NewzIntel.com

Category: Europe

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warnock Successfully Pushes Trump Administration to Rehire Hundreds of Unfairly Fired CDC Workers

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock – Georgia

    Warnock Successfully Pushes Trump Administration to Rehire Hundreds of Unfairly Fired CDC Workers

    Following a months-long pressure campaign from Senator Reverend Warnock, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is reportedly reinstating more than 400 people who were unfairly fired
    The news follows previous successful efforts by Senator Warnock to pressure the administration to reinstate CDC probationary staff and fellows who work on public health threats
    Senator Reverend Warnock: “I have been pressuring this administration for months to reinstate unfairly fired workers at the CDC so they can continue doing the critical work of keeping our families and communities safe from infectious diseases and other public health crises. I’m glad they have heard our calls to reverse course”

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) released the following statement regarding his successful efforts to push the Trump Administration to rehire unfairly fired workers at the Georgia-based CDC:

    “The rehiring of hundreds of dedicated health workers, many of whom call Georgia home, is welcome news for those of us who believe that public health is vital to our wellbeing and safety—not a political game. I have been pressuring this administration for months to reinstate unfairly fired workers at the CDC so they can continue doing the critical work of keeping our families and communities safe from infectious diseases and other public health crises. I’m glad they have heard our calls to reverse course and have seen the results of their reckless mistakes and rehired some of these workers. But we must remain vigilant, because this administration is determined to dismantle our public health system, which ensures our food and water are safe, our brave servicemembers stay healthy when serving abroad, and top researchers have the resources they need to combat heart disease, maternal mortality, cancer, and diabetes. I will continue to call for all these unjustly fired workers to be rehired,” said Senator Reverend Warnock.

    Last month during a Senate Finance Committee hearing, Senator Warnock demanded answers from the nominee to be the Deputy Secretary at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) about the wrongful firings of high-performing public health experts. In April 2025, Senator Warnock rallied in the streets of Atlanta with current and former employees of the CDC to show support for the Georgians who have been callously fired from their life-saving work at the public health institution. In March 2025, Senator Warnock successfully pressured the administration to reinstate CDC probationary staff and fellows who work on public health threats. Last year, the Senator visited the CDC in Atlanta, Georgia for the first time as Senator to learn about the agency’s efforts to protect public health, including work to combat the maternal mortality crisis and how federal funding plays a role in keeping Georgia and the country safe from infectious diseases. During Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy’s nomination hearing in committee, Senator Warnock spoke at length defending the importance of the CDC which employs over 10,000 hardworking Georgians. Shortly after, the Senator spoke for nearly an hour on the Senate floor, in large part in defense of the CDC’s critical work to defend public health and national security. The Senator continued to pressure HHS Secretary Kennedy to reverse the CDC firings.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Additional £96m for the Crown Prosecution Service

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Additional £96m for the Crown Prosecution Service

    The Crown Prosecution Service’s (CPS) Spending Review settlement increases the organisation’s funding by more than 10% from 2026 to 2029.

    The Attorney General Lord Hermer KC said:

    The criminal justice system was on the brink of collapse and courts in crisis after fourteen years of neglect. We need to make our streets safe again, while also rebuilding confidence in the system.

    That is why I welcome the Chancellor’s record investment into the future of CPS as part of the government’s Plan for Change to deliver safer streets and swifter justice.

    This additional £96m for the Crown Prosecution Service will help protect victims by tackling the backlog, speeding up justice and unlocking digital developments through AI so we can keep dangerous offenders off our streets – and importantly, deliver a justice system that serves victims.

    Director of Public Prosecutions Stephen Parkinson said:

    The funding announced will help the Crown Prosecution Service meet the significant challenges of the future while focusing on our number one priority: to reduce delays so victims get justice sooner.

    This settlement will mean more prosecutors who can charge cases and get them ready for court, bringing more criminals to justice and giving closure to more victims – which in turn makes our streets safer.

    It will also help unlock the potential of artificial intelligence and other technologies which will mean our prosecutors can work more efficiently, helping us do even more with this much needed funding.

    For background

    The Crown Prosecution Service’s (CPS) Spending Review settlement increases the organisation’s funding by more than 10% from 2026 to 2029.

    This settlement recognises the significant pressure CPS continues to be under due to increasing demand on the criminal justice system.

    The additional £96m over the Spending Review period will allow CPS to:

    • increase the number of prosecutors
    • build capacity and capability through focused recruitment and development schemes
    • continuously improve the quality and efficiency of CPS’s service
    • enable CPS to continue to play part in the cross-government effort to reduce delays in the justice system
    • invest in improving the experience of the prosecution process for victims and witnesses
    • Further funding will also be made available to develop key digital programmes –Digital Jury Bundles, in-house technology, and artificial intelligence (AI) capability – increasing productivity and efficiency and enhancing the quality of CPS services. 
    • Funding for digital innovation will enable the CPS to drive value for money to create a leaner, more efficient service for victims and witnesses.

    Updates to this page

    Published 12 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two men convicted following fatal stabbing in Tower Hamlets

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Two men have been convicted of the fatal stabbing of 23-year-old Abdul Jalloh in Tower Hamlets last year.

    Shamiah McKenzie, 18 (01.08.06), of Colvin Close, Lewisham was found guilty of murder and Codee Godfrey, 19 (25.12.05), of Grosvenor Wharf Road, Tower Hamlets, was found guilty of manslaughter at the Old Bailey on Thursday, 12 June.

    In a trial which started on Monday, 28 April, the court heard that police were called at around 16:15hrs on Monday, 5 August 2024 to reports of a stabbing on New Union Close, E14.

    The jury were told Abdul was attacked while unarmed and vulnerable behind the wheel of his car.

    Despite the best efforts of emergency services, Abdul died a short time later as a result of a stab wound to his neck.

    Detective Chief Inspector Paul Waller, from Specialist Crime North – who led the investigation – said: “Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Abdul Jalloh, who lost a loved one in shocking circumstances.

    “By carrying and using a knife, McKenzie’s callous act demonstrates once again the devastating and far-reaching effects of knife crime.

    “I therefore commend the officers who worked incredibly hard to build evidence against McKenzie and Godfrey in order to prove that there could be no doubt as to their guilt. London will be a safer place with them taken off the streets.

    “I also want to thank the local community who came forward to assist officers with footage they had on the day. They displayed immense courage in giving evidence to the court.”

    A manhunt began immediately, with officers painstakingly combing through hours of CCTV footage and digital evidence to understand what took place, identify the attackers and track their movements after they fled the scene.

    As a result of this meticulous work, officers were also able to show the jury how the pair had been circling the Isle of Dogs on bicycles for more than an hour looking for Abdul.

    After the attack they threw the knife and its sheath and McKenzie’s bicycle into the Thames at Caledonian Wharf. As paramedics tried to save Abdul’s life, the pair packed their bloody clothing and footwear into bags.

    Officers uncovered that they changed into summer clothes and then disposed of the bags and two mobile phones in nearby bushes. In the bag officers found £3k worth of cannabis, £2k in cash, a vacuum sealing machine used to package drugs, and business cards containing their phone numbers.

    McKenzie and Godfrey were so confident in their changed appearance that they returned to the Thames Path which was full of officers who were searching for Abdul’s killers.

    However, they themselves into police on Thursday, 8 August 2024 and were charged the following day.

    McKenzie and Godfrey will be sentenced on Friday, 20 June at the Old Bailey.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: 8th Wall Studio Wins Best Developer Tool Award at AWE USA 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LONG BEACH, Calif., June 12, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — 8th Wall, the 3D Engine for the AI era, has been awarded Best Developer Tool for 8th Wall Studio at the prestigious Auggie Awards, held during Augmented World Expo (AWE) USA 2025, the world’s largest event dedicated to augmented and virtual reality. The award recognizes excellence in empowering creators and developers to build groundbreaking immersive content, highlighting 8th Wall’s role as a leader in the XR development landscape.

    8th Wall Studio disrupts the legacy game engine model with a streamlined, browser-based platform designed to accelerate 3D and XR development. Developers can now build immersive experiences with AI-powered tools, real-time editing, and one-click deployment across web and native apps for mobile, desktop, and XR headsets.

    This recognition comes just as 8th Wall officially launched the general availability of Studio, a next-generation 3D development platform that marks a significant leap forward for developers. Newly released features include the AI-native Asset Lab, which allows creators to instantly generate images, 3D models, and animated characters using integrated generative AI tools such as OpenAI’s GPT Image 1 and Meshy. Studio’s native app export capability now supports Android, with iOS and other platforms coming soon, giving developers true cross-platform freedom.

    “Studio represents a new era in 3D and XR development, one where AI accelerates creativity, and cross-platform deployment is seamless,” said Erik Murphy-Chutorian, Founder of 8th Wall. “Winning this award at AWE reinforces our belief that the future of immersive content will be built in the browser, powered by AI, and accessible to everyone.”

    8th Wall is also pleased to recognize ARKx, Saatchi & Saatchi Germany, and Form&Fun Studio for winning Best Campaign for the OREO x PAC-MAN: The SuperMarcade AR experience powered by 8th Wall. Also a Webby and Cannes Lions winner, this immersive activation transformed supermarkets into real-life AR PAC-MAN mazes.

    Held annually, AWE USA draws over 5,000 attendees, 250 exhibitors, and 450 speakers across the XR ecosystem. Now in its 16th year, the event is focused on the AI+XR imperative, spotlighting how artificial intelligence is accelerating the adoption and potential of extended reality.

    Developers can start building with 8th Wall for free at www.8thwall.com. For the month of June, new signups get 50 additional bonus credits to do even more with 8th Wall’s new advanced features such as Asset Lab and native app export.

    About 8th Wall
    8th Wall is an award-winning 3D & XR development platform that makes it possible to build interactive, immersive content that can be experienced on any device. 8th Wall supports billions of devices globally and has been used by developers, agencies and creative studios to create 3D/AR activations for brands across industry verticals including retail, food and beverage, travel and tourism, automotive, fashion, sports and entertainment. 8th Wall has powered WebAR experiences for top brands such as Nike, Porsche, Sony Pictures, Burger King, General Mills, British Gas, Heineken, McDonald’s, Swiss Airlines, Toyota, Red Bull, Adidas, COACH and more. 8th Wall, LLC is a subsidiary of Niantic Spatial, Inc. Learn more about 8th Wall at www.8thwall.com.

    Media Contact
    Joel Udwin
    press@8thwall.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: XRP News: Strong Momentum Spotted in Nimanode Presale as It Explodes Past 15% of Softcap – Don’t Miss Out

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LEEDS, United Kingdom, June 12, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As BTC reclaims $110,000 and Etherum poised to break it’s early high, early talks of recovery in the crypto markets are here, however while it might seem a bit late to take a position in the rally markets, valuable Altcoins such as Nimanode is poised to give those explosive returns in the markets.

    As the XRP Ledger is experiencing a surge of renewed momentum as Nimanode the first AI agent platform with a no-code builder on XRPL advances through its high-demand $NMA Token Presale raising over 15% of its soft cap target and the excitement just intensified.

    Join $NMA Presale

    All Eyes on Nimanode – Dont Miss Out

    FOMO is already building up as the Nimanode Presale momentum indicates strong confidence from early investors citing a belief in the project.

    Demand for the NMA token has also surged as tokens are set to be listed at an upward 25% price from presale prices at top XRPL exchanges like Magnetic, instant returns for early investors.

    How to Join in the Nimanode Presale

    Joining in the NimaNode Presale is quite straightforward

    Purchase XRP: Acquire XRP from reputable exchanges like Binance, Coinbase, or Bybit.

    Setup an XRP-Compatible Wallet: Send your XRP to an XRP compatible Wallet (e.g. Xaman).

    Participate in the Presale: Visit the NimaNode presale page (https://nimanode.com/presale), send your XRP to the provided presale address, and secure your $NMA tokens.

    There is a Limited Time Period of 30 Days for the Presale and it’s pricing is going at 1 XRP = 450 $NMA

    As Nimanode Presale gains momentum, now is a perfect opportunity to position at the next wave of Blockchain innovation poised for massive gains through the integration of Web3 and AI.

