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Category: CTF

  • MIL-OSI Global: What I’ve learned from teaching philosophy in prisons

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jim Chamberlain, Lecturer in Philosophy, University of Sheffield

    zapomicron/Shutterstock

    Of all the subjects that could be taught in prisons, philosophy might seem a strange choice. You might think that we should address the educational basics first, since, according to a House of Commons report, 57% of prisoners in England “have English and Maths levels at or below those expected of an eleven-year-old”. You might also expect prison education to focus on the skills needed for employment after release.

    In the UK, many people think that prisons should harshly punish offenders, and perhaps see philosophy courses as an unjustifiable luxury for those who have broken the law.

    However, we are in a period of potentially significant change for the UK prison system, which has been overcrowded and in poor condition for years.

    In my three years of running philosophy courses in prisons, I have witnessed what can be achieved with this kind of education. I have found that philosophy courses can make a big difference to the lives of prisoners and prison culture, often in unexpected ways.

    Working with colleagues at the charity Philosophy in Prison and the University of Sheffield, I have led philosophy courses in several English prisons, and found that philosophy is particularly well-suited to prison education. Unlike most topics, philosophy can be taught purely in conversation, without textbooks or technology.

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    There are many good reasons for engaging in philosophical conversations with people in prison. Conversations allow almost anyone to get involved, regardless of their levels of literacy. Philosophical conversations can give male prisoners a rare opportunity to relax the rigid norms of masculinity that prisons implicitly enforce.

    But one of the biggest benefits I have seen is the effects of these conversations on people’s attitudes towards disagreement. Prisons are overcrowded and often dangerous places, where disagreement can all too easily lead to conflict. Fortunately, philosophy provides an excellent opportunity for constructive dialogue.

    Getting philosophical

    One of the most intriguing things about philosophy is that nobody knows the answers to the questions it asks of us. Think about questions like, “what makes you the same person you were ten years ago?”, “what is a good life?” or “what is knowledge?”

    Such questions get to the heart of what it is to be human, and they have puzzled people for centuries. They require everyone, from the most experienced philosopher to the complete newcomer, to question why we think as we do. They also sharpen our interest in what others have to say.

    Take the first of these questions, for example. Perhaps you think that your memories of your past make you the same person that you used to be. But we cannot remember being asleep, and we are presumably not different people when we sleep. So, you might suggest instead, we had the same bodies ten years ago. Except that every part of a human body changes over time – over ten years, every cell in our bodies might be replaced. Now, with just four sentences, the puzzle has been set, and a conversation begun.

    Many of the questions we discuss in prison courses originally come from the world of classical philosophy (such as the three mentioned above). And our conversations often explore the ideas of ancient and historical philosophers – whether Aristotle or Bentham has a better understanding of the good life, for example.

    In any philosophical conversation, we will quickly realise that disagreement need not involve confrontation: it can be progressive, exciting, even fun. Philosophy helps people develop and practice the conversational norms – and the confidence – needed for positive disagreement. In my experience, prisoners often enter philosophy courses with little expectation that they will have anything to contribute.

    Many prisoners “have limited or negative experiences of education and therefore a limited belief in the potential of learning”. But philosophy courses can radically improve people’s confidence, and so help them to rethink what education might mean for them.

    One of our course participants summarised this point as follows: “With philosophy, people care about what I think. Nobody listens when you’ve been in prison. Everything you think is wrong, rubbish, you’re nothing.” Another was even more direct: “Hated school, dropped out at 11, can’t read, can’t write. But I can do this.”

    Transforming prison culture

    Evidence shows that participation in education can significantly reduce the likelihood of reoffending. Yet, as the recent Independent Sentencing Review highlights, the rise in the UK prison population has led to finite resources being diverted away from such programmes.

    Philosophy courses can facilitate transformations in prison culture, at relatively little cost. An inspection report into one of the prisons that I have worked in for several years noted that prisoners who took the philosophy courses “reported that their mental health and wellbeing had improved and that they enjoyed the opportunity to participate”.

    Moreover, I have seen philosophy courses influence a whole prison wing, as people continued their conversations after we left. One participant said that “being in a room with inmates I didn’t know but ended up talking to went a long way to understanding each other… I now talk to more people on the wing”.

    No matter what prisoners may have done, they share in our common humanity. By engaging in philosophy with prisoners, we can address this with very positive results – potentially both in and after prison.

    Jim Chamberlain receives funding from The University of Sheffield and from BA/Leverhulme grants to fund philosophy courses in prisons. As well as working for the University of Sheffield, he is a Trustee of the charity Philosophy in Prison. Jim is also a member of the Green Party.

    – ref. What I’ve learned from teaching philosophy in prisons – https://theconversation.com/what-ive-learned-from-teaching-philosophy-in-prisons-253796

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    May 29, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: Texas’ annual reading test adjusted its difficulty every year, masking whether students are improving

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Jeanne Sinclair, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Education, Memorial University of Newfoundland

    Millions of Americans take high-stakes exams every year. Caiaimage/Chris Ryan/iStock via Getty Images

    Texas children’s performance on an annual reading test was basically flat from 2012 to 2021, even as the state spent billions of additional dollars on K-12 education.

    I recently did a peer-reviewed deep dive into the test design documentation to figure out why the reported results weren’t showing improvement. I found the flat scores were at least in part by design. According to policies buried in the documentation, the agency administering the tests adjusted their difficulty level every year. As a result, roughly the same share of students failed the test over that decade regardless of how objectively better they performed relative to previous years.

    From 2008 to 2014, I was a bilingual teacher in Texas. Most of my students’ families hailed from Mexico and Central America and were learning English as a new language. I loved seeing my students’ progress.

    Yet, no matter how much they learned, many failed the end-of-year tests in reading, writing and math. My hunch was that these tests were unfair, but I could not explain why. This, among other things, prompted me to pursue a Ph.D. in education to better understand large-scale educational assessment.

    Ten years later, in 2024, I completed a detailed exploration of Texas’s exam, currently known as the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, or STAAR. I found an unexpected trend: The share of students who correctly answered each test question was extraordinarily steady across years. Where we would expect to see fluctuation from year to year, performance instead appears artificially flat.

    The STAAR’s technical documents reveal that the test is designed much like a norm-referenced test – that is, assessing students relative to their peers, rather than if they meet a fixed standard. In other words, a norm-referenced test cannot tell us if students meet key, fixed criteria or grade-level standards set by the state.

    In addition, norm-referenced tests are designed so that a certain share of students always fail, because success is gauged by one’s position on the “bell curve” in relation to other students. Following this logic, STAAR developers use practices like omitting easier questions and adjusting scores to cancel out gains due to better teaching.

    Ultimately, the STAAR tests over this time frame – taken by students every year from grade 3 to grade 8 in language arts and math, and less frequently in science and social studies – were not designed to show improvement. Since the test is designed to keep scores flat, it’s impossible to know for sure if a lack of expected learning gains following big increases in per-student spending was because the extra funds failed to improve teaching and learning, or simply because the test hid the improvements.

    Why it matters

    Ever since the federal education policy known as No Child Left Behind went into effect in 2002 and tied students’ test performance to rewards and sanctions for schools, achievement testing has been a primary driver of public education in the United States.

    Texas’ educational accountability system has been in place since 1980, and it is well known in the state that the stakes and difficulty of Texas’ academic readiness tests increase with each new version, which typically come out every five to 10 years. What the Texas public may not know is that the tests have been adjusted each and every year – at the expense of really knowing who should “pass” or “fail.”

    The test’s design affects not just students but also schools and communities. High-stakes test scores determine school resources, the state’s takeover of school districts and accreditation of teacher education programs. Home values are even driven by local schools’ performance on high-stakes tests.

    Students who are marginalized by racism, poverty or language have historically tended to underperform on standardized tests. STAAR’s design makes this problem worse.

    What still isn’t known

    I plan to investigate if other states or the federal government use similarly designed tests to evaluate students.

    My deep dive into Texas’ test focused on STAAR before its 2022 redevelopment. The latest iteration has changed the test format and question types, but there appears to be little change to the way the test is scored. Without substantive revisions to the scoring calculations “under the hood” of the STAAR test, it is likely Texas will continue to see flat performance.

    The Texas Education Agency, which administers the STAAR tests, didn’t respond to a request for comment.

    The Research Brief is a short take on interesting academic work.

    Jeanne Sinclair receives funding from the Social Science and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) of Canada.

    – ref. Texas’ annual reading test adjusted its difficulty every year, masking whether students are improving – https://theconversation.com/texas-annual-reading-test-adjusted-its-difficulty-every-year-masking-whether-students-are-improving-244159

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    May 29, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Video: Commission President von der Leyen receives the International Charlemagne Prize of Aachen

    Source: European Commission (video statements)

    On Thursday, 29th of May, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will receive the International Charlemagne Prize for her outstanding commitment to European unity, security and competitiveness. During the award ceremony in Aachen, she also delivers a speech.

    Follow live events and access media content here:
    https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/

    Stay updated — follow us on X: https://x.com/EC_AVService

    Follow us on:
    -X: https://twitter.com/EU_Commission
    -Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/europeancommission/
    -Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EuropeanCommission
    -LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/european-commission/
    -Medium: https://medium.com/@EuropeanCommission

    Check our website: http://ec.europa.eu/

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWzYrFX78aY

    MIL OSI Video –

    May 29, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Living with Bears in Connecticut: What You Need to Know

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    Bears are a growing presence in Connecticut, and while they’re an important part of our ecosystem, safely sharing space with them is essential.

    “Black bears are the only bear species found in Connecticut,” says Tracy Rittenhouse, an associate professor in UConn’s Department of Natural Resources and the Environment. “They typically avoid people, but they’re curious animals and are always on the lookout for food, especially during the spring when they are emerging from hibernation and in the fall, as bears eat as much as possible to build fat for hibernation.”

    The challenge arises as we coexist in spaces, with more houses being built in wooded areas. The state’s bear population is expanding into new areas and once a female with cubs establishes a home range in a town, the number of bears in that town will continue to increase for several years.

    Bears become comfortable around people if they learn that residential areas provide easy meals, examples include birdseed, garbage, pet food, and fallen apples from trees. Easy meals lead to new habits for bears and more frequent human encounters. An example of a new habit in Connecticut is bears entering homes, with 70 reports of bears entering homes in the 2024 State of the Bears report.

    Connecticut’s black bear population is estimated at around 1,200 in total. While most live west of the Connecticut River, the population is expanding to the eastern side of the state.

    Adults weigh from 250 to 550 pounds, and a female can have between one and five cubs. Bears prefer to live in forestland and areas with thick underbrush, making many of our landscapes ideal habitats. While grasses, fruits, nuts, and berries are usual food sources, bears are omnivores, and will also eat insects, small mammals, livestock, and deer. Their excellent sense of smell easily leads them to food sources.

    “Sometimes residents with good intentions accidentally put themselves, their loved ones, and their neighbors at increased risk through their actions, like hanging nectar-filled feeders which are just as attractive to large black bears as they are to delicate hummingbirds,” says Amy Harder, associate dean for extension in the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources (CAHNR). “That’s why one of the main roles of UConn Extension is to share expertise from the University to help residents make informed decisions.”

    Removing food sources helps prevent bear conflicts. Here are a few simple steps:

    1. Secure your garbage bins. Store them in a garage or shed if possible and put them out only on the morning of pickup.
    2. Take down bird feeders. Bird feeders attract bears and should especially be removed from March to November when natural food is available.
    3. Pick up fallen fruit. Tree fruits and garden crops are another easy meal, especially apples, pumpkins, and other seasonal crops.
    4. Feed pets indoors. Pet food should be provided indoors or remove the outdoor bowls immediately after feeding.

    Bear encounters still occur, even with the necessary precautions. It’s important to know how to respond to ensure safety.

    “If you encounter a bear, stay calm. Do not run. Bears typically avoid confrontation and will move away if they don’t feel threatened,” Rittenhouse says. “Instead, back away slowly while facing the bear. Make yourself look large by raising your arms or standing on a chair. Use a calm voice and give the bear plenty of space to retreat.”

    Hikers and those working outdoors in areas where bears are active should consider carrying bear spray as a precaution, which offers a highly effective, nonlethal deterrent if used correctly. Bear spray must be easily accessible while working or hiking and users should pay attention to the wind direction to avoid spraying themselves.

    If you have seen bears in your neighborhood, consider keeping bear spray accessible when grilling in your backyard.  Don’t leave a big plate of food on the table next to the grill. Pets and children should be supervised outdoors in neighborhoods where bears are regularly observed.

    The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) tracks bear sightings and encourages everyone to report bear sightings. This is especially important if the bear is approaching people or damaging property. Wildlife officials monitor bear activity and educate communities about staying safe. So far, there have already been 500 bear sightings in 2025, and last year, sightings were reported in 159 of Connecticut’s 169 municipalities, according to DEEP, with Simsbury reporting the greatest number of sightings at 967.

    If you live near bears, consider installing an electric fence around your garden, especially during peak growing season. Bear noses are knee-height, and fences should have three or four strands. Harvest ripe fruits and vegetables and remove rotting produce. Use bear-resistant compost bins and avoid putting food scraps or fruit waste into open piles. Beekeepers also need to protect their hives.

    UConn’s bear story map shows bear activity and the geographic locations with the highest bear and human conflict frequency. The story map documents research completed in 2012 and 2013 into the population size and location throughout the state. There is a new study by Rittenhouse and partners that will describe quantitatively how much diet and movements have changed over the last 10 years.

    “Bears are not out to harm us. Coexisting with bears means respecting their presence and taking steps to discourage bears from using areas frequented by people. If we remove food attractants, bears are less likely to spend time in backyards,” Rittenhouse says. “By taking simple steps around your home, garden, and yard, we can reduce bear conflicts and live alongside one of Connecticut’s most iconic wild animals.”

    This work relates to CAHNR’s Strategic Vision area focused on Fostering Sustainable Landscapes at the Urban-Rural Interface.

    Follow UConn CAHNR on social media

    MIL OSI USA News –

    May 29, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Europe: ECB Consumer Expectations Survey results – April 2025

    Source: European Central Bank

    28 May 2025

    Compared with March 2025:

    • median consumer perceptions of inflation over the previous 12 months remained unchanged, as did median expectations for inflation three and five years ahead, while median inflation expectations for the next 12 months increased further;
    • expectations for nominal income growth over the next 12 months decreased, while expectations for spending growth over the next 12 months increased;
    • expectations for economic growth over the next 12 months became more negative, while the expected unemployment rate in 12 months’ time increased;
    • expectations for growth in the price of homes over the next 12 months increased, as did expectations for mortgage interest rates 12 months ahead.

    Inflation

    In April, the median rate of perceived inflation over the previous 12 months remained unchanged for the third consecutive month at 3.1%. This is its lowest level since September 2021. Median expectations for inflation over the next 12 months increased further by 0.2 percentage points to 3.1%, the highest level since February 2024. Expectations for three years ahead remained unchanged at 2.5%. Expectations for inflation five years ahead were unchanged for the fifth consecutive month at 2.1%. For the first time since July 2021, median inflation expectations over the next 12 months did not stay below the level of inflation perceptions over the previous 12 months (both at 3.1%). Uncertainty about inflation expectations over the next 12 months also increased in April, reaching the same level as in June 2024. While the broad evolution of inflation perceptions and expectations remained relatively closely aligned across income groups, over the previous year and a half inflation perceptions and short-horizon expectations for lower income quintiles were, on average, slightly above those for higher income quintiles. Younger respondents (aged 18-34) continued to report lower inflation perceptions and expectations than older respondents (those aged 35-54 and 55-70), albeit to a lesser degree than in previous years. (Inflation results)

    Income and consumption

    Consumers’ nominal income growth expectations over the next 12 months decreased to 0.9%, from 1.0% in March. Perceived nominal spending growth over the previous 12 months decreased to 4.9%, from 5.0% in March. Conversely, expected nominal spending growth over the next 12 months increased to 3.7% in April, from 3.4% in March. This increase was observed across all income groups. (Income and consumption results)

    Economic growth and labour market

    Economic growth expectations for the next 12 months became more negative, falling to -1.9% in April from -1.2% in March. Expectations for the unemployment rate 12 months ahead increased to 10.5%, from 10.4% in March. Consumers continued to expect the future unemployment rate to be only slightly higher than the perceived current unemployment rate (9.8%), implying a broadly stable labour market. Quarterly data showed that unemployed respondents reported a lower expected probability of finding a job over the next three months, falling from 25.1% in January to 21.9% in April. Employed respondents reported that their expected probability of job loss over the next three months decreased to 8.4% in April, from 8.6% in January. (Economic growth and labour market results)

    Housing and credit access

    Consumers expected the price of their home to increase by 3.2% over the next 12 months, up from 3.1% in March. Households in the lowest income quintile continued to expect higher growth in house prices than those in the highest income quintile (3.6% and 3.0% respectively), while the difference between the two groups was smaller than on average in 2024. Expectations for mortgage interest rates 12 months ahead increased to 4.5%, from 4.4% in March. As in previous months, the lowest income households expected the highest mortgage interest rates 12 months ahead (5.1%), while the highest income households expected the lowest rates (4.0%). The net percentage of households reporting a tightening (relative to those reporting an easing) in access to credit over the previous 12 months increased slightly (from 20.2% in March to 21.7% in April), while the net percentage of those expecting a tightening over the next 12 months increased more substantially (from 15.5% in March to 20.8% in April). The share of consumers who reported having applied for credit during the past three months, which is measured on a quarterly basis, increased to 15.6% in April from 15.0% in January. (Housing and credit access results)

    The release of the Consumer Expectations Survey (CES) results for May is scheduled for 1 July 2025.

    For media queries, please contact: William Lelieveldt, tel.: +49 170 2279090.

    Notes

    • Unless otherwise indicated, the statistics presented in this press release refer to the 2% winsorised mean. For further details, see ECB Consumer Expectations Survey – Guide to the computation of aggregate statistics.
    • The CES is a monthly online survey of, currently, around 19,000 adult consumers (i.e. aged 18 or over) from 11 euro area countries: Belgium, Germany, Ireland, Greece, Spain, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal and Finland. The main aggregate results of the CES are published on the ECB’s website every month. The results are used for policy analysis and complement other data sources used by the ECB.
    • Further information about the survey and the data collected is available on the CES web page. Detailed information can also be found in the following two publications: Bańkowska, K. et al., “ECB Consumer Expectations Survey: an overview and first evaluation”, Occasional Paper Series, No 287, ECB, Frankfurt am Main, December 2021; and Georgarakos, D. and Kenny, G., “Household spending and fiscal support during the COVID-19 pandemic: Insights from a new consumer survey”, Journal of Monetary Economics, Vol. 129, Supplement, July 2022, pp. S1-S14.
    • The survey results do not represent the views of the ECB’s decision-making bodies or staff.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

    May 29, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Genocide Prosecution Network presents new visual identity

    Source: Eurojust

    This design shows a more modern, dynamic and cohesive look, in line with current branding and communication standards. The new logo is a combination of symbols, bringing together multiple concepts essential to the Network (hover over any of the specific aspects to see a detailed graphic display of this feature of the logo):

    • Law: represented by Lady Justice, evoking the scales of justice.
    • Network map: connecting lines symbolising cooperation between national authorities, partners and stakeholders.
    • Human figure with palms up: placed at the heart of the symbol, representing the victims of core international crimes (genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes).
    • Scales: as a universal emblem of balance, equality and harmony.
    • Shield: reflecting the protection of victims and the integrity of judicial processes.
    • Sword: symbolising the strength of justice against crimes.

    Together, these elements are a visual reaffirmation of the identity, purpose and values that unite all members of the Network. 

    The transition to the short name Genocide Prosecution Network accompanies the visual renewal, underscoring its clear focus on providing support to investigations and prosecutions of core international crimes.

    This change does not alter the official name, remaining the European network of contact points with respect to persons responsible for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes, based on the Council Decision of 13 June 2002 (2002/494/JHA).

    MIL Security OSI –

    May 29, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New Lord Mayor set to celebrate communities

    Source: City of Coventry

    Cllr Rachel Lancaster has been named Lord Mayor of the City of Coventry 2025/26.

    Cllr Lancaster represents Holbrook Ward, she grew up there, going to John Shelton and President Kennedy schools, She is the second female in her family to serve as a Councillor in Coventry.

    Cllr Lancaster has served in many roles during her 17 years on the Council, including holding the portfolio of Cabinet Member for Public Services, Charing Scrutiny Boards and as Chair and Deputy Chair of Licensing Committee.

    Her children, daughter Meridith and son Lawrie, will share the role of Lord Mayor’s Consort.

    Outside the Council, her professional life has seen her work in strategic management positions for charities across the city, including as a Director of Coventry Independent Advice Services and Coventry and District Credit Union.

    The Lord Mayor said: “The city of Coventry and the Council that serves it have always been such important parts of my life.

    “We have created a remarkable city by working together as a community, and in my year I will celebrate that work and the people and organisations that make it possible.

    “I feel extremely proud that I have been given the opportunity to serve Coventry in this way, and I’m looking forward to meeting some of the many people out there who help to make it home.”

    The Lord Mayor has chosen the Heart of England Community Foundation as her charity for the year, focusing on community organisations and women’s charities

    People can show their support by donating via the Council’s online payment system. Please make sure you select ‘Council and democracy’ and then ‘Lord Mayor Charity donations 24/25’ from the drop-down list. You can send a cheque payable to ‘Coventry City Council’ to The Lord Mayor’s Office, Council House, Earl Street, Coventry CV1 5RR.

    The new Deputy Lord Mayor of the City of Coventry has been named as Cllr Roger Bailey.

    Published: Wednesday, 28th May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    May 29, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Attorney General celebrates UK-Irish relations during visit

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    News story

    Attorney General celebrates UK-Irish relations during visit

    The Attorney General Lord Hermer KC visited Dublin where he engaged with the Irish legal community and government ministers to strengthen UK-Irish relations.

    Attorney General Lord Hermer KC and Attorney General Rossa Fanning

    The Attorney General Lord Hermer KC travelled to Dublin where he met with his counterpart, Attorney General Rossa Fanning.

    The two Attorneys General spoke about the UK and Ireland’s close geography, shared culture, and joint commitment to the rule of law.

    Over the two-day trip, between 22 and 23 May 2025, the Attorney also met with the Irish Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, Jim O’Callaghan.

    Lord Hermer KC held meetings with leading Irish legal figures, including the President of High Court David Barniville and representatives from the Irish Supreme Court, the Director of Public Prosecutions, Director General of Law Society of Ireland, and Chairperson of Bar Council of Ireland’s Public Affairs Committee.

    Attorney General Lord Hermer KC and Deputy Head of Mission, Dublin, Elin Burns.

    The Attorney also engaged with the Irish legal professions with a reception at the King’s Inns – Ireland’s oldest law school – and a visit to Four Courts, home to the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeal, High Court, and the Dublin Circuit Court.

    Attorney General Lord Hermer KC said:

    The UK and Ireland share the strongest of ties, with a close geography, shared culture, and joint commitment to the rule of law. 

    On the back of the historic UK-Ireland Summit in March, I made clear the opportunities available to strengthen the partnership between UK and Irish legal sectors – a chance to deliver growth and prosperity in both our countries.” 

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    Published 28 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    May 29, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The next round of direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine will be announced soon – S. Lavrov

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    Moscow, May 28 (Xinhua) — Speaking at the 13th International Meeting of High Representatives Responsible for Security Issues on Wednesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that the next round of direct talks between Russia and Ukraine will be announced soon.

    According to him, in the new round of negotiations with Ukraine, the Russian side will continue to insist that Ukraine repeal discriminatory laws.

    “At these negotiations, on May 16 in Istanbul, we insisted on the abolition of these discriminatory laws, and we will continue to do so at the next round of direct negotiations, which we will announce in the very near future,” said S. Lavrov.

    In his opinion, peace negotiations are better than war, but in order to successfully end the conflict in Ukraine, its root causes must be eliminated.

    He also noted that one of Russia’s key demands is the return of Ukraine to a neutral, non-aligned and non-nuclear status.

    “Let me remind you that the neutral, non-aligned and non-nuclear status of Ukraine was solemnly proclaimed in the declaration of independence of this country, adopted in 1991,” said S. Lavrov. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    May 29, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The new security architecture in the world must be equal and indivisible – V. Putin

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    Moscow, May 28 /Xinhua/ — Russia’s approaches remain principled and unchanged, the new security architecture must be equal and indivisible. This was stated by Russian President Vladimir Putin in a video address to participants of the 13th International Meeting of High Representatives Responsible for Security Issues.

    “All states must receive firm guarantees of their own security, but not at the expense of the security and interests of other countries,” said the Russian leader.

    He noted that it is important to make the Eurasian continent “a space of peace and stability, an example of sustainable economic, social and cultural development.”

