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Category: Economy

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: The UK has published a ten-year industrial strategy to boost key sectors of the economy – here’s what the experts think

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Michael A. Lewis, Professor of Operations and Supply Management, University of Bath

    PBabic/Shutterstock

    The UK government has published a ten-year strategy outlining how it aims to boost productivity and innovation across eight key sectors of the economy. From the future of AI to energy security and net zero, it’s a broad and ambitious plan. Our experts assess what it tells us about how the UK economy – and the jobs it offers – could look in future.

    Nuclear placed firmly in the centre of the UK’s low-carbon future

    Doug Specht, Reader in Cultural Geography and Communication, University of Westminster

    For clean energy and industrial growth, the strategy presents an ambitious and comprehensive vision. And it seeks to establish the UK as a global leader in clean energy manufacturing and innovation. A key strength lies in its substantial investment commitments, however this includes £14.2 billion for the controversial Sizewell C nuclear power station and more than £2.5 billion for a Small Modular Reactor (SMR) programme.

    Nuclear energy remains controversial – nevertheless, the strategy firmly places it as a central pillar for low-carbon, reliable energy and national security.

    The strategy also targets high-growth sectors, prioritises regional development and introduces support schemes and regulatory reforms to tackle high electricity costs for industry, and slow grid connections. Yet despite these potential strengths, there are notable challenges. Implementation risks are significant, given the ten-year timeframe and potential shifts in political priorities.

    And regional disparities and social inequalities may not be fully addressed, as the focus is on high-potential city regions. Some areas could be left behind. Skills shortages in engineering and digital sectors persist, and there is not enough detail on reskilling and lifelong learning. The importance of supply chain resilience, especially for the critical minerals needed for the green transition is acknowledged but not fully assured.

    Overall, the strategy is ambitious and well-structured. But a reliance on nuclear rather than true renewables is seeking a quick win with high risks and high costs. A more radical and inclusive plan that expanded green infrastructure, and provided details of resilient growth across all regions and sectors, would have been welcomed.



    Read more:
    Nuclear energy is a risky investment, but that’s no reason for the UK government to avoid it

    An innovation boost for the UK’s world-leading creative industries

    Bernard Hay, Head of Policy at the Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre, Newcastle University

    The plan for the creative industries is a significant step forward for this critical sector. With multiple new commitments announced on areas ranging from scale-up finance and AI to skills, exports and freelance support, there is a lot to welcome for the sector. After all, it already accounts for over 5% of the UK’s annual gross value added (or GVA – which measures the value of goods and services) and 14% of its services exports.

    One key aspect is boosting creative industries’ research and development (R&D), which is a driver of innovation, productivity and growth. This includes £100 million for the Arts and Humanities Research Council’s clusters programme, which supports location-based, creative R&D partnerships between universities and industry.

    And by the end of the year, HMRC will publish clarification on what types of activity are eligible for R&D tax relief, to include arts activities that meet certain criteria. This is a nuanced change, but together with the other plans, it could have a catalytic effect on innovation in the sector.

    Supporting regional creative economies is a golden thread running through this plan. A new £4 billion group capital initiative from the British Business Bank, announced earlier in the spending review, will be an important source of scale-up finance for small and medium-sized creative businesses that face barriers in accessing capital.

    It is also welcome to see the government both increasing creative industries investment in several city-regions and supporting places to join up and work together through “creative corridors”. Coupled with the ongoing devolution of powers and funding in England, the next decade provides a huge opportunity for local policy innovation. This includes sharing and scaling proven strategies in growing regional creative economies.

    An effective industrial strategy relies on high-quality data and analysis to support it. This is especially true when dealing with a rapidly evolving part of the economy such as the creative industries. The new plan includes commitments to strengthen the evidence base, including by increasing access to official statistics. This is good news not only for researchers, but for the whole sector.

    The Lowry in Salford is part of a creative cluster in the north-west of England.
    Debu55y/Shutterstock

    Advanced manufacturing: promising plans, but persistent problems

    Michael Lewis, Professor of Operations and Supply Management, University of Bath

    The government plans to invest £4.3 billion in advanced manufacturing. This covers research-driven production in sectors including automotive, aerospace and advanced materials (engineered substances that are especially useful in these industries). Some firms may also get energy cost relief through green levy exemptions.

    A long-term plan is overdue, but the challenges are huge. Automotive production is targeted to rise substantially, but the sector will still depend heavily on a range of critical imports. The aerospace sector will start 40,000 apprenticeships by 2035, yet further education funding remains below 2010 levels. Much of the promised investment appears to be the repackaging of existing funding.

    Most importantly, how to deliver these changes remains unclear. There are good ideas, like £99 million to expand the relatively successful Made Smarter Adoption programme to help small and medium-sized enterprises employ digital technology. But when helping small firms adopt basic digital tools counts as policy success, it shows how far UK manufacturing has fallen behind competitors. Likewise, when you need a new “connections accelerator service” just to help companies connect to the grid, it shows the scale of basic infrastructure problems that undermine grander ambitions.

    Overall, the strategy marks real progress. However, without clear delivery plans, it reads more like a wish list than an action plan. This explains why industry reactions have been cautiously optimistic at best.

    A chance to take the lead in the global AI race

    Kamran Mahroof, Associate Professor of Supply Chain Analytics and Programme Leader for the MSc in the Applied Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics, University of Bradford

    From a digital and technologies perspective, the industrial strategy appears to signal a strong commitment to anchoring the nation at the forefront of the global AI race. The proposed Sovereign AI Unit shows an intent to ensure national control and access to critical AI infrastructure, computational power and expertise.

    This is pivotal, not only for research and development, but also for national security and economic resilience in an increasingly AI-driven world. It points to a recognition that relying solely on external providers for cutting-edge AI capabilities carries inherent risks.

    Besides, some of the world’s most innovative AI businesses are based in the UK. British companies are pushing the limits of what is feasible, from Synthesia’s advances in synthetic media to DeepMind’s developments in machine learning. In sectors including public safety, insurance and defence, smaller firms like Faculty, Tractable and Mind Foundry are also having a significant impact.

    Complementing this, the AI Growth Zones are designed to act as regional magnets for investment and innovation, particularly in the realm of data centres and high-density computational facilities. By streamlining planning and providing preferential access to energy, these zones could accelerate the development of the physical infrastructure needed.

    This decentralised approach has received more than 200 bids already from local authorities. It also has the potential to spread the economic benefits of AI beyond established tech hubs, encouraging new regional powerhouses and creating high-skilled jobs right across the UK.

    Taken as a whole, these projects show a deliberate effort to develop core competencies and draw in private-sector funding. This puts the UK in a position to benefit from AI’s potential. This effort to develop national AI capabilities is not a new idea – it echoes the US AI executive order and the EU’s AI Act.

    However, given the dominance of global tech giants, the UK needs to define “sovereignty” in practice and decide whether it is willing to provide large-scale funding. At a time when debates continue around the UK’s defence budget — a field now deeply intertwined with AI – more transparency is needed on how these ambitions will be funded.

    Growth plans for financial services – and moves to share the benefits beyond London

    Sarah Hall, 1931 Professor of Geography, University of Cambridge

    One of the most striking elements of the new plan is that it places financial services much more centrally compared to previous approaches.

    There are good reasons for doing this. Financial services are a vital component of the UK economy, contributing close to 9% of economic output in 2023. Clearly then, an industrial strategy without one of the most important economic sectors would make little sense.

    There is also a welcome emphasis on the ways in which financial services can grow, not only as a sector in its own right, but also to be better integrated in supporting the growth of other parts of the economy. Some important policy moves have already been announced, such as changes to pension funds aimed at increasing their investment in large infrastructure projects.

    In order to meet these ambitions, the strategy is right to note that financial services need to be supported, not only in London but also across the many clusters around the UK. These include, for example, Edinburgh, Manchester and Bristol.

    There will be more details in the sector plan, released alongside Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ Mansion House speech on July 15. At that point, we will be able to assess the measures intended to grapple with two longstanding issues for UK financial services. That is, how does the government bridge the gap between finance and the “real” economy (goods and non-financial services)? And how does it bridge the gap between London and the rest of the UK?

    Michael A. Lewis receives funding from AHRC, EPSRC and ESRC.

    Bernard Hay is Head of Policy at the Creative PEC, a partnership between Newcastle University and the Royal Society of Arts, which is funded by the UKRI via Arts and Humanities Research Council.

    Sarah Hall receives funding from an ESRC Fellowship grant.

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

    – ref. The UK has published a ten-year industrial strategy to boost key sectors of the economy – here’s what the experts think – https://theconversation.com/the-uk-has-published-a-ten-year-industrial-strategy-to-boost-key-sectors-of-the-economy-heres-what-the-experts-think-259741

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Climate, conflict and energy security – our research shows how the EU’s industrial policy must change to face this polycrisis

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Richard Bärnthaler, Lecturer (Assistant Professor) in Ecological Economics, University of Leeds

    Green energy sites like Flevoland in the Netherlands will be part of the EU’s industrial future. fokke baarssen/Shutterstock

    Industrial policy is back – it’s currently central to the agendas of both the EU and the UK. This resurgence comes amid a polycrisis marked by climate breakdown, social inequality, energy insecurity and geopolitical instability. And it reflects a wider shift. Governments across G20 countries are stepping in more actively to shape their economies, moving away from the idea that markets should be left to run themselves.

    This is an important development. But current frameworks for industrial policy risk deepening the crises they are meant to solve.

    In our research with Sebastian Mang of the New Economics Foundation, we have found that in the case of the EU, its industrial policy framework is riddled with contradictions.

    It seeks resilience, yet fails to strengthen essential public services that underpin stability. It aims for strategic autonomy, yet reinforces resource dependencies. And while it gestures towards sustainability, it remains tethered to private-sector strategies that delay the phase-out of harmful industries.

    Eroding foundations

    EU industrial policy aims to strengthen the resilience of the bloc’s single market by preventing supply chain disruptions. It rightly views Europe’s economy as an interconnected ecosystem, where shocks in one sector ripple across others. But it fails to prioritise the foundational sectors that sustain everyday life. These include essential services such as food, utilities, housing, healthcare and public transport.

    Two core issues drive this failure. First, deregulation in the single market has often extended to essential services, pushing providers to operate like private businesses. For example, liberalisation of the energy sector has contributed to volatile prices and energy poverty. And EU competition law and state aid rules have historically constrained social housing provision.

    Yet social resilience — the capacity of communities to withstand and recover from crises — and, by extension market resilience, rely on these essential services. But affordable housing, universal healthcare and affordable energy for households are often not prioritised.

    Second, EU industrial policy lacks a clear definition of which sectors are “critical” and why. This results in inconsistent lists of priority industries and technologies, while foundational sectors like energy and housing often remain overlooked.

    These blind spots have real consequences. Around 40% of Europe’s workforce is employed in foundational sectors. These sectors are where low-income households spend about two-thirds of their income. Yet they often remain precarious and undervalued, leaving Europe more exposed to economic shocks.

    To build real resilience, industrial policy must reassert public control over essential services and recognise them as priorities. This means redefining what counts as “critical”, supporting jobs in foundational sectors and accelerating public investment. This investment could be enabled through measures such as reforming the fiscal rules and with joint borrowing by member states.

    The scramble for resources

    Europe is pushing for strategic autonomy (the capacity of the bloc to act in strategically important areas, without being dependent on non-member countries). The aim is to reduce reliance on imports in key industries such as green technology.

    But to make this happen, the EU should put reducing demand for resources and energy at the centre of its industrial policy. Instead, however, its Critical Raw Materials Act foresees skyrocketing consumption of rare earths, lithium and other inputs.

    This strategy is self-defeating. It increases the likelihood of European aggression towards the rest of the world and ultimately threatens long-term security and peace for all. These tensions are already surfacing. Export restrictions on things such as nickel, cobalt and rare earth minerals are multiplying. In an era of geopolitical ruptures, these tendencies are likely to intensify.

    At the same time, resource conflicts are also escalating within Europe itself. Tensions are emerging in countries including Serbia, Portugal and Greece over lithium and copper, and the environmental and social costs of mining them. And indigenous communities such as the Sámi in northern Europe face threats to their land and rights.

    This is not to argue against increasing the extraction of raw materials within Europe. However, without an absolute reduction in energy and material use, these contradictions will deepen. To avoid these problems, the EU must centre industrial policy on reducing unnecessary demand. Some key moves could include investing in public transport instead of subsidising cars, prioritising retrofitting over new building, ending planned obsolescence and backing agro-ecology over industrial farming.

    Investing in public rather than private transport will help European nations reduce their demand on energy and materials.
    The Global Guy/Shutterstock

    Research shows that this kind of strategy could significantly lower Europe’s energy use. It could also drastically cut reliance on critical imports and contribute to achieving energy independence by 2050. This is all without compromising basic quality of life.

    If Europe wants peace and security, demand reduction is a rational approach that must be at the heart of the EU’s industrial strategy. This should be adopted alongside strengthening ties of cooperation and integration with the rest of Eurasia and the global south, rather than ramping up antagonism towards these neighbours.

    Green transition

    The EU’s vision of “competitive sustainability” rests on the belief that market incentives and the private sector can drive the green transition. Yet despite decades of efficiency improvements, high-income countries have not decoupled material use and emissions from economic growth at the speed and scale required.

    The EU remains reliant on derisking – using public subsidies, guarantees and looser regulations to make green investments attractive to private finance. But as this approach leaves both the pace and direction of change to private capital, it slows the phase-out of harmful industries.

    What’s missing is more effective economic planning to restore public control over decarbonisation. Achieving this means building on existing mechanisms capable of delivering change — such as public credit guidance. This sets rules to limit the flow of finance from commercial banks to damaging sectors while directing investment toward sustainable ones.

    China offers an example whereby the central bank has used public credit guidance to shift finance to cleaner sectors. The European Central Bank also experimented with credit guidance between 2022 and 2023, introducing climate scores for companies. And post-war France used planned credit to modernise infrastructure over two decades.

    Europe and the UK are rearming, climate shocks are intensifying and global power dynamics are shifting. This moment demands a new industrial strategy — one that prioritises foundational sectors and creates fiscal space to build resilience. Reducing demand must be a prerequisite for security, peace and strategic autonomy. And reviving economic planning tools, such as public credit guidance, can accelerate the green transition.

    Without these shifts, Europe and the UK face an increasingly unstable future. Industrial policy must change because the stakes are existential.

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

    – ref. Climate, conflict and energy security – our research shows how the EU’s industrial policy must change to face this polycrisis – https://theconversation.com/climate-conflict-and-energy-security-our-research-shows-how-the-eus-industrial-policy-must-change-to-face-this-polycrisis-259477

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Climate, conflict and energy security – our research shows how the EU’s industrial policy must change to face this polycrisis

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Richard Bärnthaler, Lecturer (Assistant Professor) in Ecological Economics, University of Leeds

    Green energy sites like Flevoland in the Netherlands will be part of the EU’s industrial future. fokke baarssen/Shutterstock

    Industrial policy is back – it’s currently central to the agendas of both the EU and the UK. This resurgence comes amid a polycrisis marked by climate breakdown, social inequality, energy insecurity and geopolitical instability. And it reflects a wider shift. Governments across G20 countries are stepping in more actively to shape their economies, moving away from the idea that markets should be left to run themselves.

    This is an important development. But current frameworks for industrial policy risk deepening the crises they are meant to solve.

    In our research with Sebastian Mang of the New Economics Foundation, we have found that in the case of the EU, its industrial policy framework is riddled with contradictions.

    It seeks resilience, yet fails to strengthen essential public services that underpin stability. It aims for strategic autonomy, yet reinforces resource dependencies. And while it gestures towards sustainability, it remains tethered to private-sector strategies that delay the phase-out of harmful industries.

    Eroding foundations

    EU industrial policy aims to strengthen the resilience of the bloc’s single market by preventing supply chain disruptions. It rightly views Europe’s economy as an interconnected ecosystem, where shocks in one sector ripple across others. But it fails to prioritise the foundational sectors that sustain everyday life. These include essential services such as food, utilities, housing, healthcare and public transport.

    Two core issues drive this failure. First, deregulation in the single market has often extended to essential services, pushing providers to operate like private businesses. For example, liberalisation of the energy sector has contributed to volatile prices and energy poverty. And EU competition law and state aid rules have historically constrained social housing provision.

    Yet social resilience — the capacity of communities to withstand and recover from crises — and, by extension market resilience, rely on these essential services. But affordable housing, universal healthcare and affordable energy for households are often not prioritised.

    Second, EU industrial policy lacks a clear definition of which sectors are “critical” and why. This results in inconsistent lists of priority industries and technologies, while foundational sectors like energy and housing often remain overlooked.

    These blind spots have real consequences. Around 40% of Europe’s workforce is employed in foundational sectors. These sectors are where low-income households spend about two-thirds of their income. Yet they often remain precarious and undervalued, leaving Europe more exposed to economic shocks.

    To build real resilience, industrial policy must reassert public control over essential services and recognise them as priorities. This means redefining what counts as “critical”, supporting jobs in foundational sectors and accelerating public investment. This investment could be enabled through measures such as reforming the fiscal rules and with joint borrowing by member states.

    The scramble for resources

    Europe is pushing for strategic autonomy (the capacity of the bloc to act in strategically important areas, without being dependent on non-member countries). The aim is to reduce reliance on imports in key industries such as green technology.

    But to make this happen, the EU should put reducing demand for resources and energy at the centre of its industrial policy. Instead, however, its Critical Raw Materials Act foresees skyrocketing consumption of rare earths, lithium and other inputs.

    This strategy is self-defeating. It increases the likelihood of European aggression towards the rest of the world and ultimately threatens long-term security and peace for all. These tensions are already surfacing. Export restrictions on things such as nickel, cobalt and rare earth minerals are multiplying. In an era of geopolitical ruptures, these tendencies are likely to intensify.

    At the same time, resource conflicts are also escalating within Europe itself. Tensions are emerging in countries including Serbia, Portugal and Greece over lithium and copper, and the environmental and social costs of mining them. And indigenous communities such as the Sámi in northern Europe face threats to their land and rights.

    This is not to argue against increasing the extraction of raw materials within Europe. However, without an absolute reduction in energy and material use, these contradictions will deepen. To avoid these problems, the EU must centre industrial policy on reducing unnecessary demand. Some key moves could include investing in public transport instead of subsidising cars, prioritising retrofitting over new building, ending planned obsolescence and backing agro-ecology over industrial farming.

    Investing in public rather than private transport will help European nations reduce their demand on energy and materials.
    The Global Guy/Shutterstock

    Research shows that this kind of strategy could significantly lower Europe’s energy use. It could also drastically cut reliance on critical imports and contribute to achieving energy independence by 2050. This is all without compromising basic quality of life.

    If Europe wants peace and security, demand reduction is a rational approach that must be at the heart of the EU’s industrial strategy. This should be adopted alongside strengthening ties of cooperation and integration with the rest of Eurasia and the global south, rather than ramping up antagonism towards these neighbours.

    Green transition

    The EU’s vision of “competitive sustainability” rests on the belief that market incentives and the private sector can drive the green transition. Yet despite decades of efficiency improvements, high-income countries have not decoupled material use and emissions from economic growth at the speed and scale required.

    The EU remains reliant on derisking – using public subsidies, guarantees and looser regulations to make green investments attractive to private finance. But as this approach leaves both the pace and direction of change to private capital, it slows the phase-out of harmful industries.

    What’s missing is more effective economic planning to restore public control over decarbonisation. Achieving this means building on existing mechanisms capable of delivering change — such as public credit guidance. This sets rules to limit the flow of finance from commercial banks to damaging sectors while directing investment toward sustainable ones.