    Why Investors are Scooping Up $NMA

    From the desk of the development team at Nimanode, they are set to deliver an Agentic workforce handling various tasks autonomously. Features of these Ecosystem include but not limited to

    Zero-Code Agent Builder: Create and launch AI agents through an intuitive drag-and-drop interface
    Autonomous On-Chain Agents: Agents can interact with dApps, execute logic, and respond to events
    Decentralized Agent Marketplace: Allows the community to deploy and monetize AI Agents
    Cross-Chain & Off-Chain Integration: Enable automation across multiple networks and external APIs

    $NMA – Fueling the Nimanode Ecosystem

    With 90 million $NMA tokens representing 45% of the total supply allocated for the presale, early birds have a rare opportunity to seize the advantage and invest in $NMA before its DEX Listing at 25% higher value mainly because of it various utilities in their ecosystem which include:

    Agent Deployment – Launching agents when holding a minimum $NMA balance

    Agent Upgrades – Skilled developers can hold $NMA to build custom agents and upgrades to them

    Agent Marketplace – Use $NMA to access premium agents or receive exclusive discounts

    Staking Benefits – Stake $NMA to earn passive income through the platform’s reward pool

    Governance Access – Participate in protocol decisions and vote on proposals that shape Nimanode’s future

    Join $NMA Presale

    Nimanode is a decentralized AI agent platform built on the XRP Ledger, offering no-code and developer tools to deploy on-chain AI agents that automate blockchain activity, optimize protocol interaction, and monetize intelligent services. By bridging AI with decentralized infrastructure, Nimanode is building the next evolution of digital work and Web3 automation.

    Connect with Nimanode

    Website: https://nimanode.com

    Twitter/X: https://x.com/nimanodeai

    Telegram: https://t.me/nimanodeAI

    Documentation: https://docs.nimanode.com

    Contact:
    Nick Lambert
    contact@nimanode.com

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

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

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/625cd0fe-6362-4233-a6d5-86f2e209233d

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New artillery factory opens in Sheffield creating 200 skilled jobs

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3

    Press release

    New artillery factory opens in Sheffield creating 200 skilled jobs

    British exports and sovereign manufacturing have been boosted today with the opening of a new state-of-the-art artillery factory in Sheffield, creating 200 skilled British jobs. 

    • State-of-the-art artillery manufacturing facility opens in Sheffield. 
    • Defence Secretary visits new factory, which will create 200 skilled jobs and support more than 60 businesses in the supply chain. 
    • Export deals enable new facility to open, highlighting how defence is an engine for growth and supporting the Government’s Plan for Change. 

    The new factory, run by BAE Systems, was opened by the Defence Secretary John Healey, who visited the site today. The facility positions Sheffield as the home of UK artillery howitzer production, showing how defence is an engine for growth and a foundation of the Government’s Plan for Change.

    Successful export deals of more than £25 million made this factory possible, showcasing the British defence industry’s design and engineering prowess globally. It will create apprenticeship opportunities and support 60 businesses across the UK supply chain.

    This comes the week after the Government’s Strategic Defence Review (SDR) which confirmed a major £6bn commitment to munitions production this parliament, including £1.5bn for an ‘always on’ pipeline for munitions and at least six new energetics and munitions factories, meaning that the UK can innovate and rapidly restock key ammunition.  

    Defence Secretary, John Healey MP said: 

    This new factory is a big boost for South Yorkshire and a significant step forward in strengthening our British defence industrial base. This is a vote of confidence in our world-leading defence sector and good, skilled British jobs, underpinned by this government’s Plan for Change.

    I welcome BAE Systems’ long-term commitment to this new site, which demonstrates how defence can be an engine for growth, bringing investment and opportunities to communities across the UK, including right here in South Yorkshire.

    The facility covers 94,000 sq ft, making it significantly larger than the pitch at Wembley stadium, and will manufacture the only combat-proven 155mm lightweight howitzer in the world, the British M777.

    The investment comes as the UK continues its support for Ukraine, while developing sovereign British manufacturing. Earlier this year, the Ministry of Defence awarded BAE Systems a contract to deliver 150 British-designed artillery barrels to Ukraine, working with nearby Sheffield Forgemasters to fulfil the government’s commitment.

    Fully operational later this year, the factory will initially focus on M777 lightweight howitzer manufacturing, with capacity to expand production lines. The site will evolve to develop and produce a range of world-class combat systems.

    Updates to this page

    Published 12 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Chinese Premier Meets ECB Chief

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    BEIJING, June 12 (Xinhua) — Chinese Premier Li Qiang met with European Central Bank (ECB) President Christine Lagarde in Beijing on Thursday, calling for greater openness and cooperation between the two sides.

    Recalling that this year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the European Union, Li Qiang said China hopes to continue making efforts with the EU to consolidate political mutual trust, expand practical cooperation and jointly promote development and prosperity.

    As the head of the Chinese government noted, the economies of China and the EU are highly complementary, China has the advantage of a super-large market and continues to reveal its market potential. The parties have significant potential for cooperation in many areas, Li Qiang added.

    As two major economies and two major forces, China and the EU should carry out closer multilateral coordination, promote openness and cooperation, and make greater contributions to global economic recovery and improving global governance, the premier said.

    In addition, Li Qiang expressed China’s intention to strengthen cooperation with the ECB in such aspects as reforming the international monetary system. He also assured that China will resolutely expand its opening up to the outside world and share its development opportunities with all countries.

    K. Lagarde, for her part, noted that customs and trade wars will only lead to mutual loss; firm adherence to multilateralism and strengthening openness and cooperation are the right choice.

    As noted by K. Lagarde, the ECB is pleased to jointly establish with China the mechanism of central bank governors’ meetings and hold the first meeting within its framework, and also seeks to strengthen communication and coordination with Chinese financial institutions, expand and deepen areas of cooperation, jointly addressing global challenges. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: There are no specific agreements yet on the possibility of a personal meeting between the presidents of Russia and the United States – new Russian ambassador to the United States

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    Moscow, June 12 /Xinhua/ — There are no specific agreements yet on the possibility of a personal meeting between the presidents of Russia and the United States, the new Russian ambassador to the United States Alexander Darchiev said in an interview with TASS on Wednesday.

    “Contacts at the highest and high levels require careful preparation in terms of achieving significant results. In terms of planning, they are assumed, but at this stage, direct dialogue and exchange of signals are supported by intensive telephone communication. As for the possibility of a personal meeting between the presidents of Russia and the United States, there are no specific agreements on this matter yet,” A. Darchiev noted.

    According to him, Russia’s interaction with the United States on strategic stability cannot be separated from the overall situation in the military-political sphere. “In conditions where, under the previous administration, Washington became a de facto party to the conflict in Ukraine, and military assistance to the regime in Kyiv continues after the change of power in the White House, we cannot expect any progress in this sensitive area,” the ambassador noted.

    He stressed that a chance could only arise with a sustainable normalization of bilateral relations and US recognition of the fundamental postulates on which strategic stability is based: the indivisibility of security, equal interaction, and a willingness to take into account the inextricable link between strategic offensive and defensive weapons.

    “It should be especially noted that the widely advertised American plans for the accelerated creation of a multi-layered missile defense system, the Golden Dome, which has a clearly expressed and purely destabilizing space component, with the declared intention of intercepting enemy targets before launch, further delay the prospects of restarting the dialogue between Russia and the United States on strategic issues,” A. Darchiev emphasized. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: One Survivor Found After Indian Plane Crash – Media

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    NEW DELHI, June 12 (Xinhua) — One passenger from a plane that crashed in western India has been found alive hours after the tragedy, the Ahmedabad police chief confirmed on Thursday.

    However, the identity of the survivor has not yet been established.

    “Police have found one survivor sitting in seat 11A. He is currently undergoing medical treatment. I cannot say anything about the number of casualties yet. The death toll may increase as the plane crashed in a residential area,” Ahmedabad Police Chief G S Malik was quoted as saying.

    The Air India flight had 169 Indians, 53 British, seven Portuguese and one Canadian on board. The plane crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, about 17 km south of Gandhinagar, the capital of Gujarat state.

    There were also 12 crew members on board. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Breaking: G. Zandanshatar appointed as new Prime Minister of Mongolia

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    ULAN BATOR, June 13 (Xinhua) — Mongolian Presidential Administration Chief of Staff Gombojavyn Zandanshatar was appointed as the new prime minister of Mongolia on Friday following a plenary session of the State Great Khural (parliament) of the country.

    His candidacy was submitted to the deputies for consideration by the President of Mongolia Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh. 92.3 percent of legislators voted for the candidacy of G. Zandanshatar. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: The transatlantic race to create the television

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Donald McLean, Honorary Lecturer in Early Television, University of Glasgow

    Number 1519 Connecticut Avenue lies just north of Dupont Circle, just over a 20-minute walk from the White House in Washington DC. In 1921, the inventor Charles Francis Jenkins set up his laboratory and offices there, upstairs from a car dealership.

    Today there are no obvious external indications of this famous resident, nor of his exceptional achievements, awards and numerous patents. A hundred years ago at his laboratory, on June 13 1925, Jenkins gave a demonstration of a televised film sent by radio waves from a building 10km away at what is now the US Naval Research Laboratory in Bellevue, DC.

    The invited group of mostly government officials included the secretary of the navy, Curtis D. Wilbur. They watched with fascination a film that showed a silhouette of a toy windmill with its blades in motion. The television picture comprised 48 lines, refreshed at the silent-movie rate of 16 per second.

    The Washington newspaper headlines the following day hailed the demonstration as the “first motion pictures transmitted by radio”. Hobbyist magazines reported fervently that “television is here!”, calling Jenkins the “father of television”.

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

    Today those announcements seem over-enthusiastic. Television as an operational service still had a long way to go to have the quality and range to make consumer devices feasible. All the same, they were right in anticipating where Jenkins’ demonstration might lead.

    By that July, Jenkins had demonstrated vision and sound transmitted together on a single short-wave radio frequency. The published technical details indicate a high degree of sophistication in his designs, as might be expected from someone with a background in precision phototelegraphy (transmitting images over wires).

    Parallel development

    Jenkins had an impressive track record as an inventor. He and his business partner, Thomas Armat, are generally accepted as the originators of the intermittent drive system for motion picture film projectors in the early 1910s. This made it possible to move films one frame at a time through a projector, enabling smooth playback without any flickering.

    For this landmark work, Jenkins won the prestigious Elliott Cresson Medal from the Franklin Institute and became the founder and first president of the Society of Motion Picture Engineers in 1916.

    In the early 1920s he then developed a practical means of sending images of weather charts by radio to ships at sea. It was this phototelegraphy work that led him into experiments in televising silhouettes of live and filmed scenes. He claimed that he first demonstrated the technology to witnesses in June 1923.

    Nevertheless, the Scottish inventor John Logie Baird beat him to become the first to do a public demonstration, in London over three weeks in March and April 1925. Baird, who had been working on the technology since early 1923, showed live moving images in reflected light transmitted by radio to enthusiastic crowds in Selfridges department store. With only eight lines per picture, he carefully chose simple objects that would be easily identifiable.

    In the US, Jenkins had doubled down on improving the image quality for his demonstration. His persistence with back-lit silhouettes today seems odd considering most TV programmes would come to be televised in reflected light. Baird’s preference for showing recognisable facial features in reflected light gained him widespread recognition for his demonstration of 30-line television in January 1926.

    Jenkins nevertheless launched his silent silhouette video service for hobbyists on the radio station W3XK in July 1928, around the same time as similar offerings from companies that included General Electric (GE) and the Radio Corporation of America (RCA). By the end of that year, there were thought to have been as many as 15 television stations operating in the US.

    Like Baird and Jenkins’ methods, many of these early stations relied on mechanically rotating disks with patterns of holes to scan images line by line. They were all very low on detail, but were still heralded as proof of concept for television. A key factor in their acceptance was the uncanny ability of human vision to recognise facial expressions along with natural body motion in poor quality images.

    Later in 1928, Baird went on to demonstrate colour, early 3D (stereoscopic), and transatlantic television all for the first time, though more as a way of attracting financial backing than presenting prototypes of future offerings. Unlike Jenkins, who earned money from his earlier inventions and patents, Baird relied largely on funding from investors to grow his business, which aimed to develop and commercialise his mechanical television technology.

    What came next

    Mechanical television was short-lived. Around 1931 RCA and EMI (Electric and Musical Industries), soon to become the key players in broadcasting infrastructure in the US and UK, had independently predicted insufficient public interest in this technology. With its inherently limited image quality, they thought it couldn’t support a viable business.

    Swift advances in electronics continued unabated throughout the interwar years. This allowed successful development of alternative, superior television systems using ideas from scientists such as Boris Rosing in Russia and Alan Archibald Campbell-Swinton in the UK.

    RCA and EMI focused their respective resources on developing vastly superior electronic television systems. These scanned and reproduced images using electron beams that are fired inside a glass unit known as a cathode ray tube to capture and show the transmitted moving picture on the screens of people’s TV sets. Those pictures had around 100 times the information content of the earlier mechanical equivalents.

    This made the many early mechanical television services attain one more “first”: becoming obsolete. In just over 15 years from Jenkins’ 1925 demonstration, first the UK and then the US would launch new operational broadcast television services for the public that completely overshadowed the earlier pioneering work.

    Jenkins did not live to see those new systems. His health deteriorated from late 1930 and he died in 1934 aged 66, leaving behind a superb legacy of a full career in inventions.

    John Logie Baird operating his mechanical television system in 1931.
    Wikimedia, CC BY-SA

    Baird continued to work as a TV pioneer in the 1930s and 1940s, dedicated to exploring colour television and cinema projection. He died in 1946 at the age of just 57.

