NewzIntel.com

Category: Balkans

  • MIL-OSI Security: Group of men convicted of murdering two people in Archway

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    A group of five men, who killed two people they mistook for rival gang members in Archway have been convicted of murder.

    Lorik Lupqi, 21 (22.09.2003) of St John’s Way, N19, Abel Chunda, 29 (03.01.1996) of Caldy Walk, N1, Jason Furtado, 28 (18.12.1996) of Halton Road, N1, Eden Clark, 29 (28.01.94), of Huddleston Road N7 and Xavier Poponne, 21 (06.11.2002) of Halton Road, Islington, N1 appeared at the Old Bailey on Wednesday, 23 July.

    Following a 15-week trial, all men were all convicted of murdering 15-year-old Leonardo Reid and 23-year-old Klevi Shekaj and attempting to murder another man.

    Detective Inspector Jim Barry of Specialist Crime North said “These violent men went into this estate with the intention of killing anyone they could, under the false impression that those there were rival gang members. This was a senseless, violent act which has shattered the lives of so many, especially Leonardo and Klevi’s loved ones.”

    On Thursday, 29 June 2023, there had been a large gathering on the Elthorne estate to film a music video.

    Lorik Lupqi, a gang member from Islington saw this gathering at around 8:30pm and took it as an opportunity to hurt who he thought were gang opponents. He messaged his girlfriend stating that “opps were outside.” She advised him to remain inside, but Lupqi decided to contact his close friend and gang associate Jason Furtado.

    They formed a plan and recruited three gang members to travel to the Elthorne estate. By the time they arrived two hours later, the filming had concluded, and most people had left, but some local children and teenagers remained in the area.

    The group then fatally stabbed 15-year-old Leonardo Reid, who sadly died at the scene and 23-year-old Klevi Shekaj who died in hospital. They also stabbed another man, who was taken to hospital.

    A double murder and attempted murder investigation was launched with extensive enquiries taking place.

    The enquiries carried out by Met Police’s Specialist Crime Command included reviewing CCTV, forensic examinations and analysis of phone data. This data showed that there were 50 short phone calls between this group in the two hours before the murders. After the attack, the four went to Abel Chunda’s house and called organiser Furtado.

    They were identified as key suspects and work began to bring them into custody.

    Chuna and Furtado were arrested on 3 July with Clarke travelling to the Suffolk coast and changing his appearance in an attempt to evade arrest. Met Officers quickly located him and arrested him on 12 July.

    One suspect, Lupqi illegally travelled to Kosovo days after the murders. He had sent messages to his girlfriend, telling her not to wait for him. Met officers worked closely with the Kosovan authorities, the National Crime Agency and the Crown Prosecution Service to extradite him back to the UK and arrest him at Luton Airport on 12 November 2024.

    Following Poponne’s arrest in November 2023, damning lyrics were found in a drill song written the day after the murders. These lyrics glorified the murders and made references to elements of the attack which could only be known to those involved. In these lyrics, he also referenced how Leonardo and Klevi were not involved in gang criminality. Shortly after the murders, he also changed his social media name to ‘X3’ referencing the number of people he had stabbed.

    During the trial, the group refused to admit responsibility with some stating that they were in the area to deal drugs but not involved in the murders.

    They all appeared at the Old Bailey on Wednesday, 23 July where they were all convicted of two counts of murder and one count of attempted murder. They will appear at the same court on Thursday, 25 September and Friday, 26 September for sentencing.

    Detective Inspector Jim Barry added: “Our team have remained focused on getting justice for those affected by this violent and unnecessary attack.

    “This dangerous group of men will now spend a long time behind bars but the effect of what they did will be felt by the victim’s shattered families for longer.

    “I thank the members of the public who tried to help and save the lives of those injured and have assisted our team with enquiries.

    “We will continue to tackle violent offenders and ensure that justice is bought for the safety of our communities.”

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Gaza – an open question for NZ’s foreign minister Winston Peters

    OPEN QUESTION: By Bryan Bruce

    Dear Rt Hon Winston Peters,

    There was a time when New Zealanders stood up for what was morally right. There are memorials around our country for those who died fighting fascism, we wrote parts of the UN Charter of Human Rights, we took an anti-nuclear stance in 1984, and three years prior to that, many of us stood against apartheid in South Africa by boycotting South African products and actively protesting against the 1981 Springbok Rugby Tour.

    To call out the Israeli government for genocide and ethnic cleansing in Gaza is not to be antisemitic. Nor is it to be pro- Hamas. It is to simply to be pro-human.

    While acknowledging the peace and humanitarian initiatives on the Foreign Affairs website, I note there is no calling out of the genocide and ethnic cleansing that cannot be denied is happening in Gaza.

    The Israeli government is systematically demolishing whole towns and cities — including churches, mosques, even removing trees and vegetation — to deprive the Palestinian people the opportunity to return to their homeland; and there have been constant blocks to humanitarian aid as part of a policy forced starvation.

    There is no doubt crimes against international law have been committed, which is why the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague has issued warrants for the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant, his former defence minister, for alleged crimes against humanity.

    So, my question to you is: why are you not pictured standing in this photograph (below) alongside the representatives from 33 nations at the July 16 2025 Gaza emergency conference in Bogotá?

    The nations that took part in the Gaza emergency summit in were:

    Norway, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey, Colombia, South Africa, Bolivia, Cuba, Honduras, Malaysia, Namibia, Algeria, Bangladesh, Botswana, Brazil, Chile, China, Djibouti, Indonesia, Iraq, Ireland, Lebanon, Libya, Mexico, Nicaragua, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Qatar, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Uruguay and Venezuela.

    Representatives from 33 nations at the July 16 2025 Gaza emergency conference in Bogotá. Image: bryanbruce.substack.com

    Is your policy simply to fall in behind the USA denying there is genocide and ethnic cleansing happening in Gaza?

    If not, are you prepared to endorse the six coordinated diplomatic, legal and economic measures already signed up to by 12 of the participating countries in the Bogetà summit, to restrain Israel’s assault on the Occupied Palestinian Territories and defend international law at large?

    Remaining countries, which could still include New Zealand, have a deadline of September 20, to coincide with the 80th UN General Assembly, for additional states to join them.

    The 6 agreed measures are:
     Prevent the provision or transfer of arms, munitions, military fuel, related military equipment, and dual-use items to Israel.

    Prevent the transit, docking, and servicing of vessels at any port
     in all cases where there is a clear risk of the vessel being used to carry arms, munitions, military fuel, related military equipment, and dual-use items to Israel

    Prevent the carriage of arms, munitions, military fuel, related military equipment, and dual-use items to Israel on vessels bearing our flag . . .  and ensure full accountability, including de-flagging, for non-compliance with this prohibition.

    Commence an urgent review of all public contracts, to prevent public institutions and funds from supporting Israel’s illegal occupation of the Palestinian Territory and entrenching its unlawful presence.

    Comply with obligations to ensure accountability for the most serious crimes under international law, through robust, impartial and independent investigations and prosecutions at national or international levels, to ensure justice for all victims and the prevention of future crimes.

    Support universal jurisdiction mandates, as and where applicable in national legal frameworks and judiciaries, to ensure justice for victims of international crimes committed in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

    In addition, are you prepared to specifically support the enforcement of the International Criminal Court arrest warrants issued last year for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant, his former defence minister, for alleged crimes against humanity and war crimes in Gaza including murder and forced starvation, in a war that has left more than 211,000 Palestinians, including many children, dead, maimed, or missing since October 2023, according to the Gaza Health Ministry? (That’s a figure that is approximately the entire population of Hamiton and Rotorua).

    What then is the NZ government’s policy? Are we going to support International Law and call out the Israeli government’s acts of genocide in Gaza, or not?

    Yours sincerely,

    Bryan Bruce
     Investigative documentary maker, journalist and podcaster.
     Auckland.

    Bryan Bruce is a New Zealand investigative journalist and documentary maker. Republished from Bruce’s substack page.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Gaza – an open question for NZ’s foreign minister Winston Peters

    OPEN QUESTION: By Bryan Bruce

    Dear Rt Hon Winston Peters,

    There was a time when New Zealanders stood up for what was morally right. There are memorials around our country for those who died fighting fascism, we wrote parts of the UN Charter of Human Rights, we took an anti-nuclear stance in 1984, and three years prior to that, many of us stood against apartheid in South Africa by boycotting South African products and actively protesting against the 1981 Springbok Rugby Tour.

    To call out the Israeli government for genocide and ethnic cleansing in Gaza is not to be antisemitic. Nor is it to be pro- Hamas. It is to simply to be pro-human.

    While acknowledging the peace and humanitarian initiatives on the Foreign Affairs website, I note there is no calling out of the genocide and ethnic cleansing that cannot be denied is happening in Gaza.

    The Israeli government is systematically demolishing whole towns and cities — including churches, mosques, even removing trees and vegetation — to deprive the Palestinian people the opportunity to return to their homeland; and there have been constant blocks to humanitarian aid as part of a policy forced starvation.

    There is no doubt crimes against international law have been committed, which is why the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague has issued warrants for the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant, his former defence minister, for alleged crimes against humanity.

    So, my question to you is: why are you not pictured standing in this photograph (below) alongside the representatives from 33 nations at the July 16 2025 Gaza emergency conference in Bogotá?

    The nations that took part in the Gaza emergency summit in were:

    Norway, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey, Colombia, South Africa, Bolivia, Cuba, Honduras, Malaysia, Namibia, Algeria, Bangladesh, Botswana, Brazil, Chile, China, Djibouti, Indonesia, Iraq, Ireland, Lebanon, Libya, Mexico, Nicaragua, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Qatar, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Uruguay and Venezuela.

    Representatives from 33 nations at the July 16 2025 Gaza emergency conference in Bogotá. Image: bryanbruce.substack.com

    Is your policy simply to fall in behind the USA denying there is genocide and ethnic cleansing happening in Gaza?

    If not, are you prepared to endorse the six coordinated diplomatic, legal and economic measures already signed up to by 12 of the participating countries in the Bogetà summit, to restrain Israel’s assault on the Occupied Palestinian Territories and defend international law at large?

    Remaining countries, which could still include New Zealand, have a deadline of September 20, to coincide with the 80th UN General Assembly, for additional states to join them.

    The 6 agreed measures are:
     Prevent the provision or transfer of arms, munitions, military fuel, related military equipment, and dual-use items to Israel.

    Prevent the transit, docking, and servicing of vessels at any port
     in all cases where there is a clear risk of the vessel being used to carry arms, munitions, military fuel, related military equipment, and dual-use items to Israel

    Prevent the carriage of arms, munitions, military fuel, related military equipment, and dual-use items to Israel on vessels bearing our flag . . .  and ensure full accountability, including de-flagging, for non-compliance with this prohibition.

    Commence an urgent review of all public contracts, to prevent public institutions and funds from supporting Israel’s illegal occupation of the Palestinian Territory and entrenching its unlawful presence.

    Comply with obligations to ensure accountability for the most serious crimes under international law, through robust, impartial and independent investigations and prosecutions at national or international levels, to ensure justice for all victims and the prevention of future crimes.

    Support universal jurisdiction mandates, as and where applicable in national legal frameworks and judiciaries, to ensure justice for victims of international crimes committed in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

    In addition, are you prepared to specifically support the enforcement of the International Criminal Court arrest warrants issued last year for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant, his former defence minister, for alleged crimes against humanity and war crimes in Gaza including murder and forced starvation, in a war that has left more than 211,000 Palestinians, including many children, dead, maimed, or missing since October 2023, according to the Gaza Health Ministry? (That’s a figure that is approximately the entire population of Hamiton and Rotorua).

    What then is the NZ government’s policy? Are we going to support International Law and call out the Israeli government’s acts of genocide in Gaza, or not?

    Yours sincerely,

    Bryan Bruce
     Investigative documentary maker, journalist and podcaster.
     Auckland.

    Bryan Bruce is a New Zealand investigative journalist and documentary maker. Republished from Bruce’s substack page.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK sanctions notorious people-smuggling gangs and their enablers in global crackdown

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3

    Press release

    UK sanctions notorious people-smuggling gangs and their enablers in global crackdown

    Gang ring leaders, key intermediaries and suppliers of people-smuggling equipment have today [July 23] been hit with the first ever sanctions targeting irregular migration by the UK.

    • UK sanctions 25 targets at the heart of people-smuggling networks that drive irregular migration to the UK. 
    • Sanctions come on day 1 of the UK’s world-first dedicated sanctions regime targeting irregular migration and organised immigration crime. 
    • Action marks latest step in government’s campaign to secure Britain’s borders and reduce irregular migration, delivering on the Plan for Change.  

    Gang ring leaders, key intermediaries and suppliers of people-smuggling equipment have today [July 23] been hit with the first ever sanctions targeting irregular migration by the UK. 
     
    Today’s sanctions target individuals and entities involved in people-smuggling and driving irregular migration to the UK, from a small boat supplier in Asia, to informal Hawala money movers in the Middle East, to gang leaders based in the Balkans and North Africa. 

    They cover a range of different activities from supplying small boats explicitly for smuggling, to sourcing fake passports, middlemen facilitating illicit payments through Hawala, people-smuggling via lorries and small boats, and the gangland leaders themselves. 

    Sanctions can disrupt the flow of money and materials – including freezing property, bank accounts and other assets – which allow organised criminal gangs to operate this vile trade.  
     
    The plans are a key example of the FCDO using innovative foreign policy approaches to deliver on the government’s Plan for Change. The regime will be the world’s first dedicated to targeting people-smuggling and organised immigration crime, with the exploitation of vulnerable people by criminals and their associated networks being one of the key drivers of irregular migration to the UK. 

    Foreign Secretary David Lammy said:  

    This is a landmark moment in the government’s work to tackle organised immigration crime, reduce irregular migration to the UK and deliver on the Plan for Change. 

    From Europe to Asia we are taking the fight to the people-smugglers who enable irregular migration, targeting them wherever they are in the world and making them pay for their actions.  

    My message to the gangs who callously risk vulnerable lives for profit is this: we know who you are, and we will work with our partners around the world to hold you to account. 

    Among those sanctioned today is Bledar Lala, an Albanian who is in control of the ‘Belgium operations’ of an organised criminal group which smuggles migrants from Belgium across the English Channel to the United Kingdom.

    Sanctions have also been brought against a company in China which has advertised their small boats on an online marketplace explicitly for the purpose of people-smuggling. The boats advertised are of the type used by criminal gangs in which migrants are packed, before being sent across the Channel at huge risk.

    The UK is also sanctioning Alen Basil, a former police translator who went on to lead a large smuggling network in Serbia, terrorising refugees, with the aid of corrupt policemen. Basil was subsequently found to be living in a house in Serbia worth more than one million euros, bought with money extorted from countless desperate migrants. 

    Also sanctioned is Mohammed Tetwani, the self-styled “King of Horgos”, who brutally oversaw a migrant camp in Horgos, Serbia and led the Tetwani people-smuggling gang. Tetwani and his followers are known for their violent treatment of refugees who decline their services or cannot pay for them. 

    Today’s package also includes individuals like Muhammed Khadir Pirot, a hawala banker involved in informal money transfer networks, which people-smugglers use as a way of taking payment from migrants.

    All of those sanctioned today are publicly named and barred from engaging with the UK financial system, helping to further undermine their operations. 

    NCA Director General Graeme Biggar said: 

    The NCA is determined to use every tool at our disposal to target, disrupt and dismantle the criminal networks involved in people-smuggling, preventing harm to those they exploit for profit and protecting the UK’s border security.    

    These new sanctions powers will complement that NCA activity. We have worked with the FCDO and partners to progress the designation of these sanctioned persons.   

    They will give the UK a new way of pursuing, undermining and frustrating the operational capability of a wide range of organised immigration crime networks, including those who facilitate or enable offending.

    Today’s designations are the first made under the UK’s new Global Irregular Migration Sanctions Regime. The regime is a world first and empowers the FCDO to impose sanctions not only on individuals and entities involved in people-smuggling to the UK, but also any financiers and companies found to be enabling their activities.

    The FCDO has worked closely with the National Crime Agency and other partners to develop its cases and ensure they complement law enforcement activity. 

    Today’s announcement is part of the FCDO’s three-pronged ‘disrupt, deter, return’ strategy to tackle irregular migration globally. In addition to disrupting organised immigration crime networks through sanctions, the FCDO works with source and transit countries to deter would-be migrants from making a dangerous journey in the first place and works with the Home Office to negotiate the return of people who have no right to be here to their countries of origin, including criminals and failed asylum seekers. Since the election, over 35,000 people have been returned, up 13% on the same period in the year before. 

    Background

    The individuals and entities sanctioned today can be seen below:

    Iraqi-linked people-smuggling 

    • Goran Assad Jalal, formed part of an organised crime group which stowed migrants in refrigerated lorries which crossed the English Channel from France to the United Kingdom on at least ten occasions between January and March 2019. 

    • Hemin Ali Salih, helped smuggle migrants into the UK in the backs of lorries. 

    • Dedawan Dazey, a people-smuggler who runs safe houses for migrants in Northern France before they are smuggled to the United Kingdom. 

    • Roman Ranyaye, an Iraqi people-smuggler responsible for the smuggling of migrants from Asia to Europe.   

    • Azad Khoshnaw, for supplying inflatable boats, onboard motors and other maritime equipment for use in people-smuggling of migrants from France to the UK.  

    • Nuzad Khoshnaw, for equipping gangs in Northern France with outboard motors, inflatable boats, and other maritime equipment for use in people-smuggling to the UK.  

    • Nihad Mohsin Xoshnaw, for providing inflatable boats, outboard motors and other maritime equipment used by migrants to cross the English Channel from France. 

    Hawala Network 

    • Muhammed Khadir Pirot, a hawala banker who controls payments from people being smuggled from the Kurdistan region of Iraq to Europe via Turkey. 

    • Mariwan Jamal, controls money movements through a Hawala banker, which handles payments to people smugglers from migrants in Iraq. 

    • Rafiq Shaqlaway, involved in hawala banking as an advisor to migrants looking to pay smugglers operating routes into Europe via Turkey. 

    North African gangs operating in the Balkans 

    • Kazawi Gang, a people-smuggling network which controls people-smuggling routes from North Africa into the EU known to deal out harsh punishments to migrants who are unable to pay.   

    • Tetwani Gang, known as one of the Balkan’s most violent people-smuggling gangs, members are reported to hold migrants for ransom and sexually abuse women unable to pay their fees. 

    Gangland bosses 

    • Bledar Lala, leads a smuggling ring moving people from Belgium across the English Channel to the UK.  

    • Alen Basil, a former police translator who through violence and intimidation became boss of a large people-smuggling network. 

    • Mohammed Tetwani, the head of the ‘Tetwani’ gang and self-styled “King” of Horgos in Serbia. 

    • Yassine Al Maghribi Al-Kasaoui, the boss of the “Kazawi” gang. 

    Balkan gangs supplying fake passports 

    • Kavač Gang, a Balkan organised crime organisation known to use fake passports to smuggle its gang members between the Balkans and Turkey. 

    • Škaljari Gang, an organised crime organisation in Montenegro that smuggles criminals between the Balkans and Turkey. 

    • Dalibor Ćurlik, procures fake passports and forged documents for use in the Kavač gang’s people-smuggling. 

    • Almir Jahović, member of the Kavač gang, which is involved in supplying fake passports for smuggling gang members across borders 

    • Marko Petrović, a member of the Kavač gang which sources false identification and passports for use in people-smuggling.  

    • Nikola Vein helps the Škaljari Gang secure fake passports and travel documents for use in people smuggling. 

    • Ratko Živković, a Škaljari Gang associate, which gathers fake passports for the purpose of smuggling gang members across borders. 

    • Dejan Pavlović, a member or close associate of the Škaljari Gang, which supports the manufacture of false identities and passports.  

    The following company based in China has been designated over the manufacture of inflatable boats being advertised for people smuggling.  

    • Weihai Yamar Outdoors Product Co 

    Background to the Global Irregular Migration sanctions regime 

    • Using the powers conferred by the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act (the Sanctions Act) the Government has laid secondary legislation before Parliament that introduces a new Global Irregular Migration sanctions regime. The Regulations will be debated by both Houses of Parliament when they return from the summer recess in line with the made affirmative procedure.   

    • The UK Sanctions List FCDO – UK Sanctions List Search – GOV.UK 

    Asset freeze 

    • An asset freeze prevents any UK citizen, or any business in the UK, from dealing with any funds or economic resources which are owned, held or controlled by the designated person. UK financial sanctions apply to all persons within the territory and territorial sea of the UK and to all UK persons, wherever they are in the world. It also prevents funds or economic resources being provided to or for the benefit of the designated person.

    Travel ban 

    • A travel ban means that the designated person must be refused leave to enter or to remain in the United Kingdom, providing the individual is an excluded person under section 8B of the Immigration Act 1971.

    Director disqualifications 

    • Where director disqualification sanctions apply, it will be an offence for a person designated for the purpose of those sanctions to act as a director of a company or to take part in the management, formation or promotion of a UK company.

    Media enquiries

    Email newsdesk@fcdo.gov.uk

    Telephone 020 7008 3100

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

    Updates to this page

    Published 23 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: Enphase Energy Reports Financial Results for the Second Quarter of 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    FREMONT, Calif., July 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Enphase Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ: ENPH), a global energy technology company and the world’s leading supplier of microinverter-based solar and battery systems, announced today financial results for the second quarter of 2025, which included the summary below from its President and CEO, Badri Kothandaraman.

    We reported quarterly revenue of $363.2 million in the second quarter of 2025, along with 48.6% for non-GAAP gross margin. We shipped approximately 1.53 million microinverters, or 675.4 megawatts DC, and 190.9 megawatt hours (MWh) of IQ® Batteries.

    Highlights for the second quarter of 2025 are listed below:

    • IQ® Meter Collar approved by 29 U.S. utilities to date
    • U.S. manufacturing: shipped approximately 1.41 million microinverters and record 46.9 MWh of IQ Batteries
    • Revenue of $363.2 million
    • GAAP gross margin of 46.9%; non-GAAP gross margin of 48.6% with net IRA benefit
    • Non-GAAP gross margin of 37.2%, excluding net IRA benefit of 11.4%
    • GAAP operating income of $37.0 million; non-GAAP operating income of $98.6 million
    • GAAP net income of $37.1 million; non-GAAP net income of $89.9 million
    • GAAP diluted earnings per share of $0.28; non-GAAP diluted earnings per share of $0.69
    • Free cash flow of $18.4 million; ending cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities of $1.53 billion

    Our revenue and earnings for the second quarter of 2025 are provided below, compared with the prior quarter:

    (In thousands, except per share and percentage data)

      GAAP   Non-GAAP
      Q2 2025   Q1 2025   Q2 2024   Q2 2025   Q1 2025   Q2 2024
    Revenue $ 363,153     $ 356,084     $ 303,458     $ 363,153     $ 356,084     $ 303,458  
    Gross margin   46.9 %     47.2 %     45.2 %     48.6 %     48.9 %     47.1 %
    Operating expenses $ 133,486     $ 136,319     $ 135,367     $ 77,781     $ 79,423     $ 81,706  
    Operating income $ 37,007     $ 31,922     $ 1,799     $ 98,613     $ 94,637     $ 61,080  
    Net income $ 37,052     $ 29,730     $ 10,833     $ 89,869     $ 89,243     $ 58,824  
    Basic EPS $ 0.28     $ 0.23     $ 0.08     $ 0.69     $ 0.68     $ 0.43  
    Diluted EPS $ 0.28     $ 0.22     $ 0.08     $ 0.69     $ 0.68     $ 0.43  
     

    Total revenue for the second quarter of 2025 was $363.2 million, compared to $356.1 million in the first quarter of 2025. Our revenue in the second quarter of 2025 included $40.4 million of safe harbor revenue, compared to $54.3 million of safe harbor revenue in the first quarter. Our revenue in the United States for the second quarter of 2025 increased approximately 3%, compared to the first quarter. The increase was the result of seasonality partially offset by lower safe harbor revenue. Our revenue in Europe increased approximately 11% for the second quarter of 2025, compared to the first quarter. The increase in revenue was primarily due to higher microinverter and battery sales as we continued to ramp shipments of our IQ® Battery 5P™ with FlexPhase during the second quarter.

    Our non-GAAP gross margin was 48.6% in the second quarter of 2025, compared to 48.9% in the first quarter. Our non-GAAP gross margin, excluding net benefit from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), was 37.2% in the second quarter of 2025, compared to 38.3% in the first quarter. The reciprocal tariffs had a negative impact of approximately two percentage points on margins.

    Our non-GAAP operating expenses were $77.8 million in the second quarter of 2025, compared to $79.4 million in the first quarter. Our non-GAAP operating income was $98.6 million in the second quarter of 2025, compared to $94.6 million in the first quarter.

    We exited the second quarter of 2025 with $1.53 billion in cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities and generated $26.6 million in cash flow from operations in the second quarter. Our capital expenditures were $8.2 million in the second quarter of 2025, compared to $14.6 million in the first quarter of 2025.

    In the second quarter of 2025, we repurchased 702,948 shares of our common stock at an average price of $42.67 per share for a total of approximately $30.0 million. We also spent approximately $3.0 million by withholding shares to cover taxes for employee stock vesting that reduced the diluted shares by 58,332 shares.

    During the second quarter of 2025, we shipped approximately 1.41 million microinverters from manufacturing facilities in the United States that we booked for 45X production tax credits. We continued to ship our IQ8HC™ Microinverters, IQ8P-3P™ Commercial Microinverters, and IQ® Battery 5Ps from these facilities, meeting domestic content requirements.

    We shipped a record 190.9 MWh of IQ Batteries in the second quarter of 2025, compared to 170.1 MWh in the first quarter. More than 11,700 installers worldwide are certified to install our IQ Batteries, compared to more than 10,900 installers worldwide in the first quarter of 2025. In addition, we have 210 MWh of batteries in our fleet currently enrolled in virtual power plant (VPP) programs globally.

    During the second quarter of 2025, we began shipping our fourth-generation Enphase Energy System, which includes the IQ® Battery 10C, IQ® Meter Collar, and IQ® Combiner 6C, to customers in the United States. The IQ Battery 10C is designed to be 30% more energy-dense, occupy 62% less wall space, and lower the cost of install compared to previous models. Together, these components simplify the entire backup installation process, enhance reliability, and provide greater value to homeowners. The IQ Meter Collar has now been approved by 29 U.S. utilities.

    We also ramped shipments of our IQ Battery with FlexPhase into more countries in Europe. This AC-coupled battery system supports both single-phase and three-phase homes, providing full backup capability and superior flexibility to meet diverse home energy needs.

    The IQ® EV Charger 2, our most advanced residential charger to date, is now shipping to 18 countries across Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. This smart charger is designed to work seamlessly with Enphase solar and battery systems or as a powerful standalone solution. We also started shipping our IQ® Balcony Solar Kit, a simple and efficient solution for harnessing solar energy from panels installed on apartment balconies, in Belgium and Germany during the second quarter of 2025.

    We continue to strengthen our digital platform and improve the customer experience. We are investing in several new enhancements for Solargraf, our all-in-one installer platform, including expanded third-party ownership (TPO) partner integrations, a custom tariff builder, enhanced dealership management features, and a simplified, AI-driven design experience – all aimed at making Solargraf even more powerful and intuitive.

    BUSINESS HIGHLIGHTS

    On July 17, 2025, Enphase Energy announced initial shipments of the IQ Battery 5P supplied from manufacturing facilities in the United States with higher domestic content than previous models.

    On July 10 and July 2, 2025, Enphase Energy announced that production shipments of its IQ EV Charger 2 have expanded Europe to now include Greece, Romania, Ireland, Poland, Australia, and New Zealand.

    On June 16, 2025, Enphase Energy announced the launch of the IQ Battery 5P with FlexPhase, for customers in more European countries, including Spain, Portugal, France, Sweden, Denmark, Belgium, and the Netherlands.

    On June 4, 2025, Enphase Energy announced that IQ8P-3P Commercial Microinverters made with domestic content were selected for significant commercial projects on a Florida school, an affordable housing complex in Rhode Island, and a community center in California.

    On May 19, 2025, Enphase Energy introduced IQ® Energy Management that integrates with Enphase solar and battery systems to enable smart management of variable electricity rates and select third-party electric vehicle (EV) chargers, heat pumps, and resistive electric water heaters in France.

    On May 12 and May 7, 2025, Enphase Energy announced the launch of the IQ Balcony Solar System in Belgium and Germany that empowers apartment dwellers and homeowners with limited roof space to generate their own clean energy from balconies, patios, and small outdoor areas.

    On May 8, 2025, Enphase Energy announced the availability of new software that allows homeowners with existing legacy IQ7™ Microinverter-based systems to seamlessly expand their solar capacity using IQ8™ Microinverters.

    On April 28, 2025, Enphase Energy announced production shipments of IQ8 Microinverters in Japan through a distribution agreement with ITOCHU Corporation, one of the largest trading companies in the country.

    THIRD QUARTER 2025 FINANCIAL OUTLOOK

    For the third quarter of 2025, Enphase Energy estimates both GAAP and non-GAAP financial results as follows:

    • Revenue to be within a range of $330.0 million to $370.0 million, which includes shipments of 190 to 210 MWh of IQ Batteries.
    • GAAP gross margin to be within a range of 41.0% to 44.0% with net IRA benefit, including approximately three to five percentage points of new tariff impact.
    • Non-GAAP gross margin to be within a range of 43.0% to 46.0% with net IRA benefit and 33.0% to 36.0% excluding net IRA benefit, including approximately three to five percentage points of new tariff impact. Non-GAAP gross margin excludes stock-based compensation expense and acquisition related amortization.
    • Net IRA benefit to be within a range of $34.0 million to $38.0 million based on estimated shipments of 1,200,000 units of U.S. manufactured microinverters.
    • GAAP operating expenses to be within a range of $130.0 million to $134.0 million.
    • Non-GAAP operating expenses to be within a range of $78.0 million to $82.0 million, excluding $52.0 million estimated for stock-based compensation expense, acquisition related amortization, restructuring and asset impairment charges.

    For 2025, Enphase expects a GAAP tax rate of 19-21% and a non-GAAP tax rate of 15-17%, including IRA benefits.

    Follow Enphase Online

    Use of non-GAAP Financial Measures

    Enphase Energy has presented certain non-GAAP financial measures in this press release. Generally, a non-GAAP financial measure is a numerical measure of a company’s performance, financial position, or cash flows that either exclude or include amounts that are not normally excluded or included in the most directly comparable measure calculated and presented in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (GAAP). Reconciliation of each non-GAAP financial measure to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure can be found in the accompanying tables to this press release. Non-GAAP financial measures presented by Enphase Energy include non-GAAP gross profit, gross margin, operating expenses, income from operations, net income, net income per share (basic and diluted), net IRA benefit, and free cash flow.

    These non-GAAP financial measures do not reflect a comprehensive system of accounting, differ from GAAP measures with the same captions and may differ from non-GAAP financial measures with the same or similar captions that are used by other companies. In addition, these non-GAAP measures have limitations in that they do not reflect all of the amounts associated with Enphase Energy’s results of operations as determined in accordance with GAAP. As such, these non-GAAP measures should be considered as a supplement to, and not as a substitute for, or superior to, financial measures calculated in accordance with GAAP. Enphase Energy uses these non-GAAP financial measures to analyze its operating performance and future prospects, develop internal budgets and financial goals, and to facilitate period-to-period comparisons. Enphase Energy believes that these non-GAAP financial measures reflect an additional way of viewing aspects of its operations that, when viewed with its GAAP results, provide a more complete understanding of factors and trends affecting its business.

    As presented in the “Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures” tables below, each of the non-GAAP financial measures excludes one or more of the following items for purposes of calculating non-GAAP financial measures to facilitate an evaluation of Enphase Energy’s current operating performance and a comparison to its past operating performance:

    Stock-based compensation expense. Enphase Energy excludes stock-based compensation expense from its non-GAAP measures primarily because they are non-cash in nature. Moreover, the impact of this expense is significantly affected by Enphase Energy’s stock price at the time of an award over which management has limited to no control.

    Acquisition related amortization. This item represents amortization of acquired intangible assets, which is a non-cash expense. Acquisition related amortization of acquired intangible assets are not reflective of Enphase Energy’s ongoing financial performance.

    Restructuring and asset impairment charges. Enphase Energy excludes restructuring and asset impairment charges due to the nature of the expenses being unusual and arising outside the ordinary course of continuing operations. These costs primarily consist of fees paid for cash-based severance costs, accelerated stock-based compensation expense and asset write-downs of property and equipment and acquired intangible assets, and other contract termination costs resulting from restructuring initiatives.

    Non-cash interest expense. This item consists primarily of amortization of debt issuance costs and accretion of debt discount because these expenses do not represent a cash outflow for Enphase Energy except in the period the financing was secured and such amortization expense is not reflective of Enphase Energy’s ongoing financial performance.

    Non-GAAP income tax adjustment. This item represents the amount adjusted to Enphase Energy’s GAAP tax provision or benefit to exclude the income tax effects of GAAP adjustments such as stock-based compensation, amortization of purchased intangibles, and other non-recurring items that are not reflective of Enphase Energy ongoing financial performance.

    Non-GAAP net income per share, diluted. Enphase Energy excludes the dilutive effect of in-the-money portion of convertible senior notes as they are covered by convertible note hedge transactions that reduce potential dilution to our common stock upon conversion of the Notes due 2025, Notes due 2026, and Notes due 2028, and includes the dilutive effect of employee’s stock-based awards and the dilutive effect of warrants. Enphase Energy believes these adjustments provide useful supplemental information to the ongoing financial performance.

    Net IRA benefit. This item represents the advanced manufacturing production tax credit (AMPTC) from the IRA for manufacturing microinverters in the United States, partially offset by the incremental manufacturing cost incurred in the United States relative to manufacturing in India. The AMPTC is accounted for by Enphase Energy as an income-based government grants that reduces cost of revenues in the condensed consolidated statements of operations.

    Free cash flow. This item represents net cash flows from operating activities less purchases of property and equipment.

    Conference Call Information

    Enphase Energy will host a conference call for analysts and investors to discuss its second quarter 2025 results and third quarter 2025 business outlook today at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time (1:30 p.m. Pacific Time). The call is open to the public by dialing (833) 634-5018. A live webcast of the conference call will also be accessible from the “Investor Relations” section of Enphase Energy’s website at https://investor.enphase.com.

    Following the webcast, an archived version will be available on the website for approximately one year. In addition, an audio replay of the conference call will be available by calling (877) 344-7529; replay access code 6021998, beginning approximately one hour after the call.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release contains forward-looking statements, including statements related to Enphase Energy’s expectations as to its third quarter of 2025 financial outlook, including revenue, shipments of IQ Batteries by MWh, gross margin with net IRA benefit and excluding net IRA benefit, estimated shipments of U.S. manufactured microinverters, operating expenses, and annualized effective tax rate with IRA benefit; its expectations regarding the expected net IRA benefit; future enhancements for Solargraf; and the capabilities, advantages, features, and performance of its technology and products. These forward-looking statements are based on Enphase Energy’s current expectations and inherently involve significant risks and uncertainties. Enphase Energy’s actual results and the timing of events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of certain risks and uncertainties including those risks described in more detail in its most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, and other documents on file with the SEC from time to time and available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Enphase Energy undertakes no duty or obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release as a result of new information, future events or changes in its expectations, except as required by law.

    A copy of this press release can be found on the investor relations page of Enphase Energy’s website at https://investor.enphase.com.

    About Enphase Energy, Inc.

    Enphase Energy, a global energy technology company based in Fremont, CA, is the world’s leading supplier of microinverter-based solar and battery systems that enable people to harness the sun to make, use, save, and sell their own power – and control it all with a smart mobile app. The company revolutionized the solar industry with its microinverter-based technology and builds all-in-one solar, battery, and software solutions. Enphase has shipped approximately 83.1 million microinverters, and more than 4.9 million Enphase-based systems have been deployed in over 160 countries. For more information, visit https://enphase.com/.

    © 2025 Enphase Energy, Inc. All rights reserved. Enphase Energy, Enphase, the “e” logo, IQ, IQ8, and certain other marks listed at https://enphase.com/trademark-usage-guidelines are trademarks or service marks of Enphase Energy, Inc. Other names are for informational purposes and may be trademarks of their respective owners.

    Contact:

    Zach Freedman
    Enphase Energy, Inc.
    Investor Relations
    ir@enphaseenergy.com

    ENPHASE ENERGY, INC.
    CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
    (In thousands, except per share data)
    (Unaudited)
      Three Months Ended Six Months Ended
      June 30,
    2025    		   March 31,
    2025    		   June 30,
    2024    		   June 30,
    2025    		   June 30,
    2024
    Net revenues $ 363,153     $ 356,084     $ 303,458     $ 719,237     $ 566,797  
    Cost of revenues   192,660       187,843       166,292       380,503       314,123  
    Gross profit   170,493       168,241       137,166       338,734       252,674  
    Operating expenses:                  
    Research and development   45,421       50,174       48,871       95,595       103,082  
    Sales and marketing   50,708       48,948       51,775       99,656       105,082  
    General and administrative   34,035       34,035       33,550       68,070       68,732  
    Restructuring and asset impairment charges   3,322       3,162       1,171       6,484       3,078  
    Total operating expenses   133,486       136,319       135,367       269,805       279,974  
    Income (loss) from operations   37,007       31,922       1,799       68,929       (27,300 )
    Other income, net                  
    Interest income   14,911       17,032       19,203       31,943       38,912  
    Interest expense   (815 )     (2,047 )     (2,220 )     (2,862 )     (4,416 )
    Other expense, net   (8,898 )     (14 )     (7,566 )     (8,912 )     (7,479 )
    Total other income, net   5,198       14,971       9,417       20,169       27,017  
    Income (loss) before income taxes   42,205       46,893       11,216       89,098       (283 )
    Income tax provision   (5,153 )     (17,163 )     (383 )     (22,316 )     (4,981 )
    Net income (loss) $ 37,052     $ 29,730     $ 10,833     $ 66,782     $ (5,264 )
    Net income (loss) per share:                  
    Basic $ 0.28     $ 0.23     $ 0.08     $ 0.51     $ (0.04 )
    Diluted $ 0.28     $ 0.22     $ 0.08     $ 0.50     $ (0.04 )
    Shares used in per share calculation:                  
    Basic   131,031       131,869       135,646       131,447       135,768  
    Diluted   135,219       136,208       136,123       135,719       135,768  
     
    ENPHASE ENERGY, INC.
    CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
    (In thousands)
    (Unaudited)
      June 30,
    2025    		   December 31,
    2024
    ASSETS      
    Current assets:      
    Cash and cash equivalents $ 370,536   $ 369,110
    Restricted cash   —     95,006
    Marketable securities   1,159,648     1,253,480
    Accounts receivable, net   223,218     223,749
    Inventory   173,016     165,004
    Prepaid expenses and other assets   362,523     220,735
    Total current assets   2,288,941     2,327,084
    Property and equipment, net   136,902     147,514
    Intangible assets, net   32,380     42,398
    Goodwill   214,890     211,571
    Other assets   193,426     205,542
    Deferred tax assets, net   312,250     315,567
    Total assets $ 3,178,789   $ 3,249,676
    LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY      
    Current liabilities:      
    Accounts payable $ 162,697   $ 90,032
    Accrued liabilities   206,537     196,887
    Deferred revenues, current   129,040     237,225
    Warranty obligations, current   33,136     34,656
    Debt, current   631,179     101,291
    Total current liabilities   1,162,589     660,091
    Long-term liabilities:      
    Deferred revenues, non-current   331,531     341,982
    Warranty obligations, non-current   172,950     158,233
    Other liabilities   59,542     55,265
    Debt, non-current   571,540     1,201,089
    Total liabilities   2,298,152     2,416,660
    Total stockholders’ equity   880,637     833,016
    Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity $ 3,178,789   $ 3,249,676
     
    ENPHASE ENERGY, INC.
    CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
    (In thousands)
    (Unaudited)
      Three Months Ended   Six Months Ended
      June 30,
    2025    		   March 31,
    2025    		   June 30,
    2024    		   June 30,
    2025    		   June 30,
    2024

    Cash flows from operating activities:    		                  
    Net income (loss) $ 37,052     $ 29,730     $ 10,833     $ 66,782     $ (5,264 )
    Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by operating activities:                  
    Depreciation and amortization   20,085       19,915       20,484       40,000       40,621  
    Net accretion of premium (discount) on marketable securities   (1,234 )     3,512       (1,030 )     2,278       1,795  
    Provision for doubtful accounts   130       62       1,897       192       1,767  
    Asset impairment   1,538       27       6,241       1,565       6,573  
    Non-cash interest expense   828       1,679       2,157       2,507       4,289  
    Change in fair value of debt securities   9,464       (323 )     1,931       9,141       989  
    Stock-based compensation   53,896       55,633       52,757       109,529       113,590  
    Deferred income taxes   403       8,560       (14,076 )     8,963       (22,368 )
    Changes in operating assets and liabilities:                  
    Accounts receivable   8,681       1,760       82,183       10,441       159,542  
    Inventory   (28,991 )     20,979       31,825       (8,012 )     37,527  
    Prepaid expenses and other assets   (64,261 )     (75,553 )     (42,810 )     (139,814 )     (53,707 )
    Accounts payable, accrued and other liabilities   37,212       54,232       (23,944 )     91,444       (90,228 )
    Warranty obligations   2,639       10,558       15       13,197       (11,908 )
    Deferred revenues   (50,813 )     (82,357 )     (1,401 )     (133,170 )     (6,955 )
      Net cash provided by operating activities   26,629       48,414       127,062       75,043       176,263  
    Cash flows from investing activities:                  
    Purchases of property and equipment   (8,259 )     (14,608 )     (9,636 )     (22,867 )     (17,007 )
    Investment in tax equity fund   (1,440 )     (6,904 )     —       (8,344 )     —  
    Purchases of marketable securities   (284,306 )     (200,826 )     (300,053 )     (485,132 )     (772,321 )
    Maturities and sale of marketable securities   242,820       335,398       282,063       578,218       779,436  
      Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities   (51,185 )     113,060       (27,626 )     61,875       (9,892 )
    Cash flows from financing activities:                  
    Settlement of Notes due 2025   —       (102,168 )     —       (102,168 )     (2 )
    Repurchase of common stock   (29,993 )     (99,964 )     (99,908 )     (129,957 )     (141,904 )
    Proceeds from issuance of common stock under employee equity plans   5,302       67       6,769       5,369       7,955  
    Payment of withholding taxes related to net share settlement of equity awards   (2,864 )     (12,110 )     (7,473 )     (14,974 )     (67,515 )
      Net cash used in financing activities   (27,555 )     (214,175 )     (100,612 )     (241,730 )     (201,466 )
      Effect of exchange rate changes on cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash   7,557       3,675       (374 )     11,232       (1,551 )
    Net decrease in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash   (44,554 )     (49,026 )     (1,550 )     (93,580 )     (36,646 )
    Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash — Beginning of period   415,090       464,116       253,652       464,116       288,748  
    Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash — End of period $ 370,536     $ 415,090     $ 252,102     $ 370,536     $ 252,102  
     
    ENPHASE ENERGY, INC.
    RECONCILIATION OF NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES
    (In thousands, except per share data and percentages)
    (Unaudited)
      Three Months Ended   Six Months Ended
      June 30,
    2025    		   March 31,
    2025    		   June 30,
    2024    		   June 30,
    2025    		   June 30,
    2024
    Gross profit (GAAP) $ 170,493     $ 168,241     $ 137,166     $ 338,734     $ 252,674  
      Stock-based compensation   4,311       4,239       3,730       8,550       7,912  
      Acquisition related amortization   1,590       1,580       1,890       3,170       3,781  
    Gross profit (Non-GAAP) $ 176,394     $ 174,060     $ 142,786     $ 350,454     $ 264,367  
                         
    Gross margin (GAAP)   46.9 %     47.2 %     45.2 %     47.1 %     44.6 %
      Stock-based compensation   1.3       1.2       1.3       1.2       1.3  
      Acquisition related amortization   0.4       0.5       0.6       0.4       0.7  
    Gross margin (Non-GAAP)   48.6 %     48.9 %     47.1 %     48.7 %     46.6 %
                         
    Operating expenses (GAAP) $ 133,486     $ 136,319     $ 135,367     $ 269,805     $ 279,974  
      Stock-based compensation(1)   (49,506 )     (50,885 )     (49,027 )     (100,391 )     (105,678 )
      Acquisition related amortization   (2,877 )     (2,849 )     (3,463 )     (5,726 )     (6,925 )
      Restructuring and asset impairment charges(1)   (3,322 )     (3,162 )     (1,171 )     (6,484 )     (3,078 )
    Operating expenses (Non-GAAP) $ 77,781     $ 79,423     $ 81,706     $ 157,204     $ 164,293  
                         
    (1)Includes stock-based compensation as follows:                  
      Research and development $ 20,481     $ 21,647     $ 20,210     $ 42,128     $ 44,760  
      Sales and marketing   16,657       16,396       16,784       33,053       34,962  
      General and administrative   12,368       12,842       12,033       25,210       25,956  
      Restructuring and asset impairment charges   79       509       —       588       —  
      Total $ 49,585     $ 51,394     $ 49,027     $ 100,979     $ 105,678  
                         
    Income (loss) from operations (GAAP) $ 37,007     $ 31,922     $ 1,799     $ 68,929     $ (27,300 )
      Stock-based compensation   53,817       55,124       52,757       108,941       113,590  
      Acquisition related amortization   4,467       4,429       5,353       8,896       10,706  
      Restructuring and asset impairment charges   3,322       3,162       1,171       6,484       3,078  
    Income from operations (Non-GAAP) $ 98,613     $ 94,637     $ 61,080     $ 193,250     $ 100,074  
                         
    Net income (loss) (GAAP) $ 37,052     $ 29,730     $ 10,833     $ 66,782     $ (5,264 )
      Stock-based compensation   53,817       55,124       52,757       108,941       113,590  
      Acquisition related amortization   4,467       4,429       5,353       8,896       10,706  
      Restructuring and asset impairment charges   3,322       3,162       1,171       6,484       3,078  
      Non-cash interest expense   829       1,678       2,157       2,507       4,289  
      Non-GAAP income tax adjustment   (9,618 )     (4,880 )     (13,447 )     (14,498 )     (19,619 )
    Net income (Non-GAAP) $ 89,869     $ 89,243     $ 58,824     $ 179,112     $ 106,780  
                         
    Net income (loss) per share, basic (GAAP) $ 0.28     $ 0.23     $ 0.08     $ 0.51     $ (0.04 )
      Stock-based compensation   0.41       0.42       0.39       0.80       0.84  
      Acquisition related amortization   0.03       0.04       0.04       0.08       0.08  
      Restructuring and asset impairment charges   0.03       0.02       0.01       0.06       0.02  
      Non-cash interest expense   0.01       0.01       0.02       0.02       0.03  
      Non-GAAP income tax adjustment   (0.07 )     (0.04 )     (0.11 )     (0.11 )     (0.14 )
    Net income per share, basic (Non-GAAP) $ 0.69     $ 0.68     $ 0.43     $ 1.36     $ 0.79  
                         
      Shares used in basic per share calculation GAAP and Non-GAAP   131,031       131,869       135,646       131,447       135,768  
                         
    Net income (loss) per share, diluted (GAAP) $ 0.28     $ 0.22     $ 0.08     $ 0.50     $ (0.04 )
      Stock-based compensation   0.41       0.42       0.38       0.83       0.84  
      Acquisition related amortization   0.03       0.04       0.04       0.07       0.08  
      Restructuring and asset impairment charges   0.03       0.03       0.01       0.05       0.02  
      Non-cash interest expense   0.01       0.01       0.02       0.02       0.03  
      Non-GAAP income tax adjustment   (0.07 )     (0.04 )     (0.10 )     (0.11 )     (0.15 )
    Net income per share, diluted (Non-GAAP) $ 0.69     $ 0.68     $ 0.43     $ 1.36     $ 0.78  
                         
      Shares used in diluted per share calculation GAAP   135,219       136,208       136,123       135,719       135,768  
      Shares used in diluted per share calculation Non-GAAP   131,144       132,133       136,123       131,644       136,439  
                         
    Income-based government grants (GAAP) $ 61,040     $ 53,631     $ 24,329     $ 114,671     $ 42,946  
      Incremental cost for manufacturing in U.S.   (19,528 )     (15,773 )     (5,950 )     (35,301 )     (10,832 )
    Net IRA benefit (Non-GAAP) $ 41,512     $ 37,858     $ 18,379     $ 79,370     $ 32,114  
                         
    Net cash provided by operating activities (GAAP) $ 26,629     $ 48,414     $ 127,062     $ 75,043     $ 176,263  
      Purchases of property and equipment   (8,259 )     (14,608 )     (9,636 )     (22,867 )     (17,007 )
    Free cash flow (Non-GAAP) $ 18,370     $ 33,806     $ 117,426     $ 52,176     $ 159,256  
     

    This press release was published by a CLEAR® Verified individual.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: 30 years after Srebrenica, the promise of “never again” rings hollow   

    Source: Amnesty International

    Dinushka Disanayake attends the anniversary commemorations of the the Srebrenica genocide in Bosnia

    A week ago, I stood in silence by a graveside and watched as seven coffins were lowered into the soil. But this was no normal funeral. Those being laid to rest had been killed three decades earlier alongside more than 8,300 men and boys, over a period of several days in July 1995. This was Srebrenica and I was there with thousands of others, beneath a hot sun, looking out across a lush valley filled with white marble headstones that fanned out as far as the eye could see.

    The seven people being buried were only being laid to rest now because – like many of those brutally executed in the campaign of genocide against Bosnian Muslims in Srebrenica – their bodies had been moved multiple times, using heavy machinery, sometimes across hundreds of kilometres and across multiple mass burial sites. All of this a concerted effort to erase the evidence of these massacres and impede future investigations into these crimes. As a result, the remains of nearly a thousand people presumed killed during those days are still missing.

    Before coming to the graveside, the mourners and dignitaries had gathered in one of the cavernous halls of a former battery factory. In 1995, it had been the temporary headquarters of a lightly armed Dutch contingent of a UN peacekeeping force assigned to safeguard more than 20,000 civilians seeking refuge from the approaching Army of Republika Srpska. In this same hall, children, women and men had sheltered hoping for protection. But the international community failed to meet its most basic obligations under international humanitarian law, and they were fatally let down.

    The so-called UN safe area was overrun. Men and teenage boys were separated from their families and executed. Women and children were forcibly transferred from Srebrenica, and many women and girls were raped and killed.

    One of the Mothers of Srebrenica, spoke of the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza and reminded the audience that silence is never neutral

    In this same hall, besuited representatives of governments from around the world now gathered. As promises of “never again” fell from the mouths of these state officials whose governments persist in transferring arms to Israel which has not relented in its genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, I felt the hypocrisy hang heavy from the rafters.

    In her speech, Munira Subašić, one of the Mothers of Srebrenica, spoke of the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza and reminded the audience that grief knows no boundaries and that silence is never neutral.

    In Bosnia and Herzegovina, and neighbouring Serbia, denial and historical revisionism persist despite the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia finding that the crimes committed in Srebrenica were part of a well-planned and coordinated operation and amounted to a genocide. The masterminds behind the operation, Bosnian Serb leaders Ratko Mladić and Radovan Karadžić, were found guilty of genocide by the same tribunal. Yet justice, truth and reparations remain elusive for many survivors and victims’ families. Far too many perpetrators of this and other crimes have never brought to justice.

    Whilst in Srebrenica, I was reminded of other mass graves in Chemmani, near Jaffna, Sri Lanka – and how, earlier this year, routine building excavations had unearthed 19 human skeletons. Yet another mass grave resulting from the bloody assault on Tamil populations in the north of Sri Lanka likely during the civil war. Some of the skeletons were of babies. Another belonged to a child buried under the clay with their UNICEF-issued bag, a toy, a bangle, and a slipper. It was a haunting reminder that no one – no matter how young – was spared from violence and mass killings in a state that has avoided accountability for these crimes since 2009, despite multiple UN resolutions calling for it. Tamil mothers of the disappeared continue to demand justice, truth and accountability as hope fades and time passes.

    In Potočari, the commemoration ceremony prompted tears of pain and rage, and a quiet grief. The wounds as fresh as they were 30 years ago.

    If world leaders really mean ‘never again’, they must bring a swift end to Israel’s genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip

    For the Mothers of Srebrenica, justice does not lie in the empty words of world leaders that converge in Potočari once a year to shake hands and take photos in front of a sea of graves. “Never again” means stopping genocide before it happens. Justice means knowing where their loved ones are buried, finding out the truth about what happened to them, and seeing the perpetrators held to account in a recognized court of law. It is about reparations, healing and seeing a world in which crimes against humanity, war crimes and genocide are prevented and ended.

    If world leaders really mean “never again”, they must bring a swift end to Israel’s genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. They must ensure the perpetrators of international crimes, wherever they occur, are held to account, and they must demonstrate genuine commitment towards justice and human rights for all. The white marble headstones in Potočari should remain on their conscience.

    Dinushka Disanayake is Amnesty’s Deputy Director for Europe and attended the anniversary ceremony in Srebrenica.

     

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Across-the-Board Convictions in Final Highs RICO Trial of 2025

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MINNEAPOLIS – Following an eight-day jury trial, a federal jury convicted two defendants of all charged counts for their involvement in the Highs street gang, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson.

    Defendants Cortez Davon Blakemore, 35, and Robert Lesure, 23, were convicted by a jury of federal RICO conspiracy and conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. A sentencing hearing will be set at a later date. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Blakemore and Lesure were long-standing and prolific drug traffickers for the Highs criminal street gang.  They sold fentanyl at the intersection of Broadway and Lyndale in North Minneapolis, which the Highs had taken control of and turned into an open-air drug market. As the jury heard at trial, the Highs is a violent criminal street gang that has long wreaked havoc on North Minneapolis, selling fentanyl and other deadly drugs and enforcing its terorrity through violence, kidnapping, and murder, including the murders of innocent civlians caught in the crossfire. Forty members of the Highs gang were charged in this large RICO indictment. Blakemore and Lesure are the 37th and 38th defendants to be convicted in this case. A final RICO defendant is set to be tried in 2026.

    “These convictions bring justice not just to the victims of the Highs gang, but to an entire community that has endured years of violence, fear, and loss,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. “For too long, this gang terrorized Minneapolis, maintaining control through chaos. Today, the people of this city get something they’ve long been denied: peace. This case is the result of a relentless federal coalition—the U.S. Attorney’s Office side-by-side with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners.  Our message is clear: if you endanger our communities, we are coming for you.  And we won’t stop until every neighborhood in this city is free from fear.”

    “This isn’t just another trial; it’s a continuation of our full-court press to dismantle the Highs street gang and hold every last member accountable,” said Travis Riddle, ATF Special Agent in Charge of the St. Paul Field Division. “We’re proud to stand alongside our prosecution and investigative partners who’ve shown unmatched determination, trial after trial, to bring justice to the communities harmed by this violence.”

    “As the summer progresses, Minneapolis is continuing to see a drop in violent crime, especially gun violence throughout the city,” said Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara.  “The outstanding work of MPD officers and our partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office have been instrumental in targeting the small number of individuals committing a disproportionate amount of violence in the city. This conviction is the latest result of efforts that can not only be seen in the reduction of crime, but also felt by the community as we work to rebuild trust.”

    “Our focus isn’t just on the money—it’s on the damage that money fuels,” said Jason Bushey, IRS Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago Field Office. “When violent gangs push drugs and fear into our communities, our agents work relentlessly to expose the money behind the violence. This conviction is the result of that effort and a clear reminder that those who profit from chaos and pain will be held accountable.”

    “In the wake of the guilty verdicts in the Highs gang RICO trial, it becomes abundantly clear that the efficacy of our justice system hinges not merely on the application of law, but on the transformative power of collaborative law enforcement partnerships,” stated FBI Minneapolis Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston, Sr. “These alliances are essential, for they weave a fabric of shared intelligence and resources that fortify our collective resolve against violent crime, ensuring that justice is not merely an ideal, but a tangible reality for our communities.”

    This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the ATF, FBI, Minneapolis Police Department, IRS Criminal Investigation, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and Minnesota Department of Corrections with the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service, DEA, Homeland Security Investigation, and the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office. The Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office, Dakota County Sheriff’s Office, St. Paul Police Department, and numerous other law enforcement agencies contributed to the investigation.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office also is deeply grateful to the Justice Department’s Violent Crime & Racketeering Section (VCRS) for their continued partnership and expertise on this and other ongoing RICO cases. This partnership has been critical to the success of these gang prosecutions.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas Calhoun-Lopez, Albania Concepcion, and Carla Baumel tried this case.  They are prosecuting the case along with Attorney Brian Lynch of the Justice Department’s Violent Crime & Racketeering Section. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Researching Brain Disorders: Albanian Scientist Building Hope Against Neurological Diseases in Paris

    Source: European Commission (video statements)

    Scientists in Europe: Edor Kabashi, an Albanian-born neuroscientist who did his undergraduate degree in Canada, shares how joining Institut Imagine in Paris—with backing from European and national research funding—has transformed his approach to combating neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental disorders.
    From pioneering zebrafish models of ALS and epilepsy to fast-tracking drug discovery through translational research, Edor reveals how Europe’s collaborative environment and high‑tech platforms give new momentum to his work and personal journey as a scientist.
    This is a story of international roots, scientific ambition, and the powerful intersection of genetics, patient care, and discovery in one of Europe’s top neuroscience hubs.
    00:02 The power of community
    00:17 Tracing my journey
    00:46 Funding & opportunity in Europe
    01:06 The Fight Against Neurodegenerative Diseases
    01:36 Paris: A historic and modern hub for Neuroscience
    01:54 Family connections
    02:04 Science Through Unity: Europe’s Collaborative Spirit

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iU542Jgcpk

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch Introduces Bipartisan, Bicameral Bills to Eliminate Burn Pits and Help Veterans Exposed to Burn Pits 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) this week introduced the Waste and Illegal Property Eradication (WIPE) Act and the Health Records Enhancement Act, bipartisan, bicameral bills that would improve, expand, and enhance protections for veterans under the Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act (PACT) Act in addition to eliminating burn pits to help prevent future toxic exposure cases. U.S. Representatives Raul Ruiz (D-CA-25) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL-12) introduced companion legislation for both bills in the House. U.S. Representative Claudia Tenney (R-NY-24) is a cosponsor of the Health Records Enhancement Act in the House. 
    The WIPE Act is cosponsored by Sens. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), and would improve servicemember health and strengthen national security by improving how the U.S. military eliminates dangerous materials both at home and overseas. This legislation invests in safer disposal systems for the future by replacing outdated and harmful waste disposal practices with modern, secure alternatives and will incur no increase in overall defense spending by offsetting the same amount from funds allocated for current open-air waste disposals in contingency operations. The WIPE Act’s provisions prohibiting the use of open-air burn pits and use of the disposal systems were included in the Senate’s National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26).  
    The Health Records Enhancement Act will improve data collection on burn pit and toxic substance exposure by allowing family members to provide the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Defense to with vital health data and observations of health conditions related to toxic exposure for designated individuals or deceased veterans. 
    “When we passed the PACT Act, we took a major step forward to ensure the cost of the war will include the cost of caring for the warrior. But we can—and must—do more to address the risk burn pits and other toxic substances pose for our veterans,” said Senator Welch. “These bills will improve protections for veterans exposed to toxic substances and invest in waste disposal alternatives that will eliminate burn pits. I’m proud to lead this bipartisan group in introducing these essential, common-sense bills.”  
    “Our servicemembers make extraordinary sacrifices to defend our nation, and we owe it to them to ensure they are not exposed to unnecessary harm while serving,” said Senator Tillis. “These commonsense bills allow us to invest in safer, more secure waste disposal systems to eliminate the use of toxic burn pits and improve data collection on burn pit exposure to better protect the health of our troops and veterans.” 
    “As an emergency medicine physician and founder of the bipartisan Burn Pits Caucus, I’ve seen firsthand the devastating health consequences toxic exposure has had on our servicemembers. The WIPE Act and Health Registry Enhancement Act take urgent, practical steps to eliminate burn pits and strengthen protections for veterans who have already suffered too much. These bipartisan bills are about accountability, prevention, and doing right by the men and women who sacrificed for our country. We must ensure no generation of veterans is ever again left to suffer from toxic exposure,” said Representative Dr. Ruiz. 
    “Exposure to toxic emissions from burn pit toxins has led to tragic consequences for far too many members of our military community.  We owe it to our heroes to transition to safer, more sustainable waste management technologies,” said Representative Bilirakis.  “We have a moral obligation to explore ways to protect public health, reduce environmental harm, and fulfill our responsibility to those impacted by outdated and dangerous disposal practices. Our bill is an important step in the right direction.” 
    Senator Welch has championed efforts to limit toxic substance exposure among veterans in the Senate, including supporting legislation to educate servicemembers on the impact of burn pits and other airborne hazards and improve data collection on veterans affected by toxic exposure. Last year, Senator Welch introduced the bicameral Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry 2.0 Act, which passed as part of the Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), and the bipartisan Burn Pit Elimination Act, both bills that would improve protections for veterans under the PACT Act and prevent future toxic exposure cases.   
    Last Congress, a bipartisan amendment led by Sens. Welch, Tillis, and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) requiring the VA to conduct a review on mortality and toxic exposure data for veterans who served in Kosovo passed with bipartisan support in the Senate. Senator Welch also cosponsored the Burn Pit Registry Enhancement Act, Reducing Exposure to Burn Pits Act, and Toxic Exposure Education for Servicemembers Act, bills that build on the PACT Act to provide increased support for veterans exposed to burn pits, improve data collection on burn pit and toxic substance exposure, and help mitigate future toxic substance exposure for servicemembers. 
    Learn more about the WIPE Act and read the full text of the bill. 
    Learn more about the Health Records Enhancement Act and read the full text of the bill. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: IAEA Reviews Progress of Sri Lanka’s Nuclear Infrastructure Development

    Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

    INIR mission team leader John Haddad presents the draft report to Thushara Rathnayake, Chairperson of the Sri Lanka Atomic Energy Board, at the closing meeting on 18 July. (Photo: Ministry of Energy of Sri Lanka)

    As Sri Lanka embarks on the development of its nuclear power programme, the country is making progress in establishing the necessary nuclear infrastructure, according to an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) review mission that recently concluded.

    The follow-up Integrated Nuclear Infrastructure Review (INIR) mission, conducted at the request of the Government of Sri Lanka, took place from 14 to 18 July 2025.

    The mission team, comprising two international experts from Bulgaria and Türkiye and two IAEA staff,  assessed the progress made to address the recommendations and suggestions of the Phase 1 2022 INIR mission. A Phase 1 INIR mission assesses the readiness of a country to make a knowledgeable commitment to a nuclear power programme using the Phase 1 criteria of the IAEA Milestones Approach and Evaluation Methodology. The 2022 mission made 26 recommendations and 6 suggestions to assist Sri Lanka in advancing its infrastructure development.

    In 2010, Sri Lanka’s Cabinet approved the initiation of studies for implementing a nuclear power programme in the country. In 2019, a Nuclear Energy Programme Implementing Organization (NEPIO) was established to coordinate related efforts, which included the Ministry of Energy, the Sri Lanka Atomic Energy Board (SLAEB), the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) and the Sri Lanka Atomic Energy Regulatory Council (SLAERC). In 2024, the government decided on further actions to consider a nuclear power programme.

    The INIR team concluded that Sri Lanka has made good progress to address recommendations and suggestions from the Phase 2 INIR mission in 2022. Sri Lanka has already identified five candidate sites for the nuclear power plant, established a management structure to oversee the procurement process for nuclear reactors, drafted a comprehensive nuclear law and included nuclear power in its current long-term energy planning for the period 2025-2044.

    Sri Lanka hosted a national workshop on nuclear law in November 2023, as well as an IAEA  Site and External Events Design Review Service (SEED) mission in 2024, which reviewed the country’s selection process to identify candidate sites to build its first nuclear power plant. A SEED follow up mission was also conducted, which took place in July this year.

    “Sri Lanka is actively working on addressing the recommendations and suggestions from the main INIR mission in 2022,” said mission team leader John Haddad from IAEA’s Nuclear Infrastructure Development Section. “This indicates the level of commitment of Sri Lanka to conduct the required studies and make a knowledgeable decision regarding the nuclear power programme.”

    In the opening ceremony for the INIR Mission, Hon. Eng. Kumara Jayakody, Cabinet Minister of Energy, welcomed the INIR mission as “a significant milestone in Sri Lanka’s journey towards a secure, sustainable and forward-looking energy future as we take decisive steps forward in exploring the role of nuclear power in our national energy mix.”

    Nuclear Power is included as an energy source within the CEB Least Cost Long Term Generation and Expansion Plan 2025-2044. According to the plan, accommodating a nuclear power unit above 600 MWe to the Sri Lankan network will be technically challenging due to the network’s condition, projected demand growth, and the generation mix which is expected to be dominated by variable renewable energy sources. The team said that further work is needed related to the finalization of strategies and studies in various areas of infrastructure development such as, among others, management, human resource development, stakeholder involvement, radioactive waste management and industrial involvement.

    About Integrated Nuclear Infrastructure Review (INIR) Missions

    INIR missions are based on the IAEA Milestones Approach, with its 19 infrastructure issues, three phases (consider, prepare and construct) and three milestones (decide, contract and operate). INIR missions enable IAEA Member State representatives to have in-depth discussions with international experts about experiences and best practices in different countries.

    In developing its recommendations, the INIR team considers the comments made by the relevant national organizations. Implementation of any of the team’s recommendations and suggestions is at the discretion of the Member State requesting the mission. The results of the INIR mission are expected to help the Member State develop an action plan to fill any gaps, which in turn will help the development of the national nuclear infrastructure.

    INIR follow-up missions assess the implementation of the recommendations and suggestions provided during the main mission.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: IAEA Reviews Progress of Sri Lanka’s Nuclear Infrastructure Development

    Source: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) –

    INIR mission team leader John Haddad presents the draft report to Thushara Rathnayake, Chairperson of the Sri Lanka Atomic Energy Board, at the closing meeting on 18 July. (Photo: Ministry of Energy of Sri Lanka)

    As Sri Lanka embarks on the development of its nuclear power programme, the country is making progress in establishing the necessary nuclear infrastructure, according to an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) review mission that recently concluded.

    The follow-up Integrated Nuclear Infrastructure Review (INIR) mission, conducted at the request of the Government of Sri Lanka, took place from 14 to 18 July 2025.

    The mission team, comprising two international experts from Bulgaria and Türkiye and two IAEA staff,  assessed the progress made to address the recommendations and suggestions of the Phase 1 2022 INIR mission. A Phase 1 INIR mission assesses the readiness of a country to make a knowledgeable commitment to a nuclear power programme using the Phase 1 criteria of the IAEA Milestones Approach and Evaluation Methodology. The 2022 mission made 26 recommendations and 6 suggestions to assist Sri Lanka in advancing its infrastructure development.

    In 2010, Sri Lanka’s Cabinet approved the initiation of studies for implementing a nuclear power programme in the country. In 2019, a Nuclear Energy Programme Implementing Organization (NEPIO) was established to coordinate related efforts, which included the Ministry of Energy, the Sri Lanka Atomic Energy Board (SLAEB), the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) and the Sri Lanka Atomic Energy Regulatory Council (SLAERC). In 2024, the government decided on further actions to consider a nuclear power programme.

    The INIR team concluded that Sri Lanka has made good progress to address recommendations and suggestions from the Phase 2 INIR mission in 2022. Sri Lanka has already identified five candidate sites for the nuclear power plant, established a management structure to oversee the procurement process for nuclear reactors, drafted a comprehensive nuclear law and included nuclear power in its current long-term energy planning for the period 2025-2044.

    Sri Lanka hosted a national workshop on nuclear law in November 2023, as well as an IAEA  Site and External Events Design Review Service (SEED) mission in 2024, which reviewed the country’s selection process to identify candidate sites to build its first nuclear power plant. A SEED follow up mission was also conducted, which took place in July this year.

    “Sri Lanka is actively working on addressing the recommendations and suggestions from the main INIR mission in 2022,” said mission team leader John Haddad from IAEA’s Nuclear Infrastructure Development Section. “This indicates the level of commitment of Sri Lanka to conduct the required studies and make a knowledgeable decision regarding the nuclear power programme.”

    In the opening ceremony for the INIR Mission, Hon. Eng. Kumara Jayakody, Cabinet Minister of Energy, welcomed the INIR mission as “a significant milestone in Sri Lanka’s journey towards a secure, sustainable and forward-looking energy future as we take decisive steps forward in exploring the role of nuclear power in our national energy mix.”

    Nuclear Power is included as an energy source within the CEB Least Cost Long Term Generation and Expansion Plan 2025-2044. According to the plan, accommodating a nuclear power unit above 600 MWe to the Sri Lankan network will be technically challenging due to the network’s condition, projected demand growth, and the generation mix which is expected to be dominated by variable renewable energy sources. The team said that further work is needed related to the finalization of strategies and studies in various areas of infrastructure development such as, among others, management, human resource development, stakeholder involvement, radioactive waste management and industrial involvement.

    About Integrated Nuclear Infrastructure Review (INIR) Missions

    INIR missions are based on the IAEA Milestones Approach, with its 19 infrastructure issues, three phases (consider, prepare and construct) and three milestones (decide, contract and operate). INIR missions enable IAEA Member State representatives to have in-depth discussions with international experts about experiences and best practices in different countries.

    In developing its recommendations, the INIR team considers the comments made by the relevant national organizations. Implementation of any of the team’s recommendations and suggestions is at the discretion of the Member State requesting the mission. The results of the INIR mission are expected to help the Member State develop an action plan to fill any gaps, which in turn will help the development of the national nuclear infrastructure.

    INIR follow-up missions assess the implementation of the recommendations and suggestions provided during the main mission.

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Morocco, North Macedonia Bolster Cooperation in Diplomatic Training and Tourism

    Source: APO


    .

    Morocco and North Macedonia have taken a new step in strengthening their bilateral cooperation, as they signed two Memorandums of Understanding on Monday in Skopje, aimed at further expanding and structuring their sectoral partnership.

    These legal instruments were signed as part of a working visit carried out by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates, Mr. Nasser Bourita, to Skopje, where he held talks with North Macedonia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Mr. Timčo Mucunski.

    The two parties welcomed the ongoing strengthened bilateral legal framework in specific areas of common interest, which reflect their shared will to establish cooperation between both countries on a long-term basis.

    The diplomatic training agreement serves as the benchmark framework for cooperation activities carried out between the two countries’ foreign ministries, based on the principles of reciprocity and mutual benefit.

    It aims to encourage joint training programs, holding inaugural lectures or high-level interventions as part of official visits by eminent personalities from both countries, as well as the exchange of information, best practices, experiences, and analyses related to developments in diplomatic training.

    Meanwhile, the tourism agreement will serve as a lever for bilateral cooperation by promoting the exchange of expertise, the mutual promotion and enhancement of destinations, the strengthening of institutional capacities, and coordinated participation in investment initiatives and specialized trade fairs.

    This framework will enhance the visibility of both countries’ tourism offerings across regional and international markets.

    These agreements fall within the renewed dynamic of the partnership between Rabat and Skopje and reflect the desire of the two countries to expand their cooperation into high value-added sectors, in line with their respective national priorities and their regional and multilateral commitments.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Kingdom of Morocco – Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese FM holds talks with Croatian counterpart

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

    Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, holds talks with Croatian Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Gordan Grlic Radman in Beijing, capital of China, July 21, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks with Croatian Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Gordan Grlic Radman in Beijing on Monday.

    Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that the two sides had always respected each other, treated each other as equals and cooperated in a mutually beneficial manner, adding that their high-quality Belt and Road cooperation has achieved fruitful results.

    Noting this year marks the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the comprehensive cooperative partnership between China and Croatia, Wang urged both sides to enhance exchanges at all levels, increase mutual understanding and mutual trust, continue to firmly respect and support each other, strengthen the alignment of the Belt and Road Initiative with Croatia’s development strategies, and deepen exchanges and cooperation in various fields.

    Wang said that cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC) is an important part of China-EU relations. He added that China is willing to continue to strengthen cooperation with Croatia based on the principles of openness, transparency and mutual benefit, urging both sides to enhance multilateral coordination and cooperation, adhere to multilateralism and free trade to jointly address global challenges.

    Noting this year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the EU, Wang said that a stable, healthy and positively developing China-EU relationship is in line with the fundamental interests and common aspirations of both sides, adding that China hopes Croatia will continue to play a constructive role in promoting China-EU cooperation.

    Radman said that since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries over 30 years ago, both sides have advanced cooperation in the spirit of mutual respect and mutual benefit, and bilateral relations have maintained a sound development.

    He said that the government of Croatia adheres to the one-China policy, believing that the government of the People’s Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China and that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory. Croatia looks forward to maintaining close high-level exchanges with China, strengthening cooperation in trade, investment, connectivity and other fields, and welcomes more Chinese citizens to visit Croatia.

    Noting that China is an indispensable and important economic and trade partner of Europe, Radman said that Croatia supports the EU and China in resolving specific differences through constructive dialogue and promoting the sustained and stable development of EU-China relations. China-CEEC cooperation is a beneficial platform for promoting economic, trade and investment cooperation between the two sides. Croatia is willing to continue to actively support and participate in the cooperation.

    Croatia attaches great importance to and appreciates the key role played by China in promoting world peace and is willing to strengthen multilateral cooperation with China, he added.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Operation targeting human trafficking and money laundering: 13 arrests in Romania and Netherlands

    Source: Eurojust

    Starting in 2020, the group, led by two family members, used ‘loverboy’ techniques to target vulnerable Romanian women, who were coerced into prostitution in the Netherlands under direct supervision of the criminal group.

    To maintain total control over the lives of their victims, the suspects lived with them. In some cases, members of the group used physical and psychological force against the women to prevent them from escaping the situation.

    © DIICOT Poliția Românăas

    The sexual exploitation generated significant illegal proceeds for the criminal group, which were laundered through relatives and close friends. These individuals either transported large sums of cash or moved the money through financial institutions.

    Eurojust coordinated the international investigation. After the Romanian authorities approached Eurojust for support in early 2024, several meetings were organised with the Dutch authorities. During these meetings, information about the criminal group was exchanged. To enable the authorities to work together effectively and exchange information and evidence in real time, Eurojust set up a joint investigation team in January 2025.

    Together with Eurojust, the authorities organised an action day early this month to detain the suspects and gather more evidence through house searches. In the Netherlands, six suspects were arrested and four houses were searched. During actions in Romania, four suspects were arrested based on European Arrest Warrants from the Netherlands and three suspects were put under judicial control. Additionally, 18 houses were searched and a car, weapons and cash were seized.

    Eight of the arrested suspects remain in pre-trial detention.

    The following authorities carried out the operation:

    • Romania: Prosecution Office attached to the High Court of Cassation and Justice- Directorate for Investigating Organised Crime and Terrorism –Ploiesti Territorial Service; Police Inspectorate Prahova-Criminal Investigation Service; Brigade for Combating Organised Crime Ploiesti
    • Netherlands: Public Prosecutor’s Office Amsterdam

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Arbitrators issue award in EU-China intellectual property dispute

    Source: WTO

    Headline: Arbitrators issue award in EU-China intellectual property dispute

    This is the second appeal arbitration conducted under the Multi-Party Interim Appeal Arbitration Arrangement (MPIA) to which both China and the European Union are participants.
    Summary of key findings 

    Download:

    In pdf format:

    What is the MPIA?
    The MPIA was agreed upon among its original 18 participating members in April 2020 to provide the possibility of resorting to arbitration under Article 25 of the DSU in case of an appeal in disputes between any two or more participating members. Currently the following WTO members are parties to the MPIA: Australia; Benin; Brazil; Canada; Chile; China; Colombia; Costa Rica; Ecuador; the European Union; Guatemala; Hong Kong, China; Iceland; Japan; Macao, China; Malaysia; Mexico; Montenegro; New Zealand; Nicaragua; Norway; Pakistan; Paraguay; Peru; the Philippines; Singapore; Switzerland; Ukraine; the United Kingdom; and Uruguay.

    Share

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Arbitrators issue award in EU-China intellectual property dispute

    Source: WTO

    Headline: Arbitrators issue award in EU-China intellectual property dispute

    This is the second appeal arbitration conducted under the Multi-Party Interim Appeal Arbitration Arrangement (MPIA) to which both China and the European Union are participants.
    Summary of key findings 

    Download:

    In pdf format:

    What is the MPIA?
    The MPIA was agreed upon among its original 18 participating members in April 2020 to provide the possibility of resorting to arbitration under Article 25 of the DSU in case of an appeal in disputes between any two or more participating members. Currently the following WTO members are parties to the MPIA: Australia; Benin; Brazil; Canada; Chile; China; Colombia; Costa Rica; Ecuador; the European Union; Guatemala; Hong Kong, China; Iceland; Japan; Macao, China; Malaysia; Mexico; Montenegro; New Zealand; Nicaragua; Norway; Pakistan; Paraguay; Peru; the Philippines; Singapore; Switzerland; Ukraine; the United Kingdom; and Uruguay.

    Share

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: North Macedonia Considers Autonomy Plan as Only Basis to Settle Moroccan Sahara Dispute

    Source: APO


    .

    The Republic of North Macedonia “considers the Autonomy Plan, put forward by the Kingdom of Morocco in 2007, as the only basis for the settlement of this dispute.”

    This position was expressed in the Joint Statement signed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates, Mr. Nasser Bourita, and North Macedonia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Timčo Mucunski, following their meeting on Monday in Skopje.

    Mucunski reaffirmed “his country’s longstanding support for the UN-led process aimed at reaching a just, lasting, and mutually acceptable political solution for the parties,” the Joint Statement reads.

    “The Kingdom of Morocco and the Republic of North Macedonia reiterated their commitment to the UN’s leadership in this political process, and expressed their support for UN Security Council Resolution 2756 (October 2024), which underscores the parties’ role and responsibility in seeking a realistic, lasting political solution based on compromise,” the document highlights.

    In this Statement, the two ministers also reaffirmed the support of Morocco and North Macedonia for “the efforts of the UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy and his mission to advance the political process, in accordance with relevant Security Council resolutions and the principles of the UN Charter.”

    This new stance of North Macedonia is part of the international momentum supporting the autonomy initiative presented by Morocco, a dynamic driven by the impetus of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God assist Him, and backed by an increasingly strong international consensus.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Kingdom of Morocco – Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Morocco, North Macedonia Reaffirm Shared Willingness to Strengthen Bilateral Partnership

    Source: APO


    .

    Morocco and North Macedonia’s Foreign Affairs Ministers Mr. Nasser Bourita and Mr. Timčo Mucunski reaffirmed their shared willingness to strengthen bilateral partnership in a Joint Statement signed following their meeting on Monday in Skopje.

    The two ministers highlighted the outstanding relations uniting Morocco and North Macedonia and expressed their determination to further deepen them, based on friendship, mutual respect, and shared interests.

    They also emphasized their commitment to enhancing economic, trade, and cultural cooperation between the two countries by identifying high-potential strategic sectors, particularly tourism.

    Driven by the common goals of Rabat and Skopje, Mr. Bourita and Mucunski agreed to strengthen political consultations and coordination within international bodies.

    As part of this visit, Mr. Bourita was received in audience by the President of the Republic of North Macedonia, H.E. Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, and also held talks with the President of the Assembly MAfrim Gashi.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Kingdom of Morocco – Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Strengthening early warnings and anticipatory action through the use of digital technology

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    In Malawi, UNICEF, in partnership with the Malawi Government and the Malawi University of Science and Technology, launched the African Drone and Data Academy (ADDA) in 2020 to address severe cyclones, floods and droughts caused by climate change. ADDA equips youth with skills in drone technology, geospatial systems and disaster risk management. It trained over 1,280 graduates from 25 countries – 60 per cent young women – and achieved an 80 per cent employment rate.

    WFP and UNDP supported the strengthening of local capacities and Early Warning Systems (EWS) for comprehensive drought management in Eastern Cuba and Camagüey with a focus on resilience, food security and gender inclusivity, leveraging a systems thinking approach to enhance resilience in food production, water management, and community preparedness. Enhanced hydro-meteorological monitoring and communication channels, combined with gender-inclusive training, ensured that local producers and vulnerable communities received timely and actionable climate information. The project supported the development of standardized national methodologies for drought diagnosis and forecasting, aligning with Cuba’s State Plan for Climate Change Adaptation.

    In Serbia, UNDP and WHO supported the establishment and upgrading of a Disaster Risk Registry, which offers real-time data to inform decision making in times of crisis, to assess the effectiveness of emergency response, and for planning and implementing DRR measures at local and national level. The Registry incorporates a digital climate atlas, climate projections, compiled with mass evaluation of property prices, and is linked with the Strategic Tool for the Analysis of Risks (STAR) of WHO providing information on critical health facilities. The Register enables risk informed urban planning, and localizes risk knowledge and management, based on open data and transparency. It enables investment planning and attracted the interest of the insurance industry.

    Enhanced communications targeting at-risk populations is improving the effectiveness of early warnings, reducing potential damages and losses. In the Maldives, technological solutions are being leveraged for last-mile early warning dissemination through the Common Alerting Protocol (CAP). The CAP is a data format for exchanging public warnings and emergencies between alerting technologies, including the use of ITU’s Disaster Connectivity Maps initiative (in partnership with the Emergency Telecommunication Cluster (ETC) led by WFP). This initiative helps first responders quickly assess which areas are affected and which communication networks are operational, allowing for more efficient coordination and faster response times. The DCM initiative also integrates AI and satellite technologies for disaster preparedness.

    In the Pacific, EW4All has been instrumental in supporting the development of Multi-Hazard Early Warning System national costed roadmaps in Fiji, Tonga, and the Solomon Islands, collaborating with governments, UN agencies, civil society, and local communities. Through the EW4All initiative and the Weather Ready Pacific program, issues such as fragmented systems, siloed efforts, and communication barriers are being addressed. The EW4All initiative integrates AI into risk knowledge, hazard detection, monitoring, forecasting, warning dissemination, and preparedness. AI improves accuracy, ensures timely dissemination, and tailors warnings to vulnerable populations. This approach strengthens preparedness and reduces disaster impacts.

    Spotlight: The Artificial Intelligence (AI) Sub-Group under the EW4All Initiative focuses on integrating AI into the four pillars of early warning systems: risk knowledge, detection/monitoring, dissemination of warnings, and preparedness, led by ITU, WMO, UNDRR and IFRC. AI improves hazard forecasting, enhances dissemination, and strengthens response planning by analyzing complex datasets. The initiative aims to bridge technological gaps globally, ensuring timely and equitable warnings for all.

    The WHO-led initiative Epidemic Intelligence from Open Source (EIOS) is a vital tool that enables early detection and assessment of public health threats, including those related to natural hazards, in near real time. It connects experts around the world and provides them with tools to detect, analyse, assess and share information for quick, evidence-based action. Cambodia, Fiji, Kiribati, Philippines, Tonga, and Vanuatu have developed their emergency risk profiles at the national, subnational and local levels to inform preparedness, contingency planning, simulation, training and mass gathering under the Asia Pacific Health Security Action Framework.

    Flagship reports on Early Warning

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Microsoft supports making Europe’s languages and cultures more accessible in the digital realm

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: Microsoft supports making Europe’s languages and cultures more accessible in the digital realm

    Editor’s Note: This blog is also available in Italian, Spanish, French, and German.

    Europe is home to more than 200 languages and a rich cultural legacy that spans thousands of years, preserved in millions of cultural assets that tell the story of its people. But these languages are more than carriers of heritage and history—they support both culture and commerce by making it possible for people to connect, create, and do business.

    Yet, as the world digitizes, much of Europe’s linguistic and cultural diversity risks being left behind. The majority of online web content—the primary source of training data for today’s Large Language Models (LLMs)—is in English. Much of it reflects an American perspective. The European Commission has warned that the continent’s ambition to digitize its vast cultural corpus remains “significantly out of reach.” As Europe’s leaders have recognized, without urgent action, this imbalance is not just a cultural concern—it’s a commercial one. AI that doesn’t understand Europe’s languages, histories, and values can’t fully serve its people, its businesses, or its future.

    That’s why today in Paris, we’re deepening our commitment to Europe’s digital future with two new initiatives focused on making what’s uniquely European more open and accessible—its languages and culture. This builds on our European Digital Commitments, announced earlier this year, to expand AI and cloud infrastructure, strengthen digital resilience and data privacy protections, enhance cybersecurity, and support Europe’s digital sovereignty and broader economy.

    First, to support the development of more multilingual LLMs in Europe and for Europe, we’re basing employees from two of our innovation centers in Strasbourg, France—long a crossroads of cultures and now home to key European institutions. These centers will help expand the availability of multilingual data for AI development—leveraging Microsoft Azure, our technical expertise, and partnerships across Europe to promote more inclusive language representation in AI models. As part of this effort, we’re also issuing a call for proposals to help expand the supply of digital content for 10 European languages.

    Second, to help ensure Europe’s cultural richness is represented and accessible in the digital realm, we’re expanding Microsoft’s Culture AI initiative, which helps to safeguard languages, landmarks, and artifacts through digital replicas and data collaboration. Since 2019, Microsoft has digitally preserved heritage including Ancient Olympia in Greece, Mount St. Michel in France, St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, and the 80th Anniversary of the Allied Beach Landings in Normandy, to name a few. Today we’re announcing that this fall, Microsoft will begin work with the French Ministry of Culture and the French firm Iconem to create a digital replica of Notre Dame—Paris’ newly restored, 862-year-old Gothic masterpiece.

    This type of support for Europe and its diversity is not new to Microsoft. These latest steps to support languages and culture are informed by our more than 40 years of experience serving countries and cultures across Europe and around the world. Early on, we learned that empowering every person on the planet requires that the technologies we offer must be available in the languages the world speaks. That is why today Windows supports over 90 languages, including all official European Union languages as well as languages including Basque, Catalan, Galician, Luxembourgish, Valencian, and more. Microsoft 365 also has a broad reach, with support through Office applications in more than 30 European languages, including all official languages of the European Union.

    The urgency of bridging the language gap

    The European Union has 24 official languages, with dozens more acknowledged at the national or regional level. Yet many of these languages—even those that are part of the official 24, like Danish, Finnish, Swedish, and Greek—represent less than 0.6% of web content. Others, such as Maltese, Irish, Estonian, Latvian, and Slovenian, are barely visible online. While only 5% of the world’s population speaks English as a first language, English text makes up half of web content, dominating the data used to train AI models.

    This digital underrepresentation has real consequences, as LLMs rely heavily on web content for training. When a language lacks sufficient online presence, it risks being excluded from future AI services. While larger, general-purpose models can handle multiple languages, they can still miss the linguistic nuance, cultural context, and regional depth needed for truly inclusive applications. LLMs trained on limited data are less accurate, have higher hallucinations and errors, struggle with vocabulary, and reflect more bias.[1]

    As an example, Llama 3.1, a popular open source model, shows a performance gap of more than 15 percentage points between answering in English and Greek and a gap of more than 25 points when comparing English to Latvian. This mean that if this model was a high school student, she would be at the top of her class in English but at the middle of her class in Greek and at the bottom in Latvian. And this disparity between languages is seen in all major performance LLM tests.[2]

    In many cases, languages with deep cultural heritage, such as Breton, Occitan, and Romansh, which UNESCO classifies as endangered, are largely unsupported in today’s mainstream AI systems.

    The economic power of language

    This lopsided development of language models has real economic consequences. When AI systems can’t understand or respond in a region’s language, they limit access to services and opportunities, undermining both local businesses and broader economic growth.

    Broad AI diffusion—adoption and use across economies—will be one of the most important drivers of innovation and productivity growth over the next decade. Like electricity and other general-purpose technologies in the past, AI represents the next stage of industrialization.

    For communities whose languages are underrepresented online, the benefits of AI risk remaining out of reach. Imagine a small business owner in Malta who speaks only Maltese. Currently, the advanced AI tools for tasks like market analysis or content generation likely don’t operate in Maltese, limiting how this entrepreneur can leverage AI. Or consider a Polish-speaking student in a town outside Warsaw who can’t find AI educational resources in his language, potentially impacting learning opportunities. And even when an AI platform nominally supports a language, the experience may be sub-par.

    European governments and institutions have recognized the importance of addressing this situation. To drive economic competitiveness in the AI era, Europe will need to break down the language barriers and spur AI diffusion across the continent. According to the European Commission, only 13.5% of EU businesses use AI. The EU AI Continent Action Plan notes that breaking down language barriers in the single market could boost intra-EU trade by up to EUR 360 billion.

    New steps to address language gaps

    To help bridge this language gap, Microsoft will collaborate with European partners to increase the availability of multilingual data. In partnership with the ICube Laboratory at the University of Strasbourg—an institution dedicated to engineering, computer science, and imaging—we will support AI training efforts by placing personnel from the Microsoft Open Innovation Center (MOIC) and our AI for Good Lab in Strasbourg, France. This team will be backed by a global internal network of more than 70 Microsoft engineers, data scientists, and policy professionals. This collaboration between the MOIC, Microsoft AI for Good Lab, and the University of Strasbourg will also fund two post-doctoral researchers and provide up to US $1 million in Azure credits.

    This team will start by tapping into Microsoft’s own store of multilingual data, making it accessible and transparent to the European public, including open source developers. This includes, for example, multilingual text data from GitHub and voice data sets. MOIC and GitHub will partner with Hugging Face, a popular collaboration platform for AI model development, to host and make the data broadly accessible. This builds on our existing relationship with Hugging Face to make a broad range of open models in the Hugging Face model collection available for 1-click deployment in the Azure Model Catalogue. This includes last week’s release of the latest contributions toward multilingual AI—the SmoILM3 model, a highly efficient 3B model parameter multi-lingual model with support for 6 languages: English, French, Spanish, German, Italian, and Portuguese.

    MOIC will also partner with Common Crawl, one of the largest free and open repositories of web crawled data. MOIC will fund work at Common Crawl, leveraging native speakers to annotate and seed European language data in the publicly available Common Crawl data set.

    In addition, the MOIC and the AI for Good Lab will issue a call for proposals to help expand the supply of digital content for 10 European languages by making their text collections available responsibly and ethically on their own terms for multilingual AI development and experiences. Applications for grants will be available on the AI for Good Lab website, beginning on 1 September 2025. In selecting recipients, the MOIC and the AI for Good Lab will focus on opportunities to unlock data in languages with relatively low representation in online content, such as Estonian, Alsatian, Slovak, Greek, and Maltese. Grants will provide recipients with Azure credits and engineering and technical support.

    While more multilingual data is essential, better technology tools and know-how can also help. For example, many languages use scripts (writing systems) that currently pose challenges for models originally designed for the Latin alphabet. Cyrillic characters, the Greek alphabet, and Arabic’s cursive script each have different properties. Off-the-shelf “tokenizers” often break these scripts in suboptimal ways. This can hurt a model’s ability to learn long-range context or accurate spelling in those languages. New advances in techniques that enable a model to handle any script uniformly can help. Better mechanisms to create synthetic data and to better process and curate that data can also help, especially when they manage privacy and sensitive data concerns effectively.

    The MOIC and the AI for Good Lab will work to facilitate the development and sharing of knowledge, tools, and capabilities to address these issues and empower European developers. The AI for Good Lab will publish a blueprint to detail how to create high-quality language datasets and train local LLMs to get more power out of the data that exists. These two groups will also support relevant research, organize convenings, co-invest in data commons projects, and ensure that knowledge, tools, and capabilities are available where they’re needed most. These teams also will continue to support efforts such as those of the Barcelona Supercomputing Center, Basque Center for Language Technology, and the University of Santiago de Compostela to release AI models trained in Spanish, Catalan, Basque, and Galician on Azure AI Foundry. This initiative empowers developers to build AI systems that operate in Spain’s official languages, fostering innovation and inclusivity.

    Finally, to advance responsible AI research and help close the language gap, Microsoft is launching two new academic collaborations in Europe at the University of Strasbourg and IE University School of Science & Technology in Spain. Microsoft’s AI for Good Lab and MOIC will partner with the University of Strasbourg to provide Azure grants to support joint AI research. At IE University School of Science & Technology, the Microsoft AI for Good Lab will provide Azure grants to support joint research targeting low resource languages, including support for related capstone projects to accelerate new solutions focused on language and AI.

    New steps to help digitally safeguard Europe’s cultural legacy

    Since 2019, Microsoft’s Culture AI initiative has focused on using artificial intelligence around the world to help preserve the languages, places, stories, and artifacts that define human history.  Powered by the AI for Good Lab and through partnerships with nonprofits, universities, governments, and cultural institutions, the initiative supports projects that digitize and protect cultural heritage—from endangered languages to iconic landmarks, including in France, Rome, and Greece. Whether it’s creating digital replicas of historic sites or making museum collections more accessible, the goal is to ensure that cultural identity and diversity are not only preserved but made more inclusive and discoverable in the digital age.

    Today we are announcing our next project, building a digital replica in partnership with the French Ministry of Culture and the French firm Iconem. The project will create a digital twin of Notre Dame in Paris, an architectural and cultural landmark shaped over centuries. Construction of Notre Dame began in 1163 and continued for nearly 200 years, resulting in a 128-meter-long Gothic masterpiece with twin towers rising 69 meters above the Seine. After a devastating fire in 2019, Notre Dame re-opened to the public at the end of 2024. The project will use the technology and methods we developed with Iconem to create a digital twin of St. Peter’s Basilica last year, which was based on more than 400,000 photos and advanced AI algorithms, in partnership with the Vatican.

    Just as last year’s project documented for the Vatican every detail of St. Peter’s, this new project will create a digital replica that will preserve permanently in digital form every detail of Notre Dame, ensuring that its structure, story, and symbolism are protected and accessible for generations to come. By combining advanced imaging with AI, we will create and donate to the French State a digital twin that can be used by preservationists and be displayed in the future Musée Notre Dame de Paris.

    In addition to the project at Notre Dame, we are also announcing today a partnership with the Bibliothèque Nationale de France and in collaboration with Iconem to digitize nearly 1,500 cinematic model sets from shows at the Opera National de Paris between 1800 and 1914. The digitized model sets will be made available through interactive, educational experiences and exhibitions and as a dataset made available on the Bibliothèque Nationale de France’s Gallica platform for cultural AI and research projects.

    Finally, we are embarking on new work with the Musée des Arts Décoratifs to make publicly accessible the detailed digital descriptions of approximately 1.5 million artifacts from the Middle Ages to the present day. This step will enable researchers in history, art history, and conservation to access this new information for study and use in their own AI-driven research.

    Looking ahead: Taking a principled approach

    We take these new steps today with humility and respect, recognizing that the preservation of Europe’s linguistic and cultural diversity is a task for Europeans to be led by Europeans. The European Union has already launched a multi-state effort to pool EU language data and digitize all types of cultural heritage. Our role is to contribute to and support these and similar efforts. None of what we are announcing today will create any proprietary data or technology for Microsoft itself.

    Ultimately, the best way to empower more people across Europe to address these needs is to equip them with the AI skills that will enable them to be successful in these fields. As the European Commission recently concluded, a deficit of digital skills in the cultural sector is inhibiting efforts to digitalize cultural heritage works across Europe. To help bridge this skills gap, the MOIC and the AI for Good Lab will share what we know and learn about how to do this critical work.

    Technology should reflect the richness of humanity—not strip it away. By taking intentional steps now, we can help ensure that AI doesn’t erase linguistic and cultural diversity but strengthens it.

    This is one of the defining equity challenges of the AI era. And if we work together—with purpose and urgency—we can close the gap and build a digital future that honors every language, every culture, and every community across Europe.

    [1] P. Rohera, C. Ginimav, G. Sawant, and R. Joshi, “Better To Ask in English? Evaluating Factual Accuracy of Multilingual LLMs in English and Low-Resource Languages,” Apr. 28, 2025, arXiv: arXiv:2504.20022. doi: 10.48550/arXiv.2504.20022.

    [2] K. Thellmann et al., “Towards Multilingual LLM Evaluation for European Languages,” Oct. 17, 2024, arXiv: arXiv:2410.08928. doi: 10.48550/arXiv.2410.08928.

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Joint statement on behalf of 26 partners on the Occupied Palestinian Territories

    Source: Government of Canada News

    July 21, 2025 – Ottawa, Ontario – Global Affairs Canada

    The Foreign Ministers of Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the European Union Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management, today issued the following statement:

    “We, the signatories listed below, come together with a simple, urgent message: the war in Gaza must end now.

    “The suffering of civilians in Gaza has reached new depths. The Israeli government’s aid delivery model is dangerous, fuels instability and deprives Gazans of human dignity. We condemn the drip feeding of aid and the inhumane killing of civilians, including children, seeking to meet their most basic needs of water and food. It is horrifying that over 800 Palestinians have been killed while seeking aid. The Israeli Government’s denial of essential humanitarian assistance to the civilian population is unacceptable. Israel must comply with its obligations under international humanitarian law.

    “The hostages cruelly held captive by Hamas since 7 October 2023 continue to suffer terribly. We condemn their continued detention and call for their immediate and unconditional release. A negotiated ceasefire offers the best hope of bringing them home and ending the agony of their families.

    “We call on the Israeli government to immediately lift restrictions on the flow of aid and to urgently enable the UN and humanitarian NGOs to do their life-saving work safely and effectively.

    “We call on all parties to protect civilians and uphold the obligations of international humanitarian law. Proposals to remove the Palestinian population into a “humanitarian city” are completely unacceptable. Permanent forced displacement is a violation of international humanitarian law.

    “We strongly oppose any steps towards territorial or demographic change in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. The E1 settlement plan announced by Israel’s Civil Administration, if implemented, would divide a future Palestinian state in two, marking a flagrant breach of international law, and critically undermine the two-state solution. Meanwhile, settlement building across the West Bank and East Jerusalem has accelerated while settler violence against Palestinians has soared. This must stop.

    “We urge the parties and the international community to unite in a common effort to bring this terrible conflict to an end, through an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire. Further bloodshed serves no purpose.  We reaffirm our complete support to the efforts of the US, Qatar and Egypt to achieve this.

    “We are prepared to take further action to support an immediate ceasefire and a political pathway to security and peace for Israelis, Palestinians and the entire region.”

    This statement has been signed by:

    • The Foreign Ministers of Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK
    • The EU Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: HKETO Berlin sponsors 17th International Dragon Boat Federation World Dragon Boat Racing Championships held in Germany (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Berlin (HKETO Berlin) sponsored the 17th International Dragon Boat Federation World Dragon Boat Racing Championships (IDBF World Championships) held in Brandenburg an der Havel, Germany, from July 14 to 20 (Berlin time).

    The one-week competition brought together over 4 000 athletes from 33 countries and regions, showcasing the global appeal of dragon boat racing.  The Acting Director of HKETO Berlin, Mr Billy Leung, supported Hong Kong team’s competition and delivered a speech at the event dinner, highlighting Hong Kong as a centre for international major sports events.   

    “Hong Kong is a centre for major sports events. Every year, our annual Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races attract athletes from around the world, uniting top competitors in a thrilling celebration of athleticism and culture.” 

    This year, the Hong Kong delegation won a total of eight medals, namely one gold, three silver and four bronze medals. Hong Kong will host the next IDBF World Championships in 2027. The closing ceremony held on July 20 was concluded with a symbolic flag handover from the event organisers to the Hong Kong delegation.  

    About HKETO Berlin

    HKETO Berlin is the official representative of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government in commercial relations and other economic and trade matters in Austria as well as Czechia, Germany, Hungary, Poland, the Slovak Republic, Slovenia and Switzerland. 
     

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Four Foreign Nationals Plead Guilty, Two Others Awaiting Trial in a Multi-State ATM and Retail Skimming Conspiracy

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PROVIDENCE – Four foreign nationals illegally present in the United States have admitted to a federal judge in Rhode Island that they participated in a scheme that compromised more than 15,000  credit, debit, and Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards and that they made hundreds of thousands of dollars in unauthorized bank withdrawals and retail purchases, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.

    The defendants admitted that they used credit card “skimming” devices to steal debit and credit card users’ personal financial account information, which they then appropriated for their own use. Skimming devices were placed on retail outlet point-of-sale terminals and on ATMs at various financial institutions

    An investigation revealed that from May 2023 through February 2024, the defendants compromised more than 15,000 bank cards and gained users’ personal financial account information by placing card skimming devices on point-of-sale terminals at various locations of major retailers and on ATMs of various financial institutions in Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts.

    In Rhode Island, more than 200 debit cards were compromised at two Rhode Island financial institutions, resulting in over $280,000 of unauthorized ATM withdrawals from 67 customer accounts.

    Robby Vicson Codreanu, 21, a citizen of the United Kingdom; Isabela Ignat Codreanu, 24, a citizen of Romania; and Armando Ion Codreanu, 24, and Nicolas Longin Codreanu, 23, citizens of Ireland, each pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit access device fraud; producing, using and trafficking in counterfeit access devices; accessing fifteen or more counterfeit and unauthorized access devices; and access device making equipment. Nicolas and Armando Codreanu also pleaded guilty to a charge of access devices issued to another person.

    Nicolas Codreanu will be sentenced on October 14, 2025. Isabella, Armando, and Robby Codreanu will be sentenced on October 21, 2025. The sentences imposed will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Two other defendants, Ionut Zamfir, 38, and Mila Ciuciu, 21, both citizens of Romania, are awaiting trial.

    The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ronald R. Gendron 

    The matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Bristol Police Department, with the assistance of the Warwick Police Department, Coventry Police Department, Westerly Police Department, Johnston Police Department, Seekonk Police Department, United States Secret Service, and Homeland Security Investigations agents in Lafayette, LA, New York, NY, and Los Angeles, CA.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Occupied Palestinian Territories: joint statement, 21 July 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3

    News story

    Occupied Palestinian Territories: joint statement, 21 July 2025

    The UK and 25 international partners gave a joint statement on the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

    Joint statement by:

    • foreign ministers of Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK
    • EU Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management

    We, the signatories listed below, come together with a simple, urgent message: the war in Gaza must end now.

    The suffering of civilians in Gaza has reached new depths. The Israeli government’s aid delivery model is dangerous, fuels instability and deprives Gazans of human dignity. We condemn the drip feeding of aid and the inhumane killing of civilians, including children, seeking to meet their most basic needs of water and food. It is horrifying that over 800 Palestinians have been killed while seeking aid. The Israeli Government’s denial of essential humanitarian assistance to the civilian population is unacceptable. Israel must comply with its obligations under international humanitarian law.

    The hostages cruelly held captive by Hamas since 7 October 2023 continue to suffer terribly. We condemn their continued detention and call for their immediate and unconditional release. A negotiated ceasefire offers the best hope of bringing them home and ending the agony of their families.

    We call on the Israeli government to immediately lift restrictions on the flow of aid and to urgently enable the UN and humanitarian NGOs to do their life saving work safely and effectively.

    We call on all parties to protect civilians and uphold the obligations of international humanitarian law. Proposals to remove the Palestinian population into a “humanitarian city” are completely unacceptable. Permanent forced displacement is a violation of international humanitarian law.

    We strongly oppose any steps towards territorial or demographic change in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. The E1 settlement plan announced by Israel’s Civil Administration, if implemented, would divide a Palestinian state in two, marking a flagrant breach of international law and critically undermine the two-state solution. Meanwhile, settlement building across the West Bank including East Jerusalem has accelerated while settler violence against Palestinians has soared. This must stop.

    We urge the parties and the international community to unite in a common effort to bring this terrible conflict to an end, through an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire. Further bloodshed serves no purpose.  We reaffirm our complete support to the efforts of the US, Qatar and Egypt to achieve this.

    We are prepared to take further action to support an immediate ceasefire and a political pathway to security and peace for Israelis, Palestinians and the entire region.

    This statement has been signed by: 

    • The Foreign Ministers of Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK 

    • The EU Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management

    Media enquiries

    Email newsdesk@fcdo.gov.uk

    Telephone 020 7008 3100

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

    Updates to this page

    Published 21 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI China: China win thriller to sink Cuba in Men’s Volleyball Nations League

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

    China staged a dramatic comeback to secure a 3-2 victory over Cuba (20-25, 25-23, 15-25, 25-22, 19-17) on the final day of the FIVB Men’s Volleyball Nations League preliminary phase in Gdansk, Poland, on Sunday.

    Outside hitter Wang Bin powered Vital Heynen’s side with 26 points, while captain Jiang Chuan added 13. Despite a dominant 31-point performance from Cuba’s Marlon Yant, including 29 kills, China held their nerve to complete the turnaround.

    Cuba came out strong, racing to a 5-1 lead and taking the first set 25-20, with Yant and Miguel Angel Lopez combining for 12 points. China responded in the second set, pulling ahead 20-17 on Wang’s ace. Although Cuba leveled at 21-21, Wang’s decisive spike and a successful challenge on the final point secured a 25-23 equalizer.

    The momentum swung back to Cuba in the third set as they cruised to a 25-15 win. But China refused to fold, erasing a 9-4 deficit in the fourth set to tie the score at 15-15. Wang Hebin’s attack capped a 25-22 win, forcing a tiebreak.

    In the final set, Rao Shuhan’s blocking and clutch attacks from Jiang Chuan pushed China ahead 4-1. Cuba fought back with Javier Concepcion’s late point, but Ji Daoshuai’s spike sealed China’s 19-17 victory.

    Despite the loss, Cuba qualified for the finals with six wins. China finished 17th in the preliminary phase with three victories.

    “China did a great job today. They fought for every point, all the time. We didn’t push enough to win the game. We need to be better at this as well, as sometimes we don’t do enough,” Cuba’s opposite spiker Jose Masso Alvarez told the official website of the Volleyball Nations League after the game.

    Elsewhere on the day, Iran beat Bulgaria in straight sets. Amin Esmaeilnezhad produced 19 points for the winners, while Amirhossein Esfandiar added 14.

    In the last game of the week in Gdansk, Poland edged past France 32-30, 20-25, 25-20, 23-25, 15-12. Wilfredo Leon earned 30 points for the winners, while Theo Faure poured in two points less for France. Both teams have booked their spot in the best eight earlier.

    The final round of the Men’s Volleyball Nations League will be played in Ningbo, China, from July 30 to August 3. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China women’s basketball team kicks off Universiade title defense with easy win

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

    The Chinese women’s basketball team, the reigning champion, sealed a lop-sided 88-56 victory over Portugal in its first group match Friday at the FISU World University Games.

    Shooting guard Chen Yujie dished out 19 points for China with efficient 28 minutes on the court, making seven out of nine attempts, including a 3-pointer. Forward Li Xingnuo buried three 3-pointers out of six attempts to add 16 points. Three more Chinese players scored in double-digit points.

    Point guard Ines Ramos had a team-high 14 points from 11 shooting attempts. Forward Eva Carregosa was the only other Portuguese player contributing 10-plus points.

    China opened the game with a 3-0 run, all coming from free throws before Portugal reinforced its attacks to level the score 14-14 with Maria Do Camo Cruz’s field goal. Carregosa’s consecutive five points from a 3-pointer and two free throws gave Portugal a 23-20 lead to wrap up the first quarter.

    Starting strong in the second quarter with an 8-0 spurt, China contained Portugal to just four field goals throughout the quarter and built up a 46-33 advantage into the interval, outscoring Portugal by 26-10 in the period.

    China maintained its momentum back into the court with a 6-0 to start the third quarter. Five straight points from Ramos’ layup and 3-pointer helped Portugal narrow the deficit to 56-40, but a follow-up 3-pointer from Li Qingyang and a buzzer-beater from Zhang Zihan handed China an 18-point lead. The game went into the final period by 61-43.

    The final quarter was left to substitutes for both teams and the match ended with 88-56.

    China grabbed a total of 42 rebounds, 16 more than their opponents, which partly defined the direction of the game.

    “We met Portugal at the Chengdu Universiade in 2023, so we somehow know their style,” said Chinese coach Zhao Xuetong, a basketball trainer from Beijing Normal University, where most of the Chinese players come.

    “We are the (Universiade) titleholder, but the squad here is much different, and some top players called up two years ago are absent. Hopefully, we can play better and finish our campaign here on podium.”

    In the other match in Group D, Romania snatched a narrow win of 64-60 over Chile. China will meet Romania and Portugal is to take on Chile on Saturday.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Missions – 21-23 July: INTA Delegation to Brazil – 21-07-2025 – Committee on International Trade

    Source: European Parliament

    A delegation of 10 Members of the Committee on International Trade (INTA) will travel to Brazil from 21 to 23 July and will visit Brasília and São Paulo.

    The mission will focus on advancing dialogue on the EU-Mercosur Partnership Agreement and strengthening trade relations between the European Union and Brazil.

    During the visit, Members of the European Parliament will engage with Brazilian ministers, and officials as well as representatives from industry, civil society and think tanks to discuss the political, economic and environmental dimensions of the agreement.

    The delegation is lead by LANGE Bernd, Chair of the INTA, S&D (Germany) and also includes:

    SOUSA SILVA Hélder, Chair of the Delegation for relations with the Federative Republic of Brazil, EPP (Portugal)

    REGNER Evelyn, Chair of the Delegation for relations with Mercosur, S&D (Austria)

    WARBORN Jörgen, EPP (Sweden)

    ZOVKO Željana, EPP (Croatia)

    ASSIS Francisco, S&D (Portugal)

    BULLMANN Udo, S&D (Germany)

    KRUIS Sebastian, PfE (Netherlands)

    MADISON Jaak, ECR (Estonia)

    VEDRENNE Marie-Pierre, Renew (France)

    BRICMONT Saskia, Greens/EFA (Belgium)

    AUBRY Manon, The Left (France)

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Romania registers first corporate green bond sale as utility Electrica completes €500 million transaction with EIB participation

    Source: European Investment Bank

    EIB

    • Romanian power supplier Electrica raises €500 million through country’s first corporate green bond, with EIB among the buyers
    • Company to use proceeds to expand renewable electricity generation as well as energy storage

    Romanian power producer Electrica became the first company in Romania to issue a green bond, completing a €500 million operation in which the European Investment Bank (EIB) was one of the buyers. Investor demand for the bond, which is being listed on the Luxembourg and Bucharest stock exchanges, exceeded the offer at the final price by more than 10 times.

    Electrica will use the funds raised to expand renewable electricity generation and energy storage, in line with the company’s Green Financing Framework. By 2030, Electrica aims to have the capacity to generate 1,000 megawatts of renewable power and to store 900 megawatt-hours (MWh) of electricity.

    “This issuance is an ice breaker for the Romanian market,” said EIB Vice-President Ioannis Tsakiris. “The Electrica operation is at the intersection of finance and sustainability, encouraging all to think green. It is a significant project because driving funds towards environmentally sustainable projects is at the heart of fostering economic growth and contributing to the fight against climate change.”

    Electrica is a key player in the Romanian market for electricity production, supply and distribution. The company has around 4 million customers, largely in the regions of Transylvania and Muntenia.

    “The green-bond issuance marks a pivotal moment for Electrica and the national energy system,” said Electrica Chief Executive Officer Alexandru Chiriță. “The success of this operation underscores our corporate discipline, transparency and ability for swift execution while sending a strong signal to the international financial markets about Romania’s potential in sustainable financing.”

    The transaction demonstrates the EIB’s ability to support green investments that are aligned with the European Union taxonomy for sustainable activities via capital market instruments contributing to EU policy goals.

    Electrica’s green bond has a maturity of five years, an interest rate of 4.566% and a BBB rating by Fitch Ratings. The planned issuance was approved on 10 July 2025 by the Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier in Luxembourg.

    Romania registers first corporate green-bond sale as utility Electrica completes €500 million transaction with EIB participation
    Romania registers first corporate green-bond sale as utility Electrica completes €500 million transaction with EIB participation
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    Romania registers first corporate green-bond sale as utility Electrica completes €500 million transaction with EIB participation
    Romania registers first corporate green-bond sale as utility Electrica completes €500 million transaction with EIB participation
    ©EIB
    Download original

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Highlights – 21-23 July: INTA delegation to Brazil – Committee on International Trade

    Source: European Parliament

    A delegation of 10 Members of the Committee on International Trade (INTA) will travel to Brazil from 21 to 23 July and will visit Brasília and São Paulo.

    The mission will focus on advancing dialogue on the EU-Mercosur Partnership Agreement and strengthening trade relations between the European Union and Brazil.

    During the visit, Members of the European Parliament will engage with Brazilian ministers, and officials as well as representatives from industry, civil society and think tanks to discuss the political, economic and environmental dimensions of the agreement.

    The delegation is lead by LANGE Bernd, Chair of the INTA, S&D (Germany) and also includes:

    SOUSA SILVA Hélder, Chair of the Delegation for relations with the Federative Republic of Brazil, EPP (Portugal)

    REGNER Evelyn, Chair of the Delegation for relations with Mercosur, S&D (Austria)

    WARBORN Jörgen, EPP (Sweden)

    ZOVKO Željana, EPP (Croatia)

    ASSIS Francisco, S&D (Portugal)

    BULLMANN Udo, S&D (Germany)

    KRUIS Sebastian, PfE (Netherlands)

    MADISON Jaak, ECR (Estonia)

    VEDRENNE Marie-Pierre, Renew (France)

    BRICMONT Saskia, Greens/EFA (Belgium)

    AUBRY Manon, The Left (France)

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Behind bars, not beyond rights: UN Peacekeeping & the Nelson Mandela Rules

    Source: United Nations – Peacekeeping

    Written by Maya Kelly, a Strategic Communications Consultant and Social Media Coordinator for the UN Department of Peace Operations. She has a background in media, communications, technoculture, and education policy

    Human rights belong to everyone – including prisoners.  

    Nelson Mandela once said, “A nation should not be judged by how it treats its highest citizens, but rather its lowest ones.” Imprisoned for 27 years under apartheid, the late president of South Africa saw firsthand the injustices faced behind bars. He spent his life advocating for the fair and human treatment of all people, including prisoners. 

    His fight continues today. Around the world, prisons hold individuals convicted of violent or non-violent offences, political prisoners, juveniles, and pre-trial detainees held for months or years without any conviction – and who accounted for nearly a third of the world’s 11.5 million prison population as of 2022. 

    In many places, these prisoners’ rights are still not upheld. Many are subjected to violence. Many are denied humane treatment, clean water, adequate food, proper sanitation, healthcare, and legal protections. Overincarceration, overcrowding, underfunding, poor conditions and the serious neglect of prison services threaten the lives of prisoners, the safety of communities, and the global community’s efforts to advance human rights, sustainable development, and peace. 

    The Nelson Mandela Rules, adopted by the UN General Assembly 10 years ago, seek to change this by establishing minimum standards for the treatment of prisoners. In the countries where we operate, UN peacekeeping helps host governments put these rules into practice in countries like South Sudan, the Central African Republic, and Kosovo*. Our efforts protect the rights of detainees, improve the safety and security of communities, and help advance sustainable peace in regions affected by conflict.

    What are the Nelson Mandela Rules?

    The UN first adopted rules for the treatment of prisoners in 1955. They were not updated again until 2015, when after five years of revisions, the UN General Assembly unanimously adopted the revised United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners – known today as the Nelson Mandela Rules.  

    The new resolution was named to honour the legacy of Mandela’s lifelong struggle for global human rights, equality, democracy, and the promotion of a culture of peace. 

    The Nelson Mandela Rules are the universally recognized blueprint for effective and humane prison management in the 21st century.

    While there are 122 rules in total, they are guided by a set of key principles, which seek to create prison systems that ensure humane treatment for prisoners and help prevent repeat offences:

    1. Humane treatment: Every prisoner is a human being whose rights and dignity must be respected. This includes protection from torture and from cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment, and the right to food, water, and medical attention.
    2. Non-discrimination: The rules should be applied equally and without discrimination based on race, gender, language, religion, sexuality or another other status.
    3. Normalisation: Life in prison should be as similar as possible to life in the wider community, with access to resources and regular family contact, to support reintegration and deter repeat offences.
    4. Safety and security: Prisons should provide a safe and secure environment for prisoners, prison staff, service providers and visitors, including protecting prisoners from violence.
    5. Tailored rehabilitation: Rehabilitation opportunities, including education and vocational training, should meet prisoners’ individual needs to prepare them to live a law-abiding and self-supporting life upon release. Rehabilitation reduces the likelihood of repeat offences upon prisoners’ release. 

    Ensuring prisons meet these standards protects the prisoners and personnel inside and improves the safety of surrounding communities.

    Why are the Mandela Rules Important?

    When the Nelson Mandela Rules are applied, we’re all better off: the rules improve both prisoner and community safety and security.

    Humane, rehabilitative prisons lower reoffending rates upon release, improving public safety. Overcrowding and poor sanitation in prisons accelerates the spread of disease, threatening the health of inmates and the wider community. Improving prison health protects public health. Incarceration disrupts families and communities for generations, while prison alternatives and maintained family contact during incarceration leads to stronger social and community cohesion. Incarceration is not only expensive for governments but has long lasting economic costs for families and communities who lose economic potential. 

    While the Mandela Rules establish the minimum standards in countries where United Nations peace operations are present, chronic underfunding, overcrowding, and outdated infrastructure severely limit governments’ abilities to meet even the most basic standards of detention. If left unchecked, prisons become breeding grounds for communicable disease, violence, and radicalization with social, economic and political costs that are felt well beyond the prison walls. We, therefore, work together with national authorities and partners to implement and uphold the Mandela Rules in prisons in some of the world’s toughest conflict environments.

    How UN Peacekeeping helps countries put the Mandela Rules into practice

    UN Peacekeeping deploys Justice and Corrections experts to improve how prisons are run, support programs that help prisoners reintegrate into society, and train national prison staff to strengthen justice for prisoners and wider community members.

    We support host governments implement the Nelson Mandela Rules, building safer, fairer prisons that respect human rights, reduce the risk of violence and radicalization, and strengthen public trust in justice institutions. These are key foundations for building lasting peace, security, and stability in conflict and post-conflict settings.

    In prisons in South Sudan, climate shocks, regional conflict, stalled imports and overcrowding in prisons mean that prisoners do not have enough to eat. The peacekeeping mission UNMISS is working with the Food and Agriculture Association (FAO) to train inmates in agriculture and let them grow food on “prison farms” to supply the prisons. The results have been transformative: food insecurity has been reduced, and prisoners have gained vocational skills that give them hope for their futures. “This farm helps us produce food, gives us the physical exercise we need, but above all, gives us hope for rebuilding our lives once we finish our sentences,” says Jakor Kuron, an inmate.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –