NewzIntel.com

Category: Europe

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Shisha lounge fined for breaching smoke-free regulations

    Source: City of Leicester

    A SHISHA lounge that breached smoke-free regulations has been ordered to pay a total of £8,500 in fines and costs after being convicted of a series of offences.

    Environmental health officers from the public safety team at Leicester City Council made visits to Amoura Lounge – a restaurant on two floors at 25 Royal East Street, Leicester, which also offers shisha for smoking. Officers visited in April and June last year as part of work to check its compliance with smoke-free regulations.

    Premises legally have to be more than 50 per cent open to the air for smoking to be permitted. Inspectors found the premises to fall short of that, but on both occasions they witnessed groups of people smoking on the premises.

    On both occasions, officers left a report with staff stating that smoking must cease with immediate effect until such time as the premises were less than 50% enclosed.

    Inspectors also served an improvement notice, ordering the bar to supply details of its health and safety risk assessment by 22 May 2024. This was not provided.

    Representatives from Amoura Lounge attended the court hearing on 5th February.

    Leicester magistrates fined the business a total of £2,500, plus a victim surcharge of £1,000 and ordered that they contribute £5,000 towards costs.

    Leicester City Council’s head of regulatory services, Rachel Hall, said: “Smoke-free legislation is designed to protect the public and employees from the inhalation of second-hand smoke, which is known to cause serious health issues, including forms of cancer. It’s also very important that businesses comply with health and safety laws that are there to keep everyone safe.

    “The message is clear: all shisha café owners in Leicester must operate within the law and their premises will be visited regularly. If they don’t comply then they can expect robust and appropriate enforcement action to protect employees and customers alike.”

    (Ends)

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Government sets out plans for ‘e-invoicing’ overhaul to cut paperwork

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Government consultation on electronic invoicing launched

    • Government launches 12-week e-invoicing consultation on plans to cut paperwork for businesses and help improve productivity.
    • Proposals expected to save businesses time and money and speed up payments, creating the conditions to grow the economy, part of the Prime Minister’s Plan for Change.
    • Will help businesses get tax right first time with fewer invoicing and VAT return errors.
    • UK stakeholders and businesses urged to comment.

    UK businesses are, for the first time, being invited to have their say on the government’s electronic invoicing (e-invoicing) proposals.

    E-invoicing is the digital exchange of invoice information directly between buyers and suppliers. It could help businesses get their tax right first time, reduce invoicing and data errors, improve the accuracy of VAT returns, help close the tax gap and save time and money. It usually results in faster business to business payments, leading to improved cash flow and less paperwork.

    This will help cut down time and resources businesses spend managing their tax affairs so they can be more productive. It forms part of the Prime Minister’s Plan for Change for a tax system that supports economic growth.

    Examples of where e-invoicing has improved cash flow include:

    • Australian Government agencies who are paying their suppliers within 5 days compared to 20 days for other forms of invoices.
    • a UK NHS trust where e-invoices are ready for processing within 24 hours, compared to 10 days under paper invoicing. Their e-invoices are typically paid almost twice as quickly than paper invoices, with supplier queries reduced by an average of 15%.

    Examples of the wider benefits to business of e-invoicing are highlighted by software providers:

    • Xero see e-invoicing as the next digital revolution for small firms, simplifying how businesses invoice customers and get paid faster. Firms will save money on chasing payments, improve cash flow and reduce fraud risks.
    • a published business research report from Sage* shows that e-invoicing streamlines routine tasks like data entry and tax filing, driving annual productivity gains of around 3% in the UK, supporting the government’s broader growth agenda.

    The 12-week consultation ‘Promoting electronic invoicing across UK businesses and the public sector’ was published today (13 February 2025) by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and the Department for Business and Trade (DBT). The deadline for comment is 7 May 2025.

    James Murray, Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury said:

    As part of the Prime Minister’s Plan for Change, we have begun our work to transform the UK’s tax system into one that is focused on helping businesses and the economy to grow.

    E-invoicing simplifies processes, reduces errors and helps businesses to get paid faster. By cutting paperwork and freeing up valuable time and money, it will help improve firms’ productivity and their ability to grow and succeed.

    Gareth Thomas, Minister for Services, Small Business and Exports, said:

    Small businesses are at the heart of our economy and vital to our growth mission. The potential of digitising taxes, speeding up payments and streamlining administrative tasks will provide real benefits to the economy, supporting smaller firms and boosting growth.

    This is why we want to make sure e-invoicing works for SMEs, because cash flow can make all the difference between staying afloat or going under.

    The consultation applies to business invoicing. It will gather views on standardising e-invoicing and how to increase its adoption across UK businesses and the public sector. It also explores how different e-invoicing models could align a business with their customers’ businesses. People can take part whether or not they currently use e-invoicing.

    HMRC and the DBT want to hear the opinions of self-employed people, businesses of all sizes, representative and industry bodies, charities and public sector organisations.

    Topics that the government is interested in exploring include:

    • different models of e-invoicing
    • whether to take a mandated or voluntary approach to e-invoicing, and what scope of mandate might be most appropriate in the UK and for businesses
    • whether e-invoicing should be complemented by real time digital reporting.

    The government will also engage with a broad range of businesses and interested stakeholders to secure their views at various events, including face-to-face discussions.

    Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, James Murray, will host a business round table at the Darlington Economic Campus and Government Hub this afternoon (13 February 2025), where he and Business and Trade Minister, Gareth Thomas, will discuss the consultation and listen to the opinions of industry bodies, regional stakeholders and local businesses in the North East.

    It follows a visit earlier in the day by James Murray MP to software developer Sage’s Newcastle headquarters, where he met with accountants to discuss government support for small businesses and how HMRC is working to deliver its priorities. Sage is one of the providers of software for HMRC’s Making Tax Digital (MTD) programme. A full list of software providers for MTD can be found on GOV.UK.

    Further Information

    The consultation ‘Promoting electronic invoicing across UK businesses and the public sector’ is available on GOV.UK.

    A Welsh language version is available on request.

    The consultation will run for 12 weeks from Thursday 13 February to Wednesday 7 May 2025.

    E-invoicing technology has been in use for more than 20 years and an increasing number of countries require businesses to use e-invoices for at least some transactions. There is global recognition for standards in enabling e-invoicing, particularly in international trade. Around 130 countries have or are in the process of implementing e-invoicing structures and standards (including data they should include and their format).

    ‘Failure to take reasonable care’ and ‘error’ accounted for 22% of the VAT tax gap in the 2022 to 2023 tax year. Industry research** shows that 80% of businesses globally manually enter their supplier invoice data into their accounting system, typically around 10% of entered data has some form of error. Adopting e-invoicing can automate this data entry and reduce opportunities for error.

    HMRC and the DBT want to understand how differing approaches may integrate with current business systems. This will support development of a UK approach to e-invoicing that improves business productivity by reducing admin burdens and helping businesses to get their tax right. There will be no immediate change in response to this consultation and responses will be used to inform future decision-making.

    Enquiries about the consultation and responses to it should be sent to: einvoicingconsultation@hmrc.gov.uk or by clicking a link in the consultation document.

    People interested in joining business round tables and other events to contribute to future e-invoicing policy development can contact: einvoicingengagement@hmrc.gov.uk

    A future e-invoicing consultation was announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, on 23 September 2024 in a package of reforms to improve the UK’s tax system.

    This was confirmed for ‘early 2025’ in the Autumn Budget on 30 October 2024.

    The published studies as referenced are: *’E-invoicing: Paving the way to a Connected, Real-time Economy’ (Sage)/ **’Billentis – The Global E-invoicing and Tax Compliance Report’

    Updates to this page

    Published 13 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Finns travelling to UK need an Electronic Travel Authorisation

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Visitors travelling to the UK on a European passport will need an ETA from 2 April 2025. Travellers can apply for an ETA from 5 March 2025 onwards.

    Electronic Travel Authorisations (ETAs) are being introduced worldwide for visitors to the UK who do not currently need a visa for short stays, or who do not already have a UK immigration status. 

    Eligible Europeans can apply for an ETA from 5 March 2025 and will need an ETA to travel from 2 April 2025. 

    An ETA is a digital permission to travel. Applying for an ETA is quick and simple. The fastest way to apply is using the UK ETA app.  

    An ETA permits multiple journeys to the UK for stays of up to six months at a time over two years or until the holder’s passport expires – whichever is sooner. 

    The introduction of ETAs is in line with the approach many other countries have taken to border security, including the US and Australia.

    How do I apply for an ETA?  

    Information on who can get an ETA and how to apply before coming to the UK is available on GOV.UK. 

    The easiest way to apply for an ETA is through the UK ETA app, which can be downloaded from Google Play or Apple App Store. You can also apply on GOV.UK.

    Please use the official UK ETA app or the GOV.UK site to apply for your ETA to avoid scam sites. 

    How long does it take? 

    Most applicants get an automatic decision in minutes when applying through the UK ETA app, which means spontaneous trips to the UK are still possible.

    Visitors are advised to allow three working days for a decision on their application, but this is to take account of the small number of cases which need further review. It is always better to apply for your ETA well in advance. 

    To apply for an ETA, applicants need to:

    1. Pay a fee (currently £10)
    2. Provide contact information and passport details
    3. Provide a valid photo, complying with rules for digital photos on GOV.UK
    4. Answer a set of questions

    NOTE: You must travel using the same passport you used when you applied for your ETA. If you get a new passport, you will need to get a new ETA.

    For more information and regular updates on ETAs, please visit GOV.UK 

    Video introduction: What is an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA)?  

    Video introduction: How to Apply For a UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA)

    Updates to this page

    Published 13 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: ASIA/INDIA – Parish priest: May the new government of the capital Delhi “give more attention for the poor and the marginalized”

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Foto di Aquib Akhter su Unsplash

    New Delhi (Agenzia Fides) – “The priorities in a city of millions like New Delhi are to ensure education and health care for all 32 million inhabitants. Our hope is that the new city government, now led by the Baraytya Janata Party (BJP), will launch programs that are not only aimed at the needs of the middle class or entrepreneurs, the business class, but that it will also be able to take care of the suburbs and the less well-off people,” said Father Sankar Savarimuthu, parish priest and spokesman for the Archdiocese of Delhi, after the local elections that gave power to the party of Indian Prime Minister Naraytya Janata on February 8. The BJP has thus defeated the opposition for the first time in 27 years, after the city had previously been governed by the Congress Party and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). Father Savarimuthu, who has a direct relationship with the people as parish priest of St. Matthew’s Church in the east of the city, notes: “The Indian federal government in the hands of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his nationalist BJP party had a kingdom without a capital, like a body without a head, because for 27 years Delhi had been administered by the opposition.” “The will of the people,” he continues, “was clear. And it was in some ways an expected result after AAP leader Kejriwal was arrested along with two other key party members over the past two years on charges of accepting bribes.” “The BJP’s victory,” he continues, “underlines the ambition and pride of the nationalists. The government will have to be measured against the complex reality of a megalopolis of 32 million people. We will see what approach is taken when the city executive is formed. Today I would say that the urgency is above all to ensure health and education services for all citizens. The attitude of Christians is one of waiting: they hope for more attention to the poor and the marginalized.”Another aspect dear to the Catholic Church, says the priest, “is not to encourage the division of society along communal lines. In the city and throughout India, what is needed is social peace, not division or discrimination on religious, caste or ethnic grounds. This is something that is dear to us and for which we will continue to work with an always constructive approach,” he concludes. (PA) (Agenzia Fides, 13/2/2024)
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  • MIL-OSI Europe: AMERICA/ARGENTINA – Diocese of La Rioja celebrates the Tinkunaco festival as part of the 90th anniversary of its foundation

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Thursday, 13 February 2025

    Arcidiocesi di La Rioja

    La Rioja (Agenzia Fides) – The Diocese of La Rioja celebrated the 90th anniversary of its foundation and the beginning of the Jubilee Year. Bishop Dante Braida presided over the numerous masses and participated in most of the religious and festive activities not only in the capital but also within the diocese, strengthening faith and a sense of community.Numerous events were on the programme for the anniversary year of the diocese, which was held under the motto “90 years of faith, hope and mission” and extended from January 1 to November 24. These include the indigenous “Tinkunaco” festival, which is celebrated every year on December 31st to commemorate the uprising of the Diaghiti people, an ancient people who rebelled against the Spanish in the Andean regions of northwestern Argentina (as well as in the Chilean region of Norte Chico) in 1593.Bishop Braida heads the Social Pastoral Commission on behalf of the Argentine Bishops’ Conference (CEA), a role that underlines his commitment to social issues and his ability to address issues such as poverty, inequality and exclusion that so afflict the country. Always committed to social issues in La Rioja and throughout the country, Braida is actively involved in initiatives that address the country’s social priorities, such as unemployment and the protection of human rights. He is close to the people, visiting parishes, participating in popular festivals, holding discussions with the faithful and promoting youth pastoral programs together with the diocese. (AP) (Agenzia Fides, 13/2/2025)
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  • MIL-OSI Europe: AFRICA/DR CONGO – Meeting of the Catholic and Protestant delegation in Goma with the M23 rebels Catholic and Protestant delegation: “Armed struggle is not a solution”