    Jenkins’ and Baird’s original pioneering efforts, and the excitement they generated, are still rightly heralded by many people today. We can now only imagine how it must have felt to see moving images transmitted from miles away for the first time. It’s incredible to reflect that what was once considered magic so quickly became mundane.

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

    – ref. The transatlantic race to create the television – https://theconversation.com/the-transatlantic-race-to-create-the-television-258726

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: France’s final nuclear tests in the South Pacific, 30 years on

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Roxanne Panchasi, Associate Professor, Department of History, Simon Fraser University

    Former French President Jacques Chirac encounters a protest from members during an official visit to the European Parliament in Strasbourg in July 1995.
     (European Parliament)

    In recent months, the viability of France’s nuclear arsenal has been making headlines with talk of a French “nuclear umbrella” that might shield its allies on the European continent. In the face of the Russia-Ukraine war, and Russian President Vladimir Putin’s statements regarding the possibility of deploying nuclear weapons in that conflict, the question of how to best defend Europe has taken on an urgency not seen since the height of the Cold War.

    Despite its more robust nuclear weapons capabilities, the United States in the Donald Trump era appears less committed to the defence of its NATO allies. Debates about a French nuclear umbrella aside, these discussions — combined with increased military spending worldwide and resurgent fears of nuclear war — make the history of France’s nuclear readiness and weapons testing feel uneasily current.

    In June 1995, French President Jacques Chirac announced that France would resume testing nuclear weapons in the South Pacific. Just weeks after being elected to office, Chirac ended a three-year moratorium on testing that his predecessor, François Mitterrand, had put into effect in April 1992.

    Chirac insisted this additional series of weapons tests was essential to France’s national security and the continued independence of its nuclear deterrent. The eight planned detonations scheduled to take place over the next several months would, he claimed, provide the data needed to move from real-world detonations to computer simulations in the future. He also said it would enable France to sign the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban-Treaty (CTBT) banning all nuclear explosions, for military or other purposes, by the fall of 1996.

    France’s history of nuclear tests

    A report on France’s nuclear tests in the South Pacific. (Disclose)

    Chirac’s June 1995 announcement, followed by the first new detonation in September that year, provoked intense opposition from environmental and peace groups, and protests from Paris to Papeete, throughout the Pacific region and across the globe.

    Representatives from the world’s other nuclear-armed states expressed concern that France was choosing to conduct further tests so close to a comprehensive ban. The governments of Australia, New Zealand and Japan also registered their staunch opposition, issuing diplomatic statements, calling for the boycott of French goods and pursuing other measures of rebuke.

    A defensive posture had been a pillar of France’s nuclear weapons policy since the nation first entered the atomic club in 1960 with the detonation of Gerboise Bleue, a 70-kiloton bomb, at Reggane in Algeria. The following three atmospheric and 13 underground Saharan tests resulted in serious long-term health and environmental consequences for the region’s inhabitants.

    In 1966, France’s nuclear testing program relocated to Maō’hui Nui, colonially known as “French Polynesia.”

    The next 26 years saw a further 187 French nuclear and thermonuclear detonations above and beneath the Pacific atolls of Moruroa and Fangataufa. They exposed the local population to dangerous levels of radiation, contaminating food and water supplies, and harming corals and other forms of ocean life.

    These experiments — along with the final six underground detonations the French carried out in 1995 and 1996 — left a toxic legacy for generations to come.

    Inadequate compensation for lingering harm

    When Chirac shared his rationale for France’s latest nuclear test series with a room full of journalists gathered at the Elysée Palace in June 1995, he was adamant that these planned tests, and all of France’s nuclear detonations, had absolutely no ecological consequences.

    Today, we know this claim was more than incorrect. It was a falsehood reliant on data and conclusions that grossly underestimated the harmful impact that France’s nuclear testing program had on the health of French soldiers and non-military personnel onsite, inhabitants in the surrounding areas and the environments where these explosions took place.

    Most recently, during the 2024 Paris Olympics, there was an evident deep contradiction between “French Polynesia” as a tourist paradise and idyllic location for the Games’ surf competitions and a space of continuing injustice for test victims that highlights the history of France’s nuclear imperialism in the region.

    In 2010, the French government passed the Morin law ostensibly aimed at addressing the suffering of those significantly harmed by radiation during France’s nuclear weapons detonations from 1960 through 1996.

    The number of people who have been successful in their applications for recognition and compensation remains inadequate, particularly in Algeria. Out of the 2,846 applications submitted by only a fraction of the thousands of estimated victims, just over 400 people in Maō’hui Nui and only one Algerian have received compensation since 2010.

    In 2021, French President Emmanuel Macron acknowledged that France “owes a debt” to the people of Maō’hui Nui. He has since called for the opening up of key archives pertaining to this history, but there is much more work to be done on all fronts.

    The findings of a recent French parliamentary commission on the effects of testing in the Pacific, scheduled to be released soon, may contribute to greater transparency and justice for victims in the future.

    In Maō’hui Nui, demands for acknowledgement and restitution have been intertwined with the independence movement, while confronting the impact and legacies of the nuclear detonations in Algeria has been fraught with tensions between Algeria and France over the colonial past.

    Future of the test ban treaty

    In January 1996, France conducted its last nuclear test by detonating a 120-kiloton bomb underground in the South Pacific. In September, France added its signature to the CTBT, joining the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, China and 66 other states without nuclear weapons in their commitment not to engage in further nuclear explosions in any context.

    Almost 30 years later, the CTBT has still not come into force. While most signatories have ratified the treaty, China, Egypt, Iran, Israel and the U.S. are among the nine that have not. Meanwhile, Russia withdrew its own ratification in 2023. Key non-signatories include India, North Korea and Pakistan — all nuclear-armed states that have conducted their own tests since 1996.

    Given these crucial exceptions to a test ban, the prospects for something as ambitious as the 2017 Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which not a single nuclear weapons state has signed to date, remain uncertain, to say the least.

    Roxanne Panchasi has previously received funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

    – ref. France’s final nuclear tests in the South Pacific, 30 years on – https://theconversation.com/frances-final-nuclear-tests-in-the-south-pacific-30-years-on-256439

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Mitigating AI security threats: Why the G7 should embrace ‘federated learning’

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Abbas Yazdinejad, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Artificial Intelligence, University of Toronto

    Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the world, from diagnosing diseases in hospitals to catching fraud in banking systems. But it’s also raising urgent questions.

    As G7 leaders prepare to meet in Alberta, one issue looms large: how can we build powerful AI systems without sacrificing privacy?

    The G7 summit is a chance to set the tone for how democratic nations manage emerging technologies. While regulations are advancing, they won’t succeed without strong technical solutions.

    In our view, what’s known as federated learning — or FL — is one of the most promising yet overlooked tools, and deserves to be at the centre of the conversation.



    Read more:
    6 ways AI can partner with us in creative inquiry, inspired by media theorist Marshall McLuhan

    As researchers in AI, cybersecurity and public health, we’ve seen the data dilemma firsthand. AI thrives on data, much of it deeply personal — medical histories, financial transactions, critical infrastructure logs. The more centralized the data, the greater the risk of leaks, misuse or cyberattacks.

    The United Kingdom’s National Health Service paused a promising AI initiative over fears about data handling. In Canada, concerns have surfaced about storing personal information — including immigration and health records — in foreign cloud services. Trust in AI systems is fragile. Once it’s broken, innovation grinds to a halt.

    Why is centralized AI a growing liability?

    The dominant approach to training AI is to bring all data into one centralized place. On paper, that’s efficient. In practice, it creates security nightmares.

    Centralized systems are attractive targets for hackers. They’re difficult to regulate, especially when data flows across national or sectoral boundaries. And they concentrate too much power in the hands of a few data-holders or tech giants.

    But instead of bringing data to the algorithm, FL brings the algorithm to the data. Each local institution — whether it’s a hospital, government agency or bank — trains an AI model on its own data. Only model updates — not raw data — are shared with a central system. It’s like students doing homework at home and submitting only their final answers, not their notebooks.

    This approach dramatically lowers the risk of data breaches while preserving the ability to learn from large-scale trends.

    Where is it already working?

    FL could be a game-changer. When paired with techniques like differential privacy, secure multiparty computation or homomorphic encryption, it could dramatically reduce the risk of data leaks.

    In Canada, researchers have already used FL to train cancer detection models across provinces — without ever moving sensitive health records.

    Artificial intelligence has been used to train cancer detectiom models.
    (Shutterstock)

    Projects like those involving the Canadian Primary Care Sentinel Surveillance Network have demonstrated how FL can be used to predict chronic diseases such as diabetes, while keeping all patient data securely within provincial boundaries.

    Banks are using it to detect fraud without sharing customer identities.Cybersecurity agencies are exploring how to co-ordinate across jurisdictions without exposing their logs.



    Read more:
    Health-care AI: The potential and pitfalls of diagnosis by app

    Why the G7 needs to act now

    Governments around the world are racing to regulate AI. Canada’s proposed Artificial Intelligence and Data Act, the European Union’s AI Act, and the Executive Order on Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy AI in the United States are all major steps forward. But without a secure way to collaborate on data-intensive problems — like pandemics, climate change or cyber threats — these efforts may fall short.

    FL allows different jurisdictions to work together on shared challenges without compromising local control or sovereignty. It turns policy into practice by enabling technical collaboration without the usual legal and privacy complications.

    And just as importantly, adopting FL sends a political signal: that democracies can lead not just in innovation, but in ethics and governance.

    Hosting the G7 summit in Alberta isn’t just symbolic. The province is home to a thriving AI ecosystem, institutions like the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute and industries — from agriculture to energy — that generate vast amounts of valuable data.

    Picture a cross-sector task force: farmers using local data to monitor soil health, energy companies analyzing emissions patterns, public agencies modelling wildfire risks — all working together, all protecting their data. That’s not a futuristic fantasy — it’s a pilot program waiting to happen.

    A foundation for trust?

    AI is only as trustworthy as the systems behind it. And too many of today’s systems are based on outdated ideas about centralization and control.

    FL offers a new foundation — one where privacy, transparency and innovation can move together. We don’t need to wait for a crisis to act. The tools already exist. What’s missing is the political will to elevate them from promising prototypes to standard practice.

    If the G7 is serious about building a safer, fairer AI future, it should make FL a central piece of its plan — not a footnote.

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

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

    – ref. Mitigating AI security threats: Why the G7 should embrace ‘federated learning’ – https://theconversation.com/mitigating-ai-security-threats-why-the-g7-should-embrace-federated-learning-258670

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Amid Trump’s Threats to Critical Agriculture Support Programs, Duckworth Discusses Agricultural Priorities with Illinois Farm Bureau

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth

    June 11, 2025

    [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—founding co-chair of the Senate Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Caucus—met with Illinois Farm Bureau (IFB) President Brian Duncan and IFB members to discuss shared priorities to grow Illinois’s agriculture industry and support our farmers. Duckworth and the members discussed the importance of supporting our family farmers by expanding the biofuels market, increasing agricultural exports and improving farm safety net programs as Donald Trump continues to threaten critical federal agricultural programs. Photos from today’s meeting can be found on the Senator’s website.

    “America has always depended on our nation’s farmers to grow the food and fuel we need, and I’m proud to advocate for them on both the national and international stage,” Duckworth said. “The work of Illinois’s farmers is so important to the strength of our state and our nation, and I will continue to do everything I can to support the Illinois Farm Bureau and farmers across the state at the federal level.”

    In the Senate, Duckworth has been a leader in supporting biofuels, including expansion of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and permanent authority to use E15 fuel year-round. To help increase the availability of E15 biofuels, Duckworth helped introduce the bipartisan Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act and the bipartisan Next Generations Fuel Act to allow the year-round, nationwide sale of ethanol blends higher than 10 percent. Duckworth additionally helped introduce the bipartisan Home Front Energy Independence Act to ban Russian oil and expand use and production of biofuel that’s grown in the American heartland, while providing American families with a less expensive option to fuel their vehicles. Earlier this year she helped introduced the Farm to Fly Act to help accelerate the production and development of SAF.

    As a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Duckworth has been an advocate for Illinois agriculture across the globe and helped secure significant wins for Illinois and American agriculture. After Duckworth’s visit in 2023, Japan announced a regulatory change that will lead to an increase in imports from U.S. biofuel producers, supporting our farmers and growing Illinois’s economy, and following a prior trip to Taiwan in 2022, she helped secure a commitment from Taiwan to purchase an estimated $2.6 billion of our Illinois’s corn and soybeans.

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: IN THE NEWS: Ranking Member Coons highlights Secretary Hegseth’s “poor judgement” in appropriations hearing

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Delaware Christopher Coons

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, drew attention for his opening statement and questioning of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth yesterday, where he called attention to Secretary Hegseth’s “poor judgement.” Reports noted that Ranking Member Coons criticized Secretary Hegseth’s leadership on multiple fronts, including his failures to secure appropriate funding for the department, his focus on culture war issues at the expense of military readiness, and his role in the administration’s efforts to weaken our nation’s relationships with NATO allies.

