NewzIntel.com

Category: Europe

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Legal Aid Agency data breach

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Legal Aid Agency data breach

    An update following a cyber-attack on the Legal Aid Agency’s online digital services.

    On Wednesday 23 April, we became aware of a cyber-attack on the Legal Aid Agency’s online digital services.

    These are the services through which legal aid providers log their work and receive payment from the Government.

    In the days following the discovery, we took immediate action to bolster the security of the system, and informed all legal aid providers that some of their details, including financial information, may have been compromised.

    Since then, we have worked closely with the National Crime Agency and National Cyber Security Centre as well as informing the Information Commissioner.

    On Friday 16 May we discovered the attack was more extensive than originally understood and that the group behind it had accessed a large amount of information relating to legal aid applicants.

    We believe the group has accessed and downloaded a significant amount of personal data from those who applied for legal aid through our digital service since 2010. 

    This data may have included contact details and addresses of applicants, their dates of birth, national ID numbers, criminal history, employment status and financial data such as contribution amounts, debts and payments.

    We would urge all members of the public who have applied for legal aid in this time period to take steps to safeguard themselves. We would recommend you are alert for any suspicious activity such as unknown messages or phone calls and to be extra vigilant to update any potentially exposed passwords. If you are in doubt about anyone you are communicating with online or over the phone you should verify their identity independently before providing any information to them.

    Jane Harbottle, Chief Executive Officer of the Legal Aid Agency, said:

    I understand this news will be shocking and upsetting for people and I am extremely sorry this has happened.

    Since the discovery of the attack, my team has been working around the clock with the National Cyber Security Centre to bolster the security of our systems so we can safely continue the vital work of the agency.

    However, it has become clear that to safeguard the service and its users, we needed to take radical action. That is why we’ve taken the decision to take the online service down.

    We have put in place the necessary contingency plans to ensure those most in need of legal support and advice can continue to access the help they need during this time.

    I am incredibly grateful to legal aid providers for their patience and cooperation at a deeply challenging time.

    We will provide further updates shortly.

    Further information on how to protect yourself from the impact of a data breach can be found on the NCSC website.

    Updates to this page

    Published 19 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Stoke-on-Trent to weed out illegal cannabis grows in zero-tolerance crackdown

    Source: City of Stoke-on-Trent

    Weed them out graphic

    Published: Monday, 19th May 2025

    Stoke-on-Trent City Council and Staffordshire Police are teaming up in a major new crackdown on illegal cannabis grows in the city.

    Stoke-on-Trent City Council and Staffordshire Police are teaming up in a major new crackdown on illegal cannabis grows in the city.
     

    The joint operation will target cannabis grows in council properties, privately rented homes and empty commercial buildings to combat the negative impact the drug has on our communities.
     

    Action will be taken against council tenants, private landlords and their tenants, and owners of commercial buildings when a cannabis grow is found.
     

    Private landlords who knowingly allow cannabis grows in their properties could face criminal charges, while council tenants will see their tenancies terminated.

    To encourage private building owners and landlords to make sure buildings are in legal use – as well as encouraging regeneration of the city’s empty properties – charges on empty homes are now applicable and can be up to a 300% premium.
     

    The crackdown will build on the existing police Operation Levidrome, which has seen more than 21 significant cannabis grows detected in the city in the last three months.

    Councillor Jane Ashworth, leader of Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said: “We are committed to tackling this issue – and it starts with the property owners.
     

    “Criminal gangs are targeting empty buildings to set up dangerous grow which create fire risks and other hazards.

    “We need to keep drugs out of our communities and out of the hands of children.
     

    “We won’t stand by while illegal activity threatens the safety of our residents.
     

    “If you see, smell or hear something suspicious: grass a grow!!! Together we will weed them out.”
     

    Stoke North Local Policing Team Inspector Victoria Ison said: “We’re determined to continue working with our partners in the city to rid the area of organised crime, including the gangs responsible for cannabis cultivation.

    “We’re acting proactively to identify, dismantle and disrupt cannabis grows in Stoke-on-Trent, and we welcome the city council’s clampdown on tenancy rules to ensure that grows are more easily identified.

    “Working in partnership with the local authority helps us act strongly against those responsible for harm in local communities. By working together, we have arrested more than 260 people suspected of high-harm offences in the city under our Making Great Places initiative.
     

    “Officers are continuing to act on the concerns of local people and businesses as robustly as possible in Stoke-on-Trent.”
     

    Over the coming months, council housing teams will carry out proactive inspections of high-risk properties, particularly those standing empty. More information about how to spot and report cannabis farms can be found at: https://www.staffordshire.police.uk/police-forces/staffordshire-police/areas/staffordshire-police/campaigns/2021/cannabis-farms/

    The campaign will also work to help aide the reduction in anti-social behaviour across the city.
     
    For any other concerns relating to anti-social behaviour (ASB), report through to the ASB Team on 01782 234234, complete the online form at www.stoke.gov.uk or email asb@stoke.gov.uk

    To report anonymously, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

    For information on charges for Empty Homes, visit: www.stoke.gov.uk/emptyandsecondhomes
     

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Pregnant women and new mums asked to share views on vaccine

    Source: City of Wolverhampton

    Wolverhampton Maternity and Health Visiting Services and the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Public Health Team are working together to better understand what pregnant women and new mothers know about whooping cough, their attitudes toward the whooping cough vaccine, and their experiences discussing vaccinations during pregnancy.

    The findings will help improve how vaccine information is communicated and guide future conversations during antenatal care.

    The survey will take less than 10 minutes to complete and is available at Pregnant women and new mothers whooping cough survey. The survey closes at the end of May.

    Whooping cough, also known as pertussis, is a bacterial infection of the lungs and breathing tubes. It spreads very easily and can sometimes cause serious problems, especially in babies and young children.

    Mums to be are offered the vaccine between 16 and 32 weeks of pregnancy so their baby has protection against whooping cough from birth. The whooping cough vaccine is also routinely given as part of the 6 in 1 combination vaccine for babies at 8, 12 and 16 weeks, which also protects against diphtheria, hepatitis B, hib, polio and tetanus.

    For more information on the whooping cough vaccine in pregnancy, please visit Keeping well in pregnancy.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Not long left to submit Young Citizen of the Year nominations

    Source: City of Wolverhampton

    The awards, now in their 12th year, shine a spotlight on young people who are making a real difference in the community, recognising the achievements of those who have gone that extra mile to help others.

    Previous winners include residents who have raised funds for charity, supported other members of their community, and made a difference to the people around them.

    Chairman of the organising committee, former Wolves player Mel Eves, said: “The Young Citizen of the Year awards have gone from strength to strength over the years. Last year, we selected 10 young people as finalists and invited them with their guests to an awards ceremony, with many others receiving a certificate of commendation for their efforts.