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Kinshasa (Agenzia Fides) – “The aim was to convince them that armed struggle is not a solution and that we come with a proposal that can contribute to building a lasting peace, hence the so-called ‘Social Pact for Peace and Coexistence in the Democratic Republic of Congo’”, said Donatien Nshole, Secretary General of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Congo (CENCO). Monsignor Nshole was part of the delegation of CENCO and the Church of Christ in Congo (Église du Christ au Congo, ECC) that met yesterday, February 12, in Goma with the leaders of the M23 militia, the pro-Rwandan rebel movement that took control of the city at the end of January.The delegation met in particular with Corneille Nangaa, coordinator of the Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC), the political wing of the M23. “We are continuing the tour we started in Kinshasa (with President Félix Tshisekedi, see Fides, 4/2/2025) to sensitize all the political parties that are important for resolving the crisis and building lasting peace,” explained the Secretary General of the Episcopal Conference. The delegation of the two churches presented in particular the “methodology of the social pact for coexistence in the Democratic Republic of Congo”. The rebel leadership responded that they were “open to dialogue”. Monsignor Nshole said he was convinced that there was room for negotiations to resolve the conflict peacefully. “We explained our dynamics for dialogue and our interlocutors have agreed to participate in it”. The Social Pact for Peace and Coexistence in the Democratic Republic of Congo aims to seek dialogue involving all stakeholders, including rebels and socio-political actors in exile. To give a regional dimension to their initiative, CENCO and ECC have asked for the support of the President of Zimbabwe, Emmerson Mnangagwa, current President of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), and the President of Kenya, William Ruto, President of the East African Community (AEC). (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 13/2/2025)
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  • MIL-OSI Russia: February achievements of athletes from GUU

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: State University of Management – Official website of the State –

    We haven’t reported anything about the achievements of athletes from the State University of Management for a long time, we are correcting the situation.

    Hockey

    The new 2025 year has started off stunningly for the GUU hockey team! GUUSI won three out of three games in the regular tournament of the Moscow Student Hockey League of the XXXVII Moscow Student Sports Games. The teams of MADI, EMERCOM and the Financial University were defeated (8:4, 15:2, 6:3, respectively). The atmosphere at all the games was simply incredible. The team showed excellent preparation, demonstrating strength and coherence in each attack.

    We wish you to continue in the same spirit and strive for new victories! And to help our guys morally, we invite you to their next game, which will take place on February 15 at 18:15 at the Yuzhny Led arena at the address: ul. Marshal Savitsky, 7. GUSI will play against the RANEPA team.

    Basketball

    On February 2, the GUU women’s basketball team defeated the Eagles Team with a score of 70:64. The game was held in the WBL LOV Division of the Amateur Basketball League – ABL.

    Volleyball

    On February 11, the women’s team of the State University of Management confidently beat the team from Moscow University of Finance and Law with a score of 3:1. The game was held as part of the 2nd stage of the XXXVII Moscow Student Sports Games.

    eSports

    On February 9, a friendly tournament “Battle of Universities” was held in the Tekken 8 competitive program. The following universities took part in the competition: GUU, Plekhanov Russian University of Economics, RANEPA, MAI, MSU, HSE. Our team of cyber athletes took 8th place out of 16 possible. This is the golden mean, and we know that many more victories await us ahead.

    We wish all our athletes good luck and high results in future tournaments!

    Subscribe to the TG channel “Our GUU” Date of publication: 02/13/2025

    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: Nineteenth International Capacity-building Seminar on Trade and Transport Facilitation and data sharing

    Source: United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

    This event is organized by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), the Government of Turkmenistan, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), with the participation of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), the Organisation for Cooperation of Railways (OSJD), the railway agencies of Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Iran, the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), Eurasian Development Bank, and other partners from the States participating in the UN Special Programme for the Economies of Central Asia (SPECA).

    This event is part of the implementation of the for the Digitalization of Multimodal Data and Document Exchange along the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor Using UN Legal Instruments and Standards, which was adopted by the SPECA Summit on 24 November 2023 in Baku. It follows up on the request of the SPECA Governing Council for capacity-building on the UN/CEFACT standards.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Petroleum liquids supply growth driven by non-OPEC+ countries in 2025 and 2026

    Source: US Energy Information Administration

    In-depth analysis

    February 13, 2025

    We forecast that worldwide production of petroleum and other liquids in 2025 and 2026 will grow more in non-OPEC+ countries than in OPEC+ countries in our February Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO). We estimate that total world petroleum and other liquids supply increased by about 0.6 million barrels per day (b/d) in 2024 and will increase by 1.9 million b/d in 2025 and 1.6 million b/d in 2026. Increasing crude oil production from four countries in the Americas—the United States, Guyana, Canada, and Brazil—drives this growth. Because of ongoing production restraint among OPEC+ countries, we forecast the group’s production to grow by 0.1 million b/d in 2025 and 0.6 million b/d in 2026.

    Global petroleum liquids production outside of OPEC+ grew by 1.8 million b/d in 2024 and grows by 1.8 million b/d in 2025 and 1.0 million b/d in 2026 in our forecast. We forecast production will grow from 2024 to 2026 by 0.5 million b/d in Canada, 0.3 million b/d in Guyana, and 0.3 million b/d in Brazil. Most of the forecast growth comes from the United States, where we expect production to grow by 1.1 million b/d over the same period.

    The United States continues to produce more crude oil and petroleum liquids than any other country. U.S. crude oil production increased to 13.2 million b/d in 2024 due partly to improved efficiency with fewer rigs. We expect production of petroleum liquids in the United States to increase by 0.6 million b/d in 2025 and by 0.5 million b/d in 2026. The Permian region accounts for about 50% of U.S. crude oil production of 13.7 million b/d in 2026 in our forecast. Further, the growth in the Permian offsets contractions in other regions.

    In 2024, Canada was the fourth-largest oil producing nation, trailing only the United States, Saudi Arabia, and Russia. We forecast production of petroleum and other liquids to grow in Canada by 0.3 million b/d in 2025 and 0.2 million b/d in 2026, starting at 6.0 million b/d in 2024. Production growth in Canada is supported by the start-up of the Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion that transports oil to Canada’s West Coast for access to export markets from landlocked Alberta.

    We expect producers in Brazil to add new Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) units to existing fields in the Santos Basin. The Alexandre de Gusmão will be the fifth FPSO installed at the Mero field and will begin production in mid-2025. Also in 2025, the FPSOs Almirante Tamandaré and P-78 in the Búzios field in the Santos Basin plan to begin operations. We forecast that these new projects will increase petroleum liquids production in Brazil by 0.1 million b/d in 2025 and 0.2 million b/d in 2026.

    We forecast that petroleum liquids production in Guyana will increase by 0.2 million b/d in 2025 and 0.1 million b/d in 2026, driven by the start-up of the Yellowtail project within the Stabroek block. The development of the Stabroek block includes three projects, Yellowtail, Uaru, and Whiptail, where we expect the combined production capacity to reach approximately 1.3 million b/d by the end of 2027.

    Production from OPEC+ members accounted for 47% (35.7 million b/d) of global crude oil production in 2024. We forecast that OPEC+ crude oil production will increase by 0.1 million b/d in 2025 as the group gradually increases production in line with the timeline agreed to at the meeting held in December 2024. In addition, the voluntary cuts of 2.2 million b/d that were announced in November 2023 will be extended until the end of March 2025 and then gradually phased out by the end of September 2026. The additional voluntary production cuts of 1.65 million b/d that were announced in April 2023 were extended until the end of December 2026.

    We expect OPEC+’s share of global oil production to decrease by one percentage point to 46% in 2025 and 2026, compared with 53% in 2016 when the expanded group was initially formed. OPEC’s surplus crude oil production capacity was 4.6 million b/d in 2024, 103% (2.3 million b/d) more than in 2019.

    Saudi Arabia is the largest oil producer in OPEC by volume, representing about a third of the group’s total supply. In 2024, Saudi Arabia produced 9.0 million b/d, down 13% (1.4 million b/d) compared with 2022—before OPEC+ announced the extension of its additional voluntary cuts.

    Among the OPEC+ members, Russia was the largest crude oil producer in 2024, averaging 9.2 million b/d. After Russia and Saudi Arabia, the largest producers by volume were Iraq (4.4 million b/d), the United Arab Emirates (2.9 million b/d), and Kuwait (2.5 million b/d).

    Principal contributor: Kenya Schott

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Readout of Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s Meeting With the United Kingdom’s Secretary of State for Defence John Healey

    Source: United States Department of Defense

    Pentagon Press Secretary John Ullyot provided the following readout:

    On February 12, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth met with his United Kingdom counterpart, Secretary of State for Defence John Healey at NATO Headquarters in Brussels, Belgium. The two Secretaries discussed the UK-hosted Ukraine Defense Contact Group that followed their meeting that day and the need to set the stage for negotiations to stop the fighting and reach an enduring peace. Ahead of Thursday’s NATO Defense Ministerial, the two leaders also highlighted the need for increased Allied defense investments and greater burden-sharing by European Allies.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: At least 28 injured as car rams into crowd in Munich

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    At least 28 people, including children, were injured after a car plowed into a crowd in Munich, Germany, on Thursday, local police reported.

    According to Munich police, some of the victims sustained serious injuries.

    Bavarian State Premier Markus Soeder described the incident as a “suspected attack.” Authorities identified the driver as a 24-year-old Afghan asylum seeker, who was detained at the scene.

    “There is no further danger from him at the moment,” Munich police spokesman Thomas Schelshorn said.

    Media reports indicated that the crowd was participating in a demonstration linked to a strike when the crash occurred. Bavarian Radio cited an eyewitness who claimed the driver deliberately drove into the group.

    The incident comes as Munich braces for heightened security ahead of the Munich Security Conference, a major gathering of foreign policy experts and global leaders set to begin on Friday. The conference venue is located approximately 1.6 km from the crash site.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The government allocated 2.5 billion rubles to support farmers in the Kursk region

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    2.5 billion rubles have been allocated from the Cabinet’s reserve fund to support agricultural producers who suffered in the Kursk region. The order to this effect was signed by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin.

    The allocated funds will be used to compensate farmers for losses in livestock and aquaculture facilities. Support will be provided to 20 agricultural producers.

    The decision was made on the instructions of the President. The head of state gave it following a meeting on the situation in border regions in 2024.

    Also, on the instructions of the head of state, a whole range of support measures have been envisaged in these regions, including the provision of subsidies to organizations and individual entrepreneurs for partial compensation of expenses for paying employees for forced downtime, an annual deferment of taxes and insurance premiums for individuals and organizations, expanded budget financing of medical institutions, grants for the restoration or relocation of production, the supply of vehicles for mobile trade, benefits for equipment leasing, free economic zones with special conditions for entrepreneurial activity.

    The issue of allocating funding to affected agricultural producers was considered and approved. at the Government meeting on February 13.

    “I would like to draw the attention of the Ministry of Agriculture: resources must be sent to Kursk farmers as soon as possible. Despite the complexity of the situation in the region, people continue to work and strive to preserve their farms. It is important to help them with this,” Mikhail Mishustin emphasized.

    The document will be published…

    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 USA: Readout of Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s Meeting With German Minister of Defense Boris Pistorius

    Source: United States Department of Defense

    Pentagon Press Secretary John Ullyot provided the following readout:

    On February 12, on the margins of the UDCG and NATO Defense Ministerial at NATO Headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth held a bilateral meeting with his German counterpart, Minister of Defense Boris Pistorius. The Secretary and the Minister discussed supporting diplomatic efforts to achieve a durable peace in Ukraine, the need for European leadership on continental security, and the close friendship between the German people and U.S. service members and their families in Germany. Both leaders affirmed that a strong focus on Allied defense spending—including meeting a spending target aligned with the demands of the strategic environment—is necessary for Europe’s long-term defense and deterrence goals.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Crime down in Finsbury Park as police work with local authorities and the community

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    A coalition of local authorities, police and partner organisations have worked together for over a year to significantly reduce violent crime, robbery and burglary in the Finsbury Park area.

    Love Finsbury Park was launched on 6 December 2023 as a partnership between the Metropolitan Police, British Transport Police, three local authorities and other organisations determined to work together and make the area safer.

    In the project’s first year, violent crime, robbery and burglary have significantly reduced in the Finsbury Park area, including:
    Business Burglary – reduction of 27%
    Residential Burglary – reduction of 24%
    Personal Robbery – reduction of 21%
    Violent Crime with Injury – reduction of 14%

    During the year, officers from the Met and British Transport Police made over 600 arrests as the number of police patrols in the area was significantly increased.

    Police officers have seized a significant number of weapons, stolen phones and drugs, as well as locating individuals in the area who were wanted on warrant for previous offences.

    Inspector Ross Hickman, one of the senior officers policing Finsbury Park, explained: “A policing framework called ‘Clear, Hold, Build’ is being used to deliver positive outcomes as part of Love Finsbury Park. The ‘Clear’ phase involves targeted arrests and crime disruption through partnership working. Accordingly, much of the Met’s focus has been on identifying and arresting those involved in organised crime, the vast majority relating to the supply of drugs.

    “Since December 2023, a total of 17 search warrants were executed at addresses in the Finsbury Park area in intelligence-led operations targeting organised crime. Further operations are being planned as we continue to work at pace in the ‘Clear’ phase of this ‘Clear Hold Build’ framework.

    “I am looking forward to moving on with the project, and into the next phases. ‘Hold’ means stabilising the area to stop offenders moving in to fill the void. The ‘Build’ phase is focused on community-driven action to address the causes of criminality and prevent it from happening again.

    “Our work with partners, including the London Boroughs of Hackney, Haringey and Islington, will become increasingly crucial. Joint action – like our recent success in securing funding to improve lighting under the bridge on Stroud Green Road – is central to the success of Love Finsbury Park.”

    Caroline Woodley, Mayor of Hackney, said: “We’re already seeing positive results. Love Finsbury Park is building long-term improvements to community safety by driving out crime and tackling the issues that make residents feel unsafe.

    “Alongside the police interventions, we’ve been working with residents, local councillors, businesses and partners to understand and address these local concerns. During this first phase, we have increased our enforcement patrols and CCTV surveillance, and created campaigns calling out street-based harassment like catcalling. We’ll continue building on our progress as we move into the next phases focused on preventative actions.”

    Cllr Angelo Weekes, Executive Member for Community Safety at Islington Council said: “Islington has supported the police’s targeted operations and arrests as we take action to protect our residents and ensure their safety. We meet weekly with the police, sharing intelligence and CCTV footage and work together to engage with businesses, colleges and places of worship in Finsbury Park.

    “We commission a patrol service to detect, deter and disrupt anti-social behaviour in Finsbury Park station, Blackstock Road and certain estates. We know there is more work to be done and look forward to continuing to work together to make Finsbury Park safer and more welcoming for everyone.”

    Haringey Council’s Cabinet Member for Communities, Cllr Ajda Ovat, commented: “It’s fantastic to see the success that the ‘Clear, Hold, Build’ project is having in tackling serious and organised crime in the Finsbury Park area.

    “As the scheme progresses and moves from stage to stage, it remains fundamentally important that community groups, residents and stakeholders continue to engage with our police partners and council staff from Haringey, Hackney and Islington as part of a tri-borough approach.

    “That way, we can continue to create a far safer Finsbury Park for residents and visitors to experience and enjoy.”

    The first police operation tackling organised crime took place on the very first day of the project, in December 2023. 70 officers executed three search warrants on shops on Blackstock Road which were believed to be linked to criminal activity in which seven people were arrested.

    A recent co-ordinated police operation took place on 12 December 2024, and led to the recovery of 112,000 tablets of Pregabalin (a Class C drug), dozens of wraps of cocaine, £3,000 in cash and several Rolex watches. One man was arrested at an address in Sotheby Road and, acting quickly on evidence recovered there, a subsequent seven males were arrested nearby.

    Love Finsbury Park is a true partnership involving the community at every stage. Anyone with information about those involved in the supply of drugs, burglary or robbery in the Finsbury Park area is urged to speak with local officers, call police on 101, message @MetCC or share what you know anonymously with Crimestoppers.

    British Transport Police Chief Inspector Cheryl Ling, who oversees Finsbury Park, said: “I’m extremely pleased with what we’ve been able to achieve so far with the significant reduction in violent crime, but there is still plenty of work to do to keep those numbers down.

    “We will continue to work closely with the Metropolitan Police and our other policing and local partners to deter crime, and we are determined to make our communities and the railway network safer for everyone.”

    Inspector Hickman concluded: “My colleagues are focused on continuing to deliver results. I am pleased to see these much improved crime statistics, but I want to hear local people saying that they actually feel safer. That’s a real incentive for us to come to work every day to protect the public, deter or arrest those who want to profit from criminal activity and build on this successful first year.”

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Notice of the Annual General Meeting of Nokia Corporation

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Nokia Corporation
    Stock Exchange Release
    13 February 2025 at 15:00 EET

    Notice of the Annual General Meeting of Nokia Corporation

    Notice is given to the shareholders of Nokia Corporation (“Nokia” or the “Company”) of the Annual General Meeting to be held on Tuesday, 29 April 2025 at 13:00 EEST at Finlandia Hall, Mannerheimintie 13e, Helsinki, Finland.

    The reception of persons who have registered for the Meeting and the distribution of voting tickets will commence at 12:00 noon EEST. After the Meeting coffee will be served.

    Shareholders can also exercise their voting rights by voting in advance. Instructions for advance voting are presented in this notice under section C.

    Shareholders may follow the Annual General Meeting through a webcast. Following the webcast is not considered participation or exercise of shareholders’ rights in the Meeting. Instructions regarding the webcast are available in this notice under section C. and later on the Company’s website at www.nokia.com/agm2025.

    A. Matters on the agenda of the Annual General Meeting

    At the Annual General Meeting, the following matters will be considered:

    1. Opening of the Meeting

    2. Matters of order for the Meeting

    3. Election of a person to scrutinize the minutes and a person to supervise the counting of votes

    4. Recording the legal convening of the Meeting

    5. Recording the attendance at the Meeting and adoption of the list of votes

    6. Presentation of the Annual Accounts, the review by the Board of Directors and the auditor’s report for the financial year 2024

    – Review by the President and CEO and presenting the auditor’s report and the assurance report of the sustainability statement

    7. Adoption of the Annual Accounts

    8. Resolution on the use of profit shown on the balance sheet and authorization of the Board of Directors to decide on the distribution of dividend and assets from the reserve for invested unrestricted equity

    The Board of Directors proposes to the Annual General Meeting that based on the balance sheet to be adopted for the financial year ended on 31 December 2024, no dividend is distributed by a resolution of the Annual General Meeting. Instead, the Board proposes to be authorized to resolve in its discretion on the distribution of an aggregate maximum of EUR 0.14 per share as dividend from the retained earnings and/or as assets from the reserve for invested unrestricted equity.

    The authorization would be used to distribute dividend and/or assets from the reserve for invested unrestricted equity in four installments during the period of validity of the authorization unless the Board of Directors decides otherwise for a justified reason. The authorization would be valid until the opening of the next Annual General Meeting. The Board would make separate resolutions on the amount and timing of each distribution of the dividend and/or assets from the reserve for invested unrestricted equity so that the preliminary record and payment dates will be as set out below. The Company shall make a separate announcement of each such Board resolution.

    Preliminary record dates Preliminary payment dates
    5 May 2025 12 May 2025
    29 July 2025 7 August 2025
    28 October 2025 6 November 2025
    3 February 2026 12 February 2026

    Each installment based on the resolution of the Board of Directors will be paid to a shareholder registered in the Company’s shareholders’ register maintained by Euroclear Finland Oy on the record date of the payment.

    9. Resolution on the discharge of the members of the Board of Directors and the President and CEO from liability for the financial year 2024

    10. Presentation and adoption of the Remuneration Report

    The Remuneration Report 2024 will be available on the Company’s website at www.nokia.com/agm2025 on week 11 of 2025. The Remuneration Report is presented to the AGM and adopted through an advisory resolution.

    11. Presentation and adoption of the Remuneration Policy

    The Board of Directors proposes that the Annual General Meeting shall adopt the updated Remuneration Policy. The updated Remuneration Policy is available on the Company’s website at www.nokia.com/agm2025 as of today and published as an attachment to this notice. The Remuneration Policy is adopted through an advisory resolution.

    12. Resolution on the remuneration of the members of the Board of Directors

    On the recommendation of the Corporate Governance and Nomination Committee, the Board proposes to the Annual General Meeting that the annual fees payable to Board members for a term ending at the close of the next Annual General Meeting are kept at the current levels:

    • EUR 440 000 for the Chair of the Board;
    • EUR 210 000 for the Vice Chair of the Board;
    • EUR 185 000 for each member of the Board;
    • EUR 30 000 each for the Chairs of the Audit Committee and the Personnel Committee and EUR 20 000 for the Chairs of the Technology Committee and the Strategy Committee as an additional annual fee; and
    • EUR 15 000 for each member of the Audit Committee and the Personnel Committee and EUR 10 000 for each member of the Technology Committee and the Strategy Committee as an additional annual fee.

    The Board proposes that approximately 40% of the annual fee be paid in Nokia shares. The rest of the annual fee would be paid in cash to cover taxes arising from the remuneration. The Directors shall retain until the end of their directorship such number of shares that they have received as Board remuneration during their first three years of service on the Board. If the term of a Board member terminates before the Annual General Meeting of 2026, the Board has a right to decide upon potential reclaim of the annual fees as it deems appropriate.

    In addition, the Board proposes that the meeting fees for Board and Committee meetings remain at their current level. The meeting fees are based on travel required between the Board member’s home location and the location of a meeting and paid for a maximum of seven meetings per term as follows:

    • EUR 5 000 per meeting requiring intercontinental travel; and
    • EUR 2 000 per meeting requiring intracontinental travel.

    Only one meeting fee is paid if the travel entitling to the fee includes several meetings of the Board and the Committees. Moreover, it is proposed that members of the Board shall be compensated for travel and accommodation expenses as well as other costs directly related to Board and Committee work.

    13. Resolution on the number of members of the Board of Directors

    On the recommendation of the Corporate Governance and Nomination Committee, the Board proposes to the Annual General Meeting that the number of Board members be ten (10). However, should any number of the candidates proposed by the Board not be available for election to the Board, the proposed number of Board members shall be decreased accordingly.

    14. Election of members of the Board of Directors

    On the recommendation of the Corporate Governance and Nomination Committee, the Board proposes to the Annual General Meeting that for a term until the close of the next Annual General Meeting, the following persons are elected as Board members in an individual election:

    1)    Timo Ahopelto (current member);
    2)    Sari Baldauf (current member, Chair);
    3)    Elizabeth Crain (current member);
    4)    Thomas Dannenfeldt (current member);
    5)    Pernille Erenbjerg (new member candidate);
    6)    Lisa Hook (current member);
    7)    Timo Ihamuotila (new member candidate);
    8)    Mike McNamara (current member);
    9)    Thomas Saueressig (current member); and
    10)    Kai Öistämö (current member).

    The biographical details of all Board member candidates are presented on the Company’s website at www.nokia.com/agm2025.

    The Corporate Governance and Nomination Committee has assessed that the proposed Board members enable the efficient functioning of the Board and are qualified both collectively and individually based on their skills, experience and other personal qualities, taking into account the diversity principles established by the Board as well as the current and anticipated future needs of the Company.

    All proposed Board members have given their consent to be elected to the Board and been determined to be independent of Nokia and its significant shareholders under the Finnish Corporate Governance Code and the rules of the New York Stock Exchange, as applicable.

    The Corporate Governance and Nomination Committee intends to propose in the assembly meeting of the new Board of Directors to be held after the Annual General Meeting that Sari Baldauf be re-elected as Chair of the Board and Timo Ihamuotila be elected as Vice Chair, subject to their election to the Board.

    15. Resolution on the remuneration of the auditor

    On the recommendation of the Audit Committee, the Board of Directors proposes to the Annual General Meeting that the auditor to be elected for the financial year 2026 be reimbursed based on the purchase policy approved by the Board’s Audit Committee and the invoice approved by the Company.

    16. Election of auditor for the financial year 2026

    The Board of Directors proposes to the Annual General Meeting that the shareholders would elect the auditor for the financial year commencing next after the election. On the recommendation of the Audit Committee, the Board of Directors proposes to the Annual General Meeting that Deloitte Oy be re-elected as the auditor of the Company for the financial year 2026.

    Deloitte Oy has informed the Company that the key audit partner would be Authorized Public Accountant Jukka Vattulainen.

    17. Resolution on the remuneration of the sustainability reporting assurer

    On the recommendation of the Audit Committee, the Board of Directors proposes to the Annual General Meeting that the assurer of the sustainability reporting elected for financial year 2026 be reimbursed based on the purchase policy approved by the Board’s Audit Committee and the invoice approved by the Company.

    18. Election of the sustainability reporting assurer for the financial year 2026

    The Board of Directors proposes to the Annual General Meeting that the shareholders would elect the assurer carrying out the assurance of the sustainability reporting for the financial year commencing next after the election. On the recommendation of the Audit Committee, the Board of Directors proposes to the Annual General Meeting that Authorized Sustainability Audit Firm Deloitte Oy be re-elected as the sustainability reporting assurer for the financial year 2026.

    Deloitte Oy has informed the Company that in the event it is elected, the key sustainability partner will be Authorized Public Accountant (KHT) and Authorized Sustainability Auditor (KRT) Jukka Vattulainen.

    19. Authorization to the Board of Directors to resolve to repurchase the Company’s own shares

    The Board of Directors proposes that the Annual General Meeting authorize the Board of Directors to resolve to repurchase a maximum of 530 million shares, which corresponds to less than 10% of the Company’s total number of shares. The repurchases under the authorization are proposed to be carried out by using funds in the unrestricted equity, as resolved by the Board of Directors, which means that the repurchases will reduce the distributable funds of the Company.

    The price paid for the shares under the authorization shall be based on the market price of the Nokia shares on the securities markets on the date of the repurchase or a price otherwise formed in a competitive process. Shares may be repurchased to be cancelled, held to be reissued, transferred further or for other purposes resolved by the Board of Directors. The Company may enter into derivative, share lending or other arrangements customary in capital market practice. The shares may be repurchased otherwise than in proportion to the shares held by the shareholders (directed repurchase). The Board shall resolve on all other matters related to the repurchase of Nokia shares.

    It is proposed that the authorization be effective until 28 October 2026 and terminate the authorization for repurchasing the Company’s shares granted by the Annual General Meeting on 3 April 2024 to the extent that the Board has not previously resolved to repurchase shares based on such authorization.

    20. Authorization to the Board of Directors to resolve to issue shares and special rights entitling to shares

    The Board of Directors proposes that the Annual General Meeting authorize the Board of Directors to resolve to issue in total a maximum of 530 million shares through issuance of shares or special rights entitling to shares under Chapter 10, Section 1 of the Finnish Companies Act in one or more issues during the effective period of the authorization. The Board of Directors may issue either new shares or treasury shares held by the Company. The proposed maximum amount corresponds to less than 10% of the Company’s total number of shares.

    Shares and special rights entitling to shares may be issued in deviation from the shareholders’ pre-emptive rights within the limits set by law. The authorization may be used to develop the Company’s capital structure, diversify the shareholder base, finance or carry out acquisitions or other arrangements, settle the Company’s equity-based incentive plans or for other purposes resolved by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors shall resolve on all terms and conditions of the issuance of shares and special rights entitling to shares under Chapter 10, Section 1 of the Finnish Companies Act.

    It is proposed that the authorization be effective until 28 October 2026 and terminate the authorization for issuance of shares and special rights entitling to shares resolved at the Annual General Meeting on 3 April 2024.

    21. Closing of the Meeting

    B. Documents of the Annual General Meeting

    This notice and all the proposals by the Board of Directors relating to the agenda of the Meeting, including the updated Remuneration Policy, are available on the Company’s website at www.nokia.com/agm2025. The Remuneration Report as well as the “Nokia in 2024” annual report, which includes the Company’s Annual Accounts, the review by the Board of Directors including the sustainability statement, the auditor’s report and the assurance report of the sustainability statement, are available on the above-mentioned website on week 11 of 2025. The proposals by the Board of Directors and all other meeting documents will be available also at the Meeting. The minutes of the Annual General Meeting will be available on the Company’s above-mentioned website at latest on 13 May 2025.

    C. Instructions for the participants of the Annual General Meeting

    1. The right to participate and registration

    Each shareholder who is registered on the record date of the Meeting on 15 April 2025, in the register of shareholders of the Company maintained by Euroclear Finland Oy, has the right to participate in the Annual General Meeting 2025. A shareholder, whose shares are registered on their Finnish book-entry account, is automatically registered in the register of shareholders of the Company. The shareholders who do not have a Finnish book-entry account, please refer to the section 4. Holders of nominee-registered shares or the section 5. Holders of American Depositary Receipts (ADR) for further instructions.

    The registration period for the Annual General Meeting commences on 11 March 2025 at 10:00 EET. A shareholder, with a Finnish book-entry account, who wishes to participate in the Annual General Meeting, must register for the Meeting by giving prior notice of attendance no later than on 22 April 2025 at 16:00 EEST by which time the registration needs to be received by the Company. Such notice of registration can be given:

    a)   through the Company’s website at www.nokia.com/agm2025

    Registration by natural persons requires strong electronic authentication. In connection with the online registration the shareholder may also authorize a proxy representative and vote in advance. Registration by legal persons as shareholders requires them to provide the business identification code and the number of their Finnish book-entry account. For further information, please refer to the section 3. Proxy representatives and powers of attorney.

    b)   by letter to Nokia Corporation, Register of Shareholders, P.O. Box 226, Fl-00045 NOKIA GROUP; or

    c)   by telephone to +358 20 770 6870 from Monday to Friday at 09:00 to 16:00 (Finnish time).

    In connection with the registration, a shareholder is required to notify their name, personal identification number / birth date or the relevant business identification code, address, telephone number, the name of a possible assistant and the name and the personal identification number/birth date of a possible proxy representative.

    2. Advance voting

    Shareholders with a Finnish book-entry account may vote in advance on certain items on the agenda of the Annual General Meeting through the Company’s website at www.nokia.com/agm2025, either in connection with their registration or separately.

    The advance voting will open on 11 March 2025 at 10:00 EET and end on 22 April 2025 at 16:00 EEST.

    For natural persons, voting in advance requires strong electronic authentication through personal online banking credentials or a mobile certificate.

    Legal entities voting in advance requires them to provide the business identification code and the number of their Finnish book-entry account. In case a legal entity uses the electronic Suomi.fi authorization service, strong electronic authentication of the authorized individual is required either with personal online banking credentials or a mobile certificate. For further information, please refer to the section 3. Proxy representatives and powers of attorney.

    A proposal subject to advance voting is considered to have been presented unchanged at the Annual General Meeting.

    Shareholders who have voted in advance who wish to exercise their right to ask questions, demand a vote at the Annual General Meeting or vote on a possible counterproposal under the Finnish Companies Act must participate in the Annual General Meeting at the meeting venue in person or by way of proxy representation.

    Further instructions relating to the advance voting will be later available on the Company’s website at www.nokia.com/agm2025.

    For holders of nominee-registered shares, please note that the voting is carried out via the account manager of their custodian. The account manager may cast votes on behalf of the holders of nominee-registered shares that they represent in accordance with the voting instructions provided by the holders of nominee-registered shares during the registration period for the nominee-registered shares.

    3. Proxy representatives and powers of attorney

    A shareholder may participate in the Annual General Meeting by proxy. A proxy representative shall produce a dated proxy authorization document or otherwise in a reliable manner demonstrate their right to represent the shareholder. Should a shareholder participate in the Meeting by means of several proxy representatives representing the shareholder with shares in different book-entry accounts, the shares by which each proxy representative represents the shareholder shall be identified in connection with the registration for the Meeting.

    Proxy authorization documents should be delivered by email to agm@nokia.com or by letter to Nokia Corporation, Register of Shareholders, P.O. Box 226, Fl-00045 NOKIA GROUP at the latest by 22 April 2025 at 16:00 EEST. In case the proxy document is sent as a copy, we kindly ask the authorized person to present the original document at the Meeting venue. In addition to the delivery of proxy documents the shareholder or their proxy shall separately register for the Annual General Meeting.

    A template for the proxy document is available on the company’s website at www.nokia.com/agm2025.

    Shareholders may also use the electronic Suomi.fi authorization service instead of the traditional proxy authorization document. In this case, the shareholder authorizes a representative in the Suomi.fi service by using the mandate theme “Representation at the General Meeting”. More information available at www.suomi.fi/e-authorizations.

    4. Holders of nominee-registered shares

    A holder of nominee-registered shares has the right to participate in the Annual General Meeting by virtue of such shares, based on which they on the record date of the Annual General Meeting, i.e. on 15 April 2025, would be entitled to be registered in the shareholders’ register of the Company held by Euroclear Finland Oy. The right to participate in the Meeting requires, in addition, that the shareholder on the basis of such shares has been registered into the temporary shareholders’ register held by Euroclear Finland Oy at the latest by 24 April 2025 by 14:00 EEST. As regards nominee-registered shares this constitutes due registration for the Annual General Meeting.

    A holder of nominee-registered shares is advised to request without delay necessary instructions regarding the temporary registration in the shareholders’ register of the Company, the issuing of proxy authorization documents and registration for the Annual General Meeting from their custodian bank.

    The account manager of the custodian bank shall temporarily register a holder of nominee-registered shares, who wants to participate in the Annual General Meeting, into the shareholders’ register of the Company, and if necessary, arrange advance voting on behalf of the holder of nominee-registered shares in accordance with their voting instructions at latest by the time stated above, 24 April 2025 at 14:00 EEST.

    In order to take into consideration possible voting instructions of a holder of nominee registered shares at the Annual General Meeting, it is required that the shareholder has registered and is present or represented at the Annual General Meeting.

    For the sake of clarity, it is noted that holders of nominee-registered shares cannot register for the Annual General Meeting on the Company’s website, but they must be registered by their custodians instead. Further information on these matters can also be found on the Company’s website www.nokia.com/agm2025.

    5. Holders of American Depositary Receipts (ADR)

    A holder of American Depositary Shares (ADR) intending to vote at the Meeting shall without delay notify the Depositary Bank of Nokia, Citibank, N.A., of their intention and shall comply with the instructions provided by Citibank, N.A.

    6. Other instructions and information

    Information on the General Meeting required by the Finnish Companies Act and the Securities Markets Act is available on the Company’s website at www.nokia.com/agm2025. Pursuant to Chapter 5, Section 25 of the Finnish Companies Act, a shareholder who has given prior notice of attendance and is present at the Annual General Meeting has the right to request information with respect to the matters to be considered at the Meeting.

    The shareholders, their representatives and possible assistants are required to prove their identity at the entrance. The personal data collected will only be used in connection with the identity authentications and necessary registrations at the Annual General Meeting and related to it. For more information, please refer to the privacy statement of the Annual General Meeting on the Company’s aforementioned website.

    The Meeting venue can be easily reached by public transportation connections. The shareholders are asked to note that parking is subject to a charge at the nearby parking facilities.

    The Meeting will be conducted primarily in Finnish, but some presentations, such as the review by the President and CEO, will be held in English. Simultaneous translation will be available into Finnish, English and Swedish.

    Shareholders may follow the Meeting via a webcast and ask questions on the agenda items during the AGM through the webcast platform. Following the webcast is not considered participation or exercise of shareholders’ rights in the Meeting. No questions asked through the webcast are deemed to be presented pursuant to Chapter 5, Section 25 of the Finnish Companies Act. The questions may be considered in the Annual General Meeting in connection with each agenda item to the extent deemed appropriate by the Chair of the Meeting. More information on following the webcast will be later available on the Company’s website at www.nokia.com/agm2025.

    Changes in the number of shares held after the record date of the Annual General Meeting shall not have an effect on the right to participate in the Meeting nor on the number of votes held by a shareholder in the Meeting.

    On the date of this notice of the Annual General Meeting the total number of shares in Nokia Corporation is 5 605 850 345, representing the same number of votes.

    13 February 2025

    Nokia Corporation
    BOARD OF DIRECTORS

    About Nokia
    At Nokia, we create technology that helps the world act together.

    As a B2B technology innovation leader, we are pioneering networks that sense, think and act by leveraging our work across mobile, fixed and cloud networks. In addition, we create value with intellectual property and long-term research, led by the award-winning Nokia Bell Labs, which is celebrating 100 years of innovation.

    With truly open architectures that seamlessly integrate into any ecosystem, our high-performance networks create new opportunities for monetization and scale. Service providers, enterprises and partners worldwide trust Nokia to deliver secure, reliable and sustainable networks today – and work with us to create the digital services and applications of the future.

    Inquiries:

    Nokia Communications
    Phone: +358 10 448 4900
    Email: press.services@nokia.com
    Maria Vaismaa, Global Head of External Communications

    Nokia Investor Relations
    Phone: +358 931 580 507
    Email: investor.relations@nokia.com

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: GLMX and FlexTrade Announce a Strategic Collaboration to Deliver Seamless Trading and Enhanced Workflows

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, Feb. 13, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — GLMX Technologies LLC (“GLMX”), a leading global provider of transformative technology solutions for securities financing, money markets, and total return swaps, and FlexTrade Systems, a global leader in multi-asset execution and order management systems, have collaborated to allow their mutual clients to seamlessly manage their repo workflow and execution between the GLMX platform and FlexTrade’s Order and Execution Management (O/EMS) solutions suite.

    GLMX’s technology platform enables global financial market participants to negotiate and execute securities financing transactions and is used by over 140 buy- and sell-side institutions worldwide. GLMX’s new initiative with FlexTrade’s FlexONE OEMS and FlexTRADER EMS provides mutual clients with a comprehensive solution for managing the entire trade lifecycle–from order execution to post-trade compliance and reporting.

    As a result of the collaboration, FlexTrade and GLMX’s mutual clients can now gain greater control and efficiency through customizable and shared pre- and post-trade workflows. The newly created workflows allow trading teams to automate complex order routing and allocation strategies, minimize manual errors, and ensure adherence to regulatory requirements. 

    The new API integration is immediately available for deployment by mutual FlexTrade and GLMX clients. The first mover, a global asset manager, is already live and in production using the combined functionality between GLMX and FlexTrade’s FlexONE OEMS, with a second client, an APAC-based Hedge Fund, set to go live in Q1 2025.

    “Client demand for cross-market efficiency is a primary driver for GLMX to deliver new technologies and connectivity,” said Andy Wiblin, Chief Operating Officer, GLMX. “By partnering with FlexTrade, we aim to support our clients’ trading, risk management, and operational resilience efforts globally.”

    Satish Ramanath, SVP – Buy-Side, APAC at FlexTrade Systems, noted, “We’re delighted to make our new integration to the GLMX platform available for FlexTrade’s global asset management and hedge fund community. Working together with GLMX, we’ve provided our clients with a seamless and efficient means of accessing differentiated liquidity within their existing workflows.”

    About GLMX
    GLMX is a leading global provider of transformative technology for financial markets, serving clients in the repo market, the securities lending market, and adjacent short end markets.  With offices in North America, the United Kingdom, and Asia, global buy-side and sell-side institutions rely on GLMX for access to enhanced market liquidity and to maximize trade lifecycle efficiency and reporting.  For more information about GLMX, please visit https://www.glmx.com/.

    About FlexTrade Systems
    FlexTrade Systems provides customized multi-asset execution and order management trading solutions for buy- and sell-side financial institutions. Through deep client partnerships with some of the world’s largest, most complex, and demanding capital markets firms, we develop flexible tools, technology, and innovation that deliver our clients a competitive edge. Our globally distributed engineering teams focus on adaptable technology and open architecture to develop highly sophisticated trading solutions that can automate and scale with your business strategies.

    Media inquiries, please contact:
    GLMX
    +1 646 854-4569
    sales@glmx.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: VATICAN/GENERAL AUDIENCE – Pope Francis: “God does not dismantle the structures of the world, but wants to recreate them from within”

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Wednesday, 12 February 2025

    Vatican Media

    Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – When the Evangelist Luke tells us about the birth of Jesus, he shows us “the humility of a God who comes into history, does not dismantle the structures of the world, but wants to illuminate them and recreate them from within”, says the Pope’s catechesis at the general audience, read for the Pope by a member of the Secretariat of State, Father Pierluigi Giroli.In the cycle of catechesis – Jubilee 2025, Jesus Christ our Hope, the Pope deals with the event of the birth of Jesus with numerous quotes from the book “The Infancy Narratives” by Benedict XVI.The Son of God, says the Pope, “enters history as our travelling companion, and begins to travel while still in His mother’s womb. As soon as He was conceived, He went from Nazareth to the house of Zechariah and Elizabeth; and then, at the end of the pregnancy, from Nazareth to Bethlehem for the census. The long-awaited Messiah, allows Himself to be counted, that is, counted and registered, like any other citizen. He submits to the decree of an emperor, Caesar Augustus, who thinks he is the master of all the earth.”Luke places Jesus’ birth in “an exactly datable time” and in “an exactly indicated geographical setting”, so that “the universal and the concrete touch each other”. However, “Jesus is born a way entirely unprecedented for a king. The Son of God is not born in a royal palace, but at the back of a house, in the space where the animals are kept”.The evangelist “shows us that God does not come into the world with resounding proclamations, he does not manifest himself with noise, but begins his journey in humility”. And “the first witnesses” of this event are “the shepherds”, men who are “on the margins of society”. Nevertheless, the Pope said, “they practice the occupation by which God himself makes himself known to his people (cf. Gen 48:15; 49:24; Ps 23:1; 80:2; Is 40:11)”. They are the ones chosen by God “as the recipients of the most beautiful news that has ever resounded in history”.They are the first to learn “that the long-awaited Messiah is born in a very humble place, and he is born for them, to be their Saviour, their shepherd. This news opens their hearts to wonder, praise and joyful proclamation,” so that they “become the first to see the most essential thing of all: the gift of salvation”.At the end of the catechesis and the greetings in the other languages, the Pope took the microphone only for the greetings in Spanish and Italian to make another appeal for peace: “I think of the many countries that are at war. Sisters, brothers, let us pray for peace. Let us do our utmost for peace. Do not forget that war is a defeat. Always. We were not born to kill, but to make peoples grow. May pathways of peace be found. Please, in your daily prayer, ask for peace. Tormented Ukraine… how it suffers. Then, think of Palestine, Israel, Myanmar, North Kivu, South Sudan. So many countries at war. Please, let us pray for peace. Let us do penance for peace,” he concluded. (F.B.) (Agenzia Fides, 12/2/2025)
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    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: IBCA Community Update, 12 February 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Infected Blood Compensation Authority’s update that was circulated on 12 February 2025

    Documents

    IBCA Community Update, 12 February 2025

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    Details

    Infected Blood Compensation Authority’s update that was circulated on 12 February 2025

    Updates to this page

    Published 13 February 2025

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    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Home Secretary to appoint a Windrush Commissioner

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    An advertisement inviting applications to become the Windrush Commissioner has been launched today.

    Windrush communities will be given an independent voice within government as an advertisement inviting applications to become the Windrush Commissioner has been launched today (13 February). This will ensure the lessons of the Home Office Windrush scandal are driven forward, and that justice is finally delivered for victims.

    Having set out a fundamental reset of the government’s response to the scandal, the Home Secretary is committed to working more closely with communities affected by previous scandals as part of the plan for change.

    Delivering on the government’s manifesto promise, she intends to appoint the first ever Windrush Commissioner by the summer, following a rigorous recruitment process to select a candidate capable of driving forward change and holding government to account on its Windrush commitments.

    The commissioner will be an independent advocate for all those affected by the scandal, which saw thousands suffer through no fault of their own because of their inability to prove their right to live in the UK. The commissioner will engage with victims, communities and stakeholder organisations, and provide advice directly to ministers, to lead the change the Home Secretary is committed to delivering.

    The successful candidate will advise on the Home Office’s delivery of the compensation and status schemes and the implementation of the department’s response to the Windrush Lessons Learned Review, as well as acting as a trusted voice for families and communities, driving improvements and promoting lasting change.

    Minister for Migration and Citizenship, Seema Malhotra MP said:

    The appointment of a Windrush Commissioner will mark a vital step in resetting the government’s response to the Home Office Windrush scandal and delivering the change that the victims of this scandal want and deserve to see.

    This independent advocate will ensure the voices of victims and communities are heard and acted on throughout government. By engaging with communities, driving improvements, and holding government to account, the commissioner will help ensure that lasting change is delivered and the lessons of the past are truly learned.

    The Home Secretary and I look forward to working side by side with the successful candidate in this crucial work to ensure that such an injustice can never happen again, and that dignity is restored to those who have suffered.

    Jeremy Crook OBE, Chief Executive of Action for Race Equality, stated:

    We want the Windrush Commissioner to have the power and resources to engage with Windrush victims and community advocacy organisations, hold the government to account and drive positive change. Action for Race Equality looks forward to working with the new Windrush Commissioner.

    Upon appointment, the commissioner will work alongside the Windrush Unit, which was re-established by the Home Secretary, to oversee the department’s response to the scandal and embed permanent cultural change.

    This comes after the Home Secretary set out, in October, the first steps the government is taking to fundamentally reset how the government plans to right the wrongs of the Home Office Windrush scandal.

    As well as re-establishing the Windrush Unit, she committed to better supporting victims to apply for compensation with £1.5 million in grant funding to increase advocacy support.

    This government is determined to hear first-hand from the Windrush generation, their families and wider Commonwealth communities to ensure that their experiences are listened to and learned from.

    Updates to this page

    Published 13 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Policy paper: AI Safety Summit 2023: The Bletchley Declaration

    Source: United Kingdom – Prime Minister’s Office 10 Downing Street

    Declaration agreed by countries attending the AI Safety Summit 2023 at Bletchley Park, Buckinghamshire.

    Documents

    The Bletchley Declaration by Countries Attending the AI Safety Summit, 1-2 November 2023

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    Details

    The Bletchley Declaration on AI Safety announces a new global effort to unlock the enormous benefits offered by AI – by ensuring it remains safe.

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    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Automating intelligence tradecraft to stop more illegal freight

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Case study

    Automating intelligence tradecraft to stop more illegal freight

    Home Office Intelligence and Border Force work together to seize suspect freight consignments at the UK border but wanted to automate some of the risk analysis.

    Home Office Intelligence provides information to Border Force so suspect freight consignments arriving at the UK border can be stopped and seized. 

    A novel detection approach has been developed by a team of Home Office Intelligence investigators which queries the HMRC Compliance and Risk Engineering Solutions Team (CREST) for specific types of customs declarations and enriches this with other information including Companies House data.  

    The team of three is identifying 70 potentially suspicious companies each month, and there has been a 30-40% success rate in finding illegal commodities including cocaine, tobacco and synthetic opioids in containers compared to the 7% average for freight searches. 

    However, this risk analysis work – including filtering and analysing spreadsheets and desk research – is highly manual.

    So, Home Office Intelligence came to the Accelerated Capability Environment (ACE) to explore how technology can be used to help automate this process.

    The aim was to expand the number of companies assessed and maximise insights to both increase the rate of companies being referred for special inspection and the hit rate of those correctly identified as importing contraband. 

    Developing intelligence packages

    ACE worked with Home Office Intelligence and Border Force and Vivace supplier Faculty over 12 weeks to develop a rules-based proof of concept risk model that could develop intelligence packages. 

    By allowing intelligence officers to upload raw HMRC data and combining this with automated retrieval of Companies House data, it reduces the risk analysis process from around one week to minutes.  

    The risk model scores companies on their likelihood of being an importer of contraband according to 11 weighted rules. It can be used by the current operational team and presents results immediately. 

    Successful stops

    An operational trial identified hundreds of new companies for investigation out of which there were a number of successful stops.

    Initial forecasting shows the tool has the potential to almost double the seizures of contraband from suspicious shipments over the coming months by increasing both volume and hit rate.

    Additionally, data captured during this time will enable machine-learning approaches to be added to increase accuracy even further. 

    A roadmap and recommendations for how this risk model could be moved into wider operation was developed and further commissions focused on ongoing refinement and development are underway.

    Updates to this page

    Published 13 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The Vice-Rector of the State University of Management discussed the prospects for the development of the labor market at the Abalkinsky Readings forum

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: State University of Management – Official website of the State –

    On February 11, 2025, the Congress Hall of the Free Economic Society of Russia hosted the scientific forum “Abalkin Readings” on the topic: “Prospects for the Development of the Labor Market in Russia”, in which the Vice-Rector of the State University of Management Dmitry Bryukhanov took part.

    According to the results of the first three quarters of 2024, the unemployment rate in the country was at a historically low level of 2.6% (1.9 million people). During a meeting of the Council on Science and Education, Russian President Vladimir Putin emphasized that “the acute and sensitive shortage of personnel for Russian enterprises requires non-standard solutions.” Finding these solutions became one of the goals of the “Abalkin Readings.”

    Opening the scientific forum, the President of the Russian Economic Society, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences Sergei Bodrunov emphasized that the labor shortage is one of the key internal risks for the development of the Russian economy.

    “Resolving the problem of personnel shortage will allow realizing the growth potential of the Russian economy. This problem is structural in nature; in some industries, the labor shortage is felt very acutely. Among its causes are not only factors related to negative demographic trends. The sectors of the economy that employ a large number of low-skilled specialists have been greatly affected by the mass outflow of migrants. The shortage of employees is aggravated, among other things, by the forced structural restructuring of the economy. One of the solutions to the problem of personnel shortage is to increase labor productivity. Accordingly, investments in high technologies are necessary,” noted Sergei Bodrunov.

    According to estimates by the Institute of Economic Forecasting of the Russian Academy of Sciences, annual growth in labor productivity could amount to 3.4% in the long term up to 2050.

    “Russia has enormous potential for growth in labor productivity. In such activities as finance and insurance, the average annual growth rate of labor productivity up to 2035 could be 6% per year,” believes Alexander Shirov, Director of the Institute of Economic Forecasting of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and Member of the Presidium of the Russian VEO.

    There is a great need for workers and mid-level specialists in key sectors of the economy. According to experts, increasing the prestige of blue-collar jobs and developing secondary vocational education will help overcome the shortage of personnel in the short term.

    “According to statistics, two-thirds of school graduates receive higher education, and one-third – secondary specialized education. There is a shortage of personnel in blue-collar jobs. From the point of view of production and the labor market, this is the most important resource for reducing the labor shortage,” says Andrey Klepach, chief economist of the state development corporation VEB.RF and member of the Board of the VEO of Russia.

    Summing up the discussion, the head of the economics section of the Department of Social Sciences of the Russian Academy of Sciences, academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences Boris Porfiryev noted that the problem of labor shortage is complex, therefore a comprehensive, systemic approach is required from experts and politicians and their effective interaction so that the labor market is balanced and meets the needs of dynamic and sustainable development of the country’s economy in the long term.

    Subscribe to the TG channel “Our GUU” Date of publication: 02/13/2025

    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: WhiteBIT Freezes Over $150M: How the Exchange is Fighting Crypto Crime

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    VILNIUS, Lithuania, Feb. 13, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — WhiteBIT cryptocurrency exchange announced today that it has successfully secured over $150 million in at-risk cryptocurrency funds in 2024, further solidifying WhiteBIT’s role as a key partner in the fight against digital crime.

    According to the Chainalysis 2024 Crypto Crime Report, stolen crypto funds reached $2.2 billion globally, a 21.07% increase from the previous year. The number of hacking incidents rose from 282 in 2023 to 303 over the same period, reflecting an ongoing challenge for the industry in preventing and addressing security breaches.

    High-Profile Recoveries

    WhiteBIT’s efforts have been central to resolving several significant cases involving stolen crypto assets. As a result of these efforts, the company has safeguarded $4.8 million in stolen funds.

    The exchange successfully secured funds tied to XRP in an investigation involving Ripple co-founder Chris Larsen. In response to the Coinspaid breach, WhiteBIT froze significant amounts of cryptocurrency, helping to mitigate losses for the affected users. Additionally, the exchange acted swiftly during the TAO Holder case, identified by blockchain investigator ZachXBT, blocking a large sum of USDC and supporting law enforcement efforts in their recovery process.

    In April, cryptocurrency exchange Rain.com fell victim to a $16 million hack orchestrated by the North Korean hacking group Lazarus. Investigators collaborating with the FBI traced $760,000 in stolen SOL to WhiteBIT. In September, WhiteBIT had successfully returned the funds to the FBI pursuant to a Court Order, further aiding in the recovery process.

    Anti-Money Laundering Practices 

    WhiteBIT is dedicated to collaborating with law enforcement agencies globally to enhance security and protect users from fraudulent activities. The team places a strong emphasis on transparency and streamlined communication, ensuring that law enforcement can easily connect when needed.

    “Our approach goes beyond standard AML practices,” stated a representative from WhiteBIT’s Compliance department. “We leverage OSINT (Open-Source Intelligence) to uncover suspicious activities meticulously, utilize custom-built monitoring systems to detect and halt fraudulent transactions, and conduct manual investigations to ensure detailed and accurate assessments of flagged cases.”

    Insights on Cybercrime in 2024

    According to experts from WhiteBIT’s Compliance Department, the most common types of incidents on the exchange are as follows:

    1. Hacking of wallets through technical means—such as phishing, viruses, keyloggers, and direct hacking—accounts for 40% of the incidents on the exchange;
    2. Social engineering scams: Another 40% is attributed to scams involving promises of easy investment returns, often disguised as legitimate opportunities. They typically involve sophisticated tactics, including fake websites and multiple individuals interacting with victims to build trust;
    3. Scrolling scams: 10% of victims are lured through crypto-related Telegram channels. Initially, they make small profits, which leads to repeated investments, but eventually, the scammers disappear with the funds;
    4. The remaining 10% of incidents involve fake versions of the WhiteBIT website and compromised accounts.

    WhiteBIT’s Compliance department representative explains: “Weak passwords and lack of two-factor authentication (2FA) significantly increase the risk of compromising the accounts. At WhiteBIT, we mitigate these risks by storing 96% of funds in cold wallets, enforcing 2FA, and securing private keys with advanced encryption protocols.”

    Security Standards

    WhiteBIT is ranked among the top 5 most secure crypto exchanges globally by CER.live and is the first crypto exchange to achieve the CCSS Level 3 certification—the highest security standard in the crypto industry at the moment. This distinction underscores the exchange’s proactive efforts to safeguard users and assets against increasingly sophisticated cyber threats.

    WhiteBIT remains at the forefront of crypto security, combining innovation, compliance, and swift action to tackle emerging threats. In a year marked by record-breaking crypto crime, WhiteBIT’s efforts have not only safeguarded millions but also set a benchmark for the entire industry.

    About WhiteBIT

    WhiteBIT is the second largest exchange globally by traffic, offering over 700 trading pairs, 330 assets, and supporting 9 fiat currencies. Founded in 2018, the platform is a part of WhiteBIT Group that serves more than 35 million customers worldwide. WhiteBIT collaborates with Visa, FACEIT, FC Barcelona, and the Ukrainian National Football team. WhiteBIT is among the five most secure crypto exchanges according to CER.live and is the first and only crypto exchange to achieve the CCSS Level 3 certification — the highest cryptocurrency security standard in the industry to date. The company is dedicated to driving the widespread adoption of blockchain technology worldwide.

    This material does not pertain solely to the company’s European transactions but applies to the activities of all WhiteBIT Group companies globally.

    Contact
    WhiteBIT
    pr@whitebit.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e47ba98c-787c-4782-97d1-09ac56e68207

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Arbitral tribunal appointed for the arbitration proceedings concerning the redemption of minority shares in Innofactor Plc

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Innofactor Plc | Stock Exchange Release | February 13, 2025 at 14:50 EET

    Arbitral tribunal appointed for the arbitration proceedings concerning the redemption of minority shares in Innofactor Plc

    As previously announced, Onni Bidco Oy (“Onni Bidco”) has, by submitting an application to the Redemption Board of the Finland Chamber of Commerce dated December 2, 2024, commenced redemption proceedings in respect of Innofactor Plc’s (“Innofactor”) minority shares by initiating arbitration proceedings in accordance with Chapter 18, Section 3 of the Finnish Companies Act in order to obtain ownership of all the issued and outstanding shares in Innofactor. Onni Bidco served its application to appoint an arbitral tribunal and to initiate arbitration proceedings in accordance with Chapter 18, Section 5 of the Finnish Companies Act on January 7, 2025.

    Onni Bidco has today been informed that the Redemption Board of the Finland Chamber of Commerce has appointed an arbitral tribunal consisting of three members for the arbitration proceedings concerning the redemption of the minority shares in Innofactor. The arbitral tribunal consists of Independent Arbitrator Heidi Merikalla-Teir (chair), Professor Emeritus, LL.D., Trained on the bench Raimo Immonen and D.Sc. (Econ.), CVA Harri Seppänen.

    Investor and media enquiries:

    Veera Vitie (Innofactor), ir@innofactor.com, +358 44 331 0207
    Lasse Lautsuo (Innofactor), ir@innofactor.com, +358 50 480 1597

    Distribution:
    NASDAQ Helsinki
    Main media
    www.innofactor.com

    ABOUT INNOFACTOR

    Innofactor is the leading promoter of the modern digital organization in the Nordic countries for its approximately 1,000 customers in the commercial and public sectors. Innofactor has the widest solution offering and leading know-how in the Microsoft ecosystem in the Nordics. Innofactor’s offering includes planning services for business-critical IT solutions, project deliveries, implementation support and maintenance services, as well as own software and services. Innofactor employs nearly 600 experts in Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Norway. Innofactor’s shares are listed on Nasdaq Helsinki with the ticker symbol IFA1V.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Envisioning Tomorrow: The Role of CBDCs in Europe’s Digital Financial Ecosystem | Frankfurt Digital Finance Conference

    Source: Bundesbank

    Check against delivery.

    1 Introduction

    Good morning ladies and gentlemen and thank you very much for your warm welcome.

    I am honoured to have been invited back to this year’s Frankfurt Digital Finance Conference in this wonderful building here in Frankfurt’s Palmengarten and to have been asked to hold a keynote to kick off today’s event.

    Allow me to begin my keynote this morning with a quote attributed to Oscar Wilde: The future belongs to those who recognise opportunities before they become obvious. These words, ladies and gentlemen, could not be any better suited to our financial ecosystem. 

    And it is precisely opportunities that I wish to address in my keynote today – the opportunities provided by central bank digital currencies, or CBDCs for short. A subject that is as timely as it is significant.

    2 The future is digital

    We are at the cusp of a new era. One in which the digitalisation of the financial sector is not just an option but a necessity. New technologies are venturing into the realm of payments and new forms of money, such as digital central bank currencies and stablecoins, are also emerging as alternatives to physical cash.

    These developments all pose new challenges for central banks. Ultimately, central banks must continue to ensure secure and efficient payments in line with their mandate and redefine their role in an increasingly digitalised world in order to maintain the public’s trust in our monetary system.

    The question that we therefore now face is: how do we respond to these technological challenges?

    And that is precisely why we in the Eurosystem – by that I mean the European Central Bank and the national central banks of the euro-area member states, including the Bundesbank – are taking a proactive approach to actively help shape the future of Europe’s digital financial ecosystem.

    3 What are we aiming to achieve with the introduction of a digital euro?

    One could argue that the Eurosystem already offers enough sufficiently well-functioning products, be it physical banknotes and coins or cashless payment instruments. After all, these have proven their worth for decades. Yet at the same time, we cannot simply ignore the evolving world around us. In an increasingly digitalised society, we must adapt to the changing needs and demands of consumers and rethink our payment services. 

    Let me outline the three key motivations behind the possible introduction of a retail CBDC in Europe – a digital euro, which we sometimes like to summarise as resilience, autonomy and efficiency.

    Let me first start with resilience. The foundation of an independent and efficient monetary policy is the adoption and use of the euro. By providing our common currency – the euro – in its form as legal tender and as a modern “all-in-one” digital payment solution, we are paving the way for our currency to enter the digital age, making it “future-proof” and fit for purpose in an increasingly digital society.

    The digital euro would thereby help to preserve the euro’s fulfilment of the core monetary functions and shield the euro area from competing foreign currencies as well as foreign – and potentially unregulated – stablecoins by safeguarding the anchor function of central bank money.

    Second, the digital euro is necessary to improve the autonomy of the European payment system. In its current form, the European payments landscape is highly dependent on non-European providers. Almost 25 years after the introduction of the euro, we still do not have a digital payment solution that can be used across the entire euro area and that runs on a European infrastructure, which, in my view, is not compatible with the concept of a single European market. Although a small number of successful payment innovations have emerged across the euro area over the past years, such as iDEAL in the Netherlands or BIZUM in Spain, the reach of these payment solutions usually ends at national borders.

    As a result, payments in Europe are largely dependent on international schemes, primarily those in the United States. At present, just under two thirds of all card payments in the euro area are processed by non-European providers. And I believe that Europe’s dependencies in the digital age are likely to increase if we do not fundamentally take matters into our own hands. 

    Third, is the issue of efficiency. By creating a pan-European payment rail in a technically modern form, we would foster competition and innovation in payments across Europe, which we believe is the best path towards efficiency in payments. The payment initiatives we have today, such as BIZUM or WERO, would be able to integrate the digital euro into their payment applications, thereby enabling them to gain instant European reach.

    4 What would a digital euro be for the common citizen?

    Although the issues I have just touched upon are very important, they are not necessarily of primarily relevance for the daily life of a majority of citizens in Europe. Hence, what would the digital euro be from the perspective of the customer?

    I believe that the digital euro would not just be a commitment to Europe’s autonomy, increase the resilience of our payment system and foster competition and innovation, it would also improve payments and make life easier for the 350 million residents of the euro area.

    The digital euro would serve as an additional means of payment alongside cash. As a digital upgrade of banknotes and coins, it would be an “all-in-one payments solution”, as we like to call it, which means it can be used in almost all everyday payment situations, including at retail checkouts, transactions among family and friends, online purchases, and payments to or from public authorities. Furthermore, it would be the first digital currency which could be used both online and offline. That is to say, also in the event of a loss of internet reception.

    Moreover, the design of the digital euro would ensure that it would offer the highest possible level of user privacy, comparable only to cash. No other digital means of payment in Europe currently offers all these features.

    Despite the many benefits the digital euro would bring for Europe as a whole, we must, nevertheless, proceed with caution. The introduction of a digital euro raises important questions about privacy, security, and the impact on financial stability and monetary policy. We must ensure that the digital euro upholds the highest standards of data protection, that it is resilient against cyber threats, and that it does not have a negative impact on financial stability.

    5 Wholesale CBDC

    Digitalisation raises questions not only in terms of how we intend to continue providing access to central bank money for our European citizens in future, but also in terms of how we intend to supply money to our wholesale customers. It is and will remain essential that we are able to settle digital transactions using new and innovative technologies, such as distributed ledger technology (DLT) in central bank money. An entire ecosystem is currently evolving around the tokenisation of securities, which involves all parts of the financial system.

    Like other financial players, the Bundesbank, and also the Eurosystem as a whole, see the significant benefits that the use of these new technologies can bring. The advantages of DLT, such as automated settlement by means of smart contracts and reduced reconciliation needs, are clear.

    But to fully harness this potential, we also need an innovative settlement mechanism for the cash leg – one which settles transactions in central bank money. We are therefore working on developing wholesale solutions that enable banks to settle DLT–based financial market transactions in central bank money. 

    The Eurosystem recently completed an exploration phase together with the market, which ran from May to November 2024, during which we tested various new technologies for wholesale central bank money settlement using real transactions. The Bundesbank also participated in this exploration phase with its “Trigger solution”, which builds a bridge between DLT platforms and the conventional TARGET payment system. The feedback we have received from the market so far has been very positive. I think we can already say that the exploration phase was a complete success.

    The anticipated benefits of DLT are seen as having the potential to address and overcome the ecosystem’s current shortcomings, such as fragmentation, complexity, over-intermediation, and technological inefficiencies, which hinder the growth of a digital capital markets union. 

    By developing a new ecosystem from the ground up, it could be made more integrated and harmonised, featuring a “common set of rails” – a shared ledger or a network of fully interoperable ledgers – that would guarantee reachability, open access, and compatibility across the services of all participants.

    Our primary focus is now on implementing a short-term wholesale solution to meet the immediate and growing demands of the market. This will buy us some much-needed time to continue working on a vision for a long-term solution for wholesale CBDC. A solution which must ultimately go hand in hand with the evolving financial market ecosystem.

    6 Business-to-business (B2B) payments

    Alongside its work into the possible introduction of a digital euro and the exploration of wholesale CBDC, the ECB, together with the Eurosystem, has also been turning its focus to another area of payments – one which is increasingly gaining traction: business-to-business payments, or B2B payments for short.

    To fully leverage the potential of the evolving payments landscape in the area of CBDCs, last October the ECB organised a special focus workshop on innovations in B2B payments and the role central bank money could play. 

    This workshop provided a one-of-a-kind platform to learn more about the potential use cases out there in the market. Given the high level of interest shown in the first focus workshop, I’m sure this will not be the last one of its kind.

    7 Outlook

    Ladies and gentlemen,

    The introduction of the digital euro and the exploration of wholesale CBDC and B2B use cases are not just a technical exercise, but a clear commitment to the innovative strength and competitiveness of Europe.

    The Bundesbank and the Eurosystem are determined to play an active role in shaping this digital transformation.

    It is, however, crucial that we continue working together and pool our resources and expertise in order to fully exploit the opportunities offered by digitalisation to create a strong, stable and future-proof digital financial ecosystem for Europe.

    Thank you for your attention.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Thales, Amelia and Breakthrough Energy Contrails launch one of world’s largest Contrail Avoidance campaigns

    Source: Thales Group

    Headline: Thales, Amelia and Breakthrough Energy Contrails launch one of world’s largest Contrail Avoidance campaigns

    • Thales, in collaboration with the airline Amelia, and Breakthrough Energy Contrails, announces the large-scale deployment of a contrail avoidance solution, which has already been tested on the flight routes from Paris and Valladolid (Spain). Contrails are one the major challenges in the ecological transition in aviation and this initiative has helped avoid more than 20 tonnes of CO2 equivalent (CO2eq) in 2024, reducing the climate impact1 of each flight by up to 40%.
    • By modifying the altitude of the planes rather than their lateral trajectory, the solution optimizes flight plans and thus limits the potential overconsumption of fuel to under 3%. Amelia plans to further expand this initiative in 2025, progressively applying it to most of its eligible flight operations, making this experiment one of the largest in the world.
    • With this solution, Thales, a key player in more sustainable aviation, offers a systematic approach that can be quickly integrated by all airlines, seeking to reduce their environmental impact as of today.
    Embraer ERJ145 ​ © Nuno SELETTI” id=”image-1c147064-50ec-4ee9-986b-d5d9003dca99″ data-id=”1c147064-50ec-4ee9-986b-d5d9003dca99″ data-original=”https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/1c147064-50ec-4ee9-986b-d5d9003dca99/-/inline/no/%28c%29+Nuno+SELETTI.png” data-mfp-src=”https://cdn.uc.assets.prezly.com/1c147064-50ec-4ee9-986b-d5d9003dca99/-/resize/1200x/-/format/auto/” alt=”Embraer ERJ145 © Nuno SELETTI”/>
    Embraer ERJ145 ​ © Nuno SELETTI

    Thales, in partnership with Amelia and Breakthrough Energy Contrails, takes a major step towards more environmentally friendly aviation, by implementing an innovative contrail avoidance solution.

    Since June 2024, Thales’ contrail avoidance solution has been deployed on all Paris-Valladolid flights operated by Amelia, using Embraer ERJ145 aircraft. This initiative is part of the DECOR project, supported by France’s 2030 investment plan.

    Contrails, the artificial clouds produced by aeroplanes, trap heat from the sun, playing a role similar to that of greenhouse gases and thus significantly contributing to global warming. The impact of contrails can represent a significant part of the total climate footprint of aviation, rivalling even that of CO2.

    By integrating its solution with Amelia’s Operational Control Center (OCC) tools, Thales enables OCC operations agents to directly obtain alternative trajectories to their flight plans, combining controlled operational impact and a significant reduction in contrails.

    When a significant impact of contrails is detected, the Thales solution, Flights Footprint, suggests flight alternatives that allow for a significant reduction in climate impact, with a minimum average decrease of up to 40% in the total climate impact of the flight. This flight optimization relies solely on adjustments to the aircraft’s altitude, without changing their route, which helps to keep additional fuel consumption to below 3%.

    Yannick Assouad, Executive Vice-President, Avionics, Thales said: “Thales’ contrail avoidance solution is a first for France. It is fully aligned with Thales’ strategy aiming to transform the aerospace industry towards a more environmentally-friendly future through technology, for more sustainable and responsible aviation”.

    Based on proven scientific principles, this innovative solution utilizes the latest weather forecasts and the most advanced climate models provided by Breakthrough Energy Contrails to optimize the flight plan. At the end of each flight, these climate models, enriched by meteorological reanalysis data, are applied to the actual flight path of the aircraft to assess the effectiveness of avoiding contrail formation areas. Additionally, the installation of a ground camera, supplied by Reuniwatt, enables the solution’s effectiveness to be validated through the direct observation of contrails, thanks to the analyses conducted in partnership with the digital services company SII.

    This project has prevented an average of more than 4 tons of CO2 equivalent (CO2eq) per flight, initially affected by contrails. Amelia has decided to extend this system to eligible flights in 2025, becoming the first airline to systematically implement a contrail avoidance approach.

    Adrien Chabot, Director of Sustainable Development at Amelia said: “Taking condensation trails into account allows for the analysis of the total climate impact of our operations and thus a better optimization of them. The challenge is to significantly and quickly reduce our impact on climate change by continuing the deployment of the Thales solution initiated in 2022. Today, it is probably one of the most promising approaches in terms of cost/benefit regarding climate impact.”

    This solution, accessible and easily deployable, creates new horizons for all airlines, paving the way for more sustainable and responsible aviation on a global scale.

    Matteo Mirolo, Head of Strategy at Breakthrough Energy Contrails said: “The impact of contrails on the climate, similar to that of CO2, is one of the major challenges of the ecological transition in aviation. We are delighted to collaborate with Thales to implement large-scale pilot avoidance campaigns, like this one done with Amelia, which are crucial when considering the eventual deployment of systematic avoidance measures.”

    1 Cumulative impact of CO2 and non-CO2 effects.

    About Thales

    Thales (Euronext Paris: HO) is a global leader in advanced technologies specialized in three business domains: Defence & Security, Aerospace, and Cyber & Digital.

    It develops products and solutions that help make the world safer, greener and more inclusive.

    The Group invests close to €4 billion a year in Research & Development, particularly in key innovation areas such as AI, cybersecurity, quantum technologies, cloud technologies and 6G.

    Thales has close to 81,000 employees in 68 countries. In 2023, the Group generated sales of €18.4 billion.

    About Amelia

    A major player in the aviation industry in Europe and Africa since 1976, Amelia is a French aeronautics group that ensures flight operations and the monitoring and maintenance of its aircraft.

    Amelia’s fleet, consisting of 18 aircraft, meets the needs of its various activities, chartering on behalf of major international airlines, medical evacuations, and charter flights.

    Amelia is a member of IATA since November 2022, endorsing the wider Fly Net Zero commitment to reach net zero emissions by 2050.

    Press contact : communication@flyamelia.com

    About Breakthrough Energy Contrails

    Breakthrough Energy Contrails is a non-profit initiative aimed at transforming contrail research into climate action. 

    Partnering with academic institutions, airlines, and technology companies, the team develops forecasting and flight planning tools to help airlines avoid high-impact contrail formation. 

    As part of the Breakthrough Energy platform, the initiative integrates technology, operations, and policy expertise to deliver scalable solutions for a clean aviation future.

    For more information, visit contrails.org.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Business Secretary sets out ambition for further, faster growth

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds spoke at Samsung KX in London on 13 February 2025.

    Good morning, and thank you very much for that warm introduction, Alan, and my sincere thanks to the whole team here at Samsung for so generously hosting us, today. 

    It’s actually quite emotional to be honest, it would have been someone like my grandfather who dug out that coal, sent it down here, and a few generations later I get to be on this stage doing this.

    But Samsung is a company synonymous with the best in cutting-edge design and innovation;  and much of it is on full display here within these four walls. 

    It is a fitting venue to discuss this government’s ambition to go further and faster in our growth mission…ensuring that your investments that you outlined here in the UK pay dividends. 

    Three years ago, I gave my first speech as the then Shadow Business Secretary – and I promised we would be both a pro-business and a pro-worker party…  

    …A party rooted not just in the experience of working people, but which recognises, above all else, that you cannot rebuild an economy without a flourishing private sector; backed by an unapologetically pro-business government.  

    I committed to partnering with you in making our offer to the country one you could get behind.  

    And you gave us the ideas, energy and, in some cases, explicit support that was needed to win a strong majority and an even stronger mandate from the British people. A mandate to deliver our Plan for Change.  

    Today, I want to reflect on the progress that we have made as a government. I want to talk candidly about what I believe we need to do; 

    …And I want to provide a clear direction, some reassurance and – I hope – some excitement and optimism about the future.  

    Now I am extremely proud of the work that my department has done in the first seven months of this Government.  

    That includes our record-breaking International Investment Summit…where we secured £63bn of inward investment commitments for the UK… 

    …that was where we published our Industrial Strategy Green Paper… 

    …and where we launched our Industrial Strategy Council expertly led by Clare Barclay. I’m so glad Clare could join us ahead of the council’s meeting later today.  

    Building on from the investment summit, at Davos last month, the Chancellor and I sent a clear message to the international community: that the UK is a great place to invest and do business. We have the lowest corporation tax in the G7, uncapped R&D tax credits, and 100% full expensing on capital allowances.  

    And ahead of our Trade Strategy’s publication, we are leveraging our relationships with Europe, China, India and the Gulf and beyond so businesses can make the UK their base to connect with global markets.  

    And this is important, because in response to the announcements made by the US this week, I want to reiterate that under this government, the UK will always champion free, fair and open trade. That is what is in our national interest. 

    And where we have seen the opportunity for an active government to bring business and workers together, my department has always been on the pitch… 

    …Whether that’s securing a better deal for the workforce at Port Talbot

    …engaging on the takeover of Royal Mail…  

    …Or the renegotiated deal that saw Navantia acquiring Harland and Wolff and protect 1,000 jobs at shipyards across the UK. I will always roll up my sleeves and get involved.

    But – being candid – none of this work in itself is sufficient, if it does not lead across the board to improved business confidence, to greater investment, and to higher household income, in every part of the country. 

    And on that I, and the whole government, recognise the challenge, and we accept it. 

    In the Budget the government had a responsibility to fix the foundations and restore economic stability.  

    And while I recognise that the Budget capped corporation tax, extended capital allowances, and raised the employment allowance threshold from this April, I know it asked a great deal of business. I don’t underestimate that for a second.  

    We will never take that contribution – your contribution – for granted. 

    You are playing your part in fixing this country, in stabilising the public finances, in investing in our people and helping us rebuild our crumbling infrastructure.   

    And we know it is imperative that therefore we clear the path for the private sector to thrive… that we deliver the right conditions for growth.  

    It’s why, on top of the £100 billion of investment unveiled at the Budget, this Government has thrown its full support behind a third runway at Heathrow. 

    It’s why we’re making the Oxford Cambridge growth corridor a success with the right transport and public services to foster growth. 

    It’s why through our expanded Office for Investment and the National Wealth Fund we will be supporting transformative investments throughout the country from West Yorkshire to the West Midlands, and Glasgow and Greater Manchester. 

    The challenges we face as government make all the things we promised to do even more critical.  

    And I relish that. 

    And I don’t believe there are easy answers to complex problems. 

    But I do believe that good policy, good strategies, and good government working hand-in-hand with the private sector, can make a difference. 

    And I want my constituents to feel, and to be, better off. 

    And only a pragmatic, business-orientated government can deliver that. 

    And that to me is what being pro-worker, and pro-business means. 

    And I believe this national UK Government is able to deliver on this mission because, fundamentally, we can offer what no-one else can:  

    First of all, political stability – sadly, a rare commodity in many countries these days. 

    Secondly, openness to the rest of the world – at a time where that is clearly coming under pressure. 

    And most importantly of all, we are offering a willingness to use our mandate in Parliament to transform the business and investor environment. 

    And we are using our Industrial Strategy to ensure that our policies are made with business, for business. 

    As you know, in October last year, we consulted on our Industrial Strategy Green Paper; our blueprint to channel investment and support into our country’s high-growth sectors and high potential places. 

    In that green paper, we posed a series of questions, and you answered in great detail. You told us that you need access to a high-skilled workforce.  

    And that is why we have launched Skills England, bringing in flexibilities for the Growth and Skills levy, allowing for shorter apprenticeships and giving employers more control over training. 

    Meanwhile our Great Britain Working White Paper has already set out detailed plans to support people back into work.  

    And for key sectors such as AI and life sciences, we’ve committed to looking at visa routes for the most highly skilled, ensuring those routes continue to work for the UK. The upcoming Immigration White Paper will set out plans to make our immigration, skills, and visa systems work better and more coherently.   

    You told us that planning has become a by-word for inefficiency.   

    So, we’re making it quicker and simpler for developers to build on brownfield land. 

    We’re making it much easier to build laboratories, gigafactories, data centres, and digital network grid connections.  

    And we’re preventing campaigners from repeatedly launching hopeless legal challenges against planning decisions.   

    You have also told us that access to capital needs drastic improvement.  

    Here again we’re listening and we’re responding. That is why the Government is creating pension megafunds, unlocking billions of pounds of investment. At the same time, we’re delivering on Lord Hill’s Listing Review to allow the FCA to rewrite the UK’s Prospectus Regime for faster fund-raising.

    And, finally, you told us that we need a ‘regulation reset’ in this country.  

    Day in, day out I hear from business leaders who say to me that regulation and regulators are too cumbersome.  

    They’re too slow.  

    They’re too focused on theoretical issues, with little understanding of how businesses and markets actually operate. 

    And I’ve heard that message loud and clear.  

    One of our foremost regulators, the Competition and Markets Authority, has recently made great strides in addressing some of these issues. 

    And today, my department is publishing a consultation on a new Strategic Steer for the CMA to accelerate this work.  

    This isn’t about meaningless platitudes – about the ‘cutting of red tape.’  

    It’s about effective consumer protection, competition law and digital market powers so that we create a level-playing field for businesses to compete on. We need to address genuine harm done by those who are not playing by the rules.  

    Our Strategic Steer asks the CMA to minimise uncertainty for business – by being proactive, transparent, timely, predictable and responsive in its engagement.  

    And I know, under Sarah Cardell and the new Interim Chair, Doug Gurr, the CMA has already taken significant steps in adopting this approach…in always having growth and investment in mind.  

    Its extensive work around the merger of Vodafone and Three is a fantastic example of that…as is the CMA’s launch of a Growth and Investment Council to identify opportunities for greater competition.  

    And there is more to come. 

    I know Sarah and the CMA have set out their plans to deliver real, meaningful reforms to the merger control processes already today. Its eyes are trained firmly on more direct engagement with businesses. On speeding up its decision-making to deliver more certainty for investors. On adopting a faster, more agile approach to protecting competition.  

    I fully endorse these measures because this Government believes in effective, independent institutions. In promoting competition and protecting competition – that is fundamental to our growth mission. And with the current CMA team in place, we want to support them every step of the way in the changes they’re making.  

    I want to see that same level of ambition from our other regulators because right now, I don’t think our regulatory environment is doing enough to drive investor confidence and support growth.  

    So, I’m taking this first step today but watch this space.  

    I’m serious about delivering our wider regulatory reform over the coming weeks and months… 

    …I’m also serious about building the pro-innovation, pro-worker, pro wealth creation economy that we promised at the general election. I know you in the room share that commitment, too. 

    I’m proud of the reforms that we’ve set out in the Employment Rights Bill – of the opportunities they will afford working class families and working-class communities like the one I grew up in.  

    I want everyone to benefit from the stronger economy I know we can have.

    But I always said, however, that we would work with – and not against – business to deliver these generational reforms.  

    I said that we would never introduce changes that would make it harder for firms to hire with confidence.  

    And this is precisely why my department is consulting on many of the key aspects of our Make Work Pay reforms – not least on probationary periods.  

    I want a statutory probation period that lets businesses get a good sense of how new employees are performing.  

    And it’s common sense to ensure that there are lighter touch standards for dismissal during those initial months of people starting a job. 

    I know how important this is for employers. And I get it.  

    It’s why my department will continue to engage face-to-face with business to develop a sensible, balanced proposal before we go out for formal consultation.  

    And we will also consult on the length of the statutory probation period, with our preference being 9 months.  

    We have also made clear that the changes we make to unfair dismissal will come into effect no sooner than the autumn of next year.  

    I want there to be a buffer – a proper, business readiness period – so employers fully understand the details of our reforms, and can prepare long before they enter into force.  

    That is the right thing to do – for both employers and employees.  

    So, let there be no doubt – we are still the party of business.  

    And we are willing to do the difficult things.  

    Be that a third runway at Heathrow, a step change at the CMA, or stopping endless court challenges over the job-creating projects this country needs. 

    We can share our ideas and ambition with each other. 

    Take the big bets.         

    Take some risks.

    Be the disruptors.

    My desire to be your champion in government has never wavered.  

    And it is as resolute now as ever. 

    We have to go further and faster in driving growth.  

    And, friends, together, I know that we will.   

    Thank you very much.

    Updates to this page

    Published 13 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Kazakhstan: Authorities must drop politically motivated charges against satirical blogger  

    Source: Amnesty International –

    Ahead of the start of the trial in Kazakhstan of Temirlan Ensebek, a blogger who has been charged with “inciting interethnic discord” and faces up to seven years in jail for a year-old post on his Instagram page, Marie Struthers, Amnesty International’s Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, said:  

    “This is not the first time that the Kazakh authorities have targeted Temirlan Ensebek for his free expression. 

    This politically motivated prosecution is part of a wider crackdown on civil society

    “This politically motivated prosecution, which relies on a vague and overly broad definition of ‘incitement’ within Kazakhstan’s Criminal Code, is part of a wider crackdown on civil society.  

    “Free expression is not a crime and the authorities must end their misuse of the criminal justice system and the charge of ‘discord’ to suppress dissent and silence critical voices. These baseless charges must be dropped and Temirlan Ensebek should be immediately released from detention.” 

    Background  

    Temirlan Ensebek, manages the satirical Instagram account Qaznews24. He was arrested on 17 January and remanded in pretrial detention for two months. 

    He has been charged under article 174 of Kazakhstan’s Criminal Code on vague charges of “inciting interethnic discord”. 

    Ensebek’s post on the Qaznews24 Instagram account featured a Russian TV presenter, with a song conveying hostile feelings against Russians.

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Secretary-General/African Union Summit, France, Yemen & other topics – Daily Press Briefing

    Source: United Nations (Video News)

    Noon briefing by Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.

    Highlights:
    – Secretary-General/African Union Summit
    – Secretary-General/France
    – Yemen
    – Namibia
    – Security Council/Syria
    – Occupied Palestinian Territory
    – Democratic Republic of Congo/Peacekeeping
    – Democratic Republic of Congo/Humanitarian
    – Bangladesh
    – International Day
    – Guest Tomorrow
    – Financial Contribution

    SECRETARY-GENERAL/AFRICAN UNION SUMMIT
    On Thursday morning, the Secretary-General will arrive in Addis Ababa, in Ethiopia, to take part in the 38th African Union Summit.  While there, he is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with the leadership of the African Union Commission, Ethiopian authorities as well as Heads of State and Government from the continent.
    On Friday, he is also scheduled to take part in meetings of the AU Peace and Security Council at the level of Heads of State and Government, concerning the situations in Sudan and the Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.
    On Saturday morning, the Secretary-General will attend the opening session of the African Union Summit. He will deliver remarks, during which he will reaffirm that the partnership between the United Nations and the African Union has never been stronger.
    He is also expected to reiterate his calls for reforms of the international financial architecture, as well as for permanent representation of African countries at the Security Council.
    On Saturday, the Secretary-General is also scheduled to hold a press conference. 

    SECRETARY-GENERAL/FRANCE
    Before leaving Paris for Addis Ababa to attend the African Union Summit, the Secretary-General visited the headquarters of Reporters Sans Frontières, where he met with its Director General, Thibaut Bruttin.
    Addressing the staff, the Secretary-General said that organizations like RSF are on the front line in the common fight for truth against fiction, for science against conspiracy, and for the fight against impunity when journalists face violence and even death. 
    The Secretary-General said the struggle to defend freedom of the press and the journalists themselves is essential to preserve our democracies.

    YEMEN
    The Secretary-General strongly condemned the death in detention on 10 February of a World Food Programme (WFP) colleague who had been arbitrarily detained by the Houthi de facto authorities since 23 January 2025. The circumstances surrounding this deplorable tragedy remain unclear, and the United Nations is urgently seeking explanations from the Houthi de facto authorities.
    The Secretary-General has called for an immediate, transparent and thorough investigation and for those responsible to be held accountable. In his statement, he said that the continued arbitrary detention of dozens of personnel from the United Nations, national and international non-governmental organizations, civil society organizations, and diplomatic missions, is unacceptable. He renewed his call for their immediate and unconditional release.

    Full Highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/ossg/noon-briefing-highlight?date%5Bvalue%5D%5Bdate%5D=12+February+2025

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2VnzpsJw4U

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: UK Watch live: Lords marks Holocaust Memorial Day 2025

    Source: United Kingdom UK House of Lords (video statements)

    Find out more and see who’s taking part https://www.parliament.uk/business/news/2025/february/lords-marks-holocaust-memorial-day-2025/

    Catch-up on House of Lords business:

    Watch live events: https://parliamentlive.tv/Lords
    Read the latest news: https://www.parliament.uk/lords/

    Stay up to date with the House of Lords on social media:

    • X: https://twitter.com/UKHouseofLords
    • Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/houseoflords.parliament.uk
    • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/UKHouseofLords/
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    • Threads: https://www.threads.net/@UKHouseOfLords

    #HouseOfLords #UKParliament

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3nK1VWCdSI

    MIL OSI Video –