NewzIntel.com

Category: Europe

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China handles rare earth metal exports in accordance with law: Commerce Ministry

    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 6 (Xinhua) — The Chinese government will review applications for rare earth metal export licenses in accordance with relevant laws and regulations, and those that meet the requirements will be approved, the Ministry of Commerce said Thursday.

    Rare earth metals and related products have obvious dual-use properties that can be used for both civilian and military purposes, so introducing export controls on them is a recognized international practice, said He Yongqian, spokesperson for the Ministry of Commerce, at a regular ministry press conference, responding to a media inquiry about China’s export of related products. -0-

    新华社北京6月5日电（记者谢希瑶）商务部新闻发言人何咏前在5日举行的例行新闻发布会上答记者问时表示，稀土等相关物项具有明显的军民两用属性，对中国政府依法依规对两用物项相关出口许可申请进行审查，对符合规定的申请，中方将予以批准，促进便利合规贸易。（完）

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Portugal’s new government sworn in

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

    Luis Montenegro addresses an inauguration ceremony of the new government in Lisbon, Portugal, on June 5, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    Luis Montenegro, leader of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) and head of the Democratic Alliance (AD), was officially sworn in as Portugal’s new prime minister on Thursday. The 16 ministers of the new cabinet also took their oaths of office.

    At the inauguration ceremony, Montenegro pledged to “continue serving the country,” vowed to “declare war on bureaucracy,” and committed to advancing state reforms, maintaining political stability, and boosting social productivity. He also emphasized the government’s intention to engage with the opposition and promote dialogue and cooperation.

    President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said the election result reflected increased political confidence in Montenegro, but stressed that the public had not granted the government “absolute trust.” He noted that the influence of traditional parties is waning while new political forces are emerging — a shift that, although arriving late in Portugal, has not bypassed the country.

    Compared to the previous administration, the vast majority of key ministers have retained their posts. The number of ministries has been reduced from 17 to 16, with the Ministry of Economy merged with the Ministry of Territorial Cohesion, and the Ministry of Culture combined with the former Ministry of Youth and Modernization to form the new Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports.

    The most notable change is the creation of a new Ministry for State Reform. Goncalo Matias has been appointed as both minister adjunct to the prime minister and minister for state reform.

    At the PSD’s national council meeting last week, Montenegro described the “modernization of public administration” as the “cornerstone” of the next government’s policy agenda.

    The new cabinet was sworn in just 18 days after the election, marking the fastest cabinet formation under President Rebelo de Sousa.

    The parliament will debate and vote on the new government’s program on June 17 and 18. According to the Portuguese Constitution, the government can only fully assume its duties after the program is approved by the Assembly of the Republic. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Sabalenka ends Swiatek’s reign in thriller, Gauff eases into final

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

    World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka ended champion Iga Swiatek’s dream of lifting her fifth Roland Garros title with a 7-6(1), 4-6, 6-0 win in their semifinal clash on Thursday.

    Sabalenka was behind at 1-5 in her head-to-head record with Swiatek entering the match but exhibited the dominant form that made her the current world No. 1.

    It took Sabalenka two hours and 19 minutes to snap Pole Swiatek’s 26-match winning streak at the event.

    Aryna Sabalenka returns a shot during the women’s singles semifinal between Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus and Iga Swiatek of Poland at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros, Paris, France, June 5, 2025. (Xinhua/Gao Jing)

    “I’m super happy with the win today and beating Iga at Roland Garros,” said the Belarusian. “It’s just something unbelievable and something I’m super proud of, and yeah, just happy to get through this difficult match.”

    The 27-year-old will next face world No. 2 Coco Gauff in the final – the first final showdown in a decade between the top two ranked players for the French Open title.

    Gauff breezed past French wild card Lois Boisson in the second semifinal 6-1, 6-2 to advance to the final for a second time.

    The 2022 finalist will bid for her second Grand Slam title, having won the US Open in 2023 over Sabalenka over three sets.

    “My first final here I was super nervous, and I kind of wrote myself off before the match even happened,” said Gauff. “Obviously here I have a lot more confidence just from playing a Grand Slam final before and doing well in one. Yeah, I think going into Saturday I’ll just give it my best shot and try to be as calm and relaxed as possible.”

    US Open champions Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori became the first Italian pair since 1958 to win the French Open mixed doubles, beating Americans Taylor Townsend and Evan King 6-4, 6-2.

    In the women’s wheelchair quarterfinals, China’s Li Xiaohui brushed aside Ksenia Chasteau of France 6-2, 6-1 before she combined with compatriot Wang Ziying to defeat France’s Pauline Deroulede and Aniek Van Koot of the Netherlands 4-6, 7-5, 10-5 to advance into the women’s wheelchair doubles final.

    Friday’s main focus will be on the two men’s semifinals, where defending champion Carlos Alcaraz takes on Lorenzo Musetti on Chatrier, followed by Novak Djokovic against Jannik Sinner. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Defections are fairly common in Australian politics. But history shows they are rarely a good career move

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Frank Bongiorno, Professor of History, ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences, Australian National University

    For many years now, Australian political scientists have pointed out that that established partisan allegiance is in decline. In 1967, 36% of Coalition supporters and 32% of Labor voters reported lifetime voting for their side. At the 2022 election, the Australian Election Study found the figures to be 16% and 12%.

    These changes help to explain the rising support for independents and minor parties at federal elections; they now take about a third of the primary vote.

    So much for voters. What about for politicians? Of course, there have always been plenty of parliamentarians who had an earlier stint as a member of some other party before landing in the one that sent them into parliament. Brendan Nelson was in the Labor Party before he was Liberal. John Gorton was Country Party before he was Liberal. Adam Bandt was Labor before he was Green. And so on. We are all entitled to change our minds, even if switching political parties was once closer to changing football teams – a habit that immediately arouses suspicion in a sports-loving nation.

    Senator Dorinda Cox’s switch from the Greens to the Labor Party was apparently a homecoming, according to Cox. She was once a Labor Party member, she said. Last week, she was criticising the party over its approval of Woodside’s Northwest Shelf gas project. This week, she finds Labor’s values aligned with her own.

    Of course, her defection has been accompanied by a steady leaking of little details of her Greens career, such as an excoriation of the Labor Party, in her application to run for the Greens, when she said the ALP patronised “women and people of colour” and cared more about its donors than members.

    That’s politics, but it’s a democratic deficit that senators elected as part of a Senate team, in a system that has facilitated above-the-line voting since 1984, can sit for years afterwards in the parliament as a member of another party.

    But good luck in getting up a constitutional change, via referendum, to change that.

    Still, it is easy to understand how such nimbleness breeds cynicism about political parties. Another perspective might be that the fluidity of allegiance out in the electorate has come to inhabit the political class itself.

    All the same, defections from one party to another are quite rare these days in federal politics, at least after one is sitting in parliament. But defections from a party to sit as an independent are not and some, such as Bob Katter, have managed to build successful political careers outside the parties.

    One who did not was was Julia Banks, the Liberal member for Chisholm, who announced she would not be seeking re-election and then left the party for the crossbench in the wake of Scott Morrison’s ascension to the leadership in 2018. Banks complained of bullying and intimidation within the Liberal Party and the wider parliament, and wrote a book on her experiences. She subsequently failed to gain election as an independent in another seat.

    There were several defectors in the last parliament. A House of Representatives crossbench that began at 16 had reached 19 by the end, with the defections of two Liberals (Russell Broadbent and Ian Goodenough, both after losing preselection) and one National, Andrew Gee, the latter over his party’s opposition to the Voice. Only Gee has lived politically to tell the tale, winning Calare as an Independent, as Peter Andren did before him.

    Defections from minor and microparties are especially common, based as they often are on a high-profile leader and lacking traditions of party discipline or solid structures of organisational governance. Jacqui Lambie began as a Palmer United Party senator. Tammy Tyrrell began as a Jacqui Lambie Network senator.

    The biggest “defection” in modern Australian politics was that of Cheryl Kernot from the Australian Democrats to the Labor Party in 1997. It is easy, over a quarter of a century on, and with the Australian Democrats no longer in the Australian parliament, to underestimate what a big deal this was at the time.

    Kernot was a rock star of a politician, leader of the Australian Democrats, and a national celebrity. But there are significant differences with Cox beyond Kernot’s greater eminence. She resigned her Senate seat immediately and would win the marginal Brisbane seat of Dickson in the following year’s election. Then, in 2001, she would lose it to a young and ambitious former policeman named Peter Dutton.

    The experience was ultimately an unhappy one for Kernot: she believed that having recruited her into the ranks, the Labor Party – and its leader, Kim Beazley, did not know how to make the best use of her. She was also on the receiving end of some relentlessly negative and sometimes intrusive media coverage. And by her own admission, she made mistakes. The story of her career’s unravelling is not straightforward. The role that gender played in it remains contentious.

    Perhaps Kernot’s experience would alone be sufficient to prompt second thoughts in anyone seeking to jump ship. There are, of course, older prohibitions. In the Labor Party, a defector was known as a “rat”. Billy Hughes, the prime minister whose effort to introduce conscription in the first world war split the party, is the most famous of them.

    “Rat” is not a word much heard these days, but it was thrown around a bit when Senator Fatima Payman defected in 2024, and applied more seriously in 1996 to Labor Senator Mal Colston when he resigned from the Labor Party in exchange for the deputy presidency of the Senate.

    The best historical example of a defection being good for your career is that of Joe Lyons, who ratted on Labor in 1931 to lead a new party called the United Australia Party, a switch engineered by a small group of influential businessmen.
    The circumstances – the Great Depression, real fear of civil violence, and the disintegration of a federal Labor government – were highly unusual.

    More commonly, defection is a bad career move. Most of the Labor politicians who went over to the breakaway anti-communist Democratic Labor Party (DLP) in the mid-1950s found themselves out of parliament and looking for a new job. Stan Keon, one of those flying high ahead of the split, even occasionally mentioned – unrealistically – as a possible future prime minister, would run a Melbourne wine shop. Others, such as Vince Gair, Queensland Labor premier, lived to fight another day as a DLP senator (and ambassador to Ireland).

    Cox has three years left of her senate term. After that, she will be at the mercy of the Labor Party. Labor won three Senate seats at the 2022 half-Senate election in Western Australia and perhaps it could do so again. On that occasion, in a surprise victory, the third place went to the young up-and-coming union organiser, Fatima Payman.

    Frank Bongiorno 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. Defections are fairly common in Australian politics. But history shows they are rarely a good career move – https://theconversation.com/defections-are-fairly-common-in-australian-politics-but-history-shows-they-are-rarely-a-good-career-move-258177

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Xinjiang: Folk cultural event adds color to herders’ lives

    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

    The 6th cultural and tourism event was held in Handegate Mongolian National Township, Altay City, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in early summer. Lively and cheerful song and dance performances, as well as exciting folk sports competitions, attract local herders and tourists to participate and experience the charm of national culture. Photo by Xinhua News Agency correspondent Wang Fei.

    1 2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   >  

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Traditional culture shapes “new national trend”

    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

    “National Trend” (Guochao) is a fusion of the concepts of “domestic” and “trend”: “national” refers to elements of traditional Chinese culture, and “trend” means fashion trends. “New National Trend” combines these two concepts through innovation and creativity.

    Today, leading the new national trend, China’s unique traditional culture is unleashing a powerful force for socio-economic development.

    This whirlwind of Chinese-style cultural creativity is constantly gaining momentum: from the annual best-selling Forbidden City Calendar to the incredibly popular fridge magnets, internet users have dedicated themselves to collecting and recreating, creating entire “museums” of magnets depicting cultural relics in their homes.

    “New National Trend” Boosts Job Creation. In Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, the boom in traditional Chinese costumes, Hanfu, has created a huge demand for makeup artists and stylists. The Chang’an District government launched a free training program for stylists and makeup artists who can recreate the looks of the Tang and Han dynasties. To date, the initiative has created nearly 7,000 jobs, with an average annual income of over 90,000 yuan.