    “We believe that the basis for creating such a universal security system could be the existing and well-proven multilateral formats of interaction, such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the Eurasian Economic Union, the Collective Security Treaty Organization, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and others,” said V. Putin.

    He also called on the meeting participants to draw on past experience when building joint work, recalling that 2025 will mark 80 years since the end of World War II, which had a dramatic impact on the development of the international community.

    The 13th International Meeting of High Representatives Responsible for Security Issues is taking place in Moscow on May 27-29. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    May 29, 2025

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Amnesty Media Awards 2025: Award-winning singer-songwriter Emeli Sandé to perform at ceremony

    Source: Amnesty International –

    The ceremony will take place on Wednesday 4 June at the BFI Southbank in London and will also be livestreamed here

    ‘I am passionate about freedom of expression. We must champion those who take risks to help make the world a fairer, more truthful and peaceful place’ – Emeli Sandé

    Amnesty International UK is thrilled to announce that award-winning singer-songwriter Emeli Sandé will be performing at the Amnesty Media Awards 2025.

    Emeli, a multi-award winning and internationally acclaimed singer and songwriter, is a long-standing supporter of Amnesty UK, and is passionate about social justice with a focus on women’s rights and the plight of refugees.

    She has sold 19 million singles – of which three were UK No.1 hits – six million albums and won four BRIT awards. In 2018, Emeli received an MBE for Services to Music and in July 2019, she became the University of Sunderland’s Chancellor. 

    Emeli said:

    “I’m very much looking forward to performing at the 2025 Amnesty Media Awards. It’s a great privilege to have the opportunity to play a part in celebrating such brave, extraordinary individuals.

    “I am passionate about freedom of expression. We must champion those who take risks to help make the world a fairer, more truthful and peaceful place.”

    “The work of organisations like Amnesty is more vital than ever and I’m honoured to be there to celebrate the courageous work of journalists who put themselves at great risk to speak truth to power.”

    Amnesty’s Media Awards recognise the vital role journalists play and the serious risks they face in highlighting human rights abuses around the world and holding power to account.

    At a time when courageous journalism has never been more important, Amnesty UK believes it is more important than ever to honour the brilliant and brave work of journalists who use their voices and platforms to shine a light on injustice around the world – often while putting their own lives at risk.

    This year’s awards, spanning 11 categories, will be hosted by actor, writer and director Jolyon Rubinstein. Al-Jazeera’s Gaza bureau chief Wael Al-Dahdouh will also be giving a speech on the importance of press freedom on the night.

    Finalists were picked from over 200 entries by an internal panel of experts from Amnesty International.

    The shortlist represents the very best of human rights journalism coming out of the UK from the last year, across a broad range of global human rights issues from a variety of outlets.

    Entries are judged by a panel of prestigious external and internal experts from across the media landscape.

    The winners will be announced at a ceremony taking place at the BFI Southbank on Wednesday 4 June 2025. The ceremony will be also be livestreamed here.

    MIL OSI NGO –

    May 29, 2025

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Palestine: Hamas must end ‘shameful’ crackdown against protesters in Gaza

    Source: Amnesty International –

    Amnesty have documented a disturbing pattern of of threats, intimidation and harassment, including interrogations and beatings by Hamas against peaceful protesters

    Gaza protests occur against the backdrop of Israel’s ongoing genocide and humanitarian crisis

    ‘We are entitled to live with dignity. We started marching because we want a solution to our suffering’ – Protester

    ‘The authorities in Gaza must respect the rights of the people in Gaza and protect them, at a time when their survival is at stake’ – Erika Guevara-Rosas

    Authorities in the occupied Gaza Strip must respect the right to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression and cease the ongoing repression of protesters, Amnesty International said today.

    Over the past two months, Amnesty has documented a disturbing pattern of threats, intimidation and harassment, including interrogations and beatings by Hamas-run security forces against individuals exercising their right to peaceful protest amidst Israel’s ongoing genocide and its recent escalation in bombardment and expansion of mass displacement. 

    Since 25 March, residents of Beit Lahia, a town in the North Gaza governorate, have organised multiple marches demanding an end to Israel’s genocide and unlawful displacement. These protests have attracted hundreds, if not thousands of Palestinians. Protesters have been chanting slogans and holding signs criticising the Hamas-led authorities in Gaza, with some people calling for an end to Hamas’ rule. Smaller protests have also taken place in Jabalia refugee camp, Shuja’iya and Khan Younis, where protesters also chanted slogans against specific Hamas leaders.  

    Erika Guevara-Rosas, Senior Director for Research, Advocacy, Policy and Campaigns at Amnesty International, said:

    “The Hamas authorities must immediately cease all repressive measures against Palestinians who are bravely and openly expressing their opposition to Hamas practices in Gaza. Reports of beatings, threats, and interrogations are extremely alarming and constitute serious violations of the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.

    “It is abhorrent and shameful that while Palestinians in Gaza are enduring atrocities at the hands of Israel, Hamas authorities are further exacerbating their suffering by ramping up threats and intimidation against people simply for saying ‘we want to live’. 

    “Palestinians in Gaza are protesting the devastating impact of Israel’s ongoing genocide and the forced displacement, as well as the failure of the authorities in Gaza to protect them from such attacks. They have the right to criticise the authorities without fearing violent reprisals.

    “The authorities in Gaza must allow peaceful protesters, dissidents, and journalists to exercise their rights without intimidation, harassment, or violence. Interrogation of protesters must cease immediately, and those responsible for violence or threats should be held accountable. The authorities in Gaza must respect the rights of the people in Gaza and protect them, at a time when their survival is at stake.”

    Peaceful protesters summoned for interrogation

    Amnesty interviewed 12 individuals – 10 men and two women – who either participated in or organised protests, as well as family members of three other protesters who said their relatives had been threatened if they decided to continue protesting. The interviewees described incidents where people who took part in protests were summoned for interrogation without following formal procedures, beaten with sticks and, in some cases, being threatened that they would be shot.

    Many expressed ongoing fears of further repression, with some family members of protesters describing threats and violence directed at their loved ones. Others expressed defiance. One resident of al-Atatra in Beit Lahia, whose family was decimated in an Israeli airstrike last year, told Amnesty:

    “We are entitled to live with dignity. We started marching because we want a solution to our suffering. No one incited us or told us to protest. People are protesting because they cannot live, they wanted change… Security forces came threatening and beating us, accusing us of being traitors, simply for raising our voices. We will continue to protest, no matter the risk.”

    He described how after a protest on 16 April, members of Hamas security services summoned him for interrogation, along with several others from the neighbourhood of al-Atatra where he lives. He said he and others were taken to a building in Mashrou’ Beit Lahia which had been transformed into a makeshift detention centre, and were beaten by around 50 armed men in civilian clothes:

    “I was beaten on my neck, on my back, with wooden sticks on my neck. They shouted at me…They accused me of being a traitor – a collaborator with the Mossad [Israeli intelligence agency]. I told them we took to the streets because we wanted to live, we wanted to eat and drink… I lost my family in one of the worst massacres in this war, five of my siblings and their children were killed. It was horrible, to be called a collaborator, to have your patriotism questioned, when your family is wiped out,” he said, adding that the government in Gaza has failed its citizens and while people know Israel is to blame, they also feel the Hamas authorities don’t “see” their suffering. He was released after nearly four hours of detention and interrogation and was ordered not to participate in any further protests.

    Since its takeover of Gaza in 2007 and the establishment of a parallel security and law enforcement apparatus, Hamas has imposed severe restrictions on freedom of association, expression and peaceful assembly, using excessive force in response to several protest movements, most notably in 2019, and regularly detaining and torturing dissidents. Even during Israel’s ongoing genocide, Hamas security services continued to throttle freedom of expression, including by labelling critics as traitors.

    Labelled as ‘traitors’

    Seven protesters interviewed by Amnesty said they had been labeled as “traitors” by security forces in plain clothes, who approached them after the protests, or during interrogation. 

    One protester said:

    “Here in Beit Lahia, we are attached to our land… so when we were displaced, it was like someone took our whole life away. We called on our neighbors, friends, to protest after the evacuation orders, because we were afraid of another displacement. It was a protest against the occupation and also against Hamas. We wanted them to listen to us.”

    He said that initially the protestors called for Israel to end its genocide, establish a ceasefire and open the crossings into Gaza. However, many began chanting against Hamas because “people are angry and fed up”. He told Amnesty that he had been summoned for interrogation multiple times but refused to go until individuals affiliated with Hamas security services came to his home on 17 April.

    “They beat me with sticks, and punched my face, the beating was not very hard, I think it more of a threat. Prior to that, after a protest, one person affiliated with them came over and threatened to shoot me in my feet if I continue to protest,” he said.

    During interrogation he was accused of being recruited by the head of the intelligence services of the Ramallah-based Palestinian authorities and of being paid by Israeli intelligence. “It’s all nonsense,” he said.

    “They know it’s nonsense. Yes, I identify with Fatah [the other main Palestinian political party] but in Gaza now, it’s not about Hamas and Fatah. We want to survive; we want to live.”

    Other residents from Beit Lahia said the authorities threatened them but stopped short of harming them physically.  An 18-year-old student told Amnesty that men in plainclothes threatened to harm him and his family if he did not stop protesting.

    A woman who helped to organise a women-led vigil in Beit Lahia told Amnesty that her husband and children were threatened with arrest for their participation in protests. She said:

    “After the threats against men we wanted to raise our voices as women. It was a small protest, but we wanted to send a message, to our leaders, and also to the occupation [Israel] that we cannot tolerate this anymore. We want to protect our children; we want to live.”

    In recent days, Israeli forces expanded their military operations across the occupied Gaza Strip, re-deploying tanks in Beit Lahia and forcing most residents out. One woman displaced from Beit Lahia to Shati refugee camp in Gaza City on 16 May, told Amnesty: “We protested against Hamas and against the war, and now we are displaced by Israel again.”

    Referencing a comment made by a senior Hamas spokesperson Sami Abu Zuhri, in which he said: “The house will be rebuilt and the martyr…we will reproduce tenfold,” she told Amnesty:

    “They [Hamas leaders] don’t care for our suffering. Even if I rebuild my house that was destroyed, the memories and life I had there will never be rebuilt. My cousin lost her husband and three children in an Israeli strike. Can he look at her and say that her children will be reproduced?”

    Criticism of Abu Zuhri’s remarks and other statements by Hamas leaders that appear to belittle the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza was voiced by displaced people who staged a spontaneous protest when Khan Younis received a mass “evacuation order” on 19 May 2025.

    Humanitarian crisis

    The recent crackdown on protests in the occupied Gaza Strip occurs against the backdrop of Israel’s ongoing genocide and an unprecedented humanitarian crisis. On 2 March Israel had completely cut off the supply of humanitarian aid and other items indispensable to the survival of civilians.

    The 77-day total siege, which Israel slightly but insufficiently eased following international pressure, and the ongoing severe restrictions area clear and calculated effort to collectively punish over two million civilians and contribute to the creation of conditions of life leading to the physical destruction of Palestinians in Gaza.

    MIL OSI NGO –

    May 29, 2025

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Beyond Political Crisis: Building a Rights-Based Future in South Korea

    Source: Amnesty International –

    By Boram Jang, East Asia Researcher at Amnesty International

    On December 3, 2024, in an extraordinary and alarming move, South Korea’s then-President Yoon Suk-yeol declared martial law. Although martial law was reversed within hours by the National Assembly, the damage to public trust in the presidency was profound.

    In the aftermath of that night, thousands gathered across the country – many of them young people and women who had been placed in increasingly vulnerable situations by Yoon’s policies. They protested against more than just a president. They protested against the manipulation of national security rhetoric and the rollback of human rights protections.

    The pivotal presidential election scheduled for June 3 represents more than just a routine electoral exercise – it is an opportunity to raise fundamental human rights deficits that preceded Yoon’s tenure and will persist beyond any single administration if left unaddressed.

    Yoon’s presidency brought a further decline in South Korea’s already halting progress on human rights. His approach represented a coordinated effort to undermine mechanisms and institutions protecting the human rights of marginalized people. The martial law crisis was the culmination of this strategy.

    One of Yoon’s earliest and most symbolic moves was his proposal to abolish the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family. While the ministry ultimately survived due to parliamentary opposition, the attempt signaled an ideological alignment of government policy with anti-feminist narratives that had fueled his electoral campaign.

    Meanwhile, South Korea has become a hotbed of tech-facilitated gender-based violence. The Nth Room case in 2020 revealed systemic failures in both prevention and response to digital sex crimes. Despite public outrage, survivors continue to face digital abuse, delayed or inadequate responses from platforms, and limited legal protection. These are not mere oversights – they represent systemic failures of both state and corporate accountability.

    For LGBTI South Koreans, legal invisibility remains the status quo. No comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation exists. No recognition of same-sex partnerships has been established. No specific protections from housing, education, or employment discrimination have been enacted.

    Since 2007, at least eight anti-discrimination bills have been introduced and subsequently withdrawn due to political pressure – primarily from conservative religious groups. Despite public support for such legislation, most recently polling over 60 percent, no bill has passed. U.N. bodies have repeatedly recommended that South Korea adopt comprehensive protections against discrimination. Still, the legal void remains.

    Judicial progress has been limited. A 2023 appellate court recognized spousal health insurance coverage for same-sex partners. But broader questions – such as legal recognition of queer families – remain unresolved. The Constitutional Court has yet to issue a ruling.

    The struggle for disability rights illustrates how institutional inadequacies have pushed discontent into public spaces. Solidarity Against Disability Discrimination (SADD) has conducted early morning subway demonstrations since 2021 to highlight the persistent exclusion of people with disabilities from public transportation. Their approach – non-violent yet purposefully disruptive – ignited national dialogue precisely because conventional advocacy channels had proven ineffective.

    Amnesty International documented forceful removal of SADD protesters during peaceful protest, including police dragging protesters out of trains and stations. The Seoul Metro has filed multiple lawsuits against the group seeking damages, and lawmakers have proposed legislation to restrict similar protests in the future.

    The protection of all these individuals’ rights requires any incoming administration to prioritize concrete policy action.

    Ahead of the upcoming election, ongoing presidential campaigns have been dominated by promises for economic and political reforms. Substantive human rights commitments remain notably absent from major candidates’ platforms.

    Comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation, disability access, and protest rights are hardly mentioned. This silence speaks volumes – not only about the continued marginalization of human rights in political discourse, but also about the ongoing neglect in prioritization and implementation of human rights reforms.

    South Korea needs comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation that explicitly safeguards against discrimination based on gender, disability, sexual orientation, and gender identity, among other factors. Digital rights must be secured through robust regulation of tech platforms and redress for victims of online gender-based violence. Public infrastructure must become genuinely accessible for all, with clear implementation schedules and sufficient funding. And the right to protest must be upheld, ending punitive measures against peaceful demonstrators.

    The resilience of South Korea’s rule of law will be measured by more than the avoidance of martial law. It will depend on how the state responds to the persistent exclusion of people in vulnerable situations from legal protection and public debate.

    The current elections should not be seen as a conclusion of the martial law saga, but as the beginning of a new chapter – a fresh opportunity to build a future in which human rights are not ignored, but protected.

    This article was originally published by The Diplomat

    MIL OSI NGO –

    May 29, 2025

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Palestine: Hamas security services must stop targeting protesters in reprisal and respect freedom of peaceful assembly in Gaza 

    Source: Amnesty International –

    Authorities in the occupied Gaza Strip must respect the right to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression and cease the ongoing repression of protesters, Amnesty International said today.  

    Over the past two months, the organization has documented a disturbing pattern of threats, intimidation and harassment, including interrogations and beatings by Hamas-run security forces against individuals exercising their right to peaceful protest amidst Israel’s ongoing genocide and its recent escalation in bombardment and expansion of mass displacement.   

    Since 25 March, residents of Beit Lahia, a town in the North Gaza governorate, have organized multiple marches demanding an end to Israel’s genocide and unlawful displacement. These protests have attracted hundreds, if not thousands of Palestinians. Protesters have been chanting slogans and holding signs criticizing the Hamas-led authorities in Gaza, with some people calling for an end to Hamas’ rule. Smaller protests have also taken place in Jabalia refugee camp, Shuja’iya and Khan Younis, where protesters also chanted slogans against specific Hamas leaders.  

    “The Hamas authorities must immediately cease all repressive measures against Palestinians who are bravely and openly expressing their opposition to Hamas practices in Gaza. Reports of beatings, threats, and interrogations are extremely alarming and constitute serious violations of the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, said Erika Guevara-Rosas, Senior Director for Research, Advocacy, Policy and Campaigns at Amnesty International.  

    Palestinians in Gaza are protesting the devastating impact of Israel’s ongoing genocide and the forced displacement, as well as the failure of the authorities in Gaza to protect them from such attacks. They have the right to criticize the authorities without fearing violent reprisals.

    Erika Guevara-Rosas, Senior Director for Research, Advocacy, Policy and Campaigns at Amnesty International.

    “It is abhorrent and shameful that while Palestinians in Gaza are enduring atrocities at the hands of Israel, Hamas authorities are further exacerbating their suffering by ramping up threats and intimidation against people simply for saying ‘we want to live’.  Palestinians in Gaza are protesting the devastating impact of Israel’s ongoing genocide and the forced displacement, as well as the failure of the authorities in Gaza to protect them from such attacks. They have the right to criticize the authorities without fearing violent reprisals.” 

    Amnesty International interviewed 12 individuals – 10 men and two women – who either participated in or organized protests, as well as family members of three other protesters who said their relatives had been threatened if they decided to continue protesting. The interviewees described incidents where people who took part in protests were summoned for interrogation without following formal procedures, beaten with sticks and, in some cases, being threatened that they would be shot. 

    Many expressed ongoing fears of further repression, with some family members of protesters describing threats and violence directed at their loved ones.  

    Others expressed defiance. One resident of al-Atatra in Beit Lahia, whose family was decimated in an Israeli airstrike last year, told Amnesty International: 

     “We are entitled to live with dignity. We started marching because we want a solution to our suffering. No one incited us or told us to protest. People are protesting because they cannot live, they wanted change… Security forces came threatening and beating us, accusing us of being traitors, simply for raising our voices. We will continue to protest, no matter the risk.” 

    He described how after a protest on 16 April, members of Hamas security services summoned him for interrogation, along with several others from the neighbourhood of al-Atatra where he lives. He said he and others were taken to a building in Mashrou’ Beit Lahia which had been transformed into a makeshift detention centre, and were beaten by around 50 armed men in civilian clothes:  

    “I was beaten on my neck, on my back, with wooden sticks on my neck. They shouted at me…They accused me of being a traitor – a collaborator with the Mossad [Israeli intelligence agency].  I told them we took to the streets because we wanted to live, we wanted to eat and drink… I lost my family in one of the worst massacres in this war, five of my siblings and their children were killed. It was horrible, to be called a collaborator, to have your patriotism questioned, when your family is wiped out,” he said, adding that the government in Gaza has failed its citizens and while people know Israel is to blame, they also feel the Hamas authorities don’t “see” their suffering 

    He was released after nearly four hours of detention and interrogation and was ordered not to participate in any further protests. 

    Since its takeover of Gaza in 2007 and the establishment of a parallel security and law enforcement apparatus, Hamas has imposed severe restrictions on freedom of association, expression and peaceful assembly, using excessive force in response to several protest movements, most notably in 2019, and regularly detaining and torturing dissidents. Even during Israel’s ongoing genocide, Hamas security services continued to throttle freedom of expression, including by labelling critics as traitors. 

    Seven protesters interviewed by Amnesty International said they had been labeled as “traitors” by security forces in plain clothes, who approached them after the protests, or during interrogation.   

    One protester said: “Here in Beit Lahia, we are attached to our land… so when we were displaced, it was like someone took our whole life away. We called on our neighbors, friends, to protest after the evacuation orders, because we were afraid of another displacement. It was a protest against the occupation and also against Hamas. We wanted them to listen to us.” 

    He said that initially the protestors called for Israel to end its genocide, establish a ceasefire and open the crossings into Gaza. However, many began chanting against Hamas because “people are angry and fed up”.  

    He told Amnesty International that he had been summoned for interrogation multiple times but refused to go until individuals affiliated with Hamas security services came to his home on 17 April. 

    “They beat me with sticks, and punched my face, the beating was not very hard, I think it more of a threat. Prior to that, after a protest, one person affiliated with them came over and threatened to shoot me in my feet if I continue to protest,” he said. 

    During interrogation he was accused of being recruited by the head of the intelligence services of the Ramallah-based Palestinian authorities and of being paid by Israeli intelligence.  

    “It’s all nonsense,” he said. “They know it’s nonsense. Yes, I identify with Fatah [the other main Palestinian political party] but in Gaza now, it’s not about Hamas and Fatah. We want to survive; we want to live.” 

    Other residents from Beit Lahia said the authorities threatened them but stopped short of harming them physically.  An 18-year-old student told Amnesty International that men in plainclothes threatened to harm him and his family if he did not stop protesting.  

    A woman who helped to organize a women-led vigil in Beit Lahia told the organization that her husband and children were threatened with arrest for their participation in protests.   She said: “After the threats against men we wanted to raise our voices as women. It was a small protest, but we wanted to send a message, to our leaders, and also to the occupation [Israel] that we cannot tolerate this anymore. We want to protect our children; we want to live.”  

    In recent days, Israeli forces expanded their military operations across the occupied Gaza Strip, re-deploying tanks in Beit Lahia and forcing most residents out. One woman displaced from Beit Lahia to Shati refugee camp in Gaza City on 16 May, told Amnesty: “We protested against Hamas and against the war, and now we are displaced by Israel again.” 

    Referencing a comment made by a senior Hamas spokesperson Sami Abu Zuhri, in which he said: “The house will be rebuilt and the martyr…we will reproduce tenfold,” she told Amnesty: 

    “They [Hamas leaders] don’t care for our suffering. Even if I rebuild my house that was destroyed, the memories and life I had there will never be rebuilt. My cousin lost her husband and three children in an Israeli strike. Can he look at her and say that her children will be reproduced?”  

    Criticism of Abu Zuhri’s remarks and other statements by Hamas leaders that appear to belittle the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza was voiced by displaced people who staged a spontaneous protest when Khan Younis received a mass “evacuation order” on 19 May 2025.  

    The authorities in Gaza must respect the rights of the people in Gaza and protect them, at a time when their survival is at stake.

    Erika Guevara-Rosas.

    “The authorities in Gaza must allow peaceful protesters, dissidents, and journalists to exercise their rights without intimidation, harassment, or violence. Interrogation of protesters must cease immediately, and those responsible for violence or threats should be held accountable.  The authorities in Gaza must respect the rights of the people in Gaza and protect them, at a time when their survival is at stake,” said Erika Guevara-Rosas, Senior Director for Research, Advocacy, Policy and Campaigns at Amnesty International 

    Background 

    The recent crackdown on protests in the occupied Gaza Strip occurs against the backdrop of Israel’s ongoing genocide and an unprecedented humanitarian crisis. On 2 March Israel had completely cut off the supply of humanitarian aid and other items indispensable to the survival of civilians. The 77-day total siege, which Israel slightly but insufficiently eased following international pressure, and the ongoing severe restrictions area clear and calculated effort to collectively punish over two million civilians and contribute to the creation of conditions of life leading to the physical destruction of Palestinians in Gaza.  

    MIL OSI NGO –

    May 29, 2025

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: UN Security Council must renew the arms embargo on South Sudan

    Source: Amnesty International –

    Free access to weapons would only heighten the ongoing violence in the country.

    By Tigere Chagutah

    In 2015, as a civil war was raging in South Sudan, the United Nations Security Council imposed the first set of sanctions on the country, including asset freezes and travel bans on various senior officials. Three years later, after a ceasefire agreement was repeatedly violated, the UNSC mustered the votes to impose a full arms embargo. Fragile peace eventually settled in, but the embargo was kept in place and was extended every year.

    The review of the embargo is now coming up on May 29 and there is a push from African members of the UNSC – Sierra Leone, Somalia and Algeria – to lift it. On March 18, the African Union Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) publicly called for this measure to end.

    But lifting the embargo on South Sudan at this moment would be a mistake. Violence has come back to plague the country, killing at least 180 people between March and mid-April, amid deepening divisions between President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Riek Machar, who has been placed under house arrest.

    Allowing more weapons to enter the country would only escalate the dire situation. This would not be in the interest of neighbouring countries and the African Union as a whole.

    Tigere Chagutah, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for East and Southern Africa

    Under the AU’s development plan, Agenda 2063, the continent set itself an ambitious goal of “Silencing the Guns” by 2020, later extended to 2030. With this, the AU wants to “end all wars and violent conflicts and promote dialogue-based mechanisms for conflict prevention and resolution”.

    Yet, the AUPSC’s call for lifting the embargo on South Sudan does not fall in line with these goals. The justification for this stance is that free access to more weapons can enable the unification of government and opposition forces and reform the security sector.

    But this logic ignores the growing fractures in South Sudan amid the renewed tensions between Kiir and Machar. Placing more guns in the hands of warring parties involved in serious human rights violations and crimes under international law would only make the situation worse.

    South Sudan’s security and defence forces have attacked the very people they are tasked to protect: Civilians. The South Sudanese army, National Security Service and armed opposition forces have been implicated in war crimes and human rights violations for well more than a decade, including by the AU’s Commission of Inquiry on South Sudan and the UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan.

    Indeed, around the time the AUPSC called for the lifting of the arms embargo, South Sudan’s government reportedly used improvised incendiary weapons in aerial attacks, killing at least 58 people and injuring others, including children.

    To be sure, the existence of the arms embargo is not enough – its enforcement is key. That is already faltering after in early March, Uganda sent troops and military equipment to South Sudan without providing notification or receiving special exemption from the UNSC Sanctions Committee. This is a clear violation of the embargo.

    South Sudan’s Mi-24 helicopters also seem to be on the move, despite the government’s fleet reportedly being non-functional and grounded since the arms embargo was imposed in 2018. This suggests spare parts have been sourced in violation of the embargo.

    If the African Union is serious about silencing the guns, it should back the strict controls prohibiting arms transfers to South Sudan, and the African states in the UNSC should vote to renew the arms embargo.

    Tigere Chagutah

    On May 4, Doctors Without Borders, known by its French initials MSF, reported that two helicopter gunships had bombed its medical facility in Old Fangak the day before and fired at the town, killing seven and injuring 20 others. Deliberate attacks on a medical facility performing its humanitarian function violate international humanitarian law and would constitute a war crime.  This is yet another indication of why the UNSC must renew the arms embargo and strengthen its enforcement.

    If properly implemented and enforced, a renewed UNSC arms embargo would not obstruct security sector reform. Instead, it would block the disorderly and destabilising accumulation of arms in South Sudan, which is spurring the current conflict and contributing to violations against civilians.

    If the AU is serious about silencing the guns, it should back the strict controls prohibiting arms transfers to South Sudan, and the African states in the UNSC should vote to renew the arms embargo.

    MIL OSI NGO –

    May 29, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Polytechnic at Metalloobrabotka 2025: exhibition activity and negotiation process

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University – Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University –

    The key event of the international exhibition “Metalloobrabotka – 2025” took place in the Moscow-City Expo Center – a plenary session dedicated to the implementation of the national project “Means of Production and Automation”. The event was organized by the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

    Opening the meeting, the Minister of Industry and Trade of Russia Anton Alikhanov presented the main parameters of the discussed project “Means of Production and Automation” and spoke about the key support measures. Thus, compensation of 50% of the cost of domestic robots makes them profitable in just one year.

    According to the results of last year, the level is 29 robots per 10 thousand people. A year ago, this figure was 19. That is, we have grown quite well. But I repeat once again, our task is to reach the level, approximately, taking into account the growth of the entire parallel world, of 145 robots per 10 thousand people. This, in fact, is within our power, – the minister said.

    In 2025, more than 1,200 companies from seven countries will participate in Metalloobrabotka: Russia, Belarus, India, Italy, China, the Republic of Korea and Turkey. More than 800 Russian companies will take part in the exhibition. Belarus and China will present national expositions.

    The key topics of this year’s exhibition are: “Innovations in Machine Tool and Tool Building”; “Automated Lines and Robotic Systems”; “Software for Smart Factory Management”; “Artificial Intelligence Technologies and Digital Twins”; “New Materials and Additive Technologies”.

    Visitors can see the equipment “in action” – from heavy metal-cutting machines to robotic complexes and artificial intelligence systems that manage production. The Polytechnic University stand is of particular interest to visitors. The University presents not just scientific developments, but ready-to-implement technological solutions – from 3D metal printing to robotic welding and the creation of intelligent materials. The Polytechnic University demonstrates the unique potential of laser and additive technologies, which today are becoming not just tools, but key drivers of the technological sovereignty of the Russian Federation. We are confident that these innovations are the future.

    On Tuesday, a series of business negotiations and meetings with potential partners took place at the Polytechnic stand. The official delegation of SPbPU was headed by the Director of the Institute of Mechanical Engineering, Materials and Transport Anatoly Popovich. Polytechnicians met with representatives of the leading IT company of the Russian Federation — Softline Group. At the negotiations, SPbPU was also represented by the Director of the Scientific and Educational Center “Mechanical Engineering Technologies and Materials” Pavel Novikov and the Scientific Secretary of the Polytechnic Dmitry Karpov.

    The partners discussed the horizons of possible cooperation. Following the meeting, it is planned to create an inter-industry center for additive technologies. The meeting participants also considered the prospects for creating new-generation laser equipment.

    The Director of the IMMI, Chief Designer of the KNU NEW Materials, Technologies, Production, as part of the Strategic Technological Leadership project, Anatoly Popovich shared his impressions of SPBPU in the exhibition: at the Metal processing-2025 exhibition, Polytechnic University of Peter the Great, a leader in the field of laser and additive technologies. The main task of SPBPU, as a scientific center with world -class competencies, is to ensure the country’s technological leadership. Our competitive advantage is the ability to create and introduce breakthrough technologies in various scientific areas. At the exhibition, employees of the Institute of Mechanical Engineering, Materials and Transport of St. Petersburg State University demonstrate the unique potential of laser and additive technologies, which today become not just tools, but key drivers of technological sovereignty of Russia. We are sure that it is the future for these innovations.
    The use of laser technologies allows us to significantly improve the quality of products, reaching an inaccessible level of accuracy and reliability. Additive methods, in turn, open new horizons to create materials that can be adapted to the specific needs of industry. This is especially relevant in the conditions of a rapidly changing market, where flexibility and adaptability become decisive success factors. The future belongs to those who are ready not only to follow the trends, but also to create them themselves. Polytechnic University of Peter the Great is a reliable partner and platform for the implementation of the most daring ideas. Time to act is time to introduce innovations.

    The Laboratory of Light Materials and Constructions surprises everyone with electric arc printing right at the exhibition. Students of IMMiT, under the guidance of Oleg Panchenko, assembled a welding cell in the shortest possible time so that everyone at the event could get acquainted with the process and see how a new metal part is born. Also on display at the exhibition are previously printed parts, such as a wheel rim, impeller, burner and other samples made by friction stir welding.

    The new technology of direct printing of plastic on metal interested visitors and gave rise to ideas for further cooperation. A cone gear is printed at the exhibition. It is used in heavy industry, can be used in the automotive industry, aircraft manufacturing and other industrial areas.

    The exhibition guests are shown the process of high-temperature (1200 degrees) selective laser melting in real time. Unique developments of bimetallic samples of promising materials obtained by additive technologies are presented. Works in the field of composite materials are also demonstrated – a polymer compressor wheel reinforced with carbon fiber.

    The staff of the research laboratory “Laser and Additive Technologies” brought to the exhibition samples manufactured by the method of direct laser growth and repaired by the method of laser cladding. Also presented are exhibits formed by laser and hybrid laser-arc welding methods.

    The exhibits created by laser welding of 316L steel with a thickness of 100 µm to 10 mm are of the greatest interest to the guests. The employees demonstrated a sealed miniature flat sample of a hydrogen energy source fuel cell with a wall thickness of 100 µm, welded with an overlap. Samples of armor steel grades with a thickness of 7 mm to 20 mm, welded in one pass in the lower position, are presented.

    Mikhail Kuznetsov, head of the laboratory, noted: In the era of rapid innovation, laser welding is becoming not just a technology, but a necessity. This process ensures high precision and speed of obtaining a permanent connection of the required quality, which is critically important in modern production conditions.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    May 29, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: NSU student develops system for monitoring vital signs and physical activity for people with disabilities

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Novosibirsk State University – Novosibirsk State University –

    A fourth-year student developed a hardware and software system for monitoring vital signs and motor activity for people with disabilities Faculty of Information Technology, Novosibirsk State University Mikhail Evdokimov. It allows remote monitoring of the user’s pulse rate, blood oxygen saturation, body temperature, as well as his movement in space. The prototype of the complex has already been assembled, testing is underway.

    — The increase in the number of elderly people and patients suffering from various lifestyle-related diseases makes it critically important to develop systems that facilitate monitoring of the health of these people outside of hospitals, allowing them to stay at home or at work. Having various health limitations, these people need constant monitoring of their physical condition. Often, for various reasons, relatives cannot provide them with constant supervision, and negative changes occur when patients are left alone and are unable to seek help in a timely manner, which can sometimes lead to tragic consequences. Existing monitoring tools rarely combine autonomy and mobility, compactness and low cost, so we decided to create a monitoring system that would track the main indicators of the user’s physical condition and, if they deviate from the norm, notify the medical workers under whose supervision the user is, — said Mikhail Evdokimov.

    The young researcher is confident that his project, which he is working on as part of his final qualifying work under the scientific supervision of the adviser to the rector of NSU, Professor Alexander Shafarenko, will help the elderly, including those with some forms of dementia, by simplifying health monitoring by transmitting the dynamics of indicators to medical organizations for the timely provision of medical care.

    An important element of the system is a wristband that reads the pulse, body temperature and relative coordinates of the user. Other elements are a microcontroller with a magnetic sensor (one or more), as well as a central microcontroller, where all information from the sensors and the bracelet is sent.

    The device’s bracelet looks very similar to a regular smart watch, and if the size of the device decreases during further development of the project, it will resemble fitness bracelets. But if the “smart watch” partially or completely implements health monitoring functions, then due to the limited functionality, they are not able to recognize abnormal conditions, and even more so, they do not have the functions of transmitting alarm information to medical workers. In addition, the “smart watch” device is tied to a specific manufacturer and is closed, which means that it does not allow modification by the medical service provider. These shortcomings have been eliminated by the developers of this project.

    According to Mikhail Evdokimov, the vital signs monitoring system should be open and independent. Therefore, he studied and analyzed the design and functionality of several modifications of “smart watches” in search of successful ideas and the formation of requirements for his project. The young researcher came to the conclusion that a solution that meets all his requirements is currently absent, and the category of “smart watches” is only indirectly related to health monitoring and is not suitable for use as a component of the monitoring system he is creating. Therefore, his own “smart bracelet” was assembled and programmed, which has the set of functions necessary for the monitoring system. Using the C language, the program code was written for the operation of the built-in accelerometer, pulse sensor, data transmission via communication modules, power management and analysis of the collected data. The ESP-NOW protocol was chosen for communication between the system nodes. It was developed specifically for transmitting information between microcontrollers based on the ESP-32 processor and is a more efficient version of classic Wi-Fi. The interaction between the nodes has a client-server architecture: the bracelet and magnetic sensors send their readings to the central microcontroller with a static IP address.

    This system works as follows: a magnetic sensor is installed on the doors of the apartment. It transmits information to the central microcontroller about whether the door is open or closed. The central microcontroller uses this data for analysis.

    A magnetic sensor can be installed, for example, on the toilet door. If it has not been opened for a long time, this is an alarm signal. Perhaps the person is unconscious or in a helpless state, and urgent help is needed. A similar sensor installed in the kitchen can warn about the same thing – if a person does not come here for a long time, even to drink water, the system will issue a warning. Situations are envisaged when the user keeps the door open and does not close it behind him, or opens it, but does not enter the room. For this purpose, a comprehensive solution for the task of tracking movement has been developed, in which several sensors work together.

    In such cases, an accelerometer is connected to track the user’s movements. The joint work of its coordinate system and magnetic sensors completely solves this problem. It is adjusted by a technical specialist during the initial calibration.

    To track the user’s movements in space, the “smart bracelet” has a built-in accelerometer. Its readings are represented by three relative coordinates x, y, z. By analyzing the changes in coordinates, the device determines whether the user is moving or at rest. A fall of a person wearing the “smart bracelet” is recorded by a sharp change in the accelerometer sensor readings. At first, in order to distinguish a fall from movement in the direction of one of the coordinate axes, the difference was estimated not for each coordinate separately, but for the arithmetic mean of their changes. Later, Mikhail Evdokimov replaced this formula with a more accurate one, which uses the root of the sum of the squares of the change in coordinates. And as a threshold separating a fall from uniform movement, an experimentally calculated value was chosen, which is the average between the value of the formula when walking and when falling. When such a state of the user is recorded, the information is sent to the central microcontroller, and ultimately to the medical institution, from where the user’s condition is monitored.

    And then, after the initial setup of the system, the user lives his normal life. He does not need to be in a hospital under 24-hour supervision. While at home, he is under the close attention of the monitoring system, which will notify medical workers about deviations of the user’s vital signs from the norm. It is important that this system is reliable and works autonomously.

    — The advantage and key feature of my development is its focus on the autonomy of the system, which has its own power source and is highly energy efficient. And unlike smart watches, this is an open system that can be supplemented with other sensors if necessary. It has the ability to improve the analysis algorithms and transmit data to medical personnel. On the currently available hardware, the system can operate without recharging the source for about a week. When using more specialized and advanced hardware, it is expected that the equipment’s operating time without recharging will increase to one month. This is very important, since many elderly people often forget to charge their mobile phones, smart watches and other devices. With this approach, our solution will have minimal dependence on user activity, external power supply, communication channels and third-party platforms. Since all nodes have sufficient autonomy, system maintenance will need to be performed no more than once every six months. To achieve this, we decided to use high-capacity batteries at the hardware level, and at the software level, we created energy-efficient software code, said Mikhail Evdokimov.

    An important task of the project was to organize energy-efficient operation of the programmable “smart bracelet” by changing the operating modes of the processor and peripherals depending on the situation. The emphasis was not on hardware, but on software reduction of energy consumption. Mikhail Evdokimov studied software capabilities for managing the energy consumption modes of the ESP-32 microprocessor, which is located on the bracelet. Then the student designed a system that regulates the sleep modes, which the processor can go into depending on the situation.

    — In case of a long-term loss of connection with the central microcontroller, the bracelet goes into modem sleep mode, in which the power supply of the communication modules is turned off. After a certain period of time, the device wakes up to check the connection and, in case of failure, goes back to sleep. To minimize the loss of information, the collected sensor readings are partially stored in the bracelet’s memory and sent to the central microcontroller immediately after the connection is restored. As a result, energy consumption is reduced several times, — explained Mikhail Evdokimov.

    The user can find out that the watch has been removed from the readings of the infrared heart rate sensor. In this case, since there is no more data to send, the system first goes into modem sleep mode, and after a few seconds, if the user has not returned, the light sleep mode is activated. The watch periodically wakes up to check whether it is on the user’s hand, and either resumes its work or goes back to sleep. If there are no significant changes in the accelerometer readings, for example, when the user is sleeping, the main processor goes into deep sleep mode. At this time, the Ultra Low Power coprocessor is engaged in data processing. It can wake the main processor from sleep by a timer or in the case of active user movement when he or she wakes up. Mikhail Evdokimov clarified that the implementation of this architecture required working with the assembly language.

    To assemble the device units, the student purchased ready-made internal components and parts, and made the body of the “smart bracelet” on a 3D printer. The developed prototype of the vital signs and motor activity monitoring system has already confirmed its operability and feasibility of energy autonomy requirements in laboratory conditions, and also showed high potential for further development due to the openness and expandability of the system. The development of such solutions can improve the quality of life of people whose health requires special attention.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    May 29, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China’s Finance Ministry to issue 68 billion yuan worth of sovereign bonds in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in 2025

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    BEIJING, May 28 (Xinhua) — China’s Ministry of Finance said Wednesday that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) is expected to issue 68 billion yuan (about 9.46 billion U.S. dollars) in yuan-denominated government bonds in 2025. The bonds will be issued in six stages.

    The first two issues, totaling 25 billion yuan, took place in February and April of this year.

    The third batch of bonds, worth 12.5 billion yuan, is planned to be issued following a tender on June 4.

    The Chinese Ministry of Finance said that the specific issuance mechanisms will be announced on the website of the Central Clearing and Settlement System for Debt Securities of the Financial Administration of the People’s Republic of China. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    May 29, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China’s Foreign Ministry Calls on the US to Really Ensure the Legitimate Rights and Interests of Foreign Students

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    BEIJING, May 28 (Xinhua) — Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning called on the United States to effectively ensure and protect the legitimate rights and interests of foreign students, including Chinese ones, at a regular press conference on Wednesday.

    Commenting on media reports that the US administration has ordered its embassies and consulates to suspend the processing of student visas, Mao Ning noted that the Chinese side has always advocated not interfering with normal educational cooperation and academic exchanges.

    “We call on the American side to actually ensure and protect the legitimate rights and interests of students from China and other countries,” Mao Ning said. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    May 29, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Chinese Premier returns to Beijing after official visit to Indonesia and ASEAN-China-GCC summit in Malaysia

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    BEIJING, May 28 (Xinhua) — Chinese Premier Li Qiang returned to Beijing on a chartered plane on Wednesday after wrapping up an official visit to Indonesia and attending the ASEAN-China-GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) summit in Malaysia.

    Before leaving Kuala Lumpur, Li Qiang was seen off at the airport by, among others, Malaysian Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook, Chinese Ambassador to Malaysia Ouyang Yujing and Chinese Ambassador to ASEAN Hou Yanqi. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    May 29, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Fire breaks out in old commercial building in Seoul

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    SEOUL, May 28 (Xinhua) — A fire broke out at an old commercial building in Seoul on Wednesday, South Korean media reported.

    The incident occurred at around 3:25 p.m. local time, and there are no confirmed casualties. Television footage showed a thick plume of black smoke in central Seoul.

    Some media outlets noted that firefighters had difficulty putting out the fire because there were too many stores in the building. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    May 29, 2025

  • Delhi CM Rekha Gupta announces plan for three hospital beds per 1,000 citizens

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Wednesday announced her government’s plan to raise the hospital bed ratio to three per 1,000 citizens, aiming to significantly upgrade the city’s healthcare capacity.

    Gupta made the remarks while laying the foundation stone for the construction of a new footpath at the SU Block park in Pitampura, located in the Shalimar Bagh Assembly constituency.

    Addressing local residents gathered at the park, she said, “With everyone’s blessings, the government is completing 100 days on May 30, and we will present our report card before the public on May 31. But I can say this much: I do not make big promises. However, Delhi has now elected a government that can reduce problems. Your trust is our effort.”

    Reflecting on the past 100 days of governance, Gupta said her administration has made a series of important policy decisions aimed at resolving long-standing public grievances.

    “In the 100 days of service that our government has spent in Delhi, we have taken a lot of policy decisions because all these issues have been troubling the people of Delhi for years,” she said.

    “The previous governments never tried to solve any problem, citing conflict. This lack of effort was a loss to the people of Delhi,” she added.

    The Delhi Chief Minister revealed that a high-level health committee meeting she recently chaired brought to light a concerning statistic — Delhi had just 0.47 hospital beds per 1,000 people, far below the World Health Organization’s recommended minimum of two beds.

    “I chaired a high-level health committee meeting, and I was shocked to learn that although the WHO recommends a minimum of 2 hospital beds per 1,000 people, Delhi had only 0.47 beds per 1,000 people—not even one bed per 1,000 citizens. This is a serious concern. Now, this elected government is working towards a goal of 3 beds per 1,000 people,” she said.

    Calling for unified governance, she added, “Whether it is with the MCD, the Delhi Government, or the Central Government, an integrated system should be created so that no Delhiite remains without treatment, and no one dies due to lack of medical care.”

    She also highlighted the implementation of Ayushman Bharat in Delhi, crediting Prime Minister Narendra Modi for enabling the rollout of the healthcare scheme.

    “I congratulate you that after you elected our government in Delhi, the Ayushman Yojana was implemented here. Today, Ayushman Yojana cards are being issued to the people of Delhi. We are issuing cards to all elderly residents above 70 years of age, and the Delhi government is providing treatment coverage of up to Rs 10 lakh—Rs 5 lakh from the Centre and Rs 5 lakh from the Delhi government,” she said.

    “This scheme is not available anywhere else in the world. This is the only government that gives every elderly person above 70 years of age Rs 10 lakh for treatment,” she claimed.

    Expressing gratitude for public support, Gupta concluded, “I sincerely thank PM Modi and all of you for your decision. It’s your single vote that has pushed Delhi forward on the path of progress.”

    —IANS

    May 29, 2025

  • Cabinet approves Rs. 3,653 crore Badvel-Nellore highway project to boost connectivity and logistics in Andhra Pradesh

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    In a major push to bolster infrastructure and connectivity in Andhra Pradesh, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the construction of a four-lane highway corridor between Badvel and Nellore. The project, to be executed under the Design-Build-Finance-Operate-Transfer (DBFOT) model, will cover a distance of 108.134 kilometers at an estimated cost of ₹3,653.10 crore.

    The newly approved Badvel-Nellore corridor is set to play a vital role in integrating key industrial nodes across the state. It will connect Gopavaram village in YSR Kadapa District, located on National Highway NH-67, to Guruvindapudi on NH-16 near Krishnapatnam Port in SPSR Nellore District.

    The corridor is expected to enhance linkages to three major industrial corridors—Kopparthy on the Visakhapatnam-Chennai Industrial Corridor (VCIC), Orvakal on the Hyderabad-Bengaluru Industrial Corridor (HBIC), and Krishnapatnam on the Chennai-Bengaluru Industrial Corridor (CBIC).

    By facilitating direct access to the Krishnapatnam Port, which has been identified as a priority node under the CBIC, the highway will bolster logistics efficiency and improve India’s Logistic Performance Index (LPI). The improved route will shorten the existing travel distance to the port by nearly 34 kilometers, reducing it from 142 kilometers to just over 108 kilometers. This reduction is projected to save commuters up to one hour in travel time, while also lowering fuel consumption, vehicle operating costs, and the overall carbon footprint.

    In addition to improving transportation infrastructure, the project is expected to have a positive economic impact by generating significant employment. It is projected to create approximately 20 lakh man-days of direct employment and an additional 23 lakh man-days of indirect employment. Moreover, the corridor is expected to stimulate economic growth in surrounding areas through increased commercial and industrial activity.

    May 29, 2025

  • Rashtrapati Bhavan to host National Literary Conference on May 29-30

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Rashtrapati Bhavan is set to host a two-day national literary conference titled “How Much Has Literature Changed?” at the Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Centre on May 29 and 30. The event is being organized in collaboration with the Sahitya Akademi under the Ministry of Culture.
     
    President Droupadi Murmu will inaugurate the conference at the Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Centre on Thursday. The inaugural session will also be attended by Union Minister for Culture and Tourism, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, alongside eminent literary figures from across the country.
     
    The conference will feature multiple thematic sessions, delving into the nuances of modern literary expression. Key sessions include Poets’ Meet – Straight from the Heart, which will focus on the personal and political dimensions of poetry, and Feminist Literature of India: Breaking New Grounds, which will examine the evolving voice of women in Indian literary discourse.
     
    Other sessions such as Change in Literature vs. Literature of Change and New Directions of Indian Literature in Global Perspective will reflect on the interplay between literature and societal transformation, as well as India’s literary presence on the global stage.
     
    The conference will conclude with a cultural narrative session centred around the life and legacy of Devi Ahilyabai Holkar, highlighting her contributions to India’s social and cultural fabric.
    May 29, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Africa: National Basketball Association (NBA) Africa and Opportunity International Unveil New Basketball Court in Nairobi, Kenya

    Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

    NAIROBI, Kenya, May 28, 2025/APO Group/ —

    NBA Africa (www.NBA.com) and Opportunity International, a global nonprofit organization that develops innovative programs that use financial services, training and support to address some of the greatest challenges facing those living in poverty around the world, unveiled a new outdoor basketball court at Loiswell Academy in Nairobi, Kenya, on Tuesday, May 27. 

    The unveiling follows the launch of a new court at Highland School in Nyamata, Rwanda, last week and supports NBA Africa’s commitment to build 1,000 courts on the continent over the next decade.

    The court was unveiled at a ribbon cutting ceremony by NBA Kenya Country Operations Lead Michael Finley, Opportunity International Board of Directors Member Ken Wathome, Opportunity International Executive Vice President, International Programs and Capital Solutions Randy Kurtz, Loiswell Academy Founder and Director Lois Mbugua and former NBA player Hasheem Thabeet, which was followed by a Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA clinic for 100 boys and girls ages 16 and under. 

    MIL OSI Africa –

    May 29, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Form 8.5 (EPT/RI) – H & T Group Plc

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    FORM 8.5 (EPT/RI)

    PUBLIC DEALING DISCLOSURE BY AN EXEMPT PRINCIPAL TRADER WITH RECOGNISED INTERMEDIARY STATUS DEALING IN A CLIENT-SERVING CAPACITY
    Rule 8.5 of the Takeover Code (the “Code”)

    1.        KEY INFORMATION

    (a)        Name of exempt principal trader: Shore Capital Stockbrokers Ltd
    (b)        Name of offeror/offeree in relation to whose relevant securities this form relates:
            Use a separate form for each offeror/offeree    		 H&T Group Plc
    (c)        Name of the party to the offer with which exempt principal trader is connected: H&T Group Plc
    (d)        Date dealing undertaken: 27 May 2025
    (e)        Has the EPT previously disclosed, or is it today disclosing, under the Code in respect of any other party to this offer? No

    2.        DEALINGS BY THE EXEMPT PRINCIPAL TRADER

    (a)        Purchases and sales

    Class of relevant security Purchases/ sales Total number of securities Highest price per unit paid/received Lowest price per unit paid/received
    Ordinary Purchases 8,716 644.5p 644.44p
    Ordinary Sales 30,974 646p 645.46p

    (b)        Derivatives transactions (other than option)

    Class of relevant security Product description
    e.g. CFD    		 Nature of dealing
    e.g. opening/closing a long/short position, increasing/reducing a long/short position    		 Number of reference securities Price per unit
             

    (c)        Options transactions in respect of existing securities

    (i)        Writing, selling, purchasing or varying

    Class of relevant security Product description e.g. call option Writing, purchasing, selling, varying etc. Number of securities to which option relates Exercise price per unit Type
    e.g. American, European etc.    		 Expiry date Option money paid/ received per unit
                   

    (ii)        Exercising

    Class of relevant security Product description
    e.g. call option    		 Number of securities Exercise price per unit
           

    (d)        Other dealings (including subscribing for new securities)

    Class of relevant security Nature of dealing
    e.g. subscription, conversion    		 Details Price per unit (if applicable)
           

    The currency of all prices and other monetary amounts should be stated.

    Where there have been dealings in more than one class of relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(b), copy table 2(a), (b), (c) or (d) (as appropriate) for each additional class of relevant security dealt in.

    3.        OTHER INFORMATION

    (a)        Indemnity and other dealing arrangements

    Details of any indemnity or option arrangement, or any agreement or understanding, formal or informal, relating to relevant securities which may be an inducement to deal or refrain from dealing entered into by the exempt principal trader making the disclosure and any party to the offer or any person acting in concert with a party to the offer:
    If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state “none”

    None

    (b)        Agreements, arrangements or understandings relating to options or derivatives

    Details of any agreement, arrangement or understanding, formal or informal, between the exempt principal trader making the disclosure and any other person relating to:
    (i)        the voting rights of any relevant securities under any option; or
    (ii)        the voting rights or future acquisition or disposal of any relevant securities to which any derivative is referenced:
    If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state “none”

    None
    Date of disclosure: 28 May 2025
    Contact name: Laura Parmenter
    Telephone number: 0207 647 8154

    Public disclosures under Rule 8 of the Code must be made to a Regulatory Information Service and must also be emailed to the Takeover Panel at monitoring@disclosure.org.uk. The Panel’s Market Surveillance Unit is available for consultation in relation to the Code’s dealing disclosure requirements on +44 (0)20 7638 0129.
    The Code can be viewed on the Panel’s website at www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk.

    The MIL Network –

    May 28, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Churchill Very Pleased to Report High Grade Antimony >10%Sb, and Gold >10g/t Au at Black Raven Past-Producers, NL

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, May 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Churchill Resources Inc. (“Churchill“) is extremely pleased to announce that due-diligence sampling at the historical Frost Cove Antimony and Stewart Gold mines on the Black Raven property returned assays of >10% antimony and >10g/t gold, respectively. These samples exceeded the detection limit for those elements, and further assay work is underway to determine their precise metal contents. The Frost Cove Antimony Veins and host felsic dyke have been traced over 800m on surface, with numerous historical samples grading >1% Sb (the upper detection limit of the historical assays), and has never been drilled.

    “These exceptional results further validate the Company’s strategic pivot to antimony and gold at Black Raven’s past-producing mines, and underscores the entire property’s significant potential. They confirm and expand upon historical records from the property reported in our news release of April 14th, 2025.   Further successful exploration at Frost Cove confirming these grade tenors along strike would place it among the highest-grade antimony projects globally. Finally, Churchill is very pleased to announce the execution of the definitive agreement dated May 6th, 2025 to acquire a 100% undivided interest in the Black Raven Antimony Property, from property owners Eddie and Roland Quinlan.” said Paul Sobie, Chief Executive Officer of Churchill.

    The Black Raven property encloses the two small-scale past producing mines which operated between 1890 and 1918 exploiting stibnite, gold and arsenopyrite. The mines and numerous related occurrences constitute an extensive high-grade hydrothermal system carrying gold, antimony and silver in veins and stockworks. The historical mines and other occurrences are located within close proximity to each other, in a larger-scale geological environment defined by intense veining and alteration associated with felsic intrusions. For the first time in the project’s history, the entire mineralized system has been consolidated for systematic, state-of-the-art exploration.

    Highlights:

    • Frost Cove Antimony Mine adits are in excellent condition for systematic sampling, CRI grab samples from the two known veins in upper adit assayed >10% Sb
    • Detailed sampling of both adits, and ~800m of known surface strike extent, with trenching and channel sampling, will commence in June
    • Numerous other historical high-grade gold-silver veins confirmed including the past-producer Stewart Gold Mine – large hydrothermal system confirmed which is also to be evaluated with trenching/stripping/channel sampling
    • Additional high-grade Au-Ag-Sb prospects not yet re-sampled

    The Black Raven Property is located approximately 60km northwest of Gander, Newfoundland and Labrador, and hosts two past-producing mines dating back to the late 1800’s, the Frost Cove Antimony Mine, and the Stewart Gold-Antimony Mine. The Black Raven Property is located approximately 100km north of the Beaver Brook Antimony Mine, which is currently under care and maintenance. It is reported that the owners are actively exploring for more deposits to feed the mill.
    (https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/antimony-mine-closure-1.6703205)

    Black Raven, like all of Churchill’s projects, is strategically located in Newfoundland and Labrador, which boast access to North American and European markets, proximity to deep water ports, exceptional power infrastructure and transportation networks. Like all of Churchill’s projects, Black Raven also benefits from Newfoundland & Labrador’s large and diversified minerals industry, which includes world class mines and processing facilities, and a well-developed mineral exploration sector with locally based drilling and geological expertise.

    Antimony: A Critical Mineral in High Demand

    Antimony is a critical mineral essential for national security and modern technology, with over 90% of global production controlled by China, Russia and other non-Western jurisdictions. The metal is a vital component in military applications, while also being crucial for certain flame retardants, strengthening alloys in batteries, and emerging energy storage technologies. Recent Chinese export restrictions have driven prices to record levels exceeding $50,000 per tonne, highlighting antimony’s strategic importance to a “Fortress North America” approach to critical mineral supply chains and making domestic North American sources increasingly important for economic and national security.

    Due-Diligence Sampling Program

    Antimony, gold and silver assay data from historical surface grab samples are presented in the figure below along with the 2025 Wilton due-diligence sample assays.   Due-dilligence samples from several of the other prospects on the property returned high gold, lead, and zinc values per the figure and table below, with silver assays still pending. Importantly, reportedly high-grade occurrences at M.H. (Morton Harbour) Head, M.H.1 and M.H.2 were not able to be sampled during this first tour of the property.

    All samples were selected by Dr. Derek Wilton, independent QP to Churchill, during field visits on April 24th and 25th in the company of Mr. Sobie and two senior field technicians, and led by vendor Roland Quinlan. All samples were labelled and securely bound and delivered to the prep laboratory of SGS Canada Inc. in Grand Falls-Windsor, for crushing and pulverizing. Splits were couriered to Burnaby, B.C. by SGS for assay work with analytical methods per the table below. Over-limit samples are currently receiving ore-grade assay work to determine precise metal contents. All due-diligence samples described in this news release were grab samples and are selective by nature and are unlikely to represent average grades of the property.  

    Frost Cove Antimony Mine – the historical workings are intact and as described by Heyl (1936), with a lower adit just above sea-level on the coast, and the upper adit commencing ~50m to the south, ~15m above the lower adit. It was not possible to examine the lower adit due to ice blockage, but the upper adit was accessible per the photos below and extends ~15m to a face where the antimony veins and host quartz feldspar dyke are exposed. The mine exploited two quartz-antimony veins intruded along the margins of the dyke over a stope width of ~2.5m. A considerable amount of material has been mined out between the surface and the entrances to the two adits. The host dyke and associated quartz-antimony veins have been mapped and sampled over ~800m per the figure with several pits reporting elevated historical sampling results.

    Samples DW 307 and 308 are from the massive sulphide portions of the two quartz-antimony veins (HW and FW veins) and both assayed above the detection limit of >10% Sb. The foot wall vein is ~50cm in width, and the hanging wall vein ~15cm in width at the sample site in the upper adit, with impressive massive stibnite zones within the veins, per photos below.

    Sample 306 was quartz-carbonate-qfp (quartz-feldspar-porphyry)-antimony vein material from rubble at the mouth of the lower adit, and it assayed 3.32% Sb (with modest Zn). 

    Follow-up work has commenced as CRI crews have completed clearing away trees from the mined-out stope to provide safe access and better exposure. Plans are in place to collect several channel samples from both adits, as well as systematically sample at surface along the known 800m strike through mechanical trenching/stripping/channel samples.  Several affiliated veins to the main one, based on the Heyl’s (1936) mapping will be investigated.

    The table below provides assays received to-date for all 24 due-diligence samples.

    Stewart Gold Mine – the site has been rehabilitated with the shaft and all pits covered and filled with gravel. Sample 302 quartz-arsenopyrite vein material from a very lean rubble pile (virtually all waste) assayed >10g/t. Follow-up planning for a trenching and drilling program at Stewart is commencing.

    Nearby Gold Veins to Stewart Mine – Sample 303 assayed 7.51 g/t Au (plus modest Pb and Zn). In samples 304-305 from veins across the harbour and along trend –both samples returned 7.7g/t Au (plus modest Cu, higher tenor Pb and Zn). Arsenopyrite is the predominant sulphide within these narrow <0.5m veins.

    Taylor’s Room Gold Prospect – only rubble piles were located thus far, as overburden and forest cover obscure the veins and pits have been filled in. CRI sampling didn’t confirm previously reported high values, with the best sample DW-310 grading 1.98 g/t Au from weathered arsenopyrite vein material.  The CRI crew has completed cutting down the very thick trees and bush cover over these veins for better sampling access. The historical shaft is still present albeit full of water.

    Nearby Veins to Taylor’s Room Veins – two different narrow quartz-carbonate-arsenopyrite veins (samples DW-314 and DW-315) graded 5.81 and 5.09 g/t Au respectively with DW-315 returning very high Pb and Zn assays.

    Morton’s Harbour Pond/Western Copper – collectively these two prospects exhibit characteristics of a large-scale (~1km diameter) porphyry mineralization target based on wide-spread, intense stockwork veining carrying modest gold, copper, silver and molybdenum contents based on historical work. Low but encouraging values in Au, Mo, Zn were returned for samples DW-319 to 321 and 323 with one quartz vein sample (DW-321) grading 2.16 g/t Au (plus low copper, high Pb and Zn). At Western Copper – low Cu values were returned from three samples collected at past surface channel sampling, DW-316 to 318. CRI has compiled the results from the four Winkie holes drilled by Eddie Quinlan in 2024 which intersected mineralized Cu-Au-Ag stockwork in altered felsic volcanic rocks (0.1-0.3% Cu, 50-350ppb Au plus Ag) from collar to their end of holes at ~60m. CRI also has compiled 2012 Induced Polarization survey work over the larger porphyry target to plan follow-up trenching and drilling for the summer.

    Black Raven Antimony-Gold Property
    The Black Raven Property comprises nine map-staked licenses constituting a single contiguous block of 125 claims that in total cover 3,125ha or 31.25km2. Churchill and the vendors have agreed to a 4km wide area of interest around the property boundaries as part of their agreement.

    Churchill intends to immediately commence its sampling program on the surface showings and any accessible historical workings following compilation of all historical data is complete. The entire property will be surveyed with LiDAR and orthophotos as soon as the Government permit has been received. Follow-up prospecting and systematic trenching, with channel sampling work as required, are being planned for initiation in June based on the compiled database. The derived geological and geochemical data will used to outline drill targets along strike and at depth to the historical workings.

    The past sampling data reported in this News Release is historic in nature and does not meet NI43-101 standards. Churchill has relied on the information supplied in the Government of Newfoundland field assessment reports and from information found in the Mineral Occurrence Database System operated by the Newfoundland Department of Industry, Energy and, Technology. Natural Resources.

    The technical and scientific information in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Dr. Derek H.C Wilton, P.Geo., FGC, who is a “qualified person” as defined under National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (“NI 43-101”). Dr. Wilton is an honorary research professor of Economic Geology at Memorial University in St. John’s and is independent of the Company for the purposes of NI 43-101.

    References:

    Heyl, George R., 1936. Geology and Mineral Deposits of the Bay of Exploits Area. Newfoundland Department of Natural Resources, Geological Section, Bulletin No 3. 65 pages.

    Fogwill, W.D., 1968. Report on a copper prospect at Western Head, Moreton’s Harbour in the Notre Dame Bay Area, Newfoundland. Newfoundland and Labrador Geological Survey, Assessment File 2E/10/0350, 1968, 48 pages

    Kay, E.A. 1981. A geochemical and fluid inclusion study of the arsenopyrite-stibnite-gold mineralization, Moreton’s Harbour, Notre Dame Bay, Newfoundland. Master Thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, Canada, 1981. Newfoundland and Labrador Geological Survey, Assessment File 002E/10/1075, 1981, 209 pages.

    Quinlan E, 2013. First Year Assessment Report for 019872M, Ninth Year Assessment Report for 015553M, and Third Year Assessment Report for 017787M for Exploration within the Black Raven Property, NTS Map Sheet 2E/10. Newfoundland and Labrador Geological Survey Assessment Report, 69 pages

    Quinlan, E. 2025. 21st, 8th & 4th Year Assessment Report of Diamond Drilling & Prospecting On Black Raven Property, License 023212M (21st Year), License 02840m (8th Year), License 35674m (4th Year) NTS 02E/10, North-Central Newfoundland. Property centered at approximately 49°57’N, 54°87’ W. 34 pages.

    About Churchill Resources

    Churchill Resources Inc. is a Canadian exploration company focused on strategic, critical minerals in Canada, principally at its prospective Taylor Brook, Florence Lake, and Black Raven properties in Newfoundland & Labrador. The Churchill management team, board, and advisors have decades of combined experience in mineral exploration and in the establishment of successful publicly listed mining companies, both in Canada and around the world. Churchill’s Newfoundland and Labrador projects have the potential to benefit from the province’s large and diversified minerals industry, which includes world class nickel mines and processing facilities, and a well-developed mineral exploration sector with locally based drilling and geological expertise.

    Churchill’s Taylor Brook Nickel-Copper-Cobalt-Vanadium-Titanium Property, and Florence Lake Nickel Property, are both in good standing for a number of years, such that further exploration and development can await improved market conditions sentiment while the Company focuses on high-grade antimony-gold and other critical minerals.

    Further Information
     
    For further information regarding Churchill, please contact:
     
    Churchill Resources Inc.
    Paul Sobie, Chief Executive Officer
    psobie@churchillresources.com
    Tel. 416.365.0930 (o)
      647.988.0930 (m)
       
    Alec Rowlands, Business Development & IR
    Alec.rowlands1@gmail.com
    Tel. 416.721.4732 (m)
       

    FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

    This news release contains certain forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, statements about Churchill’s objectives, goals and exploration activities proposed to be conducted on its properties; future growth potential of Churchill, including whether any proposed exploration programs at any of its properties will be successful; exploration results; and future exploration plans and costs. Wherever possible, words such as “may”, “will”, “should”, “could”, “expect”, “plan”, “intend”, “anticipate”, “believe”, “estimate”, “predict” or “potential” or the negative or other variations of these words, or similar words or phrases, have been used to identify these forward-looking statements. In particular, this release contains forward-looking information relating to, among other things, the entering into of a definitive Option Agreement and other ancillary transaction documents with respect to the Black Raven Antimony Property and the exercise of such option; the number of Common Shares that may be issued in connection with the transactions discussed herein, closing conditions and receive necessary regulatory approvals These statements reflect management’s current beliefs and are based on information currently available to management as at the date hereof.

    Forward-looking statements involve significant risk, uncertainties and assumptions. Many factors could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from the results discussed or implied in the forward-looking statements. These factors should be considered carefully and readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements. Such factors, among other things, include: exploration results on the Black Raven Antimony Property; the expected benefits to Churchill relating to the exploration proposed to be conducted on its properties; receipt of all regulatory approvals in connection with the transaction contemplated herein; failure to identify any additional mineral resources or significant mineralization; the preliminary nature of metallurgical test results; uncertainties relating to the availability and costs of financing needed in the future, including to fund any exploration programs on the Churchill’s properties, if required; fluctuations in general macroeconomic conditions; fluctuations in securities markets; fluctuations in spot and forward prices of gold, silver, base metals or certain other commodities; change in national and local government, legislation, taxation, controls, regulations and political or economic developments; risks and hazards associated with the business of mineral exploration, development and mining (including environmental hazards, industrial accidents, unusual or unexpected formations pressures, cave-ins and flooding); inability to obtain adequate insurance to cover risks and hazards; the presence of laws and regulations that may impose restrictions on mining and mineral exploration; employee relations; relationships with and claims by local communities and indigenous populations; availability of increasing costs associated with mining inputs and labour; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development (including the risks of obtaining necessary licenses, permits and approvals from government authorities); the unlikelihood that properties that are explored are ultimately developed into producing mines; geological factors; actual results of current and future exploration; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be evaluated; soil sampling results being preliminary in nature and are not conclusive evidence of the likelihood of a mineral deposit; and title to properties. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management believes to be reasonable assumptions, the Churchill cannot assure readers that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release, and the Churchill assumes no obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances, except as required by law. Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

    Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:
    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3f00b492-1d95-466b-bba4-7c2de65ab8a5

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/39e562cc-f00d-48fc-ae4d-fa3947239856

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/9a168e95-e7a9-4297-b659-fec90ba166ab

    The MIL Network –

    May 28, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: OTC Markets Group Welcomes Magna Mining Inc. to OTCQX

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, May 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM), operator of regulated markets for trading 12,000 U.S. and international securities, today announced that Magna Mining Inc. (TSX-V: NICU; OTCQX: MGMNF), a company engaged in the acquisition, production, development and exploration of mineral properties in Canada, with a current focus on copper, has qualified to trade on the OTCQX® Best Market. Magna Mining Inc. upgraded to OTCQX from the OTCQB® Venture Market.

    Magna Mining Inc. begins trading today on OTCQX under the symbol “MGMNF.” U.S. investors can find current financial disclosure and Real-Time Level 2 quotes for the company on www.otcmarkets.com.

    The OTCQX Market is designed for established, investor-focused U.S. and international companies. To qualify for OTCQX, companies must meet high financial standards, follow best practice corporate governance, and demonstrate compliance with applicable securities laws. Graduating to the OTCQX Market from the OTCQB Market marks an important milestone for companies, enabling them to demonstrate their qualifications and build visibility among U.S. investors.

    About Magna Mining Inc.

    Magna Mining Inc is a producing mining company with a portfolio of copper, nickel and PGM operating, development and exploration projects in the Sudbury Region of Ontario, Canada. The Company’s primary assets are the producing McCreedy West copper mine and the past producing Levack, Podolsky, Shakespeare and Crean Hill mines. Additional information about the Company is available on SEDAR (www.sedar.com) and the Company’s website (www.magnamining.com).

    About OTC Markets Group Inc.

    OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM) operates regulated markets for trading 12,000 U.S. and international securities. Our data-driven disclosure standards form the foundation of our three public markets: OTCQX® Best Market, OTCQB® Venture Market, and Pink® Open Market.

    Our OTC Link® Alternative Trading Systems (ATSs) provide critical market infrastructure that broker-dealers rely on to facilitate trading. Our innovative model offers companies more efficient access to the U.S. financial markets.

    OTC Link ATS, OTC Link ECN, OTC Link NQB, and MOON ATS™ are each an SEC regulated ATS, operated by OTC Link LLC, a FINRA and SEC registered broker-dealer, member SIPC.

    To learn more about how we create better informed and more efficient markets, visit www.otcmarkets.com.

    Subscribe to the OTC Markets RSS Feed

    Media Contact:
    OTC Markets Group Inc., +1 (212) 896-4428, media@otcmarkets.com

    The MIL Network –

    May 28, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: On the extension of the term of operation of UAB „Atsinaujinančios energetikos investicijos“

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    In accordance with the voting results of the closed-end investment company intended for informed investors UAB “Atsinaujinančios energetikos investicijos” (hereinafter − the Company) at the extraordinary general meeting of shareholders held on 16 May 2025, the shareholders of the Company approved the extension of the Company’s term of operation by an additional two years, with more than a 9/10 majority of votes cast by all the shares held by the Company’s shareholders. As a result, the Company’s term of operation is considered extended until 5 February 2028.

    Contact person for further information:

    Mantas Auruškevičius

    Manager of the Investment Company

    mantas.auruskevicius@lordslb.lt

    The MIL Network –

    May 28, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Video: UN Ocean Conference: “Curtain Raiser” Briefing | United Nations

    Source: United Nations (Video News)

    Secretary-General of the Third UN Ocean Conference (UNOC3) Li Junhua said, “The future of the ocean is not predetermined. It will be shaped by the decisions and the actions we are making now.”

    Today (27 May), Li Junhua, together with High-level representatives from France and Costa Rica briefed the press about the upcoming UN Ocean Conference.

    He said, “The ocean—our planet’s life-support system—is in a state of emergency. The evidence is overwhelming: rising temperatures, acidifying waters, plastic choking marine life, disappearing habitats, and the relentless overexploitation of resources.”

    He continued, “The health of the ocean is declining, and with it, the well-being of the human being. We actually depend on our ocean supply lines. However, there is still time to change our course—if we act collectively.”

    He said, “From 9 to 13 June 2025, the global community will gather in Nice, France, for the Third United Nations Ocean Conference, or UNOC3. This will not be just another routine gathering. We hope that it is a pivotal opportunity to accelerate action and mobilize all stakeholders across sectors and borders.”

    He also said, “UNOC3 will culminate in the adoption of the “Nice Ocean Action Plan” – a concise, action-oriented declaration, along with new and expanded voluntary commitments. This plan will be our collective blueprint to advance SDG 14: to conserve and sustainably use the ocean, seas, and marine resources.”

    He concluded, “The future of the ocean is not predetermined. It will be shaped by the decisions and the actions we are making now. Let us choose a healthy, resilient ocean—for our generation, and also for generations to come.”

    French Ambassador Jérôme Bonnafont stated, “The goal for this conference in Nice, for France, is a Nice Agreement that would be for the oceans what the Paris Agreement was for the climate ten years ago.”

    Maritza Chan Valverde, Permanent Representative of Costa Rica to the United Nations, said, “Accelerating action means cutting decision-making time from years to months, mobilizing all actors, engaging 195 governments, more than 1,000 cities, more 500 corporations and billions of citizens simultaneously. This is an opportunity for the United Nations to be together and to show that we can deliver as one.”

    She concluded, “The third United Nations Ocean Conference will either reverse ocean decline by 2030 or document humanity’s failure to act. Five days, one ocean, a unique opportunity.”

    The high-level 2025 United Nations Conference to Support the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development (the 2025 UN Ocean Conference) will be co-hosted by France and Costa Rica and held in Nice, France, from 9 – 13 June 2025.

    The overarching theme of the Conference is “Accelerating action and mobilizing all actors to conserve and sustainably use the ocean”.

    The Conference will involve all relevant stakeholders, bringing together Governments, the United Nations system, intergovernmental organizations, international financial institutions, other interested international bodies, non-governmental organizations, civil society organizations, academic institutions, the scientific community, the private sector, philanthropic organizations, Indigenous Peoples and local communities and other actors to assess challenges and opportunities relating to, as well as actions taken towards, the implementation of Goal 14.

    The Conference will build on the previous UN Ocean Conferences, hosted by Sweden and Fiji in 2017 in New York and by Portugal and Kenya in 2022 in Lisbon.

    The Nice Ocean Action Plan, made up of a political declaration and a list of voluntary commitments from stakeholders, will be adopted following international discussions during the Conference.

    Website: https://sdgs.un.org/conferences/ocean2025

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2Rj3skYyiw

    MIL OSI Video –

    May 28, 2025
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