company” and “Castellum”) (NYSE-American: CTM), a cybersecurity, electronic warfare, and software services company focused on the federal government, today announced the closing of its previously announced public offering of 4,166,667 Units at a public offering price of $1.20 per Unit. Each unit consists of one share of common stock and one warrant to purchase one share of common stock. The warrants are immediately exercisable at $1.22 per share and will expire 60 days from the date of issuance. The shares of common stock and warrants are immediately separable and were issued separately.

    Gross proceeds from the offering are approximately $5.0 million before deducting placement agent fees and offering expenses. Castellum intends to use the net proceeds of the offering for working capital and general corporate purposes.

    Maxim Group LLC acted as the sole placement agent on a reasonable best-efforts basis for the offering.

    A shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-284205) relating to the securities being offered was previously filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and became effective on January 24, 2025. The shares of common stock and shares underlying the warrants were offered only by means of a prospectus. A preliminary prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus relating to and describing the terms of the public offering have been filed with the SEC. A final prospectus supplement and an accompanying prospectus relating to the offering has been with the SEC and is available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Copies of the final prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus relating to the public offering may be obtained by contacting Maxim Group LLC, at 300 Park Avenue, 16th Floor, New York, NY 10022, Attention: Prospectus Department, or by telephone at (212) 895-3745 or by email at syndicate@maximgrp.com.

    This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy these securities, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or other jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or other jurisdiction.

    About Castellum, Inc. (NYSE-American: CTM):

    Castellum, Inc. (NYSE-American: CTM) is a cybersecurity, electronic warfare, and software engineering services company focused on the federal government – https://castellumus.com/.

    Forward-Looking Statements:

    This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain, based on current expectations and assumptions concerning future events or future performance of the company. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which are only predictions and speak only as of the date hereof. Words such as “will,” “would,” “believe,” and “expects,” and similar language or phrasing are indicative of forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are outside of the Company’s control, that could cause actual results to differ (sometimes materially) from the results expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements, including, among others: the Company’s ability to effectively integrate and grow its acquired companies; its ability to identify additional acquisition targets and close additional acquisitions; the impact on the Company’s revenue due to a delay in the U.S. Congress approving a federal budget, operating under a prolonged continuing resolution, government shutdown, or breach of the debt ceiling, as well as the imposition by the U.S. government of sequestration in the absence of an approved budget; the ability of the U.S. federal government to unilaterally cancel a contract with or without cause, and more specifically, the potential impact of the U.S. DOGE Service Temporary Organization on government spending and terminating contracts for convenience. In evaluating such statements, prospective investors should review carefully various risks and uncertainties identified in Item 1A. “Risk Factors” section of the Company’s recently filed Form 10-Q, Item 1A. “Risk Factors” in the Company’s most recent Form 10-K, and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission which can be viewed at www.sec.gov. These risks and uncertainties, or not closing the described potential equity financing in this press release, could cause the Company’s actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Except to the extent required by law, we undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, a change in events, conditions, circumstances or assumptions underlying such statements, or otherwise.

    Contact:

    Glen Ives
    President and Chief Executive Officer
    Phone: (703) 752-6157
    info@castellumus.com
    https://castellumus.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/216bfa30-3c99-4e23-a43d-7b58f9f7803b

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Castellum Announces Closing of $5.0 Million Public Offering of Common Stock and Warrants

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    VIENNA, Va., June 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Castellum, Inc. (the “Company” and “Castellum”) (NYSE-American: CTM), a cybersecurity, electronic warfare, and software services company focused on the federal government, today announced the closing of its previously announced public offering of 4,166,667 Units at a public offering price of $1.20 per Unit. Each unit consists of one share of common stock and one warrant to purchase one share of common stock. The warrants are immediately exercisable at $1.22 per share and will expire 60 days from the date of issuance. The shares of common stock and warrants are immediately separable and were issued separately.

    Gross proceeds from the offering are approximately $5.0 million before deducting placement agent fees and offering expenses. Castellum intends to use the net proceeds of the offering for working capital and general corporate purposes.

    Maxim Group LLC acted as the sole placement agent on a reasonable best-efforts basis for the offering.

    A shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-284205) relating to the securities being offered was previously filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and became effective on January 24, 2025. The shares of common stock and shares underlying the warrants were offered only by means of a prospectus. A preliminary prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus relating to and describing the terms of the public offering have been filed with the SEC. A final prospectus supplement and an accompanying prospectus relating to the offering has been with the SEC and is available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Copies of the final prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus relating to the public offering may be obtained by contacting Maxim Group LLC, at 300 Park Avenue, 16th Floor, New York, NY 10022, Attention: Prospectus Department, or by telephone at (212) 895-3745 or by email at syndicate@maximgrp.com.

    This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy these securities, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or other jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or other jurisdiction.

    About Castellum, Inc. (NYSE-American: CTM):

    Castellum, Inc. (NYSE-American: CTM) is a cybersecurity, electronic warfare, and software engineering services company focused on the federal government – https://castellumus.com/.

    Forward-Looking Statements:

    This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain, based on current expectations and assumptions concerning future events or future performance of the company. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which are only predictions and speak only as of the date hereof. Words such as “will,” “would,” “believe,” and “expects,” and similar language or phrasing are indicative of forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are outside of the Company’s control, that could cause actual results to differ (sometimes materially) from the results expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements, including, among others: the Company’s ability to effectively integrate and grow its acquired companies; its ability to identify additional acquisition targets and close additional acquisitions; the impact on the Company’s revenue due to a delay in the U.S. Congress approving a federal budget, operating under a prolonged continuing resolution, government shutdown, or breach of the debt ceiling, as well as the imposition by the U.S. government of sequestration in the absence of an approved budget; the ability of the U.S. federal government to unilaterally cancel a contract with or without cause, and more specifically, the potential impact of the U.S. DOGE Service Temporary Organization on government spending and terminating contracts for convenience. In evaluating such statements, prospective investors should review carefully various risks and uncertainties identified in Item 1A. “Risk Factors” section of the Company’s recently filed Form 10-Q, Item 1A. “Risk Factors” in the Company’s most recent Form 10-K, and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission which can be viewed at www.sec.gov. These risks and uncertainties, or not closing the described potential equity financing in this press release, could cause the Company’s actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Except to the extent required by law, we undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, a change in events, conditions, circumstances or assumptions underlying such statements, or otherwise.

    Contact:

    Glen Ives
    President and Chief Executive Officer
    Phone: (703) 752-6157
    info@castellumus.com
    https://castellumus.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/216bfa30-3c99-4e23-a43d-7b58f9f7803b

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Thales’ FlytOptim selected by Corsair to cut CO₂ emissions and advance sustainable aviation

    Source: Thales Group

    Headline: Thales’ FlytOptim selected by Corsair to cut CO₂ emissions and advance sustainable aviation

    • Airline company Corsair has selected Thales’ flight optimization solution, FlytOptim, across all of its flights, which serve Africa, the West Indies, and the Indian Ocean (5000+ per year), to save thousands of tonnes of CO2 emissions per year.
    • Following trials, this solution has saved several hundred kilograms of fuel on each flight and helped avoid more than 300 tonnes of CO2 on Corsair flight routes to the West Indies and Africa.
    • With this solution, Thales, a key player in sustainable aviation, offers a systematic approach that can be quickly integrated by all airlines, seeking to reduce their environmental impact as of today.

    FlytOptim is an intuitive AI-powered solution that enables pilots to optimize their vertical flight trajectory using real-time weather and aircraft data, thus enabling them to reduce their fuel consumption by 2%.

    Harnessing AI to reduce emissions and advance sustainable aviation

    This innovation uses Thales’ trusted AI and advanced prediction algorithms of its Flight Management System (FMS), PureFlyt, to identify the optimal vertical flight path, based on real-time weather and aircraft data (such as mass and position). When an optimization is possible, the alternative vertical flight path is sent directly to the pilot in the cockpit using existing communication channels. Once approved by air traffic control (ATC), the pilot can update the flight plan accordingly.

    User-centric experience with no operational disruption

    Designed together with pilots, FlytOptim’s intuitive design and efficient user-experience has seen an unparalleled adoption rate: after only a few weeks trial at Corsair, 80% of the flights were using FlytOptim. FlytOptim can be deployed quickly and easily, with no need to modify the aircraft or the airline’s existing IT systems.

    A comprehensive range of more environmentally-friendly solutions

    This solution marks another step in Thales’ roadmap towards climate-efficient aviation, offering both CO2 and non-CO2 reduction tools for pilots, dispatchers, air traffic controllers and flow managers. FlytOptim will progressively integrate Thales’ other green operations innovations including its contrail avoidance solution and the dynamic management of Air Traffic Control constraints, thus supporting aviation industry customers in their journey towards more efficient operations.

    “The trial of FlytOptim was easy to implement, and its adoption by pilots went smoothly. The fuel savings achieved are clear and easily measurable. We are delighted to deploy this solution, which fully aligns with our environmental strategy and strengthens our commitment to a greener and more sustainable aviation. Corsair aims to be a leading player in decarbonisation, having completely renewed its fleet—which is one of the youngest in the world—and continues to work on various tools to reduce its environmental impact, such as FlytOptim.” Cyrille Digon, Director Flight Support and CSR, Corsair.

    “We are proud to announce our new customer for our FlytOptim solution. This milestone is fully aligned with Thales’ strategy to help transform the aerospace industry future through innovative technologies that support more sustainable and responsible aviation.” Yannick Assouad, Executive Vice-President, Avionics, Thales.

    About Thales

    Thales (Euronext Paris: HO) is a global leader in advanced technologies for the Defence, Aerospace, and Cyber & Digital sectors. Its portfolio of innovative products and services addresses several major challenges: sovereignty, security, sustainability and inclusion.

    The Group invests more than €4 billion per year in Research & Development in key areas, particularly for critical environments, such as Artificial Intelligence, cybersecurity, quantum and cloud technologies.

    Thales has more than 83,000 employees in 68 countries. In 2024, the Group generated sales of €20.6 billion.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Thales and KNDS France unveil RAPIDFire Land, a land-based variant of the 40 mm RAPIDFire Naval defence system

    Source: Thales Group

    Headline: Thales and KNDS France unveil
    RAPIDFire Land, a land-based variant of the 40 mm RAPIDFire Naval defence system

    • RAPIDFire is a remotely operated artillery system co-developed by Thales and KNDS France. The French defence procurement agency (DGA) has awarded a contract for the production of 48 of these systems, and the first two RAPIDFire systems ordered earlier are now operational on board France’s new-generation fleet replenishment tankers.
    • RAPIDFire can be installed on multiple platform types, and the land-based version will meet emerging operational requirements, in particular to protect sensitive sites from a wide range of threats including saturation attacks.
    • The Airburst munition, which represents the cutting edge of air defence capabilities, is reaching an important milestone.

    Full qualification of RAPIDFire system

    The French defence procurement agency (DGA) has already ordered 14 RAPIDFire systems to equip French Navy vessels. Two systems have been installed on board the fleet replenishment tanker (BRF) Jacques Chevallier, which has completed two long-duration deployments, including several live fire exercises, with France’s carrier strike group. Two others were recently installed on France’s second BRF tanker Jacques Stosskopf ahead of an upcoming long-duration deployment. A fifth system will soon equip a new French Navy offshore patrol vessel.

    The RAPIDFire system was qualified in early 2025 and can now be used with all existing 40CT munitions.

    As the first remotely operated 40 mm system to incorporate the 40CT cannon, RAPIDFire provides a close-in self-defence capability to protect platforms against modern air and surface threats. It features state-of-the-art optronics jointly designed by Thales and KNDS France, and the new 40 mm cased telescoped munition technology developed by CTAI, a subsidiary of KNDS France.

    This solution provides unmatched firepower, with a ready rack of up to 140 rounds, corresponding to dozens of target interceptions with no need to reload. The fire control system recalibrates its aim after every round fired to account for the target’s speed and direction of travel. RAPIDFire is designed to engage a broad range of threats – from ships to light aircraft, drones, loitering munitions and missiles – at ranges of up to 4 kilometres. Its 40 mm cannon is compatible with all telescoped munitions, including the A3B (Airburst) round, which is particularly effective against aerial threats.

    A multi-platform system for land and naval forces

    RAPIDFire’s underlying technology is versatile enough for the system to be adapted for various applications. A land-based version is now planned following discussions with the French Air and Space Force on the need to protect high-value assets at its air bases in France and during overseas deployments.

    KNDS France and Thales are developing the land version of RAPIDFire in two configurations:

    • Semi-mobile for site protection, with a 20-foot platform set up on the ground that can be readily moved and re-deployed to other locations.
    • Mobile, with the 20-foot platform mounted on a vehicle to protect high-value assets in the theatre of operations.

    A3B, the ideal munition for air defence

    Leveraging the proven airburst technology of the GPR-AB-T round, the Anti Aerial Airburst (A3B) munition delivers a payload of tungsten subprojectiles with a directional (frontal) terminal effect, providing enhanced effectiveness against various types of aerial targets: drones, helicopters, light aircraft, fighter jets, low-end subsonic missiles and RAM (rocket, artillery, mortar) threats.

    Development of the A3B munition is ongoing (currently at Technology Readiness Level 5), with full operational capability in anti-air mode expected in 2027. A contract modification was awarded in late 2024 for the development, production engineering, qualification and delivery of a first batch of 500 A3B munitions with the RAPIDFire system.

    About Thales

    Thales (Euronext Paris: HO) is a global leader in advanced technologies for the Defence, Aerospace, and Cyber & Digital sectors. Its portfolio of innovative products and services addresses several major challenges: sovereignty, security, sustainability and inclusion.

    The Group invests more than €4 billion per year in Research & Development in key areas, particularly for critical environments, such as Artificial Intelligence, cybersecurity, quantum and cloud technologies.

    Thales has more than 83,000 employees in 68 countries. In 2024, the Group generated sales of €20.6 billion.

    About KNDS

    KNDS is the result of a joint venture between Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) and Nexter, two of Europe’s leading manufacturers of military land systems, based in Germany and France.

    KNDS has around 10,000 employees, with sales of €3.8 billion in 2024, an orderbook of around €23.5 billion and order intake of €11.2 billion.

    Its product range includes tanks, armoured vehicles, artillery systems, weapon systems, ammunition, military bridges, information and command systems, training solutions, protection solutions and a wide range of equipment, as well as customer services.

    The creation of KNDS marks the beginning of the consolidation of the land defence systems industry in Europe. The strategic alliance between KMW and Nexter strengthens the competitiveness and international positioning of both groups, as well as their ability to meet the needs of their respective national armed forces. It also offers European and NATO customers the possibility of greater standardisation and interoperability for their defence equipment, with a reliable industrial base.

    KNDS is headquartered in Amsterdam.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Thales launches the best-in-class simultaneous civil and military secondary surveillance air traffic radar, the RSM NG / IFF

    Source: Thales Group

    Headline: Thales launches the best-in-class simultaneous civil and military secondary surveillance air traffic radar, the RSM NG / IFF

    Given the expected growth in air traffic over the next decades, airspace will become more crowded, and increasingly shared by civil and military aircraft. With increased traffic comes more data, and the need to identify aircraft (including uncooperative aircraft) quickly, precisely and in the most efficient, resilient, secure and manner. Air operation managers need to have a national air picture at their fingertips, instantaneously.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Christine Lagarde: Interview with Xinhua News Agency

    Source: European Central Bank

    Interview with Christine Lagarde, President of the ECB, conducted by Su Liang on 12 June 2025

    14 June 2025

    I was in the audience in 2018 at the opening ceremony of the first China International Import Expo in Shanghai. You said in a speech there that China built a bridge to the world, built a bridge to prosperity and is building a bridge to the future – the three bridges, which is famous in China. Has anything changed in your mind – is China building new bridges?

    I haven’t been back to China for six years – that was my last visit, six years ago. From what I have seen so far, I can tell you that this bridge to the future is clearly an enterprise that China is working hard on. The combination of robotic artificial intelligence, hard work by the Chinese people and the strategic approach to it are contributing a lot to that bridge to the future. Development will occur fast on a threefold basis: robotic artificial intelligence, hard work and all of that focused on the industries of the future, which are going to change the Chinese economy even faster and better.

    How does the ECB see China’s role in the global economic recovery, especially amid this increasing fragmentation in global supply chains? What kind of dialogue or cooperation would you like to see between the ECB and Chinese financial institutions?

    The main cooperation and dialogue that we have at the ECB with China is with the People’s Bank of China (PBOC), because we are both central banks for a large region. We share some of the same concerns, some of the same challenges and we have a strong and deep dialogue on those issues. We are both very attached to the regulatory framework and supervision that will sustain financial stability. Our primary responsibility at the ECB is price stability, and this is clearly defined in our strategy. We are within reach of the 2% medium-term inflation target that we have defined as price stability. But we cannot have price stability if we do not have financial stability. And that’s the reason why we – and I think the PBOC is on the same page – are very attached to a solid regulatory environment and strong supervision so that our financial sector is stable and solid, because it is in the interest of the people that we serve.

    This year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the European Union, the then European Economic Community. As President of the ECB and previously a politician in Europe, how do you see the cooperation between China and the EU over the past 50 years?

    The cooperation between the European Union and China has been beneficial to both sides. We have increased the level of trade between our two regions, and we have seen increased direct investment over the course of the last few decades.

    And what will that cooperation look like in the future?

    I very much hope, in the interest of financial stability and price stability, that China and the European Union will continue to cooperate, will continue their dialogue, will be candid with each other and will play by the rules that they both agree to. I’m thinking of the WTO rules, for instance, as rules that both regions have agreed to support and have signed up to. I think that determination for dialogue, cooperation and working on win-win solutions is something that will continue to be shared.

    You talked about stability and about the rules. Do you think what the United States government is doing now is kind of a risk to stability and the rules? They are raising tariffs and creating uncertainty in the world economy.

    I would focus on your last point. The level of uncertainty caused by the announcements or the threats of decisions is dampening investment. It is leading all institutions to reduce their growth projections for the global economy, for the United States, for China and for Europe. It’s really a lose-lose situation that we have at the moment. The sooner the uncertainty can be removed and agreements can be found between the parties – on tariffs in particular, but on other issues as well, such as non-tariff barriers – the better off we will all be. Economic players, investors and employers have great difficulty dealing with uncertainty. The same applies to us as central banks because when we need to forecast, anticipate the evolution of the economy and project the level of prices, if we have this great uncertainty, it makes our lives really difficult.

    So when the delegations of China and the United States in London said they had made progress, that’s good news.

    I hope progress goes in the direction of removing as much uncertainty as possible. If it reaches a new equilibrium, which is beneficial for all countries, then it’s a positive.

    It is impossible to talk about China-EU relations without talking about China-US relations. You worked both in Washington and Europe. How do you see current China-US relations and how do you think China-US relations will impact China-EU relations?

    I don’t want to make any projections or anticipate what the outcome of the discussions will be between the Chinese authorities and the US authorities. This is for political leaders, for trade and commerce secretaries to discuss and to take forward. But what I observe is that all our countries – European Union Member States, China, the United States and many other countries – are intrinsically bound by supply chains. When you start dissecting a product and you realise what the origin of the product is, where the spare parts are coming from, what journey it takes to travel from one place to the other, it is amazing how countries are linked to each other. What will impact one will impact others, and if the situation is not resolved satisfactorily and the uncertainty is not removed, the corporate world will rethink their supply chains. They will rethink their supply and their sourcing, and that will cause more fragility and a period of uncertainty, during which growth will probably be impaired, during which we could have inflationary pressure as a result. And I think this is not in the interest of any country. As I said, it’s not just the United States, China and Europe, it’s many other countries as well.

    I remember you once said you stand by Adam Smith, you stand by liberalism. Do you think what we are witnessing in the world is a kind of failure of liberalism, the rules of free trade?

    We have to acknowledge what the benefits have been and where there have been downsides. The benefits have been incredible when you look at how much additional activity has prospered, how much growth has increased, how many people have been taken out of poverty, particularly in this country, in China, how the well-being of people has improved. There have been many benefits as a result of international open trade and free markets, but there have also been some negative consequences. There are areas in the world where industrial activity has died, where people have lost jobs and where measures have not been taken to deal with that. So we have to be mindful of that. We have to look at that very honestly and decide how we want to remedy those situations. It has a lot to do with reducing the disequilibrium, reducing the imbalances that we see both on an international but also on a domestic basis.

    Like you said, China has had a lot of benefits from globalisation, and China is now the second-largest economy in the world, and we have heard some concepts like de-risking from China in Europe. What is your opinion on this concept?

    The principle of de-risking is not surprising, and I think it has been accentuated by the COVID-19 period. You know, during the pandemic, countries and regions suddenly realised that they no longer had manufacturing facilities to produce some pharmaceutical goods (e.g. masks) that were needed, and they were dependent and vulnerable as a result. This desire not to be vulnerable, not to be exclusively dependent on one single source of supply, is completely legitimate to the extent that those products – not necessarily masks – are considered strategic. It’s completely normal that countries think they need to have alternative sources of supply. We need to have a degree of security of supply so that we are not at the mercy of a failure, or a unilateral decision that would expose the security of our people. So I don’t find anything surprising about it. It is legitimate, but it does not stop cooperation. It does not stop international trade.

    When it comes to financial innovation, people always focus on digital financing and green financing. The ECB is actively exploring a digital euro. How will this influence the future of finance from the perspective of European bankers? And on green innovation in financing, how can the ECB and the PBOC cooperate in the future?

    Firstly, both the PBOC and the ECB are working on a digital currency. China was ahead, it started earlier. We started six years ago, and we are getting to the point where, if the legislature supports the proposal, we should be ready to launch. Why are we doing that? Simply because of client demand, to put it very simply. Because many Europeans – not all, but many – like to pay electronically, digitally, without cash. Many Europeans still like cash. I like cash. So we will continue to have cash, and we will be issuing new banknotes in a few years’ time. But we need, as a sovereign expression on the financial stage, to be able to respond to the demand of our customers, Europeans. If they want cash, we should be able to print secure banknotes. If they want digital cash, we should be able to offer a digital euro. We want to make sure that we have a European offer that is available, so that within the entire euro area there is a means of payment and a solid currency that can help you transact both online, peer-to-peer, business-to-business, and that’s the purpose of the digital euro.

    And what about green financing?

    Green financing is an activity that is conducted by commercial banks or international institutions. The European Investment Bank, which is a public institution, also has a role. And as you know, Europe has approved a green bond framework that is available, which I think China has observed very carefully in order to issue its own framework. But it’s a matter for commercial banks.

    My final question is the following: you were the second most powerful woman in the world according to Forbes in 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023 and 2024. You have a life experience envied by women around the world. Do you have any advice for them on how to be successful?

    Women have inside them the potential to thrive in whichever domain they choose. And I think that they should always draw on that confidence and energy without which things do not happen, and they should cultivate that and never be intimidated or refrain from achieving what they can. They have to believe in themselves. I hope they get the support that I was lucky to receive from family members and friends, as that is extremely helpful to continue doing what you want to do.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Need to support the Cyclades affected by the devastating floods and the island regions more broadly – E-001363/2025(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    The mid-term review of the 2021-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) was concluded in 2024, reinforcing the EU budget in key priority areas. The Solidarity and Emergency Aid Reserve was increased by EUR 1.5 billion.

    The Regional Emergency Support to Reconstruction — RESTORE Regulation[1] allows for flexibility by Member States impacted by natural disasters to use cohesion policy funding for reconstruction and repair.

    The Rural Development Regulation[2] was amended to introduce a new measure, providing support to affected farmers, foresters, and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises.

    Member States could adjust their 2021-2027 cohesion policy programmes during their mid-term review[3], adding new priorities like enhancing water resilience.

    Greece could benefit from these flexibilities once the regulation enters into force, including the financial incentives to implement these priorities rapidly and effectively.

    The 2021-2027 cohesion policy programmes contribute EUR 1 billion to a national disaster risk management programme in Greece and EUR 10.5 million to a regional programme on climate-related risk management in Notio Aigaio[4].

    The EU Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change can help the Cyclades and other islands test and deploy innovative solutions to build resilience to floods and other climate risks, as with Climate adaptation and resilience demonstrated in the Mediterranean region (CARDIMED) project[5].

    Island regions face specific challenges, including suffering from extreme natural disasters that call for significant investments not only in post-disaster recovery but also in climate adaptation and resilience.

    As announced in the communication ‘A modernised cohesion policy: the mid-term review’, the Commission will launch a consultation on the development of a Strategy for Islands to support them address their multi-faceted problems.

    • [1] Regulation (EU) 2024/3236 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 December 2024 amending Regulations (EU) 2021/1057 and (EU) 2021/1058 as regards Regional Emergency Support to Reconstruction (RESTORE), entered into force on 24 December 2024, available at the following link https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/3236/oj/eng.
    • [2] Regulation (EU) 2024/3242 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 December 2024 amending Regulation (EU) 2020/2220 as regards specific measures under the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development to provide additional assistance to Member States affected by natural disasters, available at: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32024R3242&qid=1746172978914.
    • [3] On 1 April 2025 the Commission tabled a legislative proposal and accompanying Communication. Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulations (EU) 2021/1058 and (EU) 2021/1056 as regards specific measures to address strategic challenges in the context of the mid-term review, available at: regulation-proposal-mid-term-review-2025_en.pdf: https://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/sources/communication/mid-term-review-2025/regulation-proposal-mid-term-review-2025_en.pdf; Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council A modernised Cohesion policy: The mid-term review, available at: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex:52025DC0163.
    • [4] Technical assistance, including under the ‘Cohesion for Transitions Community of Practice’ initiative, could support the implementation of the programmes facilitating the green transition and for studies.
    • [5] Climate Resilience & NBS | Cardimed: https://www.cardimed-project.eu/.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: EIB supports with €1.6 bn the strategic Bay of Biscay electricity interconnection between Spain and France

    Source: European Investment Bank

    EIB

    • Bay of Biscay is a landmark project for the European power system that will boost the interconnection capacity between the Iberian Peninsula and rest of continental Europe.
    • Initiative to increase the exchange capacity from 2,800 to 5,000 megawatts (MW), improving reliability of power supply among France, Spain and Portugal and with the rest of Europe.
    • Once operational the interconnection will contribute to ensure cleaner, more secure, and more affordable power for millions of citizens.
    • With a total route length of 400 km, 300 km of which underwater, it will become the first submarine electricity interconnection between Spain and Fance.
    • This is a Project of Common Interest for the EU being implemented through a joint venture between the transmission system operators of Spain, Red Eléctrica, and France, RTE, Réseau de transport d’électricité.

    The European Investment Bank (EIB) is pledging €1.6 billion to finance the construction of the Bay of Biscay electricity interconnection between Spain and France. The EIB financing for the Bay of Biscay project takes the form of loans to Spanish and French transmission-system operators Red Eléctrica and RTE Réseau de transport d’électricité.

    The parties signed first loan tranches totalling €1.2 billion today at the EIB headquarters in Luxembourg. The event was attended by Nadia Calviño, president of the EIB Group, Dan Jørgensen, European Commissioner for Energy and Housing, Marc Ferracci, French minister of Industry and Energy, Miguel González Suela, Spanish deputy secretary of State – for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, Beatriz Corredor, chairwoman of Redeia, parent company of Red Eléctrica and Thomas Veyrenc Member of the Executive Board, director general for Finance, Strategy and Economics of RTE. This financial support adds up to the €578 million EU grant allocated to this project under the Connecting Europe Facility.

    This is a landmark Project of Common Interest in which the EIB, the European Commission, Red Eléctrica and RTE are joining forces to strengthen cross-border electricity interconnections and hereby the overall European energy system.

    “EIB support for the France-Spain electricity interconnection will be key to ensuring that the Iberian Peninsula is no longer an energy island. This agreement will lead to a major shift in energy integration, an important area for EU competitiveness and strategic autonomy.”  said Nadia Calviño, president of the EIB Group”.

    “Europe needs more integrated and more interconnected energy systems and markets. This is crucial to ensure our citizens have access to clean and stable supplies, wherever they are. This is what a genuine Energy Union is about, “said Dan Jørgensen, European Commissioner for Energy and Housing. “I very much welcome the additional financial support offered by the EIB for a key project that will ultimately improve the lives of many across the Pyrenees and beyond.”

    Construction of the Bay of Biscay link is already under way by Inelfe – joint venture by RTE and Red Eléctrica, and it is due to become operational in 2028. Once operational, the project will almost double the electricity exchange capacity between France and Spain to 5,000 MW. That means cleaner, more secure, and more affordable power for millions of citizens, while avoiding 600,000 tonnes of CO₂ each year.

    The project will strengthen the interconnection capacity between France and Spain, helping the Iberian peninsula’s progress towards the EU interconnection target for Member States of at least 15% of installed production capacity by 2030. The Bay of Biscay project, together with the underground project between Baixas-Santa Llogaia and the improvement of the existing Argia-Hernani infrastructure will contribute to enhance the interconnection capacity between the Iberian Peninsula and the rest of Europe, while better integrating it within the EU energy market.

    ‘Today, with the support of the EIB, we take another step forward in this project, a bridge between nations and key for European cohesion that will enable us to tackle the greatest challenge of our time: the energy transition. That is why both countries must continue to work together to strengthen our connections, also through the two new projects planned to cross the Pyrenees’, said Beatriz Corredor, chairwoman of Redeia

    “Today is a major milestone for the Bay of Biscay project, which will increase the solidarity between France and Spain but will also contribute to the development of exchanges of low-carbon, competitive electricity throughout Europe. Along with EU institutions – such as EIB – and other European TSOs, RTE is committed to ensure that the French power grid is fit to play its role of a European electricity crossroads, including through major reinforcement projects to avoid internal constraints, as laid out in our recent grid development strategy’, said Thomas Veyrenc, Member of the Executive Board, Director general for finance, strategy and economics of RTE.

    The project reinforces the EIB´s role as the climate bank one of the EIB Group’s eight strategic priorities set out in its Strategic Roadmap for the years 2024-2027. The operation is also part of the EIB’s action plan supporting REPowerEU, the program to increase energy security and accelerate the energy transition by reducing the European Union’s dependence on fossil fuel imports.

    Marc Ferracci, French minister for industry and energy: “We’re very happy today to have signed the first part of the investment in this interconnection project between France and Spain which will go through the Bay of Biscay. This will allow us to double the capacity of electricity transported between the two countries with 400 km of connection. It’s very important because it illustrates the will of Spain and France to go further in the decarbonisation of our economies. And it shows the solidarity that exists to meet Europe’s energy security challenge.”

    “The signing of this agreement marks a major step towards building the Energy Union and strengthening the resilience of the European electricity system as a whole. I am confident that it will not be the last”, said Miguel González Suela, Spanish deputy secretary of State for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge.

    Flagship project

    The Bay of Biscay interconnection is classified by the EU as a Project of Common Interest or PCI, and is being delivered by Inelfe a joint venture between Red Eléctrica and Réseau transport d’électricité. It is co-funded by a Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) grant of €578 million.  

    The connection will link two alternating current systems via a submarine direct current line. At each end of the connection, stations in Cubnezais in France and Gatika in Spain will convert the direct current into alternating current for connection to the transmission grids of Spain and France.

    The design of the project has been developed through an open and participatory process, with the aim of reaching the greatest possible consensus and ensuring the best solution from a technical, social, and environmental perspective.

    The High-Level Group on Interconnections in South-West Europe, established in 2015 between Spain, France, and Portugal with the support of the European Commission, played a critical role in advancing the Biscay Bay project.

    More information about the project is available here.

    The EIB as a major financier of energy security and grids in Europe

    In 2024, the EIB Group signed a record €31 billion to back EU energy security, including for efficiency, renewables, storage and electricity grids, which is expected to support over €100 billion in investment. A total of €8.5 billion financed electricity grids and storage projects, double the amount from previous year. This financing is helping to expand, modernise and digitalise electricity grids making them more resilient and allowing for more and better integration of renewable sources.

    In Spain financing of energy security projects was higher than in any other EU country in 2024, totalling more than €5 billion, which is expected to support over €15 billion in investment. A total of €1.54 billion financed grids and storage projects, roughly double the previous year’s amount. In France financing of energy security projects in 2024 was in line with previous years at around €3.6 billion,  of which €400 million went to finance grids and storage projects, while €3.2 billion went to other energy projects including renewable energy sources and  energy efficiency.

    In the last 5 years (2019-24), EIB has financed €16.7 billion in energy projects in Spain, and €17.7 billion in energy projects in France.

    Find out more about the EIB’s support for the energy sector here.

    Background information

    EIB

    The European Investment Bank (ElB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union, owned by its Member States. Built around eight core priorities, we finance investments that contribute to EU policy objectives by bolstering climate action and the environment, digitalisation and technological innovation, security and defence, cohesion, agriculture and bioeconomy, social infrastructure, the capital markets union, and a stronger Europe in a more peaceful and prosperous world.

    The EIB Group, which also includes the European Investment Fund, signed nearly €89 billion in new financing for over 900 high-impact projects in 2024, boosting Europe’s competitiveness and security.

    All projects financed by the EIB Group are in line with the Paris Climate Agreement, as pledged in our Climate Bank Roadmap. Almost 60% of the EIB Group’s annual financing supports projects directly contributing to climate change mitigation, adaptation, and a healthier environment.

    In Spain, in 2024, the EIB Group signed new financing worth €12.3 billion for over 100 high-impact projects,  while in France, the EIB Group signed new financing worth €12.6 billion also for over 100 high-impact projects,  contributing to both countries’ green and digital transition, economic growth, competitiveness and better services for their people.

    High-quality, up-to-date photos of our headquarters for media use are available here.

    Red Eléctrica

    Red Eléctrica is the transmission system operator (TSO) for the Spanish electricity system and Redeia’s flagship. Since 1985, Red Eléctrica guarantee the security of supply in Spain, driving its social and economic development. Now, the company is also the backbone of the energy transition in the country. www.ree.es 

    Réseau Transport d’Électricité

    The French electricity-transmission-system operator, RTE, provides a public service: guaranteeing a constant supply of electricity throughout France, with the same standard of service, thanks to the efforts of its 10,025-strong staff. RTE manages electricity flows, balancing production and consumption in real time. RTE maintains and develops the high and very-high voltage grid (from 63,000 to 400,000 volts) which includes nearly 100,000 kilometres of overhead lines, 7,000 kilometres of underground lines, 2,900 operational substations, some jointly operated, and around fifty cross-border lines. With 37 interconnections with neighbouring countries, the French grid is the largest in Europe. RTE is an independent and neutral industrial operator of the energy transition, optimising and transforming its grid to connect new consumers and low-carbon electricity generation facilities.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Highland Council By-elections for Wards 6 & 10 – Voters urged to make sure their vote counts

    Source: Scotland – Highland Council

    Issued on behalf of the Returning Officer

    Polling will take place on Thursday 19 June 2025 to elect one of nine candidates standing in The Highland Council’s Cromarty Firth Ward by-election and one of eight candidates for Ward 10 Eilean a’ Cheò. Voters are being reminded to make sure they are ready to cast their vote.

    The single transferable vote system will be used. Instead of using a cross, voters should number the candidates in the order of their choice, putting a number 1 in the box next to the name of the candidate who is their first choice, 2 in the box next to their second choice and so on. Voters can make as many or as few choices as they wish.

    The Council has created a short video that explains the process – 

    Postal packs have been despatched to those registered electors that submitted a form by the postal vote deadline. Anyone who has requested a postal vote will not be able to vote in person at a polling station. If you are unable to post it in time, it is possible to hand in your completed postal pack into any of the polling stations located within wards 6 and 10 between 7am and 10pm on Thursday 19 June 2025. There are no restrictions on the number of postal votes that can be handed in to a polling station.

    A list of polling station locations can be found on the Council’s website

    For those opting to vote in person on Thursday 19 June 2025, polling stations will be open from 7am until 10pm. Voters are reminded to check their poll cards as this will have details of where they need to go to cast their vote. There is no requirement to bring any form of voter ID or poll cards.

    The candidates standing for election to Ward 6 – Cromarty Firth are:
     

    • CHISHOLM, Steve – Alba Party for independence
    • COSTIGANE, Ross – Scottish Liberal Democrats
    • CROSS, Richard James – Independent
    • FORBES, Ryan – Scottish Conservative and Unionist
    • MACDONALD, Allan – Reform UK
    • MACDONALD, Odette – Scottish National Party (SNP)
    • PERERA, Michael Robert – Scottish Labour Party
    • RATTRAY, Martin – Independent
    • THOMAS, Anne – Scottish Greens

    The candidates standing for Ward 10 Eilean a’ Cheò are:

    • COUPLAND, John – Reform UK
    • DICKSON, Campbell – Independent
    • GILLIES, Christine – Independent
    • LAWRENCE, Katy – Scottish Greens
    • MAC A’ BHÀILLIDH, Màrtainn – Scottish National Party (SNP)
    • MACDONALD, Jonathan – Independent
    • MACPHERSON, George – Scottish Conservative and Unionist
    • THOMSON, Fay – Scottish Liberal Democrats

    The electronic election counts for both wards will take place on Friday 20 June 2025 at Kyleakin Village Hall starting at 11am. People will be able to follow the count and watch the declaration of the results live on our YouTube channel and follow the latest via the Council’s social media channels – @highlandcouncil

    To support equal access for everyone and to assist with voting, a range of accessibility aids is provided, which also includes a new overlay. The overlay combined with the audio recording of the ballot paper, is intended to provide a complete self-service solution to the blind and partially sighted voters to vote independently and in secret.  

    All information about the by-election, including answers to frequently asked questions and short video clips to show how to vote is available by visiting the Council’s website   www.highland.gov.uk/byelection

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Culture and tourism are important areas of cooperation between Beijing and Moscow – official

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    BEIJING, June 16 (Xinhua) — “Culture and tourism are important areas of exchange and cooperation between China and Russia, as well as between Beijing and Moscow. In recent years, the number of Chinese tourists visiting Moscow has been increasing every year,” Guo Huaigang, director of the Beijing Culture and Tourism Bureau, told the Beijing Youth Daily on Thursday.

    This year marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of sister city relations between Beijing and Moscow.

    Guo Huaigang noted that since the establishment of sister city relations, the two cities have organized various events in such fields as economy, trade, science and technology, urban development, transportation, and humanitarian ties. The events under the “joint celebration of the two cities” in the field of culture and tourism have created a platform for exchanges and cooperation between the industries of the two cities, arousing the interest and desire of their residents to get to know each other.

    According to him, Beijing received 293 thousand Russian tourists in 2024. In January-May 2025, Beijing received 175 thousand tourists from Russia, which is 83.9 percent more than the same period last year.

    On June 12, the Moscow Seasons in Beijing festival kicked off in Beijing, presenting modern technologies and folk traditions of the Russian capital to the Chinese public in an authentic form over the course of four days. At the same time, Beijing organized a series of events in Moscow to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the twinning, including a roundtable on trade and economic cooperation and a youth hockey tournament. In particular, the Beijing City Department of Culture and Tourism held a presentation of Beijing’s tourism opportunities and a “Journey to the World of Peking Opera” event in Moscow.

    “Thanks to joint efforts, the sister city relationship between Beijing and Moscow has been steadily developing,” Guo Huaigang said. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI: AIXA Miner Secures FinCEN MSB License, Marking Major 2025 Compliance Milestone in Global Cloud Mining Sector

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    DENVER, June 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — AIXA Miner has officially secured its Money Services Business (MSB) license from the U.S. Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), a pivotal regulatory approval that elevates its credibility and security standards across the global cloud mining landscape. This certification positions AIXA Miner as one of the few cloud mining platforms with verified U.S. compliance, an increasingly critical benchmark as international investors demand stronger oversight and consumer protection in crypto services.

    This milestone marks a new chapter for AIXA Miner in 2025, reinforcing its leadership in providing secure, efficient, and transparent cloud mining operations. As regulatory scrutiny increases worldwide, particularly in markets like Germany, the FinCEN-approved MSB license validates AIXA Miner’s operational integrity and risk controls—giving both new and experienced investors a trusted partner in navigating the evolving digital asset economy.

    What is Cloud Mining?

    Cloud mining is a convenient way to mine cryptocurrencies without having to buy or own professional mining equipment. Instead of setting up a mining machine or performing technical maintenance, customers can simply rent mining equipment from a service provider. The service provider operates large mining facilities and is responsible for hardware, electricity, network connectivity and maintenance. In return, the customer receives a share of the mining revenue generated by the rented capacity. Therefore, cloud mining is undoubtedly a simple solution for anyone who wants to mine passive cryptocurrencies without having to manage complex resources themselves.

    AIXA Miner Cloud Mining: A quick shortcut to cryptocurrency participation

    AIXA Miner was founded in 2020 in Colorado, USA, and received MSB (Financial Stability and Stability Board) certification from the US Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). The platform is known for its low-carbon environmental protection, financial security and high returns. The platform currently has over 1 million users in over 200 countries worldwide. This allows users to utilize idle funds to generate stable returns and become your loyal companion on the road to wealth. AIXA Miner combines secure wealth management with ease of use and enables users of all experience levels to mine cryptocurrencies easily and reliably.

    Get started with AIXA Miner

    1. Sign up and get a $100 bonus – Open a free account now and get a $20 welcome bonus to start generating a daily income of $0.80 right away.
    2. Choose the right mining plan – Browse a range of mining plans for different budgets and investment goals. Each plan differs in term, return and cost, so you can easily find a plan that suits your personal wealth to generate income.
    3. Daily income – payment is made automatically every 24 hours. You can reinvest your profits into higher value plans or withdraw your earnings directly to your crypto wallet when you’re ready.

    AIXA Miner offers further profit opportunities via its cloud mining platform in addition to investments and enables users to passively increase their income without actual investment.

    1. Multi-level referral system – share and earn: AIXA Miner rewards you for inviting others: 5% for direct referrals and continuous income accumulation as your network grows.
    2. VIP Membership: Increase your income: The more you invest, the higher your VIP level becomes and you will receive daily updates, additional bonuses from your mining earnings and retroactive rewards that can be unlocked instantly.

    Although the crypto market is mature in 2025, it remains volatile. Investors wonder: can the myth of wealth creation persist? Although 1,000x meme coins are rare, smart people are betting on more stable cloud mining. Let’s take AIXA Miner as an example. Its low-threshold, high-yield model has become the mainstream choice. With a user-friendly interface, high security and daily income, it helps investors achieve financial freedom through mining.

    You can find more information at www.aixaminer.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/0cbf21bf-08e0-47a4-a424-159e68ada715

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: EU hypocrisy fuelling suffering in Gaza

    Source: Médecins Sans Frontières –

    Brussels – The hypocrisy and inaction of the European Union and its Member States have allowed Israel to freely continue its massacre of Palestinians in Gaza with total impunity, said Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in a press conference in Brussels today. MSF calls for impartial needs-based aid to be facilitated into the Gaza Strip at scale, the protection of civilians, and the immediate restoration of a sustained ceasefire; European governments must act decisively to expedite this.

    For more than 20 months, Israeli authorities and forces have inflicted a punishing campaign, including large-scale forced displacement, ethnic cleansing against Palestinians in Gaza. On a daily basis, our teams witness patterns consistent with genocide through deliberate actions by Israeli forces – including mass killings, the destruction of vital civilian infrastructure, and blockades choking off access to food, water, medicines, and other essential humanitarian supplies. Israel is systematically destroying the conditions necessary for Palestinian life. Gaza’s homes, hospitals, markets, water networks, roads, and power grids have been demolished, not by disregard but by design.

    Children hold their empty pots at a community kitchen in northern Gaza, Palestine, February 2025.
    Nour Alsaqqa/MSF

    The European Union (EU) and European governments have the political, economic, and diplomatic means to exert real pressure on Israel to stop this assault and open Gaza’s border crossings to unhindered humanitarian aid. These are not theoretical instruments. They can be effectively mobilised in defence of international law and to protect civilians.

    However, up to this point, the EU and its member states appear to have abdicated their political leadership to do so. Worse, recent statements European States have made, critical of how the war is being waged, highlights their hypocrisy as they continue to supply the weapons being used to kill, maim, and burn people who end up in our hospitals.

    “The war in Gaza is one of the most egregious, deadly and ruthless wars waged on a people of our time,” says Christopher Lockyear, MSF Secretary General. “It is an orchestrated massacre of Palestinian people. It is purposeful ethnic cleansing.” 

    “Stopping this requires political courage, legal responsibility, and moral commitment,” says Lockyear. “The scale of suffering in Gaza demands more than empty rhetoric.”

    Aid has been weaponised, used as leverage, conditioned, or blocked entirely. Since the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation launched its activities on 27 May, as part of the US-Israeli scheme to instrumentalise aid, hundreds of Palestinians have been treated in hospitals, and scores have been killed, after being shot at these aid distribution sites while waiting to receive the basic necessities for survival.

    “The imposed system of aid delivery is not only a failure, but it is dehumanising and dangerous,” says Lockyear. “It exposes thousands of Palestinians to unnecessary risks, leading to bloodshed that can be avoided if humanitarian organisations are allowed to provide aid impartially and safely, at the necessary scale that is so desperately need in Gaza.”

    Today, Nasser hospital, southern Gaza’s main referral hospital for thousands of patients in the area, is barely able to continue working, due to repeated evacuation orders and movement restrictions on staff and patients. In recent weeks, MSF teams admitted over 500 patients requiring medical care to the hospital, while supporting the hospital’s medical staff to respond to repeated mass casualty influxes from constant bombings and attacks. 

    “Humanitarian organisations have set up makeshift hospitals to fill the gap, but they can in no way replace regular hospitals,” says Lockyear. “The remaining hospitals must be protected, and the entry of aid facilitated. Failure to do so will cost yet more lives.”

    MSF, like many organisations, has repeatedly called for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, unfettered humanitarian access, and respect for international humanitarian law – including the protection of medical staff and facilities.

    Several governments continue to express concerns about the horrific situation in Gaza, but their statements that invoke concern with adherence to IHL are shrouded in hypocrisy as they continue to send the arms that kill and maim the children we treat.

    “What people are experiencing in Gaza is beyond unbearable: it must stop now,” says Lockyear. “As this military onslaught against a besieged people rages on, the hypocrisy of EU states who speak but don’t act, is more obvious by the day.” 

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Social Engineering 2.0: When artificial intelligence becomes the ultimate manipulator

    Once the domain of elite spies and con artists, social engineering is now in the hands of anyone with an internet connection – and AI is the accomplice. Supercharged by generative tools and deepfake technology, today’s social engineering attacks are no longer sloppy phishing attempts. They’re targeted, psychologically precise, and frighteningly scalable.

    Welcome to Social Engineering 2.0, where the manipulators don’t need to know you personally. Their AI already does.

    Deception at machine levels

    Social engineering works because it bypasses firewalls and technical defences. It attacks human trust. From fake bank alerts to long-lost Nigerian princes, these scams have traditionally relied on generic hooks and low-effort deceit. But that’s changed, and continues to.

    “AI is augmenting and automating the way social engineering is carried out,” says Anna Collard, SVP of Content Strategy & Evangelist at KnowBe4 Africa. “Traditional phishing markers like spelling errors or bad grammar are a thing of the past. AI can mimic writing styles, generate emotionally resonant messages, and even recreate voices or faces (https://apo-opa.co/409nwPV) – all within minutes.”

    The result? Cybercriminals now wield the capabilities of psychological profilers. By scraping publicly available data – from social media to company bios – AI can construct detailed personal dossiers. “Instead of one-size-fits-all lures, AI enables criminals to create bespoke attacks,” Collard explains. “It’s like giving every scammer access to their own digital intelligence agency.”

    The new face of manipulation: Deepfakes

    One of the most chilling evolutions of AI-powered deception is the rise of deepfakes – synthetic video and audio designed to impersonate real people. “There are documented cases where AI-generated voices have been used to impersonate CEOs and trick staff into wiring millions (https://apo-opa.co/4e4JBVv),” notes Collard.

    In South Africa, a recent deepfake video circulating on WhatsApp featured a convincingly faked endorsement by FSCA Commissioner Unathi Kamlana promoting a fraudulent trading platform. Nedbank had to publicly distance itself from the scam (https://apo-opa.co/4e4JCJ3).

    “We’ve seen deepfakes used in romance scams, political manipulation, even extortion,” says Collard. One emerging tactic involves simulating a child’s voice to convince a parent they’ve been kidnapped (https://apo-opa.co/3HY5WrR) – complete with background noise, sobs, and a fake abductor demanding money.

    “It’s not just deception anymore,” Collard warns. “It’s psychological manipulation at scale.”

    The Scattered Spider effect

    One cybercrime group exemplifying this threat is Scattered Spider. Known for its fluency in English and deep understanding of Western corporate culture, this group specialises in highly convincing social engineering campaigns. “What makes them so effective,” notes Collard, “is their ability to sound legitimate, form quick rapport, and exploit internal processes – often tricking IT staff or help-desk agents.” Their human-centric approach, amplified by AI tools, such as using audio deepfakes to spoof victims’ voices for obtaining initial access, shows how the combination of cultural familiarity, psychological insight, and automation is redefining what cyber threats look like. It’s not just about technical access – it’s about trust, timing, and manipulation.

    Social engineering at scale

    What once required skilled con artists days or weeks of interaction – establishing trust, crafting believable pretexts, and subtly nudging behaviour – can now be done by AI in the blink of an eye. “AI has industrialised the tactics of social engineering,” says Collard. “It can perform psychological profiling, identify emotional triggers, and deliver personalised manipulation with unprecedented speed.”

    The classic stages – reconnaissance, pretexting, rapport-building – are now automated, scalable, and tireless. Unlike human attackers, AI doesn’t get sloppy or fatigued; it learns, adapts, and improves with every interaction.

    The biggest shift? “No one has to be a high-value target anymore,” Collard explains. “A receptionist, an HR intern, or a help-desk agent; all may hold the keys to the kingdom. It’s not about who you are – it’s about what access you have.”   

    Building cognitive resilience

    In this new terrain, technical solutions alone won’t cut it. “Awareness has to go beyond ‘don’t click the link,’” says Collard. She advocates for building ‘digital mindfulness’ and ‘cognitive resilience’ – the ability to pause, interrogate context, and resist emotional triggers (https://apo-opa.co/3FF6Zwn).

    This means:

    • Training staff to recognise emotional manipulation, not just suspicious URLs.
    • Running simulations using AI-generated lures, not outdated phishing templates.
    • Rehearsing calm, deliberate decision-making under pressure, to counter panic-based manipulation.

    Collard recommends unconventional tactics, too. “Ask HR interviewees to place their hand in front of their face during video calls – it can help spot deepfakes in hiring scams,” she says. Families and teams should also consider pre-agreed code words or secrets for emergency communications, in case AI-generated voices impersonate loved ones.

    Defence in depth – human and machine

    While attackers now have AI tools, so too do defenders. Behavioural analytics, real-time content scanning, and anomaly detection systems are evolving rapidly. But Collard warns: “Technology will never replace critical thinking. The organisations that win will be the ones combining human insight with machine precision.”

    And with AI lures growing more persuasive, the question is no longer whether you’ll be targeted – but whether you’ll be prepared. “This is a race,” Collard concludes. “But I remain hopeful. If we invest in education, in critical thinking and digital mindfulness, in the discipline of questioning what we see and hear – we’ll have a fighting chance.”

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of KnowBe4.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: £1 billion backed renewal of broken bridges, ruined roads and tired tunnels and new Thames Crossing cash

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    £1 billion backed renewal of broken bridges, ruined roads and tired tunnels and new Thames Crossing cash

    Chancellor spends £1 billion to enhance and repair run down transport infrastructure and futureproof England’s road network.

    • Package also includes further £590 million to take forward the long-awaited Lower Thames Crossing, and follows record £15.6 billion investment in city region transport announced ahead of the Spending Review.
    • Funding will ensure vital upgrades are made to tired bridges, flyovers and tunnels across Britain, supporting highly skilled job opportunities, delivering on the Plan for Change.

    Drivers across the UK will benefit from major investments to improve vital road structures, alongside committing cash to finally deliver a new Thames Crossing, working with the private sector.

    Across Great Britain, approximately 3,000 bridges are currently unable to support the heaviest vehicles, restricting access for agricultural and freight transport in regions, and slowing down journeys.

    And nationally, the number of bridge collapses has also risen – a stark reminder of the need for urgent action to turn the tide on the decade of neglect.

    The Structures Fund will inject cash into repairing run down bridges, decaying flyovers and worn out tunnels across Britain, and ensure other transport infrastructure is both more resilient to extreme weather events and to the demands of modern transport – making everyday journeys safer, smoother and more dependable.

    The government is also pledging a further £590 million to take forward the Lower Thames Crossing, the most significant road building project in a generation and a national priority- ending the painfully slow approach seen before.

    The new crossing will cut frustrating congestion at Dartford, better linking up motorists and businesses in the Midlands and North with key ports in the South East, and spreading growth throughout the regions as outlined in the Plan for Change. The government will look to bring in private finance and expertise to support this major project.

    These investments come as part of the new 10 Year Infrastructure Strategy, which will be published later this week, and sets out clear, achievable and robust vision for projects over the next decade of renewal.

    This also comes swiftly after a record £15.6 billion was announced at the Spending Review to enable local leaders to build long awaited projects like the Tyne and Wear Metro extension and the West Yorkshire Metro, and more investment to fund the TransPennine Route Upgrade and deliver East-West Rail.

    The government is also delivering direct funding to support growth across the UK – with funding for five new rail stations in South Wales, and financial backing for carbon capture storage in Aberdeenshire.

    Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, said:

    When it comes to investing in Britain’s renewal, we’re going all in by going up against the painful disruption of closed bridges, crossings and flyovers, and ensure they’re fit to serve working people for decades to come.

    Today’s investment also goes even further and faster to spread growth by providing critical funding to take forward the Lower Thames Crossing – not just boosting connectivity in the South East, but ensuring a smoother, less congested passage of vital goods from Europe to our regions.

    This is a turning point for our national infrastructure, and we’re backing it with funding to support thousands of jobs and connect communities, delivering on our Plan for Change.

    Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, said:

    We’re finally getting on with the Lower Thames Crossing — a crucial project to drive economic growth, that has been stuck in planning limbo for far too long.

    This project is essential for improving the resilience of a key freight route and is critical to our long term trade with Europe. It will speed up the movement of goods from South East England to the Midlands and the North, crucial to thousands of jobs and businesses.

    Our structures fund will make long-overdue investments to repair ageing structures across the country, speeding up journeys, restoring pride and delivering our Plan for Change to boost the economy and support regional growth.

    Capital investment today will not only address these immediate risks over the next five years, but create skilled jobs in construction, engineering and maintenance, support vital regeneration in local areas by improving connectivity, and boost local economies by improving access to jobs, education and services.

    We will set out more detail about how funding will be allocated shortly. This funding is additional to the funding local authorities will receive for highways maintenance, which will be set out in due course.

    Updates to this page

    Published 16 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: First major overhaul of medical device regulation comes into force across Great Britain

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    First major overhaul of medical device regulation comes into force across Great Britain

    New Post-Market Surveillance (PMS) regulations have taken effect across Great Britain, requiring medical device manufacturers to proactively monitor the safety and performance of their products once on the market.

    From today (16 June 2025), a landmark reform of how medical devices are regulated in Great Britain takes effect, as part of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency’s (MHRA) broader transformation of the UK’s medical device regulatory framework.

    The new Post-Market Surveillance (PMS) regulations require device manufacturers to actively track the safety and performance of products already in use. This will help identify potential safety issues earlier and strengthen protection for patients and the public through faster responses to incidents and emerging risks.

    Today’s reform applies to all UKCA- and CE-marked devices placed on the GB market after 16 June 2025. This includes in vitro diagnostic devices (IVD), such as glucose monitors and prostate specific antigen (PSA) tests; active implantable medical devices, including pacemakers and hearing implants; and range of technologies used across hospitals, clinics, and at home.

    The regulations will ensure all manufacturers have an effective system in place to monitor devices once they are in use, collect comprehensive safety data, report serious incidents, and take swifter action when issues arise. New trend reporting requirements will help the MHRA and industry spot patterns and intervene earlier to protect patients.

    Lawrence Tallon, Chief Executive of the MHRA, said:

    As innovation in health technologies accelerates, regulation must keep pace. Today’s reform is a critical step in ensuring safety standards evolve alongside this progress.

    By strengthening oversight of devices once they’re in use and setting clearer expectations for manufacturers, these new regulations provide a robust framework for identifying risks earlier and responding to protect patients.

    This represents an important milestone in our work in building a modern, responsive regulatory system – one that puts patient safety first, while also supporting innovation in life sciences and medical technologies across the UK.

    The new PMS regulation lays the groundwork for future reforms, including potential international recognition routes, designed to support improved access to safe and effective innovations. This is part of the UK’s broader commitment to a regulatory framework that supports both patient safety and innovation in life sciences.

    Manufacturers are now required to collect and assess real-world safety and performance data; report serious incidents to the MHRA within 15 days (previously 30); submit essential communications on patient safety (Field Safety Notices) to the MHRA for review before sharing with users; and provide PMS Reports or Periodic Safety Update Reports (PSUR) within 3 days of request. For higher risk devices, UK approved bodies will monitor these reports ensuring these products receive a higher level of scrutiny.

    The introduction of new data analysis reporting requirements will apply to all medical devices but are particularly valuable for improving oversight of lower-risk devices. These rules will require manufacturers to regularly summarise and assess device performance over time.

    Comprehensive guidance for manufacturers was published in January 2025, and has been updated following valuable industry feedback. The MHRA welcomes feedback to ensure ongoing clarity and alignment with practical implementation needs.

    Key changes introduced by the new PMS device regulation include:

    • Enhanced collection of real-world data: manufacturers must take a harmonised approach to gather and assess data on how their devices perform in everyday use, improving the ability to detect safety and performance issues.
    • Expanded scope for incident reporting: serious incidents relating to side effects are now reportable, providing a more comprehensive picture of device performance.
    • Shorter timelines for reporting serious incidents: serious incidents must be reported to the MHRA more quickly, allowing for faster regulatory action to protect patients.
    • Trend reporting and summary reporting: new data analysis reporting options will support earlier detection of trends without overburdening manufacturers or the regulator.
    • Clearer duties for risk mitigation and communication: manufacturers face stronger requirements to assess and manage risks, and to notify users promptly when safety issues arise.

    Notes to editors  

    Updates to this page

    Published 16 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: British Firework Championships returns with the ‘Champion of Champions’

    Source: City of Plymouth

    Plymouth Hoe will once again come alive with colour and excitement this summer as it hosts the British Firework Championships on Wednesday 13 and Thursday 14 August.

    Sponsored by Associated British Ports (ABP), the UK’s leading port operator, this year’s event promises to be even more spectacular, as six previous winners return to compete for the title of ‘Champion of Champions’.

    The Young People’s Choice Award will also return for its third consecutive year, sponsored by Plymouth Citybus, giving care-experienced young people a chance to cast their vote for their favourite display, helping foster engagement and excitement across all age groups.

    Sally Haydon, Cabinet Member for Events said: “We are really grateful for the support ABP Ports are providing for this event in their role as lead sponsor of the British Firework Championships, and we are very much looking forward to the crowning of a ‘Champion of Champions’ on Plymouth Hoe this summer as part of what is sure to be a wonderful opportunity to enjoy some spectacular fireworks with friends and family alike.

    “This partnership provides us with a great opportunity to celebrate our shared values and support Plymouth’s vibrant visitor economy and community events.”

    Ashley Curnow, Divisional Port Manager for Wales and the Southwest at ABP, the owners and operators of Millbay Docks, said: “We are proud to support the British Firework Championships as lead sponsor for the second consecutive year, with this landmark ‘Champion of Champions’ edition.

    “As proud member of the Plymouth community, ABP is delighted to help bring this spectacular celebration to life on the Hoe and to help showcase what Britain’s Ocean City has to offer.”

    The British Firework Championships will feature three stunning 10-minute displays each evening, beginning at 9.30pm, delivered by some of the most respected pyrotechnic companies in the UK.

    Richard Stevens MBE, Managing Director at Plymouth Citybus, said, ‘Plymouth Citybus are proud to once again sponsor the Young People’s Choice Awards at this year’s British Firework Championships. The firework championships is a highlight of the year for us, and the fact that we are helping to support young people across the city makes it even more special. “

    Starting at 2pm each day, visitors can enjoy the vibrant atmosphere, with a wide variety of fairground rides providing family fun well before the fireworks begin. The entertainment continues throughout the evening, with live music and performances taking place on the main stage from 5pm.

    Street entertainers, including fire performers and stilt walkers, will also delight the crowds with walkabout shows, adding to the carnival feel. Food and drink vendors will offer a delicious selection to suit all tastes, ensuring visitors can make the most of the festivities throughout the day and into the night.

    With two evenings of show-stopping fireworks, top-tier entertainment, and family-friendly fun, this year’s British Firework Championships is set to be a real summer highlight not just for Britain’s Ocean City, but for the whole of the South West.

    For updates and travel/accessibility information: VisitPlymouth/British Firework Championships

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Refugee Week: Choose the future not the past

    Source: Scottish Greens

    16 Jun 2025 Human Rights

    Scottish Greens mark beginning of Refugee Week

    More in Human Rights

    Scotland must choose the future of a unified community over the chaos that the far-right brings, says Scottish Greens MSP Maggie Chapman.

    Today is the beginning of Refugee Week, the world’s largest arts and culture festival celebrating the contributions, talents and strengths of refugees and people seeking sanctuary.

    Ms Chapman is calling for people to welcome refugees and stand on the right side of history, as divisive politics threatens to break communities across the UK.

    Ms Chapman said:

    “Refugees and people seeking sanctuary bring a huge amount to our communities, and create a wonderful culturally diverse nation. Refugees have brought enormous richness to our country. From those fleeing the Nazis in the 1930s to more recent refugees from conflicts in the Balkans and my own home of Zimbabwe.

    “But this is not only about the benefits to us. Scotland and the UK would not exist as it does without colonialism. We claim to be a post-colonial society, but far-right political factions are all too happy to sow the seeds of hatred and racism and try to drag us back to those days of old.

    “We must stand up against that, and stand with those at risk of serious harm by the far-right.

    “Think of your neighbours who have lived here peacefully for years after fleeing conflict in Sudan. Your postie whose parents came to the UK for a better life before he was even born. The mum you meet at the school gates who worked hard to learn English as a second language just to communicate with you, and who is proud to call Scotland her home.

    “Think of the doctors, nurses and carers who risked their lives to make sure that you or your loved ones were not alone and were given medical treatment during the covid pandemic. The very same people who care about you and give so much to our country are being scapegoated and vilified by far-right politicians like Farage and co, claiming they don’t belong here.

    “Scotland often likes to think of itself as set apart from racism, but racism is here and it is growing. We’ve just watched Reform double down on an incredibly racist campaign and grow their support in a by-election.

    “Groups are mobilising across other parts of the UK and committing horrific acts, like modern day pogroms minus the pitchforks, against anyone who isn’t white and British within communities.

    “This is happening because far-right messaging is being given a platform and validation. The UK Government’s immigration stance is setting the tone that helps to feed the violence and riots we see in the streets, where innocent people are targeted by angry mobs looking for trouble.

    “We must stand up against these kinds of bullies, and stand with our neighbours and friends. It is our duty to choose community over chaos, and remember that our country is far better off because of refugees, and they have every right to feel that they belong here. Because they do.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Is it safe to drink the water in Yellowstone’s backcountry?

    Source: US Geological Survey

    Gibbon River near Norris Geyser Basin in Yellowstone National Park at sunset.  USGS Photo by Mike Poland, August 28, 2024.

    Yellowstone Caldera Chronicles is a weekly column written by scientists and collaborators of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. This week’s contribution is from Blaine McCleskey, research chemist with the U.S. Geological Survey.

    Yellowstone National Park has over 1,000 miles of trails and nearly 300 designated backcountry campsites, allowing people to venture beyond the main roads and boardwalks. The Yellowstone backcountry includes amazing forests, grasslands, mountains, rivers, waterfalls, thermal areas, and good opportunities to view wildlife! For those venturing into the backcountry for more than a day, a clean and safe water supply is an important consideration. Water chemists who work in Yellowstone are often asked if the water in the backcountry is safe to drink. Let’s break down three broad water types in Yellowstone so that backcountry hikers and campers can make the best decision when choosing a water source.

    Scientists sample water from the Firehole River in Yellowstone National Park. Work done under National Park Service research permit 5194.

    Thermal water should not be used as drinking water. First, off-trail travel in thermal areas is prohibited, and the ground in thermal areas is often dangerous to traverse. In addition, thermal waters can have microorganisms that are known to be harmful, such as Naegleria (a brain-eating amoeba), and can contain elevated concentrations of arsenic and fluoride. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) for arsenic is 0.010 mg/L, and for fluoride is 4.0 mg/L. The arsenic concentration in Yellowstone thermal waters is often 1 mg/L, but concentrations as high as 17 mg/L have measured—that’s about 2000 times higher than the MCL! In addition, fluoride as high as 57 mg/L has been measured in Yellowstone thermal waters. Other nasty chemical constituents that are known to be elevated and may cause adverse health effects include antimony and mercury. So for a lot of reasons, stay away from thermal water.  It is not good for your health!

    Non-thermal waters from rivers and creeks in Yellowstone are typically derived from snow and rain and are well suited for drinking after onsite treatment. Cool non-thermal waters may contain microorganisms such as E. Coli or parasites such as Giardia that should be removed by filtration or sterilized by chlorination, iodination, or boiling before drinking. There are many miles of non-thermal rivers and creeks in Yellowstone.

    But what about discharge from thermal features that flows into pristine rivers and creeks, creating mixed waters? Chemical investigations indicate that most material contributed by thermal runoff tends to remain dissolved in solution when mixed with river water and is readily transported downstream. Because of dilution, the concentrations of the nasty chemical components, including arsenic and fluoride, are often substantially less than the thermal waters. But in some cases the concentration of arsenic and fluoride in mixed waters, especially just downstream from thermal areas, can still exceed the MCL set by the EPA. Most backpacking filtration systems will readily remove particulates, including microorganisms, but they may not remove chemical components like arsenic and fluoride. Boiling kills microorganisms but would not lower arsenic and fluoride concentrations. Fortunately, over 140 years of study of water in Yellowstone provide an indication of where mixed waters may be hazardous. As you might expect, it’s mostly in the vicinity of the park’s major geyser basins—especially those along the Firehole and Gibbon Rivers.

    Map of Yellowstone National Park lakes, rivers, and streams, with colors indicating the amount of arsenic in the water.  The Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) defined by the Environmental Protection Agency for arsenic in drinking water is 10 micrograms per liter (µg/L).  In the vicinity of major geyser basins, especially on the Firehole and Madison Rivers, arsenic levels far exceed the MCL (orange and purple areas on map).  Map is based a figure in McCleskey and others, 2022 (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2022.107709).

    In most Yellowstone backcountry areas, there several options for obtaining safe drinking water. When looking to top off your supply, ask yourself “where does the water come from and is there is a thermal area upstream?” Whenever possible, choose a river or stream without thermal waters draining into it. Enjoy the Yellowstone backcountry, and stay safe!

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SPC Jun 16, 2025 0600 UTC Day 1 Convective Outlook

    Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

    SPC AC 160559

    Day 1 Convective Outlook
    NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
    1259 AM CDT Mon Jun 16 2025

    Valid 161200Z – 171200Z

    …THERE IS AN ENHANCED RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OVER PARTS OF
    THE UPPER MIDWEST AND THE CENTRAL PLAINS…

    …SUMMARY…
    Scattered severe thunderstorms capable of producing severe gusts,
    large hail, and perhaps a couple tornadoes are forecast today from
    the north-central High Plains into the Upper Mississippi Valley.

    …Synopsis…
    Within a belt of zonal midlevel flow extending from the northern
    Rockies/High Plains into the Upper MS Valley, a convectively
    augmented midlevel impulse/MCV will track eastward across the
    Dakotas into MN through the afternoon. In response to this feature,
    a weak frontal-wave low will migrate eastward from the eastern
    Dakotas into MN — along a surface boundary extending southwestward
    through the central Plains. Farther west, an additional
    low-amplitude impulse accompanied by strong westerly flow aloft will
    emerge over the northern/central High Plains during the late
    afternoon/early evening.

    …Upper MS Valley into the central Plains…
    Scattered thunderstorms should generally be focused along/ahead of
    the frontal-wave low and remnant MCV as it moves into MN during the
    afternoon, with additional trailing development possible along the
    surface boundary into NE. Here, rich boundary-layer moisture and
    modestly steep midlevel lapse rates will contribute to a strongly
    unstable air mass, while the enhanced midlevel westerly flow yields
    around 40 kt of effective shear. This should support a risk of a
    couple supercells and organized clusters capable of producing large
    hail, damaging winds, and a couple tornadoes.

    …Southeast MT into the central High Plains…
    As low-level lapse rates diurnally steepen amid
    recycled/post-frontal boundary-layer moisture over the
    northern/central High Plains, scattered thunderstorms should evolve
    eastward from southeast MT/eastern WY into the central Plains —
    aided by the emerging midlevel impulse. Upwards of 40-50 kt of
    effective shear and steepening deep-layer lapse rates will favor
    large hail and locally severe wind gusts with initial
    discrete/semi-discrete supercell structures and organized clusters.
    As these storms track east-southeastward into the evening,
    additional storms may be developing farther south along the
    southwestward-extending surface boundary over western/central
    NE/northeastern CO/northwest KS. While the overall convective
    evolution is unclear, current thinking is that multiple
    opportunities for upscale growth into one or more MCSs will exist in
    the NE/KS vicinity into the evening/overnight hours. A swath of
    severe wind will be possible where this evolution occurs.

    ..Weinman/Leitman.. 06/16/2025

    CLICK TO GET WUUS01 PTSDY1 PRODUCT

    NOTE: THE NEXT DAY 1 OUTLOOK IS SCHEDULED BY 1300Z

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Moscow Zoo CEO: Giant Panda Katyusha is a Symbol of Friendship between China and Russia

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    BEIJING, June 16 (Xinhua) — Giant panda Katyusha, born in August 2023 at the Moscow Zoo, is a symbol of friendship between China and Russia and the professionalism of specialists from the two countries, Moscow Zoo Director General Svetlana Akulova said in Beijing on June 13.

    As reported by the newspaper Zhongguo Qingnian Bao /China Youth Daily/, S. Akulova made this statement while participating in a meeting dedicated to the organization and implementation of bilateral museum projects between Moscow and Beijing. The event was organized by the Moscow government with the assistance of the Russian Cultural Center in Beijing and the support of the People’s Government of Beijing.

    In April 2019, in honor of the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Russia, giant pandas Ruyi and Dingding arrived in Moscow. In August 2023, their cub, panda Katyusha, was born at the Moscow Zoo.

    “This was an important event,” said S. Akulova. She said that the name Katyusha was chosen based on the results of an online vote in which 300,000 people took part. The giant panda Katyusha has attracted numerous followers on social networks, and many Russians are eager to visit the Moscow Zoo to see her.

    She added that experts from China and Russia regularly exchange data to ensure the good health of giant pandas, and the Moscow Zoo takes full responsibility and provides them with careful care.

    “The Moscow Zoo is a party to more than 70 agreements on the protection of rare animal species and hopes to work together with Beijing to protect the golden snub-nosed monkey,” said S. Akulova.

    S. Akulova also put forward the initiative to create a “World Alliance of Zoos”, stating that environmental protection tasks require a review of the relevant work.

    The Moscow Zoo hopes to enter into an alliance with the Beijing Zoo, said S. Akulova, adding that cooperation with China will be an important step towards strengthening new international partnerships.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Special Report: Flowers from China’s Yunnan Bloom in Kazakhstan

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    KUNMING/ALMATY, June 16 (Xinhua) — Flowers are a universal gift that is loved to be presented on various occasions in many countries, including Kazakhstan. Flowers can be used to create a beautiful composition. A bouquet appropriate for the occasion can be given to a woman or a man, friends or colleagues and can be used to express almost any message. Give a compliment, say “thank you” or “sorry” and even propose!

    Dounan is a small town on the shore of Dianchi Lake in Kunming, Yunnan Province. But in terms of “flower territory,” it is very large. It is home to Asia’s largest fresh-cut flower market and the second largest in the world. Of Dounan’s 70,000 residents, more than 40,000 are employed in the flower industry. Every day, about 10 million fresh-cut flowers are sold here. They are exported to more than 50 countries, including Kazakhstan.

    In fact, it is not only a flower market, but also a national tourist attraction. Last year alone, millions of tourists visited it. Eustoma, roses, bush carnations, matthiola and sunflowers. You can buy all kinds of flowers here. No matter whether you like flowers or not, you can’t resist the temptation to buy them in Dounan because they are so cheap here. The price for one bunch of roses is 20 yuan (US$1.40), and for a bunch of sunflowers it is only 8 yuan (US$1.10).

    As assistant to the president of Dounan Flower Industry Corporation Wang Jinyiling said, in the 1980s, the villagers of Dounan began trying to grow flowers in their gardens. And to their surprise, they discovered that it was very economically profitable. Then everyone gradually began to follow their example. “And we needed a large enough and professional flower market to sell flowers,” she noted.

    According to her, in 1998, the Dounan Flower Market with an area of 37,333 square meters was officially put into operation. And in 2015, the industrial zone – a flower market of national importance – was officially opened. Here, in addition to traditional direct flower sales, online auctions and sales are also held. Today, Dounan is not just a collection and distribution center for flowers, but also a tourist attraction. More and more tourists come here to experience the unique flower culture of Yunnan Province.

    Zhou Tianyi runs Deruier Flowers in Dounan. Every week, the shop ships 200,000 to 300,000 fresh-cut roses to Almaty. Delivery takes just five days. “The China Flower Industry Conference is held every year. We also attend it and met many entrepreneurs from Kazakhstan there,” she said.

    “The quality of Chinese flowers is very stable now. Today, there are a huge number of flower species in China, and the excellent price-quality ratio is their great advantage. These are the main reasons why Kazakh businessmen like Chinese products very much,” said the director of Deruier Flowers.

    According to Kazakh media, citing the country’s National Bureau of Statistics, in 2024 the country imported more than 1,100 tons of fresh-cut flowers and buds from China worth $7.5 million. This is almost 13 times more than the previous year. In terms of total import volume, China has become the third largest supplier of flowers to Kazakhstan.

    There are about 220,000 flower seedling companies in China, with an annual output of more than 520 billion yuan (nearly 72.2 billion US dollars), making the country the world’s largest flower producer.

    In 2024, China’s flower import and export volume was US$782 million, up 10 percent year on year. Of which, the export volume was US$516 million, up 17.78 percent year on year. China’s flower economy has shown strong vitality. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China Southern Airlines launches first direct passenger flight Beijing-Dushanbe

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    BEIJING, June 16 (Xinhua) — China Southern Airlines flight CZ6051 carrying 173 passengers departed Beijing Daxing International Airport for Dushanbe, capital of Tajikistan, at noon on June 16, officially opening the airline’s first direct Beijing-Dushanbe passenger flight.

    The new flight is also reportedly the first direct passenger flight on the Beijing-Dushanbe route launched by Chinese air carriers.

    According to China Southern Airlines, based in Guangzhou City /Guangdong Province, southern China/, direct flights on the Beijing-Dushanbe route are operated twice a week. The flight numbers for this route are CZ6051/6052. According to the schedule, the flight departs from Beijing Daxing International Airport at 17:00 /local time/ and arrives at Dushanbe International Airport at 21:00. Travel time is about 7 hours. The return flight departs from Dushanbe International Airport at 22:30 and arrives at Beijing Daxing International Airport at 07:20 the next day. The trip takes about 6 hours.

    “In order to provide passengers with quality services, we decorated the cabin of this flight with cultural elements of the two countries and also treated passengers with signature dishes such as abalone with chicken and peach blossom cookies,” said Hou Ming, general manager of the North China Region Marketing Center of China Southern Airlines.

    The opening of a direct Beijing-Dushanbe flight will create a more convenient air bridge between China and Tajikistan, effectively promote bilateral trade, economic and humanitarian exchanges, cooperation in the field of tourism, and will also give a new powerful impetus to the development of relations between the two countries and regional interconnectedness, said Qu Guangji, deputy general director of China Southern Airlines.

    During the summer and autumn air seasons this year, China Southern Airlines will operate 7 express flights connecting Beijing Daxing Airport with cities such as Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Chengdu, and will also launch international flights between Beijing Daxing Airport and airports in London, Amsterdam, Moscow, etc. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Exclusive: “Lu Ban’s Workshop” is a major project to increase the potential of engineering education in Kyrgyzstan — Rector of KSTU

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    BISHKEK, June 16 /Xinhua/ — The Lu Ban Workshop project is not just infrastructure, but a large joint project of Kyrgyzstan and Chinese university partners to enhance the potential of engineering education in the country, Rector of the Kyrgyz State Technical University (KSTU) Mirlan Chynybaev said in an interview with Xinhua.

    In October 2024, Lu Ban Workshop was officially opened in KSTU. It was jointly established by Zhejiang University of Water Resources and Hydropower, KSTU and other institutions. This workshop has laboratories and classrooms covering an area of more than 1,000 square meters, which are equipped with more than 300 pieces of equipment, including testing instruments, teaching models, electrical equipment, mechanical equipment, road and bridge equipment, etc.

    “This infrastructure allows us to improve the quality of education at our university, and our students already have the opportunity to study modern technologies,” said M. Chynybaev.

    The project, as the rector added, also includes advanced training for teachers, development of new teaching materials, holding conferences, seminars, trainings, and overview lectures with the participation of the university’s partners.

    The Rector of KSTU noted that among the main tasks facing them were increasing the engineering and technical potential in the field of hydropower, hydraulic engineering, energy, and geoinformation technologies. “All these aspects dictate the choice of appropriate partners. And on the Chinese side, we have a very good partner – Zhejiang University of Water Resources and Hydropower, which has these competencies and the most modern technologies. And together with them, we are implementing this project,” said M. Chynybaev.

    He also emphasized that industry is currently actively developing in Kyrgyzstan, especially energy, and the country is receiving a lot of investment, mainly from Chinese companies. “Thanks to investments, strategic projects are being implemented, in particular, in the energy sector, in the field of railway construction. And, of course, these projects need engineers. And within the framework of the Lu Ban Workshop project, we are training engineers,” he noted.

    According to the rector of KSTU, the project “Lu Ban’s Workshop” is not only education, but also cultural exchange. “Our students are now additionally studying Chinese. We are planning to organize internships for our teachers in China, and we also have Chinese specialists who help us in implementing this project,” said the head of KSTU.

    He also announced future plans to launch joint dual degree educational programs. “That is, students will study here for two years in their specialty and then for two years at a Chinese partner university. After completing their studies, students will receive diplomas from two universities at once. This is a good step towards integrating education and mutual recognition of qualifications,” explained M. Chynybaev.

    Speaking about the upcoming China-Central Asia summit, which will be held in Astana, the rector of KSTU expressed hope that it will give impetus to the development of scientific and technical cooperation.

    “Cooperation should develop not only in economic terms, but also in the field of education, science and technology. And we count on further financial support for joint scientific projects. We can conduct a lot of joint research,” said M. Chynybaev.

    According to him, KSTU actively participates in almost all strategic projects. “We expect to train engineers for the successful implementation of all joint projects carried out by China and Central Asia, as well as China and our country. We expect that our cooperation will continue and become even more intensive and profound,” he concluded.

    MIL OSI Russia News –