    The popularity of the “new national trend” contributes to the optimization of the division of labor, the formation of new professions and the creation of new growth points in the employment sector, which helps the population to obtain high-quality vacancies and full employment during employment.

    The Rise of “New Chinese Style”: From Cultural Phenomenon to Industrial Transformation. LaoPu Gold, a brand that revives ancient gold processing techniques, integrates intangible cultural heritage into modern design. Its sales grew by 160% in 2024. Meanwhile, the market size of “Chinese health drinks” based on herbs, fruits, and medicinal plants prepared by boiling and extracting is projected to exceed 10 billion yuan by 2028. “New Chinese Style” is penetrating niche consumer segments, forming a new growth model through cultural values.

    The national trend continuously stimulates the consumer market and the potential of enterprises. Its flourishing not only demonstrates the cultural confidence of Chinese brands, but also reflects the high vitality of traditional culture in the modern commercial environment.

    Traditional culture is no longer a “showcase” to be worshipped; it has become a living asset that can be touched, transformed, and even enhanced. Keeping pace with the times, Chinese traditional culture not only forms a spiritual reference point, but also marks cultural milestones of high-quality development.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Chairman Wicker Leads SASC Hearing on the Department of the Army’s Posture and Readiness

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Mississippi Roger Wicker

    Watch Video Here

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today led a hearing on the Department of the Army’s posture and requirements for the challenges ahead.

    During the hearing, the committee received testimony from the Army’s senior civilian leader, Secretary Driscoll, and the highest-ranking commissioned officer within the Department of the Army, General George.

    In his opening remarks, Chairman Wicker emphasized that this hearing marked the beginning of the Army’s dialogue with Congress on the Army’s Transformation Initiative (ATI) and underscored the committee’s willingness to partner with Army leadership to address fundamental problems within the service.

    Read Senator Wicker’s hearing opening statement as delivered.

    Good morning. The Senate Armed Services Committee meets today to receive testimony on the posture of the United States Army. I want to thank our witnesses, Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll and the Chief of Staff of the Army General Randy George, for being here.  Unfortunately, it seems the detailed Fiscal Year 2026 budget will not be available for several more weeks.

    Nonetheless, we will benefit from speaking with you both, Secretary Driscoll and General George. In the past month, we’ve been speaking publicly about the Army Transformation Initiative, or “ATI”. This initiative seeks to change portions of the Army’s capabilities and force structure while maintaining the Army’s flat budget.

    The Army provided this committee with the first real set of details on the ATI about a week ago. This hearing marks the beginning of the Army’s discussion with Congress on the idea.  We are ready to work with you, gentlemen.

    In fact, we must work together rapidly to fix fundamental problems with the U.S. Army.  Since 2000, the list of failed Army modernization initiatives – such as the Comanche helicopter, the Crusader howitzer, and the Future Combat Systems – has continued to grow.

    Between 2002 and 2012, the Army spent $50 billion on programs it eventually canceled. The record in the past five years has been better but still contains significant missteps. The Army recently spent $2 billion on a scout helicopter that will never fly. Other cancellations of programs have followed, including the Strategic Long-Range Cannon program, the Extended Range Cannon Artillery programs, and the M-10 Booker armored infantry support vehicle, as well as the “Hum-Vee.”

    Fundamentally, the Army needs to decide how to adapt to the changing character of warfare and meet priority missions, particularly against China and Russia. Mr. Secretary, many ideas you propose in your Transformation Initiative and your budget will meet that mark. I think you will find widespread support for increasing investments in long-range fires and air and missile defense, as you proposed. I would note, however, the lack of logistics investments in your plan, given the Army’s central role in logistics in the Pacific – so perhaps we’ll talk about that.

    Mr. Secretary, I think you will find Congress a very willing partner when presented with convincing analysis that justifies investment changes. In particular, those changes should help American soldiers deter war and, if necessary, win in convincing fashion. Where we do disagree, will likely be in effects on the industrial base. Our defense industrial base is brittle. We cannot afford to let sites close, or we will lose the defense expertise of many skilled workers. We need investment strategies that recognize this. Our investments should provide stability and ensure the United States can maintain maximum competition. The Army cannot follow the “divest to invest” strategy that the Navy and Air Force have wanted to pursue. The United States faces too many threats today to leave gaps in capabilities. It will require tightly woven investment strategies among the Army, Congress, and industry to get this right.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: More Sons of Freedom Doukhobors receive support to heal

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    More people belonging to the Sons of Freedom Doukhobor community are receiving financial health and well-being support, as part of the B.C. government’s apology for historical wrongs committed against them.

    In August 2024, the Province, in partnership with the Canadian Red Cross, distributed funds to living survivors who were forcibly apprehended and kept in New Denver as children. Now, the remaining health and well-being funds will be shared among:

    • living survivors who were not school-aged when they were forcibly taken, and
    • deceased survivors’ descendants, including spouses or common-law partners and legally adopted children.

    Descendants of survivors who are still alive or who have already received the health and well-being fund are not eligible to receive additional support.

    This work is part of the Province’s ongoing efforts to honour the legacy of the New Denver survivors and to acknowledge the hardships they experienced at the hands of government.

    People who believe they may be eligible to receive support but have not been contacted can email the Ministry of Attorney General: sofd@gov.bc.ca.

    The deadline to contact the ministry is January 2026.

    In 1899, the Doukhobors fled persecution in Russia, seeking refuge in Canada. Many settled in the Kootenay Boundary region in B.C. During the first half of the 20th century, the Province targeted the Sons of Freedom, a group within the Doukhobor community, with fines and seizure of property for acts of civil disobedience, such as missing school and protesting naked.

    In addition, hundreds of children from the Sons of Freedom were forcibly removed from their families and placed in institutions in New Denver between 1953 and 1959. There, many of the children were subjected to physical, emotional and sexual abuse that left deep, generation-spanning scars on them, their families, loved ones and the broader community.

    The Province issued a formal apology for these historical wrongs in February 2024.

    Learn More:

    For guidelines on determining eligibility and how to access the funds, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/files/Backgrounder%20-%20SoF%20Health_Wellbeing%20Funds%20Phase%202.pdf

    To learn more about government’s apology, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/30239

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI China: FIFA announces draw for U17 Women’s World Cup

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

    The draw for the ninth FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup was announced Wednesday, with the 2025 edition set to feature 24 teams for the first time.

    The tournament will take place in Rabat, Morocco, from October 17 to November 8.

    It will also mark the first time the global event is held in Africa, with the draw ceremony staged at the Mohammed VI Football Academy in Rabat.

    Host Morocco will compete in Group A alongside Brazil, Costa Rica and Italy. Defending champion Democratic People’s Republic of Korea has been drawn into Group B with Cameroon, Mexico and the Netherlands.

    China is in Group C with Ecuador, Norway and the United States. Group D includes Canada, France, Nigeria and Samoa.

    Group E features Colombia, Cote d’Ivoire, South Korea and Spain, while Japan, New Zealand, Paraguay and Zambia make up Group F.

    The top two teams from each of the six groups, along with the four best third-placed teams, will advance to the round of 16. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Poland edge China, Belgium dominate Thailand in VNL

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

    China suffered its first loss at the Volleyball Nations League (VNL) Beijing leg on Thursday, falling to Poland 3-1 (25-22, 20-25, 25-19, 25-21) in a tightly contested match at the National Indoor Stadium.

    Poland opposite Magdalena Stysiak and outside hitter Martyna Czyrnianska each scored 20 points to fire their team to victory. Captain and middle blocker Agnieszka Korneluk added 17, while fellow middle blocker Aleksandra Gryka had 12.

    Magdalena Stysiak (L) of Poland spikes the ball during the Pool 3 match between China and Poland at the Women’s Volleyball Nations League (VNL) 2025 at the National Indoor Stadium in Beijing, China, June 5, 2025. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)

    After dropping a closely fought opening set, China responded with a spirited performance in the second, making lineup adjustments and gaining momentum through effective blocking and fast-paced attacks. Outside hitters Tang Xin and Wu Mengjie played key roles as the team leveled the scores at one set apiece.

    Zhuang Yushan scored a team-high 17 points, Wu earned 13 points, while Tang contributed 12 points overall, including seven in the second set alone.

    “At the beginning, I felt I performed even better than I did in training,” said Tang, 21. “But later on, I got a bit too excited and started to lose focus. Poland adjusted quickly, especially in the third set – their blockers began targeting me more directly, and I had trouble adapting.”

    The third set saw both teams battling point-for-point early on, but Poland pulled ahead midway with solid defense and consistent execution, eventually taking it 25-19. In the fourth, China made a strong start, racing into a 3-0 lead, but Poland quickly turned the tide with a 14-10 advantage and maintained a narrow lead down the stretch. Despite China’s late push to save a match point, Poland closed out the set 25-21 to seal their second straight win in Beijing.

    “We’re very happy with this win. Coming into the match, we knew it would be difficult, even though we only had a few recent matches to study this ‘new’ Chinese team. Still, we could tell that their players have incredible quality. The younger players may lack experience, but they’ve already shown great technique, talent, and character,” said Poland head coach Stefano Lavarini.

    Lavarini noted that the second set slipped away due to a drop in serving quality and missed opportunities in attack, especially against single blocks. However, he added that in the third set, his team regained its rhythm by stabilizing service and playing with more consistency.

    “We tried to get back to the level we had in the first set. In the fourth set, China changed many players, so we made some tactical adjustments as well – especially in how we adapted to their different middle blockers and attackers,” the 46-year-old Italian explained.

    With the result, Poland improve to 2-0 in the current leg, while China drops to 1-1. Both teams will have a rest day on Friday before returning to action over the weekend.

    Earlier in the day, Belgium earned its first win of the Beijing leg with a 3-1 victory over Thailand (25-22, 25-23, 24-26, 25-22).

    Belgium captain Britt Herbots led the scorers with 31 points, while opposite Pauline Martin added 19. Middle blocker Nathalie Lemmens contributed 14 points, including five blocks, as Belgium’s offensive trio proved decisive.

    “It was a very tough and long match from every perspective,” said Herbots. “Thailand has a unique style of play. There were a lot of fast combinations and long rallies – very tiring on defense. But I’m really happy we got the win. Everyone fulfilled their role, and that’s really important for a team.”

    Belgium will next play against France on Friday, while Thailand will face Türkiye. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Energy Sector – Strengthening UK energy security with new gas sales agreement – Equinor

    Source: Equinor

    05 JUNE 2025 – Equinor and Centrica sign long-term gas sales agreement of 55 TWh of natural gas per year (around 5 billion cubic meters – bcm) for a period of 10 years starting 1 October 2025 at terms reflecting market prices. The total contract value would be around £20 billion assuming current prices.

    “I am very pleased to strengthen the energy partnership with the UK and our longstanding partner and customer Centrica. This agreement will continue to support the UK’s energy security with reliable gas supplies from the Norwegian continental shelf. The flexibility that natural gas offers will play a key role in enabling further development of renewable power and decarbonisation in the UK”, says Equinor’s president and CEO Anders Opedal.

    For nearly 50 years, Equinor and partners have developed the Norwegian Continental Shelf to be the largest and most reliable provider of energy to Europe. Britain currently imports nearly 2/3 of its gas requirements from Norway, with Equinor being the major supplier. The annual volumes under this agreement will cover nearly 10% [1] of total annual UK gas demand which makes the agreement among the largest in Equinor bilateral portfolio.

    “The UK and the North Sea is a core area in our long-term ambitions to remain a supplier of reliable energy and to help decarbonise societies and industries. The new gas sales agreement with Centrica will be a key element in this. Energy security and decarbonisation must go hand in hand, and I am proud that Equinor is actively delivering both”, says Equinor’s UK Country Manager Alex Grant.

    Beyond investments in the UK’s oil and gas production, Equinor already operates three offshore wind farms at Sheringham Shoal, Dudgeon and Hywind Scotland, the world’s first floating offshore wind farm. Dogger Bank is under development and will be the world’s largest offshore windfarm once completed. Together with partners Equinor is also developing the UK’s first CO2 transport and storage project and a gas power plant with CO2 capture.

    Chris O’Shea, Group Chief Executive of Centrica, commented: “Equinor is a valued partner, and this landmark agreement underscores the vital role that natural gas plays as a transition fuel as we navigate towards a low carbon energy future. The enduring partnership between Centrica and Equinor exemplifies the strong and strategic relationship between the UK and Norway and I’m immensely proud that we’ve agreed this deal.

    “Over the last few years, we’ve seen first-hand how important energy security is. Today’s deal not only ensures the UK’s energy security has improved but also paves the way for a burgeoning hydrogen market. The deal represents a significant investment in the UK’s future, showing that Centrica will make bold investments that drive forward the energy transition while delivering value for our shareholders. We will continue to focus on further improving energy security by working with the UK Government to ensure the right levels of gas storage are in place to complement this landmark gas importation agreement.”

    [1] Total UK demand in 2024 at 55.8 bcm

    About Centrica

    Centrica is an international energy and services company, founded on a 200-year heritage of serving customers in homes and businesses. The company supply energy and services to over 10 million residential and business customers, mainly in the UK and Ireland, through brands such as British Gas, Bord Gáis Energy and Centrica Business Solutions. Centrica has a role at every step of the energy transition. When it comes to energy, Centrica make it, store it, move it, sell it and mend it. The company’s strategy is driven by the purpose of energising a greener, fairer future.

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Greenpeace activists disrupt industrial fishing operation ahead of UN Ocean Conference

    Source: Greenpeace

    PACIFIC OCEAN, Friday, 6 June 2025 – Greenpeace activists have disrupted an industrial longlining fishing operation in the South Pacific Ocean, seizing almost 20 kilometers of fishing gear and freeing nine sharks, including an endangered mako, near Australia and New Zealand.
    With an expert team on a small boat releasing more than a dozen animals, crew aboard Greenpeace ship the Rainbow Warrior retrieved the entire longline and more than 210 baited hooks from a EU-flagged industrial fishing vessel, including an endangered longfin mako shark, eight near-threatened blue sharks and four swordfish. The crew also documented the vessel catching endangered sharks during its longlining operation.
    The at-sea action follows new Greenpeace Australia Pacific analysis exposing the extent of shark catch from industrial longlining in parts of the Pacific Ocean. Latest fisheries data showed that almost 70% of EU vessels’ catch was blue shark in 2023 alone. It comes ahead of next week’s UN Ocean Conference in Nice, France, where world leaders will discuss ocean protection and the Global Ocean Treaty.
    Georgia Whitaker, Senior Campaigner, Greenpeace Australia Pacific, said:
    “These longliners are industrial killing machines. Greenpeace Australia Pacific took peaceful and direct action to disrupt this attack on marine life. We saved important species that would otherwise have been killed or left to die on hooks.”
    “The scale of industrial fishing – still legal on the high seas – is astronomical. These vessels claim to be targeting swordfish or tuna, but we witnessed shark after shark being hauled up by these industrial fleets, including three endangered sharks in just half an hour. Greenpeace is calling on world leaders at the UN Ocean Conference to protect 30% of the world’s oceans by 2030 from this wanton destruction.”
    GreenpeaceAotearoa is calling on the New Zealand Government to ratify the Global Ocean Treaty and help create global ocean sanctuaries, including in the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand. New Zealand signed the agreement in 2023.
    More than two-thirds of sharks worldwide are endangered, and a third of those are at risk of extinction from overfishing. Over the last three weeks, the Rainbow Warrior has been documenting longlining vessels and practices off Australia’s east coast, including from Spain and China.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Minister Sidhu meets with Maroš Šefčovič, European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security

    Source: Government of Canada News

    June 5, 2025 – Paris, France – Global Affairs Canada

    The Honourable Maninder Sidhu, Minister of International Trade, met Maroš Šefčovič, European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security, at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Ministerial Council Meeting (MCM) held on June 3 and 4, 2025, in Paris, France.

    Minister Sidhu and Commissioner Šefčovič discussed the importance of supporting the rules-based trading system, as well as continuing to collaborate, including among G7 members, in support of an open, stable and predictable trade environment. They also discussed ways to expand Canada-EU trade, including through the implementation of the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement.

    The EU market, comprising 27 member states, is Canada’s second-largest global trading partner for goods and services after the United States. Strengthening trade ties with the EU is key to ensuring Canadian businesses and industries have access to diverse markets and partners and supporting economic growth and jobs on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean.

    Related products

    Associated links

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Minister Sidhu champions rules-based trade with Canada’s Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and World Trade Organization partners

    Source: Government of Canada News

    June 5, 2025 – Paris, France – Global Affairs Canada

    The Honourable Maninder Sidhu, Minister of International Trade, this week concluded his participation in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Ministerial Council Meeting (MCM) and World Trade Organization (WTO) mini-ministerial meeting, in Paris, France.

    At the OECD MCM, Minister Sidhu reaffirmed Canada’s support for the rules-based global trading system and its underpinning values. These include reinforcing the open, stable markets that ensure predictability amidst economic uncertainty, responsibly developing artificial intelligence and standing up for Ukraine. Canada served as vice-chair of the OECD MCM alongside Australia and Lithuania, under the chairship of Costa Rica.

    At the meeting, Canada and the Philippines formally took on the role of the 2025 to 2028 co-chairs of the OECD Southeast Asia Regional Programme (SEARP), a program that was created to address economic and development challenges in Southeast Asia. Minister Sidhu announced that Canada will contribute $2 million to support SEARP’s activities, which align with Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy and Strategic Partnership with ASEAN.

    At the WTO mini-ministerial meeting, Minister Sidhu advocated for deep and meaningful reforms of the WTO to ensure its rules are modernized and continue to support a rules-based global trading system. Canada also called for a pragmatic approach to the WTO’s 14th Ministerial Conference that considers current economic challenges.

    While in Paris, the Minister also hosted a business round table with Canadian companies active in the French market. As Canada seeks to strengthen its collaboration with reliable trading partners, the Minister heard the business representatives’ first-hand perspectives on the opportunities for Canadian businesses in France. 

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Your chance to try simpler train tickets in Yorkshire and the East Midlands this September

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Your chance to try simpler train tickets in Yorkshire and the East Midlands this September

    Up to 4,000 rail passengers can take part in each route of the pay-as-you-go ticketing trials.

    • digital ticketing trials will start from the end of the summer across Yorkshire and the East Midlands  
    • passengers can now sign up for one of the 4,000 places available  
    • demonstrates government action to overhaul ticketing and get more people onto our railways as part of our Plan for Change

    From today (6 June 2025), thousands of passengers across the north and East Midlands will have a chance to volunteer to take part in a new digital ticketing trial.  

    Backed by government funding, the trials will use GPS-based technology to track train journeys, ensuring passengers pay the best fare for the journey they take.  

    Digital ticketing builds on the government’s plans to overhaul the railways to make them simpler, more flexible and passenger-focused. Ahead of the creation of Great British Railways, the government continues to work to deliver positive changes like this for passengers – attracting more people back onto our trains, boosting the economy and delivering on the government’s Plan for Change. 

    The trials being operated by East Midlands Railway (EMR) and Northern Trains will run along these routes:

    • Leicester to Derby to Nottingham 
    • Harrogate to Leeds 
    • Sheffield to Doncaster 
    • Sheffield to Barnsley 

    Rail Minister, Lord Peter Hendy, said: 

    Contactless ticketing is making journeys easier to navigate for millions of passengers and now our digital trials are actively recruiting volunteers to help expand this technology across Yorkshire and the East Midlands. 

     Simplifying ticketing is a major part of our plans to overhaul the railways. I encourage anyone who regularly gets the train along these routes to get involved and help us build a ticketing system that delivers a better experience for passengers and communities across the country.

    Unlike the previous rollout of pay-as-you-go, which uses contactless payment at barriers, these trials will use GPS-based technology to track people’s location throughout their train journey.

    Up to 1,000 passengers will be able to take part in each route of the trials, meaning 4,000 passengers in total. The first trial to get underway will be on EMR between Leicester, Derby and Nottingham, kicking off at the beginning of September. The other routes, operated by Northern, will begin between September and November, with each running for 9 months from the start date. 

    Anyone interested in taking part should check EMR and Northern Trains’ websites, where a recruitment campaign has been launched.

    Alex Hornby, Commercial and Customer Director, Northern Trains, said:

    These trials mark an important step forward in simplifying rail travel and making the experience as frictionless as possible for our customers. By trialling pay-as-you-go technology on some of our routes, we’re helping to shape a future where hopping on a train is as easy as checking in and out.

    We will now be reaching out to regular customers on those routes to see if they would be willing to participate in these trials later this year. We’re excited to see how they respond and look forward to playing our part in modernising how people travel by rail in the north.

    These trials are expected to build on the success of the rollout of contactless ticketing at 53 stations across the south east. Since its introduction, more than 2 million entries and exits have been made using contactless cards or mobile devices, averaging around 140,000 a week – showing how popular the system is with customers using those stations already. 

    The department is also working closely with Greater Manchester and the West Midlands to develop their proposals for rolling out contactless ticketing even further. 

    Jenna Cowie, Interim Commercial Director at East Midlands Railway, said:

    We’re excited to be part of a project that aims to improve the way people travel and it is a great opportunity for our customers in Derby, Nottingham and Leicester to be among the very first in the country to experience a new, smarter way to buy train tickets.

    This trial is all about making train travel easier, faster and more intuitive. No more fare confusion – just check in and out with your phone and travel knowing you’ll automatically pay the best-value fare for your journey.

    This follows on from a watershed moment last month when South Western Railway (SWR) services became the first train operating company to transfer back into public control since the passing of the Public Ownership Bill, ending almost 30 years of fragmentation and waste under privatisation.   

    By bringing track and train together, Great British Railways will enable operations to run more seamlessly, bringing accountability and reliability back into the railways and, in turn, helping to reduce delays and cancellations.  

    Great British Railways will not just be the name of the new nationally owned railway, it symbolises a complete reset that will mark the high standard of service and delivery the public should expect to receive.    

    This week, the government also announced £15.6 billion – the biggest ever investment – in buses, trams and local train infrastructure for city regions, benefiting working people across the north, the Midlands and the south west. The funding – a more than double real-terms increase in capital spending on local transport in city regions by 2029 to 2030 compared with 2024 to 2025 – will empower local leaders to invest in transport projects that will make a difference to their local area.

    Rail media enquiries

    Media enquiries 0300 7777878

    Switchboard 0300 330 3000

    Updates to this page

    Published 6 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: More than £32 million to resurface roads and build new cycle lanes in the north east and Yorkshire as region hosts UK’s largest women’s cycling race

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    More than £32 million to resurface roads and build new cycle lanes in the north east and Yorkshire as region hosts UK’s largest women’s cycling race

    Investing in safer roads will encourage more women to cycle, build healthier, stronger communities and help ease pressure on the NHS.

    • an extra £20 million boost will improve roads across the north east and Yorkshire – part of an additional £500 million to tackle potholes nationwide
    • future of Roads Minister visits the Lloyds Tour of Britain Women – the UK’s biggest women’s cycling race – to promote safer roads for female cyclists
    • this is on top of nearly £12.8 million to build new cycle lanes and pavements in the north east – making active travel easier and easing pressure off the NHS, all part of the government’s Plan for Change

    Cyclists in the North East and Yorkshire will get around safely and easily as the government invests an extra £32 million to tackle potholes and build new cycle lanes in the region.

    Today (6 June 2025), the Minister for the Future of Roads will be in Saltburn-by-the-Sea, North Yorkshire, to speak to local schools, cycling clubs and female cycling champions during Stage 2 of the Lloyds Tour of Britain Women – the UK’s biggest women’s road cycling race.

    The minister will show how the government is taking action to resurface roads and emphasise the need to make them safer and more accessible for all road users, including female cyclists. Her visit follows the £15.6 billion boost announced earlier this week to empower local leaders to invest in local transport projects that will make a real difference across England’s city regions – including South Yorkshire, the north east and Tees Valley.

    Pothole-ridden roads put everyone off cycling, with this impact felt the most by women. According to research from Cycling UK, more than half of women (58%) said their cycle journeys were limited by safety concerns and a lack of suitable infrastructure, with 36% of women pointing to poor roads as a main factor.

    The government is investing an extra £20 million to resurface roads across the north east and Yorkshire so that cyclists and all road users can get around more safely, more easily and with confidence.

    On top of this uplift, local cyclists are also benefiting from an almost £13 million boost to build new cycle lanes and pavements in the north east.

    Better roads and new cycle lanes will make it easier and safer for people to cycle. This will lead to 43,000 fewer sick days a year across the country and add £1.4 billion to the UK economy, putting money in the pockets of hardworking families to help deliver the government’s Plan for Change.

    Future of Roads Minister, Lilian Greenwood, said:

    Safer roads mean safer spaces to cycle. The Lloyds Tour of Britain Women is a fantastic way to show women and girls the power of cycling and the difference it can make to their lives.

    By investing in better roads, we’re delivering our Plan for Change – encouraging more women and girls to hop on a bike, easing pressure on the NHS and building healthier, stronger communities.

    Across the country, the government is investing a total of £1.6 billion to resurface roads – enough to fill 7 million extra potholes – which includes an extra £500 million boost to go above and beyond the government’s manifesto commitment.

    Lizzie Deignan MBE, Olympic silver medallist and world champion, said:

    I am incredibly passionate about getting more women and girls on bikes, whatever their background or ability. The benefits of cycling are vast, from improving your health, meeting new people and developing new skills and confidence.

    Having better cycling infrastructure across the UK will definitely break down barriers, which currently prevent women and girls from participating in cycling.

    Programmes like British Cycling’s Breeze and Go-Ride clubs are reaching out to local communities and creating opportunities to make it easier for women and girls to access cycling, so we can enable safe and fun environments to make sure that everyone can enjoy the freedom of riding a bike.

    With more investment in our roads and cycle lanes, programmes like this can go further as we bring the joy of cycling to more people across the country.

    The £13 million for new cycle lanes and pavements in the north east comes from a £291 million package to build new active travel infrastructure across the whole country and encourage more people to walk, wheel, scoot and cycle.

    The improvements will help people across the country make 30 million more journeys by bike or foot every year, including more than 20 million new walk-to-school journeys by children and their parents.

    Caroline Julian, Director of Brand and Engagement at British Cycling, said:

    Significant barriers still exist that prevent many people from accessing the health, economic and social benefits that cycling brings. We know from our research that road safety is the biggest reason that holds people back from getting on a bike. This is, unfortunately, particularly the case for women.

    We are encouraged to see the significant government investment in road and cycle lane infrastructure in the north-east and Yorkshire regions. Investing in infrastructure and places to ride, alongside strengthened promotion and enforcement of the Highway Code, is of critical importance to make cycling accessible to all.

    RAC Senior Policy Officer, Rod Dennis, said:

    Whether on two wheels or four, the quality of the nation’s roads must be improved to make journeys smoother and safer. It’s crucial now that councils use this cash as effectively as possible.

    While dangerous potholes must be filled quickly, councils need to do more surface dressing work to ensure decent roads stay in a better state for longer and resurface those that are beyond repair.

    IAM RoadSmart Director of Policy and Standards, Nicholas Lyes, said:

    Poorly maintained roads are not just a nuisance, they are a road safety hazard, particularly for those on two wheels. We welcome this additional funding that focuses not just on smoother surfaces but safer infrastructure, which will improve journey choice for people.

    Roads media enquiries

    Media enquiries 0300 7777 878

    Switchboard 0300 330 3000

    Updates to this page

    Published 6 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New ambulances and faster emergency care for patients next winter

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    New ambulances and faster emergency care for patients next winter

    Patients will receive better, faster and more appropriate emergency care as the government sets out reforms to shorten waiting times in A&E.

    • Nearly £450 million investment to expand urgent and emergency care facilities to provide faster care for patients

    • 800,000 fewer patients each year to wait more than four hours at A&E, and more will receive urgent treatment in their community

    • Part of government’s Plan for Change to modernise NHS services and improve emergencv care.

    Patients will receive better, faster and more appropriate emergency care as the government sets out reforms to shorten waiting times and tackle persistently failing trusts.

    The new package of investment and reforms will improve patients’ experiences this year, including by caring for more patients in the community, rather than in hospital which is often worse for patients and more expensive for taxpayers.

    Backed with a total of nearly £450 million, the plan will deliver:

    • Around 40 new Same Day Emergency Care and Urgent Treatment Centres – which treat and discharge patients in the same day, avoiding unnecessary admissions to hospital.
    • Up to 15 mental health crisis assessment centres to provide care in the right place for patients and avoid them waiting in A&E for hours for care, which is not the most appropriate setting for people who are experiencing a crisis. These centres will offer people timely access to specialist support and are directed to the right care.
    • Almost 500 new ambulances will also be rolled out across the country by March 2026.

    The plan’s emphasis will be on shifting more patient care into more appropriate care settings as part of the move from hospital to community under the government’s Plan for Change to rebuild the NHS, while tackling ambulance handover delays and corridor care.

    Health Secretary Wes Streeting said:

    No patient should ever be left waiting for hours in hospital corridors or for an ambulance which ought to arrive in minutes.

    We can’t fix more than a decade of underinvestment and neglect overnight. But through the measures we’re setting out today, we will deliver faster and more convenient care for patients in emergencies

    Far too many patients are ending up in A&E who don’t need or want to be there, because there isn’t anywhere else available. Because patients can’t get a GP appointment, which costs the NHS £40, they end up in A&E, which costs around £400- worse for patients and more expensive for the taxpayer.

    The package of investment and reforms we are announcing today will help the NHS treat more patients in the community, so they don’t end up stuck on trolleys in A&E. Hundreds of new ambulances will help cut the unacceptably long waiting times we’ve seen in recent years. And new centres for patients going through a mental health crisis will provide better care and keep them out of A&E, which are not well equipped to care for them.

    By shifting staff and resources out of hospitals and into communities, and modernising NHS technology and equipment, our Plan for Change will make sure the NHS can be there for you when you need it, once again.

    NHS Chief Executive Sir Jim Mackey said:

    Urgent and emergency care services provide a life-saving first line of defence for patients – but for too long now, despite the incredible hard work of staff, the speed and quality of NHS care has often not been good enough.

    Our patients and staff deserve better, so that is why we need a radical change in approach and to ensure we get the basics right.

    This major plan sets out how we will work together to resuscitate NHS urgent and emergency care, with a focus on getting patients out of corridors, keeping more ambulances on the road, and enable those ready to leave hospital can do so as soon as possible.

    NHS National Director for Urgent and Emergency Care Sarah-Jane Marsh said:

    It is vital that patients can access our urgent and emergency care services in the right place at the right time, and that the care provided is to a standard we would want for ourselves and our own families.

    While the 10 Year Health Plan will set out a longer-term vision to transform urgent and emergency services for the 21st century, there is so much more we could all be doing now.

    This plan sets out not only what we know is working across the country, but how systems must work together to improve access and quality for the benefit of our patients.

    In order to support this shift in delivery focus, NHS England will be asking providers and systems to be accountable to their own local Boards and populations, creating robust winter plans which will be tested during winter exercises throughout September”.

    Every day, more than 140,000 people access urgent and emergency care services across England. Since 2010/11, demand has almost doubled with ambulance service usage rising by 61%.

    A&E waiting time standards have not been met for over a decade, while the 18-minute target for category 2 ambulance calls has never been hit outside the pandemic.

    But at least one in five people who attend A&E don’t need urgent or emergency care, while an even larger number could be better cared for in the community.

    The plan focuses on making winter 2025/26 significantly better than recent winters by setting ambitious but achievable targets and increasing transparency about progress.

    It marks a fundamental shift in our approach to urgent and emergency care – moving from fragmented efforts to genuine collaboration across the whole system and mean better coordination between NHS trusts and primary care to identify patients most vulnerable during winter.

    And it aims to make the most difference to patients by focusing on specific improvements across the healthcare system, aligning resources to areas that need them most.

    The plan will also see more patients receive care in the community, rather than being unnecessarily admitted into hospital, through measures including:

    • More paramedic-led care in the community – which means patients will receive more effective treatment at the scene of an accident or in their own homes from ambulance crews
    • Increasing numbers of patients seen by urgent community response teams – which provide urgent care to people in their homes, helping to avoid hospital admissions and enable people to live independently for longer. Local areas will be told to lay out how they will expand access to these teams, which includes understanding level of needs;
    • Better use of virtual wards – which use modern technology to provide patients with hospital-level care at home safely and in familiar surroundings, speeding up their recovery while freeing up hospital beds for patients that need them most
    • And publishing league tables on performance to drive improved transparency and public accountability and as well as encouraging less effective systems to work more closely with high performing systems to accelerate improvement.

    Thanks to the investment and reforms announced today, 800,000 fewer people should be forced to wait more than 4 hours for care in emergency departments this year.

    Chief Executive of NHS Providers Daniel Elkeles said:

    There is a lot to like about this plan. It’s helpful that we’re seeing it in early summer, with time to ensure meaningful measures are in place ahead of the added pressures of winter.

    It’s also good to see that so many parts of the system, including primary, community and mental health care, in addition to ambulance and hospital services, have been factored in.

    The extra capital investment for same day emergency care and mental health crisis assessment centres and ambulance services is particularly welcome, as is the emphasis on vaccination – and on this we’d urge NHS staff and the public to play their part by getting that protection.

    This plan should result in meaningful progress compared to last winter. As the plan acknowledges the public and our staff want to know the NHS can respond quickly, safely and effectively in an emergency. NHS Providers would like to work with NHSE and the government to develop long term UEC plans that are bold and ambitious.

    Association of Ambulances Chief Executives Managing Director Anna Parry said:

    The new urgent and emergency care plan reaffirms AACE’s vision for the future of NHS ambulance services. By extending and formalising a wider ambulance sector remit in urgent and emergency care, we will be better placed to help resolve some of the key system pressures, reduce the risks for patients and transform patient care while offering a more positive working environment for our people.

    By underscoring the importance of a system-wide focus to achieve improvements in urgent and emergency care, this new plan acts as a genuine challenge to all health and social care leaders, encouraging them to plan and act with purpose to achieve the transformation that is needed. Ambulance service leaders continue to proactively seek increased opportunities for greater collaboration with system partners while identifying new strategies and initiatives within their own ambulance trusts to achieve the transformation targets outlined in the plan.

    We are particularly heartened to see the plan’s emphasis on the reduction and improved management of hospital handover delays. Handover delays have the greatest detrimental impact on ambulance resources and create unnecessary delays and additional harm for thousands of patients each year. The elimination of corridor care and the focus on reducing 12-hour waits at emergency departments is also welcomed.

    Finally, we wholeheartedly endorse and support the plan’s underlined recognition of the impact of the delivery of sub-optimal care on NHS staff, alongside the pivotal role both leadership and a strong system-level approach must play in the transformation of urgent and emergency care.

    NHS Confederation Chief Executive Matthew Taylor said:

    Health leaders across systems, providers and primary care will welcome this plan to provide better, faster and more appropriate emergency care, an area which is facing high demand and rising public concern over performance.

    As the plan shows, there is a lot of good practice across the health service to build upon, including expanding the number of same day emergency treatment and mental health crisis assessment centres and rolling out more ambulances.

    Making sure the NHS does not continue to fall into crisis each winter will be essential for improving public confidence in the health service. Strong collaboration between health partners and with local government to improve discharges out of hospitals will also be key to progress.

    Updates to this page

    Published 6 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: IMF Executive Board Discusses The 4th Financing for Development Conference—Contribution of the IMF to the International Financing for Development Agenda

    Source: IMF – News in Russian

    June 5, 2025

    Washington, DC: On June 3, the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) discussed the staff paper on the contribution of the IMF to the international financing for development agenda, prepared in view of the 4th Financing for Development Conference (FfD4) to be held in Sevilla, Spain from June 30 to July 3, 2025. The paper outlines the challenging context for development, updates staff’s assessment on the achievability of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and proposes actions to accelerate development progress.

    The series of shocks since 2020 has added to longstanding structural challenges, with low-income and fragile countries affected the most. Debt vulnerabilities deserve attention, particularly for low-income countries. While debt appears sustainable for most countries, many are facing high interest costs and elevated refinancing needs that constrain their ability to finance critical spending necessary to progress on their development path. Against this background, achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 appears increasingly unlikely.

    Accelerating development progress will require a major collective effort, including advancing a strong domestic reform agenda, providing adequate international support to complement and facilitate domestic reforms, and proactively addressing debt vulnerabilities. Importantly, while developing countries share many characteristics, increasing heterogeneity across countries calls for appropriate differentiation in countries’ policy and reform agenda, as well as in the support from the international community.

    The IMF has a strong role to play in supporting countries maintain or restore macroeconomic and financial stability, which is a key condition to enable sustainable growth and development. Through its surveillance, capacity development, and financial support to countries faced with balance of payment needs, the IMF helps countries advance this agenda, including through continuous adjustments in its policies to ensure they remain fit for purpose and aligned with evolving needs of the membership. It also plays a leading role on debt and the global debt architecture, through its monitoring of debt vulnerabilities and debt sustainability assessments and further enhancing its work to tackle debt challenges and improve debt restructuring processes, including through the Common Framework and progress at the Global Sovereign Debt Roundtable. In all these activities, the IMF collaborates closely with partners, particularly the World Bank.

    Executive Board Assessment[1]

    Executive Directors welcomed the opportunity to discuss the contribution of the IMF to the international financing for development agenda, as well as the review of recent experiences in the IMF’s collaboration with the World Bank, ahead of the 4th Financing for Development Conference. Directors concurred with staff’s analysis of the challenging context for development, as the series of shocks since 2020 has added to longstanding structural challenges weighing on economic and social progress in developing countries, with low‑income and fragile countries affected the most.

    Directors agreed that debt vulnerabilities deserve specific attention, in particular for low‑income countries. They noted that, while debt appears sustainable for most countries under baseline assumptions, uncertainties and risks to the baseline have increased significantly. In addition, many countries face high interest costs and elevated refinancing needs that constrain their ability to finance critical spending necessary to progress on their development path.

    Directors noted with regret that achieving the sustainable developments goals (SDGs) by 2030 appears increasingly unlikely, as it would require financing that exceeds credible assumptions and surpasses what countries could absorb without creating additional macroeconomic imbalances.

    Directors agreed that accelerating development progress requires a major collective effort comprising strong domestic reforms, significant international support, and proactively addressing debt vulnerabilities. They noted that, while developing countries share many characteristics, increasing heterogeneity across countries calls for appropriate differentiation in countries’ policy and reform agenda, as well as in the support from the international community.

    Directors emphasized the importance of advancing a strong domestic reform agenda to maintain or promote a stable and sound macroeconomic and financial environment and boost private‑sector led growth and job creation. This includes increasing the efficiency of public spending and optimizing the use of available resources, mobilizing domestic resources, strengthening debt management, and improving governance. These reforms are also key to increase resilience against external shocks.

    Directors also agreed that international support, through well‑coordinated and sequenced capacity development (CD), and additional public and private financing, will be critical to complement and facilitate domestic reforms. They underlined the importance of proactively addressing debt challenges and supported the proposed approach to: (i) improve further debt restructuring processes to ensure countries with unsustainable debt have access to timely and sufficiently deep debt relief, building on progress already made in particular under the Common Framework and through the work at the Global Sovereign Debt Roundtable (GSDR); and (ii) accelerate the implementation of the “3‑pillar approach” to help countries with sustainable debt and a robust reform agenda, where productive spending is crowded out by high debt service. They welcomed the recent publication of the GSDR “Restructuring Playbook” and supported further strengthening the IMF’s contribution to help address debt vulnerabilities, consistent with its role and policies and respecting its duty of neutrality. They also underlined the importance of further enhancing debt transparency and the accuracy of debt data.

    Directors agreed that, while the IMF is not a development institution, it has a strong role to play to help member countries maintain or restore macroeconomic and financial stability, which is a key condition to enable sustainable growth and development. They underlined the importance of IMF surveillance, CD, and financial support to members faced with balance of payment needs, to achieve this objective, and looked forward to the upcoming comprehensive surveillance review and review of program design and conditionality. Directors highlighted the recent reforms to ensure that the lending framework remains fit for purpose, including the finalization in October 2024 of the review of the Poverty Reduction and Growth Trust (PRGT) facilities and financing and the review of the Charges and the Surcharge Policy, and the significant expansion of CD delivery over time, with a strong emphasis on supporting low‑income countries and fragile and conflict‑affected states. In this context, some Directors saw room to further scale up the IMF’s concessional facilities and CD support. Some others cautioned against placing greater emphasis in IMF‑supported programs on development spending needs and higher financing volumes. Directors supported the continued active role of the IMF on debt issues and its sustained engagement in international efforts to address debt vulnerabilities. Some Directors noted that a greater emphasis in the paper on the IMF’s existing work on climate would have better illustrated that the Fund is already actively contributing to help address these challenges, in line with its mandate. A few Directors also highlighted the macro‑critical nature of inequality and its impact on long‑term stability and development, and supported a deeper analytical and operational engagement on these fronts within the Fund’s existing mandate.

    Directors underlined the importance of IMF collaboration with partners, in particular the World Bank and relevant UN agencies, building on comparative advantages and consistent with each institution’s mandate. They welcomed the review of recent experiences in the IMF’s collaboration with the World Bank and underscored the critical importance of maintaining or further deepening this efficient collaboration, leveraging the respective expertise of both institutions for an optimal division of work and avoiding duplication.

    Directors underscored the importance of clear communication to promote a better public understanding of the institution’s unique role, mandate, and activities in fostering macroeconomic and financial stability, which is a prerequisite for sustainable growth and development.

    [1] An explanation of any qualifiers used in summing up can be found here: http://www.IMF.org/external/np/sec/misc/qualifiers.htm.

    IMF Communications Department
    MEDIA RELATIONS

    PRESS OFFICER: Randa Elnagar

    Phone: +1 202 623-7100Email: MEDIA@IMF.org

    https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2025/06/05/pr25184-imf-discusses-4th-financing-dev-conference-contribution-imf-intl-financing-for-dev-agenda

    MIL OSI

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Middle East and North Africa Subcommittee Chairman Lawler Delivers Opening Remarks at Hearing on Syria

    Source: US House Committee on Foreign Affairs

    Media Contact 202-321-9747

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, House Foreign Affairs Middle East and North Africa Subcommittee Chairman Michael Lawler delivered opening remarks at a subcommittee hearing titled, “After Assad: The Future of Syria.”

    Watch Here

    -Remarks-

    Syria is at a turning point. The fall of Bashar al-Assad this past December following four decades of authoritarian rule has created conditions for unprecedented change for Syria and for the Middle East. This change comes with significant risk. The Syrian war dating back to 2011 has left most of the country in ruins, destroyed by years of indiscriminate bombing by Assad and his Russian and Iranian backers. The cost of reconstructing this broken country will be in the tens of billions, even by the most modest assessment, and investors face significant hurdles as they work to navigate the complex sanctions regime that has emerged after four decades of Assad family rule. While there are rightfully many who seek to break down barriers, advocating for sanctions relief to ensure reconstruction can take place and put Syria on a path of success, we must not lose sight of core US interests in this rush to embrace Syria’s new regime. There remain significant questions about Syria’s new interim authorities led by US-designated foreign terrorist organization Hayat Tahir al-Sham (HTS), a former al Qaeda affiliate. Ahmed al Shara, despite his hardened past, continues to verbally signal a commitment to reform through his ability, though his ability to deliver remains to be seen, which is why we must be explicit with our goals for Syria. This includes the counter ISIS mission, which has been a central part of US foreign policy since 2014.

    We must set clear expectations for the interim authorities on what we expect from them with respect to counterterrorism cooperation to prevent a resurgence and assume responsibility for detention centers holding thousands of ISIS members and affiliated individuals in the Northeast. Concerns about extremism are not by any means limited to ISIS. Iran and its proxies have long used the country as a sanctuary space to plan and carry out attacks, including against Israel, while Russia sees Syria as a strategic launch pad to undermine our interest not just in the Middle East but much further afield from Africa to Europe. There must be clear red lines when it comes to Iran and its proxies as well as Russia’s ability to operate in Syria. Preventing Syria from being used as a sanctuary space is vital not just for the US but also for Syria.

    This will no doubt be one of the metrics used as the international community measures the success of Syria’s transition and by extension for the prospects for further economic relief. For Syria to succeed and reestablish itself on the international world stage, it must take action to prevent extremism from thriving once again, including by signaling a commitment to inclusive governance by establishing a positive working relationship with our Kurdish partners, the Syrian Democratic Forces. They have been at the forefront of the campaign to ensure the enduring defeat of ISIS. On that basis, the Trump administration has rightfully taken steps to waive US sanctions on a limited and temporary basis, giving Alhara sufficient time to demonstrate he is able to turn his words into actions, but this is not, I have to stress, a full embrace of Al Shara or those he continues to surround himself with. We must use this opportunity to press him on key US priorities, notably as to counterterrorism while also retaining limitations on US sanctions relief to ensure Iran and Russia cannot benefit financially. Al Shara has expressed a concerning willingness to embrace Moscow despite Putin’s complicity in war crimes against the Syrian people. For Russia, their presence in Syria is not just about the Middle East. It’s a vital staging ground essential to everything they do in Africa and the eastern Mediterranean. We underestimate the strategic importance Syria holds for the Russians at our own peril.

    Make no mistake, what happens in Syria does not stay in Syria. The country has consistently demonstrated its ability to impact and shape affairs far outside its borders, from Europe’s migrant crisis to ISIS to the war in Ukraine. When Secretary Rubio testified before Congress last month, he said, “There is no guarantee that by outreach and working with the transitional authority in Syria, things are going to work out. It may work out. It may not work out. But if we don’t reach out and try, it’s a guarantee not to work out.” I echo the secretary’s sentiments and just came back along with the ranking member from a trip to the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia, Israel, and Jordan. That was the sentiment shared there as well. We want to give this an opportunity to work but are fully cognizant of the consequences of failure. Here during this hearing, we will further examine Syrian stability and the vital role Syria and the Syrian people play in the Middle East.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: New Grassley Report Shows Biden DOJ Sent Taxpayer-Funded Grants to Soros-Backed, Soft-on-Crime NGOs

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley

    WASHINGTON – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) today released a Majority staff report exposing the disastrous consequences of the Biden Department of Justice’s (DOJ) grants to two non-governmental organizations (NGOs) – the Soros-backed Vera Institute of Justice and Impact Justice, which houses the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) Resource Center.

    The Trump administration has since terminated these grants to ensure DOJ awards align with the administration’s stated priorities: “support[ing] law enforcement operations, combat[ing] violent crime, protect[ing] American children, support[ing] American victims of trafficking and sexual assault, and enhanc[ing] coordination among law enforcement.” Ninety-three percent of DOJ’s recently terminated grants only impacted NGOs.

    “The Biden-Harris administration awarded millions of taxpayers’ hard-earned dollars to advance left-leaning agendas that ultimately put lives at risk. The American people overwhelmingly rejected these soft-on-crime, defund-the-police policies in the last election because they undermined the safety and security of their communities. Organizations like the Vera Institute and Impact Justice that promote radical ideology have no business collecting another dime from the federal treasury. Americans are safer without their influence in the criminal justice system,” Grassley said.

    Read the Grassley staff report HERE.

    Background:

    Under the Biden-Harris administration, the Vera Institute was awarded millions of taxpayer dollars to prop up left-wing District Attorneys, who would then partner with the Vera Institute to implement Soros-backed progressive policies. These policies included prioritizing violent criminals over victims and declining to fully prosecute felony charges – including assault, kidnapping, rape and murder.

    Impact Justice & the PREA Resource Center was awarded $7.45 million by the Biden-Harris administration to help combat sexual abuse in prisons and ensure the integrity of the PREA audit process.  However, the PREA auditors routinely failed to uncover pervasive sexual abuse. Further, PREA Resource Center training materials endangered women by encouraging the housing of transgender inmates in female prisons. This was done without due regard for inmate safety and in ways inconsistent with federal regulation.

    Key Findings of the Report’s Analysis on the Vera Institute:

    The Vera Institute used taxpayer funds to gain unprecedented access to progressive prosecutor offices. Below are several examples that illustrate the Vera Institute’s influence over federal prosecutors across the county.

    • In New York, New York County DA Alvin Bragg partnered with the Vera Institute and declined to prosecute certain misdemeanor felonies, actively worked to downgrade felony charges to misdemeanors and refused to detain criminals before their trials. Meanwhile, Bragg attempted to prosecute President Donald Trump for federal campaign finance violations.
      • In 2025, there were over 48,000 individuals arrested for misdemeanors in New York County, but only 3,000 of them were detained.
    • In Georgia, Athens DA Deborah Gonzalez partnered with the Vera Institute and pledged to protect illegal immigrant defendants and release criminals on bonds that do not require the posting of money.
      • During the Gonzalez’s tenure, the Gonzalez negotiated a lenient plea deal for a sexual predator and serial rapist who preyed on women and children. Gonzalez later refused to pursue the death penalty for the murderer of Laken Riley.
    • In Wisconsin, Milwaukee DA John Chisholm partnered with the Vera Institute to implement several progressive, soft-on-crime policies and reportedly told the Milwaukee Sentinel-Journal, “Is there going to be an individual I divert, or I put into a treatment program, who’s going to go out and kill somebody? You bet.”
      • In 2020, the Milwaukee DA’s office released a criminal twice before he ultimately drove an SUV through a Christmas Parade, killing six and injuring 62 others.
    • In Missouri, St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kimberly Gardner partnered with the Vera Institute and pledged to “expand diversion programs, decline to prosecute low level cases and decrease the number of people held on cash bail.”
      • Under the guidance of the Vera Institute, the Gardner dismissed more than 9,000 criminal cases and refused to prosecute 90 percent of reported crime, including cop killers and a child murderer.
    • In Massachusetts, Suffolk County DA Rachel Rollins partnered with the Vera Institute and instructed prosecutors to decline prosecution of 15 different crimes, as well as create a screening unit tasked with decreasing the number of arraigned cases.
    • In Virginia, Fairfax Commonwealth Attorney Steve Descano partnered with the Vera Institute and repeatedly released violent illegal immigrants back on the streets.
      • The Fairfax Commonwealth Attorney’s office repeatedly released an illegal immigrant who had a record of 29 run-ins with law enforcement and a documented history of sexual assault and indecent exposure. The illegal immigrant raped a woman in October 2024 upon release.

    -30- 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Grassley Investigates ‘Prohibited Access’ Files at FBI, Demands Accountability for Document Destruction and Obstruction in Mueller Investigation

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley

    WASHINGTON – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) is following up on recent revelations in a declassified Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) analysis he released exposing the FBI for placing certain Crossfire Hurricane files under “Prohibited Access” status, potentially preventing most FBI agents, Congress and the Inspector General from accessing some FBI records.

    Grassley is demanding Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel search for and produce all records related to Special Counsel Robert Mueller and the Biden family that may currently be under “Prohibited” or “Restricted” Access.

    “As I’m sure you are aware, the impact of parking records in a way that impedes, or in some cases prevents, responsive records from being produced to Congress pursuant to a valid request and during the course of court litigation, whether criminal or civil, is wide-ranging and potentially catastrophic to constitutional requirements,” Grassley wrote to Bondi and Patel. “Indeed, if the FBI has failed to take steps in the past to access records in ‘Restricted’ or ‘Prohibited’ status, the FBI has not fully responded to many years of my oversight requests.” 

    Grassley is also seeking records relating to current and former Department of Justice (DOJ)/FBI officials who may have committed serious misconduct by mishandling and destroying federal records, particularly related to Special Counsel Mueller’s investigation into the now-discredited Trump-Russia hoax.

    According to Freedom of Information Act disclosures, former Mueller team member Andrew Weissman deleted all of the data on his government phone multiple times over the course of the Meuller investigation.

    Additionally, whistleblowers allege the following of Special Agent (SA) Walter Giardina, who played a significant role in the investigation and prosecution of Trump advisor Peter Navarro, as well as Arctic Frost, Crossfire Hurricane, Special Counsel Mueller’s investigation, and the Dan Scavino, Roger Stone and Hillary Clinton cases:   

    • SA Giardina was an initial recipient of the Steele Dossier and falsely said that the report was corroborated as true.
    • SA Giardina stated openly his animosity toward President Trump and made known his personal motivation to investigate Trump.
    • SA Giardina electronically wiped the laptop he was assigned while working for Special Counsel Mueller outside of established protocol for record preservation, raising the possibility that he destroyed government records. The destruction of the laptop was reported to the DOJ Office of Inspector General.   
    • SA Giardina instructed agents to use false Emolument Clause predication on President Trump to “dig around.” 
    • SA Giardina was a case agent assigned to the Crimson River case, later changed to Red Maasari. This case was leaked, by whom it is not known, to the Washington Post in August 2024, roughly 90 days before the presidential election, in an attempt to falsely discredit President Trump.

    Read Grassley’s full letter to Bondi and Patel HERE.

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Minister Anand to travel to United Kingdom and France

    Source: Government of Canada News

    June 5, 2025 – Ottawa, Ontario – Global Affairs Canada

    The Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today announced that she will be in London, United Kingdom, and Paris, France, from June 6 to 7, 2025, for bilateral visits.

    In London, Minister Anand will meet with David Lammy, Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs of the United Kingdom. They will discuss ways to reinforce the close Canada-United Kingdom relationship, including by strengthening security and defence collaboration and expanding economic cooperation.

    There, Minister Anand will also meet with Shirley Botchwey, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, to discuss strengthening the Commonwealth through strategic reforms and focusing on its key strengths, such as advancing democracy and human rights. Minister Anand will also attend a meeting of G7 heads of mission and a round-table discussion with business leaders on defence and economic growth.

    Minister Anand will then travel to Paris, where she will meet with Jean-Noël Barrot, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France. They will discuss Canada and France’s continued collaboration on shared priorities, including defence and security, the promotion of democratic values, the two countries’ consecutive G7 presidencies and the promotion of the French language.

    Throughout the trip, Minister Anand will reiterate Canada’s commitment to growing its already close ties with the United Kingdom and France as key transatlantic allies and reliable trading partners.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI: Hanmi Bank Hosts Grand Opening Celebration of New Branch in Duluth, Georgia

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    DULUTH, Ga., June 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Hanmi Financial Corporation (Nasdaq: HAFC) (“Hanmi”), the holding company for Hanmi Bank, today welcomed local officials and community members to its grand opening celebration for its newest branch in Duluth, Georgia. Honored guests included Georgia State Representative Long Tran (Dist. 80), and Gwinnett County Commissioner Kirkland Carden. They were joined by several Hanmi Bank executives, including Bonnie Lee, President and CEO, Anthony Kim, Chief Banking Officer, and Cindy Yum, who serves as Branch Manager for the new Duluth location.

    The Duluth branch is Hanmi’s first full-service branch in Georgia, located at 2330 Pleasant Hill Road, Suite 100 – less than 30 miles from Atlanta. Georgia continues to be a key hub for Korean business investment and expansion. In fiscal year 2023, Korean companies announced over $10 billion in new investments and the creation of more than 12,600 jobs across the state, according to the Office of the Governor. Total trade between Georgia and Korea reached $17.5 billion last year, underscoring the strength of this dynamic economic partnership.

    “Our expansion in Georgia is an important step in our growth plans, and we’re excited to be a part of this community,” said Bonnie Lee, President and Chief Executive Officer of Hanmi Financial Corporation. “Duluth is a vibrant and diverse city that values business opportunity and community strength. We look forward to supporting local businesses and individuals, and contributing to the continued economic vitality of this region through our relationship-based banking model.”

    Hanmi Bank Duluth Branch offers a comprehensive range of personal and business banking services, including checking and savings accounts, commercial lending, SBA loans, and specialized financial solutions. Bank hours are Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

    About Hanmi Financial Corporation
    Headquartered in Los Angeles, California, Hanmi Financial Corporation owns Hanmi Bank, which serves multi-ethnic communities through its network of 32 full-service branches, five loan production offices and three loan centers in California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, Texas, Virginia and Washington. Hanmi Bank specializes in real estate, commercial, SBA and trade finance lending to small and middle market businesses. Additional information is available at www.hanmi.com.

    Contact
    Kelly McAndrew
    Financial Profiles, Inc.
    310-622-8239
    kmcandrew@finprofiles.com

    Source: Hanmi Bank

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1979e6ea-5852-40ca-a7fe-5713ce755da3

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Enhancing Joint Interoperability

    Source: United States Department of Defense (video statements)

    —————
    @usarmy paratroopers attached to the @82ndAirborneDiv1 conduct combined force-on-force combat training alongside U.K partners as part of Swift Response 25 in Setermoen, Norway.

    For more on the Department of Defense, visit: http://www.defense.gov
    —————
    Keep up with the Department of Defense on social media!

    Like the DoD on Facebook: http://facebook.com/DeptofDefense
    Follow the DoD on Twitter: http://twitter.com/DeptofDefense
    Follow the DoD on Instagram: http://instagram.com/DeptofDefense
    Follow the DoD on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/DeptofDefense

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

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI USA: WSJ Editorial Highlights Tillis Bill to End Predatory Litigation Funding Practices

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for North Carolina Thom Tillis
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, The Wall Street Journal published an editorial supporting the Tackling Predatory Litigation Funding Act, legislation introduced by Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) which would impose a new tax on profits earned by third-party entities that finance civil litigation and curb predatory practices in the litigation funding industry.
    Read the full op-ed here or below. 
    Ending a Tax Break for LawsuitsWSJJune 4, 2025
    Why are foreign investment funds that finance predatory lawsuits against U.S. companies allowed to dodge taxes on their legal payouts? Good question, and now North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis and Oklahoma Rep. Kevin Hern are seeking to close this anti-growth loophole.
    Third-party litigation financing has exploded in recent years as private investment funds chase high returns goosed by America’s tort-friendly legal system. Investors give law firms money to recruit plaintiffs and file often meritless lawsuits against companies in return for a share of the eventual settlement or judgment. 
    Annual returns average about 25% thanks to jackpot jury verdicts, which also create an incentive for businesses to settle claims early to avoid costly, drawn-out litigation. In 2023, 39 investors had committed some $15.2 billion in capital to U.S. commercial litigation, according to the litigation finance advisory firm Westfleet Advisors. 
    Investment funds such as Fortress Investment Group have financed major mass torts, including Roundup fertilizer claims against Bayer AG and talc litigation against Johnson & Johnson. Fortress, which is majority owned by an Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund, has also harassed Apple and Intel with dubious patent lawsuits. 
    Third-party financing arrangements with law firms are typically not required to be disclosed, so foreign investors could be funding lawsuits with the goal of harming U.S. businesses that may be competitors. Bloomberg Law last year detailed how Russian oligarchs had dodged sanctions by funding lawsuits in the U.S. 
    Here’s the kicker: Foreign investors in U.S. litigation don’t have to pay tax on lawsuit proceeds because the tax code exempts foreigners from paying U.S. capital-gains tax, and their legal payouts are treated as capital gains. American litigation funders pay tax at the capital gains rate (23.8%), while the actual plaintiffs in lawsuits pay at the ordinary income rate.
    The preferential tax treatment for funders, especially foreigners, is an incentive to plow money into lawsuits rather than business investment that creates jobs, boosts productivity and improves living standards. Lawsuits do the opposite. Costs of defending against litigation get passed along to workers, consumers and shareholders. 
    Enter Messrs. Tillis and Hern, who are seeking to add a provision to the current tax bill that would require U.S. and foreign litigation funders to pay tax on their earnings at the ordinary income rate (typically 37%), plus a 3.8% surcharge. This could discourage excessive litigation, which the U.S. Chamber of Commerce says costs U.S. households some $4,200 each in 2022.
    Will Hild of the right-leaning outfit Consumers’ Research recently tweeted that the Tillis-Hern provision would “rob everyday Americans of a fundamental tool in fighting back” against “large, woke corporations.” This is a giant red herring. The provision wouldn’t ban third-party funding lawsuits. It would merely eliminate a tax break for them.
    Excessive litigation is a tax on everyday Americans, which is why Republican Governors like Georgia’s Brian Kemp and Florida’s Ron DeSantis have championed tort reform. Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt last week signed legislation that will ban lawsuit funding from entities controlled by foreign adversaries and cap non-economic damages in personal injury suits at $500,000. 
    The plaintiffs lobby has the Senate votes to block national tort reform with a 60-vote filibuster. But Republicans only need 51 votes in their reconciliation bill to ensure that the tax code doesn’t give the Abu Dhabi wealth fund a tax break for funding lawsuits that harm America. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cramer, Bennet Introduce Bill to Strengthen Quad Space Cooperation

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND)

    Click here for audio.

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, or the “Quad,” is an informal strategic forum for the militaries of the United States, Japan, India, and Australia. The partnership between the four countries is built upon common interests: promoting a free and open Indo-Pacific and addressing regional geopolitical challenges.  

    At a time when adversaries like China and Russia are increasingly utilizing space-based capabilities to expand their interests, U.S. Senators Kevin Cramer (R-ND), co-chair of the Senate Space Force Caucus and chair of the Senate Armed Services (SASC) Airland Subcommittee, and Michael Bennet (D-CO) introduced the Quad Space Act of 2025. The bill would direct the Secretary of Defense to initiate discussions with Quad countries to identify mutual areas of interest with respect to the formulation of best practices in space, cooperation on space situational awareness, and space industrial policy. 

    The Quad Space Act of 2025 would also require the Secretary of Defense to submit a report to the House and Senate Armed Services Committees, detailing potential areas of mutual interests. Additionally, the report must outline potential steps the Secretary intends to take to formalize cooperation among Quad members. 

    “Maintaining space dominance is vital to protecting the stability and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific region,” said Cramer. “The Quad’s alignment addresses shared security challenges between our countries, and we recognize the importance of space as a strategic domain. The Quad Space Act protects our interests by deepening space cooperation with trusted partners and reaffirming our commitment to advancing a free and open region.”  

    “As China and Russia rapidly develop dangerous space capabilities and behave recklessly in space, the United States must bolster cooperation with our Quad partners to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific,” said Bennet. “The Quad Space Act will enhance our collective capacity to address shared challenges by better ensuring safe and secure space missions, tracking objects and activities in space, and fostering shared innovation.” 

    Click here for bill text.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cotton Introduces Bill to Ban to Protect American Agriculture from Biothreats

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Arkansas Tom Cotton

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    Contact: Caroline Tabler or Patrick McCann (202) 224-2353
    June 5, 2025

    Cotton Introduces Bill to Ban to Protect American Agriculture from Biothreats

    Washington, D.C. — Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) today introduced the Biothreat Prevention Act, legislation that would ban federal funding for laboratories or research centers that have nationals from China, Russia, Iran, Cuba, Venezuela, or North Korea working on agricultural research.

    “Foreign terrorists that seek to poison and destroy America’s food supply should not have access to American labs and universities,” said Senator Cotton.

    Full text of the bill may be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Say Cheese, Partner

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn

    Across Texas, ranches and dairy farms are churning out products with rich taste and character in every bite. National Dairy Month is the perfect time for Texans to explore the many delicious contributions of this industry to the Lone Star State.

    Dairy is playing an increasingly important role in Texas agriculture. The U.S. Department of Agriculture places Texas among the top five dairy-producing states in the country, with almost 300 dairies spread across the state. According to the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, dairy production in Texas continues to grow and is valued at billions of dollars—that’s a lot of cheddar.

    The number of dairy cows in Texas has also grown over the past two years, even as the rest of the country has seen a decline. Texas now has an in-curd-ible 675,000 dairy cows chewing their cud in our state.  

    One of the nation’s most consumed dairy products is cheese, which has been in existence for centuries. While its exact origins remain unknown, most experts believe it was discovered accidentally—when milk was stored in vessels made from the stomachs of animals. An enzyme called rennet caused the milk to curdle and preserve itself. Over time, the art of cheesemaking spread across the globe and became part of many cultures, pun intended.

    Here in Texas, many cheesemakers use milk produced straight from their own herds. While dairy cows provide most of the milk, goats, sheep, and even water buffaloes also lend a hoof in creating the wide variety of cheeses made here.

    One of Texas’ most celebrated cheesemakers is Paula Lambert, who founded Dallas’ Mozzarella Company in 1982. Starting with fresh mozzarella, her company now produces more than 30 cheeses, most developed by Paula herself. She lived in Italy before returning to Texas in 1973. Opening a cheese factory in Deep Ellum near Downtown Dallas was her way of bringing the flavors she loved in Italy back home. As she says, “I had loved fresh mozzarella when I lived in Italy, and back home no one had even heard of an insalata caprese—a mozzarella and tomato salad—and I thought they oughta know about it.”

    Paula is considered a pioneer in American artisanal cheese. She has written cookbooks, and received honors such as the American Cheese Society Lifetime Achievement Award and the Grande Dame title from Les Dames d’Escoffier International. Some might say she is a “big cheese” in cheese!

    In Dublin, Texas, the Veldhuizen family runs a farmstead cheese operation less than 90 miles southwest of Fort Worth. Stuart Veldhuizen, along with four generations of his family, produces more than 60 wheels of cheese each week. Their cheeses age in a stone cave built by the family, maturing anywhere from two months to two years. Made from milk sourced from their own herd of cows and flock of sheep, their cheeses are crafted entirely on-site at the farm creamery. Together, they’ve made their dream of farmstead cheesemaking come true.

    Makers across Texas pour their heart into every wheel and wedge, delivering a taste that’s unmistakably Texan—and there’s a Texas cheese for everyone that’ll hit the spot.

    Behind every glass of milk, wedge of cheese, or scoop of ice cream, there’s a Texas story showing a dairy culture bursting with flavor and hard work in the Lone Star State. This National Dairy Month, celebrate with something local and pay homage (or in this case, fromage) to the farmers, ranchers, and producers shaping the future of Texas dairy.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tiffany Demands PSC to Prioritize Baseload Power Sources, Ensure Affordable Energy for Wisconsinites

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Tom Tiffany (WI-07)

    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Tom Tiffany (WI-07) sent a letter to Summer Strand, Chair of the Public Service Commission (PSC), calling for Wisconsin to lead the way in affordable energy production. Specifically, the letter asks the PSC not to prematurely close coal-fired plants and ensure reliable baseload power to make our state more competitive. 

    In the letter, Tiffany writes, “If Wisconsin is going to maintain its role as a world-class manufacturing state, we must keep all of our current power plants online and bring new generation online for the future. This is particularly critical as we enter a new era of artificial intelligence and data centers, which require a steady supply of reliable, and low-cost energy, such as coal, natural gas, and nuclear power generation.”

    “As you evaluate the future of Wisconsin’s grid, I urge you to resist pressure to close any coal-fired plants prematurely. As you know, shuttering these facilities presents risks – which helps explain why we’ve already seen planned closures of existing coal plants delayed, such as Columbia Energy Center. In short, coal fired plants are a backbone of baseload power, and cannot simply be replaced with intermittent generation provided by wind and solar,” Tiffany added.

    “As the Trump administration removes barriers to growth and opportunity, the choice is ours. Will our state keep up with the growing demand for energy, or will we play second fiddle to other states? Will we move to shore up our state’s industrial prowess and prepare for the family-wage jobs of the future by tapping into Made in America energy, or will we allow the radical “climate” lobby to make Wisconsinites poorer while enriching the “green energy” crony capitalists who finance them? We must make sure we are in a position to win and continue to grow, otherwise we run the risk of becoming California; or even worse, Spain or Portugal,” Tiffany concluded.

    You may read the full letter here.  

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Kyivstar Group Reports First Quarter 2025 Financial Results in Conjunction with its Nasdaq Listing Process

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    • Total operating revenue reaches USD 255 million or UAH 10.6 billion, up 37.1% year-on-year in USD and 49.6% in local currency terms
    • Profit for the period amounts to USD 44 million, up 22.2% year-on-year in USD and 33.7% in local currency terms, with a profit margin of 17.3%
    • Adjusted EBITDA1 reaches USD 140 million, up 50.5% year-on-year in USD and 64.6% in local currency terms, with an adjusted EBITDA margin1 of 54.9%
    • Completes acquisition of Uklon, Ukraine’s leading ride-hailing business, and increases stake in Ukraine’s leading digital health platform Helsi, subsequent to quarter-end

    KYIV, Ukraine, June 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Kyivstar Group, Ukraine’s leading digital operator (“Kyivstar Group” or “the Company”) and a subsidiary of VEON Ltd. (Nasdaq: VEON) (“VEON Group” or “VEON”), today announced its unaudited financial and operating results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2025.

      1Q25 1Q24 YoY 1Q25 1Q24 YoY
      USD mln or % UAH bln or %
    Total operating revenue 255 186 37.1 % 10.6 7.1 49.6 %
    Profit for the period 44 36 22.2 % 1.8 1.4 33.7 %
    Adj. EBITDA1 140 93 50.5 % 5.8 3.6 64.6 %
    Average UAH/USD exchange rates: 1Q25: 41.7563 UAH/USD; 1Q24: 38.1727 UAH/USD
    End-of period UAH/USD exchange rates as of March 31, 2025: 41.4787 UAH/USD; as of March 31, 2024: 39.2214 UAH/USD
    1For more information, see section titled “Presentation of Non-IFRS Financial Measures” at the end of this press release, including the reconciliations of non-IFRS measures to IFRS measures.
     

    “Kyivstar Group continues to deliver exceptional value to our customers and stakeholders, leveraging our market-leading network and innovative digital services to drive growth,” said Oleksandr Komarov, CEO of Kyivstar Group. “Our first quarter results reflect the strength of our digital operator strategy, delivering robust financial growth. In parallel, we continue to invest in strategic opportunities that drive Ukraine’s digital future, such as the acquisition of Uklon and increasing our stake in Helsi. We are excited to complement this operational performance with the continued progress towards our plans to list Kyivstar Group on the Nasdaq Stock Market.” 

    First Quarter 2025 Financial and Operational Highlights

    • Robust Revenue Growth: Total operating revenue for 1Q25 was USD 255 million, up 37.1% year-on-year in USD and 49.6% year-on-year in local currency terms. This result includes the impact of the customer appreciation program undertaken by the Company in the first quarter of 2024 following a cyber security incident at the end of 2023, which lowered revenue in the first quarter of 2024 by an estimated USD 46 million (UAH 1.7 billion) in value. Excluding the impact of the customer appreciation program, local currency revenue growth was 20.1% year-on-year in 1Q25.
    • Strong Profitability: Adjusted EBITDA for 1Q25 was USD 140 million, up 50.5% year-on-year. This represents an adjusted EBITDA margin of 54.9% in 1Q25. In local currency terms, 1Q25 adjusted EBITDA growth was 64.6% year-on-year, and adjusted EBITDA margin was 54.9%, driven by revenue growth and a decrease in operating costs. Excluding the impact of the customer appreciation program, local currency adjusted EBITDA growth was 10.2% year-on-year in 1Q25.
    • Multiplay Customers Supporting Growth: The Multiplay customer base, which are customers who use at least one digital application in addition to 4G data and voice connectivity, was up by 40.7% year-on-year to 6.1 million customers, and represented 29.5% of one-month-active mobile customersi reflecting increased adoption of digital products.
    • Digital Services Users: Total digital monthly active users across Kyivstar Group’s digital applications MyKyivstar, Kyivstar TV and Helsi reached 10.3 million in 1Q25, up 32.9% from 7.7 million a year earlier.

    Strategic Milestones:

    • Announced business combination agreement with Cohen Circle Acquisition Corp. I (Nasdaq: CCIR) (“Cohen Circle”), beginning the process for Kyivstar Group to be the only pure-play Ukrainian investment opportunity on U.S. stock markets.
    • Completed the acquisition of Uklon, a leading Ukrainian ride-hailing and delivery platform, for approximately USD 155.2 million in April 2025. Uklon operates in 28 cities across Ukraine and facilitated more than 100 million rides and 3 million deliveries in 2024, and also provides ride-hailing services in Uzbekistan.
    • Increased ownership stake in Helsi, Ukraine’s largest digital platform, from 69.99% to 97.99% in May 2025. Helsi is a digital data management platform supporting the provision of healthcare services and improving patients’ access to healthcare with over 9.4 million appointments booked in the year ended December 31, 2024.

    The results announcement is made concurrently with Kyivstar Group and VEON Holdings B.V.’s filing of a registration statement on Form F-4 (File No. 333-287802) in conjunction with Kyivstar’s anticipated listing on the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (“Nasdaq”) following the anticipated completion of a business combination with Cohen Circle that was previously announced on March 18, 2025.

    With the announcement of its 1Q2025 results, Kyivstar Group also updated the investor presentation available to its potential investors. A copy of the investor presentation will be available on a Current Report on Form 8-K to be filed by Cohen Circle with the SEC and available at www.sec.gov.

    Additional Information and Where to Find It

    Kyivstar Group Ltd. and VEON Holdings B.V. have filed on June 5, 2025 a registration statement on Form F-4 (File No. 333-287802) (as may be amended from time to time, the “Registration Statement) as co-registrants that includes a preliminary proxy statement/prospectus of Cohen Circle and a preliminary prospectus of Kyivstar Group. When available, Cohen Circle will mail a definitive proxy statement/prospectus relating to the business combination and other relevant documents to its shareholders. This communication does not contain all the information that should be considered concerning the business combination and is not intended to provide the basis for any investment decision or any other decision in respect of the business combination. VEON, Cohen Circle and Kyivstar Group may also file other documents regarding the business combination with the SEC. Cohen Circle’s shareholders and other interested persons are advised to read, when available, the Registration Statement, the proxy statement/prospectus and other documents filed in connection with the business combination, as these materials will contain important information. Investors and shareholders will be able to obtain free copies of the preliminary proxy statement/prospectus, the definitive proxy statement/prospectus and other documents filed or will be filed with the SEC by Cohen Circle through the website maintained by the SEC website at www.sec.gov or by directing a written request to: Cohen Circle Acquisition Corp. I, 2929 Arch Street, Suite 1703, Philadelphia, PA 19104.

    About Kyivstar Group

    Kyivstar Group operates Ukraine’s leading digital operator, serving more than 23 million mobile customers and over 1.1 million home internet fixed line customers as of December 31, 2024. Kyivstar Group and its subsidiaries provide services across a wide range of mobile and fixed line technologies, including 4G, big data, cloud solutions, cybersecurity, digital TV, and more. VEON, together with Kyivstar Group, intends to invest USD 1 billion in Ukraine during 2023-2027, through social investments in infrastructure and technological development, charitable donations and strategic acquisitions. Kyivstar Group and its subsidiaries have been operating in Ukraine for more than 27 years. For more information, visit: www.kyivstar.ua.

    About VEON

    VEON is a digital operator that provides converged connectivity and digital services to nearly 160 million customers. Operating across six countries that are home to more than 7% of the world’s population, VEON is transforming lives through technology-driven services that empower individuals and drive economic growth. VEON is listed on Nasdaq. For more information, visit: https://www.veon.com.

    About Cohen Circle

    Cohen Circle Acquisition Corp. I is a special purpose acquisition company sponsored by investment firm Cohen Circle, LLC and formed for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more technology and/or financial services businesses. Cohen Circle’s units, Class A ordinary shares and warrants are listed on Nasdaq under the symbols “CCIRU,” “CCIR” and “CCIRW,” respectively.

    No Offer or Solicitation

    This press release shall not constitute a solicitation of a proxy, consent, or authorization with respect to any securities or in respect of the transactions mentioned herein or the proposed business combination with Cohen Circle. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any states or jurisdictions in which such offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offering of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

    Participants in the Solicitation

    Cohen Circle, Kyivstar Group, certain shareholders of Cohen Circle, VEON and certain of Cohen Circle’s, Kyivstar Group’s and VEON’s respective directors, executive officers and other members of management and employees may, under SEC rules, be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the shareholders of Cohen Circle with respect to the proposed business combination. A list of the names of such persons and information regarding their interests in the proposed business combination is set forth in the Registration Statement. Free copies of these documents may be obtained from the sources indicated above.

    Financial Information Presented

    Kyivstar Group’s results and other financial information presented in this document are, unless otherwise stated, prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”) and have not been externally reviewed and/or audited. The financial information included in this document is preliminary and is based on a number of assumptions that are subject to inherent uncertainties and subject to change. The financial information presented herein is based on internal management accounts, is the responsibility of management and is subject to financial closing procedures which have not yet been completed and has not been audited, reviewed or verified. Certain amounts and percentages that appear in this document have been subject to rounding adjustments. As a result, certain numerical figures shown as totals, may not be an exact arithmetic aggregation of the figures that precede or follow them. Although we believe the information to be reasonable, actual results may vary from the information contained above and such variations could be material. As such, you should not place undue reliance on this information. This information may not be indicative of the actual results for the current period or any future period.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release contains “forward-looking statements,” as the phrase is defined in Section 27A of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “forecast,” “future,” “intend,” “may,” “opportunity,” “plan,” “project,” “should,” “strategy,” “will,” “will be,” “will continue,” “will likely result,” “would” and similar expressions (including the negative versions of such words or expressions).

    Forward-looking statements are predictions, projections and other statements about future events that are based on current expectations and assumptions and, as a result, are subject to risks and uncertainties. All statements contained in this press release that do not relate to matters of historical fact should be considered forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements relating to, among other things, the timing of the closing of the proposed business combination and the listing of Kyivstar Group’s common shares and warrants on Nasdaq, the expected investment opportunity in Kyivstar Group following the closing of the business combination, including the expectation that Kyivstar Group will be the only pure-play Ukrainian investment opportunity and the growth potential of Kyivstar Group. These statements are based on VEON, Cohen Circle and Kyivstar Group management’s current expectations. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause Kyivstar Group’s, VEON’s or Cohen Circle’s actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements in this press release, including, but not limited to, the inability to complete the business combination due to the failure to obtain the necessary shareholder approvals or to satisfy other conditions to closing; changes to the proposed structure of the business combination that may be required or appropriate as a result of applicable laws or regulations; the decision by the SEC to deem effective the Registration Statement; the ability to meet the Nasdaq listing standards upon closing of the business combination and admission of Kyivstar Group for trading on Nasdaq; changes in applicable laws or regulations; the escalation or de-escalation of war between Russia and Ukraine; the successful integration of Uklon; continued growth in digital services; and other risks and uncertainties set forth in the section entitled “Risk Factors” included in the Registration Statement filed by Kyivstar Group with the SEC on June 5, 2025 and in any other subsequent filings with the SEC by Kyivstar Group or Cohen Circle. Forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties, many of which VEON, Kyivstar Group and Cohen Circle cannot predict with accuracy and some of which neither VEON, Kyivstar Group nor Cohen Circle might not even anticipate. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date of this release. VEON, Kyivstar Group and Cohen Circle do not undertake to publicly update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after such date or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by U.S. federal securities laws.

    Presentation of Non-IFRS Financial Measures and Performance Metrics

    In addition to the results provided in accordance with IFRS throughout this press release, Kyivstar Group has provided the non-IFRS financial measures Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin (the “Non-IFRS Financial Measures”), as well as key performance indicators mobile ARPU, multiplay customers and total digital MAU.

    Kyivstar Group defines Adjusted EBITDA as earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, amortization, impairment, gain/loss on disposals of non-current assets, net foreign exchange gain and other non-operating gains/losses, net. Kyivstar Group defines Adjusted EBITDA Margin as Adjusted EBITDA divided by total operating revenues. Kyivstar Group uses the Non-IFRS Financial Measures in addition to its results determined in accordance with IFRS in order to evaluate its financial and operating performance, to generate future operating plans and make strategic decisions. Kyivstar Group believes that the Non-IFRS Financial Measures may be helpful to investors because they provide additional tools for investors to use in evaluating its ongoing operating results and trends and in comparing its financial results with other companies operating in similar industries because they provide consistency and comparability with past financial performance. The Non-IFRS Financial Measures are not intended to replace, and should not be considered superior to, the presentation of the Kyivstar Group financial results in accordance with IFRS. The Non-IFRS Financial Measures may not be comparable to other similarly entitled measures computed by other companies.

    The following table presents reconciliations of Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin to the most directly comparable IFRS financial performance measures, which are profit for the period and profit margin, respectively:

        Three months ended
    March 31,
    2025    		   Three months ended
    March 31,
    2024    		  
    (USD in millions)          
    Profit for the period   44     36  
    Income taxes   14     9  
    Profit before tax   58     45  
    Depreciation   31     31  
    Amortization   13     12  
    Impairment, net   2     1  
    Finance costs   21     21  
    Finance income   (7)     (8)  
    Other non-operating gain/(loss), net   1     (1)  
    Net foreign exchange (loss)/gain   21     (8)  
    Adjusted EBITDA   140     93  
    Profit margin   17%     19%  
    Adjusted EBITDA Margin   55%     50%  
                 

    Key Performance Indicators

    Mobile ARPU measures the monthly average revenue per mobile user. Kyivstar Group calculates mobile ARPU by dividing its mobile service revenue (excluding guest roaming and wholesale interconnection revenue) during the relevant period by the average number of its mobile customers during the period and dividing by the number of months in that period. Mobile service revenue used to calculate mobile ARPU excludes guest roaming and wholesale interconnection revenue, as this revenue is not generated by Kyivstar Group’s customers but are proceeds received by other operators for the services received by its subscribers.

    Multiplay customers are doubleplay 4G customers who also used one or more of Kyivstar Group’s digital products at any time during the one month prior to such measurement date.

    Total digital MAU is a gross total cumulative MAU of applications offered. Under this metric, a single individual who is active in more than one application is counted as a separate MAU under each such application, such that the total digital MAUs may include individuals being counted more than once.

    Contact Information

    Kyivstar Group

    Media and Investor Contact:
    Kyivstar@icrinc.com

    VEON Media Contact
    Email: pr@veon.com

    i Multiplay as a % of total active Kyivstar one-month subscriber base in March 2025 (unique active subscribers over one-month period)

    The MIL Network –