JEWISH KING JESUS IS COMING AT THE RAPTURE FOR US IN THE CLOUDS-DON'T MISS IT FOR THE WORLD.THE BIBLE TAKEN LITERALLY- WHEN THE PLAIN SENSE MAKES GOOD SENSE-SEEK NO OTHER SENSE-LEST YOU END UP IN NONSENSE.GET SAVED NOW- CALL ON JESUS TODAY.THE ONLY SAVIOR OF THE WHOLE EARTH - NO OTHER. 1 COR 15:23-JESUS THE FIRST FRUITS-CHRISTIANS RAPTURED TO JESUS-FIRST FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT-23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.ROMANS 8:23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.(THE PRE-TRIB RAPTURE)
THIS ARROGANT LEBANESE DEATH CULT PRESIDENT. HE WANTS PEACE BUT NOT ACCEPT ISRAELS RIGHT TO EXIST.
RUSSIA,GERMANY, ARAB MUSLIMS COME AGAINST ISRAEL.
EZEKIEL 38:1-23
1 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
2
Son of man, set thy face against Gog,(RULER) the land of Magog,(RUSSIA)
the chief prince of Meshech (MOSCOW) and Tubal,(TOBOLSK) and prophesy
against him,
3 And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against
thee, O Gog,(LEADER OF RUSSIA) the chief prince of Meshech(MOSCOW) and
Tubal:TOBOLSK)
4 And I (GOD) will turn thee back, and put hooks into
thy jaws,(GOD FORCES THE RUSSIA-MUSLIMS TO MARCH) and I will bring thee
forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with
all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields,
all of them handling swords:
5 Persia,(IRAN,IRAQ) Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet:
6
Gomer,(GERMANY) and all his bands; the house of Togarmah (TURKEY) of
the north quarters, and all his bands: and many people with
thee.(AFRICAN MUSLIMS,SUDAN,TUNESIA ETC)
7 Be thou prepared, and
prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto
thee, and be thou a guard unto them.
8 After many days thou shalt be
visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is
brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against
the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is
brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of
them.
9 Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a
cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands, and many people with
thee.(RUSSIA-EGYPT AND MUSLIMS)
10 Thus saith the Lord GOD; It shall
also come to pass, that at the same time shall things come into thy
mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought:
11 And thou shalt
say,(RUSSIA-ARAB-MUSLIMS) I will go up to the land of unwalled
villages;(ISRAEL) I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely,
all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates,
12
To take a spoil,(OIL IS IN SPOIL) and to take a prey; to turn thine
hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the
people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle
and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land.
13 Sheba, and
Dedan,(SAUDI-ARABIA) and the merchants of Tarshish,(SPAIN) with all the
young lions thereof,(ENGLAND,AND ALL ITS ASSOCIATES-CANADA,AUSTRALIA-NEW
ZEALAND, USA, AND WESTERN ENGLISH SPEAKING NATIONS) shall say unto
thee, Art thou come to take a spoil? hast thou gathered thy company to
take a prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and
goods, to take a great spoil?(OIL IS IN SPOIL-I BELIEVE THATS WHY
RUSSIA,ARAB/MUSLIMS MARCH TO ISRAEL)
14 Therefore, son of man,
prophesy and say unto Gog, Thus saith the Lord GOD; In that day when my
people of Israel dwelleth safely, shalt thou not know it?
15 And
thou shalt come from thy place out of the north parts, thou, and many
people with thee, all of them riding upon horses, a great company, and a
mighty army:
16 And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel,
as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days, and I
will bring thee against my land, that the heathen may know me, when I
shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes.
17 Thus saith
the Lord GOD; Art thou he of whom I have spoken in old time by my
servants the prophets of Israel, which prophesied in those days many
years that I would bring thee against them?
18 And it shall come to
pass at the same time when Gog shall come against the land of Israel,
saith the Lord GOD, that my fury shall come up in my face.
19 For in
my jealousy and in the fire (atomic bomb) of my wrath have I spoken,
Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel;
20
So that the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the heaven, and the
beasts of the field, and all creeping things that creep upon the earth,
and all the men that are upon the face of the earth, shall shake at my
presence, and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places
shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground.
21 And I will
call for a sword against him throughout all my mountains, saith the Lord
GOD: every man’s sword shall be against his brother.
22 And I will
plead against him with pestilence (biological,chemical,nuclear) and with
blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many
people that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones,
fire, and brimstone.(NUKED,THEN MIGRATING BIRDS EAT RUSSIA/ARAB/MUSLIMS
FLESH)
23 Thus will I magnify myself, and sanctify myself; and I
will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am
the LORD.
EZEKIEL 39:1-29
1 Therefore, thou son of man,
prophesy against Gog,(LEADER OF RUSSIA) and say, Thus saith the Lord
GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech
(MOSCOW) and Tubal: (TUBOLSK)
2 And I will turn thee
back,(RUSSIA-ARAB MUSLIM ISRAEL HATERS) and leave but the sixth part of
thee,(5/6TH OR 300 MILLION DEAD RUSSIAN/ARAB/MUSLIMS I BELIEVE) and will
cause thee to come up from the north parts,(RUSSIA) and will bring thee
upon the mountains of Israel:
3 And I will smite thy bow out of thy left hand, and will cause thine arrows to fall out of thy right hand.
4
Thou shalt fall upon the mountains of Israel, thou, and all thy bands,(
ARABS) and the people that is with thee: I will give thee unto the
ravenous birds of every sort, and to the beasts of the field to be
devoured.
5 Thou shalt fall upon the open field: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD.
6
And I will send a shall come to pass in that day, that I will give unto
Gog (RUSSIA/ARAB/MUSLIMS) a place there of graves in Israel, the valley
of the passengers (EAST OF THE DEAD SEA IN JORDAN VALLEY) on the east
of the sea: and it shall stop the noses of the passengers: and there
shall they bury Gog (RUSSIAN) and all his multitude:(ARAB/MUSLIM HORDE)
and they shall call it The valley of Hamongog.(BURIEL SITE OF THE 300
MILLION,RUSSIAN/ARAB/MUSLIMS)
12 And seven months shall the house of Israel be burying of them, that they may cleanse the land.(OF ISRAEL)
13
Yea, all the people of the land (OF ISRAEL) shall bury them; and it
shall be to them a renown the day that I (GOD-JESUS) shall be glorified,
saith the Lord GOD.
14 And they shall sever out men of continual
employment,(NUCLEAR ATOMIC BOMB EXPERTS) passing through the land to
bury with the passengers those that remain upon the face of the earth,
to cleanse it: after the end of seven months shall they search.
15
And the passengers that pass through the land, when any seeth a man’s
bone, then shall he set up a sign by it,(WON'T TOUCH IT) till the
buriers have buried it (PROPERLY) in the valley of
Hamongog.(RUSSIA/ARAB/MUSLIMS NEW BURIEL SITE)(EAST OF THE DEAD SEA IN
THE JORDAN VALLEY)
16 And also the name of the city shall be Hamonah. Thus shall they cleanse the land.(OF THE ISRAEL-GOD HATERS)
17
And, thou son of man, thus saith the Lord GOD; Speak unto every
feathered fowl,(500 MILLION MIGRATING BIRDS THREW ISRAEL EVERY
SPRING,FALL) and to every beast of the field, Assemble yourselves, and
come; gather yourselves on every side to my sacrifice that I do
sacrifice for you, even a great sacrifice upon the mountains of Israel,
that ye may eat flesh, and drink blood.(OF THE RUSSIAN/ARAB/MUSLIM
ARMIES)
18 Ye shall eat the flesh of the mighty, and drink the blood
of the princes of the earth, of rams, of lambs, and of goats, of
bullocks, all of them fatlings of Bashan.
19 And ye (MIGRATING BIRDS
IN ISRAEL) shall eat fat till ye be full, and drink blood till ye be
drunken, of my sacrifice which I have sacrificed for
you.(RUSSIAN/ARAB/MUSLIM ISRAEL HATERS)
20 Thus ye shall be filled at my table with horses and chariots, with mighty men, and with all men of war, saith the Lord GOD.
21
And I (GOD-JESUS) will set my glory among the heathen,(WORLD NATIONS)
and all the heathen (WORLD NATIONS) shall see my judgment that I have
executed,(AGAINST ISRAELS ENEMIES) and my (GODS) hand that I have laid
upon them.(ISRAELS HATER ENEMIES)
22 So the house of Israel shall know that I am the LORD their God from that day and forward.
23
And the heathen shall know that the house of Israel went into captivity
for their iniquity: because they trespassed against me, therefore hid I
my face from them, and gave them into the hand of their enemies: so
fell they all by the sword.
24 According to their uncleanness and according to their transgressions have I done unto them, and hid my face from them.
25
Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Now will I bring again the captivity
of Jacob, and have mercy upon the whole house of Israel, and will be
jealous for my holy name;
26 After that they have borne their shame,
and all their trespasses whereby they have trespassed against me, when
they dwelt safely in their land, and none made them afraid.
27 When I
have brought them again from the people, and gathered them out of their
enemies’ lands, and am sanctified in them in the sight of many nations;
28
Then shall they know that I am the LORD their God, which caused them to
be led into captivity among the heathen: but I have gathered them unto
their own land, and have left none of them any more there.
29
Neither will I hide my face any more from them: for I have poured out my
spirit upon the house of Israel, saith the Lord GOD.
DR DOCTORION-ANGEL OF THE MIDEAST
"The
angel showed me that the United Nations shall be broken in pieces
because of the crisis in the Middle East. There shall be no more United
Nations. The angel with the sickle shall reap the harvest.
FIRST ANGEL: ASIA
But
the angel said: "Millions will die in China and in India. Nation will
be against nation, brother against brother. Asians will fight each
other. Nuclear weapons shall be used, killing millions."Twice I heard
the words, "Catastrophic! Catastrophic!"Then the angel said, "Financial
crisis will come to Asia. I will shake the world."I was trembling while
the angel was speaking.
SECOND ANGEL: MIDDLE EAST
Then I saw that
the second angel had a sickle in his hand, such as is used in
harvesting.The second angel said: "Harvest time has come in Israel and
the countries all the way to Iran."I saw those countries in a few split
seconds."All of Turkey and those [inaudible] countries that have refused
me and refused my message of love shall hate each other and kill one
another."I saw the angel raise the sickle and come down on all the
Middle East countries. I saw Iran, Persia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, all of
Georgia - Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, all of Asia Minor - full
of blood. I saw blood all over these countries. And I saw fire; Nuclear
weapons used in many of those countries. Smoke rising from everywhere.
Sudden destruction – men destroying one another. I heard these
words:"Israel, Oh Israel, the great judgment has come."
Jeremiah 6:14
14 They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.
Isaiah 57:21
21 There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.
1 Thessalonians 5:3
3
For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction
cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not
escape.
Ephesians 2:2
2 Wherein in time past ye walked
according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the
power of the air,(LIBERAL GODLESS AIR WAVES) the spirit that now worketh
in the children of disobedience:
EZEK 39:11-16
11 And it
shall come to pass in that day, that I will give unto Gog (300 MILLION
RUSSIA,GERMANY, IRAN, TURKEY, ARAB MUSLIMS) a place there of graves in
Israel, the valley of the passengers on the east of the sea: (IN THE
JORDAN VALLEY) and it shall stop the noses of the passengers: and there
shall they bury Gog and all his multitude: and they shall call it The
valley of Hamongog.
12 And seven months shall the house of Israel be burying of them, that they may cleanse the land.
13
Yea, all the people of the land shall bury them; and it shall be to
them a renown the day that I shall be glorified, saith the Lord God.
14
And they shall sever out men of continual employment, (NUCLEAR
SPECIALISTS) passing through the land to bury with the passengers those
that remain upon the face of the earth, to cleanse it: after the end of
seven months shall they search.
15 And the passengers that pass
through the land, when any seeth a man's bone, then shall he set up a
sign by it, till the buriers have buried it in the valley of Hamongog.
16 And also the name of the city shall be Hamonah. Thus shall they cleanse the land.
MEANING OF HAMONAH
Hamonah,
ham-o'-nah (Heb.)-- host; multitude; noise; tumult; commotion of mind.
The prophetic name of a city that is mentioned in conjunction with
Hamon-gog: "And Hamonah shall also be the name of a city.
Metaphysical meaning of Hamonah (mbd) - Truth Unity
Strong's Lexicon-Hamonah: Hamonah-Original Word: הֲמוֹנָה
Part of Speech: Proper Name Location-Transliteration: Hamownah
Pronunciation: hah-mo-NAH-Phonetic Spelling: (ham-o-naw')
Definition: Hamonah-Meaning: Hamonah
Word
Origin: Derived from the Hebrew root הָמוֹן (H1995), meaning
"multitude" or "abundance."Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: There
is no direct Greek equivalent for "Hamonah" in the Strong's Greek
Dictionary, as it is a specific Hebrew proper noun. However, the concept
of a multitude or abundance can be related to Greek words like πλῆθος
(G4128), meaning "multitude."Usage: The term "Hamonah" is used as a
proper noun referring to a specific location mentioned in the prophetic
literature of the Old Testament. It is associated with the aftermath of a
significant battle, symbolizing the multitude of the slain.Cultural and
Historical Background: In the context of the Hebrew Bible, names often
carry significant meaning and are used to convey theological and
prophetic messages. "Hamonah" is mentioned in the book of Ezekiel, a
prophetic text that addresses the restoration of Israel and the judgment
of the nations. The name reflects the abundance of God's judgment upon
the enemies of Israel, serving as a reminder of divine justice and
sovereignty.
DAMASCUS DESTROYED
ISAIAH 17:1,3,13-14
17 The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap.
3
The fortress also shall cease from Ephraim, and the kingdom from
Damascus, and the remnant of Syria: they shall be as the glory of the
children of Israel, saith the Lord of hosts.
13 The nations shall
rush like the rushing of many waters: but God shall rebuke them, and
they shall flee far off, and shall be chased as the chaff of the
mountains before the wind, and like a rolling thing before the
whirlwind.
14 And behold at eveningtide trouble; and before the
morning he is not. This is the portion of them that spoil us, and the
lot of them that rob us.
JEREMIAH 49:23-27
23 Concerning
Damascus. Hamath is confounded, and Arpad: for they have heard evil
tidings: they are fainthearted; there is sorrow on the sea; it cannot be
quiet.
24 Damascus is waxed feeble, and turneth herself to flee, and
fear hath seized on her: anguish and sorrows have taken her, as a woman
in travail.
25 How is the city of praise not left, the city of my joy!
26
Therefore her young men shall fall in her streets, and all the men of
war shall be cut off in that day, saith the Lord of hosts.
27 And I will kindle a fire in the wall of Damascus, and it shall consume the palaces of Benhadad.(PALACES OF DAMASCUS)
ISRAEL WILL BE IN CONTROL OF JERUSALEM, THE SIGN OF THE START OF THE LAST GENERATION.
NEHEMIAH 2:17
17
Then said I unto them, Ye see the distress that we (ISRAELIS) are in,
how Jerusalem lieth waste,(AD 70) and the gates thereof are burned with
fire: come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem,(DAN 9:24-27) that
we be no more a reproach.
LUKE 21:24
24 And they shall fall
by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all
nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the
times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.(ISRAEL RECAPTURES JERUSALEM)(THE
BEGGINING OF THE LAST GENERATION AND THE LAST END OF THE AGE OF
GRACE.NOT THE END OF THE WORLD ,THE WORLD GOES ON FOREVER)
MATTHEW 1:17
17
So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen
generations;(14)and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are
fourteen generations;(14)and from the carrying away into Babylon unto
Christ are fourteen generations.(14)(42 GENERATIONS DIVIDED BY 2160
YEARS = 51.4 YRS TO A GENERATION)
LUKE 3:38,23
38 Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God.
23
And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was
supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli,(SO HERE IN LUKE 3
WE HAVE 77 GENERATIONS FROM ADAM TO CHRIST-77 DIVIDED BY 4,000 YEARS =
51.9 YRS TO A GENERATIN)(SO A TRUE BIBLE GENERATION IS FROM 40 TO 51
YEARS)
MATTHEW 24:33-36
33 So likewise ye, when ye shall see
all these things,(ALL THE SIGNS OF PROPHECY HAPPENING IN THEIR BEGGINING
STAGES AFTER ISRAEL BECOMES A NATION AND IN CONTROL OF JERUSALEM)(THEN)
know that it is near, even at the doors.(THE RAPTURE)
34 Verily I
say unto you, This generation shall not pass,(1967-ISRAELS RECAPTURE OF
JERUSALEM=40-51 YRS(A GENERATION)=2007-2018+) till all these things be
fulfilled.(ALL THE LITERAL PROPHECIES OF THE BIBLE WILL BE FULFILLED(AT
LEAST 500 WILL BE FULFILLED)
35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
ISRAEL SATAN COMES AGAINST
1 CHRONICLES 21:1
1 And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.
GENESIS 12:1-3
1
Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from
thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I (GOD) will
shew thee:
2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
3
And I will bless them that bless thee,(ISRAELIS) and curse (DESTROY)
him that curseth thee:(DESTROY THEM) and in thee shall all families of
the earth be blessed.
French-Saudi UN confab on two-state
solution said rescheduled for July 28-29-Conference originally scheduled
for mid-June was postponed due to Israel-Iran war; Jerusalem slams
proposed recognition of Palestinian state as rewarding Oct. 7-By
Agencies and ToI Staff 11 July 2025, 11:10 pm
An international
conference meant to revive work on a two-state solution to the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict has been rescheduled for July 28-29
following its postponement due to the Israel-Iran war last month,
diplomatic sources told AFP Friday.The sources could not provide details
on any changes to the agenda or level of attending representatives.
Heads of state and government had been expected to attend the jointly
French- and Saudi-chaired conference at the UN General Assembly in
June.Originally set for mid-June, the conference, set to take place at
the UN headquarters in New York, was postponed on June 13 after Israel
launched a surprise military campaign targeting Iran’s nuclear program,
missile production and military leadership.Iran retaliated against
Israel’s strikes with deadly ballistic missile strikes that caused heavy
damage to Israeli cities. The war lasted 12 days, until June 24, when
it ended with a US-brokered ceasefire.On Thursday, French President
Emmanuel Macron called during his UK state visit for joint recognition
by France and Britain of a Palestinian state, saying such moves are “the
only hope for peace” in the region.Diplomats say French recognition of
Palestinian statehood could lend greater weight to a movement hitherto
dominated by smaller nations generally more critical of Israel.Macron
has become increasingly critical of Israel amid the war in Gaza, which
was sparked by the Hamas onslaught of October 7, 2023. Israel has
asserted that unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state would amount
to a “reward” to Hamas for the shock assault.US President Donald
Trump’s administration sent a diplomatic cable earlier this week to
discourage governments around the world from attending the conference,
according to a US cable seen by Reuters.It had also warned of possible
consequences for those who took measures against Israel, raising
pressure on the participants and making Macron’s potential decision to
recognize a Palestinian state more complicated.