    “This year, we look forward to seeing plenty more fantastic nominations.”

    There are 2 age categories to the awards, 13 to 18 and 19 to 25. Anyone can nominate candidates, who must live or go to school or work in Wolverhampton.

    Residents have until Saturday 31 May to submit their nomination. For more details, visit Wolverhampton Young Citizen.

    Councillor Coogan said: “The Young Citizen of the Year award is a fantastic opportunity to acknowledge young people in our city who go above and beyond in what they do.

    “I would encourage anybody who knows a young person who has put others first to nominate them for this fantastic award – but please hurry as the deadline for nominations is less than 2  weeks away.”

    A ceremony will take place later this year to reveal the winners of these prestigious awards, backed by the City of Wolverhampton Council, Collins Aerospace, Wolves Foundation, the Express & Star, Carvers Building Supplies, the James Beattie Charitable Trust, WCR FM and West Midlands Magazines.
     

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Apply now to get 30 hours funded childcare from September

    Source: City of Wolverhampton

    The expansion means eligible working families in Wolverhampton can now apply for 30 hours of funded childcare per week during term time from the term after their child turns 9 months until they reach school age.

    The changes being rolled out by the Government are designed to support a child’s early education and help families better balance work and family life.

    To qualify, each parent must earn at least the equivalent of 16 hours per week at national minimum or living wage, and have an income of less than £100,000 per year. Applications must be made by 31 August, 2025 to access funded childcare from September, with the window for applications now open.

    To find out more, including how to apply, please visit the Childcare Choices website.  

    Councillor Jacqui Coogan, the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Education, said: “Every year hundreds of families in Wolverhampton benefit from funded childcare schemes at participating nurseries, schools and childminders around the city, and its great news that this is being extended to offer 30 hours of funded childcare per week to children from the term they turn 9 months right through until they reach school age.

    “Accessing early education gives your child the chance to learn, play and make new friends and the opportunity to develop and master new skills. It supports them as they prepare for school by helping them to communicate, explore new experiences, be active and healthy – and of course, it also helps parents juggle careers and childcare.

    “I would encourage eligible working parents who are not yet accessing funded childcare but would benefit from doing so to sign up at Childcare Choices today.”

    Apart from funded childcare for eligible working parents, people in receipt of certain benefits are also eligible for 15 hours of funded childcare for 2 year olds, known as Terrific for Twos in Wolverhampton.

    Meanwhile, eligible working parents and carers with children aged 11 or under can get up to £2,000 per child each year towards their childcare costs, or up to £4,000 for children with a disability aged 16 or under, though the tax free childcare scheme. 
     

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Further catch up clinics offer vaccinations for secondary pupils

    Source: City of Wolverhampton

    The following vaccinations will be available:

    • The Diphtheria, Tetanus and Polio (DTP) vaccine, also known as the 3 in 1 teenage booster, which is offered to children in Year 9 and above. This booster is the last routine dose that provides young people with long lasting protection into adulthood
    • The Meningococcal (Men ACWY) vaccination for children in Year 9 and above which helps protect young people against 4 types of meningococcal disease which can cause both meningitis and septicaemia
    • The HPV vaccine, given in school Year 8 which helps protect against cancers caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV)
    • The MMR vaccination, to provide long lasting protection against measles, mumps and rubella for all school aged children who have missed doses.

    Clinic will be held next Monday 26 May at Biz Space, Room 2, Planetary Road WV13 3SW from 10am to 2pm and on Saturday 12 July at Whitmore Reans Family Hub, Lansdowne Road, Wolverhampton WV1 4AL from 9.30am to 2pm. Appointments must be booked in advance by contacting Vaccination UK on 01902 200077.

    Councillor Obaida Ahmed, the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Community, said: “These vaccines offer the best protection for teenagers as they start their journey into adulthood and start mixing more widely – whether that’s going to college, starting work, travelling or going to festivals.

    “So, if your child has missed out on their vaccinations, maybe because they were off school or are home educated, please come along to one of the catch up clinics being delivered by Vaccination UK over the coming weeks.”
     

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: City plans events to mark Dementia Action Week 2025

    Source: City of Wolverhampton

    Dementia affects nearly a million people in the UK, including approximately 3,600 in Wolverhampton.

    Dementia Action Week, organised by the Alzheimer’s Society and supported by the City of Wolverhampton Council and other members of Wolverhampton Dementia Action Alliance, is an opportunity to raise awareness of the help and support available to people living with dementia, and their families and carers.

    The African Caribbean Community Initiative (ACCI), Alzheimer’s Society, the council and Healthwatch Wolverhampton will be holding a ‘Let’s Talk About Dementia’ event including interactive workshops, music and exercise, at the Church of God Prophecy tomorrow (Tuesday) from 11am to 3pm – for details, call 01902 571230 or email carers@acci.org.uk.

    The council’s Public Protection Team, with colleagues from the Carer Support Team, the Dementia Action Alliance, Wolves Foundation and ACCI, will be at Bilston Indoor Market on Thursday from 10am to 1pm offering information and advice.

    Memory Matters will have 2 phone in sessions offering one-to-one advice and information to individuals, families and carers who have memory concerns. These will take place tomorrow (Tuesday) from 1.30pm until 4pm and Wednesday (21 May), also 1.30pm to 4pm. Please call 01902 551852.

    Meanwhile, the Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust’s Admiral Nursing Team and the Alzheimer’s Society will be hosting a series of webinars aimed at professionals and covering 5 different themes, Preventing Well, Diagnosing Well, Supporting Well, Living Well and Dying Well. To book places, visit Black Country Healthcare – Dementia Action Week Webinars.

    Jon Crockett, Chair of Wolverhampton Dementia Action Alliance, said: “Dementia Action Week is showing once again the range of organisations across the city who are working together to make a difference for those people living with dementia, their families and carers.

    “I’m proud of all those people across Wolverhampton taking the opportunity to help people to understand more about dementia and what they can do to help people living with dementia. It is estimated that 1 in 3 people born in the UK today will be diagnosed with dementia in their lifetime and it remains the commitment of everyone in the Dementia Action Alliance to make Wolverhampton a dementia friendly city.

    “Dementia Action Week gives us the opportunity to showcase the many organisations who are working hard to make that ambition a reality.”

    Councillor Paula Brookfield, the council’s Cabinet Member for Adults, added: “Dementia Action Week enables us to highlight the support available to people living with this debilitating condition, and their families and friends.

    “We would also like to encourage more people in Wolverhampton to become a Dementia Friend so you better understand the needs of people living with dementia and can do your bit to help them. You can do this online by visiting Dementia Friends.”

    People who are worried about dementia can contact the Alzheimer’s Society for information and support either via the National Dementia Helpline on 0333 150 3456 or by visiting Alzheimer’s Society. For more information about the help and support available locally, please visit Dementia.

    The Dementia Action Alliance brings together a range of local organisations which want to make Wolverhampton more dementia friendly, including businesses, emergency services, religious groups and education providers. For more information, please visit Dementia.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Three dead, one missing after landslide in southern China

    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

    GUANGZHOU, May 19 (Xinhua) — Three people were killed and one was missing after heavy rains triggered a landslide early Sunday in a village in Gaozhou City, south China’s Guangdong Province, local authorities said Monday.

    The emergency occurred at approximately 07:00 on Sunday in the village of Pintougan. One three-story building was damaged, and seven people were trapped. Thanks to the efforts of rescuers, six people were found and rescued. Despite the efforts of medical workers, three of them died in the hospital. The condition of the other three is assessed as stable.

    Search and rescue operations continue. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Themed tourist train links ancient culture and natural wonder in southwest China’s Sichuan province

    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

    CHENGDU, May 19 (Xinhua) — The first themed tourist train dedicated to the legendary Sanxingdui ruins was launched in Chengdu, capital of southwest China’s Sichuan Province, on Sunday.

    Departing from Chengdu East Railway Station, the train will take 18 minutes to reach the Sanxingdui Ruins and about two hours to reach Jiuzhaigou Valley, two of Sichuan Province’s most famous landmarks. The train will make 13 round trips daily, carrying about 30,000 passengers a day.

    Decorated with images of iconic bronze objects found at the Sanxingdui ruins, the train resembles a mobile museum and immerses passengers in the culture of the Bronze Age. A professional guide from the Sanxingdui Museum explains the history of the excavation of the ruins, the artifacts recovered from there, and the cultural significance of this unique site.

    “It’s so exciting!” says Zhou Wen, one of the first passengers on the theme train. “Every detail in the carriage makes us feel like we’ve returned to the ancient Shu Kingdom.” “It’s a rich and unforgettable experience,” she admits.

    The Sanxingdui ruins are believed to date back to the Shu Kingdom, which existed 4,500-3,000 years ago.

    Jiuzhaigou Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, attracts tourists with its waterfalls, lush forests, serene highland lakes and karst cliffs. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Harbin hosts China-Russia Inter-Municipality Cooperation Demand and Supply Conference

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    BEIJING, May 19 (Xinhua) — A demand and supply conference under the China-Russia inter-municipal cooperation was held Sunday in Harbin, capital of northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province.

    The event was organized by the provincial government of Heihe City and was attended by more than 200 representatives from chambers of commerce, industry associations and enterprises from both sides, according to news website Chinadaily.com.

    The conference focused on cross-border industrial cooperation and interregional economic interaction.

    The border city of Heihe, which is separated by the Heilongjiang River (Amur) from the city of Blagoveshchensk in Russia’s Amur Region, has achieved fruitful results in foreign trade and humanitarian contacts in recent years. Its mayor Qin Bo called on domestic and Russian entrepreneurs at a conference to invest in Heihe’s economy and jointly develop the city’s priority sectors, such as cross-border trade, tourism, etc.

    Calling the conference a platform for enhancing cooperation between cities and enterprises in China and Russia, Xing Yingna, deputy head of the Heilongjiang Provincial Commerce Department, expressed hope that the business communities of China and Russia will contribute to ensuring the economic prosperity of the two countries. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Two killed after train hits Ohio

    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

    FREMONT, U.S., May 19 (Xinhua) — Two people were killed and at least one more was missing Sunday evening after a train struck several pedestrians in the northern U.S. state of Ohio, authorities said.

    Fremont Mayor Danny Sanchez confirmed two deaths, without disclosing the number of injured or hospitalized.

    City police said emergency crews were searching for missing people and urged the public to stay away from the scene. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: N. Dan Wins Second Round of Romanian Presidential Elections – Preliminary Official Results

    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

    BUCHAREST, May 19 (Xinhua) — Bucharest Mayor and independent candidate Nicusor Dan has won the second round of Romania’s presidential election, according to nearly complete official results released Sunday evening by the Permanent Electoral Administration.

    After counting almost all the ballots, N. Dan received 54.17% of the votes, while his rival, the leader of the nationalist Alliance for the Unification of Romanians, George Simion, received 45.83%.

    The vote ended a repeat presidential election that was held after the results of the first round held in 2024 were annulled over allegations of campaign irregularities and foreign interference.

    Mr. Dan, 55, is a pro-European candidate who campaigned on promises to strengthen rule of law reforms, maintain military and diplomatic support for Ukraine and deepen relations with the West.

    Simion, 38, led the first round of the elections on May 4, receiving 40.96 percent of the vote, beating Dan by 20.99 percent. His campaign was held under the slogan “Romania First.” He promised to lower taxes, reduce EU restrictions and reduce military aid to Ukraine. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China’s Consumer Goods Retail Sales Up 5.1 Pct in April 2025 /detailed version-1/

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    BEIJING, May 19 (Xinhua) — China’s retail sales of consumer goods, a key indicator of consumption growth, grew 5.1 percent year on year in April 2025, data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed Monday.

    According to the department, the volume of retail trade of consumer goods reached 3.72 trillion yuan (approximately 517.27 billion US dollars) in April.

    In January-April, total retail sales of consumer goods increased by 4.7 percent year-on-year, compared to 4.6 percent in the first three months of 2025. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • Russia launches war’s largest drone attack ahead of Putin-Trump call

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Russia launched on Sunday its largest drone attack on Ukraine since the start of the war, destroying homes and killing at least one woman a day before U.S. President Donald Trump is due to discuss a proposed ceasefire with Russia’s Vladimir Putin.

    Ukraine’s intelligence service said it also believed Moscow intended to fire an intercontinental ballistic missile later on Sunday as an attempt to intimidate the West. There was no immediate response from Moscow to the accusation.

    President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, straining to restore ties with Washington after a disastrous February White House visit, met Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Rome on Sunday on the sidelines of Pope Leo’s inauguration.

    Zelenskiy said the meeting was “good” and released pictures of Ukrainian and U.S. officials sitting outside at a round table and smiling. Ukrainian media said the meeting lasted 40 minutes.

    “I reaffirmed that Ukraine is ready to be engaged in real diplomacy and underscored the importance of a full and unconditional ceasefire as soon as possible,” said Zelenskiy, who also met the new pope.

    Ukraine and Russia held their first face-to-face talks in more than three years on Friday, under pressure from Trump to agree to a ceasefire in a war he has pledged to bring to a quick end. The foes agreed to swap 1,000 prisoners each but failed to agree a truce, after Moscow presented conditions that a member of Ukraine’s delegation called “non-starters”.

    The leaders of Britain, France, Germany and Poland planned to speak to Trump before the U.S. and Russian presidents speak on Monday, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said. The four European leaders jointly visited Kyiv last week and have been calling for Trump to back new sanctions on Russia.