    China offers an example whereby the central bank has used public credit guidance to shift finance to cleaner sectors. The European Central Bank also experimented with credit guidance between 2022 and 2023, introducing climate scores for companies. And post-war France used planned credit to modernise infrastructure over two decades.

    Europe and the UK are rearming, climate shocks are intensifying and global power dynamics are shifting. This moment demands a new industrial strategy — one that prioritises foundational sectors and creates fiscal space to build resilience. Reducing demand must be a prerequisite for security, peace and strategic autonomy. And reviving economic planning tools, such as public credit guidance, can accelerate the green transition.

    Without these shifts, Europe and the UK face an increasingly unstable future. Industrial policy must change because the stakes are existential.

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

    – ref. Climate, conflict and energy security – our research shows how the EU’s industrial policy must change to face this polycrisis – https://theconversation.com/climate-conflict-and-energy-security-our-research-shows-how-the-eus-industrial-policy-must-change-to-face-this-polycrisis-259477

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Why experts expect Russian interference in upcoming election on Ukraine’s borders

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Stefan Wolff, Professor of International Security, University of Birmingham

    When Moldovans go to the polls in parliamentary elections on September 28, it will be the third time in less than a year – after a referendum on future EU membership and presidential elections last autumn.

    In both of the recent elections pro-European forces scraped to victory, thanks to a strong turnout among Moldovan diaspora voters, primarily in western Europe and north America. And in both elections, Russian interference was a significant factor. This is unlikely to change in the upcoming parliamentary vote. Moldova is too important a battleground in Russia’s campaign to rebuild a Soviet-style sphere of influence in eastern Europe.

    Wedged between EU and Nato member Romania to the west and Ukraine to the east, Moldova has its own aspirations for EU accession. But with a breakaway region in Transnistria, which is host to a Russian military base and “peacekeeping force” and whose population is leaning heavily towards Russia, this will not be a straightforward path to membership.

    What’s more, a Euro-sceptic and Moscow-friendly government after the next elections might allow the Kremlin to increase its military presence in the region and thereby pose a threat not only to Ukraine but also to Romania. While not quite equivalent to Russia’s unsinkable aircraft carrier of Kaliningrad, a more Russia-friendly Moldovan government would be a major strategic asset for Moscow.

    Unsurprisingly, Moldova’s president, Maia Sandu, and her Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky have little doubt that further destabilisation is at the top of Russia’s agenda. Fears about a Russian escalation in the months before the elections are neither new nor unfounded.

    There were worries that Moldova and Transnistria might be next on the Kremlin’s agenda as far back as the aftermath of Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014. These worries resurfaced when Moscow, rather prematurely, announced the beginning of stage two of its war against Ukraine in late April, 2022.

    Russia’s hopes of capturing all of southern Ukraine may not have materialised yet, but they are not off the Kremlin’s agenda. And a track record of false-flag operations in Transnistria and a coup attempt in Moldova do not bode well in the run-up to the elections.

    Knife-edge elections are nothing new in Moldova. The country is not only physically divided along the river Nistru, but even in the territory controlled by the government, opinions over its future geopolitical orientation remain split.

    With no pre-1991 history of independent statehood, parts of Moldova were part of Ukraine, Romania and the Soviet Union. Russian is widely spoken and, while declining in number, Moldovan labour migrants to Russia remain important contributors of remittances, which accounted for over 12 percent of the country’s GDP in 2023.

    A large number of Moldovans are, therefore, not keen on severing all ties with Russia. This does not mean they are supporters of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine or opponents of closer relations with the European Union. But as the referendum and presidential elections in October 2024, if pushed to make a choice between Russia and Europe and manipulated by Russian fear-mongering and vote buying, pro-European majorities remain slim.

    This is despite the significant support that the EU has provided to Moldova, including €1.9 billion (£1.6 billion) in financial support to facilitate reforms as part of the country’s efforts to join the EU. And there’s also nearly €200 million in military assistance over the past four years, including a €20 million package for improved air defences announced in April.

    Russian interference in the 2024 election was well documented.

    The EU has also provided several emergency aid packages to assist the country’s population during repeated energy crises triggered by Russia. Since then, the Moldovans and Brussels have agreed on comprehensive energy strategy that will make the country immune to Russian blackmail.

    This pattern of competitive influence seeking by Russia and the EU is long-standing and has not produced any decisive, lasting breakthroughs for either side.

    When the current president of Moldova, Maia Sandu, won in 2020, she defeated her opponent, Igor Dodon, by a decisive 58% to 42% margin, equivalent to some 250,000 votes that separated the candidates in the second round. Sandu’s Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS) obtained almost 53% of votes in the 2021 parliamentary elections and gained 63 seats in the 101-seat parliament. Not since the 2005 elections, won by the communist party under then-president Vladimir Voronin, had there been a a majority single-party government in Moldova. According to current opinion polls, PAS remains the strongest party with levels of support between 27% and 37%.

    In a crowded field of political parties and their leaders in which disappointment and doubt are the prevailing negative emotions among the electorate, Sandu and PAS remain the least unpopular choices. They have weathered the fall-out from the war in Ukraine well so far – managing the influx of refugees, keeping relations with Transnistria stable, and steering Moldova through a near-constant cost-of-living and energy crisis. Anti-government protests in 2022-23 eventually fizzled out.

    Russia’s election interference in 2024 was ultimately not successful in cheating pro-European voters out of their victories in the presidential elections and the referendum on future EU membership. But this is unlikely to stop the Kremlin from trying again in the run-up to parliamentary elections in September.

    Moscow will try to disrupt and delay Moldova’s already bumpy road to EU membership. A weakened pro-European government after parliamentary elections would be a very useful tool for Russia. Moldova and its European allies are in for an unusually hot summer.

    Stefan Wolff is a past recipient of grant funding from the Natural Environment Research Council of the UK, the United States Institute of Peace, the Economic and Social Research Council of the UK, the British Academy, the NATO Science for Peace Programme, the EU Framework Programmes 6 and 7 and Horizon 2020, as well as the EU’s Jean Monnet Programme. He is a Trustee and Honorary Treasurer of the Political Studies Association of the UK and a Senior Research Fellow at the Foreign Policy Centre in London.

    – ref. Why experts expect Russian interference in upcoming election on Ukraine’s borders – https://theconversation.com/why-experts-expect-russian-interference-in-upcoming-election-on-ukraines-borders-258445

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: China is constructing a new hero cult – here’s why that matters

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Vincent K.L. Chang, Assistant Professor of the History and International Relations of Modern China, Leiden University

    A tour guide competition was held in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in late May. This was not some fun contest. According to Chinese state media, it was a carefully conceived effort to “attract and cultivate a group of politically firm and professionally skilled storytellers of heroes and martyrs in the new era”.

    It symbolises the ambitious and far-reaching campaign launched by the Chinese state to revive the country’s pantheon of national heroes and martyrs. The aim is to unite and mobilise the nation in what Chinese leadership see as the crucial final phase in the quest to become a modern global superpower.

    On the same day as the Wuhan competition, but 750 miles further inland in Sichuan province, children from a kindergarten gathered with martyrs’ family members to engage in traditional crafts. The official newspaper of the Chinese Communist party, the People’s Daily, explained how this activity helped “pass on the torch of heroes” to young generations.

    And two weeks earlier, in China’s eastern province of Shandong, representatives from the official state news agency, Xinhua, attended an immersive training session on hero spirit. By coming “face to face” with heroes of the past, the trainees were able to grasp the “spirit” that had guided the extraordinary deeds of these ordinary people.

    This “facing up” to past heroes increasingly takes place through digital means. Thanks to developments in AI, and with the help of universities, museums and various government units, numerous Chinese people have now been “reunited” or become “acquainted” with family members martyred decades ago.

    Activities such as these have become commonplace in recent years. They are encouraged, guided and overseen by an expanding architecture of laws and regulations. There are at least two reasons why the campaign to build a new “spirit” of heroism and sacrifice requires attention beyond China-watchers.

    Chinese memory politics

    The first reason is the increasingly global reach of the campaign. Just as China’s economic statecraft is affecting global trade and finance, so too are Chinese memory politics spreading across the globe and reshaping the transnational memory landscape.

    Beijing has become an active sponsor of commemorations that are concerned more with shaping the future than looking into the past. Recent examples include Victory Day celebrations in Moscow and Minsk, and joint commemorations in the Serbian capital, Belgrade, of the Chinese “martyrs” of Nato’s bombing of the Chinese embassy there in 1999.



    Read more:
    Russia-China ties on full display on Victory Day – but all is not as well as Putin is making out

    China is also fostering bilateral memory partnerships in south-east Asia and Africa. And it has even resorted to memory diplomacy in seeking improved relations with the US by invoking the spirit of Sino-US cooperation during the second world war.

    China’s historical statecraft operates globally in the legal realm, too. Laws have come into effect that aim to promote patriotism and spread “core socialist values” among Chinese communities worldwide.

    Chinese embassies and consulates are required to locate Chinese martyrs buried in their host jurisdictions, and erect and maintain memorials for them. They are also expected to organise commemorations involving local Chinese diasporic and expat communities.

    Recent laws have been used to detain Chinese citizens living abroad. One example is Chinese artist Gao Zhen. Gao had been a permanent US resident for 13 years when he was detained in China in 2024 for his critical depictions of Mao Zedong a decade earlier.

    Gao was charged with the crime of “slandering China’s heroes and martyrs” under a law that did not exist when he created and exhibited his artwork.

    The second reason why China’s martyrs and heroes campaign matters globally is possibly more disturbing. China has become an example of a growing body of cases where state actors seek to shape and control historical memory.

    With several democracies beginning to show signs of democratic backsliding, the Chinese case is one of many that show that polar distinctions between “liberal” and “illiberal” systems are untenable.

    Perhaps the most obvious example of a democracy in democratic recession is the US. Donald Trump, a constitutionally elected president, is relying on a series of executive orders to consolidate power and hamper critical debate.

    One such directive, issued late in Trump’s first term, entails a proposal to build a so-called “national garden of American heroes”. The proposal was revived recently with an executive order on “restoring truth and sanity to American history”.

    The order aims to remove what the administration deems divisive and anti-American ideologies from national museums and public monuments.

    Washington’s efforts to control how history is presented seem to come straight out of Beijing’s playbook. In 2020, during his July 4 address, Trump claimed: “Our nation is witnessing a merciless campaign to wipe out our history, defame our heroes, erase our values, and indoctrinate our children.”

    These words eerily resemble those used previously by Chinese president Xi Jinping to justify his campaign against what he calls “historical nihilism” – attempts to “destroy” the Chinese nation by eradicating its history.

    Memory laws have also been adopted across Europe. The European Parliament, for example, has codified its own historical interpretations of the causes of the second world war in an attempt to counter what it labels Russian disinformation.

    The causes and consequences of war have always been and will continue to be hotly debated among historians, and there is no need for the EU’s bureaucracy to unilaterally “resolve” these debates.

    A problem with these bureaucratic efforts to codify historical interpretation is that they feed memory wars and fuel escalation. Even more damaging is that they emulate authoritarian practices of “dictating” history and restricting debate.

    These examples show that distinctions between authoritarian and democratic regimes are not as pristine as is often claimed. Increasingly, global memory practices are evolving and possibly converging on a fluid spectrum between these two poles.

    China’s new hero cult is an important case for shedding light on these dynamics.

    Vincent K.L. Chang receives research funding from the Dutch government.

    – ref. China is constructing a new hero cult – here’s why that matters – https://theconversation.com/china-is-constructing-a-new-hero-cult-heres-why-that-matters-259075

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: China is constructing a new hero cult – here’s why that matters

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Vincent K.L. Chang, Assistant Professor of the History and International Relations of Modern China, Leiden University

    A tour guide competition was held in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in late May. This was not some fun contest. According to Chinese state media, it was a carefully conceived effort to “attract and cultivate a group of politically firm and professionally skilled storytellers of heroes and martyrs in the new era”.

    It symbolises the ambitious and far-reaching campaign launched by the Chinese state to revive the country’s pantheon of national heroes and martyrs. The aim is to unite and mobilise the nation in what Chinese leadership see as the crucial final phase in the quest to become a modern global superpower.

    On the same day as the Wuhan competition, but 750 miles further inland in Sichuan province, children from a kindergarten gathered with martyrs’ family members to engage in traditional crafts. The official newspaper of the Chinese Communist party, the People’s Daily, explained how this activity helped “pass on the torch of heroes” to young generations.

    And two weeks earlier, in China’s eastern province of Shandong, representatives from the official state news agency, Xinhua, attended an immersive training session on hero spirit. By coming “face to face” with heroes of the past, the trainees were able to grasp the “spirit” that had guided the extraordinary deeds of these ordinary people.

    This “facing up” to past heroes increasingly takes place through digital means. Thanks to developments in AI, and with the help of universities, museums and various government units, numerous Chinese people have now been “reunited” or become “acquainted” with family members martyred decades ago.

    Activities such as these have become commonplace in recent years. They are encouraged, guided and overseen by an expanding architecture of laws and regulations. There are at least two reasons why the campaign to build a new “spirit” of heroism and sacrifice requires attention beyond China-watchers.

    Chinese memory politics

    The first reason is the increasingly global reach of the campaign. Just as China’s economic statecraft is affecting global trade and finance, so too are Chinese memory politics spreading across the globe and reshaping the transnational memory landscape.

    Beijing has become an active sponsor of commemorations that are concerned more with shaping the future than looking into the past. Recent examples include Victory Day celebrations in Moscow and Minsk, and joint commemorations in the Serbian capital, Belgrade, of the Chinese “martyrs” of Nato’s bombing of the Chinese embassy there in 1999.



    Read more:
    Russia-China ties on full display on Victory Day – but all is not as well as Putin is making out

    China is also fostering bilateral memory partnerships in south-east Asia and Africa. And it has even resorted to memory diplomacy in seeking improved relations with the US by invoking the spirit of Sino-US cooperation during the second world war.

    China’s historical statecraft operates globally in the legal realm, too. Laws have come into effect that aim to promote patriotism and spread “core socialist values” among Chinese communities worldwide.

    Chinese embassies and consulates are required to locate Chinese martyrs buried in their host jurisdictions, and erect and maintain memorials for them. They are also expected to organise commemorations involving local Chinese diasporic and expat communities.

    Recent laws have been used to detain Chinese citizens living abroad. One example is Chinese artist Gao Zhen. Gao had been a permanent US resident for 13 years when he was detained in China in 2024 for his critical depictions of Mao Zedong a decade earlier.

    Gao was charged with the crime of “slandering China’s heroes and martyrs” under a law that did not exist when he created and exhibited his artwork.

    The second reason why China’s martyrs and heroes campaign matters globally is possibly more disturbing. China has become an example of a growing body of cases where state actors seek to shape and control historical memory.

    With several democracies beginning to show signs of democratic backsliding, the Chinese case is one of many that show that polar distinctions between “liberal” and “illiberal” systems are untenable.

    Perhaps the most obvious example of a democracy in democratic recession is the US. Donald Trump, a constitutionally elected president, is relying on a series of executive orders to consolidate power and hamper critical debate.

    One such directive, issued late in Trump’s first term, entails a proposal to build a so-called “national garden of American heroes”. The proposal was revived recently with an executive order on “restoring truth and sanity to American history”.

    The order aims to remove what the administration deems divisive and anti-American ideologies from national museums and public monuments.

    Washington’s efforts to control how history is presented seem to come straight out of Beijing’s playbook. In 2020, during his July 4 address, Trump claimed: “Our nation is witnessing a merciless campaign to wipe out our history, defame our heroes, erase our values, and indoctrinate our children.”

    These words eerily resemble those used previously by Chinese president Xi Jinping to justify his campaign against what he calls “historical nihilism” – attempts to “destroy” the Chinese nation by eradicating its history.

    Memory laws have also been adopted across Europe. The European Parliament, for example, has codified its own historical interpretations of the causes of the second world war in an attempt to counter what it labels Russian disinformation.

    The causes and consequences of war have always been and will continue to be hotly debated among historians, and there is no need for the EU’s bureaucracy to unilaterally “resolve” these debates.

    A problem with these bureaucratic efforts to codify historical interpretation is that they feed memory wars and fuel escalation. Even more damaging is that they emulate authoritarian practices of “dictating” history and restricting debate.

    These examples show that distinctions between authoritarian and democratic regimes are not as pristine as is often claimed. Increasingly, global memory practices are evolving and possibly converging on a fluid spectrum between these two poles.

    China’s new hero cult is an important case for shedding light on these dynamics.

    Vincent K.L. Chang receives research funding from the Dutch government.

    – ref. China is constructing a new hero cult – here’s why that matters – https://theconversation.com/china-is-constructing-a-new-hero-cult-heres-why-that-matters-259075

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: The psychology of debt in Squid Game – and what your love or hatred of the show means

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Edward White, PhD Candidate in Psychology, Kingston University

    “Mister. Would you like to play a game with me?” These seemingly innocuous words to debt-ridden Gi-hun (Lee Jung-Jae) by a mysterious recruiter (Gong-Yoo) lead him to an opportunity for financial salvation – at the expense of human lives, including possibly his own.

    Squid Game’s third and final season has now been released, and fans can’t wait to see more green tracksuits and brutal games. But here’s what’s really driving the obsession: the show perfectly captures how financial stress warps our minds. It reveals the dark psychology of how money problems affect every decision we make.

    As a researcher studying the intersection of cognitive psychology and media dissemination, I’ve been fascinated by Squid Game’s unprecedented global impact. My work on how emotional regulation affects decision-making and moral reasoning provides a unique lens for understanding why this particular show resonated so powerfully with audiences worldwide. Especially during a time of economic uncertainty.

    Looking for something good? Cut through the noise with a carefully curated selection of the latest releases, live events and exhibitions, straight to your inbox every fortnight, on Fridays. Sign up here.

    Scientists have discovered that financial stress decreases cognitive function. Recent research analysing more than 111,000 people found that financial stress reduced their performance when completing basic tasks.

    This isn’t about poorer people being less intelligent, but rather an effect called “bandwidth hijacking” that causes mental fatigue when worrying about rent and debt. Worrying about unpaid bills mean less processing power is left for anything else, including moral reasoning and long-term thinking.

    Sounds familiar? This research is brought to life in Squid Game. Take Sang-woo, (Park Hae-soo) in season one. The brilliant Seoul National University graduate’s crippling debt (caused by bad investments) leads him to become a participant in the brutal Squid Games. Abandoning the etiquette of his high-flying circles, he manipulates and maliciously betrays fellow contestant Ali (Anupam Tripathi) in the marble game, pushes a man to his death on the glass bridge, and ultimately tries to kill his childhood friend, Gi-hun.

    Sang-woo’s intelligence becomes laser-focused on survival, leaving no mental space for the moral reasoning that would typically guide his decisions.

    The trailer for Squid Game season three.

    Squid Game shows how financial desperation dehumanises people. Bodies have piled up throughout the seasons, but the players barely react to the carnage. They’re transfixed by something else entirely: the digital display showing their prize money growing with each death.

    Such reminders of the financial stakes lead to reduced requests for help and reduced help towards others. This “tunnel vision” phenomenon occurs in real life too, leading to the abandonment of empathy and moral considerations.

    Sang-woo doesn’t betray Ali because he’s evil – he does it because financial desperation has hijacked his moral reasoning. Look at Ali’s face during the marble game: confused, trusting, unable to process that his “hyung” (older brother, a term of respect) would manipulate him. Ali represents what we lose when desperation turns humans into competitors rather than a community.