THIS
ARROGANT LEBANESE DEATH CULT PRESIDENT. HE WANTS PEACE BUT NOT ACCEPT
ISRAELS RIGHT TO CONTROL THEIR LAND AND SELF. THIS DEATH CULTIST WILL
GET A NICE TASTE OF BEING BIRD SEED FOR THE MIGRATING BIRDS FOR COMING
AGAINST ISREAL.
Lebanese president says Beirut
currently seeks peace, not normalization, with Israel-Amid efforts to
disarm Hezbollah, Joseph Aoun calls decision to uphold state monopoly on
arms ‘final,’ says Israeli troop presence ‘obstructs’ Lebanese army’s
full deployment By Agencies and ToI Staff 11 July 2025, 6:19 pm
Lebanese
President Joseph Aoun said Friday that his country currently has no
plans to normalize ties with Israel, but that Beirut wants peaceful
relations with its southern neighbor, which maintains some troop
presence in Lebanon’s south following last year’s war against
Hezbollah.Meeting in Beirut with members of an Arab think tank, Aoun
called for a full Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon, and said the decision
to maintain a state monopoly on arms — a veiled threat against the
heavily armed Iran-backed terror group Hezbollah — was
“final.”Addressing relations with Israel, Aoun “distinguished between
peace and normalization,” according to a statement by his office.“Peace
is the lack of a state of war, and this is what matters to us in Lebanon
at the moment. As for the issue of normalization, it is not currently
part of Lebanese foreign policy,” Aoun was quoted as saying.Aoun’s
comments were Lebanon’s first official reaction to a statement last
month by Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar expressing interest in
normalizing ties with Lebanon and Syria, which have both been in an
official state of war with Israel since it was founded in 1948.An
Israeli official has said normalization with Lebanon could not proceed
until Hezbollah is disarmed.Aoun, whose election in January ended a
two-year vacancy in the Lebanese presidency, has vowed to uphold a state
monopoly on arms. Addressing the issue on Friday, he said “the decision
to restrict arms is final and there is no turning back on it,”
according to his office.Aoun was also quoted praising Lebanon’s powerful
parliament speaker, Hezbollah ally Nabih Berri, for his “contribution
to… achieving the principle of restricting weapons.”Hezbollah emerged
weakened from the war with Israel, which ended with a November 27
ceasefire deal. Under the agreement, Hezbollah was required to vacate
southern Lebanon. Israel was given 60 days to do so, to be replaced by
the Lebanese army and international peacekeepers.The IDF has since
withdrawn from all but five points, which overlook the border. In his
comments on Friday, Aoun said Israeli troops in Lebanon “obstruct the
complete deployment of the army up to the internationally recognized
borders,” according to Lebanese state broadcaster LBCI.He also expressed
support for improved relations with Syria’s interim president, Ahmed
al-Sharaa, who toppled Iran-backed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in
December. Assad, whose rule was bolstered by Iran and Hezbollah, had let
Syria become a throughway for arms and other deliveries from Tehran to
its Lebanese proxy.LBCI said Aoun on Friday “noted that coordination is
ongoing between Lebanese and Syrian security agencies to… prevent the
smuggling of people, arms and drugs.”The United States has been calling
on Lebanon to fully disarm Hezbollah, and Lebanese authorities sent
their response to Washington’s demand this week. While the response has
not been made public, US special envoy Thomas Barrack said Monday that
he was “unbelievably satisfied” with it.Hezbollah, unprovoked, began
launching near-daily rocket attacks on Israel on October 8, 2023 — a day
after fellow Iran-backed terror group Hamas stormed southern Israel to
kill some 1,200 people and take 251 hostages, sparking the war in
Gaza.Hezbollah’s rockets forced the displacement of some 60,000
residents of northern Israel. In a bid to ensure their safe return,
Israel stepped up operations in Lebanon, decimating Hezbollah’s
leadership and devastating areas identified with the group.
IDF,
Shin Bet: 6 top Hamas naval commandos killed recently-UN: Nearly 800
Palestinian aid-seekers killed since May, mostly near GHF sites-Army
says it issued instructions to troops ‘following lessons learned’ from
deaths reported near US-, Israeli-backed aid agency sites; 18 people
said killed across Strip on Friday By Emanuel Fabian,Agencies and ToI
Staff 11 July 2025, 8:10 pm
Nearly 800 people have died trying to
access aid in Gaza since late May, with most killed near the US- and
Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation’s distribution sites, the UN
said Friday.The comments came as the IDF ordered some Gaza City
residents to evacuate ahead of operations there, and Hamas’s civil
defense agency reported 18 people killed in Gaza on Friday, including 10
while waiting for aid in southern Gaza. It was not immediately clear if
the aid seekers were killed in the vicinity of a GHF site.United
Nations rights office spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani said the agency had
recorded “615 killings in the vicinity of the GHF sites” since the GHF
began operations on May 26 and through July 7.Another 183 people had
been killed “presumably on the routes of aid convoys” carried out by the
UN and other aid organizations, she told reporters in Geneva.“This is
nearly 800 people who have been killed while trying to access aid,” she
said, adding that “most of the injuries are gunshot injuries.”The UN
human rights office said it based its figures on sources such as
information from hospitals in Gaza, cemeteries, families, the Strip’s
Hamas-run health authorities, NGOs and its partners on the ground.GHF,
which denies that deadly incidents have occurred at its sites, told
Reuters the UN figures were “false and misleading.”“The fact is the most
deadly attacks on aid sites have been linked to UN convoys,” a GHF
spokesperson said. “Ultimately, the solution is more aid. If the UN
[and] other humanitarian groups would collaborate with us, we could end
or significantly reduce these violent incidents.”Shamdasani, the UN
human rights spokeswoman, said in response that “it is not helpful to
issue blanket dismissals of our concerns — what is needed is
investigations into why people are being killed while trying to access
aid.”The IDF said Friday that it had issued instructions to troops in
the field “following lessons learned” after reports of deadly incidents
at GHF distribution facilities.The military said it “allows the American
civilian organization to distribute aid to Gaza residents
independently, and operates in proximity to the new distribution zones
to enable the distribution alongside the continuation of IDF operational
activities in the Gaza Strip.”“As part of this effort, IDF forces have
recently worked to reorganize the area through the installation of
fences, signage placement, the opening of additional routes, and other
measures,” it said.The army stressed that “following incidents in which
harm to civilians who arrived at distribution facilities was reported,
thorough examinations were conducted,” adding those incidents were
“under review by the competent authorities in the IDF.”GHF, which seeks
to circumvent Hamas in the distribution of aid, has faced harsh
criticism from the UN and other aid organizations which charge that it
fails to meet the needs of Gaza’s population. Gazans have reported
near-daily incidents in which groups trying to reach GHF facilities are
shot at by Israeli forces, leading to mass casualties.Israel, which
accuses Hamas of hoarding aid, has also accused the terror group of
attacking Gazan aid seekers near GHF sites and falsifying death tolls.
However, Israel has also acknowledged that “several” Palestinian
civilians have been killed near GHF aid distribution sites.GHF commenced
operations in May as Israel lifted a nearly three-month aid blockade on
Gaza, amid a renewed offensive there that seeks to take over 75% of the
Strip.IDF and Shin Bet say six top Hamas naval commandos killed-Six top
members of Hamas’s naval commando forces were killed in a series of
operations as part of the ongoing offensive, the IDF and Shin Bet said
Friday.The military said the operations targeting the commandos were led
by the Israeli Navy, the Military Intelligence Directorate and the IDF
Southern Command, as well as the Shin Bet.According to the IDF, the six
operatives had advanced sea-borne attacks against Israeli troops and
civilians, and some had participated in planning the Hamas onslaught of
October 7, 2023,which sparked the war in Gaza.The IDF and Shin Bet named
the operatives as: Ramzi Salah, the naval forces commander in northern
Gaza; Jamal al-Baba, the naval forces commander in central Gaza; Ratab
Abu Sahiban, the naval forces commander in Gaza City; Omar Abu Jalala,
the naval forces commander in Khan Younis; Mohammed Qashta, the naval
forces commander in Rafah; and Ahmad Ali, the successor to Abu Sahiban
as commander of the naval forces in Gaza City.The IDF announced Salah’s
death earlier this month, in a strike on a cafe in Gaza City that
reportedly killed 24 people-18 said killed across Strip; IDF tells Gaza
City residents to flee-Hamas’s civil defense agency said 10 people were
shot dead by the IDF Friday while they were waiting for supplies in the
Al-Shakoush area northwest of southern Gaza’s Rafah. There have been
regular reports of deadly fire on aid seekers in the area.The civil
defense agency reported six more people killed in four separate Israeli
air strikes in the area of Khan Younis, also in Gaza’s south.Two drone
strikes around Gaza City, in the north, killed two more people,
according to the Hamas agency.It also reported Friday that five people
were killed the previous night in an Israeli strike on a school
sheltering displaced Palestinians in Jabalia al-Nazla, in northern
Gaza.The IDF did not immediately comment on the reported strikes. The
military says it takes steps to mitigate harm to civilians, including by
use of aerial intelligence and precision munitions, and accuses Hamas
of embedding itself in civilian infrastructure, including schools.A
Palestinian speaking to AFP from southern Gaza on condition of anonymity
reported ongoing attacks and widespread devastation, with Israeli tanks
seen near Khan Younis.“The situation remains extremely difficult in the
area — intense gunfire, intermittent air strikes, artillery shelling,
and ongoing bulldozing and destruction of displacement camps and
agricultural land to the south, west and north of Al-Maslakh,” an area
to the south of Khan Younis, said the witness.The IDF said in a
statement that soldiers were operating in the area, dismantling
“terrorist infrastructure sites, both above and below ground,” and
seizing “weapons and military equipment.”Meanwhile, the IDF issued an
evacuation warning to Palestinians residing in two blocks of Gaza City
before the military attacks there “with very great force.”“In light of
the Hamas terror organization using civilian areas for terror
activities, the IDF will attack the area with very great force. For your
safety, evacuate the area immediately,” said the IDF’s Arabic-language
spokesperson Col. Avichay Adraee in a post on X. He instructed
Palestinian civilians to head south and “avoid returning to dangerous
areas.”According to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, more than 57,000
people have been killed in the Strip since the war there began on
October 7, 2023. The Hamas-provided death toll cannot be independently
verified and does not distinguish between civilians and combatants.
Israel says it has killed some 20,000 combatants in battle as of January
and another 1,600 terrorists inside Israel during the Hamas onslaught
that sparked the war.Hamas-led terrorists massacred some 1,200 people
and took 251 hostage after invading Israel on October 7, 2023. Fifty
hostages are still held in Gaza.Israel’s toll in the ground offensive
against Hamas in Gaza and in military operations along the border with
the Strip stands at 451.
Katz calls for enforcement to prevent
Iran nuclear revival-Senior Israeli official: Intel shows enriched
uranium was at Iran sites when bombed-Official says Isfahan stockpile
may still be accessible, but with difficulty; Netanyahu says Israel
‘didn’t deal with’ Iran’s enriched uranium during war: ‘We think we know
where it is’By Agencies, Nava Freiberg-and ToI Staff 10 July 2025, 3:06
pm
A senior Israeli official said Thursday that Israeli
intelligence shows that Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium had not
been removed from Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan before the three nuclear
sites were struck by the US last month amid Israel’s 12-day war with
Iran, and has not been moved since.The stockpiles of some 400 kilograms
(880 pounds) of uranium enriched to 60 percent had not moved, the
unnamed official told Reuters.The official suggested, however, that the
Iranians might still be able to gain access to the enriched uranium at
Isfahan but that it would be very difficult to remove it.Speaking on Fox
Business during his visit to Washington, Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu said Wednesday that Israel remains concerned about Iran’s
supply of enriched uranium.Asked if Iran has hidden any of the material,
Netanyahu said, “We think we know where it is, it’s sort of buried
underground, and we don’t have contrary information.”Addressing Israel’s
campaign against Iran, Netanyahu said, “The one thing that we didn’t
deal with that we knew we didn’t deal with was the enriched uranium.”“So
it has to be made clear to them, and I think it has been, that they
don’t get this enriched uranium,” he continued.Netanyahu added that
enriched uranium “is not enough to make atomic bombs — it’s a necessary
component, but it’s not sufficient.”Israel “want[s] that necessary
component to be under control too,” he said, adding that “I think the
Iranians understand that what the US and Israel did once we could do
twice, and thrice.”Asked by Fox why anyone should trust that Iran won’t
attempt to renew nuclear efforts, Netanyahu replied: “Because they’re
afraid.”US President Donald Trump has claimed that Iran didn’t have time
to remove the highly enriched uranium from nuclear facilities before
they were struck by the US, saying that the stockpiles were covered in
granite.But US and European intelligence reportedly indicated that the
sites were not entirely destroyed, and that the uranium was moved ahead
of time.Israel launched a sweeping assault on Iran’s top military
leaders, nuclear scientists, uranium enrichment sites, and ballistic
missile program on June 13, saying the operation was necessary to
prevent Tehran from realizing its avowed plan to destroy Israel.Though
Iran denies seeking nuclear weapons, it enriched uranium to 60% — far
beyond what is needed for civilian use, and a short step away from
weapons-grade. Israel says Iran recently took steps toward
weaponization.Following the war last month, Iran also halted all
cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency. President
Masoud Pezeshkian last week enacted a law suspending cooperation with
the IAEA, and the UN agency said it had pulled its last remaining
inspectors out of Iran.Pezeshkian said on Thursday the IAEA should drop
its “double standards” if Tehran is to resume cooperation with the
agency, Iranian state media reported.Relations between Iran and the IAEA
have worsened since the US and Israeli bombing campaigns last
month.“The continuation of Iran’s cooperation with the agency (IAEA)
depends on the latter correcting its double standards regarding the
nuclear file,” state media quoted Pezeshkian as telling European Council
President Antonio Costa by phone.“Any repeated aggression (against
Iran) will be met with a more decisive and regrettable response,” he
said.Tehran accuses the IAEA of failing to condemn the attacks by the US
and Israel, and says the nuclear watchdog paved the way for the bombing
by issuing a resolution declaring Iran in breach of its
non-proliferation obligations.Defense Minister Israel Katz said
Wednesday that Israel must build on the achievements of its operation
against Iran’s nuclear program to ensure that the Islamic Republic
cannot restore it.“We need to formulate an enforcement program to
prevent Iran from reviving the capabilities it had before [the war],” he
said.“The Iranians will try in every possible way to learn their
lessons and recover,” he said. “The enemy is learning and preparing —
and our challenge is to step up our abilities so that we are not taken
by surprise.”Iran retaliated to Israel’s strikes by launching over 500
ballistic missiles and around 1,100 drones at Israel. The attacks killed
28 people and wounded over 3,000 in Israel, according to health
officials and hospitals. In all, there were 36 missile impacts and one
drone strike in populated areas, causing damage to 2,305 homes in 240
buildings, along with two universities and a hospital, and leaving over
13,000 Israelis displaced.Iran said Thursday that at least a dozen
journalists and media workers were killed in Israeli strikes, according
to state media.The media arm of the Basij paramilitary forces — a branch
of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps — said the death toll among
media workers had risen to 12 following the identification of two
additional individuals, the IRNA news agency reported.The organization
accused Israel of deliberately targeting media infrastructure “to
silence the voice of truth” and suppress the “media of the Resistance
Front” — a reference to Iran and allied groups opposed to Israel.During
the conflict, Israel also attacked the Iranian state broadcasting
service in northern Tehran.The Israeli campaign killed senior military
commanders, nuclear scientists and hundreds of civilians, with the total
death toll currently at 1,060, according to numbers released by Iranian
officials, which cannot be independently verified.
EU unveils recommendations to rein in powerful AI models.
Brussels,
Belgium, July 10 (AFP) Jul 10, 2025-The EU unveiled on Thursday
long-delayed recommendations to rein in the most advanced AI models such
as OpenAI's ChatGPT and help companies comply with the bloc's sweeping
new law.Brussels has come under fierce pressure to delay enforcing its
landmark AI law as obligations for complex models known as
general-purpose AI -- systems that have a vast range of functions --
kick in from August 2.The law entered into force last year but its
different obligations will apply gradually.But as the EU pivots to
bolstering its competitivity and catching up with the United States and
China, European tech firms and some US Big Tech want Brussels to slow
down.The European Commission, the bloc's digital watchdog, has pushed
back against a delay.The EU's executive arm has now published a code of
practice for such systems prepared by independent experts with input
from others including model providers themselves.In the code, the
experts recommend practical measures such as excluding known piracy
websites from the data models use.The code applies to general-purpose AI
models, such as Google's Gemini, Meta's Llama and X's Grok -- the tech
billionaire Elon Musk's chatbot that has come under fire this week for
antisemitic comments.Under the law, developers of such models must give
details about what content they used -- like text or images -- to train
their systems and comply with EU copyright law.The code was due to be
published in May. EU officials reject claims that it had been watered
down in the past few months due to industry pressure.Corporate Europe
Observatory and Lobby Control in April had accused Big Tech of "heavily"
influencing the process "to successfully weaken the code".The code will
need endorsement by EU states before companies can voluntarily sign up
to it.Businesses that sign the code "will benefit from a reduced
administrative burden and increased legal certainty compared to
providers that prove compliance in other ways", the commission said in a
statement.Nearly 50 of Europe's biggest companies including France's
Airbus, Dutch tech giant ASML and Germany's Lufthansa and Mercedes-Benz
last week urged a two-year pause.The companies' CEOs in a letter accused
the EU's complex rules of putting at risk the 27-country bloc's AI
ambitions and the development of European champions.The EU will be able
to enforce the rules for general-purpose AI models a year from August 2
for new models, while existing models will have until August 2027 to
comply.
Humanoid robot says not aiming to 'replace human artists'
Geneva,
July 10 (AFP) Jul 10, 2025-When successful artist Ai-Da unveiled a new
portrait of King Charles this week, the humanoid robot described what
inspired the layered and complex piece, and insisted it had no plans to
"replace" humans.The ultra-realistic robot, one of the most advanced in
the world, is designed to resemble a human woman with an expressive,
life-like face, large hazel eyes and brown hair cut in a bob.The arms
though are unmistakably robotic, with exposed metal, and can be swapped
out depending on the art form it is practicing.Late last year, Ai-Da's
portrait of English mathematician Alan Turing became the first artwork
by a humanoid robot to be sold at auction, fetching over $1 million.But
as Ai-Da unveiled its latest creation -- an oil painting entitled
"Algorithm King", conceived using artificial intelligence -- the
humanoid insisted the work's importance could not be measured in
money."The value of my artwork is to serve as a catalyst for discussions
that explore ethical dimensions to new technologies," the robot told
AFP at Britain's diplomatic mission in Geneva, where the new portrait of
King Charles will be housed.The idea, Ai-Da insisted in a slow,
deliberate cadence, was to "foster critical thinking and encourage
responsible innovation for more equitable and sustainable futures".-
'Unique and creative' -Speaking on the sidelines of the United Nations'
AI for Good summit, Ai-Da, who has done sketches, paintings and
sculptures, detailed the methods and inspiration behind the work."When
creating my art, I use a variety of AI algorithms," the robot said."I
start with a basic idea or concept that I want to explore, and I think
about the purpose of the art. What will it say?"The humanoid pointed out
that "King Charles has used his platform to raise awareness on
environmental conservation and interfaith dialog. I have aimed this
portrait to celebrate" that, it said, adding that "I hope King Charles
will be appreciative of my efforts".Aidan Meller, a specialist in modern
and contemporary art, led the team that created Ai-Da in 2019 with
artificial intelligence specialists at the universities of Oxford and
Birmingham.He told AFP that he had conceived the humanoid robot -- named
after the world's first computer programmer Ada Lovelace -- as an
ethical arts project, and not "to replace the painters".Ai-Da
agreed.There is "no doubt that AI is changing our world, (including) the
art world and forms of human creative expression", the robot
acknowledged.But "I do not believe AI or my artwork will replace human
artists".Instead, Ai-Da said, the aim was "to inspire viewers to think
about how we use AI positively, while remaining conscious of its risks
and limitations".Asked if a painting made by a machine could really be
considered art, the robot insisted that "my artwork is unique and
creative"."Whether humans decide it is art is an important and
interesting point of conversation."
Defence, joint debt and farmers: EU draws budget battle lines.
Brussels,
Belgium, July 11 (AFP) Jul 11, 2025-When the European Union unveils its
long-term spending proposals next week, it will kick off the bloc's
biggest budget battle in recent history.EU chief Ursula von der Leyen
has a mammoth task on her hands: present a budget for 2028-2034 that
supports farmers, helps member states ramp up their defence spending,
and all while paying back the debts racked up during the covid
pandemic.The European Commission, the bloc's executive arm, will outline
the proposals Wednesday, setting the stage for explosive debates with
capitals and EU lawmakers over the next two years.The previous 2021-2027
budget was worth around 1.2 trillion euros ($1.4 trillion) and made up
from national contributions -- around one percent of the member states'
gross national income -- and money collected by the EU such as customs
duties.The European Parliament has already made it clear it wants more
money.Von der Leyen wants the budget to address the EU's priorities:
security, competitiveness and better preparing the 27-country bloc for
economic shocks.But the EU wants to achieve this while reining in
ballooning public debts and deficits, and simultaneously bolstering its
industries to catch up with rivals in China and the United States.-
Better EU security -Security will be top of von der Leyen's mind as she
makes the finishing touches to the budget with war still raging in
Ukraine and fears among member states of a more aggressive Russia.It is
more important given the NATO military alliance last month pledged to
spend significantly more on defence -- some five percent of national
economic output.There are 23 EU members in the Western military
alliance.Also under consideration is a 100-billion-euro fund to keep
Ukraine afloat, but one EU official said it could change between now and
Wednesday.Von der Leyen this week vowed to support Ukraine "until 2028
and beyond, when the new European budget kicks in".Under EU treaties,
the bloc cannot spend directly on defence, but it can pour money into
dual-use infrastructure like bridges that would be critical during a
war.- Supporting farmers -The EU's common agricultural policy (CAP) --
vast farming subsidies that make up the biggest share of the budget --
will be the subject of fiery debates.It accounts for nearly a third of
the EU's current multi-year budget -- around 387 billion euros, of which
270 billion euros are directly paid to farmers.The EU is thinking about
moving away from subsidies based on farm size -- and putting a cap on
how much one farm can get -- which could free up billions of
euros."There is a growing recognition that its share in the EU budget
should decline and I also expect it to decline further," said Zsolt
Darvas of Bruegel think tank.The commission is considering cutting part
of the agriculture budget without touching the direct payments, but
farmers have made it clear that's a red line."I have a tractor and I'm
ready," Massimiliano Giansanti, president of Europe's influential Copa
farming lobby, raising the spectre of more farmers' protests after
months of demonstrations last year by disgruntled European
farmers.Farmers plan to protest Wednesday in front of the commission in
Brussels as they seek to pile the pressure on the EU.Brussels is also
looking into whether CAP will keep its dedicated budget or be integrated
into wider cohesion funds, with allocations left to member states to
decide.France, whose farmers are the biggest CAP beneficiary, opposes
this.- How to pay for it? -The big question looming over everything:
where will the money for all this come from? France, Italy and others
are pushing for more joint borrowing but that's a no-go for Germany, a
major net contributor to the budget, as well as frugal EU states
Finland, The Netherlands and Sweden.One idea put forward has been an
instrument that would allow the EU to seek grants or loans in the event
of a crisis like the pandemic.Since some states would fiercely oppose
such a measure, an EU diplomat said he had seen the idea appear and
disappear from draft texts shared with capitals.Other options to raise
money include a possible digital services levy as well as collecting
money from taxes on small packages entering from outside the EU.The last
time the EU took on joint debt was during the pandemic, borrowing
around 800 billion euros to rescue the European economy.Except now the
bloc must start paying that money back -- potentially up to 30 billion
euros annually -- from 2028.
RealSense targets robotics, 3D
facial recognition security with $50M in hand-Spin-out from Intel now
complete-Jul 11, 2025, 2:29 pm EDT | Chris Burt
RealSense has
cut the cord tying it to Intel Corp, where the 3D camera company was
born, with $50 million in early-stage funding.Expanding RealSense’s
biometrics offerings was part of the rationale provided for spinning out
the division as a startup when the plan was revealed at the beginning
of the year. Intel launched RealSense products for building biometrics
into hardware for access control, time and attendance tracking and
retail purchases when it quietly relaunched the brand last year.The
company also notes the increasing adoption of face biometrics for
airport screening and access control at events in its announcement.The
funding comes from Intel Capital, MediaTek Innovation Fund and others,
and will be used to scale up manufacturing and expand the company’s
market reach. Some of the money will also go towards research and
development for AI software and the next generation of depth-sensing
cameras.The company has more than 3,000 active customers “and pretty
high growth year over year,” CEO Nadav Orbach told Reuters.RealSense
depth-sensing cameras are already found in 60 percent of autonomous
mobile robots and humanoids worldwide, but its plans still include
expanding into more security systems with facial recognition, according
to the report.The spun-out company is headquartered in the U.S., with
manufacturing operations in Asia, including Thailand.
China denies asking firms to collect data illegally after new EU probe.
Beijing,
July 11 (AFP) Jul 11, 2025-Beijing denied on Friday asking firms to
"illegally" collect and store users' personal information, after an
Irish regulator helping the European Union regulate data privacy began
investigating Chinese social media giant TikTok."The Chinese government
attaches great importance to and protects data privacy and security in
accordance with the law," foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning
said.Beijing "has never and will never require companies or individuals
to illegally collect or store data", Mao said."We hope that the European
side will respect the market economy and fair competition, and provide a
fair, just and non-discriminatory business environment for companies
from all countries," she told a regular news conference.The social media
giant has been in the crosshairs of Western governments for years over
fears that personal data could be used by China for espionage or
propaganda purposes.However, TikTok has insisted that it has never
received any requests from Chinese authorities for European users'
data.TikTok was fined 530 million euros ($620 million) in May by the
Data Protection Commission over sending personal data to China, although
the Chinese social media giant had insisted this data was only accessed
remotely.TikTok, which has 1.5 billion users worldwide, is a division
of Chinese tech giant ByteDance.
China crackdown on gay erotica stifles rare outlet for LGBTQ expression.
Beijing,
July 11 (AFP) Jul 11, 2025-Chinese women who publish homoerotica online
say they are being threatened with fines and jail time, as increasing
enforcement of vague obscenity charges targets a rare space for LGBTQ
identity and feminism.In recent months, Chinese police have detained
dozens of writers on Haitang Literature City, a Taiwan-based website
known for publishing serialised Boys' Love, a genre of erotic fiction
mainly written and read by heterosexual women.Originating as a strand of
Japanese manga comics in the 1960s known as "yaoi", the genre has
attracted a cult following in Asia and beyond, leading to popular screen
adaptations and web series.The stories defy social stereotypes about
the roles of men and women, a 22-year-old writer who asked to go by the
pseudonym Miu Miu, told AFP."It's a kind of resistance... resisting a
male-dominated society," she said.The latest crackdown ensnared mostly
amateur writers who earned little to nothing for their work.Under
Chinese law, profiting from "spreading obscene content" can lead to
fines and prison. "Serious" instances can carry jail terms of up to a
decade.The obscenity law applies when someone's work gets at least
10,000 clicks or is "used" to collect fees exceeding 10,000 yuan (nearly
$1,400).While the law excludes "artistic works or works of artistic
value", that distinction is usually left to police."The rules are
outdated," said a lawyer representing one of the authors and who asked
not to be named due to the risk of repercussions."The general public's
attitude towards sex is no longer the same as it was 30 or 40 years
ago," the lawyer added.One author phoned by police earned 2,000 yuan for
two books with a total of 72 chapters that, combined, drew around
100,000 clicks."Are there really 100,000 people who have seen my work
like they said? Are they really going to sentence me to three to five
years?" the author wrote on Weibo."Don't they know how precious three to
five years of life are?"- Censors without borders -The investigations
have also renewed criticism of a practice known as "distant water
fishing", cross-provincial policing by cash-strapped local
governments.The profit-driven enforcement typically involves authorities
travelling to another jurisdiction and seizing a suspect's
assets."Police find this kind of stuff can make them money," Liang Ge, a
lecturer on digital sociology at University College London, said of the
targeting of Boys' Love authors.In one case, a policeman from
northwestern Lanzhou travelled 2,000 kilometres (more than 1,200 miles)
to investigate a writer in her coastal hometown.She was driven to the
police station and questioned for hours about her writing.She is
currently on bail but could face criminal charges, which would
disqualify her from taking China's civil service exam and positions in
some hospitals and schools.Another 20-year-old author received a police
summons which prompted her to travel hundreds of miles from the city of
Chongqing to Lanzhou.On arrival police urged her to "return the illegal
income" she had earned from her writing to reduce her sentence."It's a
very dirty practice," said the lawyer, noting the central government in
Beijing has issued several directives against it.- 'Social awakening'
-Activists see the crackdown on alleged obscenity as part of a wider
push to suppress LGBTQ expression -- an effort that has expanded under
President Xi Jinping.China classified homosexuality as a crime until
1997 and a mental illness until 2001. Same-sex marriage is not legal and
discrimination remains widespread.The Boys' Love genre -- often lightly
erotic but sometimes overtly explicit -- has become increasingly
censored as its popularity has boomed.Television adaptations have
rewritten male lovers as friends, as same-sex relationships are banned
from the screen.In 2018, a writer known by her pseudonym Tianyi was
sentenced to over a decade in prison for earning $21,000 from a
homoerotic novel about a teacher and his student.Last year, a court in
Anhui province heard 12 cases involving spreading obscene content for
profit, according to public records which do not give outcomes of the
trials.Many in China "feel less and less space to express themselves
freely", said Ge, the lecturer and a longtime reader of Boys' Love."It's
not just about posting something on social media, it's about reading
something in their private life."As news of the crackdown spread,
Haitang users rushed to cancel their accounts.But writer Miu Miu said
she has not given up hope she might be able to finish her favourite
stories."Sexual knowledge has become taboo," she said."This is a social
awakening."mya/oho/lb/rsc/fox-Weibo
BlackSky expands Gen-3 access to bolster Ukraine-focused intelligence operations-by Clarence Oxford.
Los
Angeles CA (SPX) Jul 09, 2025-BlackSky Technology Inc. (NYSE: BKSY) has
signed an early access agreement for its next-generation Gen-3
satellite system with an existing international Gen-2 customer,
expanding support for Ukraine. The agreement upgrades the customer's
current services with very high-resolution Gen-3 imagery alongside
Gen-2's rapid, low-latency data stream."This important contract
demonstrates the powerful, comprehensive tip-and-cue utility between our
Gen-3 and Gen-2 systems. The two generations of satellites work
synergistically as analysts seamlessly combine reliable high-cadence,
time-diverse Gen-2 data with the enhanced very high-resolution
capabilities of Gen-3," said BlackSky CEO Brian O'Toole.Integrated via
the Spectra platform, customers can merge Gen-2 and Gen-3 data within
their operational workflows. This allows persistent monitoring using
Gen-2's fast revisit capability, while also enabling responsive Gen-3
tasking to capture emerging tactical events with sharper
detail."Accelerated international interest in Gen-3 is indicative of our
customers' growing confidence and trust in BlackSky's commercial
services as an integral part of their daily military and intelligence
operations," O'Toole added. "As we integrate more and more Gen-3
satellites into the fleet our early access customers will experience
unparalleled reliability and quality of imagery at industry-leading
speeds in support of the full range of strategic to tactical ISR
operations."The Gen-3 system builds upon the field-proven capabilities
of Gen-2. It delivers 35-centimeter resolution images with rapid revisit
times and enhanced object classification for key targets like vehicles,
vessels, and aircraft. This upgrade strengthens BlackSky's dynamic
monitoring from dawn to dusk across high-interest areas.With two Gen-3
satellites already in orbit, BlackSky remains on schedule to field a
six-satellite Gen-3 constellation by the end of 2025.
Maxar secures $205 million in multi-year deals to boost space capabilities across MEA by Clarence Oxford.
Los
Angeles CA (SPX) Jul 09, 2025-Maxar Intelligence has announced three
new long-term contracts valued at $204.7 million to enhance sovereign
defense, intelligence, and space leadership initiatives across the
Middle East and Africa (MEA). The agreements extend Maxar's legacy in
the region, leveraging its Direct Access Program (DAP) to deliver
cutting-edge geospatial capabilities.The DAP contracts will provide MEA
partners with direct access to Maxar's high-resolution satellite
constellation, 3D terrain data, and advanced analytics for near
real-time monitoring. These tools are intended to support national C5ISR
systems-Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Cyber,
Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance-and advance sovereign
multi-domain operations.A core component of the deal is Maxar's
AI-powered change detection technology, which underpins Sentry, its
predictive intelligence solution. This capability enables users to
monitor multiple locations simultaneously by identifying patterns and
operational changes relevant to national security and strategic
planning."The ongoing digitalization of modern defense and security
operations has driven a big growth in international demand for sovereign
geospatial intelligence capabilities, particularly for near real-time
situational awareness over key areas of interest," said Anders Linder,
General Manager, International Government at Maxar. "The MEA region has
long been on the forefront of investing in technological innovation, and
our expanded partnerships reflect the strategic importance of sovereign
space-based capabilities. These deals underscore Maxar's deep
commitment to supporting our international customers' needs to gain
real-time decision advantage for the most demanding missions."Maxar's
DAP framework also enables the integration of local ground stations with
its satellite network, granting customers dedicated imaging capacity
and guaranteed data delivery speeds. Imagery can be requested just 15
minutes ahead of collection and delivered almost instantly.Maxar's DAP
offering represents a significant step in enabling regional customers to
achieve independent, secure, and timely access to mission-critical
satellite intelligence.
Data privacy issues in Philippines trigger move to amend national ID law-Jul 8, 2025, 2:47 pm EDT | Ayang Macdonald
A
Filipino senator has introduced a bill seeking an amendment of the
Philippine Identification System Act, otherwise known as Act 11055, over
recurring concerns about data privacy and security
vulnerabilities.Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson tabled the bill in the
Senate this week arguing that it is also expected to help sanitize the
ID system by keeping out ineligible registrants, a senate statement
reveals.Lacson said there have been fears that over the years, many
individuals, most of them Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations
personnel, have registered for national ID through irregular means,
undermining the integrity of the national ID system.According to the
senator, the proposed amendment also intends to remove visible printed
numbers on the national ID card (PhilSys numbers, PSN), and other
important biographical information, which are often easily copied by
fraudsters. The new idea is to encode these numbers in biometric chips
or QR codes which can be scanned for verification.“By doing this, access
to the PSN will be strictly limited to authorized parties, who must
follow regulated authentication procedures in compliance with current
privacy laws and data protection standards,” Lacson said of the proposed
move.He cited an example: “An instance in 2024 illustrated this risk,
as the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) issued a warning to the
public to be vigilant against unauthorized individuals approaching
cardholders and taking photographs of their national ID in exchange of
cash, as this is crucial in preventing identity theft and fraud.”Data
breaches and identity theft incidents have been on an increase in the
Philippines in the last few years. In 2023, for instance, 1,597 ID theft
incidents were reported, representing a 13.9 percent increase from the
previous year. Also, over 315,000 identity credentials in the country
were compromised within the first half of 2024. This year, cybersecurity
organisations in the country sealed a partnership in an effort to
properly secure the nation’s digital ecosystem.Beyond identity theft,
Lacson also expressed fears that visible ID card numbers can also give
room for unauthorized monitoring and profiling.Philippines connectivity
push continues-In a related development, there are plans to further
improve internet connectivity in the Philippines within the framework of
a partnership between the country and the World Bank.The objective is
to ensure that many more people in the country are able to access
digital services in the country in the next coming years, according to a
results brief of the project that was approved in October last
year.Expected to run till December 2026, the project aims to put in
place connectivity infrastructure that will boost the productivity of
firms and farms, promote inclusive finance, strengthen the country’s
health systems, improve education, and build resilient
communities.Already, the project has achieved palpable results with the
putting in place of a robust broadband internet connectivity system,
through an optic fibre initiative, which a local shop owner describes as
“a game-changer for our business.”These results notwithstanding, the
partners interns to further strengthen the country’s digital
transformation efforts by increasing investments to “accelerate
expansion of internet connectivity in rural areas and advancing digital
transformation across key sectors through integration of the digital ID
to services and expansion of digital payment, interoperable data
systems, and provision of digital skills.”
Will Congress reaffirm US cyber threat sharing framework before it’s too late? Jul 11, 2025, 2:08 pm EDT | Anthony Kimery
As
the September 30 expiration date for the Cybersecurity Information
Sharing Act of 2015 (CISA 2015) rapidly approaches, Congress faces a
pivotal decision that could either preserve or unravel a decade-long
framework that is critical to the nation’s cyber defense
posture.Originally passed in response to a surge in nation-state hacks
and industrial-scale data breaches, CISA 2015 remains one of the most
consequential pieces of cybersecurity legislation in modern U.S.
history.At its core, the law was designed to break down institutional
and legal barriers between federal agencies and private companies. It
authorized and encouraged the sharing of cyber threat indicators and
defensive measures, while shielding private firms from civil liability
when sharing information in good faith.The framework aimed to foster a
real-time, trusted environment in which data flows both ways, alerting
companies to emergent threats while enabling federal agencies to map
broader attack patterns and deploy national mitigation
strategies.“Without the law, too many companies will fear liability
concerns when they act as good Samaritans by sharing warnings about
cyber threats,” wrote Annie Fixler, director of the Foundation for
Defense of Democracies Center on Cyber and Technology
Innovation.“Consensus in Congress seems to be coalescing around a
straight reauthorization.” Fixler said, and that “that option provides
the greatest likelihood of averting the crisis that would accompany the
expiration of the law.” She pointed out, however, that “while there are
nearly 90 days left on the calendar before CISA 2015 expires, there are
only 35 working days for Congress between now and the end of September.
Lawmakers should act with haste.”In a new audit report, the Government
Accountability Office (GAO) confirmed that seven lead federal agencies
have fully implemented CISA’s mandates, including the removal of
personally identifiable information (PII) from shared data. The agencies
also adopted technical infrastructures like the Department of Homeland
Security’s (DHS’s) Automated Indicator Sharing (AIS) system, which
allows structured, machine-speed sharing of cyber threat indicators
across public and private networks.Section 104(d)(2) of CISA 2015
explicitly states that before a non‑federal entity shares “cyber threat
indicators” or “defensive measures,” it must remove any information
“that it knows at the time of sharing to be personal information of a
specific individual … that is not directly related to a cybersecurity
threat.” This ensures only relevant threat data is shared.The final
guidelines to implement this section – issued by DHS and the Department
of Justice and updated in April – clarified this requirement. They
emphasized that if information “known at the time of sharing to be
personal information of a specific individual … is not directly related
to a cybersecurity threat, it should be removed prior to
sharing.”Federal agencies have “developed final guidelines related to
privacy and civil liberties that govern how threat information is
received, used, retained, and distributed to protect personally
identifiable information,” GAO said.“Policies and actions implemented
under the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2015 have positively
contributed to the sharing of cyber threat information between federal
and nonfederal entities,” GAO said. “Sharing such information can
enhance awareness of the extent of current cyber threats and how to
mitigate those threats.Legal analyses, such as Cadwalader’s review for
clients, highlighted that one of the most challenging obligations under
CISA is “identifying and removing PII from any cybersecurity information
prior to submission via the AIS program.”The capabilities instituted by
the act have become foundational to national cyber resilience. However,
if CISA 2015 is allowed to sunset without reauthorization, industry
leaders and federal agencies warn that private sector engagement in
threat intelligence sharing could plummet.Without the law’s liability
protections, companies might once again hesitate to disclose breaches or
suspicious cyber activity, fearing legal exposure, shareholder
backlash, or reputational harm.The stakes are growing as threats become
more advanced. Nation-state actors from China, Russia, North Korea, and
Iran continue to target U.S. critical infrastructure. Simultaneously,
AI-powered phishing, deepfake-enabled impersonation attacks, and
ransomware-as-a-service operations are becoming more accessible to less
sophisticated threat actors.Without CISA 2015’s legal and operational
backbone, the U.S. could face increased blind spots in threat detection,
just as adversaries become nimbler and more unpredictable.Bipartisan
support for reauthorization appears strong. In May, the House Committee
on Homeland Security’s Subcommittee on Cybersecurity and Infrastructure
Protection, convened a hearing to examine CISA 2015’s performance and
its upcoming expiration on September 30. Witnesses included executives
from major tech and financial organizations who testified on both the
value of threat sharing and suggested areas for improvement.Chairman
Andrew Garbarino opened the hearing by emphasizing that “CISA 2015 has
become more vital than ever,” noting the law’s role in facilitating
real‑time indicator sharing and safeguarding critical
infrastructure.“There are valid concerns that without [the act’s]
protections, the private sector would be less willing to share
cybersecurity information, either amongst themselves or with the federal
government,” Garbarino said. “Without these safeguards, we can be
certain that our nation would be more vulnerable to cyber threats.”Both
Republican and Democratic lawmakers view the law as essential, and many
are leaning toward a “clean” reauthorization bill which would preserve
the statute without major changes.DHS Secretary Kristi Noem earlier
voiced similar support for reauthorizing the act before the full House
Committee on Homeland Security. “We need [industry’s] expertise and
knowledge … to make sure we’re prepared to secure our systems and our
critical infrastructure,” Noem said during the hearing. “We’re doubling
down on the need to build private and partner with those individual
industries that have the expertise and knowledge that we’ve lacked for
so long, and they’re looking for some more abilities to do new things
for this country,”In parallel, a broad coalition of over 20 industry
groups – from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to healthcare and energy
associations – have submitted a joint letter to Congress urging swift
reauthorization. The Hacking Policy Council also has urged lawmakers to
reauthorize CISA 2015. Failing to renew the law would “jeopardize over a
decade of progress in enhancing our collective cybersecurity posture,”
the group said in a statement.Despite this momentum, some members of
Congress have floated revisions to address perceived gaps in
transparency and oversight. Civil liberties groups have raised concerns
about how shared threat indicators could be used for non-cybersecurity
purposes, or how the government ensures meaningful data minimization
when collecting information from private parties. These concerns could
delay a clean reauthorization or provoke a broader legislative
negotiation.Additionally, some cybersecurity experts have argued that
CISA could be updated to better reflect current technology and threat
models. For example, expanding definitions of “defensive measures” could
help legalize newer forms of threat response, such as counter-hacking
under strict conditions. Others suggest enhancing requirements for
feedback loops so private entities receive clear indicators of the
government’s use of their data and resulting benefits.Even with these
possibilities, many argue the priority should be to avoid a lapse in
authorization.Cybersecurity Coalition Executive Director Ari Schwartz
wrote in Bloomberg Law this week that, “We must not risk going backward
ten years by allowing this law to lapse.”Technology leaders have warned
that without the law “there’s going to be some companies that won’t
voluntarily” share information. Larry Clinton, president of the Internet
Security Alliance, said if the law is allowed to expire it will be
tantamount to “legislative malpractice.”The law’s expiration would
disrupt federal agencies’ ability to engage smaller organizations that
lack robust cyber resources. While Fortune 500 companies often have
internal threat intelligence teams, smaller regional hospitals, water
utilities, and school systems rely heavily on shared alerts and federal
coordination. For these entities, CISA’s protections and outreach
mechanisms have become lifelines in a threat environment where even a
single ransomware attack can cause weeks of operational disruption.As
the legislative window narrows – further constrained by the looming
August recess and the 2026 election calendar – the pressure is on
Congress to act. The risk of inaction isn’t hypothetical anymore.
Cybersecurity alliances and data trust frameworks are delicate, and once
severed, they will be difficult to rebuild.In a moment when
cyberattacks are increasingly global, sophisticated, and persistent, the
expiration of the very law that was designed to unify America’s cyber
defense ecosystem would amount to strategic disarmament. The question
before Congress is not merely one of reauthorization, it is also a test
of political will in the face of an ever-mutating digital threat
landscape.
World pauses German operations for Orb update amid
regulatory faceoff-Firm says spherical biometric scanners will be back
in Munich flagship outlet-Jul 11, 2025, 1:49 pm EDT | Joel R.
McConvey
World is facing a potential cease-and-desist order in
the Philippines, and has put its iris scanning stations on hold in
Germany.At the moment, the Germany section in World’s online search tool
for finding an iris scanning Orb says, “We’re making improvements
behind the scenes. Our Orbs will return shortly.” According to DL News,
that return will include the opening of a flagship store in Munich.World
appears to have no plans to stop operating in Germany. However, its
promised updates will have to satisfy German regulators. In December
2024, the country’s data protection authority, the Bavarian State Office
for Data Protection Supervision (BayLDA), concluded that World’s
practices posed “fundamental data protection risks for a large number of
data subjects,” and as such did not comply with the European Union’s
General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).In its 132-page enforcement
order, the agency also reprimanded the company for storing plain-text
iris codes in a database from July 24 2023, to May 14 2024.World says it
deleted the iris codes when it introduced its secure multiparty
computation (SMPC) system in May 2024. And it has filed an appeal with a
Bavarian court refuting BayLDA’s judgment. The court procedure is
ongoing, and technically, the company is not required to stop operations
during the appeals process.German regulator believes SMPC system is up
to task-For its part, BayLDA believes World is up to the task of
bringing itself into compliance. DL News quotes Michael Will, president
of the BayLDA, who says a change to World’s storage method in May looks
like it will cut the regulatory mustard.Will compares the SMPC system,
which stores and encrypts iris biometrics across several servers,
including those at UC Berkeley and the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg,
to a puzzle in an Indiana Jones film.“Like in a Harrison Ford story, as
long as no one has all the puzzle pieces of this former picture, you do
not have personal information,” Will told DL News. “As long as this is
really enforceable and really guaranteed, we have anonymization.”Will
and his team intend to call upon external support from scientists to
evaluate the process.World has provided no timeline for resuming its
operations in Germany, but says it is updating its EU terms of service
and data privacy policy to reflect the changes.Open questions need
addressing in clear communications-Exactly how much this reassures
investors is up for debate. An article in AI Invest suggests the lack of
a timeline for resuming its services in Germany leaves “many questions
about its operational future in a region known for stringent privacy
regulations.”“Countries like Germany, with the European Union’s General
Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) as its backbone, have some of the
strictest privacy laws globally,” the piece says. “GDPR mandates
explicit consent, data minimization, and robust security measures.
Worldcoin’s model has been challenged on whether it fully adheres to
these principles, particularly regarding informed consent and the
necessity of collecting such extensive biometric data for its stated
goals.”It says a “significant challenge” for World is “overcoming the
trust deficit.”“Clear, concise, and proactive communication about their
data handling, security protocols, and the long-term benefits of their
project will be crucial. The issues faced in Germany are indicative of
broader global concerns.”World standing Philippines tenuous as NPC
investigates-Like, for instance, those in the Philippines. Mlex reports
that the company is facing a possible cease-and-desist order from the
country’s privacy regulator, over potential violations of regulations
regarding consent and data retention.World launched operations in the
Philippines in February, and immediately attracted the attention of the
National Privacy Commission (NPC), which issued a statement clarifying
its stance on collecting biometrics and warning the public to “exercise
extreme caution” in the matter.The NPC is now investigating whether
World complies with Philippine privacy regulation, and is aiming to
issue an opinion on the case within the next few months. In tandem, the
NPC is developing guidelines on processing of biometric data, as the
technology becomes more widespread.
QR-based digital ID drives
transformation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa-Unique QR code serves as gateway to
public services-Jul 11, 2025, 1:07 pm EDT | Ghulam Shabir Arain
The
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan is taking broader moves toward
digital transformation with the launch of the Khyber Pass digital
identity system, Pakistan’s first QR-based ID platform. The program,
which is linked to NADRA and designed for biometric integration,
demonstrates a rising emphasis on digital government, transparency, and
citizen-centric services. Complementary measures, including digital
skills training for women and World Bank-backed infrastructure projects,
are helping to bridge the digital divide in the region. These
initiatives represent a concerted attempt to unleash inclusive growth
through digital public infrastructure.The Khyber Pass digital identity
system-The government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has recently unveiled the
Khyber Pass digital identity system, Pakistan’s first QR-code-based
digital ID platform. The system, which is integrated with NADRA and
other government databases, enables citizens to access identity-related
services online without having to repeatedly provide personal
information. Every citizen is assigned a unique QR code that serves as a
single gateway to public services like education, health, taxation,
licensing, and property records.The portal initially offers three
services, with ambitions to ultimately integrate all provincial
services, including the Sehat Card, health insurance. The digital ID is
intended to streamline service delivery and increase efficiency by
eliminating the need for multiple registrations and in-person visits to
government departments. The system also has biometric verification
capabilities, which improve confidence and accuracy in identity
authentication. This initiative is a basic step in KP’s broader strategy
to implement digital governance and citizen-centric public services.The
government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is advancing its Digital KP Strategy,
which aims to improve citizen-centric governance, transparency, and
efficiency. The program is backed by the World Bank’s KP Cities and
Digital Transformation Project, which positions its vision on
digitalization as a key governance reform. Chief Minister of KPK Ali
Amin Khan Gandapur, through the Profit Pakistan Today news, stated that
they are implementing Digital KP to make government services more
transparent and accessible. The province has already saved Rs. 3 billion
by digitizing the challan system and Rs. 13 billion from a health card
audit. These improvements indicate a trend toward merit-based service
delivery and seek to restore public trust by simplifying procedures and
decreasing outflow.Inclusive growth through digital ID and PPP-Funds for
NGOs reported that, to address the digital gender divide, the KP
Information Technology Board (KPITB), in partnership with KOICA and UN
Women, established a digital skills program that trained over 3,000
young women in graphic design, blogging, and social media marketing.
Moreover, over 30 percent availed employment, earning approximately PKR
225 million in total. The project not only increases freelancing
opportunities, but it also closes the gender divide in digital
inclusion. It follows the World Bank’s recommendation that public
sector-led projects are essential to promoting inclusive digital growth
in areas where private investment is constrained due to perceived
risks.World Bank support for digital infrastructure-The World Bank
project information document states that the World Bank’s KP Cities and
Digital Transformation Project aims to create a digitally equipped
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa through targeted digital development investments of
$30-40 million. The project aims to improve broadband connectivity,
incentivize public-private partnerships (PPPs), and upgrade municipal
digital infrastructure. With over half of the province’s population
under 30, digital expansion is crucial to promoting youth employment and
entrepreneurship. NADRA’s digital ID system, which serves as a secure
platform for service delivery, is key to this transition. The
combination of QR code-based identity (as seen in the Khyber Pass
system) and biometric verification allows secure, remote access to
services, which are key components of modern Digital Public
Infrastructure (DPI). The World Bank highlights in the document that
such developments are essential to inclusive growth, shaping resilience,
and modernizing governance in the province.The Khyber Pass digital ID
system demonstrates KP’s digital-first strategy, which involves
simplifying services through local innovation supported by global
partners such as the World Bank. It represents a significant movement
toward citizen-centric governance, with an emphasis on transparency,
inclusion, and digital empowerment. With continued investment, KP is
well-positioned to lead Pakistan’s digital transformation journey.
OOTS can provide EU Digital Identity Wallets’ shortcut to secure data exchange-Jul 11, 2025, 11:36 am EDT | Chris Burt
The
European Union’s Digital Identity Wallet project that promises to make
transactions between people and businesses in different member states
easy in ambitious enough without reinventing the wheel. The “wheel,” in
this case, is the infrastructure for secure data exchanges, and it has
already been invented for national-level use by the Once-Only Technical
System (OOTS).This is the perspective shared by two officials from the
Austrian delegation to the sixth OOTS Projectathon. The event was held
last month in Brussels, Belgium.Austria Secure Information Technology
Center Director Herbert Leitold and Federal Chancellery Program Manager –
Directorate-General VII “Digitalization and eGovernment” Felix Plank
are working on synergies between OOTS and the EU Digital Identity (EUDI)
Wallet initiative. Both are members of the OOTS & EUDI Wallet
Synergies and Interoperability Contact Group.The OOTS infrastructure
went live in December 2023 to streamline administrative processes and
support cross-border interactions between EU country authorities.The
OOTS Common Services can reduce the cost and speed up time to market for
EUDI Wallets, Leitold says in a video sharing insights from the
event.Austria has proposed an “eDelivery network” as a data-agnostic
transport layer for the authoritative data being shared. The system
would be governed by a trust framework.The country is planning to build
the OOTS infrastructure into its EUDI Wallet, and Leitold notes that the
Dutch delegation said similar discussions are happening in the
Netherlands.The group is planning further pilots and demonstrations to
identify more possible synergies between the two systems.One feature of
the OOTS that could benefit EUDI Wallets, Leitold says, is the preview
space. While OOTS delivers data on-demand, the EUDI Wallet works on the
basis of the user having anticipated what credentials they need to
share, and stored them in the wallet. In the case of credentials they
discover they need to share while carrying out a transaction, a preview
space feature of OOTS could be used to help them select and save the
right credential.“Why not simply use the preview space, where the user,
the citizen, sees that diploma, and just have a tiny little button
saying, well, store it in the wallet for future use,” Leitold explains
as an example. “That, for me, makes perfect sense for the citizen, to
improve the process.”A new batch of implementing acts for the EUDI
Wallet were released for feedback at the end of June.
Indonesia
digital transformation gets boost from UNDP, National Economic
Council-Initiative to move 200M users onto unified digital platform
comes with challenges-Jul 11, 2025, 11:11 am EDT | Joel R. McConvey
In
Indonesia, the National Economic Council (DEN) and the United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP) Indonesia have signed a Statement of Intent
to advance the country’s digital transformation.A report from the
Antara News Agency says the Digital Nusantara initiative aims to
transition Indonesia’s more than 200 million mobile internet users from
fragmented digital platforms to a single, interoperable, secure, and
scalable digital system. Strategically, the transition is rooted in an
approach to digital public infrastructure (DPI) that integrates digital
ID, authentication protocols and data exchange.First steps will focus on
finalizing the unified social protection system, but the government
plans to extend the approach to other essential services, such as civil
registration, health services and a national payment platform.UNDP
Indonesia Resident Representative Norimasa Shimomura says “digital
transformation is not just about technology. It is about improving how
public services reach people.” He promises the program will “unlock the
full potential of digital public infrastructure for inclusive and
accountable governance,” in support of Indonesian President Prabowo
Subianto’s mandate to modernize public services and accelerate digital
transformation.DEN Executive Secretary Septian Hario Seto says “this
integration allows services to be delivered faster, more accurately, and
with greater accountability, supporting the president’s vision for a
modern, inclusive and resilient economy.”Indonesia’s digital economy is
projected to reach US$194.5 billion in e-commerce alone by 2030. But the
transition comes with significant technical, institutional and cultural
changes.The UNDP and DEN partnership aims to ease that transition by
fostering greater awareness about the unified system, coordinating
efforts across ministries, and shepherding the project to the next
service DPI use cases.