    Asked if it was time to impose tougher sanctions on Russia, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that was up to Trump.

    “I think we will see what happens when both sides get to the table,” he told NBC News’ “Meet the Press” programme.

    “President Trump has made it very clear, that if President Putin does not negotiate in good faith, that the United States will not hesitate to up the Russia sanctions along with our European partners.”

    After a night of air alerts, Ukraine’s air force said that as of 8 a.m. on Sunday Russia had launched 273 drones at Ukrainian cities, more than the previous record Moscow had set in February on the war’s third anniversary.

    ‘I COULD HEAR THE DRONE’

    In the ruins of her family home in the Obukhiv region west of Kyiv, Natalia Piven, 44, recounted how she squeezed into a cellar with her son after an air raid warning, just in time to survive a first wave of drones.

    They then ran out to a bomb shelter at a kindergarten, before another wave of drones bore down on the village. Their house was completely destroyed. A 28-year-old woman who lived next door was killed. Ukrainian authorities said three other people were injured, including a four-year-old child.

    “I cannot get over it. I simply cannot. I could clearly hear the drone flying right towards my house,” Piven told Reuters.

    Trump has shifted U.S. rhetoric from supporting Ukraine towards accepting some of Moscow’s narrative about the war that Putin launched in 2022. But Kyiv and its European allies are working hard to persuade Trump that it is Moscow that is holding up a truce now.

    Zelenskiy has said he would accept Trump’s proposal for an immediate ceasefire of at least 30 days with no conditions. Moscow says it would consider a ceasefire but only if conditions are met, including a halt in arms supplies to Kyiv.

    It also says any peace talks must address the “root causes” of the conflict, including its demands that Ukraine cede territory, be disarmed and accept neutral status. Kyiv says that would amount to capitulation and leave it defenceless.

    (Reuters)

  • MIL-OSI: CREDIT AGRICOLE S.A. announces redemption of USD 1,500,000,000 Senior Non-Preferred Callable Fixed-to-Floating Rate Notes issued on June 2020 and due June 2026 (ISIN: Rule 144A: US22535WAG24 and Regulation S: US22536PAG63)

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Montrouge, May 19, 2025

    CREDIT AGRICOLE S.A. ANNOUNCES REDEMPTION OF

    USD 1,500,000,000  Senior Non-Preferred Callable Fixed-to-Floating Rate Notes issued on June 16, 2020 (ISIN: Rule 144A: US22535WAG24 and Regulation S: US22536PAG63)*

    Crédit Agricole S.A. (the “Issuer”) announces today the redemption (the “Redemption”) with effect on June 16, 2025 (the “Redemption Date”) of all of its outstanding USD 1,500,000,000 Senior Non-Preferred Callable Fixed-to-Floating Rate Notes issued on June 16, 2020 (ISIN: Rule 144A: US22535WAG24 and Regulation S: US22536PAG63) (the “Notes”) pursuant to Condition 9(a) (Redemption at the Option of the Issuer) of the terms and conditions of the Notes included in the base offering memorandum dated April 8, 2020, as supplemented by the pricing term sheet dated June 9, 2020 (together, the “Terms and Conditions”), at the outstanding nominal amount thereof, together with any accrued interest thereon (the “Redemption Amount”).

    On the Redemption Date, the Redemption Amount shall become due and payable and, unless the Redemption Amount is improperly withheld or refused, each Note shall cease to bear interest on the Redemption Date.

    The holders of the Notes will receive formal notice of the Redemption in accordance with the Terms and Conditions.

    For further information on Crédit Agricole S.A., please see Crédit Agricole S.A.’s website: https://www.credit-agricole.com/en/finance

    DISCLAIMER

    This press release does not constitute an offer to buy or the solicitation of an offer to sell the Notes in the United States of America, Canada, Australia or Japan or in any other jurisdiction. The distribution of this press release in certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law. Persons into whose possession this announcement comes are required to inform themselves about, and to observe, any such restrictions.

    No communication or information relating to the redemption of the Notes may be distributed to the public in a country where a registration obligation or an approval is required. No action has been or will be taken in any country where such action would be required. The redemption of the Notes may be subject to specific legal and regulatory restrictions in certain jurisdictions; Crédit Agricole S.A. accepts no liability in connection with a breach by any person of such restrictions.

    This press release is an advertisement; and none of this press release, any notice or any other document or material made public and/or delivered, or which may be made public and/or delivered to the holders of the Notes in connection with the redemption of the Notes is or is intended to be a prospectus for the purposes of Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 of the European Parliament and of the Council dated 14 June 2017 (as amended, the “Prospectus Regulation”). No prospectus will be published in connection with the redemption of the Notes for the purposes of the Prospectus Regulation.

    This press release does not, and shall not, in any circumstances, constitute an offer to the public of Notes by Crédit Agricole S.A. nor an invitation to the public in connection with any offer in any jurisdiction, including France.

    * The ISIN number is included solely for the convenience of the holders of the Notes. No representation is being made as to the correctness or accuracy of the ISIN number either as printed on the Notes or as contained herein and the holder may rely only on the identification numbers printed on its Note.

    CRÉDIT AGRICOLE S.A. PRESS CONTACT

    Alexandre Barat                             + 33 1 57 72 12 19                                      alexandre.barat@credit-agricole-sa.fr
    Olivier Tassain                               + 33 1 43 23 25 41                                      olivier.tassain@credit-agricole-sa.fr

    Find our press release on: www.credit-agricole.com – www.creditagricole.info

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Russia is labelling Oscar Jenkins a ‘mercenary’, not a prisoner of war. What’s the difference – and why does this matter?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Shannon Bosch, Associate Professor (Law), Edith Cowan University

    Oscar Jenkins, a 33-year-old former teacher from Melbourne, was one of many foreigners who responded to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s call in 2022 for volunteers to join Ukraine’s armed forces to help repel Russia’s invasion.

    In early 2024, Jenkins joined Ukraine’s International Legion of Territorial Defence, which has attracted some 20,000 fighters from 50 countries since the war began. He had no previous military experience, but this wasn’t a requirement to join.

    In December, Jenkins was captured by Russian forces in Russian-occupied eastern Ukraine and accused of serving as a “mercenary” in Ukraine’s 66th Mechanised Brigade’s 402nd Rifle Battalion. He was tried in a Russian court and sentenced on May 16 to 13 years imprisonment in a maximum-security penal colony.

    When a foreigner volunteers to fight in a war, their legal status under international law can be complicated.

    Are they a soldier with the full authorisation of one of the warring parties to engage in hostilities? Or are they an illegal mercenary?

    And what happens if they are captured?

    Why legal status matters

    The answers to these questions have very real importance to the thousands of foreigners who have joined Ukraine’s International Legion since 2022.

    Russian authorities have classified all of Ukraine’s foreigner fighters as “mercenaries”. They’ve used this label to deny foreign fighters the status of “prisoner of war” (POW), with the requisite protections that come along with that under international humanitarian law.

    While foreigners are permitted under international law to enlist in the armed forces of a state for political or moral reasons, mercenaries have historically been outlawed due to their sole motivation being financial gain.

    International humanitarian law (the rules that govern war) define mercenaries as individuals who are not nationals or residents of a state engaged in war and are recruited to fight outside that state’s official armed forces.

    They are motivated solely by private gain (like money or promises of reward), often well in excess of what the traditional armed forces are paid. Mercenaries are essentially professional soldiers who sell their services to a state without any real ties to that country.

    Once a fighter is classified as a “mercenary”, they lose all the legal protections that are traditionally afforded lawful combatants.

    This includes prisoner of war status if they are captured and immunity from prosecution for fighting in a conflict. Prisoners of war are also entitled to humane treatment and access to food and medical care. And they cannot be subjected to sham trials or torture.

    According to my research, many of the foreign nationals who joined the International Legion were motivated by a desire to defend Ukraine against Russia’s aggression. They were sworn into Ukraine’s armed forces and paid the same as a Ukrainian soldier of equal rank.

    Once enlisted in the armed forces, they were immediately exempt from “mercenary” status, irrespective of their motivation for joining.

    As such, these foreign fighters should be entitled to the full range of protections guaranteed to members of Ukraine’s armed forces under the Geneva Conventions.

    Labelling lawful foreign members of the Ukrainian armed forces as “mercenaries”, and denying them their protections, is an abuse of international law.

    How can Australia protect its nationals?

    If an Australian enlists in Ukraine’s armed forces and is captured by Russian forces, there is a limited toolkit the Australian government can use to help him or her. However, it is not powerless.

    Through its embassy in Moscow, Australia can request access to detainees to assess their welfare while in prison. Russia can, however, decline this access. Details of a detainee’s capture may also be withheld.

    Australia can also apply diplomatic pressure to ensure humane treatment of prisoners and their full POW rights.

    This can be done by working with international bodies, such as the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention or organisations like the International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC), which can request access to detainees.

    It appears the government is already doing some of these things. According to Foreign Minister Penny Wong, the government has been working with Ukraine and the ICRC to advocate for Jenkins’ welfare and release, and providing consular support to Jenkins’ family.

    Australia also has an obligation to warn its citizens they will likely face severe consequences if they travel to Ukraine to fight and are captured by Russian forces, given Russia’s misuse of the “mercenary” label.

    Through back-channel negotiations, Australia could also push Ukraine or its allies to include Australians being held by Russia in future prisoner swaps.

    In January of this year, Ukraine and Russia carried out such an exchange of 470 prisoners from both nations. And in talks last week in Turkey, both sides agreed to release another 1,000 prisoners on each side.

    Such exchanges have involved foreign fighters in the past. In 2022, 10 foreign citizens were included in a prisoner swap, including five Britons, two Americans, a Croatian, a Swede and a Moroccan. Several of them had been convicted of being mercenaries and sentenced to death after a Russian sham trial.

    There is no guarantee Jenkins would qualify for such an exchange, however, if Russia continues to classify him as a mercenary.

    Shannon Bosch 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. Russia is labelling Oscar Jenkins a ‘mercenary’, not a prisoner of war. What’s the difference – and why does this matter? – https://theconversation.com/russia-is-labelling-oscar-jenkins-a-mercenary-not-a-prisoner-of-war-whats-the-difference-and-why-does-this-matter-256996

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: President Meloni’s telephone conversation with President Trump, Prime Minister Starmer, President Macron and Chancellor Merz

    Source: Government of Italy (English)

    The President of the Council of Ministers, Giorgia Meloni, had a telephone conversation late yesterday evening with the President of the United States of America, Donald J. Trump, together with the leaders of the United Kingdom, Keir Starmer, of France, Emmanuel Macron, and of Germany, Friedrich Merz, for consultations prior to the announced call that President Trump will have today with President Putin.

    President Meloni first of all reiterated Italy’s support, together with European and Western partners, for President Trump’s efforts for a just and lasting peace in Ukraine, stressing the importance of an immediate and unconditional ceasefire.

    Lastly, President Meloni expressed her appreciation for the willingness Ukraine has once again shown with regard to dialogue, and reaffirmed the hope that Moscow will seriously engage, through direct leader-to-leader contact, in negotiations that can lead to peace.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI: 28/2025・Trifork Group: Weekly report on share buyback

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Company announcement no. 28 / 2025
    Schindellegi, Switzerland – 19 May 2025

    Trifork Group: Weekly report on share buyback

    On 28 February 2025, Trifork initiated a share buyback program in accordance with Regulation No. 596/2014 of the European Parliament and Council of 16 April 2014 (MAR) and Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1052, (Safe Harbour regulation). The share buyback program runs from 4 March 2025 up to and including no later than 30 June 2025. For details, please see company announcement no. 7 of 28 February 2025.

    Under the share buyback program, Trifork will purchase shares for up to a total of DKK 14.92 million (approximately EUR 2 million). Prior to the launch of the share buyback, Trifork held 256,329 treasury shares, corresponding to 1.3% of the share capital. Under the program, the following transactions have been made:

    Date      Number of shares        Average purchase price (DKK)        Transaction value (DKK)
    Total beginning    82,174 86.29 7,090,659
    12 May 2025 1,400 92.38 129,332
    13 May 2025 1,300 92.78 120,614
    14 May 2025 1,300 92.19 119,847
    15 May 2025 1,400 92.00 128,800
    16 May 2025 1,300 92.40 120,120
    Accumulated 88,874 86.74 7,709,372

    A detailed overview of the daily transactions can be found here: https://investor.trifork.com/trifork-shares/

    Since the share buyback program was started on 4 March 2025, the total number of repurchased shares is 88,874 at a total amount of DKK 7,709,372.
    On 25 March and on 25 April 2025, 2,929 shares acquired through the share buyback program were utilized for the Executive Management’s monthly fixed salary, representing a change from cash payment to payment partly in shares (refer to company announcement no. 1 of 21 January 2025). On 1 April 2025, 19,943 shares acquired through the share buyback program were utilized to serve the RSU plan of Executive Management and certain employees.

    With the transactions stated above, Trifork holds a total of 322,331 treasury shares, corresponding to 1.6%. The total number of registered shares in Trifork is 19,744,899. Adjusted for treasury shares, the number of outstanding shares is 19,422,568.