    The comments occurred yesterday at a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense hearing on the president’s fiscal year 2026 budget request.

    From the Washington Post: Sen. Chris Coons describes ‘chaos and poor judgement’ under Hegseth

    Sen. Chris Coons (Delaware), the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations defense subcommittee, opened his remarks at a hearing featuring Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth with a list of ways the former Fox News host has exhibited what Coons called “poor judgment” and executed decisions that Coons said are damaging to the country’s military and national security.

    “For the very first time,” Coons noted, U.S. troops are “operating under a full-year continuing resolution” — a temporary piece of legislation to keep the government open because the administration and Congress have failed to pass an annual appropriations bill. And that means “tens of billions of dollars less in purchasing power than under the previous administration,” Coons said.

    From NBC: Sen. Chris Coons says Hegseth spending too much time ‘fighting culture wars’

    Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., the top Democrat on the subcommittee, criticized staffing shake-ups at the Pentagon and the focus on culture war issues…

    He also slammed Hegseth for sharing military information on Signal. “Mishandling important and sensitive information in the middle of an operation by a secretary is unthinkable,” Coons said.

    From NOTUS: Congress Wants to Know Where the Department of Defense’s Budget Is

    “The department has been unacceptably slow in providing us with the account-level information that we need to draft the defense appropriations bill,” Sen. Susan Collins told Hegseth, echoing a critique her Democratic colleague Sen. Chris Coons lodged earlier….

    “We are still waiting for real budget details. This is officially the latest budget submission of the modern era,” Coons said. “This committee, to do its job, wants to work with you on the details.”

    From The Daily Beast: Hegseth Blasted by Top Republican Over Trump-Putin Bromance

    When it was Senator Chris Coons’ turn to question Hegseth, he also raised concerns, and said it seems Putin has no intention of negotiating.

    “It seems to me concerning that the 2026 request eliminates aid to Ukraine entirely,” the Democratic Party senator said.

    Coons also took issue with Hegseth’s comments about Europe freeloading. He noted that Article 5 was only invoked once after 9/11, when America’s allies deployed to Afghanistan alongside the U.S. and suffered casualties. He also noted that 50 other countries have delivered support for Ukraine.

    From the Las Vegas Sun: Senators critical of Defense Secretary as hearing kicks off

    Pete Hegseth met with bipartisan criticism Wednesday as the Senate defense appropriations subcommittee hearing kicked off.

    Sen. Chris Coons, D-Delaware, slammed him, saying that “more of your time so far has been spent inside the building on culture wars, rather than outside the building, deterring real ones.”

    He criticized Hegseth’s moves to fire the previous chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and other “qualified uniformed leaders” and said the Pentagon is worried more” about each other than America’s enemies.

    From CBS News [VIDEO]: Coons blasts Hegseth for request to eliminate funding for Ukraine’s war against Russia

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Danny K. Davis rejects the Republican One Big Beautiful Bill that makes poor people poorer, sick people sicker, and hungry people hungrier

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Danny K Davis (7th District of Illinois)

    June 12, 2025

    Statement of Rep. Danny K. Davis 

    Ways and Means Committee

    Hearing with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent – June 11, 2025

     

    Today, Secretary Bessent appears here to praise the Republican One Big Beautiful bill, which is the most cruel, draconian, inhumane legislation that I’ve voted on since I’ve been here.  Government, I seriously believe, should help people and not hurt them. 

    I reject this bill that makes poor people poorer, sick people sicker, and hungry people hungrier. 

    I reject this bill that rips health care from 16 million Americans, with over 498,000 Illinoisans expected to lose their health insurance, including 102,000 children and 27,000 seniors in my District alone.

    I reject this bill that threatens my constituent Debra and her two children, whom she adopted from foster care.  This picture behind me shows Debra’s children, who are medically fragile and rely solely on Medicaid for their health care. 

    I reject this bill that will close hospitals in my district and kick people out of their nursing homes, not only in my district but across the country, especially in urban inner-city communities and rural communities for sure. 

    I reject this bill that explodes poverty and suffering while giving the wealthy trillions in tax cuts. 

    I reject this bill’s irresponsible explosion of the deficit that triggers statutory cuts to critical programs supporting children and families. 

    These Paygo reductions would eliminate funding for the Maternal Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting program – known as MIECHV – that is proven to improve mother and child health, family safety, and child development.  It would eliminate the guaranteed funding for the MaryLee Allen Promoting Safe and Stable Families program that we know helps prevent child maltreatment and strengthen families.  It would eradicate the Social Services Block Grant that provides substantial investment in child care, child welfare, and adult protective services.  These egregious cuts alone will cost Illinois over $72 million dollars and hurt Illinois children, seniors, and families. 

    I reject this bill that gifts tax cuts to the wealthy paid for by denying and depriving low-income, poor people, senior citizens, sick people, unhealthy people the health care, food assistance, housing assistance, and economic development opportunities that they need. 

     

    This bill reminds me that there is something rotten in Denmark.  There is something wrong with the thinking that puts such a bill in front of us.  This bill is actually what we call the Robinhood in Reverse.  Take from the poor.  Take from the disabled. Take from the sick.  Take from the hungry.  And give to the wealthy.  It is not good.  It is immoral.  I reject it. 

     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: BNP Paribas SA : 2025 MREL requirements notification

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    2025 MREL REQUIREMENTS NOTIFICATION

    PRESS RELEASE

    Paris, 12 June 2025

    The BNP Paribas Group has received the notification by the Autorité de Contrôle Prudentiel et de Résolution (ACPR), implementing the decision of the Single Resolution Board, of the updated Minimum Requirement for Own Funds and Eligible Liabilities (MREL) requirements applicable from this date.

    The total MREL requirement applicable now amounts to 22.19% to which the CBR1 must be added, of the Group’s RWA and 5.91% of the Group’s leverage exposures.

    As regards the subordination constraint, the requirement applicable for the BNP Paribas Group is respectively 14.78% to which the CBR1 must be added, of Group’s RWA and 5.75% of the Group’s leverage exposures.

    As at 31 March 2025, the BNP Paribas Group is well above the updated MREL requirements with a total MREL ratio of 29.8% based on Group’s RWA and a Group subordinated MREL ratio of 27.1% on the same basis. These ratios were respectively 9.0% and 8.2% of Group’s leverage exposures as at 31 March 2025.

    About BNP Paribas

    Leader in banking and financial services in Europe, BNP Paribas operates in 64 countries and has nearly 178,000 employees, including more than 144,000 in Europe. The Group has key positions in its three main fields of activity: Commercial, Personal Banking & Services for the Group’s commercial & personal banking and several specialised businesses including BNP Paribas Personal Finance and Arval; Investment & Protection Services for savings, investment and protection solutions; and Corporate & Institutional Banking, focused on corporate and institutional clients. Based on its strong diversified and integrated model, the Group helps all its clients (individuals, community associations, entrepreneurs, SMEs, corporates and institutional clients) to realise their projects through solutions spanning financing, investment, savings and protection insurance. In Europe, BNP Paribas has four domestic markets: Belgium, France, Italy and Luxembourg. The Group is rolling out its integrated commercial & personal banking model across several Mediterranean countries, Türkiye, and Eastern Europe. As a key player in international banking, the Group has leading platforms and business lines in Europe, a strong presence in the Americas as well as a solid and fast-growing business in Asia-Pacific. BNP Paribas has implemented a Corporate Social Responsibility approach in all its activities, enabling it to contribute to the construction of a sustainable future, while ensuring the Group’s performance and stability.

    Press contact

    Sandrine Romano – sandrine.romano@bnpparibas.com – +33 6 71 18 23 05
    Hacina Habchi – hacina.habchi@bnpparibas.com – +33 7 61 97 65 20

    1 Combined Buffer Requirement of 4.78% as at 31 March 2025

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Third Strategic Dialogue between the State of Qatar and the French Republic

    Source: Government of Qatar

    Paris,  June 12, 2025

    The Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar, His Excellency Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, and the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of the French Republic, Mr Jean-Noël Barrot, co-chaired the third annual Qatar-France Strategic Dialogue in Paris on June 12 2025. 

    Qatar and France welcomed the holding of their third Annual Strategic Dialogue and reviewed the important progress made since the State Visit of His Highness the Amir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani to France in February 2024 which resulted in new cooperation initiatives within the fields of security, defence, economy, trade, investment and education. Both countries affirmed the strength of their bilateral relationship and pledged to further develop it by expanding strategic partnership on key files.

    POLITICAL AND DIPLOMATIC COOPERATION

    Both Ministers reaffirmed the commitment of Qatar and France to upholding a rules-based international order and international law, the promotion of peace, stability and prosperity in the Middle East, and to close cooperation in relation to regional and global crises.

    Palestine-Israel: Both Ministers called for a ceasefire, the release of all remaining hostages and a long-term political solution that will offer the best hope for the victims of this conflict on all sides and achieving a pathway to a two-state solution. The Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs expressed France’s deep appreciation for all Qatar’s mediation efforts, including those to secure an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

    Both Ministers called for full, unhindered humanitarian access allowing aid for the Palestinian population to enter Gaza. The Ministers further stated that politicising of humanitarian assistance, threats of forced displacement, or Israel’s plans to remain in Gaza after the war are unacceptable. The two Ministers stated that the Israeli government’s restrictions of essential humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian population of Gaza are totally deplorable and breach International Humanitarian Law.  They further highlighted that Israel is duty-bound to meet all its obligations to ensure immediately a massive and unhindered flow of aid to Gaza – this includes engaging with the UN to ensure aid delivery is in line with humanitarian principles. 

    Both ministers reiterated their opposition to any forced displacement of Gaza’s Palestinian population, which would be a serious violation of international law and a major destabilizing factor for the entire region.

    Qatar welcomes the endorsement by France of the Gaza Reconstruction plan formulated by the League of Arab States in March as a serious, credible basis for immediately meeting reconstruction, governance and security needs in the aftermath of the war in Gaza. It guarantees the respect of international law and maintains Gaza’s future within the framework of a future Palestinian State.

    HE Prime Minister Al Thani welcomed the French-Saudi jointly chaired international meeting on June 18 for the implementation of a two-state solution. Both Ministers declared such efforts as the only way to bring durable peace and security to Israelis and Palestinians while ensuring the stability of the wider region.   

    They stressed that the High-Level International Conference on the peaceful resolution of the question of Palestine and the implementation of the two-State solution, decided by UNGA resolution A/RES/79/81, would contribute to this goal by designing a credible roadmap for the implementation of this solution in which the two countries would be able to live side-by-side in peace within their internationally recognized borders. Both ministers stressed that the future Palestinian state would have sole responsibility for rule of law, including policing primacy. 

    Syria: Both Ministers acknowledged the historic transition process underway in Syria. They emphasised the importance of an inclusive political dispensation that protects the rights of all irrespective of ethnicity, sect, religion or gender. They reiterated their support for the reconstruction of a new Syria – free, stable, sovereign, that respects all components of society. They agreed that stability and security in Syria is paramount for all its citizens as well as the surrounding region. To that end both Ministers committed to work together wherever possible to provide humanitarian assistance, as well as support economic development, and long-term reconstruction. They welcomed the lifting of international sanctions on Syria’s economy and encouraged foreign investments in the country. Qatar welcomed French support for the recent EU decision to lift economic sanctions on Syria and the recent meeting between President Macron and Syria’s interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa. Such support and initiatives enable Syria and the Syrian people to undertake a transition to stability, peace and prosperity. The Ministers condemned violations of Syria’s territorial integrity and warned of escalation tactics designed to de-stabilize the region.  

    Lebanon: Qatar welcomed the hosting by France of the International Conference in Support of Lebanon’s People and Sovereignty in October 2024. Progress to political and economic reform in Lebanon is welcomed by both countries. 

    Qatar and France support the territorial integrity and sovereign rights of the Lebanese people, both Ministers called on all parties to honour the commitments made under the ceasefire reached in November 2024. To this end they called for a full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon, the complete deployment of the Lebanese Armed Forces and their ongoing support to ensure security and achieve State monopoly on arms, assisted by UNIFIL and the supervision mechanism of the November 2024 ceasefire agreement, of which France alongside the U.S. participates in. 

    They emphasized their support to the process of change that has begun under the new Lebanese government, aimed at putting Lebanon back on the path of reconstruction, recovery and stability. They expressed their continuing support to the Lebanese Armed Forces and to the UN interim force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) whose action is essential to guarantee the stability of South Lebanon.

    Iran: Both Ministers reaffirmed Qatar and France’s support for a diplomatic solution leading to an agreement that addresses and resolves all international concerns related to Iran’s nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief, in order to preserve the non-proliferation global architecture as well as stability and de-escalation in the Gulf region. They reiterated their support to the ongoing talks between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States of America.  They also called on Iran to fully and effectively cooperate with the legitimate requests and work of the International Atomic Energy Agency.   

    Rwanda and eastern DRC: Both ministers emphasised their shared commitment to peace, stability and security in the Great Lakes region. France commended Qatar’s mediation efforts between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo and between Congolese authorities and AFC/M23. They stressed the need for parties to continue working towards the conclusion of a ceasefire, as called upon by United Nations Security Council Resolution 2773 (2025). Following its participation, along with the U.S., DRC, Rwanda and Togo, to the Doha meeting on April 30, France recalled its continued support to Qatar’s peace efforts.

    Sudan: Both Ministers resolved to further work together to address the devastating conflict in Sudan. Qatar and France recalled the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2736 (2024) demanding that the Rapid Support Forces halt the siege of El Fasher and calling for an immediate de-escalation. They reaffirmed their support to the unity of the country and called on the warring parties to immediately cease hostilities, abide by their obligations under international humanitarian law, protect civilians, and guarantee full, safe and unhindered humanitarian access. 

    UNOC: Both ministers welcomed the organization of the United Nations Ocean Conference in Nice, France, from 9 to 13 June 2025, inter alia to support a blue carbon economy and the fight against illicit fishing. They praised the treaty on marine biodiversity beyond areas of national jurisdiction on the high seas (BBNJ) as a milestone in the collective protection of the high seas.

    ECONOMY, TRADE AND INVESTMENTS

    Qatar and France emphasized the importance of their growing economic, trade and investment partnership, with a total trade of more than €1.3 billion in 2024. The Ministers highlighted that bilateral trade makes a significant contribution to supporting jobs, innovation, and economic development in both countries.

    The two Ministers reviewed progress on Qatar’s 2024 landmark engagement to invest 10 billion euros into key sectors of the French economy. Qatar’s investment will cover mutually beneficial sectors ranging from food security, digital economy, AI and IT, semiconductors, energy transition, space, Intellectual Property, health, tourism and hospitality and culture. They also welcomed the forthcoming Qatar-France Business Forum as an opportunity for mutual trade growth and investment. They discussed ways to further strengthen their investment partnership and underlined their willingness to facilitate cooperation between the Qatari and French private sectors. They also explored areas of common interest, such as fiscal policy, sustainable finance and public-private partnerships (PPPs).

    Qatar’s innovative investment in France’s semiconductor industry highlights its role in key technology subsectors, including supply chain developments that are also propelling digital and green transformations across vital industries such as AI, mobility, and consumer technology. 

    Both sides discussed ways to further develop their trade and investment partnership, through a Roadmap focused on strategic areas in alignment with the framework of the economic diversification goals stated by Qatar’s National Vision 2030 and in accordance with the economic plan “France 2030.” 

    The French Minister praised Qatar’s ongoing commitment to ensure continued and reliable supplies of energy to Europe, including France and thus contributing to the country’s energy security. 

    DEFENSE, SECURITY AND COUNTERTERRORISM 

    Qatar and France reaffirmed the importance of the defence and security as a foundation stone of their partnership.  This was illustrated by the increase in official-level visits in the last 12 months, and the deepening coordination on an operational level.  

    The Ministers welcomed the implementation of joint defence operational partnership including joint planning, training and military exercises, most recently the Pegase, Al Salam, Al Koot exercises, as well as joint projects in defence industries and innovation and ongoing defence acquisitions including cooperation through both nations’ air forces, facilitated by the common possession of Rafale combat aircrafts. 

    They praised the strategic convergences between Qatar and France, which contribute to enhancing bilateral interactions between the two military institutions. Qatar and France are keen to explore ways to develop new synergies between their armed forces for future defence capabilities. 

    They also explored ways to build on existing links and expand activities on common strategic interests particularly as they contribute to de-escalation and security in the Gulf and the Red Sea.  

    Both Ministers welcomed the robust and long-lasting partnership between their respective security forces, including cooperation and important knowledge-sharing on Mega Sports Events, Crisis Management and Major Event Management, Air and Aviation Security, Cybersecurity and Digital Investigations, and mutual professionalization and capacity-building. 

    They commended the friendship and trust between the French Gendarmerie and the Qatari Lekhwiya celebrating in 2025 the 20th anniversary of their cooperation. They also welcomed the development of a strategic partnership between the French and Qatari national police forces and the establishment of a High Police Committee. They also emphasised building on this cooperation. 

    Both Ministers emphasised that the fight against terrorism remains a key bilateral realm for cooperation. They said that such cooperation is crucial in prevention and countering terrorism and ensuring the safety of their citizens. These efforts reflect the need for a coordinated approach to deal with an ever-evolving set of terrorist threats that transcend national borders. They also agreed to continue their strong partnership in cybersecurity and in combating terrorism, countering violent extremism and illicit financial flows. 

    HUMANITARIAN AND DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION

    On humanitarian and international development cooperation, both Ministers affirmed the continuing success of programmatic bilateral cooperation and coordination between their respective implementing agencies including QFFD, EAA, Silatech and AFD.

    Regarding development, both Ministers welcomed the renewal of their bilateral cooperation in this field, building on the signing of two major agreements between the French Development Agency (AFD) and the Qatar Fund for Development, the Education Above All (EAA) foundation and Silatech in February 2024. They expressed their appreciation concerning the first cooperation between AFD and QFFD for an ambitious project to renovate and expand Saint Joseph’s Hospital in East Jerusalem. They welcomed that QFFD and the AFD Group (AFD, Proparco and Expertise France) renewed their commitment to cofinance development projects and agreed to raise the cofinancing target from $50 million to $100 million for the duration of the MoU. In the short term, QFFD and the AFD Group commit to operationalizing the partnership in the following countries where there are pressing needs and discussions have already started on joint priorities: Lebanon, Palestine and Syria. They welcomed that QFFD and AFD Group will also, in the medium term, work on joint global advocacy activities and expand the partnership to innovative finance.

    Both Ministers praised the ongoing discussions between the Crisis and Support Centre of the French ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs and the Qatar Fund for Development to explore possible new areas of dialogue and joint funding, including in the Middle East, Africa and Asia as well as in the field of humanitarian logistics. 

    Following the joint commitment by the Emir of Qatar and the President of the French Republic to dedicate 200 million dollars in 2024 to humanitarian relief in Gaza both Ministers expressed the necessity of answering without delay the urgent needs for aid there. The Ministers also commended the humanitarian impact of joint health relief efforts in Gaza, including medical evacuations, delivery and flow of humanitarian aid, medicines and ambulances. Additionally, they highlighted joint relief efforts in Lebanon to support conflict-affected populations. Recalling these recent successful joint humanitarian operations, both Ministers support a new joint emergency operation to supply medical equipment and medicine to Afghanistan.

    Such cooperation is the embodiment of the longstanding strategic partnership as well as the commitment of Qatar and France to stand by conflict-affected populations.  

    EDUCATION, HEALTH AND SPORTS 

    Both Ministers lauded the strong cooperation in the fields of education, health and sports. On education the Ministers addressed the growing partnership in the field of education, in particular knowledge sharing and research agreements between Qatari and French Institutions of Higher Education (HEI), including Sciences Po and Doha Institute. 

    Cooperation on research and innovation has been boosted by the strong collaboration between Qatar Research Development and Innovation Council (QRDI) and French HEI’s including Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS), Commissariat à l’énergie atomique et aux energies alternatives (CEA), Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale (INSERM) and HEC Paris. Under the Qatar Open Innovation Scheme French companies have also received QRDI awards and are working in collaboration with Qatar-based SME’s and institutions to make strides in Agricultural Sciences and Medical Healthcare.  

    Qatar and France are looking forward to the signing of the 8th executive program enhancing bilateral cooperation particularly in French language learning, technical, professional and higher education, and mobility of students and teachers. This agreement aims at establishing a steering committee dedicated to learning French from the 9th (third French) class in Qatari public institutions, as well as a steering committee related to the development of university cooperation. Both sides expressed their mutual intention to strengthen their cooperation in higher education and research, promoting exchanges of students and researchers, as well as further exploring joint training and programmes that enable students to achieve their personal and professional goals.

    Qatar and France also expressed their wish to strengthen the sharing of expertise between the medical communities of the two countries, through the rapprochement or exchange of researchers. The minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs expressed his appreciation for the help of Qatar for the recent opening of the World Health Organization Academy in Lyon.The Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Al Thani congratulated the Republic of France on its hugely successful hosting of the Paris 2024 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games.  Both sides expressed their willingness to share expertise and knowledge and to continue their cooperation on the positive impact and the legacy of hosting mega sporting events.  In particular, they addressed the ways in which strong commitments in terms of social and environmental issues, including on emissions reduction and carbon absorption, opportunities to promote inclusion and diversity, and combat hate speech, racism and other forms of prejudice and discrimination, is offered by sport. 

    CULTURE, ART, HERITAGE COOPERATION

    Both Ministers welcomed the deep institutional and people-to-people connections forged through shared ties on culture, art and heritage. They recalled the visit in April, at the invitation of the Qatari authorities and HE Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Chairperson of Qatar Museums, of HE Rachida Dati, Minister of Culture of the French Republic. 

    The visit came as part of framework commitments made in the MoU signed in June 2024 between HE Rachida Dati, on behalf of the Ministry of Culture, and HE Sheikha Al Mayassa, Chairperson of Qatar Museums. Both Ministers welcomed the signing of 6 partnership agreements in April 2025 between the French Ministry of Culture, Qatar Museums and the cultural institutions of both countries, and pertaining to a broad range of areas of cooperation, in particular training, exhibitions, loans, research, artist residencies, development of image education workshops for young audiences, development of co-productions, support in the creation of a cinematheque. Qatari and French cultural institutions are currently working on the implementation of these agreements.

    The accords include a framework agreement between the French Ministry of Culture and Qatar Museums for professional training in the cultural sector; an agreement between Qatar Museums and the Etablissement public du musée d’Orsay et du musée de l’Orangerie – Valérie Giscard d’Estaing, including research projects, joint exhibition projects, and academic and educational projects. Qatar Museums and the Musée Guimet will proceed on collaboration that includes research, conservation and educational projects dedicated to Asian arts. Qatar Museums also proceeded with a partnership agreement with Manufactures nationales – Sèvres and Mobilier national dedicated to the design and crafts sectors, aiming to strengthen links between French and Qatari designers and craftspeople. Under the framework further Qatar-France agreements include a Memorandum of Understanding between the Doha Film Institute and the Centre national du cinéma et de l’image animée as well as a Memorandum of understanding between the National Library of Qatar and the Bibliothèque Nationale de France. 

    They also welcomed the increased cooperation between the Qatari and French Ministries of Culture, in particular through the forthcoming renewal of the cooperation agreement between the two ministries of Culture.

    Both Ministers reiterated the commitment of their nations to heritage protection, especially in conflict areas, and respect for all relevant international agreements of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

    A SHARED AND RESPONSIBLE FUTURE 

    The State of Qatar and France emphasize the importance of their continued partnership which benefits the interests of both countries and consolidates coordination towards a shared and responsible future.

    Qatar and France look forward to reviewing progress in these areas at the fourth Strategic Dialogue to be held in Doha in 2026.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Government commits to crackdown on fraud, bribery and corruption with further investment

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Government commits to crackdown on fraud, bribery and corruption with further investment

    Victims of fraud and economic crime will be better protected through a funding boost outlined in the Spending Review for the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) as part of the government’s Plan for Change to cut crime and plan to invest in Britain’s renewal.

    • Serious Fraud Office receives further investment to tackle serious economic 
    • Funding will be used to build the SFO’s intelligence function to intercept criminality earlier in complex cases 
    • Funding will be used to improve digital capabilities and streamline resources

    More than £8 million of investment over the next three years will be spent on strengthening the SFO’s intelligence and information-gathering work and continuously expanding the agency’s use of technology to assist with disclosure. 

    The extra funding, which is in addition to the £9.3 million of funding announced in the Budget, will be used to bolster SFO’s intelligence capabilities so it can proactively  identify and progress the biggest and complex economic crimes.  

    The Attorney General Lord Hermer KC said: 

    “Fraud and serious economic crime destroy people’s finances and hurts the reputation of doing business in the UK.  

    “This government is committed to kick-starting economic growth and this additional funding to SFO will modernise their services to tackle serious economic crime, while continuously improving their capabilities to seize assets and make returns to the taxpayer.” 

    Nicholas Ephgrave QPM, Director of the Serious Fraud Office, said: 

    “This settlement, which provides long-term funding for the Serious Fraud Office recognises the essential work we do in tackling the most serious economic crimes and safeguarding the UK economy so it can continue to thrive. 

    “This settlement will allow us to invest in our intelligence capability, expand our investigative reach and strengthen our ability to recover criminal assets, including crypto assets, wherever they may be.” 

    For background

    Updates to this page

    Published 12 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ranking Member Lauren Underwood Delivers Remarks at Homeland Security Subcommittee Markup to Highlight How Republican Funding Bill Weakens National Security and Makes Americans More Vulnerable to Terrorism

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (IL-14)

    WASHINGTON — During today’s House Appropriations subcommittee markup of the 2026 Homeland Security funding bill, Ranking Member Lauren Underwood (IL-14) delivered the following remarks: 

    “Good evening, and thank you, Mr. Chairman. 

    I think we can all agree that whether it is at the border, the airport, our country’s shorelines, or in cyberspace, the Department of Homeland Security cannot fail.  

    But I also believe the Department cannot fail the ideals and values that make America the greatest nation in the world. Under the Trump Administration, DHS is out of control: illegally spending hundreds of millions of our taxpayer dollars and flagrantly violating the rights and civil liberties of Americans. 

    Under this administration, due process and the limitations that the Constitution puts on our government are being ignored, and this bill does nothing to protect Americans from being targeted.  

    It fails to protect American citizens from deportation.  

    It does nothing to protect American citizens from being confronted in their homes and offices, or having their property seized, as this Administration’s deportation policies ignore legal safeguards.  

    It allows ICE agents to continue to grab people in places of worship and in our schools without a warrant, and it punishes legal immigrants who speak their minds all while rewarding for-profit detention centers with billions of taxpayer dollars.  

    As Members of Congress, we have a constitutional responsibility to keep this Administration accountable in both how it spends taxpayer dollars and how it operates.  

    We saw this year after our FEMA hearing what this Department does when anyone speaks truth to power. I am deeply concerned that if this bill passes and the Trump-Noem DHS goes unchecked, the United States of America will become a country that our own citizens will seek refuge from because of the repeated attacks on our basic freedoms and rights.  

    Giving unchecked power to this Administration is bad enough, but unfortunately, the bill makes things worse, by leaving Americans more vulnerable to catastrophic cyber threats and burdening state and local governments. The bill adopts DOGE staffing cuts to CISA and FEMA personnel by roughly $130 million and $93 million, respectively.   

    The burden to respond to the next ransomware attack on your local hospital or deadly hurricane in your district – will increasingly fall to state and local leaders who lack the resources to protect your sensitive health care information from hackers. States don’t have the ability to rebuild after disasters on their own. This bill abandons our neighbors after a crisis.  

    Both the Acting Administrator and the recently named Acting Deputy Administrator of FEMA have little to no emergency management experience.  

    Let me say that again: the two most senior people running FEMA are severely-under qualified at a time when an above-average hurricane season is forecasted, and when the disaster relief fund is already expected to end fiscal year 2025 with an $8 billion deficit.  

    Listen, as recently as last week, the White House had to clean up after the brand new FEMA Administrator was caught supposedly joking about the upcoming hurricane season. We are also heading into wildfire season in the West, and friends, the funding level provided in this bill is insufficient to help us dig out of this hole, and it all but guarantees that FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund will be at a dangerously low level again by next summer. 

    Meanwhile, the White House requested zero dollars to supplement this critical fund that all Americans rely on to recover from major disasters, and fails to acknowledge an urgent $8 billion dollar deficit in the Disaster Relief Fund.  

    The bill fails to address the catastrophic cybersecurity threats facing our critical infrastructure: our hospitals, banks, schools, and secure government systems.  

    And it does nothing to protect Americans from growing attacks on their privacy. The only people who benefit from this bill’s failure to invest here are cybercriminals in China, Russia, and around the world who will now find it easier to attack Americans.  

    Finally, the bill does not include funding for the Citizenship and Integration Program that has been running for more than a decade by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.   

    This initiative funds faith-based organizations and community-focused organizations that help legal immigrants prepare to become citizens by preparing them for the citizenship exam and helping them learn English.  

    Mr. Chairman, we make America stronger and more secure when we make investments in our communities stronger, and when we uphold our values. But this bill does neither, and I cannot support it.   

    Finally, Mr. Chairman, I would like to note for the Record that Ms. Escobar is not able to attend today’s markup due to a canceled flight from Texas. I know she would join me in opposing this bill if she were here and I would like that to be reflected.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Endometriosis: difficult childhood linked with greater likelihood of being diagnosed – new research

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Marika Rostvall, PhD Candidate, Epidemiology, Karolinska Institutet

    Our study of over a million Swedish women revealed a link between difficult childhood circumstances and a higher likelihood of being diagnosed with endometriosis. Drazen Zigic/ Shutterstock

    Around one in ten women worldwide have endometriosis. This common condition causes tissue similar to the lining of the uterus to grow in other parts of the body. This can result in painful periods, chronic pain and even infertility.

    Yet despite how common endometriosis is, there’s currently no cure for it. This may partly be due to the fact that researchers still aren’t entirely sure what triggers endometriosis.

    But one factor that might increase a woman’s likelihood of developing endometriosis is their early life experiences. Recent research published by my colleagues and I has revealed a link between difficult childhood circumstances and a higher likelihood of being diagnosed with endometriosis.

    Our study included all women born in Sweden between 1974 and 2001, totalling over a million women. We then followed them from birth using the Swedish register system, which allowed us to track each participants’ health data.

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    We also looked at different indicators of childhood adversity that had been captured through the registers. We focused specifically on experiences which previous studies have shown can lead to negative mental or physical health later in life.

    This included having a parent with substance abuse problems, having had to spend a night in the care of child-protection services, having to move around a lot or being exposed to violence. In total, we included 11 indicators of childhood adversity in our analysis.

    We then compared the likelihood of receiving an endometriosis diagnosis in women who had experienced each specific type of childhood adversity with women who had not. We controlled for factors that might have influenced the results, including the womens’ ages, the year they were born, their county of birth and if they had been been smaller than average at birth.

    Our results showed that having experienced some form of adversity between birth to 15 years of age was associated with a higher risk of being diagnosed with endometriosis later in life. The only adverse childhood event that wasn’t linked with a greater risk of being diagnosed with endometriosis was familial death.

    Women who had been exposed to violence had the highest risk increase, with an over twofold greater likelihood of being diagnosed with endometriosis compared with all other women.

    The likelihood of being diagnosed with endometriosis increased the more adversity a woman had experienced in their childhood. Women who had experienced one type of adversity in childhood had a 20% greater likelihood of being diagnosed with endometriosis. But women who had experienced five or more types of adversity had a 60% greater likelihood.

    We also ran a separate analysis that included women who experience painful periods (dysmenorrhea) to see if it affected the results. Many women who are diagnosed with endometriosis initially seek help from their doctor because they experience painful periods. We included women who had dysmenorrhea to capture women who might have endometriosis, but had not yet received a proper diagnosis. The results were similar even when we included women with dysmenorrhea in our analysis.

    Having experienced some form of adversity between birth and 15 years of age was associated with a higher likelihood of being diagnosed with endometriosis.
    DimaBerlin/ Shutterstock

    Previous studies which have looked at self-reported early childhood trauma have seen a link with endometriosis. But our study looked not only at remembered experiences of trauma, but also at other indicators of stress.

    Endometriosis and immune function

    Our findings may be explained, at least in part, by immune system processes and chronic inflammatory responses.

    Having experienced adversity during childhood has previously been linked to higher levels of chronic inflammation, as well as an increased risk for autoimmune disorders. Greater levels of inflammation in the body could worsen endometriosis symptoms or even trigger endometriosis to develop.

    Another possible way childhood adversity could affect endometriosis is through increased pain. Childhood adversity has been linked to a higher risk for chronic pain conditions. This could lead to women in our study who had gone through childhood adversity experiencing more painful symptoms on average, and therefore being more likely to seek medical help and receive a diagnosis.

    Further research might dig into these possible mechanisms. This would improve our understanding of how and why the disease develops. A better understanding of the mechanisms behind the pain experienced by women with endometriosis might also allow researchers to develop more effective treatments than those currently available.

    Our study reinforces the conclusions of previous studies which show a link between early childhood adversity and poor health in later life. This kind of research suggests a connection between mental and physical health, and indicates that we need to re-examine our view of the mind and body as separate entities.

    It should be noted that our study is observational, which means it cannot prove that adverse events in childhood cause endometriosis, it can only show an association between the two things.

    However, our study does highlight the importance of devoting resources to help parents and children. Helping families escape poverty, treating parental addiction or providing stable housing could lead to a healthier population in the future.

    Marika Rostvall receives funding from Karolinska Institutet, Region Stockholm and Karolinska University Hospital.

    – ref. Endometriosis: difficult childhood linked with greater likelihood of being diagnosed – new research – https://theconversation.com/endometriosis-difficult-childhood-linked-with-greater-likelihood-of-being-diagnosed-new-research-258369

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Many Russian speakers in Ukraine have switched language – but changing perceptions may be much harder

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Oleksandra Osypenko, PhD researcher in linguistics, Lancaster University

    After Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, a lot of Ukrainians who would normally have used Russian as their first language started instead to speak only in Ukrainian. It was part of a cultural shift, particularly in areas close to Russia. Streets were renamed, statues of Russians taken down and Russian literature taken off the shelves of bookshops.

    But language does more than merely signal a person’s identity. We wanted to find out whether a change in the language a person uses could influence they way they think in their everyday lives. Our research suggests encouraging people to speak more Ukrainian in public isn’t enough to shift the influence of the Russian language on people’s perceptions.

    In a study published in 2024, Ukrainian linguistics expert Volodymyr Kulyk documented a marked decline in the everyday use of Russian by Ukrainians since the invasion in February 2022. Many individuals, Kulyk found, were voluntarily abandoning Russian in response to the invasion, often viewing the language itself as a symbol of Putin’s aggression.

    His survey found that only 44% of Ukrainians reported using Ukrainian as their primary language in 2012, compared to 34% who said they primarily spoke Russian, and 22% had used both. By December 2022, the percentage of people who said they primarily spoke Ukrainian had risen to 57.4% and Russian use had dropped to just 14.8%, with the remaining 27.8% reporting using both languages.

    Kylyk found that this was even more pronounced in public spaces. In the workplace, use of Ukrainian increased from 41.9% in 2012 to 67.7% in December 2022. Online, the consumption of Ukrainian-language content by Ukrainians soared from 11.6% to 52.2%, while that of Russian-language content fell from 48.6% to just 6%

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    The idea that language shapes thought, known as the “linguistic relativity principle” was first articulated by American linguist Benjamin Lee Whorf in the 1950s. Numerous subsequent studies have since provided evidence supporting the principle.

    Researchers have shown that learning a new language or increasing the use of one can subtly reshape the way a person views the world.

    One way to test this is by looking at grammatical gender. In 40% of the world’s languages – including Ukrainian and Russian – objects are assigned a gender. For example, the word for “sock” is masculine in Russian and referred to using a pronoun “he” (носок – nosok), while in Ukrainian it is feminine and referred to using as “she” (шкарпетка – shkarpetka). Using grammatical gender allows us to examine how such purely linguistic categories influence our perception.

    Previous studies have shown that people tend to associate grammatically masculine nouns with stereotypically male qualities such as strength or aggression and feminine nouns with softness or gentleness. These are associations that can shape real-world judgments in unexpected ways.

    For example, a 2020 study led by French linguist Alican Mecit found that French and Spanish speakers perceived the pandemic as less threatening when it was referred to as la COVID-19 (feminine), and more dangerous when called le coronavirus (masculine), affecting how cautious they were in daily life.

    Masculine or feminine?

    To explore these effects in context of Ukraine’s ongoing language shift, we conducted a study in late 2023 to examine whether speaking Ukrainian or Russian affects people’s perception of everyday things, by asking our participants to rate objects as more masculine or feminine.

    Our participants also completed Ukrainian and Russian proficiency tests and filled out a questionnaire about their language habits. We asked them about what languages they used on a daily basis, with family and friends, and which language they considered their dominant one. After analysing this data, we discovered an interesting trend.

    Some of our results showed exactly what we had thought. Participants with higher proficiency in Russian showed a statistically significant influence of Russian on the way they viewed the world. The same was true for those more proficient in Ukrainian.

    This suggested that the language a person is most skilled in – as measured by tests, not just their own reports – has a strong influence of their perception, even when they are not consciously using that language.

    In other words, the deeper your knowledge of a language, the more it shapes your unconscious patterns of thought.

    But when we looked at participants’ self-reported language use, we unexpectedly found that even those people who said they used Ukrainian more than Russian day-to-day, with their family and friends, still showed perceptual patterns aligned with Russian. These were Ukrainians whose first language was Russian but who had made a deliberate switch to Ukrainian.

    For example, when rating gendered objects as more masculine or feminine, these participants made choices that reflected Russian grammatical gender rather than Ukrainian – so, to use our example from earlier in this article, they saw a sock as being inherently a male thing.

    This suggested one of two possibilities. Either they had overstated their use of Ukrainian, possibly due to social pressure. Or they were genuinely switching to Ukrainian, but Russian continued to unconsciously influence their thinking. This mismatch was especially common among those who claimed to use Ukrainian in informal settings, like at home or with friends.

    So, even as more Ukrainians shift away from using the Russian language because of the war, the influence of Russian can still be found in how they perceive the world.

    What does this mean for language policy?

    Ukraine’s language policies have been a matter for debate event before the 2022 invasion. In fact, one of the reasons Vladimir Putin gave for launching his “military operation” was because of what he claimed was a “genocide” against Russian speakers in Ukraine, something the Ukrainian government strenuously denied.

    But it should be noted that Ukraine passed a law in 2019 (which came into force at the beginning of 2021, titled On ensuring the functioning of the Ukrainian language as the state language. This required the use of Ukrainian in all spheres of public life, including education, science, culture, media, advertising and customer service. The law drew some international criticism as possibly discriminatory and caused considerable disquiet in Russian-speaking communities.



    Read more:
    Ukraine: how a controversial new language law could help protect minorities and unite the country

    So while language policy in Ukraine has focused on promoting Ukrainian language in public and professional settings, including schools and workplaces, our findings suggest that these formal uses of language do not necessarily change the way people think.

    The bigger shifts seem to come from informal, everyday language use, especially at home. It is in those personal, emotionally rich contexts that language appears to shape thought most deeply.

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

    – ref. Many Russian speakers in Ukraine have switched language – but changing perceptions may be much harder – https://theconversation.com/many-russian-speakers-in-ukraine-have-switched-language-but-changing-perceptions-may-be-much-harder-257765

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Wales is overhauling its democracy – here’s what’s changing

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Stephen Clear, Lecturer in Constitutional and Administrative Law, and Public Procurement, Bangor University

    Wales’ Senedd will expand and change as of May 2026. Mareks Perkons/Shutterstock

    Next May’s Senedd (Welsh parliament) election won’t just be another trip to the polls. It will mark a major change in how Welsh democracy works. The number of elected members is increasing from 60 to 96, and the voting system is being overhauled. These changes have now passed into law.

    But what exactly is changing – and why?

    When the then assembly was first established in 1999, it had limited powers and just 60 members. Much has changed since then and it now has increased responsibility including primary law-making powers over matters such as health, education, environment, transport and economic development.

    The Wales Act 2014 also bestowed a number of new financial powers on the now Senedd, including taxation and borrowing powers. But its size has stayed the same.

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    This led to concerns about capacity and effectiveness. In 2017, an independent expert panel on electoral reform concluded that the Senedd was no longer fit for purpose. It warned that 60 members simply weren’t enough to scrutinise the Welsh government, pass legislation and respond to constituents. A bigger chamber, it argued, would improve both the quality of lawmaking and democratic accountability.

    Wales also has fewer elected politicians per person than any other UK nation. Scotland has 129 MSPs, while Northern Ireland has 90 MLAs. Even with next year’s changes, Wales will still have fewer elected members per citizen compared with Northern Ireland.

    It’s a similar picture when Wales is compared with other small European nations.

    More Senedd members could ease workloads, improve local representation and importantly, may encourage a more diverse pool of people to stand for office.

    How is the voting system changing?

    Alongside expansion will be a change in how Senedd members are elected.

    Since its inception, Wales has used the “additional member system”, which is a mix of first-past-the-post for constituency seats and proportional representation for regional ones.

    From 2026, that system will be replaced by a closed list proportional system, using the D’Hondt method. It’s a system which is designed to be fairer, ensuring that the proportion of seats a party wins more closely reflects the votes they get. But it also means voters will have less say over which individuals get elected.

    Wales will be divided into 16 constituencies, each electing six MSs. Instead of voting for a single candidate, voters will choose one party or independent candidate.

    Parties will submit a list of up to eight candidates per constituency. Seats will then be allocated based on the overall share of the vote each party gets, with candidates elected in the order they appear on their party’s list.

    For example, if a party wins a percentage share of the vote equating to three seats, the top three people on their party list will be elected. The calculation for this is defined by the D’Hondt formula. The decision to adopt this method in Wales was one of the recommendations of the special purpose committee on Senedd reform in 2022.

    Jeremy Vine explains just how the D’Hondt system of proportional representation works.

    Several countries across Europe use this system for their elections, including Spain and Portugal. In countries with small constituency sizes, D’Hondt has sometimes favoured larger parties and made it harder for smaller parties to gain ground. That’s something observers in Wales will be watching closely.

    An alternative method, Sainte-Laguë, used in Sweden and Latvia, is often seen as more balanced in its treatment of small and medium-sized parties, potentially leading to more consensual politics. But it too has its downsides. In countries which have many smaller parties, it can lead to fragmented parliaments and make decision-making more difficult.

    In sum, no system is perfect. But D’Hondt was chosen for its balance between proportionality, simplicity and practicality.

    The Senedd chamber will house 36 more members from May 2026 onwards.
    Senedd Cymru

    Could this confuse voters?

    One concern is the growing differences between electoral systems across the UK, and even within Wales itself.

    At the UK level, first-past-the-post (FPTP) is the method used for Westminster elections. Meanwhile, some Welsh councils are experimenting with the single transferable vote method, which lets voters rank candidates in order of preference.

    So, some people in Wales could find themselves navigating three different voting systems for three different elections. Obviously, this raises the risk of confusion. Voters who are used to one vote and the “winner takes all” nature of FPTP may be confused by how seats are allocated in Wales come 2026.

    With numerous different systems, the risk is that people do not fully understand how their vote translates into representation. In turn this risks undermining confidence and reducing voter turnout.



    Read more:
    Wales wants to punish lying politicians – how would it work?

    Voters will need clear, accessible information on how their vote works – and why it matters. But this is particularly challenging when UK-wide media often defaults to FPTP-centric language and framing surrounding debates, which can shape public expectations. News about Wales often barely registers beyond its borders, while news about politics in Wales barely registers within.

    Electoral reform often prompts broader conversations. As Welsh voters adjust to the new proportional system, some may begin to question Westminster’s FPTP model, especially if the Senedd better reflects the diversity of votes cast. FPTP is frequently criticised for producing “wasted votes” and encouraging tactical voting, particularly in safe seats.

    Under a more proportional system, tactical voting becomes less necessary, which has the potential to shift voter habits in Wales.

    If the 2026 reform leads to a more representative and effective Senedd, it may not only reshape Welsh democracy, but reignite debates about electoral reform across the UK.

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

    – ref. Wales is overhauling its democracy – here’s what’s changing – https://theconversation.com/wales-is-overhauling-its-democracy-heres-whats-changing-256640

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ricketts Introduces Legislative Package to Protect American Way of Life from Communist China

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Pete Ricketts (Nebraska)
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE) introduced a legislative package of four bills that would counter malicious efforts to disrupt American prosperity by Communist China and other adversaries. The package includes the No Capital Gains Allowance for Americans Adversaries Act, the PRC Military and Human Rights Capital Markets Sanctions Act, the No China in Index Funds Act, and the Protecting Endowments from our Adversaries Act (PEOAA). This legislative package limits the ability of adversaries like Communist China from taking advantage of America’s economic strength and tax benefits intended for Americans.
    “Communist China is the greatest threat to the American way of life,” said Ricketts. ”Communist China is actively threatening a rules-based system that has maintained peace and prosperity for over 80 years. America’s markets are supposed to benefit Americans. We can’t allow our markets to fund our adversaries like Communist China.”
    The No Capital Gains Allowance for Americans Adversaries Act would:
    Treat capital gains on all Chinese, Russian, Belarusian, Iranian, and North Korean stocks as ordinary income. Such investments would then not be eligible for the lower capital gains tax rates.
    Eliminate the “step-up in basis” for Chinese, Russian, Belarusian, Iranian, and North Korean assets inherited at death – which reduces an heir’s tax liability by ignoring gains that occurred before inheritance.
    Direct the Securities and Exchange Commission to maintain a public list of securities covered by this Act and require that sellers of covered securities disclosure to customers that sales of those securities will be treated as ordinary income.
    The PRC Military and Human Rights Capital Markets Sanctions Act would:
    Direct the President to compile and maintain a single public list of sanctioned companies and their affiliates.
    These lists include those that target human rights violators, including companies that utilize coerced labor in production, companies that proliferate dangerous technologies, and those that have connections to the Chinese military and intelligence services.

    Prevent U.S. persons from purchasing, selling, or holding:
    A publicly-traded security issued by a sanctioned company or affiliate of the sanctioned company;
    A publicly-traded security that is a derivative of a publicly issued security issued by a sanctioned company or affiliate of the sanctioned company;
    A security that provides investment exposure to a publicly-traded security issued by a sanctioned company or affiliate of the sanctioned company.

    Give a U.S. person 180 days after enactment to divest from the prohibited securities.
    The No China in Index Funds Act would:
    Prohibit index funds from investing in Chinese companies and require them to divest from such investments within 180 days after date of enactment.
    The Protecting Endowments from Our Adversaries Act (PEOAA) would:
    Apply to private college and university endowments over $1,000,000,000
    Disincentivize endowments from investing (directly or indirectly) in adversarial entities that are on any of the following US Government Lists (USG):
    Entity List
    Military End User (MEU) List
    Unverified List
    FCC Covered List

    Impose a 50% excise tax on the principal investment at the time of acquisition if an endowment invests in a company that is listed.
    Impose a 100% excise tax on the realized gains derived from listed investments one year after an entity is listed.
    BACKGROUND:
    Other countries have investment incentives not applicable to some foreign investments. For instance, China provides investment incentives through its tax code, but foreign investments are eligible only with the pre-approval of the Chinese government.
    Companies that have their business relations with the United States cut off or strictly restricted should not be allowed to sell securities in the U.S., or to U.S. persons, whether directly or indirectly through a mutual fund or ETF.
    Index mutual funds minimize their expenses by simply investing in all the companies in a certain market sector, without looking closely at the individual companies. There are unique difficulties in evaluating the risks of investing in Chinese companies. Americans should not invest in these companies without carefully evaluating the risk. This bill will keep these hard-to-evaluate Chinese stocks out of index mutual funds.
    University and college endowments are funds or assets donated to support various activities of the institution. These institutions often invest billions from their endowments into organizations and companies listed on the Department of Commerce’s Entity List. While maintaining a tax advantage, endowments can fund these entities even if they pose national security concerns.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: DAO 02/25 Updates to Managing Public Money

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3

    Correspondence

    DAO 02/25 Updates to Managing Public Money

    ‘Dear Accounting Officer’ letters provide advice on accountability, regularity, propriety, value for money and annual accounting exercises.

    Documents

    DAO 02/25 Update to Managing Public Money and Accounting officer assessments: guidance

    PDF, 132 KB, 2 pages

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    Request an accessible format.
    If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email digital.communications@hmtreasury.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

    Details

    Each accounting officer should ensure that their staff are aware of the revised version of Managing Public Money (MPM), which applies to all central government bodies. In particular, accounting officers should note the new sections and annexes on the accounting officer duties, subsidy control, the National Audit Office’s access to information, the use of models and the disposal of public sector land.

    Updates to this page

    Published 12 June 2025

    Sign up for emails or print this page

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Summer starts here: Lord Mayor’s Weekend promises free fun for all

    Source: City of Norwich

    Lord Mayor’s Weekend is set to light up the streets from Friday 11 to Sunday 13 July, bringing three days of live music, family entertainment, and unforgettable community spirit to every corner of the city.

    The fun starts on Friday evening with Norwich Summer Sessions, the first event to take place on the newly upgraded Hay Hill, which will also play host to exclusive showcases from Access Creative College and The Adrian Flux Waterfront across the weekend.

    Saturday will see Chapelfield Gardens transformed into a vibrant wonderland of face painting, balloon magic, crafts, roaring dinosaur shows, and even a real-life mermaid tank! Add in classic fairground rides and a day-long programme of live music and performance, and you’ve got a perfect day out for the whole family. And all activities are absolutely free, having been subsidised by Norwich City Council as part of the event.

    The Lord Mayor’s Procession will move through the city from 3pm, with community groups, schools, dancers, and musicians parading through the streets under this year’s theme: “Summer in the City.”  Following the success of last year’s new and improved route, the procession will begin Norwich Cathedral and end at Chapelfield Gardens. Want to join in the fun? Procession entries are still open – get involved and be part of the spectacle!

    Keep the party going at the official afterparty at The Adrian Flux Waterfront, with a high-energy DJ set from Dave Rowntree of Blur. It’s the ultimate way to cap off the day — tickets are on sale now!

    As always, the event will be supporting the civic charity, which this year is Norfolk and Waveney Mind, who support people with a range of mental health needs and provide a variety of services and training.

    Councillor Claire Kidman, Norwich City Council’s cabinet member for culture, said: “The Lord Mayor’s Weekend is everything Norwich is about — creativity, community, and connection.”

    “It will be great to see our new-look Hay Hill getting the party started and filled with live, locally curated music all weekend, and of course the return of the Procession is always exciting – it’s a colourful, joyful celebration of local talent and togetherness.

    We are particularly pleased to offer free family activities in Chapelfield Gardens, ensuring that everyone in Norwich can enjoy a fantastic day out this summer”

    The celebrations wrap up in style on Sunday with more live local music on Hay Hill, the Norwich Lanes Summer and the Great Norwich Duck Race.

    For the full schedule, procession entry details, and latest updates, follow Norwich City Council on social media or head to www.norwich.gov.uk/LMW

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Death toll from Armenia gas explosion rises to six

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    YEREVAN, June 12 (Xinhua) — The death toll from a gas explosion in an apartment building in the eastern Armenian city of Chambarak has risen to six, the press service of the Armenian Health Ministry said on Thursday.

    As reported, on Thursday a 69-year-old man, who was taken there the day before, died in one of the capital’s hospitals.

    It is noted that the condition of two more hospitalized victims is assessed as moderate.

    An explosion occurred in a house in Chambarak on Wednesday morning, causing three floors of apartments to collapse. Five bodies were found at the scene, and 11 people were taken to hospitals. According to preliminary data, a gas leak was the cause of the incident. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Viet Nam Hosts High-Level Forum to Promote Women’s Participation in United Nations Peacekeeping Operations

    Source: United Nations – Peacekeeping

    Ha Noi, Viet Nam – 12 June 2025 – Today, the Ministry of Public Security of Viet Nam (MPS), in partnership with the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women), successfully convened an international forum under the theme: “Enhancing the Participation of Female Police Officers in United Nations Peacekeeping Operations –Global perspectives and Viet Nam’s Contribution.”

    The event marks a significant milestone affirming the strong commitment of the Ministry of Public Security of Viet Nam to promoting gender equality and empowering female police officers to play a more active role in global peacekeeping efforts.

    The Forum brought together more than 100 national and international participants, including high-ranking officials such as Senior Lieutenant General Le Quoc Hung, Deputy Minister of Public Security of Viet Nam; H.E Jean-Pierre Lacroix, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations; Mr. Faisal Shahkar, United Nations Police Adviser and Director of the Police Division at the UN Department of Peace Operations. Representatives from relevant ministries, Vietnamese police peacekeepers, and embassies of Canada, the United Kingdom, Italy, Norway, Australia, Indonesia, the United States, among others, also participated.

    Viet Nam has actively deployed female police officers to United Nations peacekeeping missions, achieving a participation rate of over 30%—significantly surpassing the UN’s minimum target of 20%. This achievement has been recognized and commended by the international community. However, to ensure the sustainability, effectiveness, and long-term impact of such efforts, continued improvement of policy frameworks, expansion of international cooperation, and strengthened awareness across the police force on the role of women in peacekeeping are essential.

    In his opening remarks, Senior Lieutenant General Dr. Le Quoc Hung, Deputy Minister of Public Security, emphasized: “The Ministry of Public Security of Viet Nam has proactively implemented policies and strategies to increase the participation of female police officers in UN peacekeeping operations. This not only reflects Viet Nam’s international commitments but also demonstrates a modern, human-centered, and globally integrated approach to security.”

    United Nations Under-Secretary General for Peace Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, expressed appreciation for Viet Nam’s steadfast support to peacekeeping operations, and for its commitment to achieve the goal of having more women in peacekeeping, particularly more female police officers. “There are several avenues to achieve that goal: first, by providing more training opportunities; second, by Member States nominating more female candidates including

    for leadership positions; and third, by creating work environments which are more welcoming for women. I look forward to continue strengthening the already excellent partnership with Viet Nam in all of these areas”.

    The forum featured in-depth discussions among experts and practitioners on issues including: the current status and challenges faced by female peacekeepers; UN policies and requirements on gender equality in peacekeeping; and experiences from other countries regarding the deployment of female police officers to peace operations. The event also highlighted current policy gaps and put forward concrete recommendations to enhance the role, representation, and quality of participation of female officers—including those from the Viet Nam People’s Public Security Force—in UN peacekeeping operations.

    Speaking at the Forum, Ms. Angela Pratt, Acting United Nations Resident Coordinator in Viet Nam, stated: “Increasing women’s representation in peacekeeping is not only a matter of gender equality—it also improves the effectiveness of peace operations. Viet Nam is currently exceeding global benchmarks for the deployment of female police officers. We encourage Viet Nam to continue its efforts, particularly in advancing women’s leadership and ensuring their presence in key mission positions.”

    UN Women and the United Nations system in Viet Nam reaffirmed their commitment to supporting Viet Nam in its peacekeeping journey through technical assistance, capacity building, and resource mobilization—including connecting Viet Nam to funding mechanisms such as the Elsie Initiative Fund.

    The Forum also reinforces Viet Nam’s implementation of its first-ever National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security (2024–2030), while contributing meaningfully to the global agenda under the United Nations Pact for the Future. The event concluded with a strong call for gender-responsive leadership and coherent policies to advance gender equality in peace and security.

    —

    Media Contacts: Vu Viet Hung Standing Office for UN Peacekeeping Operations, Ministry of Public Security Email: ppko@mps.gov.vn

    Hoang Bich Thao Communications and Advocacy Analyst, UN Women Viet Nam

    Email: hoang.thao@unwomen.org

    Press Release in English and Vietnamese.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Update 296 – IAEA Director General Statement on Situation in Ukraine

    Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

    Nuclear safety remains precarious at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) and its six reactors cannot be restarted as long as the military conflict continues to jeopardize the situation at the site, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi told IAEA Member States this week.

    Addressing the regular June meeting of the Board of Governors, the Director General briefed them about his 12th mission to Ukraine during the current conflict, which took place in early June, followed by a visit to Russia, which also focused on nuclear safety and security at the ZNPP.

    Addressing the Board meeting, he highlighted “the extremely vulnerable” status of the off-site power supply at the site, which for more than a month now has relied on one single power line for the electricity it needs to cool its reactors and spent fuel. Before the conflict, Europe’s largest nuclear power plant (NPP) had access to ten power lines.

    In addition, Director General Grossi noted that the ZNPP reactors’ “reliance on groundwater for cooling remains an interim solution, whilst in their cold shutdown state”.  The plant has depended on 11 groundwater wells since the downstream Kakhovka dam was destroyed two years ago.

    In their meeting in Kyiv on 3 June, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy “made a point to recognize the importance of the IAEA’s permanent presence” at the ZNPP, the Director General told the Board, adding he had assured President Zelenskyy of the IAEA’s continued commitment to Ukraine’s nuclear safety and to helping it rebuild its energy infrastructure.

    The Director General added: “As the military conflict moves further into its fourth year, Ukraine needs support, and the IAEA is providing it … it is also crucial to prepare for the reconstruction phase.”

    At the ZNPP, the IAEA team based there has held several meetings with the ZNPP to discuss the site’s electrical system and also visited its 750 kilovolt (kV) switchyard.

    Apart from the sole remaining 330 kV back-up line that was disconnected due to military activities on 7 May, the site does not know the current condition of its five other 330 kV lines, which remain unavailable after they were damaged outside of the ZNPP area early in the conflict.

    The ZNPP said maintenance work was conducted at one of the four 750 kV power lines that was originally connected to the ZNPP before being damaged in 2022. Since the conflict, the ZNPP had lost access to three of its 750 kV lines.

    In addition, the ZNPP informed the IAEA about a planned project to pump water into the cooling pond from the Dnipro River in order to maintain a water level that is sufficient to cool one operating reactor initially, followed by a second unit, until the pond reaches its full capacity. According to the site, a pumping station will be constructed to supply water directly to the cooling pond until the plant can rebuild the Kakhovka dam.

    The exact location of the pumping station cannot yet be determined, as it depends on the security conditions, the ZNPP said, adding the project would only start once military activities cease.

    Separately this week, the IAEA team was informed that that the Russian regulator, Rostekhnadzor, over the next two weeks will perform pre-licensing inspection activities at ZNPP reactor units 1 and 2, whose current operational licences issued by Ukraine are due to expire in December this year and in February 2026, respectively. The IAEA team has requested to observe these activities and will seek additional information regarding items such as the scope of these undertakings and any criteria for assessing nuclear safety.

    Over the past several weeks, the IAEA team has also been monitoring a leak in one reactor unit’s essential service water system which delivers cooling water to the safety systems. The leak – which can occur in NPPs without any significant safety consequences – was discovered during maintenance and the team was informed that it was caused by corrosion. It has since been repaired.

    The IAEA team reported hearing military activities on most days over the past weeks, at varying distances away from the ZNPP including last week’s purported drone attack on the site’s training centre.

    The Khmelnytskyy, Rivne and the South Ukraine NPPs are continuing to operate amid the problems caused by the conflict. Three of their nine operating reactor units are still undergoing planned outages for refuelling and maintenance. The IAEA teams at these plants and the Chornobyl sites have continued to report on – and be informed about – nearby military activities, including drones observed flying nearby. Last Monday, the IAEA teams at Khmelnytskyy and Rivne were required to shelter.

    Over the past two weeks, the IAEA teams based at these four sites have all rotated.

    As part of the IAEA’s assistance programme to support nuclear safety and security in Ukraine, the Chornobyl site received essential items to improve staff living conditions and the National Scientific Centre Institute of Metrology received personal radiation detectors.

    These deliveries were funded by Austria, Belgium, France and Norway and brought the total number of IAEA-coordinated deliveries since the start of the armed conflict to 140.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Sidetrade named Fortune Europe’s Most Innovative Companies 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Sidetrade, the global leader in AI-powered Order-to-Cash applications, has been ranked 141st in Europe’s Most Innovative Companies 2025, a list published by Fortune and Statista. Among 300 top innovation leaders, Sidetrade is highlighted for the strength of its innovation culture, recognized as its key differentiator.

    The Europe’s Most Innovative Companies 2025 list, compiled by Fortune in partnership with Statista, is based on more than 108,000 evaluations by experts and employees, enriched by the LexisNexis® patent portfolio index. Each company is assessed across three dimensions: product innovation, process innovation, and innovation culture. Sidetrade stood out for the strength of its innovative mindset, a key driver in its ability to reshape financial practices across the Order-to-Cash field.

    This recognition crowns a continuous innovation trajectory that began with the company’s founding in 2000. This momentum originated in Paris, France, where the company built its technological foundation within an ecosystem that has since achieved global recognition. As of 2025, the French capital’s technology ecosystem ranks fourth globally, according to Dealroom, surpassing London, Munich, and Stockholm.

    “Since its inception 25 years ago, Sidetrade has been at the forefront of technological disruption,” said Olivier Novasque, Founder and CEO of Sidetrade. “This recognition by Fortune comes at a pivotal moment, as we enter the era of agentic AI. For our clients, this marks the era of augmented finance, with virtually unlimited capabilities that can absorb business complexity. For us, it reflects a technological lead we estimate to be over three years ahead of our market.”

    By equipping finance departments with autonomous agents capable of acting, communicating, and adapting in real time, Sidetrade is redefining the foundations of the Order-to-Cash process. This shift from assistive AI to executional AI represents a strategic inflection point, described by several analysts as a business model transformation.

    “The emergence of agentic AI marks a turning point in the operating model of corporate finance,” noted Jean-Pierre Tabart, Analyst at TP ICAP. “With its technological lead, mastery of real-time behavioral data, and ability to industrialize autonomous intelligence at scale for large enterprises, Sidetrade stands out as a strategically undervalued asset, poised to capture increasing value in an under-equipped market.”

    Investor relations & Media relations @Sidetrade
    Christelle Dhrif                00 33 6 10 46 72 00           cdhrif@sidetrade.com

    About Sidetrade (www.sidetrade.com)
    Sidetrade (Euronext Growth: ALBFR.PA) provides a SaaS platform designed to revolutionize how cash flow is secured and accelerated. Leveraging its next-generation AI, nicknamed Aimie, Sidetrade analyzes $7.2 trillion worth of B2B payment transactions daily in its Cloud, thereby anticipating customer payment behavior and the attrition risk of more than 40 million buyers worldwide. Aimie recommends the best operational strategies, dematerializes and intelligently automates Order-to-Cash processes to enhance productivity, results and working capital across organizations.
    Sidetrade has a global reach, with 400+ talented employees based in Europe, the United States and Canada, serving global businesses in more than 85 countries. Amongst them: AGFA, Bidcorp, BMW Financial Services, Bunzl, DXC, Engie, Inmarsat, KPMG, Lafarge, Manpower, Morningstar, Page, Randstad, Safran, Saint-Gobain, Securitas, Siemens, UGI, Veolia.
    Sidetrade is a participant of the United Nations Global Compact, adhering to its principles-based approach to responsible business.
     For more information, visit us at www.sidetrade.com and follow us on LinkedIn at @Sidetrade.
     In the event of any discrepancy between the French and English versions of this press release, the French version shall prevail.

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    The MIL Network –