    Even Gi-hun, the supposed moral centre of the show, experiences this. When he and elderly contestant Il-nam (O Yeong-su) play marbles, Gi-hun lies and manipulates the old man he’s grown to care about. The extreme pressure – both financial and mortal – has consumed so much of his cognitive bandwidth that even basic human compassion becomes secondary to survival.

    Why we couldn’t look away

    Squid Game season one premiered during the COVID pandemic when millions around the world faced unemployment, eviction and financial ruin. Suddenly, extreme economic scenarios didn’t feel so remote. Audiences weren’t just watching entertainment – they saw their own psychological struggles reflected back at them.

    The show has been such a success because it reveals uncomfortable truths about how money doesn’t just change what we can do, but fundamentally alters who we become when survival depends on it.

    Every character in Squid Game represents a different response to economic trauma. Take season one. Gi-hun tries to maintain his humanity but repeatedly compromises (lying to his mother about money, manipulating Il-nam). Sang-woo sacrifices everything for survival (from securities fraud to literal murder). And some find strength in solidarity, as in Sae-byeok (HoYeon Jung) and Ji-yeong’s (Lee Yoo-mi) heartbreaking marble game, where Ji-yeong deliberately loses because Sae-byeok has more to live for.

    The genius is in the details. Players refer to each other by numbers instead of names, a metaphor for how economic systems reduce humans to data points. The guards wear masks, becoming faceless enforcers of the system. Even the organ-harvesting subplot shows how far commodification can go, turning human bodies into black market goods.

    Three seasons later, Squid Game itself has become a commodity. Netflix turned an anti-capitalist critique into a billion-dollar franchise, complete with reality TV spinoffs that recreate the exploitation of the show (without the murder!) in real life. Game shows offer high-risk, high-reward opportunities, where people admire the boldness and accept that unethical behaviour should not be vilified but encouraged.

    The spectacle of humiliation is normalised by the genre’s focus on competition and transformation. Failure becomes entertainment, as is echoed in the show itself by the VIPs who, so bored with their wealth, place bets on human lives for “fun”.

    Research has also found that people who enjoy reality TV are more likely to feel self-important, vindicated, or free from moral constraints. They are attracted to shows that stimulate these values.

    What your Squid Game obsession or hatred means

    If you’re fascinated by Squid Game, it isn’t just morbid curiosity at play – it’s recognition. On some level, it’s likely that you understand that the psychological pressure cooker of the games reflects real mechanisms happening in your own life when money gets tight.

    If you found yourself repulsed by the violence or bored by the hype, your reaction may reveal something important about how you process economic anxiety. Research on adult viewers shows that people with stronger financial security and emotional regulation are more likely to avoid media content that triggers economic stress responses. Others dismiss it as “unrealistic” – what psychologists call “optimism-bias”, where you may unconsciously distance yourself from economic vulnerability.

    Modern research confirms that financial scarcity creates measurable changes in how we think, plan and relate to others. The show’s genius was amplifying these subtle psychological effects to their logical extreme.

    In a world where economic inequality continues to rise, Squid Game isn’t just entertainment – it’s a mirror for our collective financial anxieties.

    Edward White is affiliated with Kingston University.

    – ref. The psychology of debt in Squid Game – and what your love or hatred of the show means – https://theconversation.com/the-psychology-of-debt-in-squid-game-and-what-your-love-or-hatred-of-the-show-means-259941

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Policy review on the use of council property assets in the voluntary and community sectors

    Source: City of Preston

    A new Policy Statement has been introduced by Preston City Council to back the use of some Council-owned assets, buildings and land, to be used to support the voluntary and community sectors to deliver greater community benefit and social value.

    Preston City Council owns a number of building and land assets across the city, many of which are used to bring in money to support the essential services that the Council provides to residents and businesses.

    An extensive review has highlighted that some of these assets are of limited commercial value and can play a much more significant role supporting our voluntary, charities and faith sectors (VCFS) in our communities and local neighbourhoods.

    A decision has been made that a number of these assets become community centre assets on a long-term lease. VCFS organisations can benefit from a long-term lease to strengthen their bid applications to funding streams from organisations such as the National Lottery.

    Councillor Martyn Rawlinson, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Resources at Preston City Council said:

    “Community and voluntary organisations across the city are doing and excellent job of delivery vibrant and essential centres of activity. Had these groups and organisations not stepped in, these vital community facilities would have been closed and lost for good. We want to thank these organisations for the support they give to our community and offer long term support to enable this to continue”

    The Council has also made the decision that 11 community sports pitches will also be agreed on a long-term peppercorn rental agreement of 10 years, when any current lease arrangement expire, provided operators can demonstrate that they meet the necessary management and maintenance requirements.

    Councillor Valerie Wise, Cabinet Member for Community Wealth Building said:

    “Using assets to deliver economic, social and environmental benefits and to contribute to the development of a sustainable and resilient local economy, is a key priority in Preston Council’s Community Wealth Building strategy.

    “This an important move to ensure Council owned buildings and land can remain viable, support and to best serve the community in which they are located to improve the overall health and wellbeing of our residents.”

    Other underused Council owned space in the city is also under consideration for VCFS uses for community benefit, subject to business plans and evidence of value for money. Similarly, the Council recognises there are other community organisations not occupying Council-owned properties who are delivering equally valuable services to our communities and the Council will explore ways to continue to support these organisations.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging announcements. 

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging announcements. 

    2025 base fees, fee modulation policy statement, regulatory position statement and interim strategy available.

    In a significant step forward for industry, PackUK has released several publications central to the delivery of the UK’s Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging (pEPR) scheme today (27 June 2025): 

    Confirmed 2025 Base Fees 

    PackUK has published the 2025 base fees for the Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging (pEPR) scheme, providing crucial certainty to producers ahead of the first invoices in October 2025.  

    Following three previous illustrative publications of estimated fees, these confirmed base fees represent a significant milestone in the implementation of the UK’s circular economy transition.  

    Nearly all fees have reduced compared with the illustrative base fees published in December, with glass down by 20 per cent. The reductions result from high levels of industry compliance with reporting obligations and extensive work across the regulators and PackUK to assure and validate the data provided. The 2025 base fees are calculated using packaging tonnages reported by producers for 2024 and local authority waste management costs. The methodology has been rigorously tested with stakeholders including producers, compliance schemes, and local authorities.  

    Alongside the confirmed base fees, PackUK has also published the Modulation Policy Statement, which outlines how fees will be adjusted from 2026 onwards to incentivise the use of more recyclable packaging.  

    The pEPR scheme forms the cornerstone of the UK’s packaging reforms, which the leaders of the UK’s largest waste management companies have said will support 25,000 jobs, stimulate more than £10 billion investment in recycling capability over the next decade and fund improvements to household recycling services across the UK.  

    Producers can access further guidance on the gov.uk website to understand how these fees will affect their businesses.

    PackUK will hold a Base Fees themed webinar on Thursday 10 July 2025 – You can sign-up to register your attendance.  

    Fee Modulation Policy Statement 

    PackUK has published its first Producer Fee Modulation Policy Statement for the Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging (pEPR) scheme. This policy represents a significant step forward in incentivising the use of environmentally sustainable packaging across the UK.  

    The new modulation policy establishes a clear three-year framework that will adjust producer fees based on packaging recyclability, as assessed through the Recyclability Assessment Methodology (RAM) ratings. Starting from the 2026/27 financial year, the policy will apply escalating modulation factors of 1.2x, 1.6x, and 2.0x over consecutive years.  

    What this means in practice:  

    • producers of RAM Green-rated (highly recyclable) packaging will benefit from steadily decreasing fees  

    • producers of RAM Red-rated (poorly recyclable) packaging will face progressively higher fees  

    • special provisions apply for medical packaging where regulatory requirements limit recyclability options  

    This approach maintains the total revenue generated by pEPR fees while creating meaningful financial incentives for producers to switch to more recyclable packaging options. By setting out a three-year plan, the policy provides industry with the certainty needed to make informed investment decisions and operational changes.  

    The modulation policy directly supports the core principles underlying the pEPR scheme – ‘polluter pays’, rectification at source, and prevention. It ensures that producers creating less environmentally sustainable packaging bear appropriate financial responsibility, while rewarding those making positive choices.  

    PackUK is committed to further research to potentially incorporate additional environmental sustainability factors in future policy iterations, continuing to drive innovation and improvement in packaging design across the UK.  

    Regulatory Position Statement  

    In response to industry feedback regarding the time and resource required to meet their 2025 recyclability assessment obligations, the four nations environmental regulators have published a Regulatory Position Statement (in Wales, a Regulatory Decision) providing additional flexibility for producers during this transition.  

    This aims to ease the burden while maintaining the commitment to introduce modulated pEPR fees from the 2026–2027 assessment year. While producers must still report tonnages for the first half of 2025 including flexible and rigid plastics separately, their recyclability assessment obligations for this period can be extrapolated from second-half data.  

    The initial modulation policy statement covers the three years from assessment year 2026/27 until 2028/29. During this period, fee modulation will be initially based on recyclability only through the Recyclability Assessment Methodology (RAM).    

    Following this and in line with the requirement for a review of modulation after three years, PackUK will research how modulation might incorporate additional sustainability factors, with the possibility of incorporating these into modulation after this period.  

    PackUK interim strategy 

    In setting up the pEPR scheme PackUK, as Scheme Administrator, is required to publish a strategy meeting the requirements set out in Paragraph 11 of Schedule 7 to the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging and Packaging Waste) Regulations 2024.  

    This is an interim strategy, which has been approved by approved by officials from all four nations and devolved ministers in parallel for agreement.   

    A long-term strategy will be launched later in 2025 to include:  

    • long-term structures and arrangements (imminent appointments of Chief Executive Officer and Chief Strategy Officer)

    • developments to UK-wide policy objectives over the coming months e.g. work in reuse, the Local Government Outcomes Framework for England

    • planned appointment of a Producer Responsibility Organisation by March 2026. 

    Together, these measures mentioned outlined above represent a cornerstone of the government’s wider packaging initiatives, which collectively aim to support 25,000 jobs and stimulate more than £10 billion in recycling infrastructure investment over the next decade.

    Updates to this page

    Published 27 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Robert Garcia and Senator Elizabeth Warren Reintroduce ‘AMMO Act’ to Prevent Bulk Sales of Ammunition During Gun Violence Awareness Month

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Robert Garcia California (42nd District)

    Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Robert Garcia (CA-42) and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) reintroduced the “Ammunition Modernization and Monitoring Oversight (AMMO) Act.” The bill would restrict bulk sales of ammunition by requiring businesses to conduct background checks on buyers and would require businesses who sell ammunition to obtain the same federal license as gun dealers. Additionally, the bill would also apply the same prohibition on straw purchases for ammunition that currently exists for firearms, restricting individuals from purchasing ammunition to then sell illegally to others and requiring data sharing on ammunition sales. The bill is also co-led by Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25). The full bill text can be found here.

     “It makes absolutely no sense that anyone in this country can walk into a business and buy as much ammunition as they want, with no background check and no questions asked,” said Congressman Robert Garcia. “We need to do everything in our power to prevent mass shootings and end our nation’s gun violence epidemic. During Gun Violence Awareness Month, I’m proud to help lead a bill that closes this loophole with a commonsense fix that will save lives and protect our communities.”

    “Our government needs to step up and limit access to ammunition if we want to stop the gun violence epidemic in this country. I’m going to keep fighting to keep our communities safe from potential mass shooters,” said Senator Elizabeth Warren

    “Far too many families endure the deep emotional and financial pain that comes with losing a loved one to gun violence. The costs are felt throughout entire communities,” said Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz. “So, I’m proud to work with Congressman Robert Garcia to introduce comprehensive legislation that would close the gaping ammunition regulation loopholes in our gun safety laws. Our constituents want safer communities, and this bill will save lives.”

    “Today, any individual can purchase unlimited rounds of ammunition in a single transaction with no questions asked, not even a background check to ensure they can legally possess firearms and ammunition. This enables people to rapidly amass tens of thousands of rounds of ammunition for trafficking and other nefarious purposes, jeopardizing public safety. By limiting ammunition transactions and requiring dealers to obtain licenses and complete background checks on ammunition sales, the AMMO Act will prevent the rapid stockpiling of ammunition and ammunition trafficking. Brady thanks Congressman Garcia for introducing this legislation to address the supply-side of gun violence.” – Mark Collins, Director of Federal Policy, Brady

    “The fact that anyone can easily purchase countless rounds of ammunition without even a background check is a recipe for mass tragedy. We applaud Rep. Garcia for introducing life-saving legislation that would make ammo dealers abide by the same rules as gun dealers, which is the very definition of common sense.” –John Feinblatt, President of Everytown for Gun Safety 

    “NICJR is thrilled to support this important legislation.” – David Muhammad, Executive Director of the National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform

    Currently, there is essentially no regulation governing the sales of ammunition. Businesses are not required to possess licenses in order to sell ammo and can sell to any buyer, in any quantity, without a background check, and with no recordkeeping or data sharing. 

    The bill prohibits bulk sales of ammunition based on the type of ammo. It specifically limits individuals to 100 rounds for .50 caliber ammo, the most deadly, potent military grade, and 1000 rounds for all other ammunition within a 5-day period.

    The AMMO Act is endorsed by Everytown for Gun Safety, Brady, Newtown Action Alliance, Orange Ribbons for Jaime, Community Justice Action Fund, National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform, Voters of Tomorrow, and Sandy Hook Promise.

    Congressman Garcia is a staunch believer in common sense gun violence prevention. He first introduced the AMMO Act alongside Senator Elizabeth Warren in the 118th Congress. Since coming to Congress, Congressman Garcia has cosponsored numerous pieces of legislation to help protect our communities from gun violence, such as the Assault Weapons Ban of 2025, the Bolstering Security Against Ghost Guns Act, and the Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2025. As former Mayor of Long Beach, he spent his time in office publicly supporting gun reform at the state and local level.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: African Development Bank and Mozambique collaborate to maximize country portfolio performance and economic transformation

    Source: African Development Bank Group

    The African Development Bank and the Government of Mozambique have completed a joint 2025 Country Portfolio Performance Review (CPPR) – setting the stage for maximum impact of the Bank’s $1.3 billion active portfolio in the country.

    It reinforces the Bank and Mozambique’s commitment to delivering measurable development outcomes that advance Mozambique’s economic transformation and improve citizen welfare across the country.

    Mozambique’s Minister of Finance, Carla Alexandra Loveira, emphasized the importance of such collaborative reviews.

    She explained: “The CPPR provides an invaluable opportunity for us to collectively scrutinize our progress, learn from past experiences, and refine our strategies. Our shared goal is to overcome implementation challenges to ensure timely and effective project execution…This meeting should serve as a turning point, an opportunity to unlock the full potential of development finance entrusted to us for Mozambique’s economic and social advancement”.

    The two-day workshop, held from 18-19 June, brought together key stakeholders from government ministries and from Project Implementation Units to assess progress and unlock greater effectiveness across Bank-funded operations.

    Participants addressed critical performance drivers, including operational quality, capacity enhancement for project execution, streamlined Bank supervision protocols, and optimized donor coordination mechanisms.

    “This joint review underscores our unwavering commitment to ensuring that Bank-funded projects in Mozambique deliver maximum impact and contribute effectively to the country’s development agenda,” said African Development Bank’s Country Manager for Mozambique, Macmillan Anyanwu. “These discussions and collaborative spirit demonstrated during this Country Portfolio Performance Review are crucial for addressing implementation bottlenecks and accelerating the delivery of results on the ground.”

    The outcome of the 2025 Country Portfolio Performance Review will culminate in an updated Country Portfolio Improvement Plan, featuring concrete actions and recommendations to address identified shortcomings. This strategic plan will be presented to senior government officials, including the Minister of Finance and sector ministers, for endorsement in June 2025.

    The Bank’s active portfolio in Mozambique comprises 42 operations across 32 projects, totalling $1.3 billion as of April 2025. The portfolio is concentrated in the energy sector (51%), followed by transport (28%), agriculture (16%), water and sanitation (2%), economic governance (2%), and social (1%).

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: World Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Day: How African Development Bank’s AFAWA initiative helped woman-led, custom kitchen startup grow

    Source: African Development Bank Group

    Among the clanging sounds of machinery and the smell of sawdust, Dipuo Phakathi is building something extraordinary in a male-dominated home furnishings field. A mining engineer by training and working as an process engineer at Standard Bank, Phakathi’s kitchen and cabinet-making startup in Johannesburg, South Africa, was born out of a home renovation when she was at odds with the designers she hired to improve her own home.

    “I wanted to go big but none of them were really getting it,” she recalls. “They were not asking the right questions.”

    Frustrated by the renovation team’s lack of customization and vision, Phakathi hired her own carpenter – Nelson Macheque, a soft-spoken man with whom she said she felt an instant connection. Macheque had years of woodworking experience in woodworking but lacked business structure to grow: she had vision and determination but no production expertise. Together, they made an unusual team, spending weekends working on small renovations and custom closets for her home, then other clients. Phakathi said the startup was just a weekend side hustle while she continued working weekdays at Standard Bank.

    In 2018, Standard Bank ran a contest for employees with a side hustle. The prize was four months’ paid leave and a cash reward to focus on the contest winner’s business. Competing against thousands of colleagues, Phakathi won.

    “I thought, you know, this is the only time that I’m going to make my business grow. So I said, I’m going to take my business seriously,” she remembers.

    Despite the win, growth was slower than she anticipated. Phakathi and Macheque continued targeting small housing projects, using one of their custom-built units as a showroom for potential clients. “We were showing people what we could do, but it was still small-scale,” she said.

    Then during a family holiday, Phakathi spotted a beautiful kitchen in her AirBnB rental. Complimenting the owner, she learned he was in the kitchen manufacturing business and asked if he might mentor her. He agreed, but when they met back in Johannesburg, he stunned her with an offer to buy his factory. However, the asking price was $150,000, a figure Phakati could not afford. Thanks to a women entrepreneur support program she was participating in, she had legal expert crafted a payment plan based quarterly installments based on sales targets that the factory owner agreed to. The factory seller’s son even stayed on for a year to train her.

    Today, Phakathi’s Denic Cabinets business is thriving and impacting lives. Her expansion into corporate projects and her first international installation in Zambia in 2022 marked a significant milestone.

    “One of my employees, an old man who had never flown before, cried on the plane. That’s when I realized, this isn’t just a business – it’s a purpose,” Phakathi said, clearly moved.

    Each project they complete is a testament to how empowerment initiatives, from mentorship to financial readiness programs, enable women like Phakathi to overcome barriers. In 2024, thanks to Graca Machel Trust’s Women Creating Wealth, an AFAWA-backed women entrepreneurship program, Phakathi accessed $158,000 in funding that will help her further expand her business: “I’m getting machinery that will cut out my manual assembling time from days to basically minutes. With an increased productivity, I expect to double my turnover”, Phakathi said, her eyes lighting up.

    Phakathi’s journey exemplifies how making the most of Africa’s capital to foster its development, must center on reducing the financing gap the continent’s women entrepreneurs face. African Development Bank’s AFAWA program is facilitating the financial capital and business tools Africa’s women-led businesses need to succeed – Phakathi’s team is expanding. When women have the capital to build strong businesses, these businesses foster communities, create opportunities, and redefine the possibilities for those who follow.

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Piero Cipollone: The quest for cheaper and faster cross-border payments: regional and global solutions

    Source: European Central Bank

    Speech by Piero Cipollone, Member of the Executive Board of the ECB, at the BIS Annual General Meeting

    Basel, 27 June 2025

    Cross-border retail payments are the subject of increasing attention. This is for two main reasons.