    Investor and media contact
    Frederik Svanholm, Group Investment Director, frsv@trifork.com, +41 79 357 73 17

    About Trifork
    Trifork is a pioneering and global technology partner, empowering enterprise and public sector customers with innovative digital solutions. With 1,215 professionals across 71 business units in 16 countries, Trifork specializes in designing, building, and operating advanced software across sectors such as public administration, healthcare, manufacturing, logistics, energy, financial services, retail, and real estate. The Group’s R&D arm, Trifork Labs, drives innovation by investing in and developing synergistic, high-potential technology companies. Trifork Group AG is publicly listed on Nasdaq Copenhagen. Learn more at trifork.com.

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    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: PM call with leaders of US, France, Germany and Italy: 18 May 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    PM call with leaders of US, France, Germany and Italy: 18 May 2025

    The Prime Minister spoke to leaders of the United States, Italy, France and Germany last night [18 May 2025].

    The Prime Minister spoke to leaders of the United States, Italy, France and Germany last night [18 May 2025].

    The leaders discussed the situation in Ukraine, and the catastrophic cost of the war to both sides.

    Looking ahead to President Trump’s call with President Putin tomorrow, the leaders discussed the need for an unconditional ceasefire and for President Putin to take peace talks seriously.

    They also discussed the use of sanctions if Russia failed to engage seriously in a ceasefire and peace talks.

    The leaders looked forward to speaking again soon.

    Updates to this page

    Published 19 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Politics, protest and some seriously inappropriate songs: who gets censored at Eurovision, and who doesn’t?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Catherine Strong, Associate Professor, Music Industry, RMIT University

    As always, Eurovision 2025 was full of glitter, costume reveals, divas, spectacle and, of course, controversy. From ongoing calls to ban Israel from participating, to one song that had to be edited since it was too inappropriate, here’s what you may have missed from this year’s contest.

    A milkshake meltdown

    For Australian viewers, the final may have been a bit of a letdown because, for the second year in a row, our contestant failed to get past the semis.

    Go-Jo’s Milkshake Man seemed like a strong offering, with its daft and suggestive lyrics, huge energy and oversized blender prop – but some weak vocals on the night left us in the cold.

    Other wacky entries of the uniquely Eurovision variety fared better, though. Sweden’s ode to saunas, Bara Bada Bastu, started the night as the favourite to win and ended high with a fourth placing, just behind Estonia’s rubbery-legged Tommy Cash, whose love song to coffee may have just been more relatable to voters.

    Serving what?

    More controversial was Miriana Conte’s song for Malta, originally titled Serving Kant, with kant being the Maltese word for singing. But this thinly disguised attempt to celebrate “serving cunt” was deemed inappropriate by the European Broadcasting Union, and reworked as simply Serving.

    This performance is part of a long Eurovision tradition of celebrating queer culture. Each year, multiple entries use LGBTQIA+ imagery, tropes and lyrics to celebrate the theme of being who you are.

    Last year’s event marked the first time two non-binary performers were featured in the contest. One of them, Switzerlans’s Nemo, won. As a side note, Nemo’s return performance this year may be one of the best things to ever grace the Eurovision stage.

    But it seems Malta’s cheeky play on the theme didn’t pay off, as it landed them in 17th place by the end of the voting.

    Other stand-out performances included Finland’s Erika Vikman, who outperformed a whole crop of big-voiced divas in sparkly body suits by riding a giant flaming microphone to the roof of the stadium during the, ahem, climax to Ich Komme (which translates to “I’m coming”).

    Less in your face, yet strangely compelling, were the women of Latvia’s folk band Tautumeitas. In their forest-nymph-axolotl (?) costumes, they delivered a flawless and gentle performance.

    A heated, close race to the top

    The winner was, as is often the case at Eurovision, a more serious song that showcased a high level of musicianship and vocal ability. Austria’s JJ performance of Wasted Love was stripped-back compared to most of the rivals.

    JJ took to the stage alone, using a completely black and white palette that stood out against the reds that dominated the rest of the night. The way he used his body onstage, and the dynamism of his soprano voice – moving from a conventional pop vocal style to a more operatic delivery – was compellingly dramatic, and was rewarded by the juries and public voters.

    It was a close race for the top spot however. I imagine the broadcasting union breathed a sigh of relief when Austria knocked Israel into second place at the last moment.

    Israel’s presence in the contest has been a source of division and conflict since the events of October 7. For two years there have been highly publicised calls to expel Israel from the competition, in light of the extreme atrocities and human rights abuses taking place on the ground in Gaza.



    Read more:
    1 in 5 Gazans face starvation. Can the law force Israel to act?

    Multiple pro-Palestinian rallies took to the streets in the host city, Basel, and protesters trying to disrupt the Israeli performance found their way into the arena during the rehearsals and final. While they did not make it into the broadcast, there were reports of audience members being removed, staff being hit with paint, and violent clashes with security and police.

    Beyond this, 70 ex-competitors and, separately, more than 4,000 Nordic music workers put their names on open letters protesting Israel’s inclusion in the contest. But these attempts failed, partly because the countries involved did not threaten to withdraw themselves if Israel participated (which was how Russia was expelled from the 2022 contest, in the wake of its invasion of Ukraine).

    What can we expect moving forward

    It’s worth considering what Israel’s inclusion in the contest does allow. In recently published work, my coauthors and I consider what it means to face up to some of the uglier aspects of music and music-making – and to sit with the discomfort, rather than ignore it.

    If Israel had been excluded, those calling for its exclusion may have achieved a sense that a certain wrong had been righted, and the Eurovision party could go on, free from worry.

    Yet the realities of events in Gaza would not have disappeared. Viewers at home would simply not have to think about them.

    Israel’s inclusion – and the opposition to it – forces us to ask what role, if any, cultural institutions can play in helping put a stop to what the International Court of Justice has said can plausibly be called a genocide.

    While the broadcasting union could perhaps put pressure on Israel with a ban, the fissures of Israel’s continued inclusion have shone a spotlight on other types of pressure and resistance – and the power music has in bringing people together for the explicit purpose of being political.

    Catherine Strong 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. Politics, protest and some seriously inappropriate songs: who gets censored at Eurovision, and who doesn’t? – https://theconversation.com/politics-protest-and-some-seriously-inappropriate-songs-who-gets-censored-at-eurovision-and-who-doesnt-256447

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Xi Jinping stresses high-quality formulation of 15th Five-Year Plan /more/

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    BEIJING, May 19 (Xinhua) — Chinese President Xi Jinping has stressed the need to adhere to scientific, democratic and law-based decision-making to ensure high-quality formulation of the country’s next five-year economic and social development plan.

    Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks while giving instructions on work to draw up the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030).

    Xi Jinping noted that the scientifically based formulation and consistent implementation of five-year plans are an important experience of the CPC in the field of public administration.

    According to him, the formulation and implementation of the 15th Five-Year Plan is of great significance for the comprehensive implementation of the strategic plans adopted at the 20th CPC National Congress and the advancement of China’s modernization.

    It is important to combine high-level planning with soliciting public opinion, and intensify research and discussion to achieve broad consensus, Xi stressed.

    From 2026, China will begin implementing the 15th Five-Year Plan for Social and Economic Development. The CPC Central Committee is currently organizing work to formulate recommendations for this plan, and in the near future, relevant agencies will make inquiries in various forms to hear the opinions and suggestions of cadres, citizens, as well as experts and scholars. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Malaysians bid tearful farewell to giant panda pair Xingxing and Liangliang

    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

    KUALA LUMPUR, May 19 (Xinhua) — Malaysians bid a tearful farewell to giant panda pair Xingxing and Liangliang on Sunday as they departed for China after an 11-year stay.

    Dozens of fans of the two pandas had already gathered at 05:00 outside the Giant Panda Conservation Centre at Zoo Negara in Kuala Lumpur.

    As transport arrived to take Xingxing and Liangliang to Kuala Lumpur International Airport, many people waved emotionally goodbye to the giant pandas, while some took photos and videos.

    Among those gathered was the zoo’s vice president, Rosli Rakhmat Akhmat Lana. She said the panda keeper would accompany her charges to China and stay there for a few days to help them settle in.

    “The pandas are healthy. We have always supported the panda conservation program. I am truly grateful to the fans who came today… their presence shows how much they care,” the zoo’s vice president told the media.

    In 2014, a pair of giant pandas were loaned to the Malaysian government for 10 years to mark the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Malaysia and China. They have played a key role as “ambassadors,” strengthening the friendship between the peoples of the two countries.

    During their stay in Malaysia, Xingxing and Liangliang gave birth to three cubs, all of which were previously safely returned to China. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China’s house prices remained broadly stable in April 2025

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    BEIJING, May 19 (Xinhua) — Commercial housing prices in 70 large and medium-sized cities in China remained generally stable in April 2025, data released by the National Bureau of Statistics showed Monday.

    According to the agency’s statistics, compared to March 2025, housing prices in the cities in question remained at the same level or fell slightly in April of this year. Prices continued to fall year-on-year, but the rate of decline slowed further. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China’s house prices remained broadly stable in April 2025 /detailed version-1/

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    BEIJING, May 19 (Xinhua) — Commercial housing prices in 70 large and medium-sized cities in China remained generally stable in April 2025, data released by the National Bureau of Statistics showed Monday.

    According to the agency’s statistics, compared to March 2025, housing prices in the cities in question remained at the same level or slightly decreased in April of this year. Prices continued to fall year-on-year, but the rate of decline slowed even more.

    New home prices in the first-tier cities of Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen fell 2.1 percent year-on-year in April, compared with a 2.8 percent decline in March.

    Compared with the previous month, prices for new housing in the country’s first-line cities remained at the same level. At the same time, prices for secondary housing in them decreased by 0.2 percent compared with March.

    Housing prices in second- and third-line cities also fell year-on-year. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China’s Total Fixed Investment Up 4 Pct in Jan-Apr 2025 /detailed version-1/

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    BEIJING, May 19 (Xinhua) — China’s total fixed-asset investment rose 4 percent in January-April 2025 from a year earlier, official data showed Monday.

    Excluding the real estate sector, China’s fixed-asset investment rose 8 percent year-on-year during the period, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics.

    In particular, investments in infrastructure grew by 5.8 percent, and in manufacturing by 8.8 percent.

    A breakdown by industry shows that investments in the primary sector of the economy /agriculture, forestry, fisheries, livestock/ increased by 13.2 percent compared to the same period last year, investments in the secondary sector increased by 11.7 percent, while in the tertiary sector, on the contrary, they decreased by 0.2 percent. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • Starmer discusses Russian war against Ukraine with US, Italy, France and Germany

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Sunday discussed Russia’s war against Ukraine with leaders of the U.S., Italy, France and Germany, a Downing Street spokesperson said.

    Looking ahead to U.S. President Donald Trump’s call with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin on Monday, the leaders discussed the need for an unconditional ceasefire in the war that Russia launched against its smaller neighbour more than three years ago.

    They also discussed the use of sanctions if Russia fails to engage seriously in ceasefire and peace talks, the spokesperson added.

    The talks followed intense diplomacy by the leaders that started with their May 10 trip to Kyiv when the major European powers threw their weight behind an unconditional 30-day Ukraine ceasefire.

    “Tomorrow, President Putin must show he wants peace by accepting the 30-day unconditional ceasefire proposed by President Trump and backed by Ukraine and Europe,” French President Emmanuel Macron said on X after the Sunday call.

    UK’s Foreign Minister David Lammy on Saturday accused Moscow of obfuscating after talks between Ukraine and Russia on a possible ceasefire ended in less than two hours and Trump said “nothing could happen” until he had met directly with Putin.

    Russia – which is slowly but steadily advancing on the battlefield and is worried that Ukraine will use such a pause to regroup and re-arm – has said it needs to nail down the terms of a ceasefire before signing up to one.

    (Reuters)

  • MIL-OSI: BNP PARIBAS LAUNCHES A SHARE BUYBACK PROGRAMME PLANNED FOR 2025 OF EUR 1.084 BILLION

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

      

    BNP PARIBAS LAUNCHES
    A SHARE BUYBACK PROGRAMME PLANNED FOR 2025
    OF EUR 1.084 BILLION

    PRESS RELEASE

    Paris, 19 May 2025

    BNP Paribas announces today the launch of the share buyback programme planned for 2025 for a maximum amount of EUR 1.084 billion.

    BNP Paribas has received the approval from the European Central Bank and a contract was concluded with an investment services provider acting independently, entrusted with an irrevocable instruction to purchase the shares.

    The purchase period will start on May 19th, 2025 and will end no later than June 20th, 2025. The shares purchased under the programme will be cancelled.

    BNP Paribas will provide weekly updates on the progress of the programme via a press release on BNP Paribas’ website, and via full and effective dissemination in accordance with the applicable regulatory provisions:

    https://invest.bnpparibas/en/search/reports/documents/regulated-information.

    The share buyback programme will be carried out in accordance with the provisions set out in the EU Regulation n°596/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of April 16th, 2014 on market abuse, as modified, and its implementing provisions, and within the limits of the authorisation granted to BNP Paribas to purchase shares on the market pursuant to the 5th resolution adopted by the General Meeting of BNP Paribas on May 13th, 2025.

    The description of the share buyback programme is available in appendix and on BNP Paribas’s website: https://invest.bnpparibas/en/search/reports/documents/regulated-information.

    APPENDIX: DESCRIPTION OF THE SHARE BUYBACK PROGRAMME

    The present description complies with the provisions of article 241-2, I of the General Regulation of the French Financial Markets Authority (Autorité des Marchés Financiers).

    Date of the general meeting which approved the resolution concerning the share buyback programme
    May 13th, 2025

    Objectives pursued by BNP PARIBAS

    In accordance with the fifth resolution approved by the combined General Meeting on May 13th, 2025, the shares may be purchased for the purposes of:

    • their cancellation in situations identified by the Extraordinary General Meeting;
    • honoring the obligations linked to the issuance of equity instruments, stock option plans, bonus share awards, the allotment or selling of shares to employees as part of a profit-sharing scheme, employee shareholding or Corporate Savings Plans, or any other type of share grant for employees and directors and corporate officers of BNP Paribas and of the companies controlled exclusively by BNP Paribas within the meaning of article L.223-16 of the French Commercial Code;
    • holding and subsequently remitting them in exchange or as payment for external growth transactions, mergers, spin-offs or asset contributions;
    • under a market-making agreement in accordance with Decision No. 2021-01 of 22 June 2021 of the French Financial Markets Authority (Autorité des Marchés Financiers);
    • carrying out investment services for which BNP Paribas has been approved or to hedge them.

    Maximum amount allocated to the share buyback programme, maximum number of shares to be purchased

    The General Meeting has authorised the Board of Directors to purchase a number of shares representing up to 10% of the shares comprising the share capital of BNP Paribas. For illustrative purposes, on the basis of the actual capital, 113,081,067 shares which represents, on the basis of a maximum repurchase price of EUR 102 per share, set by the fifth resolution approved by the General Meeting dated May 13th, 2025, a theoretical maximum purchase amount of EUR 11,534,268,834. Such limit is likely to change in case of transactions affecting the share capital.

    The shares which may be purchased under the present description are BNP Paribas’ shares listed on Euronext Paris – A compartment, ISIN Code FR0000131104.

    Considering that BNP Paribas owned as of May 9th, 2025 directly 721,971 of its own shares, i.e. 0.06% of its share capital, the number of shares that is likely to be purchased at the date of this description is 112,359,096 shares representing 9.94% of the share capital, i.e., on the basis of a maximum purchase price of EUR 102 per share as set by the General Meeting, a theoretical maximum purchase amount of EUR 11,460,627,792.

    Duration of the share buyback programme

    The authorisation granted by the General Meeting dated May 13th, 2025, as described in the fifth resolution, is valid for an eighteen-month period with effect from the date of the said General Meeting, i.e. up to November 13th, 2026.

    The Board of directors will ensure that these share purchases are carried out in accordance with the prudential requirements as defined by the regulation and the European Central Bank.
    ​

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

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

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    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China and Uzbekistan have created a joint archaeological center

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    BEIJING, May 19 (Xinhua) — The Archaeological Institute of North China’s Shanxi Province, the Shanxi Province Museum and Fergana State University (Uzbekistan) recently established a joint archaeological center in Uzbekistan.

    The opening ceremony of the Fergana-Shanxi Archaeological Center and the Laboratory for the Protection and Restoration of Cultural Monuments was held at the Fergana State University in the city of Fergana. At the same time, a multimedia exhibition “The Age of Yu Hong /533-592/” was opened at the said university, according to the website of the Cultural Heritage Protection Department of Shanxi Province.

    Yu Hong is a native of Central Asia. He was sent on a mission to the Celestial Empire and then stayed and held a high position.

    The exhibition is said to allow visitors to deepen their understanding of the cultural landscape of the Silk Road and Central Asia.

    The Great Silk Road, formed more than 2,000 years ago as a trans-Eurasian highway, facilitated economic and cultural exchanges between China and the West. The Sogdians, who inhabited the territory of Sogdiana from the middle of the 1st millennium BC, actively participated in trade along this route. One of the representatives of the Sogdians is considered to be Yu Hong, who came to the Celestial Empire more than 1,400 years ago and “established roots” in its territory, shared the director of the Archaeological Institute of Shanxi Province Fan Wenqian.

    Both sides, according to him, will cooperate in the field of joint archaeological research, training of specialists, protection of cultural monuments and organization of exhibitions.

    Rector of Fergana State University Bakhodirjon Shermukhammadov noted the ancient history of contacts between Central Asia and China. He expressed confidence that cooperation with China will contribute to the development of archaeological research at the university.

    The interaction between the two sides clearly demonstrates the modern significance of the Great Silk Road. Fergana State University is trying to serve as an example of Uzbek-Chinese cultural exchanges and cooperation, he added.

    Let us recall that in 1999, an ancient tomb was discovered in Taiyuan, the capital of Shanxi Province. According to the epitaph, a native of Central Asia was buried there, who bore the Chinese surname and name Yu Hong.

    It became one of the sensational events in the archaeological community. Yu Hong’s tomb was listed as one of the top 10 archaeological discoveries in China that year. The white marble sarcophagus and other exquisite cultural relics unearthed during the excavation were displayed in many countries and regions around the world, including the United States, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and China’s Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • EAM Jaishankar to embark on six-day visit to the Netherlands, Denmark, and Germany from May 19

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar will embark on an official six-day visit to the Netherlands, Denmark, and Germany from May 19 to 24, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced on Sunday.

    The visit is part of India’s continued diplomatic outreach to strengthen strategic partnerships and enhance cooperation with key European nations. The agenda will focus on a wide range of issues, including trade, investment, regional and global developments, and coordination on multilateral platforms.

    According to a statement issued by the MEA, Dr. Jaishankar will engage in high-level meetings with the leadership of all three countries. He will also hold talks with his counterparts to review the full spectrum of bilateral relations and discuss matters of mutual interest at both regional and global levels.

    The discussions are expected to address current geopolitical developments, global economic challenges, and shared priorities in international forums. The visit aims to further bolster India’s ties with Europe amid a rapidly evolving global landscape.

  • Japan halts some poultry imports from Brazil after bird flu outbreak

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Japan has suspended imports of poultry meat from the southern Brazilian city of Montenegro and live poultry from the wider state of Rio Grande do Sul following a bird flu outbreak, an official at Japan’s agriculture ministry said on Monday.

    The ban took effect on Friday after Brazil, the world’s largest chicken exporter, confirmed its first outbreak of bird flu on a poultry farm. The announcement triggered protocols for a country-wide trade ban from top buyer China and state-wide restrictions for other major consumers.

    Japan relies heavily on chicken imports from Brazil, and the spread of bird flu in Brazil could affect the meat market in Japan, where food prices are already on the rise.

    According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Japan’s self-sufficiency rate for poultry meat, including processed products, is around 65%.

    In the 2024 fiscal year, which ended on March 31, Japan imported about 429,000 metric tons of chicken meat from Brazil, accounting for nearly 70% of poultry meat imports, excluding processed items.

    “We will closely monitor the impact on domestic distribution and market conditions,” a ministry official said.

    (Reuters)