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Category: Business

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Chinese Culture Festival 2025 opens today (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Chinese Culture Festival 2025 opens today

    The Chinese Culture Festival (CCF) 2025, presented by the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau and organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD), opened today (June 13) at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre (HKCC), launching over 280 events to be held from June to September.

    In a video speech addressing the opening ceremony, the Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, said that the Government will fully leverage Hong Kong’s unique advantages of enjoying the strong support of the motherland and being closely connected to the world under the “one country, two systems” principle to promote outstanding traditional Chinese culture globally and ride on Hong Kong’s international network in telling good stories of China to the world. Mr Lee pointed out that an important strategic direction featured in the Blueprint for Arts and Culture and Creative Industries Development, published by the Government last year, is on the promotion of the profound traditional Chinese culture. He is confident that the Chinese Culture Festival will become an annual signature cultural event in Hong Kong, presenting the rich and vibrant Chinese culture to audiences through innovative approaches. He said that the Government will continue to promote the essence of Chinese culture to citizens of Hong Kong and visitors from overseas and the Mainland, with a view to achieving “shaping tourism with cultural activities and promoting culture through tourism” and fostering the integration and mutual reinforcement of culture and tourism.

    Officiating guests at the opening ceremony included the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Miss Rosanna Law; the Secretary General of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government (LOCPG) in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), Mr Wang Songmiao; the Deputy Director General of the Department of Publicity, Cultural and Sports Affairs of the LOCPG in the HKSAR, Mr Li Shuguang; the Chairperson of the Working Group on Patriotic Education under the Constitution and Basic Law Promotion Steering Committee and Legislative Council Member, Dr Starry Lee; the Chairman of the Legislative Council Panel on Home Affairs, Culture and Sports, Mr Ma Fung-kwok; and the Director of Leisure and Cultural Services, Ms Manda Chan.

    The opening programme of this year’s CCF staged tonight is a contemporary dance performance “Dongpo: Life in Poems”, which is sponsored by the Agricultural Bank of China Limited Hong Kong Branch and performed by the China Oriental Performing Arts Group. Directed by internationally acclaimed choreographer and visual artist Shen Wei, the production is inspired by the poetry and life of Su Dongpo, a literary master in the Song dynasty. It revolves 12 of Su’s poems that epitomise the poet’s life philosophy, while reinterpreting Su’s multifaceted legacy through contemporary dance. The production deeply integrates various fine traditional Chinese culture elements, such as poetry writing, traditional Chinese painting, calligraphy, seal engraving, guqin, Chinese opera and martial arts. By merging “cognitive essence” and “aesthetic realm”, this approach is designed to transcend linguistic barriers, allowing audiences to explore Su’s spiritual world through a contemporary lens. The audience gave rounds of warm applause for the splendid performance by main cast performers Su Peng and Liu Jie, outstanding young dancers from the China Oriental Song and Dance Troupe and the Meishan Song and Dance Theatre, as well as for guqin virtuoso and Professor of the Central Conservatory of Music Zhao Xiaoxia.

    The programme also featured an open rehearsal under the “Chinese Culture for All: A Special Performance Series” this afternoon at the Grand Theatre of the HKCC. Close to 400 primary and secondary school students and teachers as well as members of the community were invited to attend, free of charge. This session enabled them to appreciate the humanistic emotions conveyed in Su’s poetry and embark on an artistic journey where “poetry embodies dance and dance incorporates poetry” in appreciating the beauty of traditional Chinese culture.

    The thematic exhibition on “Dongpo: Life in Poems” is currently being held at the Foyer of the HKCC. Apart from introducing the concept and structure of the production, the exhibition also presents Shen’s research notes and design sketches created during the creative process through photographs. Three paintings by Shen that were displayed on stage during the performance are featured in the exhibition. The exhibition will run until tomorrow (June 14). Admission is free and members of the public are welcome to visit.

    The CCF aims to promote Chinese culture and enhance the public’s national identity and cultural confidence. It also aims to attract top-notch artists and arts groups from the Mainland and other parts of the world for exchanges in Chinese arts and culture. The CCF 2025 is held from June to September. Through different performing arts programmes in various forms and related extension activities, as well as community and school activities and more, the festival provides members of the public and visitors with more opportunities to enjoy distinctive programmes that showcase fine traditional Chinese culture, thereby facilitating patriotic education and contributing to the inheritance, transformation and development of traditional Chinese culture in Hong Kong. For more information about programmes and activities of the CCF 2025, please visit www.ccf.gov.hk.

    Ends/Friday, June 13, 2025
    Issued at HKT 22:20

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    June 14, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Türkiye’s renewable power capacity to reach 38.2GW in 2035, forecasts GlobalData

    Source: GlobalData

    Türkiye’s renewable power capacity to reach 38.2GW in 2035, forecasts GlobalData

    Posted in Power

    Türkiye boasts one of the world’s most rapidly expanding energy markets, driven by its robust economic growth. However, the country relies heavily on fossil and electricity imports to meet its domestic power demand. To reduce this dependency, the country is looking to expand is renewable capacity. In October 2024, Türkiye’s Ministry of Energy unveiled its 2035 roadmap for renewable energy. Against this backdrop, the country’s renewable power capacity is forecast to reach 38.2GW in 2035, registering a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17.1% during 2024-35, according to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

    GlobalData’s latest report, “Turkey Power Market Outlook to 2035, Update 2025 – Market Trends, Regulations, and Competitive Landscape,” reveals that annual power generation in Türkiye is expected to increase at a CAGR of 8.6% during 2024-35 to reach 213.5TWh.

    Attaurrahman Ojindaram Saibasan, Senior Power Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Türkiye aims to quadruple its wind and solar capacity, targeting a goal of 120GW by 2035. To achieve this, the country plans to install between 7.5 and 8GW of renewable energy capacity annually, with an investment of $80 billion. The strategy includes the addition of at least 2GW of wind capacity each year through YEKA auctions, which  included 1.2GW of wind and 800MW of solar in the YEKA 2024 auction. Furthermore, the development of 5GW of offshore wind is targeted. These targets are expected to augment renewable power development.”

    Saibasan adds: “Türkiye’s increasing demand for power has been driven by the nation’s expanding GDP and population growth, with projections indicating a continued upward trend. As the primary source of power generation in Türkiye, thermal power—predominantly derived from natural gas, followed by hard coal and lignite—plays a crucial role.”

    However, Türkiye’s domestic fossil fuel resources are limited, necessitating a heavy reliance on imported fuels to satisfy its energy needs, including those for power generation. According to Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Türkiye, approximately 74% of Turkey’s energy requirements are met through imports. The country sources natural gas from Russia, Iran, Azerbaijan, Algeria, and Nigeria, while its crude oil imports primarily come from Iraq, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Colombia, Kazakhstan, and Nigeria.

    Saibasan concludes: “To overcome the challenge, the country has placed focus on nuclear and renewable power. Within the renewable power segment, solar PV constituted nearly 51.3% of the total renewable power capacity followed by onshore wind, accounting for 32.9% in 2024. The country is looking to add offshore wind into its capacity mix by 2032. In the Offshore Wind Roadmap, Türkiye has established a goal of achieving 5GW of installed capacity for offshore wind power by 2035.”

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

    June 14, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Retail icon to £1 bargain: Poundland’s sale exposes cracks in value retailer, says GlobalData

    Source: GlobalData

    Retail icon to £1 bargain: Poundland’s sale exposes cracks in value retailer, says GlobalData

    Posted in Retail

    Following the news that Poundland has been sold for £1 to turnaround firm Gordon Brothers with up to 100 stores set for closure;

    Emily Scott, Retail Analyst at GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company, offers her view:

    “Poundland’s sale comes amid mounting losses and declining revenue, as it has faced intense competition and the distraction of the failed introduction of its Pepco clothing and general merchandise range. Poundland’s appeal was rooted in its straightforward approach to value with a single price point. However, in recent years, the retailer has strayed far from this. The introduction of multiple price points has confused customers, while still not enabling shoppers to trade up within its ranges as it lacks the additional choice of mid to premium products. Poundland has lost out as consumers are becoming more discerning, seeking a better balance between quality and value for money, driving them to trade up. The British variety store chain has also faced increasing competition from the grocers, particularly as Tesco has leveraged its Clubcard loyalty scheme to offer customers exclusive discounts and enhanced value.

    “GlobalData estimates that Home Bargains, B&M and The Range’s market shares in the UK discount market have increased by 7.2ppts, 6.2ppts and 1.3ppts, respectively, between 2019 and 2024, while Poundland’s share has fallen 2.3ppts. Poundland’s weak variety of branded goods at low prices has meant it has struggled to keep pace, damaging its brand perception amongst brand- and budget-conscious shoppers.”

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

    June 14, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Influencers hail Nvidia-Mistral partnership as game-change for European tech, reveals GlobalData

    Source: GlobalData

    Influencers hail Nvidia-Mistral partnership as game-change for European tech, reveals GlobalData

    Posted in Business Fundamentals

    NVIDIA Corp (NVIDIA) has announced a significant partnership with French startup Mistral AI to build “Mistral Compute,” a powerful new AI cloud infrastructure. While influencers have universally praised the scale of the initiative, which will deploy tens of thousands of GPUs, influencers see it as a monumental win for both European AI sovereignty and the US-led open-source movement, reveals the Social Media Analytics Platform of GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

    Smitarani Tripathy, Social Media Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Influencers lauded the partnership for creating an integrated AI stack that will massively increase AI compute capacity. However, a clear divergence emerged in their analysis. Some framed the deal as a game-changer for European tech, emphasizing the creation of a ‘Sovereign AI infrastructure.’ Also, a few others saw it as a ‘massive win for America,’ suggesting that open models running on US chips could become the global template.”

    Below are a few popular influencers opinions captured by GlobalData’s Social Media Analytics Platform:

    1. Ray Wang, Technologist:

    “1) One of the key partnerships announced is between Nvidia and French startup Mistral, which will build an “AI cloud” that will deploy 18,000 Nvidia Grace Blackwell chips. This will allow businesses to develop and use AI through Mistral’s models, Nvidia said. 2) In Germany, Nvidia said it is building what it has dubbed as an “industrial cloud” that will feature 10,000 GPUs and will be specifically designed to provide services for European manufacturers.”

    1. Paul Murphy, Partner at Lightspeed:

    “Our @lightspeedvp  portfolio company @MistralAI ‘s next big move – Mistral Compute 18,000 NVIDIA Grace Blackwell chips, 10x increase in EU AI compute capacity over 2 years. Sovereign AI infrastructure, game changing for European tech! ”

    1. Beth Kindig, Lead Tech Analyst at I/O Fund :

    “Mistral and Nvidia $NVDA are partnering to create Mistral Compute, offering customers a private and integrated AI stack spanning GPUs, orchestration, APIs, products and services, with “tens of thousands” of GPUs available..”

    1. Anjney Midha, General Partner @ a16z:

    “”Today we’re announcing we’re going to build an AI cloud together with @MistralAI”  Jensen @nvidia GTC today unveiling Mistral Compute This is a massive win for America and for open source Open models on US chips wil be the template for AI infrastructure buildouts globally.”

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

    June 14, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Danone Bebelac ads highlight nutritional innovation, child well-being, and parental trust, reveals GlobalData

    Source: GlobalData

    Danone Bebelac ads highlight nutritional innovation, child well-being, and parental trust, reveals GlobalData

    Posted in Business Fundamentals

    French food giant Danone’s YouTube advertisements of growing-up milk brand Bebelac from December 2024 to May 2025 emphasize key values such as child health, parental involvement, and evidence-based nutrition, appealing to caregivers who seek optimal choices for their children. They aim to foster a sense of community among parents, facilitating the exchange of experiences and insights related to child nutrition and development, reveals Global Ads Platform of GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

    Sagar Kishor, Ads Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Bebelac’s advertising strategy skilfully addresses the concerns of modern parents by prioritizing the essential nutritional needs of their children. The brand’s emphasis on promoting cognitive and social development, along with its engaging and playful approach, establishes Bebelac’s presence in the child nutrition sector. Furthermore, the integration of recognizable characters and interactive promotions enhances the brand’s visibility and resonance with families, creating a stronger bond with consumers.”

    Below are the key focus areas of Bebelac’s advertisements, revealed by GlobalData’s Global Ads Platform:

    Nutritional innovation: Bebelac’s advertising highlights its commitment to child nutritional innovation through unique product formulations, including Bebelac Gold, Soya, and the prebiotics blend fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) and galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS), which is beneficial for gut health.

    Child well-being and comfort: The baby formula brand’s advertisements focus on ensuring the well-being of children by promoting products such as Bebelac Gold, which supports digestive health and minimizes fussiness. This messaging provides reassurance to parents, allowing them to feel confident that their children can enjoy nutritious options free from added sugars.

    Holistic development: The advertisement “Rahasia Don Hebat” for product “Bebelac 3” emphasizes both cognitive and social skills and illustrates how the formula supports problem-solving abilities and emotional intelligence, reinforcing the idea that nutrition plays a vital role in a child’s overall development.

    Trust and transparency: The advertising strategy emphasizes trust and transparency by showcasing authentic testimonials and clearly disclosing ingredient information. This approach builds credibility with parents, empowering them to make informed decisions about their children’s nutrition while nurturing brand loyalty and confidence.

    Kishor concludes: “By addressing both the rational and emotional needs of caregivers, the brand effectively positions itself as a trusted partner in a child’s growth journey. This dual-pronged approach not only enhances brand equity but also strengthens consumer engagement in a competitive and highly sensitive market segment.”

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

    June 14, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Bay Area Congressional Delegation Statement on CBP Activities at SFO

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jared Huffman Representing the 2nd District of California

    June 12, 2025

    Reps. Jared Huffman (CA-02), Kevin Mullin (CA-15), Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (CA-11), Zoe Lofgren (CA-18), Lateefah Simon (CA-12), Mike Thomspon (CA-04), John Garamendi (CA-08), Eric Swalwell (CA-14), Sam Liccardo (CA-16), and Ro Khanna (CA-17), issued the following joint statement in response to Customs and Border Protection inexplicably detaining travelers at San Francisco International Airport (SFO).

    “The Trump Administration’s approach to immigration has been utterly chaotic, inhumane, and disruptive to communities across the nation. Last night’s detainment of two Palestinian travelers who flew into SFO with valid visas is yet another example of Trump’s needlessly cruel actions. These visitors arrived here at the invitation of Bay Area interfaith community leaders. They traveled all the way from the West Bank to share their stories and work toward peace.  

    We call upon Customs and Border Protection to immediately respond to Congressional inquiries and provide the justification behind these individuals’ continued detainment and threatened deportation scheduled for later this afternoon. By inexplicably revoking visas, Trump’s CBP is discrediting America’s reputation abroad and breeding further distrust of our immigration system.”

    ###

    Previous Article

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 14, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Trusted Crypto Casinos Are Taking Over Online Gambling in 2025: Exclusive Report By Radcred

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Glendale, CA, June 13, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Independent Research Report Shows Why Licence-Backed, Instant-Pay Blockchain Sites Outpace Legacy Casinos

     Trust, not gimmicks, now decides where U.S. players place their crypto chips. Radcred’s Crypto-Casino Research Report scrutinized more than 200 digital-currency gambling sites, stress-testing everything from licensing to ledger speed. The audit confirms that total bet volume doubled to $26 billion in Q1 2025, while payout disputes fell by 38 per cent at operators meeting tier-one compliance and provably fair standards. 

    Only a few platforms earned Radcred’s coveted Gold Trust accreditation; dozens were rejected for opaque bonus rules, slow withdrawals, or missing security protocols.Together, these findings outline the benchmarks that separate the best crypto casinos 2025 from the rest of the market.

    How Crypto Casinos Are Revolutionising Online Gambling

    The digital gambling scenario is undergoing a seismic shift as blockchain technology fundamentally transforms the way players interact with online casinos. Unlike traditional platforms that rely on centralized systems and legacy banking infrastructure, crypto casinos are redefining transparency, speed, and global accessibility by utilizing distributed ledger technology.

    Immutable Gaming Records 
    Every bet, game outcome, and payout is permanently recorded on-chain, creating an unalterable audit trail that players can independently verify. This eliminates the opacity of traditional casinos that store critical game data in private, centralized databases.

    Provably Fair Gaming 
    Cryptographic algorithms enable players to validate results in real time—crucial for anyone seeking provably fair crypto games.. This revolutionary approach allows independent verification of outcomes, removing the need to trust casino operators blindly.

    Instant Settlement Times 

    Withdrawals typically clear within 5-15 minutes; the fastest test result came from an instant-withdrawal Bitcoin casino at just 4.9 minutes, compared to traditional casinos that may take days for international transfers. This speed advantage is particularly pronounced for weekend transactions when traditional banking systems are often offline.

    Elimination of Payment Processors 
    Direct peer-to-peer transfers remove the need for third-party payment processors and their associated fees and delays. This streamlined approach reduces transaction costs while dramatically improving processing speeds.

    24/7 Global Accessibility 
    Blockchain networks operate continuously, allowing players worldwide to access gambling services regardless of local banking hours or weekend restrictions. This constant availability particularly benefits international players who previously faced significant barriers with traditional payment methods.

    Detailed Casino findings are available in Radcred’s full 2025 report.

    Game Selection at the Top Crypto Casinos

    Leading sites now bundle 5,000+ RNG titles, live-dealer studios, crash games, and on-chain originals providing the variety legacy brands need years to match. BitStarz alone adds 200 new releases monthly, while Jackbit’s slot lobby covers every volatility tier from low-risk warm-ups to fast-paying crypto casino jackpot chasers.

    1) Slots
    Crypto sites host thousands of slot titles, from three-reel classics to video machines loaded with Megaways, cascading reels, and progressive jackpots. Fan favourites such as Sweet Bonanza and Book of Dead sit alongside exclusive Bitcoin-themed slots, most posting return-to-player rates near 95-97 %. Spin wagers typically start at $0.10, yet pooled jackpots can climb into six figures.

    2) Table Games
    Core staples include blackjack, roulette, baccarat, and multiple poker variants. European roulette carries the lower house edge (2.7 %) versus its double-zero American cousin, while crypto blackjack often supports perfect-strategy RTPs above 99 %. Minimum bets hover around $1, but VIP tables raise limits well past $5,000.

    3) Live Dealer Tables
    Live studios stream in 4K from providers such as Evolution and Pragmatic Play, pairing professional croupiers with real-time chat. Options span live blackjack, speed roulette, Andar Bahar, and game-show formats like Crazy Time or Monopoly Live. Entry stakes can be as low as $0.20.

    4) Provably Fair Originals
    Blockchain titles—Crash, Dice, Mines, and Plinko—let players verify every result through on-chain hashes. The transparency appeals to trust-minded users, while lightning-fast rounds give the genre an arcade feel. Typical wagers range from a few cents to several hundred dollars.

    5) Specialty Games
    Light-hearted picks such as keno, bingo, scratch cards, and virtual sports round out the lobby. Tickets often cost under $1, deliver instant outcomes, and require no complex rules—ideal for a quick session between bigger bets.

    6) Sports & eSports Betting
    Many crypto platforms include full sportsbooks covering NFL, NBA, soccer, UFC, and eSports titles like CS:GO and League of Legends. Odds are priced in BTC or USDT, and same-wallet payouts hit accounts within minutes after matches settle.

    7) Poker Rooms & Tournaments
    Dedicated poker lobbies run cash tables, sit-and-go’s, and multi-table events with buy-ins from $1 to $10,000. Players join anonymously and withdraw chips directly to their wallets once play ends.

    8) Crash & Multiplier Games
    Titles such as Aviator, Bustabit, and JetX let users cash out before a rising line “crashes.” RTPs hover above 99 %, and rounds last under ten seconds, popular with bankroll builders seeking quick swings.

    9) Lottery & Jackpot Draws
    Daily crypto lotteries and hourly jackpot wheels sell tickets for a few satoshis. Prize pools grow block-by-block, draws are blockchain-verifiable, and winnings pay out instantly to the player’s wallet.

    List of Top Games Reviewed by Radcred Experts

    Legal Landscape of Crypto Casinos (U.S. & Global)

    While no federal statute outlaws crypto wagering, state-by-state rules vary. Offshore platforms licensed in Curaçao, Malta, or the Isle of Man can legally accept American traffic, yet players should verify state restrictions before depositing. Europe is moving toward unified licence classes, and Asia-Pacific regulators are drafting sandbox frameworks to balance innovation and consumer protection.

    How Players Use Crypto Casinos

    • Bankroll building: Players grind low-stake slots to clear bonuses, then switch to provably fair       dice for high-volatility bursts.
     
    • Anonymity seekers: Privacy-minded users favour no-KYC crypto casino accounts tied to self-custody wallets.

    • High rollers: VIPs capitalise on daily cashback ladders and wager-back rebates that would be impossible under fiat-card fees.

    Bonuses and Promotions at Crypto Casinos

    Welcome packages have exploded—some platforms tout 500 % matches worth $10,000 plus 500 free spins. Radcred’s audit focuses on rollover fairness: any deal above 40×, with max-win caps mirroring deposit size, is flagged. Ongoing perks—reload boosts, rakeback, and loyalty NFTs now rival sign-up deals for overall value.

    Welcome Bonuses
    First deposits routinely trigger 100 %–325 % matches, often capped at 5 BTC (or 50,000 USDT) and bundled with 50–250 free spins. Wagering is usually 20×–40× on the bonus—or occasionally on “deposit + bonus,” so reading the terms is non-negotiable.

    No-Deposit Bonuses
    A handful of trusted crypto casinos drop tiny crypto credits (0.0002–0.001 BTC) or 10–50 free spins just for signing up. Great for testing the lobby, but expect steeper rollover—typically 40×–60×—and modest cash-out caps around 0.005 BTC.

    Reload Bonuses
    Weekly or VIP reloads add 25 %–100 % to subsequent top-ups, usually worth $50–$300 in coin value. Wagering mirrors welcome offers (20×–40×), though elite tiers may see requirements cut in half.

    Cashback Deals
    Loss rebates of 5 %–20 % appear daily or weekly. The better platforms credit these funds wager-free; others attach a light 10×–20× roll-through before withdrawals unlock.

    Free Spins
    Blocks of 10–200 spins (valued at $0.10–$0.50 each) accompany welcome, reload, or new-game promos. Spin winnings usually face 20×–45× wagering and may top out at roughly $100 in withdrawable value.

    Loyalty & VIP Programs
    Long-term play earns points that escalate through bronze-to-diamond tiers. Perks scale from birthday spins to 40 % rakeback, higher withdrawal ceilings, physical gifts, and 24/7 concierge hosts often with no extra wagering attached, though unused bonus chips expire after 30–90 days.

    Full bonus data appears in the 2025 Radcred report

    Crypto-Gambling Trends to Watch in 2025

    Crypto-gambling is evolving fast, blending blockchain innovation with high-stakes entertainment. From Bitcoin betting platforms to NFT-based rewards, U.S. players are seeing more secure, fast, and anonymous ways to play. Here’s a look at the biggest trends shaping the future of online crypto casinos this year.

    AI-Powered Personalization

    Advanced artificial intelligence algorithms are revolutionizing player experiences by analyzing behavior patterns, game preferences, and betting habits to deliver tailored recommendations and dynamic bonuses. These systems enhance engagement while providing early warnings for problematic gambling behaviors.

    Instant Withdrawals and Lightning Transactions

    Crypto casinos are prioritizing sub-10-minute withdrawal speeds, with a few platforms processing Bitcoin withdrawals in under 12 minutes. This trend addresses traditional banking delays and attracts players seeking immediate access to winnings.

    NFT Integration and Tokenized Rewards

    Non-fungible tokens are being incorporated as in-game rewards, collectibles, and play-to-earn mechanisms. This creates new revenue streams and adds digital ownership elements to traditional gambling experiences.

    Decentralized Casinos and Web3 Adoption

    Blockchain-powered platforms are eliminating centralized control through smart contracts, offering provably fair games and transparent operations. These decentralized systems provide enhanced player autonomy and reduced operational costs.

    Mobile-First Crypto Gaming

    With over 59% of gaming activity occurring on mobile devices, operators are prioritizing mobile-optimized crypto gambling experiences. This includes seamless crypto wallet integration and touch-friendly interfaces designed for smartphones.

    Why Crypto Casinos Are the Top Choice of Players

    The digital gambling revolution has positioned crypto casinos as the preferred destination for modern players worldwide. With a market that has surged to $250 million and witnessed an 83.6% increase in crypto bets in 2024, these platforms are redefining player expectations through superior technology, enhanced privacy, and unprecedented convenience.

    Identity Protection

    Wallet addresses replace names and card numbers, so breaches or charge-back fraud can’t touch you. End-to-end encryption keeps every spin or hand tied only to a hash—not your personal details.

    No KYC Hassles

    Most leading sites skip document uploads entirely. You register with an email, set a wallet, and play in under a minute—eliminating the data-sharing risk many mainstream gamblers now avoid.

    Instant Deposits & Withdrawals

    On-chain transfers settle in 5-15 minutes; benchmark brand CoinCasino routinely clocks Bitcoin cash-outs below 15. Weekends or bank holidays no longer freeze bankrolls.

    Minimal Fees

    With processors removed, network costs often fall below $1, and some operators cover them. That translates to more spins, bets, or hands from the same budget.

    Provably Fair Games

    Roughly 77 percent of crypto casinos publish hashed server/client seeds. Anyone can verify randomness after every round, reinforcing trust without third-party auditors.

    Super-Charged Bonuses

    Welcome deals reach 500 percent plus hundreds of free spins. Reloads, daily rakeback, and loyalty NFTs push total promo value far past what fiat sites offer.

    VIP Treatment

    Tiered programs award up to 40 percent cashback, higher withdrawal caps, dedicated hosts, and even luxury trips for high rollers—perks unlocked through transparent point systems, not opaque invitations.

    How Crypto Casinos Are Evaluated

    Evaluating crypto casinos means looking beyond flashy bonuses. U.S. players prioritize secure blockchain payments, fair game mechanics, fast withdrawals, and strong user reputations. With more platforms entering the space, understanding how these casinos are evaluated helps players find trustworthy and rewarding experiences in the growing world of crypto gambling.

    • Licence & Jurisdiction Verification –  Analysts cross-reference licence numbers with regulators in Malta, Curaçao, and the Isle of Man, checking disciplinary dockets for unresolved complaints. Sites without a publicly searchable certificate or those linked to dormant holding companies are excluded immediately, preventing unsafe operators from reaching readers.
    • Provably Fair Confirmation –  Every in-house slot, roulette wheel, or dice game is hashed against its server seed, client seed, and nonce. Radcred reruns thousands of rounds to ensure the outcome history matches blockchain-published randomness proofs, hard evidence that no hidden code tilts results.
    • On-Chain Transaction Speed Audit – Deposits and withdrawals are executed every six hours for a week. Analysts log confirmation counts, network fees, and manual-review delays. Platforms clearing cash-out requests in under ten minutes on at least 95 percent of attempts score the highest.
    • Security & Privacy Controls – Evaluation covers mandatory two-factor authentication, SSL/TLS strength, DDoS mitigation, and cold wallet segregation. Zero-knowledge KYC methods, where available, receive bonus credit for minimizing identity exposure while still complying with anti-money laundering regulations.
    • Bonus-Term Transparency –  Fine print is dissected for wagering multipliers, game exclusions, and maximum-win caps. Operators hiding key conditions below the fold, or inflating advertised bonus value through unrealistic rollover hurdles, are penalised.

    Visit Casino Sites Researched by Radcred’s Experts

    Why Radcred Is Your Trustworthy Crypto-Casino Radar?

    The modern crypto-gambling scenario demands reliable guidance through countless platforms and endless promotional claims. Radcred emerges as your definitive compass, cutting through industry noise to deliver transparent, merit-based casino evaluations that prioritize player protection over profit margins.

    Comprehensive Platform Testing 

    Radcred’s team conducts rigorous 7-day real-money testing sessions across multiple crypto casinos, evaluating everything from deposit speeds to withdrawal reliability during peak and off-peak hours. This hands-on approach ensures authentic insights rather than surface-level promotional content that plagues many review sites.

    Transparent Scoring Methodology 

    Unlike biased platforms that accept upfront payments from casinos, Radcred maintains editorial independence by utilizing merit-based evaluation criteria, including licensing verification, payout speeds, and responsiveness to customer service. Their 4.3-star average rating system reflects genuine user experiences rather than inflated promotional scores.

    Security-First Assessment 

    Every reviewed platform undergoes thorough security audits, examining SSL encryption standards, regulatory compliance, and data protection measures to ensure player safety. Radcred’s commitment to 256-bit encryption standards and fraud prevention education demonstrates their dedication to consumer protection over affiliate commissions.

    Real-Time Market Intelligence 

    The platform continuously monitors crypto casino developments, tracking regulatory changes, bonus structure modifications, and industry trends to provide up-to-date recommendations. This dynamic approach ensures players receive current, actionable information rather than outdated reviews that could lead to poor platform choices.

    Community-Verified Feedback  

    Radcred integrates verified player testimonials and community-driven insights, creating a comprehensive feedback ecosystem that highlights both positive experiences and potential red flags across different crypto gambling platforms.

     SEE HOW RADCRED SCORES YOUR FAVORITE CASINO SITE

    Safe Crypto Casino Actionable Tips

    Even with professional rankings, personal due diligence remains vital. Use the following four rules as a pre-deposit checklist.

    • Verify Licence Details in Regulator Databases –  If a licence number fails to populate official records or the corporate entity name differs from the site’s footer, treat it as a red flag.
    • Stress-Test Customer Support – Send a basic payout question before making a deposit. A sub-five-minute human response often predicts smoother conflict resolution later.
    • Scrutinise Bonus T&Cs –  Rollover above 40×, limited game eligibility, or maximum win caps that equal the deposit can erode perceived generosity.
    • Enable Two-Factor Authentication Immediately –  Phishing remains rampant. Hardware-key or app-based 2FA blocks account takeovers that simple passwords cannot.

    Conclusion

    Trust-centric design, verifiable randomness, and license-backed operations are pushing crypto casinos from fringe curiosity to mainstream entertainment. Radcred’s 2025 research report shows that when transparency meets speed, players follow. Relying on independent audits, free safety tools, and clear regulatory guidance, U.S. gamblers can enjoy blockchain wagering without unnecessary risk or confusion.

    FAQs

    Are crypto casinos legit?
    Crypto casinos operate in a legal gray area in the U.S., with legitimacy varying by state. Platforms licensed by authorities such as Curaçao or Malta are generally considered safe. However, U.S. federal laws create uncertainty, so always verify a casino’s license and check your state’s online gambling regulations before playing.

    Is it possible to win big at a crypto casino?
    Big wins are absolutely possible; some players have won millions of dollars. Games with high RTPs and smart bankroll strategies can improve odds. However, gambling is risky by nature, and winning isn’t guaranteed. Play responsibly and never wager more than you can afford to lose.

    How to find the best crypto casino online?
    Look for licensed platforms offering secure logins, fast payouts, and thousands of games. Check for fair bonus terms and crypto support. User reviews on sites like Trustpilot and Reddit can offer honest feedback. Reputable names like JACKBIT, BitStarz, and 7Bit are strong, proven options.

    How to verify the trustworthiness of cryptocurrency casinos?
    Verify proper licensing and conduct third-party audits by reputable bodies, such as iTech Labs or eCOGRA. Trustworthy sites use SSL encryption, offer provably fair games, and have responsive customer support. Always read genuine player reviews and be cautious of platforms with unclear terms, fake reviews, or delayed payouts.

    Disclaimer

    This material is for informational purposes only and does not constitute gambling advice or an invitation to wager. Online gaming may be illegal in some jurisdictions and involves financial risk. Always verify local laws, set personal limits, and seek help via the National Council on Problem Gambling helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

    The MIL Network –

    June 14, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tomorrow Is Officially “Vets Get Outside Day” After Senators King, Cassidy Resolution Passes Senate Unanimously

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King
    WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Senate unanimously passed a bipartisan resolution introduced by U.S. Senators Angus King (I-ME) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA), both members of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee (SVAC), marking Saturday, June 14th as “Veterans Get Outside Day.” The resolution encourages veterans, especially those struggling with mental health challenges, to spend time in the great outdoors. Veterans have free lifetime access to National Parks and Maine State Parks.
    “From beach walks on the rocky coast to a challenging hike in the woods, Maine’s extraordinary outdoor spaces can bring moments of calm during the most difficult times,” said Senator King. “I hope that ‘Vets Get Outside Day’ will encourage Maine veterans to find a relaxing outdoor space that helps them process their daily stressors. It’s a simple way to promote two of Maine’s greatest treasures — the great outdoors and our brave veterans.”
    “Resuming civilian life can be isolating,” said Senator Cassidy. “When veterans stay active and connected with their community, their mental health and quality of life improve. That is what today is all about.”
    The resolution calls on veterans battling post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury, depression, anxiety, or other mental health challenges to walk, run, hike, bike ride, or simply spend time outside on June 14th, 2025, as part of an effort improve mental health Over 460,000 veterans were diagnosed with traumatic brain injuries between 2020 and 2024, and there were 6,407 veteran suicide deaths in 2022. Studies have shown that spending time outdoors in nature can have positive impact on an individual’s mental health and lessen feelings of isolation.
    Veterans can dial 9-8-8 and then press 1 to be connected with the Veterans Suicide and Crisis Lifeline available 24-hours a day.
    Representing one of the states with the highest rates of military families and veterans per capita, Senator King is a staunch advocate for America’s servicemembers and veterans. A member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee (SVAC), he works to ensure American veterans receive their earned benefits and that the VA is properly implementing various programs such as the PACT Act, the State Veterans Homes Domiciliary Care Flexibility Act, and the John Scott Hannon Act. Recently, Senator King introduced bipartisan legislation to help reduce suicides among veterans by providing free secure firearm storage to veterans. In addition, he helped pass the Veterans COLA Act, which increased benefits for 30,000 Maine veterans and their families.
    Senator King has also introduced bipartisan legislation to improve care coordination for veterans who rely on both VA health care and Medicare. Earlier this year, he cosponsored the bipartisan Major Richard Star Act that would provide more combat-injured veterans with their full earned benefits. He also joined Senator Jerry Moran (R-KS), Chairman of the Veterans’ Affairs Committee, in introducing bipartisan legislation to permanently authorize a program that would expand access to veteran disability claims exams. Recently, Senator King teamed up with Senator Jim Banks (R-IN) to introduce a bipartisan bill that would make the veterans’ benefit claims process more streamlined and fair. Earlier this year, Senator King was honored by the Disabled American Veterans as its 2025 Legislator of the Year. Last year, he was recognized by the Wounded Warrior Project as the 2024 Legislator of the Year for his “outstanding legislative effort and achievement to improve the lives of the wounded, ill, and injured veterans.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 14, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Man Sentenced in the Death and Injury of 2-Month-Old Twins

    Source: US FBI

    TULSA, Okla. – Michael David Gregory from Commerce, Oklahoma was sentenced today for the death of a two-month-old child who died from severe head and eye injuries that a child abuse pediatrician diagnosed as abusive head trauma. Additionally, Gregory was also sentenced for assault related to brain injuries he caused to another two-month-old child, the twin sister of the first infant, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

    U.S. District Judge Sara E. Hill sentenced Gregory, 30, to a total of 240 months imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release. Judge Hill further ordered Gregory to pay a $200 special monetary assessment.

    According to a charging document, Gregory pleaded guilty to one count of Voluntary Manslaughter in Indian Country and one count of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country. According to his plea agreement, Gregory was caring for the twin two-month-old infants at an apartment he shared with his girlfriend in Commerce, Oklahoma. While Gregory’s girlfriend was at work, Gregory forcefully picked up and handled the newborn infants. Gregory admitted that his actions caused traumatic and severe brain and eye injuries in both infants, resulting in the death of one child identified as A.M.R.

    Michael David Gregory is not a member of a federally recognized tribe. However, the apartment in which Gregory cared for the twins is located on the Quapaw Nation reservation, and both infants are considered “Indian persons” because they are eligible for membership in the Choctaw Nation. 

    Michael David Gregory was previously released on bond in this case. Judge Hill ordered him to report to a United States Bureau of Prisons facility on July 22, 2025.

    The Commerce Police Department and the Quapaw Nation Marshal Service in conjunction with the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melody Nelson prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

    June 14, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: What does Israel’s strike mean for US policy on Iran and prospects for a nuclear deal?

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Javed Ali, Associate Professor of Practice of Public Policy, University of Michigan

    Smoke rises over Tehran, Iran, following an Israeli strike on June 13, 2025. SAN/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images

    Israel’s strike on Iranian nuclear and military facilities has pushed the Middle East one step closer to a far wider, more dangerous regional war. It also has implications for recent U.S. diplomatic efforts toward a deal with Tehran over its nuclear program.

    Iran’s immediate response – the firing of about 100 drones into Israel, many of which were shot down – appears an opening gambit; meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said his country’s airstrikes would continue “for as many days as it takes.”

    The Conversation turned to Javed Ali, an expert on Middle East affairs at the University of Michigan and a former senior official at the National Security Council during the first Trump administration, to talk through why Israel chose now to strike and what the implications are for U.S. policy on Iran.

    Why did Israel strike now?

    There was a combination of factors that led up to this moment.

    One of the more immediate reasons was that an International Atomic Energy Agency report found that Iran was making progress toward enriching uranium to a degree that, in theory at least, would allow Tehran to very quickly upgrade to a weapons-grade level. That is the thrust of what Netanyahu has said by way of reason for the attack now – that intelligence shows that Iran was getting closer to a possible breakout status for a nuclear weapon.

    But there is a confluence of other factors that have built up over the last year and a half, ever since the Oct. 7, 2023, attack by Hamas in Israel.

    Iran’s proxy Axis of Resistance – that is, regional groups aligned with Iran and supported militarily by Tehran, including Hamas and Hezbollah – doesn’t present the same level of threat to Israel as it did in the pre-Oct. 7 landscape.

    In the past, an Israeli attack of the sort we are seeing now would have invited a multidirectional response from all corners of the resistance – and we saw this in the early days after the Oct. 7 attack.

    As of now, none of Iran’s resistance partners have done anything in response to the latest strike – and that is, in large part, due to the fact that Israel has successfully degraded these group’s capabilities through a series of campaigns and operations. The United States has also contributed to this effort to a degree with sustained operations against the Houthis in Yemen from March to May this year, including hundreds of airstrikes.

    Further, Israel’s previous attacks on Iran in April and October 2024 managed to degrade Iran’s ballistic and surface-to-air missiles and air defense radar systems. This likely played into Israel’s calculations, too.

    Lastly, Israel knows that it has a strong supporter in the White House with President Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress. Washington may not be 100% aligned with Tel Aviv on every issue, but at the moment there is no criticism from the the White House or Republican members of Congress on Israel’s attacks.

    But why attack before the planned US-Iran talks?

    The sixth round of talks was due to take place on June 15, led by White House envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. Iran has signaled that the talks won’t take place now.

    There may have been some dialogue between Netanyahu and the Trump administration over the timing of the Israeli strike preceding yesterday’s attacks, during which Israel would have made the case that the time is right now to launch a very different type of campaign to really set back Iran’s nuclear program. In recorded remarks about Israel’s operations, Netanyahu stated he directed his national security team to begin planning for a large-scale campaign against Iran’s nuclear program last November.

    Perhaps the White House did push back, saying that it wanted to see if any progress could be made in the talks. Certainly, it has been reported that Trump told Netanyahu in a phone call on June 10 that he believed a deal with Tehran could be negotiated.

    Regardless, Netanyahu still went ahead with the strike.

    Indeed some observers have posited that collapsing the negotiations between the U.S. and Iran may have been one of the intentions of Netanyahu, who has long opposed any deal with Tehran and has reportedly been irked by Trump’s reversal on the issue. During his first administration, Trump unilaterally pulled the U.S. out of a previous nuclear deal.

    A newspaper shows the portraits of Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and White House special envoy Steve Witkoff, who were due to meet in Oman.
    Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto via Getty Images

    What should we make of the US response to the strike?

    The White House hasn’t criticized Israel in its response to the strike, merely stating that it wasn’t involved.

    In my assessment, the White House appears to be sincere in the substance of what it is saying: that there was no overt and direct U.S. involvement with Israel during the actual strike. As for U.S. involvement in any planning or intelligence sharing ahead of the strike, we may never know.

    But this is largely messaging for Iran: “We didn’t attack you. Israel attacked you.”

    The U.S. is clearly worried that any response in Tehran may involve U.S. assets in the region. In the past, parts of Iran’s proxy network have hit American bases in Jordan and Iraq. Backing up this being a real concern in Washington is the fact that in advance of Israel’s strike, it already made moves to protect some of its assets in the region and remove personnel.

    Has Iran said whether US targets will be included in its response?

    On June 11, Iranian Defense Minister Aziz Nasrizadeh warned that if Israel were to attack, Tehran would respond against U.S. personnel and bases in the region – but that hasn’t happened yet.

    Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and military officials must know that attacking U.S. targets would be very risky and would lead to a significant response that would likely be even more damaging than Israel’s latest attacks – including putting a potential deal over its nuclear program at risk. And the U.S. has the capability to hit Iran even harder than Israel, both militarily and through the extension of sanctions that have already been very punishing to the Iranian economy.

    Benjamin Netanyahu, prime minister of Israel, points to a red line he drew on a graphic of a bomb while addressing the United Nations on Sept. 27, 2012.
    Mario Tama/Getty Images

    Ultimately, it will be Khamenei who decides Iran’s response – and he remains firmly in control of Iran’s national security apparatus despite his advanced age. He knows he will have to walk a fine line to avoid drawing the U.S. into a military campaign.

    So how might Iran respond in coming weeks?

    Despite the challenges facing Iran at the moment, Iran will, I believe, have to respond in a way that goes beyond its previous attacks on Israel.

    Reports of drone attacks against Israel on June 13 fit within the framework of the attack Iran launched against Israel in April 2024 that included a combined salvo of almost 300 ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones over several hours. Despite the damage Israel has inflicted against Iran through its series of operations, Iran probably still possesses thousands or tens of thousands of these types of weapons that it can use against various targets in the region.

    Iran could look at targets outside Israel, without necessarily hitting the U.S. directly – for example, by attacking maritime targets in the Persian Gulf and in effect closing the Strait of Hormuz. U.S. military planners have long been concerned about Iranian naval attacks using small boats for ramming or small arms attacks against shipping in the Persian Gulf.

    Another option would be for Iran to increase its involvement in terrorism activities in the region. Tehran’s proxy groups may be diminished, but Iran still has its Quds Force, through which the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps conducts nonstate and unconventional warfare. Will the Quds Force look toward targeted assassinations, bombings, or kidnappings as part of Iran’s retaliatory options? It has employed such tactics in the past.

    And beyond conventional weapons, Iran also has pretty significant cyber capabilities that it has used against Israel, the United States and Saudi Arabia, among others.

    Where does this leave US-Iran talks?

    It would appear Trump is still holding open the possibility of some kind of deal with Iran. In his statement following the Israel attack, he warned Tehran that if it didn’t come back to the table and cut a deal, the next Israeli attack would be “even more brutal.”

    The attack could push Iran into reengaging in talks that were seemingly stalling in recent weeks. Certainly that seems to be the thrust of Trump’s messaging.

    But the killing of Iranian nuclear scientists in the attack, and the apparent wounding of one of the negotiators, may convince Tehran to double down on a path toward a nuclear weapon as the only means of a deterrence against Israel, especially if it suspects U.S. involvement.

    Javed Ali does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. What does Israel’s strike mean for US policy on Iran and prospects for a nuclear deal? – https://theconversation.com/what-does-israels-strike-mean-for-us-policy-on-iran-and-prospects-for-a-nuclear-deal-258947

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    June 14, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: Forcible removal of US Sen. Alex Padilla signals a dangerous shift in American democracy

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Charlie Hunt, Associate Professor of Political Science, Boise State University

    U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla of California is pushed out of the room after he interrupted Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem during a news conference in Los Angeles on June 12, 2025. David Crane/MediaNews Group/Los Angeles Daily News via Getty Images

    Democratic leaders and a lone Republican senator, Alaska’s Lisa Murkowski, quickly decried the treatment of U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla of California and called for an investigation after he was removed from a press conference with Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on June 12, 2025, in Los Angeles, handcuffed and forced to the ground.

    “Sir! Sir! Hands off!” Padilla, 52, shouted as several federal agents surrounded and moved him out of the room where Noem was speaking about the Los Angeles protests against immigration enforcement. “I am Senator Alex Padilla. I have a question for the secretary.”

    Padilla, who unexpectedly appeared at the press conference and interrupted Noem as she was speaking during her prepared remarks, was released soon after and met with Noem. Tricia McLaughlin, the assistant secretary at the Department of Homeland Security, shared a video of the incident with Padilla on X, and wrote, “Incredibly aggressive behavior from a sitting US Senator. No one knew who he was.”

    Amy Lieberman, a politics and society editor at The Conversation, spoke with Boise State University political scientist Charlie Hunt, an expert on Congress, to understand how political polarization and a shift in American political decorum may have contributed to the shocking moment of an American senator being forcibly removed from a press conference.

    What is striking to you about what happened to Sen. Padilla?

    What stood out to me was the aggressiveness with which Noem’s security officers detained Sen. Padilla and took him out of the room. We do not ever see something like this happen to members of Congress and particularly members of the Senate. Sen. Padilla represents 39 million people – he is not some back-bencher member of the House of Representatives. I think it’s safe to say that no other modern presidential administration has come close to treating an individual member of Congress in this way.

    This is also a real turn in terms of the completely autocratic way in which Department of Homeland Security staff responded to the incident. They claimed in a social media post that Padilla didn’t identify himself at the briefing, even though, “I’m Senator Alex Padilla” were the first words out of his mouth in the video that they themselves shared.

    What safeguards, if any, do members of Congress have that might protect their ability to speak freely, and publicly oppose the executive branch?

    Members of Congress enjoy the same basic free speech rights that all Americans do, but they do also have an additional set of protections that are relevant to this incident.

    Members of Congress have significant oversight power, which involves doing due diligence on what actions the executive branch is taking and making sure they’re complying with laws that Congress has passed.

    As a Senate member from California, it’s perfectly legitimate for Padilla to want clarity on immigration enforcement actions that are taking place in Los Angeles. Padilla even clarified after the incident that he was at the press conference to get answers from the Department of Homeland Security that he and other Senate members have been seeking for weeks about deportations.

    This is completely in line with Congress’ oversight power. Senators often question officials in committee hearings like we typically see, but they also conduct fact-finding missions to learn how executive actions are affecting their constituents.

    Congress members also have protections stemming from the Constitution’s speech and debate clause. Essentially, they cannot be arrested or indicted for things they say in their official capacity, which – because of Congress’ oversight responsibility – Padilla was clearly within the bounds of here.

    Yes, of course, Padilla was also trying to draw attention to himself and the issues he’s focused on. But it’s not against the law to be a little bit disruptive or to engage in political theater, especially thanks to these additional protections members of Congress typically enjoy.

    What other factors led to this moment?

    Something I’ve written about previously is a phenomenon called negative partisanship. This means that voters and Congress members alike are driven not so much by loyalty to their own party but instead a sort of seething hatred for the other political party. What gets the most clicks and views, and what drives voters more and more, is the idea that “we don’t just want to see voting along the party line – we want to see our team beating the other side into submission.” This incident with Sen. Padilla was a very literal embodiment of this principle.

    More broadly, this helps explain why political violence is becoming a more accepted form of political speech, particularly on the far right.

    We have seen violence during Trump’s campaigns, where hecklers would be roughed up by participants at rallies, at Trump’s encouragement. Certainly, we saw it at the Capitol attack on Jan. 6, 2021, and Trump’s subsequent pardons of those rioters.

    Does Padilla’s removal have anything to do with Donald Trump specifically?

    We can’t ignore the singular role Trump has played here. This is a uniquely authoritarian presidency, even much more so than the first Trump administration. By authoritarian, I mean a leader who tries to rule on his own and suppress all dissent. Trump didn’t create partisanship, political violence or negative partisanship. But there’s no getting around the fact that his past behavior and openness to violence have lowered the bar for decorum in American politics.

    For example, if you have convinced your supporters that the people on the other side of the political aisle are “sick” or “nasty,” that they are going to ruin the country, then those supporters will become more willing to accept some of the actions Trump has taken, such as calling in the Marines on protesters in Los Angeles, or pardoning the Capitol attackers – even if they wouldn’t have been willing to accept that kind of response 20 years ago.

    All of these things combined – negative partisanship, plus having a leader on one side that is willing to lower the decorum bar beyond where we thought was possible – is a recipe for things unfolding like we saw with Padilla.

    U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla, a Democrat from California, speaks to news reporters outside the Wilshire Federal Building after he was forcibly removed from a press conference on June 12, 2025.
    Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images

    What will you be watching for as this situation plays out?

    My concern is the balance of powers between the executive and legislative branches of government. We expect competition between the branches, for “ambition to counteract ambition,” as James Madison put it, to ensure one branch doesn’t get too powerful. This incident was a huge step in the wrong direction.

    As Congress has been steadily torn apart by partisanship, it’s given up lots of its power over the past half-century and no longer seems to see itself as a coequal branch of government with the executive.

    As a result, authoritarian presidents and administrations see an opening to treat them this way without consequences. What Congress does in the next several days about this episode will speak volumes – or not – about whether it intends to ever reassert itself as an equal branch of government.

    Democrats held the floor in the Senate all afternoon to demand answers about Padilla’s treatment. It will be revealing how Senate Majority Leader John Thune and others respond. Lisa Murkowski has said she’s pretty appalled by what happened. Meanwhile, Lindsey Graham seemed to imply that Padilla deserved what he got. Which route will Republicans, who control Congress, take?

    Charlie Hunt does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Forcible removal of US Sen. Alex Padilla signals a dangerous shift in American democracy – https://theconversation.com/forcible-removal-of-us-sen-alex-padilla-signals-a-dangerous-shift-in-american-democracy-258900

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    June 14, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: In Case You Missed It: VIDEO: Capito Talks Republican Reconciliation Bill on CNBC’s Squawk Box

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito

    [embedded content]

    To watch Senator Capito’s interview, click here or on the image above.

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Chairman of the Republican Policy Committee (RPC), joined CNBC’s “Squawk Box” to discuss progress on the Republican reconciliation bill. 

    HIGHLIGHTS:

    ON THE CURRENT STATE OF PLAY FOR THE RECONCILIATION BILL: “We’re working it through with our members. We’ve had meetings. We know how important it is to the American people that their taxes don’t go up, that we shore up the border, our national security, and our energy. We are on track here…I feel very good about where we are at this point.” 

    ON SENATE GOP LEADERSHIP WORKING WITH MEMBERS: “At the end of the day, we’re going to be successful, and part of that is because of the leadership of John Thune— he’s listening to everybody. Mike Crapo has been very studied over on Finance [Committee] to make sure that everybody has input. He has stacks of ideas from different senators. But at the end of the day, we all know this bill is important for the economy, for the prosperity of many people around the country, so that’s going to be the driving force for all of us.”

    ON PROTECTING SNAP AND MEDICAID BENEFITS: “You have to look at the benefit programs to make sure that those that are due benefits, those that need the benefits, get the benefits…but what’s happened here is that there are people on those benefits, both programs, that don’t deserve to be there or don’t qualify…We need to flush that out, get rid of the waste, the fraud, the abuse of the system so that it is there for the folks who need it.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 14, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Merkley, Murphy, Gomez, Beyer: Let Every American Choose Medicare

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Don Beyer (D-VA)

    Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley, Connecticut’s U.S. Senator Christopher Murphy, and U.S. Representatives Jimmy Gomez (D-CA-34) and Donald Beyer (D-VA-08) today reintroduced the Choose Medicare Act. This revolutionary proposal opens Medicare to all Americans with a new ‘Part E’ and builds on the system we have today by allowing Medicare to compete with private health insurance.

    “In the richest country in the world, no person should have to worry about whether they’ll be able to afford care if they become sick or get into an accident. At a time when proposed cuts from Republicans threaten the health and financial security of millions, it’s more important than ever to expand access to high-quality, affordable health care,” said Merkley. “The Choose Medicare Act does just that by allowing every American to buy into Medicare, protecting and expanding this effective, popular system, and putting consumers and businesses in the driver’s seat on the road to universal health care.”

    “Instead of shielding big insurance companies from competition, we should give Americans the option to choose Medicare’s high-quality, low-cost coverage if it’s right for them and their families,” said Murphy. “While Republicans spike the cost of living and cut health care for millions of Americans, we’ll keep fighting to expand access and affordability.”

    “I got pneumonia when I was seven years old, and my family almost went bankrupt because we were uninsured. Today too many families are still one medical emergency away from financial crisis,” said Gomez. “Our bicameral legislation lets every American opt into Medicare — which is affordable, effective, and trusted — and we’re going to keep fighting until everyone has access to the care they need.”

    “Our bill would give all Americans access to Medicare, one of the most popular and successful health care delivery programs in history,” said Beyer. “Allowing employers and the general public the option to choose Medicare would fill many of the gaps in our health care system, get more people covered, and make the nation healthier. Every American should be able to access affordable, quality health care, and this bill represents the kind of bold action required to make that a reality for all.”

    The Choose Medicare Act is co-sponsored by Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Jack Reed (D-RI), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Tina Smith (D-MN), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), and Dick Durbin (D-IL), and Representatives Jared Huffman (D-CA-02), LaMonica McIver (D-NJ-10), and Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC-AL). The bill is supported by Families USA, MoveOn, American Federation of Teachers, the Center for Medicare Advocacy, and the Center for Health and Democracy.

    “Now, more than ever, millions of people are grappling with skyrocketing health care costs and rising concerns that they won’t be able to access affordable health insurance and the care they need to keep their families healthy. Lawmakers should be doing all they can to ensure people across the country have more options for affordable health care, not less. The Choose Medicare Act is an important effort that creates a new pathway to make Medicare accessible to more consumers and employers, and makes important improvements to the current program like coverage of all reproductive health and essential health benefits,” said Jane Sheehan, Deputy Senior Director of Government Relations for Families USA.

    “The Choose Medicare Act would improve the existing Medicare program by creating a critically needed out-of-pocket cap in traditional Medicare,” said David Lipschutz, Co-Director of the Center for Medicare Advocacy. “The bill would also enable people currently not yet eligible for Medicare to enjoy the benefits of traditional Medicare, without the restrictions of limited provider networks found in many Medicare Advantage plans.”

    “Big Insurance’s monopoly control over health care in this country has led to higher health care costs and a growing medical debt crisis, all while making health care unaffordable and inaccessible to a majority of Americans. It is a system designed to put profits over patients. This bill is a vital step towards breaking Big Insurance’s strangle hold over health care in this country and will open up the most successful health care program in our country’s history, Medicare, to even more people. I applaud Senator Merkley for introducing it,” said Wendell Potter, President, Center for Health and Democracy.

    Medicare ‘Part E’ aims to be self-sustaining and fully paid for by premiums. Plans would be offered on all state and federal exchanges, giving people the ability to use existing Affordable Care Act subsidies to help cover their premiums. Additionally, employers could choose to select Medicare ‘Part E’ rather than private insurance to provide affordable and reliable health care to their employees.

    The Choose Medicare Act:

    Increases Access, Competition, and Choice

    1. Opens Medicare to employers of all sizes and allows them to purchase high-quality, affordable health care for their employees without requiring replacement of employment-based health insurance.
    2. Addresses the discrepancy between consumer protections in the individual and group markets by extending the ACA’s rating requirements to all markets, to end discrimination based on pre-existing conditions once and for all.

    Provides Comprehensive Coverage

    1. Includes the ACA’s 10 essential health benefits and all items and services covered by Medicare.
    2. Provides high-quality, gold-level coverage and cost-sharing.
    3. Ensures coverage for a wide range of reproductive services, including abortion.

    Improves Affordability

    1. Establishes an out-of-pocket maximum in traditional Medicare.
    2. Increases the generosity of premium tax credits and extends eligibility to all earners.
    3. Directs Medicare to negotiate fair prices for prescription drugs by incorporating in the program the drug price negotiation section of the Inflation Reduction Act.
    4. Drives down private insurance premiums through competition from Medicare by allowing the HHS Secretary to block excessive private insurance rates.
    5. Extends traditional Medicare protections on balance billing or surprise bills to ‘Part E’ plans.

    Full text of the Choose Medicare Act can be found by clicking here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 14, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Allen Testifies Before the International Trade Commission in Support of the American LSPTV Industry

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Rick Allen (R-GA-12)

    Congressman Allen Testifies Before the International Trade Commission in Support of the American LSPTV Industry

    Washington, June 13, 2025

    Yesterday, Congressman Rick W. Allen (GA-12) testified before the United States International Trade Commission (USITC) to urge the Commissioners to take immediate action and hold China accountable for unfair trade practices that are harming U.S. producers in the Low Speed Personal Transportation Vehicles (LSPTV) industry.

    Congressman Allen Testifies Before the ITC A transcript of Congressman Allen’s full testimony can be read below: “Chair Karpel and fellow Commissioners—thank you for allowing me to appear before you today for this important hearing. I’m grateful to be here to support the U.S. low speed personal transportation vehicle industry. The Central Savannah River Area (CSRA), encompassing Georgia and South Carolina, and much of my district, has long been the epicenter of U.S. golf cart manufacturing. We are home to two large producers that deliver electric vehicle models for personal and recreational transportation: Club Car and E-Z-GO. “For as long as I can remember, Club Car and E-Z-GO have been pillars of the Georgia economy, providing thousands of jobs in the state.  Furthermore, they were—and still are—the standard bearers in the golf cart industry.  “Unfortunately, the futures of these two great American companies are at risk due to the massive influx of dumped and subsidized low speed personal transportation vehicles from China. If the U.S. industry is not provided with the trade relief it so desperately needs, hundreds of U.S. manufacturing jobs could be lost. “As you’ll hear in detail from members of the domestic industry today, Chinese imports have severely injured the domestic industry and threaten to put it out of business. The U.S. Department of Commerce recently determined that Chinese-manufactured vehicles are being dumped and subsidized to the tune of between 478% and 515%, respectively. These substantial rates demonstrate the degree to which Chinese imports have undersold U.S.-manufactured vehicles, making it all but impossible to compete. This has led to reduced shifts, reductions in workforce, decreases in production, and a sharp decline in profitability for the domestic industry. “And not only do these unfairly traded Chinese imports harm manufacturers of new vehicles—they also have decimated the market for refurbished U.S.-manufactured vehicles. Refurbished used vehicles were an important part of the U.S. industry, but low-priced imports have wiped out this market segment. U.S. processors of used vehicles have found it all but impossible to sell refurbished used vehicles when new Chinese vehicles are being sold at the same or lower prices. “Over the last year, I have led a bipartisan and bicameral effort to bring more attention to this issue. We have reached out the U.S. Trade Representative and Department of Commerce, highlighting the vast amounts of subsidies provided to Chinese producers and the degree to which subject imports are being dumped. Today, I would like to present a letter to the ITC Chair that is signed by 25 Senators and Representatives advocating for positive outcomes of these cases, which is absolutely critical to the health of the domestic LSPTV industry, a historic and uniquely American manufacturing industry.  “On a level playing field, U.S. companies like Club Car and E-Z-GO can out-innovate and out-compete anyone in the world. However, when foreign companies—with government backing—violate international trade rules and flood the U.S. market with dumped and subsidized products, the playing field is far from even.  Here, dumped and illegally subsidized low speed personal transportation vehicles have undermined the U.S. industry.  “It has taken the Chinese industry less than four years to completely upend the U.S. low speed personal transportation vehicle market. They have infiltrated the market at every level, and if left unchecked, these illegally dumped and subsidized imports will decimate the domestic industry and take away hundreds of U.S. manufacturing jobs. “The domestic industry is not looking for special treatment—just the opportunity to compete on a level playing field.  I respectfully urge you to carefully consider this matter and take appropriate action to enforce U.S. trade remedy laws. Thank you again for the opportunity to testify before you today.”

    BACKGROUND: Last week, Congressman Allen led a bipartisan, bicameral group of his colleagues in sending letters to U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) Chair Amy Karpel in support of the American low-speed personal transportation vehicle (LSPTV) industry.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 14, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Smith Statement on Proposed Volumes for Renewable Fuels Standard

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE)

    Washington, DC — Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) released the following statement today after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced its proposed Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) volume requirements for 2026 and 2027.

    “Today’s announcement rightfully recognizes the key role biofuels play in American energy security,” Smith said. “If finalized, these volumes will support our agriculture producers, provide much needed certainty to the industry, and ensure consumers have greater access to affordable liquid fuels. I thank Administrator Zeldin and President Trump for their continued support of American biofuels and look forward to working with them to ensure today’s RVOs have the intended effect of promoting American energy production.”

    BACKGROUND:

    Congressman Smith first introduced a bill to approve year-round sale of E15 in 2015.

    On May 16, Smith, Reps. Ashley Hinson (R-IA), and Angie Craig (D-MN) joined 25 colleagues in a letter to the President urging for robust blending requirements in the ongoing RFS rulemaking.

    On April 22, Smith, Craig, Hinson, and Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI) led 25 members of Congress in a letter urging the administration to lower prices at the pump by providing a summertime E-15 waiver.

    On March 11, Smith led a bipartisan press conference highlighting grassroots support for eliminating restrictions on E15 sales.

    On February 13, Smith and Craig introduced the Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act to enable the year-round, nationwide sale of E15. Read more about the bipartisan, bicameral legislation here.

    On February 6, 2025, Smith and Craig led nearly 30 colleagues in sending a bipartisan letter to EPA  Administrator Lee Zeldin. The letter emphasized the important role of the American biofuels industry in maximizing energy abundance and affordability while encouraging the EPA to issue timely and science-driven guidance to fulfill the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS).

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 14, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Three Indicted for $24 Million Transnational Gold Smuggling and Money Laundering Scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MIAMI – A federal indictment unsealed today charges Beatriz Eugenia Hernandez (B. Hernandez), 57; her son Carlos Mathias Gonzalez, 26; and her brother Esteban Hernandez (E. Hernandez), 47, of an elaborate transnational gold smuggling and money laundering scheme that involved the wire transfer of over $24 million from the United States to Colombia.

    According to allegations in the indictment, B. Hernandez, Gonzalez, and E. Hernandez received shipments from a Colombian company that purported to contain various types of metal widgets when, in fact, half of the packages would contain undeclared gold cylinders that were inserted within the widgets and painted over to avoid detection. B. Hernandez, Gonzalez, and E. Hernandez would extract the gold cylinders, sell the gold through two U.S. corporate entities, and then wire the funds between the entities’ bank accounts before ultimately wiring the funds to the Colombian company’s accounts in Colombia. The scheme’s systematic cycle of gold importation, followed by international wire transfers, resulted in approximately $24,628,943 being wired to Colombia from the United States between December 2018 and May 2022.

    U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and acting Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami Field Office, made the announcement.

    HSI investigated the case with assistance from Customs and Border Protection Office of Field Operations.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller is prosecuting this case.

    You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl.

    An indictment contains mere allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

    Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 25-cr-20236.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

    June 14, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Real Estate Investor, His Company, and an Employee Sentenced for Defrauding Financially Distressed Homeowners and Financial Institutions

    Source: US FBI

    PROVIDENCE – A Johnston-based real estate investment firm, the company’s owner, and an employee of the real estate investment firm were sentenced in U.S. District Court today for conspiring to defraud and for defrauding homeowners, many of whom spoke little or no English, and financial institutions, criminal conduct that caused some homeowners to move out of their property, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.

    In April 2023, after a three week trial, a jury convicted Gregory F. Aloisio, 63, of Johnston, his real estate investment company, Aloisio Group, LLC, and Aloisio Group employee John DiFruscio, Jr., 72, of North Providence, for their roles in a scheme to fraudulently obtain properties from financially distressed homeowners; to fraudulently obtain fees, commissions, and other income associated with the rental, use and short sale of homeowners’ properties; to fraudulently purchase properties in short sales and illegally “flip” them for significant personal gain; and defraud several financial institutions.

    Aloisio Group, LLC and DiFruscio, Jr., were each convicted of conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud; Gregory Aloisio and John DiFruscio were each convicted on three counts of bank fraud and one count of wire fraud; and Gregory Aloisio was also convicted on a charge of money laundering.

    U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy today sentenced Gregory Aloisio to a term of incarceration of 12 months and one day to be followed by three years of supervised release and John DiFruscio, Jr. to three years supervised release, the first three months in home confinement.  District Court Judge McElroy imposed a term of one year of probation against the Aloisio Group. Restitution orders in this matter will be entered by the court within 30 days. 

    The government presented evidence during the trial that, as part of the conspiracy and to further their scheme, the defendants lied to homeowners, financial institutions, and others, including evidence of the following:

    • Through misrepresentations and concealment, the defendants represented that they were working at “arm’s length” from the homeowners, meaning that there were no relationships or connections between themselves and the homeowners that could create incentive for suppressions of house purchase prices.  In fact, the defendants were controlling both sides of the purchase transactions.
    • The defendants filed affidavits and documents that falsely represented 1) that no commercial relationship existed between the parties to induce lenders to approve short sales; 2) that there was no agreement to “flip” or rent the targeted properties after the short sale; and 3) the identity of the seller, the identity of the buyer, and/or cash to the parties at closing.
    • In fact, defendants lined-up buyers prior to short sale so as to guarantee a flip and profit after the short sale.  Prior to short sale, the defendants entered into agreements with lined-up buyers to sell properties at prices more than the short sale prices.
    • The defendants deceived homeowners into believing that they offered a legitimate solution to the homeowners’ financial distress.  In reality, the defendants were using homeowners to perpetuate their fraud.  Some financially distressed homeowners were convinced to move out of their residences and lost their homes. Others remained in their properties and paid rent to the co-conspirators.

    The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Sandra R. Hebert and Milind M. Shah. The matter was investigated by  U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development – Office of Inspector General and the FBI.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

    June 14, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: New York Man Pleads Guilty to $70 Million Kickback Scheme

    Source: US FBI

    BOSTON – A New York-based director of operations and sales for the Northeast region of a mobile medical diagnostics company pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to conspiring to offer and pay kickbacks to doctors in exchange for ordering medically unnecessary brain scans.

    James Rausch, 57, of Port Jefferson Station, N.Y., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to violate the anti-kickback statute. U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for July 10, 2025. Rausch was charged in May 2025.

    From approximately March 2015 through approximately September 2020, Rausch conspired with others, including two managers for a mobile medical diagnostics company that performed transcranial doppler (TCD) scans, to enter into kickback agreements with various doctors. TCD scans are brain scans that measure blood flow in parts of the brain. Rausch and his alleged co-conspirators agreed to offer and pay doctors kickbacks, some in cash and others by check, based on the number of TCD ultrasounds the doctors ordered. Rausch and his alleged co-conspirators created purported rental and administrative service agreements, which on paper made it appear as if doctors were compensated for the TCD company’s use of space and administrative resources of the ordering doctor’s practice based on fair market value and not based on the volume or value of referrals. These agreements were shams that hid the true nature of the arrangement of paying per test.  

    The scheme as a whole resulted in fraudulent bills of approximately $70.6 million to Medicare. Medicare paid approximately $27.2 million to the TCD company for the fraudulent claims.

    The charge of conspiracy to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General; Kimberly Milka, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation Division, Boston Field Office; Kelly M. Lawson, Acting Regional Director of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration, Boston Regional Office; Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division; and Christopher Algieri, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, Northeast Field Office made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Howard Locker and Mackenzie A. Queenin of the Health Care Fraud Unit are prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

    June 14, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Cegedim : Implementation of the plan to transfer the listing of the Group’s shares on Euronext Growth

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

         

    PRESS RELEASE

    Stock market information

    Cegedim : Implementation of the plan to transfer the listing of the Group’s shares on Euronext Growth

    Boulogne-Billancourt, June 13 2025 – The Combined General Meeting of shareholders of CEGEDIM S.A. held today, approved, in accordance with the provisions of Article L. 421-14 of the French Commercial Code, the proposed transfer of listing of its shares from the Euronext Paris regulated market (compartment B) to the Euronext Growth Paris multilateral trading facility, and granted full power to the Board of Directors to implement this transfer of listing.

    The Board of Directors, which also met today following the General Meeting, decided to implement this transfer.

    In the next few days, the Company will file an application with Euronext Paris for the delisting of its shares from Euronext Paris and their concomitant listing on Euronext Growth.

    Reasons for the transfer

    Such a transfer will enable CEGEDIM S.A to improve the share’s visibility and attractiveness, placing it among the top 30 market capitalizations on Euronext Growth. As part of this change, the Company will move to a less-regulated market, which entails some regulatory relief, but will continue to maintain the best practices described hereafter.

    Main consequences of the transfer

    In accordance with current regulations, CEGEDIM S.A. informs its shareholders of the main possible consequences of such a transfer (non-exhaustive list):

    • Periodic information

    The Company will publish, within four months of the end of the financial year, an annual report including its annual and consolidated financial statements, a management report and the reports of the statutory auditors.

    The Company will also publish, within four months of the end of the first half of the year, a half-yearly report including its consolidated half-yearly financial statements and a business report relating to these statements. The half-yearly financial statements no longer have to be audited by the statutory auditors.

    The Company will continue to publish the four quarterly revenue figures, to apply IFRS standards for the consolidated financial statements and to comply with CSRD requirements for sustainability information, the change in market having no impact on this subject.

    Lastly, the following information in the management report (including the corporate governance report) will no longer be required:
    – information relating to the remuneration of corporate officers,
    – information having an impact in the event of a public offer;
    – and the content of the corporate governance report will be streamlined.

    • Permanent information

    The Company will continue to inform the public of any information likely to have a significant impact on the share price (insider information). Regulated information (and in particular insider information) must always be disseminated effectively and in full. The Company will continue to use a professional disseminator.

    The Company will continue to draw up lists of insiders, and senior executives and managers will continue to make declarations of securities transactions to the AMF.

    • Composition of the Board – Corporate governance

    The Company will continue to apply the rules on parity on the Board set out in Article L.225-18-1 of the French Commercial Code. These parity rules are also in line with the Company’s CSR commitments.

    The Company will continue to be subject to the legal provisions of articles L.823-19 et seq. of the French Commercial Code concerning audit committees. More generally, the existing committees will be maintained, as the Company does not wish to change its good governance practices.

    • Executive remuneration

    The Shareholders’ Meeting will no longer be required to approve the remuneration policy for corporate officers or to approve the remuneration paid or awarded to corporate officers in respect of the previous financial year.

    • Shareholders’ Meetings

    The press release specifying the terms of availability of the documents submitted to the meeting will no longer be required.

    The preparatory documents for the meeting and other documents (including the total number of voting rights and shares existing at the date of publication of the prior notice) will no longer be required to be posted online twenty-one days before the date of the Shareholders’ Meeting, but on the date of the notice of meeting.

    The results of votes and the minutes of the Shareholders’ Meeting will continue to be posted on the Company’s website.

    • Disclosure thresholds – Public offer

    The protection of minority shareholders, in the event of a change of control, will be ensured on Euronext Growth Paris by the mechanism of a mandatory public offer in the event of crossing, directly or indirectly,
    alone or in concert, the threshold of 50% of the capital or voting rights.

    Furthermore, companies listed on Euronext Growth Paris only need to communicate to the market, in terms of changes in shareholding, the crossing of thresholds (upwards or downwards) of 50% and 90% of the capital or voting rights.

    However, in accordance with legal provisions, the company will remain subject, for a period of 3 years from its delisting from the Euronext Paris market, to the public offer regime and the maintenance of information obligations relating to threshold crossings and declarations of intentions as applicable to companies listed on Euronext Paris.

    • Liquidity of the share

    As Euronext Growth is a less-regulated market, the transfer to Euronext Growth Paris could result in a change in the liquidity of CEGEDIM S.A. shares, which could differ from the liquidity observed on the regulated Euronext Paris market. The Company confirms that the liquidity contact currently in place will be maintained after the market transfer.

    The transfer could also lead some investors, favoring shares of issuers listed on a regulated market, to sell their CEGEDIM S.A. shares. After studying the composition of its shareholder base, the Company has identified only a very limited number of funds whose prospectuses exclude the possibility of investing on Euronext Growth.

    Provisional timetable for the transaction (subject to approval by Euronext)

    In the coming days, an application will be filed with Euronext Paris for the delisting of Cegedim Group shares from the Euronext regulated market and their concomitant admission to Euronext Growth. Subject to approval by Euronext Paris, the Group expects to be admitted to Euronext Growth Paris in early September 2025.

    The Cegedim Group will be supported in its plan to transfer to Euronext Growth by TP ICAP Midcap as listing sponsor.

    About Cegedim:
    Founded in 1969, Cegedim is an innovative technology and services group in the field of digital data flow management for healthcare ecosystems and B2B, and a business software publisher for healthcare and insurance professionals. Cegedim employs nearly
    6,700 people in more than 10 countries and generated revenue of over €654 million in 2024.
    Cegedim SA is listed in Paris (EURONEXT: CGM).
    To learn more please visit: www.cegedim.fr
    And follow Cegedim on X: @Cegedimgroup, LinkedIn, and Facebook.

    Aude Balleydier
    Cegedim
    Media Relations and
    Communications Manager

    Tel.: +33 (0)1 49 09 68 81
    aude.balleydier@cegedim.fr

    		 Damien Buffet
    Cegedim
    Head of
    Financial Communication

    Tel.: +33 (0)7 64 63 55 73
    damien.buffet@cegedim.com

    		 Céline Pardo
    Becoming RP Agency
    Media Relations Consultant

    Tel.:         +33 (0)6 52 08 13 66
    cegedim@becoming-group.com

    		  

    Attachment

    • Cegedim_EuronextGrowthTransfert_postAG_ENG

    The MIL Network –

    June 14, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: SSCP Lager BidCo AB (publ) successfully issues subsequent notes of SEK 200 million

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SSCP Lager BidCo AB (publ) (“Logent” or the “Company”) has successfully issued subsequent senior secured floating rate notes in an amount of SEK 200,000,000 under the terms and conditions of the Company’s outstanding notes loan 2023/2026 with ISIN SE0021021193 (the “Subsequent Notes”). The order book was significantly oversubscribed, and the Subsequent Notes were issued to 102 per cent. of nominal amount.

    The Subsequent Notes carry a floating interest rate of 3m Stibor + 625 basis points and will mature in December 2026. Logent intends to apply for admission to trading of the Subsequent Notes on the corporate bond list of Nasdaq Stockholm.

    The net proceeds from the issuance of the Subsequent Notes will be applied towards consummation of the acquisition of the Finnish entity HUB logistics Finland Oy, financing transaction costs and general corporate purposes. Following the issuance of the Subsequent Notes, the aggregate outstanding nominal amount under the notes loan is SEK 1,050 million.

    The Company has mandated Nordea Bank Abp and Pareto Securities AS as Joint Bookrunners in connection with the issuance of the Subsequent Notes. Snellman Advokatbyrå AB has acted as legal advisor to the Company and Gernandt & Danielsson Advokatbyrå KB has acted as legal advisor to the Joint Bookrunners.

    For further information, please contact:

    Joel Engström, CEO, telephone number: +46 734 36 36 29, joel.engstrom@logent.se

    About Logent Group
    Logent is an independent logistics partner, with a Nordic base present in Northern Europe and global networks. We have a wide range of services and create value for our customers through guaranteed cost and quality improvements. Our service offer include Logistics Services such as Warehouse design and operations, Transport Management and Customs, Port and Terminal operations, Staffing Services and Consulting Services. This means that Logent has grown to a turnover of about SEK 2.4 billion from the start in 2006 and employs approximately 2,800 people in Northern Europe.

    Attachment

    • Swedish-fsa-doc-eng-13-06-2025.pdf

    The MIL Network –

    June 14, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: Nine-year-olds in England sit timed multiplication test – but using times tables is about more than quick recall

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Camilla Gilmore, Professor of Mathematical Cognition, Loughborough University

    Halfpoint/Shutterstock

    What’s seven times nine? Quick, you’ve got six seconds to answer.

    This June, over 600,000 children in England in year four, aged eight and nine, will be expected to answer questions like this. They will be sitting the multiplication tables check (MTC), a statutory assessment of their multiplication fact recall.

    The MTC was introduced in 2022 with the aim of driving up standards in mathematics. It’s an online test that children take on a tablet or computer, made up of 25 questions with six seconds per question.

    Being able to quickly recall multiplication facts is valuable. Not having to think about seven times nine, just knowing that it’s 63, frees up a child’s mental thinking space. This means they can focus on different aspects of the mathematics they are doing, such as completing multi-step problems or using reasoning to solve context-based problems.

    Being able to quickly recall multiplication facts is also the foundation for more advanced mathematics topics that children will encounter at secondary school.

    Our research shows that the MTC is an accurate reflection of children’s multiplication fact recall. But the learning they do for this test doesn’t necessarily help them apply this knowledge in other areas of mathematics. What’s more, focus on the MTC may be diverting teaching time away from other maths knowledge.

    Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.

    Since the multiplication tables check was introduced in 2022, the average score in the test has increased year-on-year from 19.8 in 2022 to 20.6 in 2024. This suggests that schools are placing more emphasis on children’s multiplication fact recall – and on preparing them for this test.

    Teaching union the NAHT (National Association of Head Teachers) has suggested that the test is unnecessary, and that it places too much emphasis on fact recall at a cost to other areas of mathematics. The union has also expressed concerns that it disadvantages some children for reasons such as digital accessibility.

    Our research has investigated whether the MTC is a good way of testing children’s recall of multiplication facts. We have found that children perform just as well on a more traditional paper-and-pencil timed fact test as on a computer test equivalent to the MTC. However, having a time limit per question – which is only possible with a computerised test – is essential to assess recall, rather than fast calculation.

    There was no evidence that any children were particularly disadvantaged by the computerised test. However, we did find that children’s attention skills and how quickly they could enter numbers into the tablet they were using did influence their scores.

    This suggests that, for it to be a fair test, it is important that children are familiar with the technology they are using to complete the test. Given that there are stark differences in access to technology in schools, this may pose an issue for some children.

    The purpose of introducing the MTC was to improve children’s broader mathematics attainment by improving their multiplication fact recall. But performance in the year six Sats tests, which assess a range of mathematical skills, shows little change.

    Crucially, improving children’s multiplication fact recall through retrieval practice doesn’t equate to improving their ability to use the multiplication facts they know. If posed a question such as “Tara has seven books. Ravi has four times as many. How many books do they have altogether?” Children who can recall that 5 x 7 = 35 may still not be able to solve the problem.

    Time pressure

    What’s more, because the MTC is a timed test, teachers and parents may use similar time-pressured approaches to prepare children and help them improve their multiplication fact recall. But our research showed that while practice with a computerised game can support children’s fact recall, the benefits to learning are the same whether or not children are encouraged to answer as quickly as possible.

    In research not yet published in a peer-reviewed journal, we found that children who were anxious about mathematics learnt less when practising with time pressure compared to children without mathematics anxiety. Without time pressure, anxiety levels were not related to the amount of learning. Doing some regular multiplication fact retrieval practice is more important than the type of practice, for all learners.

    Even though the MTC is a timed assessment, it doesn’t mean that children only need to do timed practice to prepare for this. Some children may benefit more from less time pressure when practising.

    Multiplication fact recall is just one element of mathematics and so having a good balance is important. Fact recall and testing should go hand in hand with other areas of mathematics learning such as understanding concepts, choosing strategies and solving applied problems.

    Recalling multiplication facts doesn’t automatically help children to apply their knowledge. So, although working towards the multiplication tables check can support fact recall, children will need extra support in knowing how to use and apply these facts.

    Camilla Gilmore receives funding from the Economic and Social Research Council.

    Lucy Cragg receives funding from the Economic and Social Research Council.

    Natasha Guy does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Nine-year-olds in England sit timed multiplication test – but using times tables is about more than quick recall – https://theconversation.com/nine-year-olds-in-england-sit-timed-multiplication-test-but-using-times-tables-is-about-more-than-quick-recall-258320

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    June 14, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: Why people become drug mules – and why harsh sentences don’t deter them

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jennifer Fleetwood, Senior Lecturer, City St George’s, University of London

    Yuri A/Shutterstock

    Thousands of British nationals are charged with drug smuggling abroad every year. The UK charity Prisoners Abroad reports a rise in the number of British people imprisoned abroad for drug offences in 2024-25, compared to the previous year, especially women under 34.

    Two recent examples making headlines are Bella May Culley, an 18-year-old woman from County Durham, and Charlotte May Lee, a 21-year-old from south London. Culley was arrested in Georgia with 14 kilos of cannabis. Lee was arrested in Sri Lanka, with 46 kilos of synthetic cannabis (she has denied knowing it was in her bag and has yet to be charged).

    If they are convicted, Culley and May face very long sentences. Reports suggest that Culley could receive up to 20 years or life imprisonment in Georgia. In Sri Lanka, May faces a sentence of up to 25 years.

    And another three young Britons face the death penalty after being charged with smuggling nearly a kilo of cocaine into Indonesia. All of these cases are ongoing and the suspects have not been found guilty of any crime.

    Why would people take the risk of such harsh punishments?

    Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.

    For my book Drug Mules: Women in the International Cocaine Trade, I spent over a year visiting prisons in Ecuador to speak to people convicted of drug trafficking. I spoke to drug mules as well as people who recruited and managed them to understand how the business works. I spoke to people from the UK, Europe, the US, southeast Asia and Africa.

    My research sheds light on how drug mules end up carrying such massive quantities, and why harsh punishments are an ineffective deterrent.

    Who becomes a drug mule?

    The abiding stereotype of the drug mule is someone who is motivated by poverty, often a woman from a drug-producing country. In fact, like most areas of crime, the majority of people arrested for smuggling drugs worldwide are men.

    People’s motivations for trafficking drugs are extremely varied. In my research, I came across people motivated by grinding poverty, debts or a chance to make a change in their lives. The sums they were promised ranged from £5,000 to £10,000.

    Some people didn’t expect to get paid at all, however. They became involved through debt (theirs or a family member’s), and carrying drugs was offered as a way to repay the debt. In rare cases, people became involved through threats and coercion.

    There are, broadly, two kinds of people arrested at international borders with drugs. The first is carrying drugs that they have bought (and packed) themselves, and probably only a small quantity which they might use or sell for a modest profit. They probably also bought their own tickets to travel.

    One trafficker I interviewed recalled that he carried only a few hundred grams of cocaine in a talc bottle. If caught, they can face custody, depending on the type and amount of drugs.

    The second kind is carrying drugs that someone else has paid for – they are drug mules. The person paying for the drugs (we could call them the investor) decides what is smuggled, where to and how it will be concealed – not the mule.

    Investors are, of course, motivated by profit: five kilos will be more profitable than just the one. And so, mules tend to carry much larger amounts than those carrying their own drugs.

    Drug mules typically do not know what they are carrying, or how much. When people working as drug mules receive the drugs, they arrive ready to evade customs. In some cases, more professional groups might pay a specialist to conceal the drugs more effectively.

    Traffickers have been known to evade detection by concealing cocaine in clear plastic products.

    Many people working as drug mules are misled about where they are travelling to, or may not know they are carrying drugs.

    Long sentences

    Understanding more about the role of drug mules sheds light on the harsh sentences that people accused of drug importation – like Culley and May – are facing. Possible sentences are very long, not only because Sri Lanka and Georgia have extremely tough drug laws, but also because of the large quantities of drugs involved.

    When it comes to sentencing people for drug offences, the quantity of the drug (or, in some countries the monetary value) has long been taken as a proxy for harm. As I have argued in my research, this is a disproportionate and unfair punishment.

    The key UN treaty on narcotic drugs requires countries to criminalise and punish activities relating to illegal drugs. The convention labels drug addiction as “evil”, paving the way for very harsh punishments for those who sell or transport drugs.

    Drug trafficking can even be punished by death in some countries – over 600 people were executed globally in 2024. In many cases, people were executed even though they were in possession of relatively small quantities of an illegal drug – often less than 100g.

    Each nation makes its own laws, but broadly speaking, more drugs means more punishment. This seems logical and proportionate, unless the person being charged with drug trafficking hasn’t made those decisions. And, as my research found, drug mules tend to be carrying larger quantities, paid for by investors or even groups of investors.

    The job of the drug mule is characterised by exploitation rather than choice. If they don’t choose where they travel to, or what they are carrying, then deterrent sentences will simply fail to deter. They only serve to punish those who are most powerless and most exploited in the international drug trade.

    Jennifer Fleetwood has previously receives funding from the Economic and Social Research Council.

    – ref. Why people become drug mules – and why harsh sentences don’t deter them – https://theconversation.com/why-people-become-drug-mules-and-why-harsh-sentences-dont-deter-them-258514

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    June 14, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: Wegovy and Mounjaro might affect how well your contraceptives work – here’s why

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Simon Cork, Senior Lecturer in Physiology, Anglia Ruskin University

    The UK’s medicine regulator has issued a warning to those taking oral contraceptives. MillaF/ Shutterstock

    Weight loss drugs, including Wegovy (semaglutide) and Mounjaro (tirzepatide), are becoming increasingly popular among those trying to lose weight. But a rise in so-called “Ozempic babies” has led the UK’s medicines regulator to issue guidance on their use by women of reproductive age.

    The guidance comes after the agency received 40 reports of unintended pregnancies by women who had been using a weight loss drug. Of particular note is the effect that these drugs may have on the effectiveness of oral contraceptives.

    Weight loss jabs (including both semaglutide and tirzepatide) act by mimicking the naturally occurring hormone GLP-1, which is released from the gut after we eat. One of the things this hormone helps to do is suppress appetite. Tirzepatide also acts on another naturally occurring hormone system called GIP, also known to suppress appetite.

    The mechanism through which these drugs impact appetite is multifaceted. First, they inhibit regions of the brain associated with hunger. This suppresses the increase in appetite that occurs when people lose weight. GLP-1 drugs also slow how quickly food leaves the stomach.

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    There’s currently very little published literature which has investigated the interactions between GLP-1 drugs and oral contraceptives. However, the effect these drugs have on stomach emptying appears to at least partly explain why the oral contraceptive pill may not work as well as expected.

    One 2024 study demonstrated that tirzepatide reduced the amount of ethinylestradiol (a synthetic form of oestrogen, which is a component of the combined oral contraceptive pill) in the bloodstream by 20%. It also increased the amount of time it took the ethinylestradiol to be fully absorbed into the bloodstream by two to four hours.

    This reduced absorbency hampers the drug’s ability to suppress the action of the reproductive system in women. This will affect its contraceptive effects. Notably, the effects of semaglutide on ethinylestradiol absorption were less pronounced.

    Tirzepatide may reduce the amount of oestrogen absorbed into the bloodstream.
    Image Point Fr/ Shutterstock

    The increased length of time it took the contraceptive to be fully absorbed is probably a consequence of reduced gastric emptying since ethinylestradiol is primarily absorbed in the small intestine. The reasons why these effects were more pronounced in tirzepatide compared with semaglutide remain unclear. However, one study showed that while both of these drugs affect gastric emptying to a similar degree, these effects are much longer lasting with tirzepatide.

    Other possible factors

    Two commonly observed side-effects of GLP-1 drugs include vomiting and diarrhoea – affecting 12% and 23% of patients taking tirzepatide respectively. Vomiting and diarrhoea have the potential to interfere with the absorption of all types of oral medications – including contraceptives.

    This is because the drugs may be expelled from the body before they have an opportunity to be absorbed into the blood stream. People taking the contraceptive pill are advised to use a back-up contraceptive for this reason if they vomit or have diarrhoea to avoid unintended pregnancy.

    Another factor that could explain the link between GLP-1 drug use and unintended pregnancy could be the effect that weight loss in general has on fertility.

    Obesity has long been associated with reduced fertility. Obesity can also exacerbate other conditions which affect fertility – such as polycystic ovary syndrome, a hormonal disorder that affects how the ovaries work.

    It is likely weight loss associated with taking GLP-1 drugs leads to an increase in fertility. This in turn could make women more likely to become pregnant – independent of whether they’re using oral contraceptives or not.

    So far, it doesn’t appear that other forms of contraceptives are affected by GLP-1 weight loss drugs. Non-oral contraceptives, such as intrauterine devices (IUDs), transdermal patches and implants, are unlikely to be affected as their active ingredients are absorbed into the blood stream independently of the gastrointestinal tract. Likewise, physical barriers such as condoms and copper IUDs are also unaffected.

    But women who use an oral contraceptive are advised to use an additional, non-oral form of contraception (such as condoms) for four weeks after starting semaglutide or tirzepatide. This is when side-effects are typically at their highest.

    Because of a lack of evidence around the safety of these medications during pregnancy, women who do become pregnant while using a weight loss drug are advised to speak to their doctor to find alternative medications.

    Simon Cork does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Wegovy and Mounjaro might affect how well your contraceptives work – here’s why – https://theconversation.com/wegovy-and-mounjaro-might-affect-how-well-your-contraceptives-work-heres-why-258431

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    June 14, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: Bulgaria is joining the euro in January – and not everyone is pleased

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Yuxiang Lin, Doctoral Researcher, Centre for Russian, European and Eurasian Studies, University of Birmingham

    The EU has given the green light for Bulgaria to join the euro from January 1 2026. This huge step towards European integration comes just six months after Bulgaria became a full member of Schengen area, within which people can move freely across borders.

    However, while rapprochement moves apace at the top level, euroscepticism shows little sign of abating at the grassroots level in Bulgaria, or in national party politics.

    Protests calling for Bulgaria to stick with its national currency have sprung up in both capital city Sofia and in several towns around the country. A May poll showed that 38% of Bulgarians were against the euro and only 21% agreed that the switch should go ahead in January.

    Others wanted to wait a few years. In a similar poll in January, 40% of respondents said they never wanted Bulgaria to join the euro.

    Anti-euro protests tend to be associated with the Bulgarian nationalist political parties. The most influential of these, Vazrazhdane, has become increasingly popular and won 13.63% in the most recent parliamentary elections in October 2024. It had won just 2.45% in elections held in April 2021.

    Bulgaria joined the European Union in 2007. When, in December 2021, I interviewed a former spokesman for the political party NDSV (National Movement Simeon II), which was in government from 2001 to 2009, they said Bulgarians had very high expectations ahead of becoming part of the bloc.

    They had thought it would take just a few years for Bulgaria to be as economically developed as Switzerland, and that their standard of life would soar. The dream was that Bulgaria to become the so-called “Switzerland of the Balkans”, as both countries have similar population size and a similar touristic appeal.

    The EU has channelled €16.3 billion into Bulgaria since the country joined EU, particularly for infrastructure development. However, a year of fieldwork has shown me that Sofia has been the main benefactor of this investment.

    Small municipalities and rural communities have not felt the benefit as clearly. Among the €16.3 billion, Sofia received €3.1 billion and Plovdiv received €0.8 billion.

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    Whereas Sofia gets new metro lines during recent years, citizens in some municipalities still struggle with basic public services for survival. Nearly 15% of the country’s population struggles with regular quality water supply.

    The imagined “European” standard of life has not yet reached small municipalities and rural areas. Europe still feels far away.

    Becoming part of the EU has given opportunities to Bulgarian citizens to work and live abroad in European countries. Official figures show 861,054 Bulgarian citizens lived in other EU countries in 2022. Recently a total of 74% of young people in Bulgaria are considering more or less seriously the idea of emigrating abroad.

    However, the trend of young people working abroad in Europe has caused brain drain and has partially contributed to the decreasing population of Bulgaria, which fell from 7.68 million before it joined the EU in 2006 to 6.44 million in 2024.

    According to a research analyst at a Sofia-based non-governmental organisation who I interviewed recently, many Bulgarian parents hope that their children working abroad in Europe will return to work in Bulgaria, because jobs for migrants abroad tend not be for high-skilled workers.

    Accession to the eurozone is more likely to benefit Sofia-based people who do business abroad rather than older people living local lives in small municipalities or rural areas. Younger and working people have already been shown to be the ones who benefited most from European integration in Bulgaria and Romania in the first place.

    That said, support for EU membership has been rising recently.

    Holding a coalition together

    Despite euroscepticism, European integration is one of the few issues that unites Bulgaria’s fragile coalition government – although not all political parties agree with joining the eurozone.

    Bulgaria held seven parliamentary elections between April 2021 and October 2024. It therefore has been a surprise that amid the political turmoil, the coalition government that was formed in October 2024 has survived. A very important motivational source here is unity on the question of Europe.

    But with mixed results so far and with meaningful levels of opposition the joining the euro, Bulgaria’s government will have to be careful about the potential for eurosceptic movements to grow as they have in several other EU nations.

    Yuxiang Lin does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Bulgaria is joining the euro in January – and not everyone is pleased – https://theconversation.com/bulgaria-is-joining-the-euro-in-january-and-not-everyone-is-pleased-258626

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    June 14, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: Five reasons you should give up alcohol if you’re recovering from an injury

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By John Kiely, Department of Physical Education & Sport Sciences, University of Limerick

    If you’ve sustained an injury while exercising, giving up alcohol while you recover could be key. Andrey_Popov/ Shutterstock

    Rest, rehab and patience are cornerstones of injury recovery. But should quitting alcohol be a part of any recovery plan? This is what England cricket captain Ben Stokes has done – saying he’s given up alcohol in a bid to quickly recover from a serious hamstring injury.

    While this may seem extreme, emerging research shows that even small amounts of alcohol can interrupt recovery and delay healing in five key ways:

    1. Disrupting immune function

    Alcohol disrupts immune cells’ ability to reach and repair injured tissues – slowing the regeneration of healthy muscle, tendons and ligaments. This delays the clean-up of damaged cells and also prolongs swelling and sensitivity, which further delays the process of repair.

    The effect of heavy drinking (more than four or five drinks at one time) on the immune system can leave your body vulnerable to infection and delay repair for between three to five days afterwards. Even moderate drinking (one to three drinks at one time) stalls tissue regeneration and prolongs swelling and tenderness in the injured area.

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    2. Interfering with muscle rebuilding

    Muscle protein synthesis – the process of repairing and rebuilding muscle – is reduced for 24 to 48 hours after even moderate alcohol consumption. In one study, muscle protein synthesis was shown to be reduced by 24-37% after drinking.

    When this process is impaired, muscle regeneration slows. This results in persisting weakness, soreness and greater susceptibility to re-injury.

    3. Delaying bone and tissue healing

    When bones, ligaments, tendons and muscles are damaged, signals from these injured tissues trigger natural repair processes. But alcohol disrupts these signalling pathways and interferes with the body’s natural repair mechanisms, delaying healing and increasing swelling and scarring of the injured tissues.

    Heavy drinking can prolong healing from a bone fracture by one to two weeks, and extend recovery from sprains and strains by two to three weeks.

    4. Disrupting hormonal balance

    Hormones are chemical messengers that coordinate many of the body’s recovery processes – including tissue repair, inflammation and muscle growth. Two especially helpful healing hormones are testosterone and growth hormone. Both help rebuild muscle and other connective tissues after injury.

    Alcohol lowers circulating levels of these hormones and blunts the body’s ability to regenerate damaged tissues.

    At the same time, alcohol raises cortisol levels. Cortisol is the body’s primary stress hormone. Elevated cortisol levels convince the brain that there’s an immediate threat. The brain subsequently seeks to mobilise available energy in preparation for a “fight” or “flight” response.

    Alcohol interferes with hormones that aid recovery.
    PeopleImages.com – Yuri A/ Shutterstock

    Spikes in cortisol increase energy availability by diverting energy away from other bodily functions – such as injury recovery. Cortisol also promotes the break down of healthy tissues (especially muscle) into simpler chemicals that can be rapidly converted to energy. These imbalances can persist for days after drinking and significantly slow tissue repair.

    5. Increasing risks of re-injury

    Clear communication between the brain and body is essential for smooth, precise and coordinated movement. But alcohol interferes with this communication.

    As a result, coordination, balance and reaction times all plummet. The subtle movement impairments caused by even moderate drinking can linger for a couple of days afterwards. These increase the risk of movement errors and re-injury to the already vulnerable tissues.

    Alcohol and injury recovery

    Current research illustrates that there’s no safe threshold of alcohol consumption during rehabilitation. Even low-to-moderate drinking impairs athletic performance and injury recovery for a couple of days, depending on the dose, the person and the aspect of recovery being measured.

    Binge drinking (periods of abstinence followed by consuming four or five drinks in one session) causes substantial short-term damage. Low-to-moderate drinking causes subtler disruptions, but these disruptions typically happen more frequently.

    Stokes’ decision to abstain from alcohol is not an overreaction – it’s a clear-headed, evidence-led commitment to optimal recovery. As new evidence reshapes our understanding of alcohol’s multiple impacts, the message is simple: rehabilitation doesn’t happen in the pub. Whether you’re a professional athlete, a recreational runner or an enthusiastic “weekend warrior”, every drink counts.

    When returning from an injury, the less you drink, the better your chances of a complete recovery. If a rapid and complete recovery is your goal, then less is better, and none is best.

    Deciding to drink alcohol during rehabilitation is a personal choice. But if healing is the priority, one of the simplest, most controllable ways to skew the odds in your favour is to follow Stokes’ lead and skip that drink.

    John Kiely does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Five reasons you should give up alcohol if you’re recovering from an injury – https://theconversation.com/five-reasons-you-should-give-up-alcohol-if-youre-recovering-from-an-injury-257194

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    June 14, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: How pterosaurs can inspire aircraft design

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By David Hone, Senior Lecturer in Zoology, Queen Mary University of London

    Travelershigh / Shutterstock

    Pterosaurs were an amazing group of flying reptiles that occupied the skies around the same time that dinosaurs roamed on land. Appearing in the fossil record around 230 million years ago, pterosaurs survived until 66 million years ago, when an asteroid impact helped wipe them, and many other life forms, out.

    The pterosaurs are often the animals in the background, while the dinosaurs occupy the foreground. However, they are worthy of much more recognition than they are commonly given, not just as interesting ancient animals, but because they could also inspire aircraft designs.

    Pterosaurs were the first vertebrates to evolve powered flight. They were in the air 80 million years before birds and around 180 million years before bats. However, their flight apparatus was rather different to either. The wings of bats are supported by multiple digits (like our fingers). Birds use feathers as structural units in the wings.

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    But pterosaurs primarily had one finger to support their wings. Their main wing was composed of a single giant “spar” – a structural unit – made of up of the bones of the arm and the greatly elongated fourth finger, with a membrane that stretched from the tip of the finger down to the ankle. This membrane acted as a flight surface.

    As a group, pterosaurs were diverse – some were specialist fishers, filter feeders, terrestrial predators, insect hunters, seed crackers, and more. Some could climb well and many species were highly mobile on the ground.

    They also got very large. The biggest pterosaurs had wingspans of over 10m and could weigh over 250kg. Even the smallest pterosaurs could fly: juveniles with 10cm wingspans were probably capable of flight within days or even hours of hatching.

    The bones of pterosaurs, like those of birds and many dinosaurs, were filled by extensions of the lungs called air-sacs, and they were extremely thin walled. This made the skeletons of the animals very stiff for their weight (rather important when flying). It also made their skeletons very fragile after death, and so pterosaur fossils are rare.

    However, in a handful of sites around the world – most notably in Germany, Brazil and China – where the preservation of fossils is exceptionally good, we have huge numbers of pterosaur fossils with both complete skeletons and a lot of soft tissue. This gives us an incredible insight into the shape and structure of their wings and how they flew.

    In addition to the main wing surface, pterosaurs had two other smaller subsidiary surfaces that would have given them extra control. At the front of the main wing sitting in the crux of the elbow was a small membrane between the wrist and the base of the neck, supported by a unique long wrist bone called the pteroid.

    At the back of the body, earlier pterosaurs had a single large sheet of membrane between the legs, supported in the middle by a long tail and on each side by long fifth toes on the feet. Later pterosaurs split this rear membrane and had only a small piece of membrane running from the ankle on each leg to the base of a short tail.

    As well as the outer skin-like layers, the wings had at least three major layers, comprising blood vessels, a layer of muscles, and a layer of stiffening fibres. Some might well have had extensions of the airsacs in the main wing membranes too, which could presumably be inflated and deflated to a degree. The wing as a whole was therefore extremely elastic and flexible.

    Artist’s impression of pterosaurs in flight.
    Natalie Jagielska

    This would have given pterosaurs extraordinary control over their wings. All of this makes them an intriguing model for future aircraft design.

    Flight challenge

    Aircraft wings are not (and cannot) be perfectly stiff. Adding flexibility, or better still, actual shape changing potential, could give them substantial performance benefits. But stiffness and flexibility need to be balanced. Problems with aeroelasticity – the tendency of a soft wing to vibrate in ways that greatly reduce performance (or even cause flight to fail outright) – limit how pliable the wings can be.

    Pterosaurs had multiple mechanisms to address this challenge, from passive mechanisms, such as fibres within the wing, to active mechanisms, such as the muscles that ran throughout the wing and could tighten on demand. This wing tensioning anatomy is*is?* among the most sophisticated aeroelastic control systems known to science.

    Survey and rescue drones of the future could look very different to this one.
    Sobrevolando Patagonia / Shutterstock

    The key to applying our knowledge of pterosaurs to future aircraft design comes not in closely mimicking the exact shape and form of pterosaurs, but instead, in understanding and extracting core principles from their anatomy.

    The membranous wings of pterosaurs were great at changing shape. The leading
    edge could lie flat or depress to a sharp angle, thanks to the small anterior membrane. The main wing surface could change its curvature, or camber. There is even evidence that the wing could manage what is called reflex camber – a shape in which the trailing edge of the wing curves upwards.

    Even the stiff portion of the wing (the spar) made of bone and surrounding muscles, was mobile – through motions of the shoulder, elbow, and wrist and flexibility within the bone itself near the wingtip. This soft, shape changing structure gave pterosaurs exceptional control over their moment-to-moment wing performance, optimising for lower speed or higher speed within fractions of a wingbeat. This would have made them particularly adept at slow speed flight – good for tight turns and precise, soft landings.

    Greater manoeuvrability and pinpoint landings are a premium for autonomous vehicles working in busy environments – such as cities or natural disaster zones full of debris. So future survey and rescue drones could take lessons from pterosaur wing control systems.

    Lessons from pterosaur anatomy could also be applied to wingsuits.
    Rick Neves / Shutterstock

    The jointed, flexible wing anatomy of pterosaurs also meant that the wings could fold tightly, and unlike the wings of birds, the folded wings of pterosaurs doubled as powerful walking limbs. Because the hands contacted the ground while walking, the forelimbs were available to help push the animals into the air during take-off leaps. Mathematical models predict half-second launch times, from a standing start, in even the largest pterosaurs.

    The exceptional mechanical loads associated with these launches were handled
    by one of the highest stiffness-to-weight skeletons to ever evolve. This folded-wing, rapid-launch system has great potential for applications to future technologies.

    So much so, in fact, that a prototype folding wing system modelled on pterosaurs has already undergone some testing (through a Nasa-funded university project on which one of the authors, Michael Habib, consulted). A folding, flapping wing that doubles as a launch system could allow future drones to take off with limited space – perhaps while on ships at sea. It could also be used to allow small flying drones to land and launch again out of craters on Mars.

    The red planet has just enough atmosphere to make flapping wing and rotor wing systems work. But it’s energetically costly and hovering is tough – better to land, measure and launch again. Similarly, rapid take offs from uneven terrain, precise landings, tight turns, and on demand tweaks to improve performance are all features that could be applied to the drones of the future, in wingsuits, and more.

    As the control systems for drones become increasingly driven by intelligent software, we will need a new generation of hardware to match. Pterosaurs may hold the keys to unlocking a future of highly manoeuvrable autonomous aerial vehicles that are competent in harsh conditions and urban environments. These would be ideal for search and rescue or surveys in locations that are too dangerous for humans.

    So despite having been extinct for 66 million years, the pterosaurs have huge potential as the inspiration for aircraft design. Sometimes looking back can be the best way to look forward.

    Michael Habib has worked on a prototype folding wing system based on pterosaur flight through a Nasa-funded university project.

    David Hone and Liz Martin do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. How pterosaurs can inspire aircraft design – https://theconversation.com/how-pterosaurs-can-inspire-aircraft-design-256823

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    June 14, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: The End of Light Goods Vehicle Acquired Rights

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    The End of Light Goods Vehicle Acquired Rights

    Since May 2022, transport companies and couriers using vans and car and trailers over 2.5 tonnes to transport goods in the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland have needed a Standard International Goods Vehicle Operator Licence and have a designated transport manager.

    Over the past year the Office of the Traffic Commissioner has been working with the 293 operators who relied on a transport manager that holds an Acquired Rights Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) for light goods vehicles.

    As the certificate could only be used to satisfy the professional competence requirements on an operator’s licence until 20 May 2025, it was important that they had a suitably qualified person specified on their operator’s licence before this date. Without it, their operator’s licence is at risk of revocation.

    The transport manager is a vital part of a transport company. They are responsible for helping to ensure that all goods and passengers reach their destinations safely. They ensure drivers have a valid licence and do not speed or break the drivers’ hours rules, vehicles are taxed and insured, have a valid MOT, are properly maintained and are loaded safely and the vehicle operator does not break safety rules.

    Gaining the CPC can take up to a year and the majority of those with acquired rights have spent the time and effort gaining the CPC qualifications they need. Some operators have appointed new, already qualified transport managers. Some no longer need the licence and have surrendered them, but for around 90 operators, licence revocation is now immanent, jeopardising their businesses through inaction.

    If you would like to know how to become a transport manager, visit https://www.gov.uk/become-transport-manager

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    Updates to this page

    Published 13 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    June 14, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Company sentenced for workplace injuries

    Source: Government of Canada regional news (2)

    MIL OSI Canada News –

    June 14, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: The Government of Barbados Announces an Offer to Purchase for Cash its 6.500% Notes due 2029

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION IN OR INTO OR TO ANY PERSON LOCATED OR RESIDENT IN ANY JURISDICTION WHERE SUCH RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION WOULD BE UNLAWFUL

    BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, June 13, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Government of Barbados (the “Offeror”) announces that it has today launched an offer (the “Offer”) to holders (the “Noteholders”) of any and all of its outstanding U.S.$407,642,670 6.500% Notes due 2029 (the “Notes”) to purchase any and all of such Notes for cash on the terms and subject to the satisfaction of the New Financing Condition (as defined below) and the other conditions set forth in the tender offer memorandum dated 13 June 2025 (the “Tender Offer Memorandum”).

    Capitalised terms used in this announcement but not defined have the meanings given to them in the Tender Offer Memorandum.

    All documentation relating to the Offer including the Tender Offer Memorandum and any amendments or supplements thereto will be available to Noteholders via the website for the Offer accessible at: www.dfking.com/barbados. The Offer is subject to offer and distribution restrictions in, among other countries, the United Kingdom, Italy, Belgium and France, as described below.

    Summary of the Offer

    Description of Notes Outstanding Principal
    Amount as of the Date
    Hereof and subject to the Offer    		 ISINs / CUSIP No. Purchase Price(1)
    6.500% Notes due 2029 U.S.$407,642,670 Rule 144A Notes:
    US067070AH54 / 067070 AH5

    Regulation S Notes:
    USP48864AQ80 / P48864 AQ8

    		 U.S.$1,000

     

    (1) Offered as Purchase Price per each U.S.$1,000 principal amount of Notes validly tendered at or prior to the Expiration Deadline (as defined below) and accepted for purchase. The Purchase Price does not include Accrued Interest (as defined below). On 26 June 2025 (subject to the right of the Offeror, at its sole discretion, to extend, re-open, amend and/or terminate the Offer) (the “Settlement Date”), Noteholders will also receive Accrued Interest on all Notes validly tendered and accepted for purchase.
       

    Rationale for the Offer

    The Offeror is making the Offer (subject to the New Financing Condition (as defined below)) in connection with the Offeror’s broader debt management strategy to refinance short-dated debt with longer-dated debt.

    All Notes purchased by the Offeror pursuant to the Offer will be cancelled and will not be re-issued or re-sold.

    Tender Offer Consideration

    The Offeror will, on the Settlement Date, pay for the Notes validly tendered and not validly withdrawn at or before the Expiration Deadline pursuant to the Offer and accepted for purchase pursuant to the Offer a cash amount (rounded to the nearest U.S.$0.01) equal to the sum of (i) the Purchase Price for such Notes, as set forth in the table above; and (ii) interest accrued and unpaid on the Notes from (and including) the interest payment date for such Notes immediately preceding the Settlement Date to (but excluding) the Settlement Date in respect of such Notes (the “Accrued Interest” and the payment thereof, the “Accrued Interest Payment”).

    The Offeror will calculate any Accrued Interest with respect to the Notes accepted for purchase in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Notes, and the calculation will be final and binding on all Noteholders whose Notes were accepted for purchase, absent manifest error.

    The Offeror reserves the right, in its sole and absolute discretion, to modify in any manner and at any time any of the terms and conditions of the Offer.

    New Financing Condition

    Whether the Offeror will accept for purchase any Notes validly tendered in the Offer is subject to (unless such condition is waived by the Offeror in its sole and absolute discretion), among other things, the prior closing of the issuance by the Offeror of one or more series of debt securities (the “New Notes”) in the international capital markets (the “New Notes Offering”) in an aggregate principal amount, and at a price and on terms and conditions acceptable to the Offeror in its sole and absolute discretion, a portion of the net proceeds of which will be used by the Offeror to purchase any Notes tendered and accepted pursuant to the Offer (the “New Financing Condition”).

    The New Notes Offering will be made solely by means of an offering memorandum relating to the New Notes Offering (the “New Notes Offering Memorandum”), and this announcement and the Tender Offer Memorandum do not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the New Notes. You may not participate in the New Notes Offering unless you have received and reviewed the New Notes Offering Memorandum, and not in reliance on, or on the basis of, this announcement or the Tender Offer Memorandum. The New Notes will be offered only to qualified institutional buyers in the United States in reliance on Rule 144A and outside the United States to non-U.S. persons in reliance on Regulation S under the Securities Act, and will not be registered under the Securities Act or the securities laws of any other jurisdiction.

    Even if the New Financing Condition is satisfied, the Offeror is not under any obligation to accept for purchase any Notes tendered pursuant to the Offer.

    In order to be valid, Tender Instructions must be submitted in respect of a minimum nominal amount of U.S.$100 and in integral multiples of U.S.$100 in excess thereof (the “Minimum Denomination”). Noteholders who do not tender all of their Notes must ensure that they retain a principal amount of Notes amounting to at least the Minimum Denomination.

    Expected Timetable of Events

    The times and dates below are indicative only.

    Date Events
    13 June 2025 Commencement of the Offer

    Offer announced. Tender Offer Memorandum available from the Information and Tender Agent.
       
    20 June 2025, 5 p.m. (New York Time) Expiration Deadline

    Deadline for receipt by the Information and Tender Agent of all Tender Instructions in order for Noteholders to be able to participate in the Offer and to be eligible to receive the Purchase Price and Accrued Interest Payment on the Settlement Date.
       
    As soon as reasonably practicable on or after the Expiration Deadline and expected to be 23 June 2025 Announcement of Results

    Offeror’s announcement of the amount of Notes validly tendered pursuant to the Offer.
       
    Promptly after the New Financing Condition has been met or waived Announcement of Notes accepted for purchase

    The Offeror will announce, promptly after the New Financing Condition has been met or waived, (i) the aggregate principal amount of Notes validly tendered that will be accepted for purchase, and (ii) the aggregate principal amount of Notes remaining outstanding following the completion of the Offer. See “Terms and Conditions of the Offer –Announcements” in the Tender Offer Memorandum.
       
    26 June 2025 (but subject to change without notice) Settlement

    Expected Settlement Date for the Offer. Payment of Purchase Price and Accrued Interest Payment in respect of the Offer. All Notes purchased pursuant to the Offer will be cancelled on the Settlement Date and will no longer be outstanding.
       

    The above times and dates are subject to the right of the Offeror to extend, re-open, amend, waive any condition of and/or terminate the Offer at any time (subject to applicable law and as provided in the Tender Offer Memorandum). Noteholders are advised to check with any bank, securities broker or other intermediary through which they hold Notes when such intermediary would need to receive instructions from a Noteholder in order for that Noteholder to be able to participate in, or (in the limited circumstances in which revocation is permitted) revoke their instruction to participate in, the Offer before the deadlines specified in the Tender Offer Memorandum. The deadlines set by any such intermediary and each Clearing System for the submission of Tender Instructions will be earlier than the relevant deadlines specified above. See “Procedures for Participating in the Offer” in the Tender Offer Memorandum.

    Announcements

    Unless stated otherwise, announcements in connection with the Offer will be by the issue of a press release through the Luxembourg Stock Exchange and by the delivery of notices to the relevant Clearing Systems for communication to Direct Participants. Such announcements may also be made by the issue of a press release to a Notifying News Service. Copies of all such announcements, press releases and notices and will be available on the Offer Website or alternatively they can also be obtained upon request from the Information and Tender Agent, the contact details for which are below. Significant delays may be experienced where notices are delivered to the Clearing Systems and Noteholders are urged to contact the Information and Tender Agent for the relevant announcements during the course of the Offer. In addition, Noteholders may contact the Dealer Managers for information using the contact details below.

    Tender Instructions

    In order to participate in and be eligible to receive the relevant Purchase Price and any Accrued Interest Payment pursuant to the Offer, Noteholders must validly tender their Notes by delivering, or arranging to have delivered on their behalf, a valid Tender Instruction in respect of the Offer that is received by the Information and Tender Agent by 5.00 p.m. New York City time on 20 June 2025 (the “Expiration Deadline”).

    Tender Instructions will be irrevocable except in the limited circumstances described in the Tender Offer Memorandum.

    Noteholders are advised to check with any bank, securities broker or other intermediary through which they hold Notes when such intermediary would need to receive instructions from a Noteholder in order for that Noteholder to be able to participate in, or (in the limited circumstances in which revocation is permitted) revoke their instruction to participate in, the Offer by the deadlines specified in the Tender Offer Memorandum. The deadlines set by any such intermediary and each Clearing System for the submission of Tender Instructions will be earlier than the relevant deadlines specified in the Tender Offer Memorandum.

    Tender Instructions must be submitted in respect of a nominal amount of Notes equal to or greater than the Minimum Denomination.

    A separate Tender Instruction must be completed on behalf of each beneficial owner.

    Disclaimer

    This announcement does not contain the full terms and conditions of the Offer. The terms and conditions of the Offer are contained in the Tender Offer Memorandum, and are subject to the Offer and distribution restrictions set out below and more fully described therein.

    Further information

    J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Standard Chartered Bank have been appointed by the Offeror to serve as dealer managers (the “Dealer Managers”) for the Offer. D.F. King (the “Information and Tender Agent”) has been appointed by the Offeror to act as the information and tender agent in connection with the Offer.

    For additional information regarding the terms of the Offer, please contact J.P. Morgan Securities LLC by telephone at (866) 846-2874; Collect: (212) 834-7279 and Standard Chartered Bank by telephone at (212) 667-0351 (U.S.) or +44 20 7885 5739 (U.K.) and by email at liability_management@sc.com.

    Requests for documents and questions regarding the tender of Notes may be directed to the Information and Tender Agent D.F. King & Co., Inc. via:

    Banks & Brokers Call: (212) 269-5550

    Toll free: (866) 342-4881

    Email: barbados@dfking.com

    The Tender Offer Memorandum is expected to be distributed to Noteholders beginning today. A copy of the Tender Offer Memorandum is available on the tender offer website accessible at www.dfking.com/barbados.

    No Recommendation

    The relevant Purchase Price, if paid by the Offeror with respect to the Notes of any series accepted for purchase, will not necessarily reflect the actual value of such Notes. Noteholders should independently analyse the value of the Notes and make an independent assessment of the terms of the Offer. None of the Offeror, the Dealer Managers or the Information and Tender Agent has or will express any opinion as to whether the terms of the Offer are fair. None of the Offeror, the Dealer Managers or the Information and Tender Agent makes any recommendation that Noteholders should submit an offer to sell or tender Notes or refrain from doing so pursuant to the Offer, and no one has been authorised by any of them to make any such recommendation.

    Offer and Distribution Restrictions

    Neither this announcement nor the Tender Offer Memorandum constitutes an offer to participate in the Offer in any jurisdiction in which, or to any person to or from whom, it is unlawful to make such offer or for there to be such participation under applicable securities laws. The distribution of the Tender Offer Memorandum in certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law. Persons into whose possession the Tender Offer Memorandum comes are required by the Offeror, the Dealer Managers and the Information and Tender Agent to inform themselves about, and to observe, any such restrictions

    Nothing in this announcement or the Tender Offer Memorandum or the electronic transmission thereof constitutes an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the New Notes in the United States or any other jurisdiction.

    In addition, each Noteholder participating in an Offer will also be deemed to give certain representations in respect of the other jurisdictions referred to above and generally as set out in “Procedures for Participating in the Offer” of the Tender Offer Memorandum. Any tender of Notes for purchase pursuant to an Offer from a Noteholder that is unable to make these representations will not be accepted. Each of the Offeror, the Dealer Managers and the Information and Tender Agent reserves the right, in its absolute discretion, to investigate, in relation to any tender of Notes for purchase pursuant to an Offer, whether any such representation given by a Noteholder is correct and, if such investigation is undertaken and as a result the Offeror determines (for any reason) that such representation is not correct, such tender shall not be accepted. The acceptance of any tender shall not be deemed to be a representation or a warranty by any of the Offeror, the Dealer Manager or the Information and Tender Agent or any of their respective directors, officers, employees, agents or affiliates that it has undertaken any such investigation and/or that any such representation to any person underwriting any such Notes is correct.

    United Kingdom

    The communication of the Tender Offer Memorandum and any other documents or materials relating to the Offer are not being made, and such documents and/or materials have not been approved, by an authorised person for the purposes of section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, as amended (the “FSMA”). Accordingly, such documents and/or materials are not being distributed to, and must not be passed on to, the general public in the United Kingdom. The communication of such documents and/or materials is exempt from the restriction on financial promotions under section 21 of the FSMA on the basis that it is only directed at and may be communicated to (1) those persons who are existing creditors of the Offeror within Article 43(2) of the FSMA (Financial Promotion) Order 2005, as amended, and (2) to any other persons to whom these documents and/or materials may lawfully be communicated.

    Belgium

    Neither the Tender Offer Memorandum nor any other documents or materials relating to the Offer have been, or will be, submitted to or notified to, or approved by, the Belgian Financial Services and Markets Authority (Autorité des services et marchés financiers/Autoriteit voor Financiële Diensten en Markten) and, accordingly, the Offer may not be made in Belgium by way of a public offering, as defined in Article 3 of the Belgian Law of 1 April 2007 on takeover bids (loi relative aux offres publiques d’acquisition/wet op de openbare overnamebiedingen), as amended or replaced from time to time.

    Accordingly, the Offer may not be, and are not being advertised, and the Tender Offer Memorandum, as well as any brochure, or any other material or document relating thereto (including any memorandum, information circular, brochure or any similar document) may not, have not and will not be distributed, directly or indirectly, to any person located and/or resident within Belgium, other than those who qualify as qualified investors (investisseurs qualifiés/qekwalificeerde beleggers), within the meaning of Article 2, e), of the Prospectus Regulation acting on their own account. Accordingly, the information contained in the Tender Offer Memorandum or in any brochure or any other document or material relating thereto may not be used for any other purpose, including for any offering in Belgium, except as may otherwise be permitted by law, and shall not be disclosed or distributed to any other person in Belgium.

    France

    The Tender Offer Memorandum and any other documents or materials relating to the Offer are only addressed to and are only directed at qualified investors within the meaning of the Prospectus Regulation in France. Each person in France who receives any communication in respect of the Offer contemplated in the Tender Offer Memorandum and any other documents or materials relating to the Offer will be deemed to have represented, warranted and agreed to and with the Dealer Managers and the Offeror that it is a qualified investor within the meaning of Article 2(e) of the Prospectus Regulation.

    European Economic Area

    In any European Economic Area (“EEA”) Member State, this announcement and the Tender Offer Memorandum are only addressed to, and are only directed at, “qualified investors” (as defined in Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 June 2017, as amended (the “Prospectus Regulation”)) in that Member State.

    Each person in a Member State of the EEA who receives any communication in respect of the Offer contemplated in this announcement and the Tender Offer Memorandum will be deemed to have represented, warranted and agreed to and with each Dealer Manager and the Offeror that it is a qualified investor within the meaning of the Prospectus Regulation.

    The MIL Network –

    June 14, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Statement from the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment Peter Burke

    Source: Government of Ireland – Department of Jobs Enterprise and Innovation

    13th June 2025

    This afternoon, Michael Carey tendered his resignation as Chair of Enterprise Ireland. 

    A process will now commence through the Public Appointments Service to appoint a new Chair. Jim Woulfe sits on the board of Enterprise Ireland and has agreed to act as interim Chair in advance of the formal process concluding.

    I would like to thank Michael Carey for his work and dedication to Irish enterprises over the last two years as Chair of Enterprise Ireland and wish him all the best in the future. 

    The Government and Enterprise Ireland have ambitious plans over the coming period, including to increase exports to €50bn by 2029, to establish 1,700 new Irish-owned exporters and to increase jobs in companies supported by Enterprise Ireland to 275,000.

    Supporting Irish SMEs, together with realising the significant potential we have in our innovative economy, remain my absolute priority. I am working closely with Jenny Melia, as CEO designate, and the board of Enterprise Ireland in this regard.

    ENDS

    Back to Department News

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    MIL OSI Europe News –

    June 14, 2025
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