    First, they play a growing role in the world economy, as international transaction volumes have been increasing at a faster pace than GDP growth. However, despite some improvements in recent years, many payment corridors remain poorly served, which results in slow transaction times and high costs and ultimately hinders economic growth and social cohesion. Moreover, this inefficiency undermines the benefits of globalisation, as the economic gains from lower trade barriers are diverted into rents within cross-border payment markets, rather than benefiting the businesses and households that make use of them.

    Second, new risks are emerging. Geopolitical tensions, for instance, could lead to further fragmentation of global payment systems. Moreover, the expansion of stablecoins could introduce several additional challenges, including currency substitution risks and over-reliance on a limited number of dominant private issuers.

    This is not a situation we can accept passively. We need continuous efforts to enhance cross-border payments, in line with the G20 Roadmap.[1] And central banks, given their role in ensuring the smooth functioning of payment systems, have a major role to play. Significant work has already been undertaken at international level, notably by the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) and the Financial Stability Board (FSB).

    Today, I would like to share our experience with cross-border payments from a regional perspective, emphasising how regional payment infrastructures can be part of the solution. I will then discuss our vision for advancing cross-border payments at the global level.

    The case for enhancing cross-border retail payments

    Let me begin by underscoring the costs and risks of inaction.

    Over the past few decades, the world has witnessed a surge in cross-border payments, driven by the globalisation of trade, capital and migration flows. According to some estimates, the value of cross-border retail payments could grow from close to USD 200 trillion last year to USD 320 trillion by 2032.[2]

    Yet, the average cost of international retail payments remains high. For nearly one-quarter of global payment corridors, costs exceed 3%. And in too many cases, they are slow – one-third of retail cross-border payments took more than one business day to be settled in 2024.[3]

    Worryingly, there are signs that progress is stalling. The FSB’s 2024 progress report revealed no improvements in costs and noted a deterioration in both costs and speed compared with 2023.[4]

    Geopolitical tensions further compound these challenges, as they risk fragmenting global payment systems and undermining the rules-based international order. This could challenge established correspondent banking networks and lead to greater complexity, higher costs and, in a worst-case scenario, the splintering of the global payment system into multiple, non-communicating blocs.

    This raises three pressing issues.

    First, high costs and slow transaction times are hampering economic integration and growth, with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) bearing the brunt. For SMEs operating on tight margins, exorbitant fees discourage them from participating in cross-border trade.

    Second, the world’s most vulnerable groups – such as migrant workers sending remittances home – shoulder a disproportionate share of these costs. In many regions, sending money internationally remains prohibitively expensive. For example, the average costs of remittances to sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia stand at 7.7% and 6.2% respectively.[5] As it stands, the global Sustainable Development Goal target of lowering remittance costs to 3% remains a distant goal. The impact that reducing these fees would have on financial inclusion and well-being cannot be overstated.

    Third, inefficiencies in cross-border payments have created a gap that alternative players, particularly in the crypto-asset space, are eager to fill. However, many of these solutions come with significant risks. Unbacked crypto-assets, for instance, are highly volatile and speculative in nature, creating risks for unsuspecting households and businesses and lending themselves to illicit activities.[6]

    Furthermore, stablecoins come with their own set of challenges, which the BIS described in detail in a special chapter of its Annual Economic Report published this week.[7] Stablecoins carry credit risk, making them susceptible to runs, and pose fragmentation risks due to the multitude of stablecoins being issued. Some of these could end up trading at a discount, undermining the singleness of money.[8] Moreover, because a small number of issuers currently dominate the market, this could also give rise to concentration risks. Lastly, a key concern is the prevalence of US dollar stablecoins, which currently account for 99% of the global stablecoin market.[9] These stablecoins provide an easy way to store value in dollars, considerably increasing the risk of currency substitution in the form of “digital dollarisation”.[10] This phenomenon could have destabilising effects, particularly on emerging markets and less developed economies by impairing the effectiveness of domestic monetary policy. It may also increase the risk of capital flight in response to adverse economic shocks.

    Enhancing cross-border retail payments at the regional and global level

    To address inefficiencies in cross-border payments, we must offer an alternative that connects various parts of the global payments system and delivers tangible benefits in terms of speed and cost. At the same time, this solution must respect the integrity, sovereignty and stability of all countries involved.

    At the ECB, we are pursuing this on two levels – regional and global.

    Regional cross-border payments: the European experience

    At the regional level, Europe serves as a compelling example of what an interconnected payments landscape might look like.

    Of course, this has been facilitated by the creation of a single European market and the establishment of a monetary union. One of the key reasons for creating the euro was to support trade and investment by facilitating cross-border transactions. And the launch of our single currency offered a first solution to pay throughout the euro area – in the form of euro cash.

    The logical next step was to develop European instruments for electronic euro payments. The Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) emerged from close cooperation between the public and private sector to harmonise electronic euro transactions. As a result, individuals and businesses can make payments across the euro area at very low costs using credit transfers or direct debit.

    The success of SEPA led to its expansion beyond the euro area and even beyond the European Union. Today, customers in 41 European countries can make euro payments quickly, safely and efficiently via credit transfer and direct debit, just as they would for domestic transactions.

    We have also developed the TARGET Instant Payment Settlement (TIPS) service, which enables the settlement of instant payments across the euro area. Instant payments are further supported by a payment scheme – the SEPA Instant Credit Transfer scheme – that provides harmonised rules, standards and protocols. Moreover, EU legislation has made it mandatory for banks to allow their customers to send and receive instant payment at low cost.

    A key feature of TIPS is that it’s a multi-currency platform. Taking advantage of this, Sweden and Denmark are using TIPS to facilitate fast payments in their respective currencies.[11] Norway will do the same as of 2028.[12] Furthermore, we are implementing a cross-currency settlement service that will allow instant payments initiated in one TIPS currency to be settled in another. Initially, this service will support cross-currency payments between the euro area, Sweden and Denmark.[13]

    Within Europe, we are also supporting the Western Balkans in developing a regional fast payment system.[14] As a service provider for TIPS, the Banca d’Italia is collaborating with the central banks of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Montenegro to develop an instant, multi-currency payment system based on TIPS software. North Macedonia may join the initiative at a later stage.[15] The new platform will facilitate instant payments both within each participating country and across borders.

    Going global: interlinking fast payment systems

    This shows the potential for strengthening regional integration in payments. However, let me be clear: regional integration must not come at the expense of global connectivity. It should not be used as a means to sever ties with global payment networks.

    Our approach is that regional and global integration can go hand in hand through the interlinking of fast payment systems across regions and countries. Today, over 100 jurisdictions worldwide have implemented their own fast payment systems.[16] Interlinking these systems has the potential to address inefficiencies and build lasting connections that are rooted in trade openness and balanced relationships between partners.

    This approach offers several advantages. It would reduce costs, increase the speed and transparency of cross-border payments and shorten transaction chains. It would also enable payment service providers to conduct transactions without having to use multiple payment systems or a long chain of correspondent banks. Moreover, it would ensure that the platform for connecting and converting currencies is managed as a public good, thus avoiding closed loops and discriminatory pricing. Accordingly, the G20 Roadmap for Enhancing Cross-border Payments has identified interlinking as a key strategy for enhancing cross-border payments.[17] In this respect, the excellent work the Committee on Payments and Market Infrastructures (CPMI) is carrying out on payee verification could make a significant difference.

    Last October, the ECB’s Governing Council decided to take concrete steps towards interlinking TIPS with other fast payment systems to improve cross-border payments globally.[18]

    We will implement a cross-currency settlement service for the exchange of cross-border payments between TIPS and other fast payment systems worldwide.[19] This will allow us to explore interlinking TIPS with fast payment systems that have a compatible scheme, are interested in being involved and fully comply with the standards set by the Financial Action Task Force for combating money laundering and terrorist financing.

    In addition, we are exploring the possibility of creating bilateral and multilateral links with other fast payment systems.

    One possibility under consideration is connecting TIPS to a multilateral network of instant payment systems through Project Nexus, led by the BIS.[20] By joining Nexus, TIPS could serve as a hub for processing instant cross-border payments to and from the euro area and other countries that use TIPS.[21]

    We are also currently assessing the feasibility of creating a bilateral link between TIPS and India’s Unified Payments Interface[22], which handles the highest volume of instant payment transactions in the world[23].

    Interlinking fast payment systems has the potential to solve the shortcomings related to the messaging leg of cross-border transactions, by facilitating the message that the payer’s bank in country A sends to the payee’s bank in country B about the incoming transfer of funds. This would already go a long way towards improving the efficiency of cross-border payments.

    However, what interlinking does not fully resolve is the settlement leg, through which money moves from the payer’s to the payee’s account. This still requires a bank that has access to both payment systems that are interlinked, or a credit relationship between a bank in country A and a bank in country B. This is particularly challenging, given the increasing retrenchment of the correspondent banking model.

    In this context, we need to collectively exercise our creativity. I do not envisage a solution that could cover all possible corridors and use cases: there may be scope for tokenised forms of money, as well as a revival of the correspondent banking model, especially if we can reduce the associated risks.

    In the realm of sovereign money, jurisdictions could agree to use their respective central bank digital currencies as settlement assets. In this respect, the current draft legislation on the digital euro provides for an approach that respects the sovereignty of non-euro area countries and mitigates potential risks for them. It does so by opening the possibility for residents of a partner country to use the digital euro, subject to an agreement with that country, complemented by an arrangement between the ECB and the respective central bank.[24]

    Appropriate safeguards – such as individual holding limits for users – would ensure that the digital euro is used primarily as a means of payment and does not fuel currency substitution. Furthermore, the digital euro’s design would include multi-currency functionality, similar to that of TIPS. In practice, this means that non-euro area countries could use the digital euro infrastructure to offer their own digital currencies, thereby facilitating transactions across these currencies.

    Conclusion

    Let me conclude.

    We find ourselves at a pivotal moment for cross-border payments. If we want to make decisive progress and increase their efficiency, we need to work together to develop new solutions. We must, however, be aware of the risks that some of the alternatives on offer may pose.

    I would like to thank the BIS – and in particular the CPMI – for the active role they play in this area, not least by bringing us all together today, with representatives from A (Angola) to Z (Zambia). Each of us brings different needs and circumstances to the table. This raises two fundamental questions. What do we have in common? And what principles can guide our collective efforts?

    First, we must harness responsible innovation to solve persistent challenges while mitigating the risks I have noted today. Central banks – by ensuring the safety and integrity of payment systems – play an important role in this regard. And by interlinking fast payment systems and exploring the use of central bank digital currencies, we can address settlement inefficiencies while safeguarding monetary sovereignty and financial stability.

    Second, regional solutions can serve as a foundation for global progress. I have argued that regional payment integration can be an important part of the solution – provided it remains open to, and actively facilitates, interlinking at a global level. We firmly believe that this open, multi-currency interlinking approach can lay the groundwork for cheaper, faster and more transparent cross-border payments – without compromising the integrity, stability or sovereignty of the countries involved. By designing payment systems that are open, interoperable and multi-currency ready, we can ensure that regional initiatives contribute to global integration rather than fragmentation.

    Finally, collaboration is central to our collective success. Forums such as the CPMI community of practice, as well as today’s workshop, provide valuable opportunities for sharing knowledge and experiences. We will continue to find ways to work together to build resilient, inclusive and interconnected payment infrastructures that meet the needs of our people and economies. And we at the ECB remain committed to sharing our expertise and collaborating wherever we can add value.

    Thank you for your attention.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Piero Cipollone: The quest for cheaper and faster cross-border payments: regional and global solutions

    Source: European Central Bank

    Speech by Piero Cipollone, Member of the Executive Board of the ECB, at the BIS Annual General Meeting

    Basel, 27 June 2025

    Cross-border retail payments are the subject of increasing attention. This is for two main reasons.

    First, they play a growing role in the world economy, as international transaction volumes have been increasing at a faster pace than GDP growth. However, despite some improvements in recent years, many payment corridors remain poorly served, which results in slow transaction times and high costs and ultimately hinders economic growth and social cohesion. Moreover, this inefficiency undermines the benefits of globalisation, as the economic gains from lower trade barriers are diverted into rents within cross-border payment markets, rather than benefiting the businesses and households that make use of them.

    Second, new risks are emerging. Geopolitical tensions, for instance, could lead to further fragmentation of global payment systems. Moreover, the expansion of stablecoins could introduce several additional challenges, including currency substitution risks and over-reliance on a limited number of dominant private issuers.

    This is not a situation we can accept passively. We need continuous efforts to enhance cross-border payments, in line with the G20 Roadmap.[1] And central banks, given their role in ensuring the smooth functioning of payment systems, have a major role to play. Significant work has already been undertaken at international level, notably by the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) and the Financial Stability Board (FSB).

    Today, I would like to share our experience with cross-border payments from a regional perspective, emphasising how regional payment infrastructures can be part of the solution. I will then discuss our vision for advancing cross-border payments at the global level.

    The case for enhancing cross-border retail payments

    Let me begin by underscoring the costs and risks of inaction.

    Over the past few decades, the world has witnessed a surge in cross-border payments, driven by the globalisation of trade, capital and migration flows. According to some estimates, the value of cross-border retail payments could grow from close to USD 200 trillion last year to USD 320 trillion by 2032.[2]

    Yet, the average cost of international retail payments remains high. For nearly one-quarter of global payment corridors, costs exceed 3%. And in too many cases, they are slow – one-third of retail cross-border payments took more than one business day to be settled in 2024.[3]

    Worryingly, there are signs that progress is stalling. The FSB’s 2024 progress report revealed no improvements in costs and noted a deterioration in both costs and speed compared with 2023.[4]

    Geopolitical tensions further compound these challenges, as they risk fragmenting global payment systems and undermining the rules-based international order. This could challenge established correspondent banking networks and lead to greater complexity, higher costs and, in a worst-case scenario, the splintering of the global payment system into multiple, non-communicating blocs.

    This raises three pressing issues.

    First, high costs and slow transaction times are hampering economic integration and growth, with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) bearing the brunt. For SMEs operating on tight margins, exorbitant fees discourage them from participating in cross-border trade.

    Second, the world’s most vulnerable groups – such as migrant workers sending remittances home – shoulder a disproportionate share of these costs. In many regions, sending money internationally remains prohibitively expensive. For example, the average costs of remittances to sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia stand at 7.7% and 6.2% respectively.[5] As it stands, the global Sustainable Development Goal target of lowering remittance costs to 3% remains a distant goal. The impact that reducing these fees would have on financial inclusion and well-being cannot be overstated.

    Third, inefficiencies in cross-border payments have created a gap that alternative players, particularly in the crypto-asset space, are eager to fill. However, many of these solutions come with significant risks. Unbacked crypto-assets, for instance, are highly volatile and speculative in nature, creating risks for unsuspecting households and businesses and lending themselves to illicit activities.[6]

    Furthermore, stablecoins come with their own set of challenges, which the BIS described in detail in a special chapter of its Annual Economic Report published this week.[7] Stablecoins carry credit risk, making them susceptible to runs, and pose fragmentation risks due to the multitude of stablecoins being issued. Some of these could end up trading at a discount, undermining the singleness of money.[8] Moreover, because a small number of issuers currently dominate the market, this could also give rise to concentration risks. Lastly, a key concern is the prevalence of US dollar stablecoins, which currently account for 99% of the global stablecoin market.[9] These stablecoins provide an easy way to store value in dollars, considerably increasing the risk of currency substitution in the form of “digital dollarisation”.[10] This phenomenon could have destabilising effects, particularly on emerging markets and less developed economies by impairing the effectiveness of domestic monetary policy. It may also increase the risk of capital flight in response to adverse economic shocks.

    Enhancing cross-border retail payments at the regional and global level

    To address inefficiencies in cross-border payments, we must offer an alternative that connects various parts of the global payments system and delivers tangible benefits in terms of speed and cost. At the same time, this solution must respect the integrity, sovereignty and stability of all countries involved.

    At the ECB, we are pursuing this on two levels – regional and global.

    Regional cross-border payments: the European experience

    At the regional level, Europe serves as a compelling example of what an interconnected payments landscape might look like.

    Of course, this has been facilitated by the creation of a single European market and the establishment of a monetary union. One of the key reasons for creating the euro was to support trade and investment by facilitating cross-border transactions. And the launch of our single currency offered a first solution to pay throughout the euro area – in the form of euro cash.

    The logical next step was to develop European instruments for electronic euro payments. The Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) emerged from close cooperation between the public and private sector to harmonise electronic euro transactions. As a result, individuals and businesses can make payments across the euro area at very low costs using credit transfers or direct debit.

    The success of SEPA led to its expansion beyond the euro area and even beyond the European Union. Today, customers in 41 European countries can make euro payments quickly, safely and efficiently via credit transfer and direct debit, just as they would for domestic transactions.

    We have also developed the TARGET Instant Payment Settlement (TIPS) service, which enables the settlement of instant payments across the euro area. Instant payments are further supported by a payment scheme – the SEPA Instant Credit Transfer scheme – that provides harmonised rules, standards and protocols. Moreover, EU legislation has made it mandatory for banks to allow their customers to send and receive instant payment at low cost.

    A key feature of TIPS is that it’s a multi-currency platform. Taking advantage of this, Sweden and Denmark are using TIPS to facilitate fast payments in their respective currencies.[11] Norway will do the same as of 2028.[12] Furthermore, we are implementing a cross-currency settlement service that will allow instant payments initiated in one TIPS currency to be settled in another. Initially, this service will support cross-currency payments between the euro area, Sweden and Denmark.[13]

    Within Europe, we are also supporting the Western Balkans in developing a regional fast payment system.[14] As a service provider for TIPS, the Banca d’Italia is collaborating with the central banks of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Montenegro to develop an instant, multi-currency payment system based on TIPS software. North Macedonia may join the initiative at a later stage.[15] The new platform will facilitate instant payments both within each participating country and across borders.

    Going global: interlinking fast payment systems

    This shows the potential for strengthening regional integration in payments. However, let me be clear: regional integration must not come at the expense of global connectivity. It should not be used as a means to sever ties with global payment networks.

    Our approach is that regional and global integration can go hand in hand through the interlinking of fast payment systems across regions and countries. Today, over 100 jurisdictions worldwide have implemented their own fast payment systems.[16] Interlinking these systems has the potential to address inefficiencies and build lasting connections that are rooted in trade openness and balanced relationships between partners.

    This approach offers several advantages. It would reduce costs, increase the speed and transparency of cross-border payments and shorten transaction chains. It would also enable payment service providers to conduct transactions without having to use multiple payment systems or a long chain of correspondent banks. Moreover, it would ensure that the platform for connecting and converting currencies is managed as a public good, thus avoiding closed loops and discriminatory pricing. Accordingly, the G20 Roadmap for Enhancing Cross-border Payments has identified interlinking as a key strategy for enhancing cross-border payments.[17] In this respect, the excellent work the Committee on Payments and Market Infrastructures (CPMI) is carrying out on payee verification could make a significant difference.

    Last October, the ECB’s Governing Council decided to take concrete steps towards interlinking TIPS with other fast payment systems to improve cross-border payments globally.[18]

    We will implement a cross-currency settlement service for the exchange of cross-border payments between TIPS and other fast payment systems worldwide.[19] This will allow us to explore interlinking TIPS with fast payment systems that have a compatible scheme, are interested in being involved and fully comply with the standards set by the Financial Action Task Force for combating money laundering and terrorist financing.

    In addition, we are exploring the possibility of creating bilateral and multilateral links with other fast payment systems.

    One possibility under consideration is connecting TIPS to a multilateral network of instant payment systems through Project Nexus, led by the BIS.[20] By joining Nexus, TIPS could serve as a hub for processing instant cross-border payments to and from the euro area and other countries that use TIPS.[21]

    We are also currently assessing the feasibility of creating a bilateral link between TIPS and India’s Unified Payments Interface[22], which handles the highest volume of instant payment transactions in the world[23].

    Interlinking fast payment systems has the potential to solve the shortcomings related to the messaging leg of cross-border transactions, by facilitating the message that the payer’s bank in country A sends to the payee’s bank in country B about the incoming transfer of funds. This would already go a long way towards improving the efficiency of cross-border payments.

    However, what interlinking does not fully resolve is the settlement leg, through which money moves from the payer’s to the payee’s account. This still requires a bank that has access to both payment systems that are interlinked, or a credit relationship between a bank in country A and a bank in country B. This is particularly challenging, given the increasing retrenchment of the correspondent banking model.

    In this context, we need to collectively exercise our creativity. I do not envisage a solution that could cover all possible corridors and use cases: there may be scope for tokenised forms of money, as well as a revival of the correspondent banking model, especially if we can reduce the associated risks.

    In the realm of sovereign money, jurisdictions could agree to use their respective central bank digital currencies as settlement assets. In this respect, the current draft legislation on the digital euro provides for an approach that respects the sovereignty of non-euro area countries and mitigates potential risks for them. It does so by opening the possibility for residents of a partner country to use the digital euro, subject to an agreement with that country, complemented by an arrangement between the ECB and the respective central bank.[24]

    Appropriate safeguards – such as individual holding limits for users – would ensure that the digital euro is used primarily as a means of payment and does not fuel currency substitution. Furthermore, the digital euro’s design would include multi-currency functionality, similar to that of TIPS. In practice, this means that non-euro area countries could use the digital euro infrastructure to offer their own digital currencies, thereby facilitating transactions across these currencies.

    Conclusion

    Let me conclude.

    We find ourselves at a pivotal moment for cross-border payments. If we want to make decisive progress and increase their efficiency, we need to work together to develop new solutions. We must, however, be aware of the risks that some of the alternatives on offer may pose.

    I would like to thank the BIS – and in particular the CPMI – for the active role they play in this area, not least by bringing us all together today, with representatives from A (Angola) to Z (Zambia). Each of us brings different needs and circumstances to the table. This raises two fundamental questions. What do we have in common? And what principles can guide our collective efforts?

    First, we must harness responsible innovation to solve persistent challenges while mitigating the risks I have noted today. Central banks – by ensuring the safety and integrity of payment systems – play an important role in this regard. And by interlinking fast payment systems and exploring the use of central bank digital currencies, we can address settlement inefficiencies while safeguarding monetary sovereignty and financial stability.

    Second, regional solutions can serve as a foundation for global progress. I have argued that regional payment integration can be an important part of the solution – provided it remains open to, and actively facilitates, interlinking at a global level. We firmly believe that this open, multi-currency interlinking approach can lay the groundwork for cheaper, faster and more transparent cross-border payments – without compromising the integrity, stability or sovereignty of the countries involved. By designing payment systems that are open, interoperable and multi-currency ready, we can ensure that regional initiatives contribute to global integration rather than fragmentation.

    Finally, collaboration is central to our collective success. Forums such as the CPMI community of practice, as well as today’s workshop, provide valuable opportunities for sharing knowledge and experiences. We will continue to find ways to work together to build resilient, inclusive and interconnected payment infrastructures that meet the needs of our people and economies. And we at the ECB remain committed to sharing our expertise and collaborating wherever we can add value.

    Thank you for your attention.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI: JAMining launches AI multi-currency cloud mining platform to prepare for the next cryptocurrency bull market

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    London, UK, June 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Recently, the price of Bitcoin has successfully broken through $105,000, and Ethereum has also stabilized at the $2,400 mark. Mainstream currencies such as Solana, XRP, Litecoin and Dogecoin have all ushered in a strong rebound, and investors’ attention has reached an all-time high. JAMining’s AI-driven cloud mining solution provides a reliable entry point for investors to seize this round of market conditions.

    AI drives mining decisions to optimize returns

    Different from the single mining strategy of traditional cloud mining platforms, JAMining platform relies on advanced AI algorithms to automatically optimize mining portfolios based on real-time market conditions and the performance of various currencies. This technology can significantly improve the performance of investment portfolios and greatly reduce the difficulty of manual management for users, truly maximizing passive income around the clock.

    Flexible contracts, stable returns, and low barriers to entry

    The platform has launched a variety of flexible contract plans. Whether investors are pursuing short-term gains or long-term stable returns, they can choose a suitable investment plan based on their own financial situation and risk preferences:

    Affiliate program and new user benefits to enhance investment experience

    In order to further encourage investors to share and participate, the JAMining platform has specially launched a multi-level alliance program, where users can get up to 5% referral commission for successful referrals. At the same time, new users can receive a cloud mining experience package worth $100 for free after completing registration and enjoy daily income.

    Real feedback from users

    “I never thought that investing in cryptocurrency could be so simple and efficient. JAMining’s AI system allows me to avoid spending time managing equipment or analyzing the market, and the income is credited to my account on time every day. This experience is far beyond my expectations!” —— Sophia R., JAMining senior user, Germany

    The industry has broad prospects, and smart mining has become the mainstream trend

    As cryptocurrencies enter the mainstream, more and more investors are turning to cloud mining, which does not require equipment or expertise. The launch of JAMining marks a milestone in the deep integration of artificial intelligence and crypto investment, providing a replicable intelligent investment paradigm for the next wave of crypto asset investment.

    About JAMining

    Dedicated to providing simple, secure and stable cloud mining services. and currently has millions of users around the world. It provides users with industry-leading intelligent cloud mining solutions through AI algorithms and security technologies.

    Take Action Now

    For more details and to register for free cloud mining packages, please visit the official link: https://jamining.com/

     

    Media Contact:
    JAMining PR Department
    Email: info@jamining.com
    Official website: https://jamining.com/

    Disclaimer: The information provided in this press release does not constitute an investment solicitation, nor does it constitute investment advice, financial advice, or trading recommendations. Cryptocurrency mining and staking involve risks and the possibility of losing funds. It is strongly recommended that you perform due diligence before investing or trading in cryptocurrencies and securities, including consulting a professional financial advisor.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Monument to Xian Xinghai reopened in Almaty

    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

    ALMATY, June 27 (Xinhua) — A grand ceremony was held in Almaty on Friday to reopen the Xian Xinghai monument and its adjacent square after restoration.

    In his welcoming speech, Zhanibek Abdrashov, head of the Kazakh Foreign Ministry’s office in Almaty, noted the strong friendship between Xian Xinghai and Kazakh composer Bakhytzhan Baikadamov. “The monument we are unveiling today is not just a symbol of the memory of the great composer. It is a symbol of friendship, mutual understanding and cultural unity. It is a reminder of how, in difficult times, music can unite hearts, overcome borders and become the voice of humanity,” said Zh. Abdrashov.

    Deputy Head of the Almaty City Culture Department Arman Khalbekov said in his speech that the event is of great importance for the cultural life of Kazakhstan and China. “Friendly relations between Kazakhstan and China have deep historical roots… These historical ties are being revived today. This friendship continues to develop not only in the economy and partnership, but also in cultural ties,” he noted.

    Gulaim Zhumabekova, director of the State Museum of Arts of Kazakhstan, said that this monument is not just a sculptural object, but also a symbol of historical memory, gratitude and cultural ties between the two nations. “Today we are not just opening a renovated monument — we are once again emphasizing the importance of cultural ties between Kazakhstan and China,” said G. Zhumabekova.

    In her ceremonial speech, Chinese Consul General in Almaty Jiang Wei called for the preservation and strengthening of friendly ties between the two countries. “Let us together preserve and continue the friendship between China and Kazakhstan, embodied in the music of Xian Xinghai and Baikadamov, strengthen mutual understanding and closeness between the peoples of the two countries, and jointly build an even closer community of shared destiny between China and Kazakhstan,” she concluded.

    Following the unveiling ceremony of the monument, a retrospective screening of the film “Composer,” released in 2019, was held. It is the first Chinese-Kazakh joint film that won the prestigious 18th Huabiao Film Award and other awards. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Financial news: Procedure for drawing up forms submitted upon request in relation to life insurance contracts related to accounting groups 18-21 in accordance with the requirements for the financial stability and solvency of insurers

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Central Bank of Russia (2) –

    The XBRL taxonomy of the Bank of Russia for the presentation of information on requests (version 6.1.0.6) is intended for use by insurers for the purpose of sending information to the Bank of Russia on interperiod reporting dates, i.e. reporting dates other than 31.01, 28.02, 31.03, 30.04, 31.05, 30.06, 31.07, 31.08, 30.09, 31.10, 30.11, 31.12, starting from the reporting date of 01.09.2025, according to reporting form 0420150 “General information about the insurer” (section 1 and section 7), reporting form 0420154 “Report on the assets and liabilities of the insurer” (sections 1-10) and reporting form 0420156 “Report on the solvency of the insurance company” organizations” (all sections).

    The procedure for compiling and submitting information on the above-mentioned reporting forms is established by Bank of Russia Instruction No. 6805-U dated 15.07.2024 “On the forms, deadlines and procedure for compiling and submitting reports of insurers to the Bank of Russia, on the procedure for insurers to notify the Bank of Russia of information on persons entrusted with identifying, simplifying identification, updating information on clients, client representatives, beneficiaries and beneficial owners, on the procedure for insurers to notify the Bank of Russia of information on the publication of the annual accounting (financial) statements of the insurer, as well as on the procedure and deadlines for insurers to submit information and documents to the Bank of Russia regarding their branches, representative offices and other separate divisions.”

    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 –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Central African Republic at ‘Delicate Juncture’ ahead of Election Cycle, Peacekeeping Chief Tells Security Council, Urging International Support to Strengthen Democracy

    Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council

    As it prepares to hold elections, the Central African Republic stands at a delicate juncture, and international support is key to consolidate its unique opportunity to strengthen democracy and national reconciliation, the Security Council heard today from the top UN peacekeeping official, as well as the country’s representative.

    “This year is of particular significance for the Central African Republic as the country is preparing to organize local, presidential and legislative elections,” Jean-Pierre Lacroix, Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations said.  He highlighted the efforts of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) to assist the Government’s electoral preparations.

    Elections are a key component of the 2019 Political Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation, he pointed out.  However — and despite significant political will — local elections were postponed on several occasions due to financial, technical and logistical challenges.  “The electoral process is at a turning point and there’s a critical need to safeguard and preserve the progress that has been achieved.”  The international community must mobilize resources to prevent any backsliding. 

    Mistrust, Tensions Remain Despite Efforts to Implement 19 April Peace Agreement

    “The political situation remains punctuated by mistrust and tensions” between the majority in power and the opposition, he said, while noting efforts to implement the peace agreement reached on 19 April between the Government, and the Unité pour la paix en Centrafrique, or UPC and Retour, Réclamation, Réhabilitation, or 3R. Despite progress in expanding the authority of the State, violence by armed groups and militias continues to compromise stability.  The Government is collaborating with MINUSCA to improve border security, he said, noting the spillover of the Sudanese conflict in the north-east.  He also noted an attack on 28 March near Tabane, Haut-Mbomou Prefecture, which took the life of a Kenyan military observer.

    On the humanitarian front, “urgent needs continue to outpace available resources”, he said, noting the suspension of critical services of some of the most vulnerable populations.  Also noting persistent conflict-related sexual violence and violations of children’s rights, he said the Government, supported by the Mission, is making efforts to advance transitional justice mechanisms. Further, the Special Criminal Court is playing a significant role in the fight against impunity and transitional justice, and requires financial and human resources to sustain its activities.

    Calling on the Council to help consolidate the gains made by the country, he said:  “If these efforts are sustained in the spirit of partnership and shared responsibility, the Central African Republic has the potential to become a true success story, not only for Central Africans, but also for peacekeeping and for this Security Council.”

    He also recalled the tragic fire that occurred on Wednesday at Barthelemy Boganda High School in Bangui and expressed condolences to all the affected families.  Further, six days ago a MINUSCA patrol was attacked during an operation in response to signaling of attacks by armed Sudanese elements, resulting in the tragic loss of a Zambian blue helmet, he said, condemning that attack.

    Delegates Urge Investigation into Deadly Attack on MINUSCA Patrol

    In the ensuing discussion, speakers expressed their condolences for both events, and several called for an investigation into the attack on the MINUSCA patrol.

    Central African Republic’s Representative Points to National Reconciliation Efforts, ‘Promise of Rebirth’

    The representative of the Central African Republic called for a moment of silence in honor of the victims of these incidents.  “Recent progress reflects steadfast political will to end the cycle of violence” in his country, he said.  The inclusive political dialogue supported by the President and the 19 April ceasefire agreement providing for the dissolution of certain armed groups are examples of this.  Also detailing Government efforts to re-establish authority throughout the country, he said that the “triptych” of State authority, security and justice “represents our vision for national reconstruction”.  Further, he said, the lifting of the arms embargo in July 2024 was a “turning point”, which allowed national forces to be equipped through a legal, transparent framework.

    “However, force alone is not enough,” he observed, detailing additional Government efforts to establish peace, hold elections, uphold the rule of law and assist victims of sexual violence.  Nevertheless, the Sudanese conflict is a “genuine” threat, he said, reporting that a joint force established by his country and Chad in March aims to address its spillover.  “This mechanism,” he stated, “is part of a new generation of bilateral African cooperation in the service of collective security.”  For its part, he called on the Council to provide political, institutional, security and financial support.  He added that his country is not an “emergency situation”; rather, “it is a promise of rebirth”.

    Council members welcomed these positive developments, with the representative of Guyana, Council President for June, speaking in her national capacity and also for Somalia, Algeria and Sierra Leone, hailing the ongoing implementation of the 2019 Political Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation, the integration of 9 of 14 armed groups and the continued expansion of State authority across the country.  Also underscoring “the importance of the upcoming local and national elections as a milestone for democratic consolidation”, she said the international community must help address the significant funding gap affecting the electoral process.

    Unpaid Assessed Contributions for MINUSCA Raises Concern

    However, she also expressed concern about the ineffective implementation of the arms embargo and the persistent insecurity in various regions.  This is “exacerbated by armed groups competing over natural resources and trade routes”, she said, calling on non-signatory armed groups to join the peace process.  Noting the spillover effects from the Sudan conflict, she condemned the incursions by the Rapid Support Forces into Central African Republic territory and their reported collaboration with local armed groups. MINUSCA’s resource constraints, including unpaid assessed contributions, stand at over $400 million, she said, stressing that adequate and timely financing is essential for the Mission to deliver on its mandate, especially during this critical electoral period.

    Agreeing, the speaker for Slovenia, welcoming MINUSCA’s “proactive peacekeeping posture”, said it should be equipped with adequate support to ensure the safety of civilians and its own personnel.  The representative of Pakistan said that his country is proud to have 1,400 troops serving in MINUSCA.  “We will soon deploy a level-two field hospital in the Mission, which will provide medical facilities to uniformed personnel, civilian staff, Government officials and the local population,” he added.  However, pointing out that MINUSCA’s operational capacity is “crippled” by unpaid contributions, he urged Member States to pay in full and on time.

    Panama’s delegate added:  “Experience has taught us that withdrawing from a peace mission too soon may end up being more costly than sustaining it.”  Welcoming the Government’s efforts towards security sector reform, he urged finalization of the “military programming law”, which will “allow for clearer articulation of the needs of the defence sector”.

    Focus on Fighting Arms Trafficking and Combatants

    “The Central African Republic is on the path of returning to peace and security,” said France’s representative, as he asked the Council to continue assisting the Government in its fight against arms trafficking and combatants.  He pledged that his country would work together with all Council members and the Central African Republic on the renewal of the coercive measures against the armed groups outlined in resolution 2745 (2024).

    The representative of the United States said his delegation looks forward to engaging with Member States on renewing that sanctions regime.  He also expressed concern that Government regulations on fuel imports restrict MINUSCA’s operations, emphasizing that forcing the Mission to rely solely on Government-designated importers results in inflated fuel prices.  “This must stop,” he declared, urging the Government to uphold the status-of-forces agreement.

    International Support Must Respect Central African Republic’s Sovereignty

    “There is no room here for the obsolete, discredited colonialist practices, nor for their contemporary manifestations thereof,” warned the representative of the Russian Federation.  She voiced confidence in Bangui’s ability to translate security gains into socioeconomic progress, emphasizing that normalization — supported by the UN and international financial institutions — can become “irreversible” if grounded in respect for sovereignty and non-interference. The Government now controls nearly the entire national territory and the capabilities of the national armed forces are growing.  Armed groups must seize this opportunity to engage constructively with the authorities.  “The abandonment of armed struggle is the only path,” she said, warning:  “The alternative to this is well known — that is a one-way ticket.”

    Elections Must Be Timely, Orderly, Inclusive

    “The Central African Republic stands at a pivotal point in its transition from post-conflict recovery to sustainable development,” said the representative of the Republic of Korea, urging the Government to uphold its commitment to ensure timely, orderly and inclusive local, legislative and presidential elections, a call taken up by several speakers today.

    The representative of Denmark commended the work of the Government, National Elections Authority, MINUSCA and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in advancing preparations for elections.  She added:  “It is essential that all groups in society — especially women, young voters and internally displaced persons — can participate fully and freely.”  The representative of the United Kingdom, called on the Government — with MINUSCA’s support — to ensure a safe environment during all stages of the electoral cycle.  Greece’s delegate pointed out that “an expanding political and civic space is the most trustworthy pathway towards a demonstrated commitment by all stakeholders for further implementation of the Political Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation.”

    While the Central African Republic is entering a critical phase of economic recovery, China’s delegate said, it continues to face significant challenges, including a widening fiscal deficit, high inflation and power shortages.  The international community should prioritize helping countries, like this, achieve sustainable development by providing support in key areas, such as infrastructure, education and employment — aligned with the priorities outlined in the country’s National Development Action Plan.  “This,” he emphasized, “will in turn help consolidate the foundation for peace”.  At the recent Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, Beijing announced zero tariffs on 100 per cent of products from 53 African countries with diplomatic ties to China, he added.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Central African Republic at ‘Delicate Juncture’ ahead of Election Cycle, Peacekeeping Chief Tells Security Council, Urging International Support to Strengthen Democracy

    Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council

    As it prepares to hold elections, the Central African Republic stands at a delicate juncture, and international support is key to consolidate its unique opportunity to strengthen democracy and national reconciliation, the Security Council heard today from the top UN peacekeeping official, as well as the country’s representative.

    “This year is of particular significance for the Central African Republic as the country is preparing to organize local, presidential and legislative elections,” Jean-Pierre Lacroix, Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations said.  He highlighted the efforts of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) to assist the Government’s electoral preparations.

    Elections are a key component of the 2019 Political Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation, he pointed out.  However — and despite significant political will — local elections were postponed on several occasions due to financial, technical and logistical challenges.  “The electoral process is at a turning point and there’s a critical need to safeguard and preserve the progress that has been achieved.”  The international community must mobilize resources to prevent any backsliding. 

    Mistrust, Tensions Remain Despite Efforts to Implement 19 April Peace Agreement

    “The political situation remains punctuated by mistrust and tensions” between the majority in power and the opposition, he said, while noting efforts to implement the peace agreement reached on 19 April between the Government, and the Unité pour la paix en Centrafrique, or UPC and Retour, Réclamation, Réhabilitation, or 3R. Despite progress in expanding the authority of the State, violence by armed groups and militias continues to compromise stability.  The Government is collaborating with MINUSCA to improve border security, he said, noting the spillover of the Sudanese conflict in the north-east.  He also noted an attack on 28 March near Tabane, Haut-Mbomou Prefecture, which took the life of a Kenyan military observer.

    On the humanitarian front, “urgent needs continue to outpace available resources”, he said, noting the suspension of critical services of some of the most vulnerable populations.  Also noting persistent conflict-related sexual violence and violations of children’s rights, he said the Government, supported by the Mission, is making efforts to advance transitional justice mechanisms. Further, the Special Criminal Court is playing a significant role in the fight against impunity and transitional justice, and requires financial and human resources to sustain its activities.

    Calling on the Council to help consolidate the gains made by the country, he said:  “If these efforts are sustained in the spirit of partnership and shared responsibility, the Central African Republic has the potential to become a true success story, not only for Central Africans, but also for peacekeeping and for this Security Council.”

    He also recalled the tragic fire that occurred on Wednesday at Barthelemy Boganda High School in Bangui and expressed condolences to all the affected families.  Further, six days ago a MINUSCA patrol was attacked during an operation in response to signaling of attacks by armed Sudanese elements, resulting in the tragic loss of a Zambian blue helmet, he said, condemning that attack.

    Delegates Urge Investigation into Deadly Attack on MINUSCA Patrol

    In the ensuing discussion, speakers expressed their condolences for both events, and several called for an investigation into the attack on the MINUSCA patrol.

    Central African Republic’s Representative Points to National Reconciliation Efforts, ‘Promise of Rebirth’

    The representative of the Central African Republic called for a moment of silence in honor of the victims of these incidents.  “Recent progress reflects steadfast political will to end the cycle of violence” in his country, he said.  The inclusive political dialogue supported by the President and the 19 April ceasefire agreement providing for the dissolution of certain armed groups are examples of this.  Also detailing Government efforts to re-establish authority throughout the country, he said that the “triptych” of State authority, security and justice “represents our vision for national reconstruction”.  Further, he said, the lifting of the arms embargo in July 2024 was a “turning point”, which allowed national forces to be equipped through a legal, transparent framework.

    “However, force alone is not enough,” he observed, detailing additional Government efforts to establish peace, hold elections, uphold the rule of law and assist victims of sexual violence.  Nevertheless, the Sudanese conflict is a “genuine” threat, he said, reporting that a joint force established by his country and Chad in March aims to address its spillover.  “This mechanism,” he stated, “is part of a new generation of bilateral African cooperation in the service of collective security.”  For its part, he called on the Council to provide political, institutional, security and financial support.  He added that his country is not an “emergency situation”; rather, “it is a promise of rebirth”.

    Council members welcomed these positive developments, with the representative of Guyana, Council President for June, speaking in her national capacity and also for Somalia, Algeria and Sierra Leone, hailing the ongoing implementation of the 2019 Political Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation, the integration of 9 of 14 armed groups and the continued expansion of State authority across the country.  Also underscoring “the importance of the upcoming local and national elections as a milestone for democratic consolidation”, she said the international community must help address the significant funding gap affecting the electoral process.

    Unpaid Assessed Contributions for MINUSCA Raises Concern

    However, she also expressed concern about the ineffective implementation of the arms embargo and the persistent insecurity in various regions.  This is “exacerbated by armed groups competing over natural resources and trade routes”, she said, calling on non-signatory armed groups to join the peace process.  Noting the spillover effects from the Sudan conflict, she condemned the incursions by the Rapid Support Forces into Central African Republic territory and their reported collaboration with local armed groups. MINUSCA’s resource constraints, including unpaid assessed contributions, stand at over $400 million, she said, stressing that adequate and timely financing is essential for the Mission to deliver on its mandate, especially during this critical electoral period.

    Agreeing, the speaker for Slovenia, welcoming MINUSCA’s “proactive peacekeeping posture”, said it should be equipped with adequate support to ensure the safety of civilians and its own personnel.  The representative of Pakistan said that his country is proud to have 1,400 troops serving in MINUSCA.  “We will soon deploy a level-two field hospital in the Mission, which will provide medical facilities to uniformed personnel, civilian staff, Government officials and the local population,” he added.  However, pointing out that MINUSCA’s operational capacity is “crippled” by unpaid contributions, he urged Member States to pay in full and on time.

    Panama’s delegate added:  “Experience has taught us that withdrawing from a peace mission too soon may end up being more costly than sustaining it.”  Welcoming the Government’s efforts towards security sector reform, he urged finalization of the “military programming law”, which will “allow for clearer articulation of the needs of the defence sector”.

    Focus on Fighting Arms Trafficking and Combatants

    “The Central African Republic is on the path of returning to peace and security,” said France’s representative, as he asked the Council to continue assisting the Government in its fight against arms trafficking and combatants.  He pledged that his country would work together with all Council members and the Central African Republic on the renewal of the coercive measures against the armed groups outlined in resolution 2745 (2024).

    The representative of the United States said his delegation looks forward to engaging with Member States on renewing that sanctions regime.  He also expressed concern that Government regulations on fuel imports restrict MINUSCA’s operations, emphasizing that forcing the Mission to rely solely on Government-designated importers results in inflated fuel prices.  “This must stop,” he declared, urging the Government to uphold the status-of-forces agreement.

    International Support Must Respect Central African Republic’s Sovereignty

    “There is no room here for the obsolete, discredited colonialist practices, nor for their contemporary manifestations thereof,” warned the representative of the Russian Federation.  She voiced confidence in Bangui’s ability to translate security gains into socioeconomic progress, emphasizing that normalization — supported by the UN and international financial institutions — can become “irreversible” if grounded in respect for sovereignty and non-interference. The Government now controls nearly the entire national territory and the capabilities of the national armed forces are growing.  Armed groups must seize this opportunity to engage constructively with the authorities.  “The abandonment of armed struggle is the only path,” she said, warning:  “The alternative to this is well known — that is a one-way ticket.”

    Elections Must Be Timely, Orderly, Inclusive

    “The Central African Republic stands at a pivotal point in its transition from post-conflict recovery to sustainable development,” said the representative of the Republic of Korea, urging the Government to uphold its commitment to ensure timely, orderly and inclusive local, legislative and presidential elections, a call taken up by several speakers today.

    The representative of Denmark commended the work of the Government, National Elections Authority, MINUSCA and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in advancing preparations for elections.  She added:  “It is essential that all groups in society — especially women, young voters and internally displaced persons — can participate fully and freely.”  The representative of the United Kingdom, called on the Government — with MINUSCA’s support — to ensure a safe environment during all stages of the electoral cycle.  Greece’s delegate pointed out that “an expanding political and civic space is the most trustworthy pathway towards a demonstrated commitment by all stakeholders for further implementation of the Political Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation.”

    While the Central African Republic is entering a critical phase of economic recovery, China’s delegate said, it continues to face significant challenges, including a widening fiscal deficit, high inflation and power shortages.  The international community should prioritize helping countries, like this, achieve sustainable development by providing support in key areas, such as infrastructure, education and employment — aligned with the priorities outlined in the country’s National Development Action Plan.  “This,” he emphasized, “will in turn help consolidate the foundation for peace”.  At the recent Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, Beijing announced zero tariffs on 100 per cent of products from 53 African countries with diplomatic ties to China, he added.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Concluding Second Resumed Session, Fifth Committee Approves Budget Covering Peacekeeping Missions, Service Centres, Headquarters Support Staff

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    The Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) today approved a budget of nearly $5.4 billion to cover the financing needs of about a dozen peacekeeping missions, two service centres and support staff at Headquarters from 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026.  As it wrapped up its second resumed session, the Committee sent to the General Assembly 19 resolutions and 1 decision.  All but one of these texts were adopted without a vote.  The exception dealt with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and its financing document (document A/C.5/79/L.36/Rev.1), which the Committee approved by a recorded vote of 134 in favour, to 3 against (Argentina, Israel, United States), with 1 abstention (Paraguay).

    That was after the Committee rejected, also by a recorded vote, an oral amendment proposed by Israel to delete four paragraphs referring to the shelling of a UNIFIL compound in Qana, Lebanon, by the Israeli forces on 18 April 1996.  The oral amendment was rejected by a vote of 5 in favour (Argentina, Canada, Paraguay, Israel, United States) to 70 against, with 53 abstentions.

    Chandramouli Ramanathan, Assistant Secretary-General, Controller, Management Strategy, Policy, thanked the delegates for finishing the session before the end of June and recognized their power of consensus as they find common ground three times a year to approve crucial resolutions that keep the Organization running.  Yet, as much as the world needs peacekeeping, the Committee needs to solve a financing problem that has been plaguing the United Nations for 80 years.  “The UN staff is progressively losing confidence in the entire budget process,” he said, referring to cash shortages that have led to severe spending and hiring restrictions.  The United Nations needs to find a compromise that allows the Organization to function effectively, he added.

    Fifth Committee Chair Egriselda Aracely González López (El Salvador) recognized the time, effort and dedication that delegates displayed in recent weeks as they worked through days, nights and weekends to achieve today’s results.  She noted the Committee’s unique working methods and thanked delegates for exercising the political will to achieve results.  The Committee’s work, on the eve of the Organization’s eightieth anniversary, helps establish policy and lets the Organization operate and carry out its mandates.

    In closing remarks, many delegates welcomed the adoption of the peacekeeping budgets for the 2025/26 financial year and the agreement to move forward with the Strategic Heritage Plan for the UN offices in Geneva.  Yet, many regretted that agreements were not reached on cross-cutting policy issues or on a mechanism to improve the Organization’s financial situation.

    The representative of Egypt, speaking on behalf of the African Group, expressed concern about the Committee’s inability to agree on a cross-cutting policy resolution, as well as the lack of agreement on mission-specific policy directives.  “Unfortunately, this year, the Committee has chosen to abandon its duty to provide overall guidance to missions as well as specific provisions based on their unique context and operational requirements,” he said.  This is an alarming regression that risks eroding the trust between host countries and the UN, he cautioned.

    The United Kingdom’s delegate echoed this sentiment and said her delegation was disappointed that the Committee iron out a solution to provide predictable financing for the Organization.  The representative of the United States said his delegation was pleased that the $5.38 billion peacekeeping budget for 2025/26, $110 million less than the Secretary-General’s proposal, ensured the core functions of international peacekeeping would be met.

    The representative of the European Union, speaking in its capacity as observer, stressed that the outcome of the budget approval can only be meaningful if all States pay their assessed contributions in full and on time.  She also noted the agreement reached to fund and maintain the full scope of the Strategic Heritage Plan in Geneva and the adoption of the report of the Board of Auditors.  However, “a non-constructive approach to negotiations by some delegations hampered our ability to reach meaningful compromises, resulting in skeletal resolutions on several agenda items”, she said.  For the fifth consecutive year, the Committee was unable to provide any guidance on the support account, the Global Service Centre and the Regional Service Centre.

    “Most disappointing was our handling of the financial situation agenda item, together with the liquidity aspects of closed peacekeeping operations,” she said, adding that the proposals on the table would have contributed meaningfully to the long-term financial health of the Organization.  The Fifth Committee’s strength lies in its ability to engage in dialogue collectively and constructively and reach decisions by consensus.  It is essential to begin substantive engagement earlier in the session because consensus requires sufficient time and space for meaningful dialogue, she said.

    Japan’s delegate agreed, stating:  “Unfortunately, we were unable to give the necessary guidance to the Secretariat in tackling the liquidity crisis.”  The Fifth Committee must work together with the Secretariat to resolve these outstanding fiscal challenges.

    The representative of Iraq, speaking on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, said the bloc was pleased to reach consensus on the Strategic Heritage Plan in Geneva, the Board of Auditors and peacekeeping mission budgets.  Yet, it was concerning that consensus could not be achieved on a plan to address the Organization’s recurring financial problems.

    As the second-largest contributor to the Organization’s budget, the representative of China said his delegation stands for the allocation of necessary resources to achieve its peacekeeping goals.  He hoped the Secretariat would cherish these resources as it works to maintain peace and security.  He noted that the Organization’s largest contributor remains in arrears and was the main cause of the liquidity crisis.

    Action on Draft Resolutions

    The Committee first approved the draft resolutions “Financial reports and audited financial statements, and reports of the Board of Auditors” (document A/C.5/79/L.51) and “Strategic heritage plan of the United Nations Office at Geneva” (document A/C.5/79/L.52).

    The Committee then approved draft resolution I, “Support account for peacekeeping operations” (document A/C.5/79/L.50); draft resolution II, “Financing of the United Nations Regional Service Centre in Entebbe, Uganda” (document A/C.5/79/L.40); and draft resolution III, “Financing of the United Nations Regional Service Centre in Entebbe, Uganda”(document A/C.5/79/L.39).

    The Committee then approved the draft “Financing of the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei” (document A/C.5/79/L.41).

    The Committee the approved the draft resolution “Financing of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic” (document A/C.5/79/L.42).

    It then approved the draft resolution “Financing of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus” (document A/C.5/79/L.43).

    The Committee then approved the draft resolution “Financing of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo” (document A/C.5/79/L.44).  It then approved the draft resolution “Financing of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo” (document A/C.5/79/L.45).

    The Committee then approved the draft resolution “Financing of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali” (document A/C.5/79/L.38).

    Turning to “Financing of United Nations Peacekeeping Forces in the Middle East”, the Committee approved the draft resolution “Financing of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force” (document A/C.5/79/L.46).

    It then approved the draft resolution “Financing of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan” (document A/C.5/79/L.47).

    The Committee then approved draft resolution “Financing of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara” (document A/C.5/79/L.48).

    Next it approved the draft resolution “Financing of the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur” (document A/C.5/79/L.37).

    It then approved the draft resolution “Financing of the activities arising from Security Council resolution 1863 (2009)” (document A/C.5/79/L.49).

    The Committee then took notes of the Secretary-General contained in documents A/C.5/79/L.33 and A/C.5/79/L.34.

    Finally, it approved the draft decision “Questions deferred for future consideration” (document A/C.5/79/L.53).

    __________

    * The 37th Meeting was covered in Press Release GA/12685.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Concluding Second Resumed Session, Fifth Committee Approves Budget Covering Peacekeeping Missions, Service Centres, Headquarters Support Staff

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    The Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) today approved a budget of nearly $5.4 billion to cover the financing needs of about a dozen peacekeeping missions, two service centres and support staff at Headquarters from 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026.  As it wrapped up its second resumed session, the Committee sent to the General Assembly 19 resolutions and 1 decision.  All but one of these texts were adopted without a vote.  The exception dealt with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and its financing document (document A/C.5/79/L.36/Rev.1), which the Committee approved by a recorded vote of 134 in favour, to 3 against (Argentina, Israel, United States), with 1 abstention (Paraguay).

    That was after the Committee rejected, also by a recorded vote, an oral amendment proposed by Israel to delete four paragraphs referring to the shelling of a UNIFIL compound in Qana, Lebanon, by the Israeli forces on 18 April 1996.  The oral amendment was rejected by a vote of 5 in favour (Argentina, Canada, Paraguay, Israel, United States) to 70 against, with 53 abstentions.

    Chandramouli Ramanathan, Assistant Secretary-General, Controller, Management Strategy, Policy, thanked the delegates for finishing the session before the end of June and recognized their power of consensus as they find common ground three times a year to approve crucial resolutions that keep the Organization running.  Yet, as much as the world needs peacekeeping, the Committee needs to solve a financing problem that has been plaguing the United Nations for 80 years.  “The UN staff is progressively losing confidence in the entire budget process,” he said, referring to cash shortages that have led to severe spending and hiring restrictions.  The United Nations needs to find a compromise that allows the Organization to function effectively, he added.

    Fifth Committee Chair Egriselda Aracely González López (El Salvador) recognized the time, effort and dedication that delegates displayed in recent weeks as they worked through days, nights and weekends to achieve today’s results.  She noted the Committee’s unique working methods and thanked delegates for exercising the political will to achieve results.  The Committee’s work, on the eve of the Organization’s eightieth anniversary, helps establish policy and lets the Organization operate and carry out its mandates.

    In closing remarks, many delegates welcomed the adoption of the peacekeeping budgets for the 2025/26 financial year and the agreement to move forward with the Strategic Heritage Plan for the UN offices in Geneva.  Yet, many regretted that agreements were not reached on cross-cutting policy issues or on a mechanism to improve the Organization’s financial situation.

    The representative of Egypt, speaking on behalf of the African Group, expressed concern about the Committee’s inability to agree on a cross-cutting policy resolution, as well as the lack of agreement on mission-specific policy directives.  “Unfortunately, this year, the Committee has chosen to abandon its duty to provide overall guidance to missions as well as specific provisions based on their unique context and operational requirements,” he said.  This is an alarming regression that risks eroding the trust between host countries and the UN, he cautioned.

    The United Kingdom’s delegate echoed this sentiment and said her delegation was disappointed that the Committee iron out a solution to provide predictable financing for the Organization.  The representative of the United States said his delegation was pleased that the $5.38 billion peacekeeping budget for 2025/26, $110 million less than the Secretary-General’s proposal, ensured the core functions of international peacekeeping would be met.

    The representative of the European Union, speaking in its capacity as observer, stressed that the outcome of the budget approval can only be meaningful if all States pay their assessed contributions in full and on time.  She also noted the agreement reached to fund and maintain the full scope of the Strategic Heritage Plan in Geneva and the adoption of the report of the Board of Auditors.  However, “a non-constructive approach to negotiations by some delegations hampered our ability to reach meaningful compromises, resulting in skeletal resolutions on several agenda items”, she said.  For the fifth consecutive year, the Committee was unable to provide any guidance on the support account, the Global Service Centre and the Regional Service Centre.

    “Most disappointing was our handling of the financial situation agenda item, together with the liquidity aspects of closed peacekeeping operations,” she said, adding that the proposals on the table would have contributed meaningfully to the long-term financial health of the Organization.  The Fifth Committee’s strength lies in its ability to engage in dialogue collectively and constructively and reach decisions by consensus.  It is essential to begin substantive engagement earlier in the session because consensus requires sufficient time and space for meaningful dialogue, she said.

    Japan’s delegate agreed, stating:  “Unfortunately, we were unable to give the necessary guidance to the Secretariat in tackling the liquidity crisis.”  The Fifth Committee must work together with the Secretariat to resolve these outstanding fiscal challenges.

    The representative of Iraq, speaking on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, said the bloc was pleased to reach consensus on the Strategic Heritage Plan in Geneva, the Board of Auditors and peacekeeping mission budgets.  Yet, it was concerning that consensus could not be achieved on a plan to address the Organization’s recurring financial problems.

    As the second-largest contributor to the Organization’s budget, the representative of China said his delegation stands for the allocation of necessary resources to achieve its peacekeeping goals.  He hoped the Secretariat would cherish these resources as it works to maintain peace and security.  He noted that the Organization’s largest contributor remains in arrears and was the main cause of the liquidity crisis.

    Action on Draft Resolutions

    The Committee first approved the draft resolutions “Financial reports and audited financial statements, and reports of the Board of Auditors” (document A/C.5/79/L.51) and “Strategic heritage plan of the United Nations Office at Geneva” (document A/C.5/79/L.52).

    The Committee then approved draft resolution I, “Support account for peacekeeping operations” (document A/C.5/79/L.50); draft resolution II, “Financing of the United Nations Regional Service Centre in Entebbe, Uganda” (document A/C.5/79/L.40); and draft resolution III, “Financing of the United Nations Regional Service Centre in Entebbe, Uganda”(document A/C.5/79/L.39).

    The Committee then approved the draft “Financing of the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei” (document A/C.5/79/L.41).

    The Committee the approved the draft resolution “Financing of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic” (document A/C.5/79/L.42).

    It then approved the draft resolution “Financing of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus” (document A/C.5/79/L.43).

    The Committee then approved the draft resolution “Financing of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo” (document A/C.5/79/L.44).  It then approved the draft resolution “Financing of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo” (document A/C.5/79/L.45).

    The Committee then approved the draft resolution “Financing of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali” (document A/C.5/79/L.38).

    Turning to “Financing of United Nations Peacekeeping Forces in the Middle East”, the Committee approved the draft resolution “Financing of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force” (document A/C.5/79/L.46).

    It then approved the draft resolution “Financing of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan” (document A/C.5/79/L.47).

    The Committee then approved draft resolution “Financing of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara” (document A/C.5/79/L.48).

    Next it approved the draft resolution “Financing of the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur” (document A/C.5/79/L.37).

    It then approved the draft resolution “Financing of the activities arising from Security Council resolution 1863 (2009)” (document A/C.5/79/L.49).

    The Committee then took notes of the Secretary-General contained in documents A/C.5/79/L.33 and A/C.5/79/L.34.

    Finally, it approved the draft decision “Questions deferred for future consideration” (document A/C.5/79/L.53).

    __________

    * The 37th Meeting was covered in Press Release GA/12685.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI: WinnerMining Launches AI-Driven, Eco-Friendly Cloud Mining Platform with Global Reach

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    London, UK , June 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — WinnerMining, a UK-based digital infrastructure company, has announced the global rollout of its AI-powered cloud mining platform designed to offer a sustainable and user-friendly approach to cryptocurrency mining.

    Founded in 2021, WinnerMining now serves over 13 million users across 195 countries. The platform’s latest update introduces an AI intelligent scheduling system, which dynamically allocates computing power to maximize mining efficiency. By eliminating the need for users to manage hardware or handle technical complexities, WinnerMining aims to make digital asset mining more accessible to everyday users and institutional investors alike.

    In addition to its AI enhancements, the company has also implemented environmentally sustainable practices, including the integration of solar-powered systems and permanent magnetic smart fans to minimize carbon output. These upgrades reflect the platform’s ongoing commitment to environmental responsibility in the crypto space.

    “WinnerMining was built with the mission to simplify cryptocurrency participation while maintaining high standards of security and transparency,” said a company spokesperson. “Our latest innovations reflect our vision for a more inclusive and eco-conscious digital economy.”

    Customizable Contracts for Every User
    To meet a wide variety of investment goals and comfort levels, winner Mining provides flexible mining contracts designed to suit different user needs. These are categorized into classic, premium, and super tiers, each offering progressively higher earning potential. The platform’s contract options allow users to choose a plan that aligns with their personal strategy and growth expectations. Additional contract details can be found on the official website.

    Notable Features Include:

    • Remote Access: Monitor and manage mining operations anytime, anywhere.
    • Secure & Trusted: Entrusted security protection protocols ensure safe and encrypted usage.
    • Flexible Plans: Contract options range from low-cost trials to high-yield packages.
    • Global Support: 24/7 availability and multilingual customer service ensure seamless assistance.

    Security & Infrastructure
    WinnerMining emphasizes robust data and fund protection through offline cold storage, end-to-end encryption protocols (including McAfee® SECURE and Cloudflare® SECURE), and regular audit practices. User assets are stored in a combination of regulated financial institutions and secure digital wallets.

    Global Expansion & User Support
    The platform’s global infrastructure enables crypto enthusiasts and emerging investors to participate seamlessly in mining activities from anywhere. Round-the-clock customer support and multilingual interfaces ensure ease of use across regions.

    About WinnerMining
    WinnerMining is a UK-registered cloud mining platform specializing in AI-based digital asset management. With a growing user base and environmentally responsible operations, the company is reshaping access to cryptocurrency mining for individuals and institutions worldwide.

    For more information, visit www.winnermining.com or contact info@winnermining.com.

    Disclaimer: The information provided in this press release does not constitute an investment solicitation, nor does it constitute investment advice, financial advice, or a trading recommendation. Cryptocurrency mining and staking involve risks and may result in the loss of funds. It is strongly recommended that you perform due diligence before investing or trading in cryptocurrencies and securities, including consulting a professional financial advisor.

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: ORUN Studios unveils its immersive narrative universe in Abidjan, on the sidelines of International Exhibition of Audiovisual Content (SICA) 2025

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

    On the occasion of the International Exhibition of Audiovisual Content (SICA), ORUN Studios (www.ORUN.Africa) officially launched at the Sofitel Hôtel Ivoire in Abidjan. Conceived as a Pan-African studio for visual storytelling, animation, and immersive creation, ORUN Studios aims to give Africa back the power to tell its own worlds — through its forms, rhythms, and symbols. 

    This launch is more than just an inauguration: it is a manifesto. A manifesto from a continent choosing to craft its narratives from within, using a contemporary language while honoring its legacies. ORUN thus opens up a new narrative space that is rooted, bold, and intergenerational. 

    For the first time, the public is invited to discover the universe of ORUN, envisioned as a creative empire built around seven symbolic kingdoms, each representing a core priority for Africa: health, education, culture, ecology, craftsmanship, circular economy, and sustainable infrastructure. 

    Through these worlds, ORUN Studios lays the foundation for a contemporary African mythology, designed to reconnect younger generations with their living memory — using a language they understand: 3D animation, comics, and immersive design — to help them build the future. 

    An immersive, sensory, and proudly Pan-African launch 

    The highlight of the event is an immersive installation inside a 6-meter geodesic dome, conceived as an audiovisual portal into the worlds of ORUN. Video mapping, spatialized sound, dance, and visual storytelling are combined to offer a 360° artistic experience. 

    The program also includes: 

    • Thematic talks on contemporary African imagination 
    • A Pan-African creative challenge around the ORUN universe 
    • B2B meetings between studios, creators, investors, and institutions 
    • Contributions from artists, thinkers, and influencers from the continent and the  diaspora 
    • Exclusive immersive sessions for the media 
       

    On the occasion of its launch at SICA, ORUN Studios had the pleasure of collaborating with Loza Maleombho — a visionary designer committed to the continent’s development — who led the artistic direction of the stand. 

    A vision rooted in autonomy and transmission 

    “ORUN Studios is a house of stories for an Africa that no longer waits to be narrated but speaks out with confidence. Our ambition is to build a bridge between African roots and future technologies. ORUN Studios aims to heal forgetting through image — it speaks to youth in their language, so they can remember, take root, and rise,”  says Habyba Thiero, Founder of ORUN Studios. 

    An initiative led by Africa Currency Network (ACN) 

    ORUN is an initiative by the Africa Currency Network (ACN), a strategic group of Pan-African experts committed to the continent’s structural transformation and a member of the Kigali International Financial Centre (KIFC). 

    Driven by the belief that Africa must build its own systems, stories, and talents, ACN designs sustainable solutions in the fields of finance, culture, digital inclusion, and creative education. 

    Its approach is based on three core pillars: 

    Financial inclusion 

    Intergenerational impact 

    Africa’s internationalization 

    Through these interconnected pillars, Africa Currency Network envisions a continent that is financially autonomous, culturally vibrant, and globally influential. By combining economic strategies with cultural affirmation, ACN fosters an ecosystem where African talent thrives and takes the lead — recognizing that transformation requires strong social, cultural, and economic frameworks centered on African agency. 

    Location: Sofitel Hôtel Ivoire – Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire 
     Dates: June 26–28, 2025

    – on behalf of ORUN Studios.

    Media contact & RSVP: 
    contact@orun.africa  
    +225 05 00 54 68 68 

    Follow Social Media (@ OrunAfrica on):
    Instagram
    TikTok
    YouTube
    LinkedIn 
    Official Website: www.ORUN.Africa

    Media files

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    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Feedback invited on proposed update to financial services legislation

    Source: Isle of Man

    The Isle of Man Financial Services Authority is inviting feedback on proposals aimed at enhancing the Island’s regulatory framework.

    The intention is to update existing legislation to ensure the Island safeguards its reputation as a well-regulated jurisdiction that continues to meet international standards.

    Amendments set out in the Financial Services (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill will strengthen the Authority’s ability to achieve its objectives of protecting consumers, reducing financial crime, and maintaining confidence in the finance sector through effective regulation.

    A public consultation has been published online today, Friday 27 June 2025, seeking comments on the draft Bill, which includes plans to revise measures within the:

    • Collective Investment Schemes Act 2008
    • Designated Businesses (Registration and Oversight) Act 2015
    • Financial Services Act 2008
    • Insurance Act 2008

    Modernising aspects of the current legislation will help the Authority to remain effective and proportionate in the delivery of its remit.

    Bettina Roth, Chief Executive Officer, said: ‘The proposed changes outlined in the draft Bill will support the more efficient use of the Authority’s resources and enhance consistency and clarity for the benefit of all stakeholders. We are seeking to future-proof our operations, while being mindful of the need to maintain competitiveness and minimise any adverse effects of regulation. It’s important to hear the views of our stakeholders and I would encourage individuals, firms and industry bodies to respond to the consultation.’

    Written feedback on the Financial Services (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill should be emailed to Policy@iomfsa.im or sent to Casey Houareau, Policy Adviser, Isle of Man Financial Services Authority, PO Box 58, Finch Hill House, Bucks Road, Douglas, IM99 1DT.

    The closing date for submissions is Friday 8 August 2025.

    Ends

    Word Count: 273

    Media Enquiries:

    Richard Parslow, Manager – Communications, email: Richard.Parslow@iomfsa.im

     

    For further information:

    PO BOX 58      DOUGLAS        ISLE OF MAN          IM99 1DT        BRITISH ISLES

     Twitter              LinkedIn             Facebook                  YouTube

    T: +44 (0) 1624 646000           E: info@iomfsa.im

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Lagos plastics ban is a bold step forward, not a threat to industry

    Source: Greenpeace Statement –

    Lagos, Nigeria — Greenpeace Africa and the Nigeria Climate Justice Movement strongly reject the self-serving Manufacturers Association of Nigeria’s (MAN) opposition to the proposed ban on single-use plastics in Lagos State. We stand firmly with the Lagos State Government in its bold move to tackle plastic pollution—an urgent environmental and public health crisis.

    MAN’s claim that the plastics ban would harm Nigeria’s petrochemical and manufacturing sectors, increase unemployment, and worsen poverty is not only misleading, it ignores the environmental urgency and economic opportunity that such a policy presents. MAN has made suggestions on recycling” and “waste management” as alternatives to the ban. We state clearly: that is corporate greenwashing.

    This is not an attack on business, it is a call to evolve. The proposed ban is a necessary intervention to protect public health, restore ecosystems, and unlock new opportunities through innovation and sustainable production. Manufacturers now stand at a crossroads: the chance to pioneer sustainable innovation or risk being left behind in a rapidly evolving global market.

    Nigeria generates an estimated 2.5 million tonnes of plastic waste every year. Less than 10 percent of this is recycled. For decades, plastic production in Nigeria has operated under the veil of “industrial progress.” But progress for who? While a few manufacturers celebrate quarterly profits, millions of Nigerians are forced to live with the aftermath. 

    The rest clogs drainage systems, pollutes coastlines, poisons food chains, litters communities, and contributes to flooding and disease outbreaks. Most single-use plastics, such as carrier bags and styrofoam, are not designed to be recycled and often end up in landfills, oceans, or incinerated—releasing toxic chemicals into the environment.

    Plastic pollution is not just an environmental crisis. It is a human rights issue. You cannot recycle your way out of a problem you are actively expanding.

    Communities located near petrochemical plants and waste disposal sites are exposed to dangerous pollutants that increase the risk of cancer, respiratory diseases, and developmental disorders. These health burdens fall disproportionately on low-income and marginalised communities. Continuing with business-as-usual is no longer an option.

    MAN’s assertion that bans devastate industries is contradicted by real-world evidence. In Kenya, the 2017 plastic bag ban led to the growth of new businesses in the production of reusable bags and packaging. It did not result in mass layoffs, but rather a wave of job creation and local innovation. In Lagos, the 2024 ban on styrofoam and selected single-use plastics has already encouraged entrepreneurs to explore safer alternatives.

    Greenpeace Africa calls on the Lagos State Government to maintain its leadership and accelerate the implementation of the proposed ban. The state can support a just transition by offering incentives to manufacturers that invest in safe, affordable, and scalable alternatives. This will help build local industries, reduce production costs over time, and ensure accessible solutions for informal traders and everyday consumers.

    The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria must recognise that the future of business lies in sustainability. We reject the tired narrative that environmental regulation threatens livelihoods. The trope has been weaponised for decades by fossil fuel lobbyists and polluters worldwide.

    Reuse and refill systems, biodegradable packaging, and circular economy models offer pathways for growth that align with both market trends and public expectations. It is time to move beyond outdated arguments and embrace innovation that benefits people and the planet.

    As Nigeria plays a key role in global negotiations for a binding plastics treaty and holds significant influence within ECOWAS, it must lead by example. Domestic policies must reflect the ambition the country presents on the international stage.

    You cannot call for global action on plastic pollution while resisting local change. Nigeria’s credibility and leadership depend on what we do at home. This ban is a vital step in the right direction.

    Signed by;

    1. BluerAfrica

    2. African Research Centre for Climate and Environmental Justice (ARCCEJ)

    3. Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA)

    4. Centre for Blue Economy Research and Development Ltd/Gte

    5. GreenYouth Environmental Sustainability Network (GESN)

    6. Women Environmental Programme (WEP).

    7. Foundation for Environmental Rights Advocacy & Development (FENRAD)

    8. Greenpeace Africa

    9. Keep The Ocean Clean Initiative (KOCI)

    10. Surge Africa

    ENDS

    Media Contact:

    Ferdinand Omondi, Communication and Story Manager, Greenpeace Africa, Email: [email protected], Cell: +254 722 505 233

    Greenpeace Africa Press Desk: [email protected]

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: WTO General Council February 2025: UK Statements

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Speech

    WTO General Council February 2025: UK Statements

    Statements delivered by Simon Manley, the UK’s Permanent Representative to the WTO and UN, 18 – 19 February 2025 at the World Trade Organization in Geneva.

    Item 2: Practical Steps to Enhance the Process for the Appointment of Officers to Certain WTO Bodies. Communication from Canada, Chile, Jamaica, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Singapore and Switzerland

    Thank you, Chair. The UK adds our congratulations to the new Chairs, and also extends our thanks to you, Chair, in particular, for your work in the General Council. Your leadership and tireless drive, which we can already see this morning, to take forward our work with both good humour and astute steering of the meetings has been hugely appreciated. On this item, the UK does support pragmatic initiatives that can help improve processes for all of us here at the WTO, so we are grateful to the countries who have put this forward. We do support reform by doing, and as this document says, this is reform by doing. It solves issues around the appointment of Chairs, which when they are delayed leads to gaps that effect all of us and the efficiency of the organization. It is practical steps that we should all be able to agree to and the UK supports it.

    Item 4: Incorporation of the Agreement on Electronic Commerce into Annex 4 of the WTO Agreement

    Thank you, Chair. The UK is disappointed with the objections this morning to the incorporation of the E-commerce agreement as an annex 4 plurilateral. It is even more disappointing to see the failure to reach agreement on an investment facilitation and development on the previous item and I would just like to acknowledge the large number of very eloquent and well-reasoned interventions, especially from developing countries, on how they, like all WTO numbers, stand to benefit from the Investment Facilitation for Development Agreement (IFDA). Both the IFDA and E-commerce agreements are in the category of things the WTO can and should do now, and in good time, before MC14. Speakers this morning, especially from developing countries, have clearly set out the benefits which the E-commerce agreement offers. I’m just going to briefly recap a few. First, that this is the first set of global digital trade rules, in a sector which already by 2020 represented 25% of global trade worth almost 5 trillion USD; it has a key role in global economic growth. It is an agreement which not just increases digital trade and lowers trade barriers, it also enhances trust in an open digital environment. In all these ways it can unlock opportunities for businesses, jobs and their consumers all around the world. It is also an agreement that has been inclusive in its preparation. The vast majority of the 91 countries originally involved in the negotiation are developing countries. It is inclusive in its benefits as so many developing countries have set out. It is not just the delegations in this room who say all of these things, just in the last few weeks. For example, we heard directly from businesses at the World Economic Forum about the benefits of unleashing digital trade for MSMEs, in particular. Then, very importantly, my last point to support the implementation of the agreement includes a multi-avenue support package comprising implementation periods, technical assistance and capacity building.

    The UK is committed to continuing our support for various technical assistance and capacity-building initiatives, such as a Digital Access Programme. We are ready to work with all members on the E-commerce agreement to make progress and reach agreement swiftly, hopefully well in advance of MC14.

    Item 5: Report by the Chairperson of the Trade Negotiations Committee and Report by the Director General

    Thank you for your Report, in particular for reminding us of the measurable benefits traders have brought to economic growth and development and for your commitments driving forward all our work. The UK is ready to cooperate with all members to ensure meaningful progress across all the areas you mentioned in the run up to MC14, including things we can and should agree before MC14. We recognise that, as you said Director General, it is a challenging time for global trade. We are grateful for your efforts. As our Minister for Trade Policy and Economic Security said in the UK parliament last week, the UK stands behind your exemplary leadership. We agreed that the WTO is a forum to listen and to discuss differences on trade with a review to resolving them; for calm responses and constructive dialogue as we look ahead to MC14.

    As we look ahead to MC14, we support the particular priority to deliver for development. For the UK this includes the things we can and should do before MC14. On the development benefits of IFDA and E-commerce, I refer to the points I and others, including so many developing countries, made this morning. On the fisheries subsidies agreements and, through them, realising SDG target 14.6, we hope both enter into force, and Fish One and adoption of Fish Two could be secured before the UN Ocean Summit in France in June. That these agreements are so close is actually a tribute to the hard work and readiness to listen with compromises by so many in this room. Completing that work will also help us form a clear pathway to MC14, including space to work on agriculture and other important areas already under discussion. On agriculture, our thanks also to outgoing Chair, Ambassador Alparslan Acarsoy of Türkiye, for his work. Achieving a breakthrough on agriculture is more essential than ever. We cannot lose time, including to agree a new Chair, and then to work for successive MC14. Director General, thank you again for your leadership. We of course recognise the challenges. Trade is not always straightforward. The UK continues to support the WTO in the multilateral trading system; the benefits for trade for all of us, for growth, for development, are real. We are committed to working with you, with Members, to realise them. Thank you.

    Item 9: Follow-up to the WTO Off-Site Retreat on Trade as a Tool for Development and Way Forward. Request from Barbados and South Africa

    Thank you, Chair and the Secretariat for giving us a quick readout of the discussions. Already today we have heard several times about the importance of high ambition on development for MC14, and more widely, and the UK fully agrees. We would particularly like to thank South Africa and Barbados for bring in this discussion and helping to set out a path forward and welcome your particular collaboration when we think about what can be achieved. Development is cross cutting in so much of our work, and that is why, for the UK, the best way to maintain short-term momentum is with the early agreement on outcomes that are already in reach. That is why in earlier interventions today we have stressed the development benefits from early conclusion on investment facilitation for development, fisheries and E-commerce. We add to this, the development opportunities around LDC graduation and indeed the opportunities through new accessions to the WTO, that we will hear about tomorrow. Equally, to make a success of this we want to hear ideas, and we urge developing country members in particular to deliver their priority proposals as soon as possible, so that we really can work together to achieve progress in the timeframe of MC14.

    Finally, the UK is committed to wider initiatives supporting developing countries, working in partnerships, listening to needs, and with this in mind we note that as the only fund dedicated to LDC trade, the UK wants to ensure that the enhanced integrated framework continues to deliver impact for LDCs. We have just made available this year an additional £100,000 into the interim facility, which brings our total contribution to £1,000,000 and we hope this will help ensure continuity while the future of the fund is discussed. As Members are aware, we hope the EIF taskforce will make its recommendations very soon as a basis for further improvement, meeting the expectations of LDCs and donors. Thank you.

    Item 11: WTO Accessions: 2024 Annual Report by the Director General

    The UK is closely engaged in this work and supports prospective Members to secure the benefits of the global trading system by progressing their accessions. We particularly note the positive development impact of WTO accession and underline that we are keen to welcome more developing countries, particularly LDCs, to the WTO. We support the strategic focus for 2025 on the accession of Uzbekistan and Bosnia and Herzegovina who have made significant progress. The UK for example recently held constructive bilateral discussions with Uzbekistan to help advance the accession and we encourage all Members to work with Uzbekistan and Bosnia and Herzegovina to support their ambitions for early WTO accession. We also very much welcome Somalia’s first Working Party and Ethiopia’s renewed energy behind their accession as specific examples of LDC interest and with this in mind we would like to reconfirm the UK’s commitment to chairing the Working Party on the accession of Ethiopia, but are also grateful to the Deputy Director General for temporarily standing in the coming meeting. Finally, the UK is a provider of technical support in this area, and we note that the Enhanced Integrated Fund is open to LDCs post accession, so we encourage Timor Leste and Comoros to use the facility where it is helpful.

    Item 13: Stocktaking of Work on the Operationalization of paragraph 21 of the MC13 Abu Dhabi Ministerial Declaration. Communication from Pakistan

    Thank you, Chair. We will be brief, but we just wanted to add thanks to Pakistan for bringing this important issue back to the General Council’s attention. Unfortunately, if anything, it is becoming increasingly relevant and urgent, and the UK does see the role of trade in this area. We will publish a full statement but just to acknowledge, in particular, Pakistan’s proactivity and thinking of areas like services, financial services and trade debt and finance work to identify where, as a Membership, we can take things forward and we look forward to continuing to contribute.

    Item 14: WTO at 30. Statement by the Director General

    Thank you. I want to be short. We set out yesterday commitment to the WTO in the multilateral trading system and the opportunities we have at work to benefit all Members. Of course, that includes WTO reform by doing, and we set out our confidence in your leadership, Director General. Like Australia, we encourage further work on this proposal. Thank you.

    Updates to this page

    Published 27 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: EnigmaFund Venture Capital Launches Strategic Solana Reserve ($SSR)

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Mimetic Cross-Chain Index Fund Debuts with Over $28M Trading Volume in 24 Hours

    BELIZE CITY, Belize, June 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — EnigmaFund Venture Capital, a web3-focused venture capital fund and advisory, announces the stealth launch of the Strategic Solana Reserve ($SSR) index fund on Pump.fun.

    Initially perceived as a meme token, $SSR is now unveiled as the cornerstone of an ambitious cross-chain index fund poised to redefine decentralized finance (DeFi) investment opportunities.

    The Strategic Solana Reserve ($SSR) is designed to harness the high-performance, low-cost capabilities of the Solana blockchain while integrating cross-chain assets to create a diversified, resilient, and accessible index fund. This initiative reflects EnigmaFund’s commitment to bridging traditional finance with the rapidly evolving world of DeFi, fostering a retail-centric approach to accessibility.

    “$SSR – and the Strategic Solana Reserve – is designed to give retail investors a really simple mimetic way to get exposure to the Solana, and later other, ecosystem value creation. When we launched we received over $28M in trading volume generated on-chain in less than 24 hours. The response was overwhelming,” said Enigma, General Partner and Founder of EnigmaFund Venture Capital.

    “When it happened, we had $1M USD of unlocked tokens in our wallets and chose not to sell, avoiding harm to early participants. Some may see DeFi as a casino, but that’s not our vision or what we are committed to. We’ve since invested months of work and substantial capital into a rapidly forming strategy. Soon the full vision of a robust, cross-chain index fund built on Solana’s scalability and speed will become evident. I think the 2,000% increase in value of $SSR over the past 4 weeks reflects that,” Enigma added.

    Embracing the memetic qualities of the Strategic Solana Reserve, the team has dedicated significant hours to design and storytelling, crafting a compelling lore centered around the chairman of the reserve. This character champions “Eagleitarianism,” adding a unique narrative to the project.

    The mission of the Strategic Solana Reserve includes supporting builders and injecting liquidity into top-tier assets, all tracked in a live, on-chain index fund. Initially launching on Solana, $SSR will support legitimate projects, builders, and communities.

    “Our goal is to demonstrate that projects like $SSR can embrace the worlds of decentralized finance and memes in an upstanding, transparent, and accessible way. DeFi is often seen as a lofty concept, but $SSR offers a fresh perspective on how such projects can operate. Platforms like Pump.fun are powerful, community-centric collaboration tools, far beyond their simplistic portrayals,” said Enigma.

    The $SSR token will retain its meme status, fueled by buybacks from the index fund’s profits, with proceeds locked in three-year linear vesting schedules, all conducted on-chain.

    For more information about the Strategic Solana Reserve ($SSR) and EnigmaFund Venture Capital, visit www.enigma-fund.com or follow for updates.

    About EnigmaFund Venture Capital

    EnigmaFund Venture Capital is a forward-thinking investment firm and advisory specializing in blockchain technology and decentralized finance. With a mission to drive innovation and accessibility in the digital economy, EnigmaFund supports groundbreaking teams and projects with capital, creativity, and mindshare.

    About the Strategic Solana Reserve

    .$SSR is the official meme of the Strategic Solana Reserve. Launched by EngimaFund Venture Capital, the SSR is designed to restore liquidity to the best projects in Web3 and support their teams and communities. A the heart of the SSR is a plan to incept a series of cross-chain index funds with initial liquidity incepted by EngimaFund.

    Discover more about $SSR, The Strategic Solana Reserve index fund.

    Note: EnigmaFund Venture Capital encourages media outlets to verify details and reach out for interviews or additional information

    Media Contact:

    Contact Person: Khine Zin
    Website: www.enigma-fund.com
     Email: enigma@enigma-fund.com
    X – https://x.com/enigmafund

    Disclaimer: This content is provided by EnigmaFund. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform or its publisher. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. We do not guarantee any claims, statements, or promises made in this article. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or trading advice. Investing in crypto and mining-related opportunities involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital. It is possible to lose all your capital. These products may not be suitable for everyone, and you should ensure that you understand the risks involved. Seek independent advice if necessary. Speculate only with funds that you can afford to lose. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. However, due to the inherently speculative nature of the blockchain sector—including cryptocurrency, NFTs, and mining—complete accuracy cannot always be guaranteed. Neither the media platform nor the publisher shall be held responsible for any fraudulent activities, misrepresentations, or financial losses arising from the content of this press release. In the event of any legal claims or charges against this article, we accept no liability or responsibility. Globenewswire does not endorse any content on this page.

    Legal Disclaimer: This media platform provides the content of this article on an “as-is” basis, without any warranties or representations of any kind, express or implied. We assume no responsibility for any inaccuracies, errors, or omissions. We do not assume any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information presented herein. Any concerns, complaints, or copyright issues related to this article should be directed to the content provider mentioned above.

    Photos accompanying this announcement are available at
    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e064f355-4851-486a-93c2-c67d16827706

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1988d0e2-d9f7-497b-9725-7322d9ab4cc3

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b9a9c937-dc2e-4d93-975f-48a3749d21ff

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: ETF Buzz Around Ethereum, SHIB, and Solana Fuels Meme Coin Rally—LILPEPE Presale Tops $2.5M

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, June 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Little Pepe has taken the meme coin industry by storm, with presale stage 3 officially closed and over $2.5M raised. Now in its fourth presale phase, the LILPEPE token is gaining momentum, effective for its meme enchantment and also for its utility within a dedicated Layer 2 blockchain space. Moreover, the broader crypto market is witnessing renewed optimism following ETF developments tied to Ethereum, SHIB, and Solana, in addition fueling interest in high-upside altcoins like LILPEPE.

    Little Pepe: The Meme Coin with Real Infrastructure

    Little Pepe is redefining what meme coins can be by merging viral culture with real blockchain scalability. Rather than relying purely on momentum, it offers a full-stack ecosystem where utility drives ongoing demand. At the same time, its strong connection to meme culture keeps the community actively engaged and fuels continuous excitement.

    $LILPEPE is an ERC-20 token and the native utility token of the Little Pepe space. Little Pepe is a next-gen Layer 2 blockchain designed to supply fast transactions, security, and ultra-low fees—even as it embraces the viral enchantment of meme culture. Built with EVM compatibility, it offers a seamless experience for builders and users alike, permitting DeFi apps, NFTs, and meme-based games to thrive within its surroundings.

    LILPEPE Presale Success

    LILPEPE presale’s rapid growth is a clear reflection of increasing investor enthusiasm. With each presale round selling out quickly, LILPEPE has already raised over $2.5 million from early supporters. The project’s commitment to transparency, utility, and community-building is driving momentum, as crypto traders look for meme coins with stronger fundamentals. LILPEPE is available exclusively through its official website at LittlePepe.com, ensuring safety and clarity for new buyers.

    ETF Momentum Revives Altcoin and Meme Coin Markets

    Discussions around Ethereum and Solana-based ETFs heat up, institutional capital is beginning to trickle into altcoins. Meanwhile, meme coins like SHIB and PEPE are seeing renewed enthusiasm, not just from retail traders, but also from influencers and crypto media.

    This ETF-driven optimism is reviving speculative appetite, and meme projects like LILPEPE are uniquely poised to benefit. With a combination of real blockchain architecture and meme culture resonance, LILPEPE is tapping into both the emotional energy of the meme world and the technical backbone of modern DeFi infrastructure.

    Built for the Meme Economy of the Future

    Little Pepe is not a one-off token—it’s an entire ecosystem designed for long-term scalability. Its Layer 2 architecture is optimized for lightning-fast transactions, fractional costs, and developer accessibility. NFT creators, memecoin traders, and even DeFi builders can deploy seamlessly on the Little Pepe Chain using the same tools they use on Ethereum—only faster and cheaper.

    The project’s roadmap includes partnerships with community-driven NFT projects, staking dApps, meme games, and a governance protocol that empowers $LILPEPE holders to shape the future of the network. Combined with an ever-growing online community, the project is laying the foundation for a meme-powered economy that is built to last.

    About Little Pepe

    Little Pepe is a next-gen Layer 2 blockchain designed to merge the meme culture with high-speed, low-cost decentralized infrastructure. Built for scalability, security, and accessibility, Little Pepe Chain helps EMV-compatible applications and is fueled by means of the $LILPEPE token. The project’s mission is to create a meme coin environment wherein utility meets virality, empowering users through cutting-edge technology and lightning-fast transactions.

    For more information:
    Website: https://littlepepe.com/
    Telegram: https://t.me/littlepepetoken
    Twitter: https://x.com/littlepepetoken

    Contact Details:
    COO- James Stephen
    media@littlepepe.com

    Disclaimer: This content is provided by Little Pepe. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform or its publisher. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. We do not guarantee any claims, statements, or promises made in this article. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or trading advice. Investing in crypto and mining-related opportunities involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital. It is possible to lose all your capital. These products may not be suitable for everyone, and you should ensure that you understand the risks involved. Seek independent advice if necessary. Speculate only with funds that you can afford to lose. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. However, due to the inherently speculative nature of the blockchain sector—including cryptocurrency, NFTs, and mining—complete accuracy cannot always be guaranteed. Neither the media platform nor the publisher shall be held responsible for any fraudulent activities, misrepresentations, or financial losses arising from the content of this press release. In the event of any legal claims or charges against this article, we accept no liability or responsibility. Globenewswire does not endorse any content on this page.

    Legal Disclaimer: This media platform provides the content of this article on an “as-is” basis, without any warranties or representations of any kind, express or implied. We assume no responsibility for any inaccuracies, errors, or omissions. We do not assume any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information presented herein. Any concerns, complaints, or copyright issues related to this article should be directed to the content provider mentioned above.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/86da64cc-e81e-4ff1-9eaf-3a3c24f83e29

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: ETF Buzz Around Ethereum, SHIB, and Solana Fuels Meme Coin Rally—LILPEPE Presale Tops $2.5M

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, June 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Little Pepe has taken the meme coin industry by storm, with presale stage 3 officially closed and over $2.5M raised. Now in its fourth presale phase, the LILPEPE token is gaining momentum, effective for its meme enchantment and also for its utility within a dedicated Layer 2 blockchain space. Moreover, the broader crypto market is witnessing renewed optimism following ETF developments tied to Ethereum, SHIB, and Solana, in addition fueling interest in high-upside altcoins like LILPEPE.

    Little Pepe: The Meme Coin with Real Infrastructure

    Little Pepe is redefining what meme coins can be by merging viral culture with real blockchain scalability. Rather than relying purely on momentum, it offers a full-stack ecosystem where utility drives ongoing demand. At the same time, its strong connection to meme culture keeps the community actively engaged and fuels continuous excitement.

    $LILPEPE is an ERC-20 token and the native utility token of the Little Pepe space. Little Pepe is a next-gen Layer 2 blockchain designed to supply fast transactions, security, and ultra-low fees—even as it embraces the viral enchantment of meme culture. Built with EVM compatibility, it offers a seamless experience for builders and users alike, permitting DeFi apps, NFTs, and meme-based games to thrive within its surroundings.

    LILPEPE Presale Success

    LILPEPE presale’s rapid growth is a clear reflection of increasing investor enthusiasm. With each presale round selling out quickly, LILPEPE has already raised over $2.5 million from early supporters. The project’s commitment to transparency, utility, and community-building is driving momentum, as crypto traders look for meme coins with stronger fundamentals. LILPEPE is available exclusively through its official website at LittlePepe.com, ensuring safety and clarity for new buyers.

    ETF Momentum Revives Altcoin and Meme Coin Markets

    Discussions around Ethereum and Solana-based ETFs heat up, institutional capital is beginning to trickle into altcoins. Meanwhile, meme coins like SHIB and PEPE are seeing renewed enthusiasm, not just from retail traders, but also from influencers and crypto media.

    This ETF-driven optimism is reviving speculative appetite, and meme projects like LILPEPE are uniquely poised to benefit. With a combination of real blockchain architecture and meme culture resonance, LILPEPE is tapping into both the emotional energy of the meme world and the technical backbone of modern DeFi infrastructure.

    Built for the Meme Economy of the Future

    Little Pepe is not a one-off token—it’s an entire ecosystem designed for long-term scalability. Its Layer 2 architecture is optimized for lightning-fast transactions, fractional costs, and developer accessibility. NFT creators, memecoin traders, and even DeFi builders can deploy seamlessly on the Little Pepe Chain using the same tools they use on Ethereum—only faster and cheaper.

    The project’s roadmap includes partnerships with community-driven NFT projects, staking dApps, meme games, and a governance protocol that empowers $LILPEPE holders to shape the future of the network. Combined with an ever-growing online community, the project is laying the foundation for a meme-powered economy that is built to last.

    About Little Pepe

    Little Pepe is a next-gen Layer 2 blockchain designed to merge the meme culture with high-speed, low-cost decentralized infrastructure. Built for scalability, security, and accessibility, Little Pepe Chain helps EMV-compatible applications and is fueled by means of the $LILPEPE token. The project’s mission is to create a meme coin environment wherein utility meets virality, empowering users through cutting-edge technology and lightning-fast transactions.

    For more information:
    Website: https://littlepepe.com/
    Telegram: https://t.me/littlepepetoken
    Twitter: https://x.com/littlepepetoken

    Contact Details:
    COO- James Stephen
    media@littlepepe.com

    Disclaimer: This content is provided by Little Pepe. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform or its publisher. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. We do not guarantee any claims, statements, or promises made in this article. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or trading advice. Investing in crypto and mining-related opportunities involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital. It is possible to lose all your capital. These products may not be suitable for everyone, and you should ensure that you understand the risks involved. Seek independent advice if necessary. Speculate only with funds that you can afford to lose. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. However, due to the inherently speculative nature of the blockchain sector—including cryptocurrency, NFTs, and mining—complete accuracy cannot always be guaranteed. Neither the media platform nor the publisher shall be held responsible for any fraudulent activities, misrepresentations, or financial losses arising from the content of this press release. In the event of any legal claims or charges against this article, we accept no liability or responsibility. Globenewswire does not endorse any content on this page.

    Legal Disclaimer: This media platform provides the content of this article on an “as-is” basis, without any warranties or representations of any kind, express or implied. We assume no responsibility for any inaccuracies, errors, or omissions. We do not assume any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information presented herein. Any concerns, complaints, or copyright issues related to this article should be directed to the content provider mentioned above.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/86da64cc-e81e-4ff1-9eaf-3a3c24f83e29

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Karolinska Development’s portfolio company Modus Therapeutics carries out a fully secured rights issue of SEK 28.3 million

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN June 27, 2025. Karolinska Development AB (Nasdaq Stockholm: KDEV) today announces that its portfolio company, Modus Therapeutics carries out a fully secured rights issue of units of SEK 28.3 million. The proceeds from the rights issue are intended to finance the continued development of the drug candidate sevuparin in chronic kidney disease with anemia.

    On June 26 2025, the portfolio company Modus Therapeutics, listed on Nasdaq First North Growth Market, announced that the company is carrying out a fully secured rights issue of units that, upon full subscrption will provide the company with SEK 28.3 million before issue costs. The rights issue is subject to approval by an extraordinary general meeting held on July 29, 2025.

    The purpose of the rights issue is to provide capital for the continued clinical development of the drug candidate sevuparin, including completing the ongoing clinical phase II study and to finance the operations through the end of 2026.

    A number of Modus Therapeutics major shareholders, including Karolinska Development, Hans Wigzell and Anders Bladh, have entered into free subscription commitments totaling SEK 17.7 million, corresponding to 62.7 percent of the Rights Issue. The remaining portion, corresponding to 37.3 percent, is covered by underwriting commitments from external parties.

    “Securing a fully subscribed rights issue in today’s challenging market is a clear sign of strength for Modus Therapeutics and its clinical strategy. As the largest owner, we are very pleased that Modus has now secured financing for the continued development of sevuparin, enabling the company to reach important milestones in the near future,” says Viktor Drvota, CEO of Karolinska Development.

    Karolinska Development’s ownership in Modus Therapeutics amounts to 66 percent.

    For further information, please contact:

    Viktor Drvota, CEO, Karolinska Development AB
    Phone: +46 73 982 52 02, e-mail: viktor.drvota@karolinskadevelopment.com

    Johan Dighed, General Counsel and Deputy CEO, Karolinska Development AB
    Phone: +46 70 207 48 26, e-mail: johan.dighed@karolinskadevelopment.com

    TO THE EDITORS

    About Karolinska Development AB

    Karolinska Development AB (Nasdaq Stockholm: KDEV) is a Nordic life sciences investment company. The company focuses on identifying breakthrough medical innovations in the Nordic region that are developed by entrepreneurs and leadership teams. The Company invests in the creation and growth of companies that advance these assets into commercial products that are designed to make a difference to patients’ lives while providing an attractive return on investment to shareholders.

    Karolinska Development has access to world-class medical innovations at the Karolinska Institutet and other leading universities and research institutes in the Nordic region. The Company aims to build companies around scientists who are leaders in their fields, supported by experienced management teams and advisers, and co-funded by specialist international investors, to provide the greatest chance of success.

    Karolinska Development has a portfolio of eleven companies targeting opportunities in innovative treatment for life-threatening or serious debilitating diseases.

    The Company is led by an entrepreneurial team of investment professionals with a proven track record as company builders and with access to a strong global network.

    For more information, please visit www.karolinskadevelopment.com.

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –