Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

CEO Jan Wendenburg advocates a fresh approach to AI in product cybersecurity

Düsseldorf, June 30, 2026 – The current discussion around artificial intelligence (AI) in cybersecurity is largely focused on its powerful new analytical capabilities. Modern AI models can analyze source code, identify security vulnerabilities, and uncover potential attack paths.

Düsseldorf-based product cybersecurity specialist ONEKEY welcomes these advances but believes the conversation should go further. “The industry is currently placing a strong emphasis on vulnerability discovery. In practice, however, the biggest challenges begin after vulnerabilities have been identified,” said Jan Wendenburg, CEO of ONEKEY.

Jan Wendenburg continued, “Anyone who develops connected devices, machines, or systems must make sound decisions based on a wealth of technical information. This is precisely where AI will deliver the greatest economic benefits in the future.”

The security company therefore does not see the next stage of cybersecurity development as being based on ever-increasing amounts of analysis, but rather on smarter decisions. ONEKEY refers to this approach as “Decision Intelligence” for product security.

From the Age of Analysis to the Age of Decision-Making

In recent years, cybersecurity has focused on identifying risks. With the advent of advanced AI systems, this process is becoming more automated. Consequently, companies are receiving more indications of potential security issues.

According to ONEKEY, this creates a new challenge. The volume of available information is growing faster than many manufacturers' human resources can handle. Security teams must evaluate thousands of pieces of information, correlate them, and derive concrete measures.

“More information does not automatically mean more security,” said Jan Wendenburg. “Those who cannot prioritize findings amid a flood of data do not gain control but rather face additional complexity, which generally means less security.”

Security Requires Context

With connected products in particular, knowing that a vulnerability exists is not enough to determine its significance. Whether a risk is relevant depends on several factors, including the firmware and software components used, existing protection mechanisms, the area of application, and regulatory requirements.

From ONEKEY's perspective, therefore, contextual knowledge is a decisive factor for success. The platform analyzes firmware directly at the binary level and links technical insights with product knowledge, compliance requirements, and lifecycle information. All of these can be customized to individual risks via profiles. The result is a comprehensive overview that goes far beyond traditional vulnerability lists.

The Digital Security Assistant

Consequently, ONEKEY continues to expand the use of artificial intelligence within its platform. The goal is to support security managers throughout the entire decision-making process, not merely to automate analyses.

In the future, ONEKEY VerityAI, an intelligent assistant, will present complex relationships in an understandable way, explain technical issues in natural language, and generate actionable recommendations tailored to different target groups.

“We're transitioning from basic analysis tools to a digital security assistant,” said Jan Wendenburg. “The system helps experts speed up their work and make more informed decisions.”

New Regulatory Requirements

Meanwhile, new legal requirements are placing greater demands on manufacturers. The Cyber Resilience Act, in particular, requires traceable security processes, documented assessments, and substantial evidence.

According to ONEKEY's assessment, transparently justifying and documenting decisions in an audit-proof manner will become a key competitive factor.

“Security will no longer be measured solely by how many vulnerabilities were detected,” said Jan Wendenburg. He explained: “What will be decisive is whether companies can provide transparent evidence of why they made the decisions they did.”

AI as a Guidepost, Not as an Autopilot

Therefore, ONEKEY sees the future of product safety as being based on close collaboration between human expertise, technical evidence, and intelligent software. Artificial intelligence is intended to help safety managers arrive at the right answers more quickly without assuming sole responsibility for decisions.

“The most successful companies will not be those that blindly trust AI,” Jan Wendenburg summarized, “but those that use AI to make better, faster, and more informed decisions.”

With ONEKEY VerityAI, an AI-powered assistant, intelligent workflows, and advanced analytics, ONEKEY is working toward the next stage of product safety.

ONEKEY is the leading European specialist in Product Cybersecurity & Compliance Management and part of the investment portfolio of PricewaterhouseCoopers Germany (PwC). The unique combination of the automated ONEKEY Product Cybersecurity & Compliance Platform (OCP) with expert knowledge and consulting services provides fast and comprehensive analysis, support, and management to improve product cybersecurity and compliance from product purchasing, design, development, production to end-of-life.

Critical vulnerabilities and compliance violations in device firmware are automatically identified in binary code by AI-based technology in minutes – without source code, device, or network access. Proactively audit software supply chains with integrated Software Bills of Materials (SBOMs) generation. “Digital Cyber Twins” enable automated 24/7 post-release cybersecurity monitoring throughout the product lifecycle.

The integrated ONEKEY Compliance Wizard already supports compliance with requirements from IEC 62443-4-2, ETSI EN 303 645, UNECE R155, and many other standards and regulations.

As part of the EU-funded CRACoWi (Cyber Resilience Act Compliance Wizard) project, ONEKEY is collaborating with 13 European partners to develop an AI-powered assistant for the automated implementation of the EU Cyber Resilience Act (CRA).

The solution will guide companies through the entire compliance process—from the initial CRA scope assessment to the generation of the required Declaration of Conformity.

The Product Security Incident Response Team (PSIRT) is effectively supported by the integrated automatic prioritization of vulnerabilities, significantly reducing the time to remediation.

Leading international companies in Asia, Europe and the Americas already benefit from the ONEKEY Product Cybersecurity & Compliance Platform (OCP) and ONEKEY Cybersecurity Experts.

June 30 2026 – The greatest risk to global portfolios from Japan's currency crisis isn't the yen, it's the potential for disruption in the US Treasury market, warns the CEO of financial advisory giant deVere Group, as the Japanese currency sinks to its weakest level against the dollar since 1986.

Nigel Green says that if Japanese authorities are forced into sustained intervention to defend the yen, they may have little choice but to liquidate substantial amounts of foreign reserves, including US government bonds, potentially creating fresh pressure in the world's most important debt market.

“Everyone's focused on whether Tokyo will intervene in the currency market as the yen hits its lowest level in four decades. The more important question is how Japan pays for that intervention,” he explains.

“If authorities are compelled to step up support for the yen over a prolonged period, global investors could suddenly find themselves confronting an entirely different risk: one of the world's largest foreign holders of US Treasuries becoming a more significant seller.”

Japanese officials have repeatedly stated that they stand ready to take decisive action against excessive currency volatility, while Japan has already spent more than 11 trillion yen on intervention efforts during previous episodes of market stress.

Too many investors and analysts, says Nigel Green, who are concentrating solely on the foreign exchange implications of intervention, are overlooking what could become a far more consequential development for global financial markets.

“Japan's currency weakness is widely viewed as a domestic issue which, I believe, is a mistake,” comments the deVere CEO.

“Japan remains one of the largest foreign holders of US government debt. If intervention efforts become larger, longer, and more frequent, the implications go well beyond the foreign exchange market.

“Japan holds more than $1 trillion in US Treasury securities, making it one of the largest overseas creditors of the United States.

“To support the yen, Japanese authorities must sell foreign currency reserves, which are heavily invested in dollar-denominated assets, including US government bonds.”

The deVere CEO argues that the fundamental challenge facing Japanese policymakers is that intervention alone is unlikely to reverse the structural forces driving yen weakness, including the wide interest-rate and yield differences that continue to favour dollar assets over Japanese assets.

“The uncomfortable reality for policymakers is that intervention can slow a market move, but, as history teaches us, it rarely changes the underlying economic fundamentals,” he affirms.

“As long as investors can borrow cheaply in yen and earn substantially higher returns elsewhere, the structural pressure on the currency remains in place.”

This, he says, creates the possibility of repeated interventions that gradually increase pressure on Japan's foreign reserve holdings.

Nigel Green concludes: “The market is asking whether Japan will intervene.

“The question investors should be asking instead is: if Japan is, indeed, forced to intervene repeatedly, what assets will it have to sell to defend its currency?

“If the answer increasingly includes US Treasuries, then what appears to be a Japanese currency crisis today would rapidly become a global bond market crisis tomorrow.”

deVere Group is one of the world's largest independent advisors of specialist global financial solutions to international, local mass affluent, and high-net-worth clients.  It has a network of offices around the world, more than 80,000 clients, and $14bn under advisement.

30 June 2026 – Equinor and Vår Energi have agreed to a swap of assets on the Norwegian continental shelf (NCS). The transaction enables further maturation of the Peon gas discovery towards development and strengthens Equinor’s position in the Troll-Fram area.

Under the agreement, Equinor will transfer 32,5% of its interest in the Peon discovery and operatorship to Vår Energi as part of a broader asset swap. As part of the transaction, Equinor will receive interests in producing assets and development licences, including a 5% share in the Fram field and Vår Energi’s positions in the Grosbeak and Mulder discoveries and Grønngylt prospect that are part of the Ringvei Vest development.

Equinor and its partners have agreed on the concept for the development of Peon with a tie-back solution to Gjøa. The development is expected to extend the lifetime of the hub and support long-term gas production from the area. The gas from Peon is expected to be sourced through Kårstø, creating additional value for Equinor.

Peon is one of the largest undeveloped gas discoveries on the NCS, with estimated recoverable resources of 105–195 million barrels of oil equivalent. The discovery is located approximately 60 kilometres from the Gjøa.

“This transaction enables us to speed up progress of one of the largest undeveloped gas discoveries on the NCS, Peon, while strengthening our position in the Troll-Fram area. The swap supports efficient development of resources and increased use of existing infrastructure. This is the latest in a series of transactions on the NCS where we have aligned interests across partnerships to enable faster tie-back developments”, says Kjetil Hove, executive vice president for Exploration & Production Norway.

The agreement with Vår Energi forms part of a series of transactions where Equinor has actively optimised its portfolio on the NCS.

The aim of the transactions has been to accelerate the development of discoveries and identify area solutions that benefit all parties, while strengthening Equinor’s position in producing assets and strategic licences:

Equinor and Aker BP have exchanged interests across several licences, including assets related to the Ringvei Vest and Yggdrasil area, strengthening positions in core areas.

The ability of bacteria to remove pollutants from soil, water, mine waste and other environments could be supercharged by a ‘friendly’ compatible virus, according to a study led by Flinders University.

The new insights, published in Communications Biology, suggests phage virus ‘bioaugmentation’ offers a compelling new direction for environmental biotechnology, by harnessing the ecological roles of lysogenic phages to enhance microbial function in polluted soils.

Traditional bioaugmentation strategies, while cost-effective and sustainable, face challenges including slow degradation rates and environmental constraints on microbial efficacy.

Phage bioaugmentation using lysogenic bacteriophages – viruses that infect bacteria and integrate into their host’s genomes without immediately killing them – use pollutant-degrading genes to bolster the bacteria’s genetic capabilities for bioremediation.

Pollution of natural ecosystems is a global concern, with industrialisation contaminating millions of soil and water sites. These contaminants threaten human health, agricultural productivity, and ecological balance.

Pollutants such as arsenic, chromium, polychlorinated biphenyls, pesticides, petroleum hydrocarbons, and excess nutrients, disrupt ecosystem impair microbial communities essential for soil health and nutrient cycling. These impacts degrade groundwater quality, threatening drinking water resources.

Safeguarding soil microbiomes is critical for ecosystem resilience, the environment and public health.

Flinders University researcher Niki Romeo says it can take years for microbes to break down toxins and pollutants, with lysogenic phages able to integrate auxiliary metabolic genes (AMGs) into bacterial hosts to improve degradation – helping to address the cost and limitations of conventional in-situ methods.

The researchers say regulatory frameworks would need to evolve with such biotechnologies to assess ecological safety, genetic stability, and long-term impacts of releasing engineered phages into natural environments.

“Issues such as gene transfer potential, persistence, containment, and unintended effects on non-target organisms will need to be addressed through biosafety protocols and environmental risk assessments before field-scale deployment,” says Flinders University PhD candidate Niki Romeo.

In the meantime, the method warrants further investigation on field experiments to validate the most effective in-soil candidate phage and to develop tools to monitor phage integration and AMG expression.

“If used well, phage bioaugmentation could be used in controlled conditions to help restore polluted environments and promote microbial resilience,” she says.

The research accompanies a wealth of other bacteriophage studies led by the Flinders Accelerator for Microbiome Exploration and other research by the Restoration Ecology group at the College of Science and Engineering.

Matthew Flinders Professor Martin Breed, who co-supervises Ms Romeo’s PhD, says soil remediation and ecosystem restoration are critical elements in improving living conditions for humans and other life on Earth.

Urban soil biodiversity sustains critical ecosystem functions such as nutrient cycling and plant growth, while also supporting human health through pathogen suppression, soil remediation and human immune system training, he says.

The mini review article, ‘Phage bioaugmentation reveals the potential of lysogeny for soil bioremediation’ (2026) by Niki Romeo, Ernestina Hauptfeld (Utrecht University), Qi Yang (CSIRO) and James G Mitchell has been published in Communications Biology DOI: 10.1038/s42003-026-10106-1. (ref. https://www.nature.com/articles/s42003-026-10106-1 )

Four communities in East Are’are Constituency (EAC) in Malaita Province have every reason to celebrate as they welcomed the handover of project materials for their new water supply projects, thanks to the People's Republic of China (PRC).

This achievement was made possible through the PRC's partnership with the (Solomon IIslands) Ministry of Rural Development (MRD), with $1.5 million in funding support under the Rural Sustainable Development Program (RSDP).

The official handover of project materials to the communities occurred on 29 May 2026.

This support aims to provide communities with access to clean running water at their doorsteps to improve health standards across the communities.

The four beneficiary communities are; Potaniu, Maniaha/Hauharii, Hatakau, and Raroasi.

Constituency Development Officer (CDO) Daniel Manata, on behalf of the EAC office and its people, expressed profound gratitude to PRC for the generous assistance.

The projects, which are the first of their kind for these communities under PRC funding, will have a positive impact on the lives of individuals, families, schools, churches, and vulnerable groups such as women, children, and persons with disabilities.

Indeed, it was a landmark achievement, the first of its kind in these communities, not only because of the delivery but also because it marked a significant accomplishment for both the constituency and the PRC partnership.

Access to clean and safe water is not just a luxury but a fundamental human right that is essential for the health and well-being of our communities (UN Declaration 2010).

CDO Manata stated that it is the ongoing commitment of the EMC office to continue supporting development initiatives in its communities to improve the social and economic livelihoods of everyone.

“So, having access to reliable, clean, and safe water for drinking, cooking, and sanitation is paramount.

“I believe such meaningful projects like this will undoubtedly transform our people’s lives,” he said.

Mr. Manata also recognized the importance of collaboration and partnership between the PRC, MRD, and the communities for the project’s success.

He further stated that the constituency office will continue to work closely with the PRC and other development partners to advance rural development initiatives and improve livelihoods in the constituency.

“…So, we are hoping for more support this year and in the future, and we will continue to work together. I would also like to thank our new government for recognizing our important relationship, which we will continue to maintain. At the end of the day, we are working for what benefits everyone. So, thank you very much for this generous support,” he added.

Speaking on behalf of the beneficiary communities, Catechist Willie Takaia from Raroasi thanked the PRC for the kind assistance.

“Water supply projects are among our greatest needs. Once completed, these water projects will benefit everyone, including women, children, and people with disabilities. We look forward to more help from you (PRC) in the near future.

“This assistance is not only significant but also paves the way for sustainable development partnerships in our constituency. We truly appreciate your support,” Mr. Takaia said.

East Are’are Constituency also received similar support under the initial phase of the RSDP in 2023 for two communities: Tawanaora, for the building of its school classroom, and a water supply and sanitation project at a cost of SBD$1.5 million.

Representing the Chinese Embassy, Counsellor Li Qinghua congratulated EAC and the beneficiaries on receiving the projects and highlighted China’s firm commitment to supporting the Solomon Islands’ socio-economic development through “small yet smart” projects like RSDP.

Ms. Li reiterated that the handover is another testament to the practical cooperation between PRC and the Solomon Islands, further strengthening bilateral relations.

Counsellor Li stated that, as a partnership between both nations, the core purpose of RSDP is to improve socio-economic development in the country.

She also highlighted the significant achievements both China and the Solomon Islands have made since establishing diplomatic relations in 2019. These include the handover of the National Referral Hospital Comprehensive Medical Centre, the implementation of the Auki Road project, the connection of the 161 telecommunication towers across Solomon Islands and ongoing support for RSDP to help communities develop through projects that create long-term improvements and foster self-sufficiency in rural areas.

“Since 2023, based on the agreement between our two governments, China has been funding the RSDP.

“Our goal is to ensure that most benefits reach the people. It is our shared responsibility to monitor this program and make it a success,” she added.

Ms. Li also shared China’s remarkable achievement in lifting 800 million people out of poverty and expressed a wish to share China’s experience in poverty alleviation with the Solomon Islands.

She emphasized the importance of working together with the government, people, and communities to turn poverty alleviation into reality.

Ms. Li added, “The RSDP is not just a project; it is a strong connection and partnership between our two nations, with China committed to helping the Solomon Islands develop and empower its people.”

She also highlighted China’s commitment to offering capacity-building and training opportunities for the Solomon Islands, focusing on knowledge transfer to support the country’s development and prosperity.

Ms. Li emphasized that partnership and collaboration are key to achieving greater outcomes.

RSDP is a partnership program between the PRC and the Solomon Islands Government, implemented through the Ministry of Rural Development.

Similar project support has also been extended to other constituencies.

June 29 2026 – Europe's sweltering summers are the new normal, which means major new opportunities for investors looking, affirms the CEO of global financial advisory giant deVere Group.

Nigel Green's bullish analysis comes as Western Europe endures one of the most severe heatwaves in modern history, with France reporting around 1,000 excess deaths in a single week, temperatures exceeding 40C across multiple countries, and governments issuing rare “risk to life” warnings affecting tens of millions of people.

He says: “Investors who view Europe's escalating heatwaves purely as an environmental crisis are making a mistake.

“They should also be viewing them as one of the biggest structural investment shifts unfolding anywhere in the developed world.

“Europe has spent decades building economies, cities, housing, healthcare systems and infrastructure around climate conditions that no longer exist.

“Rebuilding them for the climate that does exist will require trillions of euros of investment over the coming decades.

“This creates enormous opportunities.”

The deVere CEO says markets are still underestimating how quickly extreme heat is becoming a permanent economic feature across Europe.

“Scientists have been warning for years that Europe is warming faster than any other continent.

“We're now seeing what that actually means for economies, businesses and asset prices.

“France has recorded around 1,000 excess deaths in just one week. Rail networks have shut down, nuclear power production has been disrupted by rising river temperatures, agricultural yields are coming under pressure, hospitals are operating under emergency conditions. The list goes on.

“This is what structural economic change looks like to me.”

The deVere CEO says one of the clearest opportunities lies in an area that many investors have historically overlooked: cooling.

“Only around one in five European households currently has air conditioning. In the United States, it's close to 90%. That gap is extraordinary.

“If Europe's summers continue to resemble the summers we've experienced this year, demand for residential cooling, commercial cooling, industrial cooling and energy-efficient climate control technologies is likely to explode.

“The companies positioned to meet that demand could experience decades of structural growth.”

He also believes investors are underestimating the scale of investment that will be required to modernize Europe's electricity infrastructure.

“Every additional air conditioning unit, every cooling system, every data center and every adaptation technology requires electricity.

“Europe's grids were not designed for prolonged periods of extreme summer demand.

“This means enormous investment opportunities in grid modernization, electricity transmission, battery storage, energy management software and power generation.”

Nigel Green says water could become one of the defining investment themes of the next decade.

“Extreme heat creates water stress, water stress creates political, economic and commercial pressure.

“Companies involved in water treatment, storage, recycling, efficiency and distribution could become some of the biggest beneficiaries of Europe's changing climate.”

He also identifies healthcare and urban infrastructure as sectors likely to experience sustained growth.

“Heatwaves already kill more Europeans than any other weather-related event. Ageing populations and rising temperatures are creating a powerful long-term investment case across healthcare infrastructure, pharmaceuticals, medical technologies and climate-related health services.

“At the same time, European towns and cities themselves will need to be redesigned.”

The deVere chief executive argues that investors are making the same mistake they often make during periods of major structural change.

“They assume that tomorrow will broadly resemble yesterday.

“But Europe's climate is changing faster than markets are pricing.”

He concludes: “Investors who identified the internet revolution early generated extraordinary returns. Investors who understood the energy transition early generated extraordinary returns.

“The adaptation economy may become one of the defining investment stories of the next generation.

He concludes: “Europe's sweltering summers are not an anomaly. They're the new normal. Savvy investors will already be on the case.”

deVere Group is one of the world's largest independent advisors of specialist global financial solutions to international, local mass affluent, and high-net-worth clients.  It has a network of offices around the world, more than 80,000 clients, and $14bn under advisement.

Responding to news that Kazakhstani authorities have detained Batikha Bilashkyzy, whose brother, Serikzhan Bilash, is a human rights defender and the founder of the Atajurt movement, Marie Struthers, Amnesty International’s Eastern Europe and Central Asia Director, said:

“Batikha Bilashkyzy’s detention on apparently politically motivated and fabricated fraud charges is deeply alarming. She must be released unless she is promptly charged with an internationally recognizable criminal offence and her fair trial rights are respected.”

“Any targeting of Batikha Bilashkyzy solely because of her family ties or peaceful expression of solidarity with Atajurt’s mission would amount to another attempt by the Kazakhstani authorities to intimidate those associated with the Atajurt movement and its work documenting the repression of ethnic Kazakhs and other Turkic minorities in China.

“The Kazakhstani authorities must end the harassment of Atajurt members, supporters and their families.”

Background

On the evening of 25 June, law enforcement and security officers forcibly entered the home of Batikha Bilashkyzy, elder sister of Serikzhan Bilash, in the village of Saimasai, Almaty Region. They confiscated her mobile phone and copies of the Koran, and took her to the police station in the town of Konaev. At the time of writing, she remains in custody. Her lawyer and family have not been told when a detention hearing will take place.

Batikha Bilashkyzy is not known to have been politically active. She reportedly attended several court hearings in support of Atajurt members but stopped after local officials reportedly intimidated her.

Her detention comes amid a wider crackdown on the Atajurt movement. In April 2026, 19 activists were convicted over a peaceful protest calling for the release of a Kazakhstani citizen detained in China’s XUAR. Eleven received five-year prison sentences for “incitement of interethnic or social discord,” while eight others received non-custodial sentences. Their convictions were upheld on appeal on 9 June.

Amnesty International has previously called on the Kazakhstani authorities to quash the convictions of the Atajurt activists and ensure that everyone in Kazakhstan can exercise their rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association without intimidation or reprisals.

Flinders University researchers, in partnership with the River Murray and Mallee Aboriginal Corporation, have found evidence that points to 7000 years of Aboriginal mining of stones at Sugarloaf Hill in South Australia’s Riverland.

26 June 2026 – Equinor and its partners have today submitted for public consultation a proposed programme for the environmental impact assessment of a possible Wisting field development in the Barents Sea.

The project is still at an early stage, and further progress will depend on additional improvements to achieve a profitable and viable project.

Wisting is the largest oil discovery on the Norwegian continental shelf yet to be developed, with estimated recoverable volumes of just under 500 million barrels of oil equivalent.

“We have made significant improvements to Wisting since the postponement in 2022, but considerable work remains before we can determine whether there is a basis for a final investment decision. Power from shore has been thoroughly assessed but was ruled out due to technical complexity and high costs. We are now continuing our work on power generation based on an energy-efficient gas turbine solution,” says Trond Bokn, Equinor's senior vice president for project development.

The partnership has selected a floating production and storage vessel (FPSO) for Wisting. As part of the continued work, the project will also assess the potential for carbon capture and storage (CCS), with the aim of reducing CO₂ emissions from production. Such a solution is relevant for Wisting given the size of the power facility and the fact that the installation is being developed as a newbuild.

Further maturation work and sub-studies are now under way in the project. The partnership plans to decide on the final concept selection and possible continuation towards the end of 2026. The solutions must meet requirements for safe and efficient operations in the Barents Sea.

Any continuation of a CCS solution will depend on the necessary technological and regulatory conditions being in place within acceptable cost and time frames, both for the power turbine and for a possible CCS facility. A final investment decision is planned for the end of 2027.

If the project is realised, Wisting will generate substantial revenues for Norwegian society. A development would also create significant ripple effects in the Norwegian supplier industry, both during the development phase and throughout operations:

• The largest and most lasting ripple effects from Wisting will come from around 30 years of operations. Nearly all activity related to operations will take place in Norway and contribute to value creation and jobs in industry nationally and regionally for decades to come.
• Drilling and wells, together with the subsea development, account for around half of the total investment in a Wisting development. The majority of this activity will generate value creation in Norwegian industry.
• Norwegian suppliers will be given an exclusive opportunity to demonstrate competitiveness in the engineering, procurement and construction of the modules for the production vessel on Wisting. In addition, procurement activity will create significant opportunities for the many equipment suppliers in Norway.
• The hull itself cannot be built at Norwegian yards due to size and necessary infrastructure.

The proposed programme for the environmental impact assessment is now being submitted for public consultation as part of the continued maturation of the project. The public consultation period is set at 16 weeks.

More information is available on equinor.com – see the link below.

Licensees in Wisting: *Equinor Energy AS (42,5%), *Aker BP ASA (27,5%), Petoro AS (20%) and INPEX Idemitsu Norge AS (10%).

*After transactions between Equinor and Aker BP, pending government approval.

Facts about Wisting

Wisting (PL 537) was discovered in 2013 in the Hoop area of the Barents Sea
Wisting is located around 310 km north of Hammerfest
Water depth between 390 and 418 metres.

Deir Ez-Zor, Syria, 25 June 2026: One year after Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) began supporting emergency services at Deir Ez-Zor National Hospital (DNH), hundreds of people injured by explosive ordnance have been treated at the hospital, highlighting the devastating and ongoing impact of contamination left behind by years of conflict.

MSF published a report Explosive Remnants of War – Lasting Harm in Deir Ez-Zor, Syria on the human and health impact of explosive ordnance contamination in Deir Ez-Zor governorate. It highlights the key barriers to accessing timely, comprehensive, and specialized care, as well as the critical role of mine action actors in the governorate. The report draws on MSF and the Directorate of Health (DoH) medical data, covering the period from April 2025 to April 2026, as well as operational observations and interviews with patients, caretakers, and medical professionals involved in the provision of care.

Between April 2025 and April 2026, MSF and DoH teams in the emergency room of Deir Ez-Zor National Hospital treated more than 215 people injured by landmines, unexploded ordnance, and abandoned explosives. Nearly half of the patients were children. During this period, 24 people died from their injuries, and 58 patients underwent traumatic amputations.

Deir Ez-Zor remains one of the areas most heavily contaminated by explosive ordnance in Syria. Civilians are often injured while carrying out daily activities such as farming, herding livestock, collecting truffles, or returning to damaged homes and buildings. Children are particularly at risk while playing outdoors or exploring abandoned buildings. Many survivors travel long and dangerous distances from remote areas to reach emergency care, often without access to ambulances.

“For the year that we’ve been working here, we’ve seen over 215 patients suffering from blast injuries, including children and farmers working their land,” said Rebecca Kerr, MSF project coordinator in Deir Ez-Zor. “Unfortunately, even today, we’re still seeing civilians being impacted by these explosives. Without improved trauma care, rehabilitation services, and clearance of contaminated land, these injuries will continue.”

Despite the high number of trauma survivors and amputees, access to rehabilitation, prosthetics and orthotics, specialized mental health care, and socio-economic support remains severely limited, leaving many patients unable to recover or regain their independence.

Mohammad, a young man from Deir Ez-Zor who lost both legs above the knee after stepping on a landmine while working his land, described how his life has changed: “Before, I worked every day and supported myself. Now I spend most of my time at home, and I depend on my family for almost everything. If I had access to artificial limbs, maybe I could regain part of my life.”

Medical staff at DNH also highlight the economic pressures driving risk-taking behavior. “Some people knowingly enter mined areas to graze their flocks or gather truffles,” said Dr. Waseem Awak, resident doctor in the emergency and orthopedic departments. “In some cases, we treat multiple members of the same family.”

Access to emergency trauma care remains a major challenge across the governorate. Shortages of specialized medical staff, limited equipment, and weak post-discharge services increase the risk of complications and death. “The number of injuries often exceeds the hospital’s capacity,” said Dr. Ammar Al Rajab, head of the DNH orthopedic department. “Post-discharge care is particularly weak, with a critical lack of prosthetics specialists and rehabilitation services.”

MSF calls for an urgent acceleration of mine clearance and explosive ordnance disposal across Deir Ez-Zor as a first and critical step to prevent further civilian harm. This must be accompanied by sustained investment in emergency trauma care — particularly in remote and underserved areas—and comprehensive victim assistance services, including rehabilitation and mental health care. Without a significant scale-up of clearance efforts that matches the extent of contamination, civilians will continue to be injured and killed while carrying out daily activities.

MSF has also witnessed how contamination continues to affect humanitarian operations and access to essential services. Some healthcare facilities, water infrastructure, and residential areas remain contaminated, limiting safe access for communities and humanitarian organizations alike. Mine action activities, including survey, clearance, and risk education, remain essential to reducing civilian harm and enabling humanitarian response and recovery efforts.

Since April 2025, MSF has been supporting the emergency room at DNH in collaboration with the DoH, providing emergency care, laboratory services, infection prevention and control, sterilization, and water and sanitation support. MSF has also supported staff training, established a triage system, improved patient flow, rehabilitated the hospital’s waste management area, and installed new incinerators and an X-ray machine.

MSF reiterates that without urgent action to accelerate the clearance of land contaminated by explosive ordnance and landmines, alongside efforts to address critical gaps in specialized care—including rehabilitation, prosthetics, and mental health services—civilians in Deir Ez-Zor will continue to suffer preventable deaths and life-altering injuries long after the conflict has ended.

Sharing link to the report Explosive Remnants of War – Lasting Harm in Deir Ez-Zor, Syria 202606_SYRIA_DEZ ERW_REP_EN_FINAL_web.pdf

MSF is an international, medical, humanitarian organisation that delivers medical care to people in need, regardless of their origin, religion, or political affiliation.  MSF Australia was established in 1995 and is one of 24 international MSF sections committed to delivering medical humanitarian assistance to people in crisis. Every year more than 120 Australians and New Zealanders go on assignment with Médecins Sans Frontières  working as: doctors, midwives, psychologists, laboratory technicians, human resource/finance coordinators, pharmacists, mental health specialists and logisticians. MSF delivers medical care based on need alone and operates independently of government, religion or economic influence and irrespective of race, religion or gender. For more information visit msf.org.au