NewzIntel.com

Category: Europe

  • MIL-OSI Global: ‘Manu jumping’: The physics behind making humongous splashes in the pool

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Pankaj Rohilla, Postdoctoral Fellow in Fluid Dynamics, Georgia Institute of Technology

    Maybe you’ve unknowingly tried to do a manu jump. Isabel Pavia/Moment via Getty Images

    Whether diving off docks, cannonballing into lakes or leaping off the high board, there’s nothing quite like the joy of jumping into water.

    Olympic divers turned this natural act into a sophisticated science, with the goal of making a splash as small as possible. But another sport looks for just the opposite: the extreme maximum splash, one as high, wide and loud as possible.

    Welcome to the world of “manu jumping.” Although not a familiar term in the United States, manu jumping is beloved throughout New Zealand. The sport originated in the Māori community, where popping a manu is a way of life. There, manu jumpers leap from bridges, wharves and diving platforms to make the giant splashes.

    The sport is playful yet competitive. At the Z Manu World Champs, you win based on the height and width of your splash. The current record: a splash more than 32 feet high (10 meters).

    The concept sounds simple, but like Olympic diving, it turns out there’s a science to manu jumping.

    In New Zealand, manu jumping is an obsession.

    The Worthington splash

    As fluid dynamicists, we study the way living organisms interact with fluids – for instance, how flamingos feed with their heads underwater,
    or how insects walk on water.

    So when we stumbled upon viral videos of manu jumping on TikTok and YouTube, our curiosity was triggered. We launched a scientific investigation into the art of making a splash.

    Our research was more than just fun and games. Optimizing how bodies enter fluids – whether those bodies are human, animal or mechanical – is an indispensable branch of science. Understanding the physics of water entry has implications for naval engineering, biomechanics and robotics.

    We discovered that creating the perfect manu splash isn’t just about jumping into the water. Instead, it’s about mastering aerial maneuvers, timing underwater movements and knowing exactly how to hit the surface.

    The microsecond the manu jumper hits the water is critical. Two splashes actually occur: The first, the crown splash, forms as the body breaks the surface. The next, the Worthington splash, is responsible for the powerful burst of water that shoots high into the air. Manu jumping is all about triggering and maximizing the Worthington splash.

    So we analyzed 75 YouTube videos of manu jumps. First, we noticed the technique: Jumpers land glutes first, with legs and torso scrunched up in a V-shaped posture.

    But the moment they go underwater, the divers roll back and kick out to straighten their bodies. This expands the air cavity, the space of air created in the water by the jump; then the cavity collapses, detaching itself from the body. This period of detachment is known as “pinch-off time” – when the collapse sends a jet of water shooting upward. All of this happens within a fraction of a second.

    The science behind making a big splash.

    Answers from Manubot

    We found that jumpers entered the water at a median V-angle of about 46 degrees. Intrigued, we recreated these movements in a lab aquarium, using 3D-printed, V-shaped projectiles to test different V-angles.

    The result? A 45-degree angle produced the fastest, tallest splashes, virtually matching what we observed in the human jumpers. V-angles greater than 45 degrees increased the risk of injury from landing flat on the back. We found it interesting that the jumpers very nearly hit the optimal angle largely through what appeared to be intuition and trial and error.

    Note how the splash of the V-shaped projectiles was highest at 45 degrees.

    Digging deeper, we then built Manubot, a robot that mimics human body movements during manu jumps. It’s able to switch from a V-shape to a straight posture underwater. This is how we learned the optimal timing to maximize splash size.

    For instance, for someone who’s 5-foot-7 and jumping from 1 meter, opening their body within 0.26 to 0.3 seconds of hitting the water resulted in the biggest splash. Open too soon or too late, and splash size is compromised.

    Here’s how the Manubot worked.

    One caveat: Humans are far more complex than any 3D-printed projectile or a Manubot. Factors such as weight distribution, flexibility and anatomical shape add nuance that our models can’t yet replicate.

    For now, though, our findings highlight a simple truth: Creating the perfect manu splash isn’t the result of luck. Instead, it relies on a carefully tuned symphony of aerial and underwater maneuvers. So the next time you see someone spray everyone in the pool with a gigantic jump, remember – there’s a beautiful science behind the splash.

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

    – ref. ‘Manu jumping’: The physics behind making humongous splashes in the pool – https://theconversation.com/manu-jumping-the-physics-behind-making-humongous-splashes-in-the-pool-255837

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: New chancellor, old constraints: Germany’s Friedrich Merz will have a hard time freeing the country from its self-imposed shackles

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Mark I. Vail, Worrell Chair of Politics and International Affairs, Wake Forest University

    German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has had an uncertain start to his tenure. John MacDougall/AFP via Getty Images

    Friedrich Merz received a rude shock on the morning of May 6, 2025, as he prepared to lose the “in-waiting” qualifier from his title as German chancellor.

    After weeks of negotiations following February’s federal election, Merz’s Christian Democrats (CDU) had struck a coalitional bargain with the center-left Social Democrats (SPD), giving the bloc a thin majority of 13 seats in the 630-member Bundestag, the lower house of Germany’s parliament. Yet, Merz still struggled to ratify his chancellorship.

    He fell short of the majority he needed on the first vote, with 18 members of his coalition voting against him.

    Though he was elected on a second ballot, the initial “no” vote was unprecedented for an incoming chancellor in the postwar federal republic, with insiders claiming that some of those voting “no” were conservatives opposed to Merz’s push to loosen German fiscal rules. Aside from the immediate political embarrassment, the vote was symptomatic of something else: a more deep-seated weakness in both the new chancellor and his government. As a scholar of German politics and history and the author of a forthcoming book on German state traditions and economic governance, I see Merz’s problems, and those of his country, as having deep historical roots.

    Taking the brakes off?

    For Germany and Europe, the stakes in the run-up to the vote to ratify Merz as chancellor could not have been higher – a cascade of crises confronts both. As SPD’s parliamentary leader Jens Spahn noted in the run-up to the May 6 vote: “All of Europe, perhaps the whole world, is watching this ballot.”

    The German chancellor is looking to strengthen both Europe and Germany through firm leadership and heavier spending. He has promised a massive increase in defense outlays in order to create the “strongest conventional army in Europe,” to counter the threat from a bellicose Russia and the United States’ wavering over traditional security commitments to the continent.

    This broad vision, however, is confronted by a number of obstacles, most importantly the so-called “debt brake.” Adopted after the 2008 financial crisis, this “brake” limited annual deficits to a paltry 0.35% of gross domestic product and proscribed any debts at all for the German “Länder,” or regions.

    In March, soon after the February election but before the seating of the new Bundestag, then-presumptive Chancellor Merz called for an exemption to the debt brake for defense spending above 1% of annual gross domestic product, with a promise to do “whatever it takes” to bolster Germany’s military and verbally committing to spend up to US$1.12 trillion (1 trillion euros) over 10 years. The outgoing parliament agreed and also created a $560 billion (500 billion euros) fund dedicated to rehabilitating Germany’s crumbling infrastructure.

    But Merz’s plans to revitalize Germany’s military and infrastructure could be seriously undermined by domestic forces – both within and outside of his coalition. It runs up against long-standing German norms and ideologies that threaten to hamper the state’s capacity and the government’s ability to act decisively.

    Ambivalence about state power

    This wobbly start to the new government hearkens back to old and deeply rooted divisions about the character of the post-World War II German state.

    In the late 1960s, West German Chancellor-to-be Willy Brandt quipped that the federal republic had become an “economic giant but a political dwarf.”

    Though the phrase would become a cliché, it captured both the fraught legacies of World War II and older German ambivalence about state power, which had long been associated with authoritarian politics under both the Nazis and the Wilhelmine Reich following German unification under Bismarck in 1871.

    U.S. President John F. Kennedy, left, rides through the streets of Berlin with West Berlin Mayor Willy Brandt, center, and Chancellor Konrad Adenauer.
    Bettmann/Contributor

    Until the 1980s, such constraints posed relatively few problems. The country’s postwar “economic miracle” legitimized the fledgling democratic state, while empowering capital and labor within the export sectors that fueled the boom. This effectively devolved political power to economically strategic actors.

    These institutional features also reflected a distinctive postwar model of German politics that weakened centralized power. Achieved in the late 1940s by Chancellor Konrad Adenauer, West German sovereignty was fragmented: domestically by federalism and decentralized political institutions, and internationally through integration into NATO and the European Economic Community.

    This “semi-sovereign state,” in political scientist Peter Katzenstein’s famous formulation, helped reclaim German moral credibility from the ashes of fascism and genocide. A decentralized state with robust checks and balances was viewed as both a bulwark against authoritarianism and a recipe for export-led growth and political stability.

    Even after the restoration of full sovereignty with German reunification in 1990, German officials still trod lightly. Their concern was that a more assertive Germany would reawaken old fears about German militarism. Moreover, they were content to privilege economic rather than military power as the coin of their peculiar realm.

    A nation of Swabian housewives?

    The historical ambivalence about the German state’s role and related dilemmas about German power will not be easy for Merz to resolve.

    With respect to Germany’s capacity for decisive leadership, the past three years suggest that much work remains to be done. Confronted with a series of unprecedented shocks − from Russian military aggression in Ukraine, to the attendant energy crisis that exposed German dependence on imported Russian gas, to the rise of the far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) − Merz’s predecessor, Social Democrat Olaf Scholz, called in 2022 for a “Zeitenwende,” or “epochal change,” in defense and energy policy.

    But instead, Scholz’s “traffic light coalition” of (yellow) Liberals, Greens, and (red) Social Democrats dithered and bickered, eventually succumbing to a rare – in German politics – public interparty squabble that ultimately brought down the government in late 2024.

    Reluctant to send its most advanced weapons – notably long-range Taurus cruise missiles – to Ukraine, and unable to overcome the Liberals’ hostility to badly needed fiscal expansion, Scholz was criticized for leading from behind, wary of backlash from pacifist currents in the German electorate and captive to long-held German concerns over expanding the national debt.

    Merz is looking not to repeat the same mistakes. But to accomplish his vision of a revitalized and more secure Germany, he has to overcome both the debt brake and, even more important, the deep ideological currents that gave rise to it.

    These factors intensified long-standing constraints on defense spending, which had failed to keep up with inflation for much of the 2000s and remained far below the NATO norm of 2% of annual gross domestic product.

    The “brake” was subsequently embraced by governments of both left and right, from SPD Chancellor Gerhard Schröder’s “Red-Green” coalition of 1998 to 2005 to the governments of Christian Democrat Angela Merkel from 2005 to 2021. As is abundantly clear in the pages of Merkel’s recent memoir, the proverbial character of the frugal “Swabian housewife” was one that she relished rather than resisted.

    But to many observers, this fetishization of austerity has contributed to decades of underinvestment in domestic infrastructure − from roads, to schools, to public buildings, to broader public services − failures which the AfD has been eager to exploit. And as promising as it seems, Merz’s commitment of $560 billion (500 billion euros) is approximately equivalent to the country’s existing needs, without accounting for future depreciation.

    Far-right activists gather near the Ostkreuz railway station in Berlin, Germany, on March 22, 2025 .
    Omer Messinger/Getty Images

    Even Germany’s traditionally punctual train service has become a laughingstock, with jokes about late or canceled trains now standard fare for German comics.

    Going beyond rhetoric

    It remains unclear whether Merz’s rhetorical shift and a constitutional change that permits but does not in itself create more robust defense spending augur a new direction in German politics, or whether Europe’s largest economy will continue to be hobbled by self-imposed constraints and parliamentary squabbling. If the latter happens, Germany risks both continued economic decline and bolstering the AfD, whose support comes disproportionately from economically stagnant former Eastern regions, and which last month surpassed Merz’s CDU in public opinion polls.

    And despite Merz’s commitments, not a single euro of the promised military and infrastructure funds has yet been budgeted. And even if it were, that would not address the country’s yawning needs in other areas, such as state-funded research and development and education.

    Europe, too, needs Merz’s words to turn into action − and soon. The threat of Russia to the east and the turning tide of relations with Trump’s America to the west has put the EU in a bind and in need of strong leadership.

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

    – ref. New chancellor, old constraints: Germany’s Friedrich Merz will have a hard time freeing the country from its self-imposed shackles – https://theconversation.com/new-chancellor-old-constraints-germanys-friedrich-merz-will-have-a-hard-time-freeing-the-country-from-its-self-imposed-shackles-256048

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: NDA appoints two new Non-Executive Board Members

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    NDA appoints two new Non-Executive Board Members

    NDA announces Catriona Schmolke CBE FREng and Dr Neil Bruce OBE CEng as NDA Board members.

    NDA logo

    The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) has announced that Catriona Schmolke CBE FREng and Dr Neil Bruce OBE CEng have been appointed to the NDA Board as Non-Executive Board members.

    Neil and Catriona will begin their three-and-a-half-year term on 1 June 2025.

    Catriona brings 40 years of expertise in the infrastructure sector as a hydrogeologist and engineer, with significant experience in Chief Executive, Board Chair and Non-Executive roles. Her career has spanned numerous sectors and major programmes, including nuclear, energy, water, waste, and contaminated land.

    She served as the Chief Safety Security and Sustainability Officer at Jacobs from 2014 to 2020. Catriona currently holds the position of Chair at Artus Air Ltd. Additionally, she serves as a Non-Executive Director and member of the Audit & Risk Committee for the National Physical Laboratory and Scottish Water Group. She is also a Non-Executive Director with NES Fircroft Ltd.

    Catriona is a former Visiting Professor of Sustainability at Newcastle University and serves as a lay member and Chair of the Statutory Safety Committee at Strathclyde University.

    Neil has 40 years of experience, including as a Chief Executive, Board Chair, and Non-Executive Director, in the maritime, resources, nuclear, built environment, and energy sectors. He has managed global and regional markets in over 50 countries, working with public, private, and PE-backed companies.

    Neil’s current roles include Non-Executive Director at McDermott International and Dar Groups; Executive Advisor and Chair with two private equity groups; Chair of a start-up waste-to-biofuels technology business and Visiting Professor at Robert Gordon University Aberdeen.

    His previous roles include President and CEO of SNC Lavalin Group Inc, Group COO at AMEC plc, and various leadership and delivery positions in major projects and in industry associations.

    Peter Hill CBE, the Chair of the NDA, said:

    I am delighted that Catriona and Neil are joining us. Their extensive experience will be invaluable in helping us to drive forward our nationally important mission.

    Catriona Schmolke CBE FREng said:

    I am honoured to join the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority as a Non-Executive Director. As we navigate the complexities of decommissioning and environmental stewardship, I look forward to contributing my expertise and experience in sustainable solutions to this nationally important mission, thus safeguarding the future for generations to come.

    Dr Neil Bruce OBE CEng said:

    It is a privilege to join the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority at this important juncture, as the breadth of its decommissioning work is set to expand. I am committed to leveraging my experience in energy and nuclear markets to support the NDA’s efforts in decommissioning the UK’s nuclear legacy, ensuring we meet the highest standards of safety and efficiency.

    Catriona and Neil were appointed to the NDA Board by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) following a fair, open and transparent selection process.

    Updates to this page

    Published 16 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: Correction: Stabilization Notice – Pre Stab – WOLSELEY

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    [16.05.2025]

    Not for distribution, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States or any jurisdiction in which such distribution would be unlawful.

    WOLSELEY GROUP FINCO PLC

    Pre-stabilisation Period Announcement

    BNP Paribas (contact: Stanford Hartman telephone: 0207 595 8222 hereby gives notice, as Stabilisation Coordinator, that the Stabilisation Manager(s) named below may stabilise the offer of the following securities in accordance with Commission Delegated Regulation EU/2016/1052 under the Market Abuse Regulation (EU/596/2014).

    The securities:1  
    Issuer: WOLSELEY GROUP FINCO PLC
    Guarantor (if any): N/A
    Aggregate nominal amount: 350,000,000 GBP
    Description: 5.5Y SENIOR SECURED NOTES
    Offer price: TBC
    Other offer terms: N/A
    Stabilisation:  
    Stabilisation Manager(s) BNP PARIBAS, BOFA, LLOYDS, WELLS FARO, RBC
    Stabilisation period expected to start on: 16.05.2025
    Stabilisation period expected to end no later than: 02.07.2025
    Existence, maximum size and conditions of use of over‑allotment facility: The Stabilisation Manager(s) may over‑allot the securities to the extent permitted in accordance with applicable law.
    Stabilisation trading venue: OTC

    In connection with the offer of the above securities, the Stabilisation Manager(s) may over‑allot the securities or effect transactions with a view to supporting the market price of the securities during the stabilisation period at a level higher than that which might otherwise prevail. However, stabilisation may not necessarily occur and any stabilisation action, if begun, may cease at any time. Any stabilisation action or over‑allotment shall be conducted in accordance with all applicable laws and rules.

    This announcement is for information purposes only and does not constitute an invitation or offer to underwrite, subscribe for or otherwise acquire or dispose of any securities of the Issuer in any jurisdiction.

    This announcement and the offer of the securities to which it relates are only addressed to and directed at persons outside the United Kingdom and persons in the United Kingdom who have professional experience in matters related to investments or who are high net worth persons within Article 12(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 and must not be acted on or relied on by other persons in the United Kingdom.

    In addition, if and to the extent that this announcement is communicated in, or the offer of the securities to which it relates is made in, the UK or any EEA Member State before the publication of a prospectus in relation to the securities which has been approved by the competent authority in the UK or that Member State in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 (the “Prospectus  Regulation”) (or which has been approved by a competent authority in another Member State and notified to the competent authority in the UK or that Member State in accordance with the Prospectus Regulation), this announcement and the offer are only addressed to and directed at persons in the UK or that Member State who are qualified investors within the meaning of the Prospectus Regulation (or who are other persons to whom the offer may lawfully be addressed) and must not be acted on or relied on by other persons in the UK or that Member State.

    This announcement is not an offer of securities for sale into the United States. The securities have not been, and will not be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933 and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration. There will be no public offer of securities in the United States. 

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Trump’s vision for Air Force One will turn it from the ‘Flying White House’ to a ‘palace in the sky’

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Janet Bednarek, Professor of History, University of Dayton

    Former first lady Jacqueline Kennedy helped design Air Force One’s color scheme, which has been used since her husband’s presidency. Jeff J. Mitchell/Getty Images

    Since President Donald Trump excitedly announced that he would be accepting a US$400 million plane from the Qatari government to serve as the next Air Force One, even members of his own party have expressed alarm.

    There’s the price tag of refurbishing the plane with top-secret systems – upward of $1 billion, according to some estimates. Then there are the conflicts of interest from accepting such a large present from a foreign nation – what some say would be the most valuable gift ever given to the U.S.

    But it would also mark a striking departure from tradition.

    While they’re often variants of commercial planes, presidential planes have almost always been U.S. military aircraft, flown and maintained by the Air Force.

    The first White Houses in the sky

    I’m an aviation historian who once worked in the United States Air Force’s history program for three years, so I’m well-acquainted with the history of presidential aircraft.

    Franklin D. Roosevelt became the first president to fly while in office. In January 1943, he boarded the Navy-owned, civilian-operated Boeing Dixie Clipper – a sea plane – for a trip to Casablanca to meet with Allied leaders.

    President Franklin D. Roosevelt made the first presidential flight on a Dixie Clipper, a sea plane built by Boeing.
    Hulton Archive/Getty Images

    The security measures needed to safely transport the president – especially during wartime – spurred the creation of the first custom-built aircraft for presidential use, a heavily modified VC-54 Skymaster. Though officially named “The Flying White House,” the new presidential aircraft became better known by its nickname, the “Sacred Cow.”

    President Harry Truman used the Sacred Cow as his presidential aircraft through much of his first term in office.

    In late 1947, the U.S. Air Force ordered a second custom-built presidential aircraft, a modified DC-6, which Truman named the Independence.

    While in office, Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry Truman flew on a modified Douglas C-54, nicknamed the Sacred Cow.
    Museum of Flight/Corbis via Getty Images

    During Dwight D. Eisenhower’s two terms, the president flew on two different planes operated by the Air Force: the Columbine II, which was a customized, military version of Lockheed’s commercial airliner the Constellation, and the Columbine III, which was a Super Constellation.

    Embracing the jet age

    In the 1960s, the use of jet engine technology in U.S. commercial aircraft revolutionized air travel, allowing planes to fly higher, farther and faster. Jet travel became associated with the glamorous and the elegant lifestyles of the “jet set” crowd.

    So it’s fitting that President John F. Kennedy – who was sometimes called the “the first celebrity president” – was the first White House occupant to fly in a jet, the Boeing 707.

    Kennedy’s aircraft was also the first painted in the distinctive light blue-and-white scheme that’s still used today. First lady Jacqueline Kennedy developed it with the help of industrial designer Raymond Loewy.

    It would go on to serve eight presidents before leaving the presidential fleet in 1990, when Boeing delivered the first of two modified Boeing 747s.

    These are the aircraft that continue to serve as the president’s primary plane. Boeing signed a contract to provide two new aircraft in 2017, during Trump’s last term. In 2020, the company decided to refurbish two existing aircraft that were originally built for another customer.

    The refurbishment has been more cumbersome and expensive than building a new aircraft from scratch. But it’s the only option because Boeing closed its 747 assembly line in late 2022.

    A nickname sticks

    On a trip to Florida, the crew of Columbine II first used “Air Force One” as the plane’s call sign to clearly distinguish the plane from other air traffic.

    While the public has associated the name Air Force One with the modified Boeing 707s and 747s and their distinctive colors, any plane with the president aboard will carry that call sign.

    They include several smaller aircraft, also operated by the Air Force, such as the North American T-39 Sabreliner used to transport Lyndon B. Johnson to his ranch in Texas and the Lockheed VC-140B JetStars, the fleet of backup planes used by several presidents, which Johnson jokingly called “Air Force One Half.”

    A cultural and political symbol

    Air Force One has long served as a symbol of the power and prestige of the presidency.

    It became an indelible part of U.S. history in November 1963, when Johnson took his oath of office from Air Force One’s cabin while Kennedy’s body lay in rest in the back of the aircraft.

    Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson is sworn in as president aboard Air Force One following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.
    Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

    Air Force One carried President Richard M. Nixon to China and the Soviet Union for historic diplomatic missions. But it also famously flew him from Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland to his home state, California, after he resigned from office. On that day, the plane took off as Air Force One. But it landed as SAM 27000, the plane’s call sign used when the president wasn’t on board.

    Trump has been compared to Nixon in more ways than one.

    And Trump’s complaint that Arab leaders have bigger and more impressive airplanes than the current Air Force One is reminiscent of Nixon’s own concerns of being outclassed on the world stage.

    The Nixon family boards Air Force One to fly to California on Aug. 9, 1974, following President Richard Nixon’s resignation.
    Wally McNamee/Corbis via Getty Images

    When president, Nixon strongly advocated for American supersonic transport – a 270-passenger plane designed to be faster than the speed of sound – that he hoped could be modified to serve as a new Air Force One. He feared the failure to develop an SST would relegate the U.S. to second-tier status, as other world leaders – particularly those from England, France and the USSR – traversed the globe in sleeker, better performing aircraft.

    Trump’s concerns about Air Force One seem less focused on safety and security and more on size and opulence. His longing for a “palace in the sky” is befitting for a president drawn to soaring skyscrapers, lavish parades and gold ornamentation.

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

    – ref. Trump’s vision for Air Force One will turn it from the ‘Flying White House’ to a ‘palace in the sky’ – https://theconversation.com/trumps-vision-for-air-force-one-will-turn-it-from-the-flying-white-house-to-a-palace-in-the-sky-256745

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Beechside children’s home receives outstanding Ofsted rating

    Source: City of Portsmouth

    Beechside short breaks children’s home, which provides short-break services for children with learning and/or physical disabilities, has proudly received outstanding ratings in all areas following a recent Ofsted inspection.

    The unannounced inspection of Portsmouth City Council’s Beechside short breaks children’s home on 15 and 17 April 2025, evaluated the home on the following criteria:

    • Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: Outstanding
    • How well children and young people are helped and protected: Outstanding
    • The effectiveness of leaders and managers: Outstanding

    Cllr Nicholas Dorrington, Cabinet Member for Children, Families, and Education, said: “This outstanding achievement is a testament to the hard work and commitment of the Beechside staff and the wider council team.

    “We are incredibly proud of this recognition by Ofsted and remain dedicated to providing the best possible care for the children and young people we care for at Beechside children’s home and their families.”

    The outstanding rating reflects the dedication and hard work of Beechside’s team in providing high-quality care and support to some of the most vulnerable children and young people in our community. Additionally, the comprehensive improvements made over the past couple of years, including renovations to the house, have significantly enhanced the positive experiences of those cared for at Beechside.

    You can read the full report here: https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/2/SC037588?utm_source&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=report

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Fun for all the family at Godiva Festival – and it’s included with your ticket!

    Source: City of Coventry

    Open on Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 July, the Family Field – sponsored by Coventry College – will be bigger and better than ever. This year, it’s been transformed into four themed zones designed to bring adventure, fun and discovery.

    From magic and circus tricks to a caving experience, comedy shows and even a seaside escape, there’s something for every family to enjoy.

    Plus, a very special guest will be joining the fun: Bluey, one of CBeebies’ biggest stars, will be meeting and greeting on the Family Field at intervals throughout the day on Sunday 6 July to meet her young fans.

    And here’s the best bit – all Family Field activities except funfair rides are included in the price of your ticket!

    Here’s a taste of what you’ll find in each of the four zones:

    • Country Zone – enjoy Farm Circus magic, juggling and acrobatics plus other creative activities with leaf printing and bark rubbing. Those bold enough can take on Shaun the Sheep’s Farmathlon challenge!
    • City Zone – get moving at a family bhangra workshop with award-winning entertainer Sohan Kailey. Don’t forget – Bluey will be in the City Zone too!
    • Beach Zone – build sandcastles, play games on the pop-up beach and enjoy a comedy pirate show with a side of sunshine. There’ll be music from the Phase One Steel Pan Orchestra too.
    • Adventure Zone – thrill-seekers will love the caving experience, fast-paced sports activities and mini roller coaster!

    Cllr Abdul Salam Khan, Deputy Leader of Coventry City Council and Cabinet Member for Events, said: “Godiva is a fantastic music festival, but there’s so much more as well, with lots of first-class entertainment and experiences for all ages.

    “Our Family Field is always a top attraction for many and this year it has a great offer that will help families to play, learn and have fun together in a brilliant environment.

    “Godiva really is an incredible weekend that has something there for people of all ages and I’d encourage everyone to book their tickets early and make sure they don’t miss out.”

    Gemma Knott, Vice Principal Business Growth at Coventry College, added: “I am delighted that Coventry College is sponsoring Godiva’s Family Field. This is a flagship event for Coventry.

    “We are excited about showcasing our brilliant College and reaching out to the heart of the community with our activities which include tasters from our very talented hair and beauty, performing arts and music staff and learners plus lots more planned!

    “Please drop by to say hello to our friendly team if you have any questions about joining Coventry College this summer; we will be on the Family Field all day on Saturday and Sunday.”

    Tickets are on sale now, with prices frozen at last year’s rates. Family ticket prices will allow for any combination of teens and children, and a new single parent family ticket has also been introduced. Family ticket prices for Sunday 6 July start at £27.

    This year’s Festival features headliners Marc Almond on the Friday, Clean Bandit on Saturday and the festival will be closed by Ocean Colour Scene on the final day.

    Other acts include Nathan Dawe, Heather Small, Heaven 17, Rose Gray, Young T & Bugsey, Diversity, Parfitt Jr & The RPJ Band, Panjabi Hit Squad and lots more. There will also be a diverse line-up of other acts and attractions, with food stalls, exhibitions and family-friendly activities, making it the perfect summer outing for the whole family.

    For ticket price information and to keep up to date with all the latest news and announcements, head to the Godiva Festival website, sign up for the Godiva Festival newsletter or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok.

    Godiva Festival is brought to you by Coventry City Council Godiva. The Godiva Festival Family Field is sponsored by Coventry College.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Save Loch Lomond: “Appalling” Flamingo Land mega-resort approved by Scottish Government officials

    Source: Scottish Greens

    16 May 2025 Nature Save Loch Lomond

    The most unpopular planning application in Scottish history, Flamingo Land would cause irreversible damage to the world-famous local environment

    More in Nature

    The decision by Scottish Government officials to approve Flamingo Land’s destructive mega-resort application for Loch Lomond will cause “irreversible damage” and is an “anti-democratic outrage” says Scottish Green MSP Ross Greer.

    Flamingo Land have attempted to gain planning permission for their mega resort at Balloch for the past decade, with their first application failing in 2019. Their latest bid was unanimously rejected by the board of Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park at a public hearing in September of last year.

    This followed a campaign led by Ross Greer which collected over 155,000 individual objections to the plans, as well as objections from the National Trust for Scotland, Woodland Trust, Scottish Environment Protection Agency, the local community council and the Park’s own expert planning officers.

    Flamingo Land lodged an appeal against this decision shortly before Christmas, seeking to have the rejection overturned by the Scottish Government and secure consent for their plans, which include two hotels, a waterpark, over 370 car parking spaces, a hundred woodland lodges, monorail, and more.

    In a letter to Ross Greer and other stakeholders this morning, the Scottish Government’s Planning And Environmental Appeals Division confirmed that they have overturned the democratic decision of the National Park’s board and granted permission for the destructive mega-resort.

    This is despite flood risk warnings from SEPA, loss of nature and biodiversity, the disruption of over 250 extra cars on congested local roads at peak times and a range of other damaging impacts the development would have.

    Mr Greer said:

    “This is an anti-democratic outrage. I cannot believe that Flamingo Land’s destructive and immensely unpopular mega-resort is being given the go-ahead by Government officials. It was the most unpopular planning application in Scottish history and will cause irreversible damage to the world-famous local environment at Loch Lomond.

    “Their destructive plans were unanimously rejected by the National Park’s board, opposed by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, the National Trust for Scotland, the Woodland Trust, the Park’s expert planning officers and 155,000 people who joined our Save Loch Lomond campaign.

    “This greedy developer would not take no for an answer and I am shocked that Government officials have put Flamingo Land’s interests above the need to protect Loch Lomond.

    “We are urgently considering our options for continuing this fight. I will leave no stone unturned in the campaign to save Loch Lomond.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China-SCO E-Commerce Business Meeting Held in Qingdao

    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 16 (Xinhua) — The China-SCO E-Commerce Business Meeting was held in Qingdao, east China’s Shandong Province, on Thursday, the Gongren Ribao (Workers’ Daily) newspaper reported.

    The event, held at the China-SCO Regional Economic and Trade Cooperation Demonstration Zone, attracted representatives from 40 e-commerce enterprises from Iran, Kazakhstan, Afghanistan and Belarus. Domestic e-commerce giants JD, Alibaba and 120 other companies also took part. The participants discussed issues related to agricultural products, manufacturing industry and digital platforms.

    E-commerce is considered one of the most promising areas of trade and economic cooperation between the SCO states. The purpose of the business meeting is to promote the establishment of multi-level, large-scale and institutionalized cooperation relations between enterprises of China and other countries of the said organization in the field of cross-border e-commerce.

    According to data released during the business meeting, by the end of 2024, the volume of online retail sales in the SCO member states reached USD 3.2 trillion. Its share in the world exceeded 50%.

    In particular, imports to China from other SCO member states through cross-border e-commerce last year amounted to US$53 million, up 34 percent year-on-year.

    The event was organized by the China International E-Commerce Center and the Shandong Provincial Commerce Department, with the support of the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China and the SCO Secretariat. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Vice Premier of the State Council of China to visit Russia for bilateral meetings

    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 16 (Xinhua) — Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing will visit Russia from May 19 to 22 to attend the fifth meeting of the Cooperation Council between China’s Upper and Middle Yangtze River Regions and Russia’s Volga Federal District, as well as a meeting of the chairmen of the China-Russia Intergovernmental Commission on Cooperation between Northeast China and the Russian Far East, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said Friday.

    The trip of Zhang Guoqing, who is also a member of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, will take place at the invitation of the Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of the Russian Federation in the Volga Federal District Igor Komarov and Deputy Prime Minister, Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of the Russian Federation in the Far Eastern Federal District Yuri Trutnev. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China’s Vice Chairman Hopes for Increased Role of US Business Community in Ensuring Common Interests of Both Countries

    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 16 (Xinhua) — Chinese Vice President Han Zheng expressed hope on Friday that the U.S. business community will play a greater role in promoting bilateral ties and the common interests of the two countries.

    Han Zheng made the announcement during a meeting in Beijing with Richard Wagoner, chairman of the board of the American company Invesco, noting that China and the United States have a wide range of common interests and ample space for cooperation.

    He drew attention to the significant results of the recent negotiations on trade and economic issues between the two countries, calling for the proper settlement of differences and frictions in trade and economic cooperation through equal dialogue.

    China will actively draw useful lessons from the development experience of the international capital market, accelerating capital market reform that suits the country’s actual conditions, he said.

    As a long-standing participant in China’s capital market, Invesco can continue to strengthen cooperation with China, Han Zheng added.

    Praising China’s tremendous achievements in the field of development, Wagoner said that Invesco and the U.S. business community are pleased with the significant progress made in U.S.-China trade and economic negotiations, and expressed readiness to further develop the Chinese market and contribute to trade and economic cooperation between the two countries. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: US, Ukrainian and Turkish delegations meet in Istanbul ahead of Russia-Ukraine peace talks

    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

    ISTANBUL, May 16 (Xinhua) — Delegations from the United States, Ukraine and Turkey held their first trilateral meeting at the Dolmabahce Presidential Office here on Friday ahead of the Russia-Ukraine peace talks.

    The American delegation included Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Ambassador to Turkey Thomas Barrack and Special Representative for Ukraine Keith Kellogg.

    The Ukrainian side was represented by the head of the presidential office Andriy Yermak, Minister of Defense Rustem Umerov and Minister of Foreign Affairs Andriy Sybiha.

    The meeting was held behind closed doors. A published photo shows Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan chairing the meeting, accompanied by the head of the National Intelligence Organization, Ibrahim Kalin.

    Following this meeting, negotiations will be held between delegations of the Russian Federation, Ukraine and Turkey. The Russian delegation will be headed by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky.

    Ukrainian and Russian officials will speak directly for the first time since a meeting in Istanbul in March 2022 that ended without a ceasefire agreement. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: GUU will become the venue for the plenary conference of MAEF-2025

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    On June 4-5, 2025, the central events of the VII Moscow Academic Economic Forum (MAEF-2025) will be held in a combined format (offline and online) on the topic: “Russia – 2025: the trajectory of dynamic balanced socio-economic development”. On June 5, the State University of Management will host the participants of the plenary conference of the Forum.

    The Moscow Academic Economic Forum has been held by the Free Economic Society of Russia and the Russian Academy of Sciences since 2019. Last year, the Forum was held at 110 regional venues in 32 countries. The total number of registered participants reached 15,500 people.

    The main events of MAEF-2025: June 4 – Plenary session at the Russian Academy of Sciences; June 5 – Plenary conferences at leading universities and research centers; The final plenary session at the VEO of Russia Congress Hall.

    On June 5, the State University of Management will host a plenary conference on the topic of “Institutions for Balanced Socioeconomic Development of Russia.” Other venues include: the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, MGIMO, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Plekhanov Russian University of Economics, RUDN University, and other universities.

    To participate in an event or give a presentation at the State University of Management, you must register using a special form.

    Online registration for MAEF participants is available on the official website of the forum.

    Detailed information in the attached document:

    Structure of the program of the plenary conference of MAEF-2025

    Subscribe to the tg channel “Our State University” Announcement date: 05/16/2025

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • Brazil confirms first outbreak of avian influenza on commercial farm

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Brazil, the world’s largest poultry exporter, confirmed its first outbreak of avian influenza on a commercial farm in a statement from the Agriculture Ministry on Friday, raising the prospect of restrictions from trade partners.
     
    The outbreak occurred in the city of Montenegro in Brazil’s southernmost state of Rio Grande do Sul, the ministry said.
     
    Brazil exported $10 billion of chicken meat in 2024, accounting for about 35% of global trade, much of it sold by BRF and JBS SA, which ship to some 150 countries.
     
    “All necessary measures to control the situation were quickly adopted, and the situation is under control and being monitored by government agencies,” said national pork and poultry group ABPA in a statement.
     
    The ministry said it was taking the necessary measures to contain and eradicate the outbreak, officially notifying the World Organization for Animal Health, Brazil’s trade partners and other interested parties.
     
    The country, which exported more than 5 million metric tons of chicken products last year, first confirmed outbreaks of the highly pathogenic avian flu among wild birds in May 2023 in at least seven states.
     
    In June of that year, Japan suspended purchases of poultry from the state of Espirito Santo, following an outbreak there on a non-commercial farm.
     
    The disease is not transmitted through the consumption of poultry meat or eggs, the farm ministry said, noting that the risk of human infection is low and mostly occurs among professionals who have contact with infected birds.
     
    “The Brazilian and world population can rest assured about the safety of inspected products, and there are no restrictions on their consumption,” the statement said.
     
    According to the ministry, the Brazilian veterinary service has been trained and equipped to deal with this disease since the first decade of the 2000s.
     
    Actions include monitoring wild birds, epidemiological surveillance in commercial and subsistence poultry farming, and constant training of technicians, it said.
     
    (Reuters)

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New Lord Mayor and Deputy announced for the year

    Source: City of Plymouth

    Councillor Kathy Watkin has been elected as Lord Mayor of Plymouth, with Councillor Chip Tofan as the new Deputy Lord Mayor for the coming year.

    • The Deputy Lord Mayor Councillor Chip Tofan
    • The Lord Mayor and Consort Councillor Kathy Watkin and Alderman Dr John Mahony

    They were both elected at the Annual General Meeting this morning (Friday 16 May)

    Councillor Watkin trained and worked as a speech and language therapist before training as a solicitor.

    Kathy worked in the legal sector in two well known firms in Plymouth and as a registered sole practitioner in her own practice for 13 years prior to retirement.

    She has served on various committees including Licencing, Corporate Parenting, Mount Edgcumbe, Planning and has been the vice chair for the Health Scrutiny Committee and Health and Wellbeing Board.

    In 2023 she was elected as Deputy Lord Mayor.

    She said: “What a privilege it is to be elected as Lord Mayor, I am really looking forward to the coming year, meeting all the different communities in Plymouth and engaging with them.

    “I want to thank my fellow Councillors for choosing me as their next Lord Mayor for the year.”

    Councillor Chip Tofan was born in Iasi, Romania, graduating from Iasi Gheorghe Ashachi University, with a bachelor’s degree in engineering and now runs his own business providing consultancy services.

    Chip was first elected to Plymouth City Council in May 2022, representing Eggbuckland Ward.

    During his time as a councillor, Chip has been a member of different committees including Scrutiny, Licensing, Natural Infrastructure and the Growth Scrutiny Panel.

    Chip said: “I am so pleased to be elected as Deputy Lord Mayor and look forward to supporting Kathy over the next year in office and working together.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Victory Anniversary at the Center of Legal Discussion: Conference Opening at the Polytechnic

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University – Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University –

    The plenary session of the XXVI annual All-Russian scientific and practical conference with international participation “Problems of Law in Modern Russia” was held in the conference hall of the Academic Council of Peter the Great Polytechnic University. The event is traditionally held by the Higher School of Jurisprudence and Forensic Science of the Humanitarian Institute of SPbPU. This year’s conference acquired special significance in connection with the celebration of the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War.

    The plenary session was opened by the Vice-Rector for Security of SPbPU Alexander Airapetyan. He congratulated everyone on the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War, noting the importance of the scientific and practical events of the Polytechnic University, which play a fundamental role in consolidating security and maintaining unity. The Director of the Higher School of Law and STE Dmitry Mokhorov welcomed the conference participants, congratulated them on the Great Victory Day, reflecting the fateful milestones of polytechnic thought in Russian and Soviet reality.

    Traditionally, the event brought together leading scientists and representatives of the professional community from the system of state and municipal administration, the judicial system, law enforcement agencies, the legal profession, notaries, forensic examination and representatives of the real sector of the economy.

    The guests of the event delivered welcoming remarks. Deputy Head of the Secretariat of the Council of the Interparliamentary Assembly of the CIS Member Nations, Director of the International Institute for Monitoring the Development of Democracy, Parliamentarism and Observance of Electoral Rights of Citizens of the CIS Member States Ivan Mushket read out a greeting from the Secretary General – Head of the Secretariat of the Council of the IPA CIS Dmitry Kobitsky. In his address, Dmitry Kobitsky emphasized the importance of the unity and courage of the Soviet people, noting that the Victory in the Great Patriotic War is a common heritage, and also called for confronting racism and xenophobia, recalling the criminal actions of Nazism, recognized by the International Military Tribunal in Nuremberg.

    Law should serve as a tool for maintaining justice, protecting human rights and freedoms, and we must work on its development together, noted Dmitry Kobitsky.

    The President of the Leningrad Region Bar Association, Denis Laktionov, greeted his colleagues on behalf of the legal community and emphasized the practical importance of the traditional conference “Problems of Law in Modern Russia” for the industry.

    Olga Safronova, Director of the Legal Department of the North-West Bank of Sberbank PJSC, noted the demand for significant events aimed at legal education and educating young people in the spirit of respect for the law and historical justice, emphasizing that the modern realities of the development of scientific and technological progress require us to take adequate professional measures to protect state interests and the rights of citizens, especially in the field of cybersecurity.

    Representatives of legislative and executive bodies of federal and regional authorities, courts, the prosecutor’s office, the Investigative Committee, and law enforcement agencies sent welcoming words to the organizing committee and participants.

    The scientific part of the plenary session included reports on the issues of historical justice of the Nuremberg Trials in the context of modern understanding, the role of the prosecutor’s office during the war and the problems of cybersecurity in the modern social and legal reality. The participants were addressed by Vladimir Mikhailov, Senior Justice Advisor, Senior Prosecutor of the Criminal and Judicial Department of the Leningrad Region Prosecutor’s Office, Artem Klinitsky, Associate Professor of the Higher School of Law and European Economics, and representatives of the North-West Bank of Sberbank Olga Safronova, Natalia Eroshenko and Kirill Yakovlev.

    At the end of the meeting, a video trailer for the historical film “Blockade Justice” was shown, containing rare archival footage of the activities of the courts, prosecutors and lawyers during the Great Patriotic War.

    On the first day of the conference, work was carried out in the sections “Theoretical-historical and public-law sciences”, “Private law (civil) sciences”, “Criminal-law sciences”. More than 250 people took part in the conference in person and over 70 section reports were presented, and an online broadcast with the possibility of open connection was also conducted. Abstracts of the reports will be published in a collection based on the results of the conference, and the best articles will be sent to the journals of the Higher Attestation Commission and the Russian Science Citation Index.

    The conference will include a round table (International teleconference St. Petersburg – Baku) “Modern Methods of Engineering and Technical Expertise”; a discussion platform “Application of Special Expert Knowledge in Legal Practice”; a round table “Counteracting Terrorism and Cybercrime”; master classes on forensic examination; a round table “Economic and Legal Regulation of Environmental Safety”; a discussion platform “East – West: Paths of Cultural Dialogue”; an International Theoretical and Practical Dialogue – Prospects for Development and Integration (Russia – Uzbekistan); a discussion platform (International teleconference St. Petersburg – Andijan) “Modern Trends in Legal Education and Enlightenment”; an exhibition of scientific, educational and educational-methodical works on jurisprudence and forensic examination.

    The detailed program can be found aton the website of the Higher School of YuISTE.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the European Union on the alignment of certain countries concerning restrictive measures  in view of actions destabilising the Republic of Moldova

    Source: Council of the European Union

    Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the European Union on the alignment of certain third countries with Council Decision (CFSP) 2025/824 of 25 April 2025 amending Decision (CFSP) 2023/891 concerning restrictive measures  in view of actions destabilising the Republic of Moldova.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Championing the cream of the crop at Balmoral Show

    Source: Northern Ireland City of Armagh

    The Ballylisk’s of Armagh stand was very busy this year

    A Food Heartland envoy, including the Lord Mayor, Councillor Sarah Duffy, Deputy Lord Mayor, Councillor Kyle Savage, Alderman Paul Greenfield (Chair of Economic Development and Regeneration Committee) and Chief Executive Roger Wilson OBE, visited Balmoral Show yesterday – Thursday 15th May – to show support for breeders and agri-businesses from across the borough.

    The Food Heartland Agri Champions were also present, taking the opportunity to meet with producers, engage with visitors, and network with key industry players. Their presence underscored the borough’s dedication to innovation and sustainability within the agri-food sector.

    Throughout the event, Food Heartland representatives connected with important stakeholders including the Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU), the Rural Support Network, and Food NI, reinforcing strong collaborative ties that continue to strengthen the region’s agricultural economy.

    The Balmoral Show remains a vital platform for showcasing the talent, quality, and resilience of the local agri-food industry, and Food Heartland was delighted to be part of it.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI China: Delegations of Russia, Ukraine start meeting in Istanbul

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

    Delegations of Russia and Ukraine have started their meeting in Türkiye’s Istanbul on Friday, televised footage showed.

    In his opening remarks at the meeting, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said, “This meeting will determine the future meeting between the leaders of the countries.” 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • EU readying new sanctions to increase pressure on Russia, von der Leyen says

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The European Union is working on a new package of sanctions to increase pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin over the war in Ukraine, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Friday as leaders from across Europe met in Tirana.
     
    The EU, however, has already adopted 17 sanction packages – the latest one this week – and diplomats say it is increasingly difficult to get the necessary unanimity among the bloc’s 27 members to pass new measures.
     
    “He does not want peace, so we have to increase the pressure, and this is why we are working on a new package of sanctions,” von der Leyen said, referring to Putin, before the European Political Community summit in Albania.
     
    “This package will include for instance sanctions on Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2. It will include working on listing more vessels of the Russian shadow fleet and also lowering the oil price cap, and also more sanctions on the financial sector in Russia.”
     
    Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2, each consisting of two pipes, were built by Russia’s state-controlled Gazprom to pump natural gas to Germany under the Baltic Sea. They were ruptured by a series of blasts in 2022.
     
    “Massive” sanctions European leaders have threatened over the past days would need U.S. support to succeed, officials and diplomats have said.
     
    Meanwhile, Russian and Ukrainian negotiators were in Istanbul on Friday for what was billed as their first direct peace talks in more than three years, under pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump to end Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War Two.
     
    Putin on Sunday proposed direct talks with Ukraine in Turkey, but has spurned a challenge from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to meet him in person, and instead has sent a team of mid-ranking officials to the talks.
     
    NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said Putin “made a mistake by sending a low-level delegation”.
     
    “What we saw yesterday and overnight is yet more evidence that Putin is not serious about peace,” British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said as he arrived at the Tirana summit.
     
    “He’s been dragging his heels, and I think it’s really important therefore, that we have absolute unity with our allies. We’ll be working on that again today to be clear that there must be a ceasefire, but also to be clear that should there not be a ceasefire, then we will act together in relation to sanctions.”
     
    (Reuters)

  • MIL-OSI: Codere Online Reports Financial Results for the First Quarter 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    • Total revenue was €54.3 mm in Q1 2025, while net gaming revenue1 was €57.0 mm in the period, 8% above Q1 2024 (17% in constant currency terms).
    • Mexico revenue was €27.6 mm in Q1 2025, while net gaming revenue was €30.5 mm in the period, 15% above Q1 2024 (34% in constant currency terms).
    • Net loss was €0.7 mm in Q1 2025 versus a net income of €3.4 mm in Q1 2024.
    • Total cash position of €41.8 mm as of March 31, 2025.
    • Reiterating 2025 net gaming revenue outlook of €220-230 million and Adj. EBITDA2 outlook of €10-15 million.
    • Repurchased $0.5 million of the Company’s shares under the Company’s $5.0 million share buyback plan through May 15, 2025.

    Madrid, Spain and Tel Aviv, Israel, May 16, 2025 – (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) Codere Online (Nasdaq: CDRO / CDROW, the “Company”), a leading online gaming operator in Spain and Latin America, has released its preliminary unaudited3 financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2025.

    Below are the main financial and operating metrics of the period.

      Quarter ended March 31
      2024 2025 Chg. %
           
    Net Gaming Revenue (EUR mm)1      
    Spain 22.3 21.9 (2%)
    Mexico 26.6 30.5 15%
    Other 4.1 4.5 10%
    Total 53.0 57.0 8%
           
    Avg. Monthly Active Players (000s)4      
    Spain 50.0 52.0 4%
    Mexico 62.5 82.0 31%
    Other 30.6 27.2 (11%)
    Total 143.2 161.3 13%

    Aviv Sher, CEO of Codere Online, stated, “We are off to a good start in 2025, with net gaming revenue reaching €57.0 million in the first quarter, an 8% increase compared to the same period last year. In Mexico, net gaming revenue grew 15% to €30.5 million, despite the 16% devaluation of the Mexican peso. Meanwhile, net gaming revenue in Spain was slightly below last year’s at €21.9 million.”

    Oscar Iglesias, CFO of Codere Online, commented, “We are very pleased with our performance in Mexico and the underlying trends in local currency. Also, our portfolio of active customers grew by an impressive 31% versus the prior year quarter which is quite encouraging”.

    Mr. Iglesias added, “Based on these results, we believe that we are on track to meet our net gaming revenue outlook of €220-230 million and Adj. EBITDA outlook of €10-15 million that we provided to investors earlier this year.”

    Recent Events

    Compliance with Nasdaq Listing Requirements

    • On May 1, 2025, the Company filed its 2023 annual report (ahead of the May 12th deadline) and on May 15th, Nasdaq informed the Company that it had regained compliance with applicable listing requirements.
    • The Company is actively working to complete the audit of its 2024 financial accounts and expects to file the 2024 annual report by the end of this month. However, as we did not file by May 15th (i.e. within the 15-day grace period provided for), we expect that a delisting notice from Nasdaq is forthcoming.
    • Upon receipt of said delisting notice, the Company will promptly request a hearing with the Nasdaq Hearings Panel and seek a stay of any trading suspension; however, the Company expects to file the 2024 annual report and regain compliance with Nasdaq requirements ahead of any hearing.

    Repurchases under the Share Buyback Plan

    • At a general meeting held on March 3, 2025, Codere Online shareholders authorized the repurchase of up to 1 million of the Company’s ordinary shares over a one-year period (for a total investment of up to $5.0 million, as approved by the Company’s Board of Directors).
    • The Company repurchased 68,384 shares at an average price of $6.63 under the authorized share buyback plan through May 15, 2025.

    Conference Call Information

    Codere Online’s management will host a conference call to discuss the results and provide a business update at 8:30 am US Eastern Time today, May 16, 2025. Dial-in details as well as the audio webcast and presentation will be accessible on Codere Online’s website at www.codereonline.com. A recording of the webcast will also be available following the conference call.

    Reconciliation of Revenue (IFRS) to Net Gaming Revenue (non-IFRS)

      Quarter ended March 31
    Figures in EUR mm 2024 2025 Chg. %
           
    Total      
           
    Revenue 50.4 54.3 4%
    (+) Accounting Adjustments5 2.6 2.6 69%
    Net Gaming Revenue 53.0 57.0 8%
           
    Spain      
           
    Revenue 22.3 21.9 (2%)
    (+) Accounting Adjustments5 – – n.m.
    Net Gaming Revenue 22.3 21.9 (2%)
           
    Mexico      
           
    Revenue 23.8 27.6 16%
    (+) Accounting Adjustments5 2.7 2.9 7%
    Net Gaming Revenue 26.6 30.5 15%
           
    Other      
           
    Revenue 4.3 4.8 (30%)
    (+) Accounting Adjustments5 (0.2) (0.3) n.m.
    Net Gaming Revenue 4.1 4.5 10%

    Reconciliation of Net Income (IFRS) to Adj. EBITDA (non-IFRS)6

      Quarter ended March 31
    Figures in EUR mm 2024 2025 Chg.
           
    Net Income (Loss) 3.4 (0.7) (3.4)
    (+/-) Provision for Corporate Income Tax 0.5 0.2 (0.1)
    (+/-) Interest Expense / (Income) (4.8) 1.1 5.8
    (+/-) Var. In Fair Value of Public Warrants 1.9 0.5 (1.4)
    (+) D&A 0.0 0.2 0.2
    EBITDA 0.9 1.3 1.1
    (+) Employee LTIP Expense 0.6 0.5 (0.6)
    (+/-) Other Accounting Adjustments 0.2 0.0 (0.4)
    Adj. EBITDA (Pre Non-Recurring Items) 1.7 1.8 0.1
    (+) Non-Recurring Items 0.0 0.0 0.0
    Adj. EBITDA 1.7 1.8 0.1

    About Codere Online

    Codere Online refers, collectively, to Codere Online Luxembourg, S.A. and its subsidiaries. Codere Online, launched in 2014 as part of the renowned casino operator Codere Group, offers online sports betting and online casino through its state-of-the art website and mobile applications. Codere Online currently operates in its core markets of Spain, Mexico, Colombia, Panama and Argentina; this online business is complemented by Codere Group’s physical presence in Spain and throughout Latin America, forming the foundation of the leading omnichannel gaming and casino presence.

    About Codere Group
    Codere Group is a multinational group devoted to entertainment and leisure. It is a leading player in the private gaming industry, with four decades of experience and with presence in seven countries in Europe (Spain and Italy) and Latin America (Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, Panama, and Uruguay).

    Note on Rounding. Due to decimal rounding, numbers presented throughout this report may not add up precisely to the totals and subtotals provided, and percentages may not precisely reflect the absolute figures.

    Forward-Looking Statements
    Certain statements in this document may constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding Codere Online Luxembourg, S.A. and its subsidiaries (collectively, “Codere Online”) or Codere Online’s or its management team’s expectations, hopes, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding the future. In addition, any statements that refer to projections, forecasts or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions, are forward-looking statements. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intends,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “possible,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “would” and similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Forward-looking statements in this document may include, for example, statements about Codere Online’s financial performance and, in particular, the potential evolution and distribution of its net gaming revenue; any prospective and illustrative financial information; and changes in Codere Online’s strategy, future operations and target addressable market, financial position, estimated revenues and losses, projected costs, prospects and plans as well as he Company’s expectations about the timing of completion and filing of the Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2024 (the “2024 Annual Report”), and statements related to the Company’s plan, timing and actions taken to regain compliance with the Listing Rule 5250(c)(1).

    These forward-looking statements are based on information available as of the date of this document and current expectations, forecasts and assumptions, and involve a number of judgments, risks and uncertainties. Accordingly, forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing Codere Online’s or its management team’s views as of any subsequent date, and Codere Online does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date they were made, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities laws.

    As a result of a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties, Codere Online’s actual results or performance may be materially different from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. There may be additional risks that Codere Online does not presently know or that Codere Online currently believes are immaterial that could also cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Some factors that could cause actual results to differ include (i) changes in applicable laws or regulations, including online gaming, privacy, data use and data protection rules and regulations as well as consumers’ heightened expectations regarding proper safeguarding of their personal information, (ii) the impacts and ongoing uncertainties created by regulatory restrictions, changes in perceptions of the gaming industry, changes in policies and increased competition, and geopolitical events such as war, (iii) the ability to implement business plans, forecasts, and other expectations and identify and realize additional opportunities, (iv) the risk of downturns and the possibility of rapid change in the highly competitive industry in which Codere Online operates, (v) the risk that Codere Online and its current and future collaborators are unable to successfully develop and commercialize Codere Online’s services, or experience significant delays in doing so, (vi) the risk that Codere Online may never achieve or sustain profitability, (vii) the risk that Codere Online will need to raise additional capital to execute its business plan, which may not be available on acceptable terms or at all, (viii) the risk that Codere Online experiences difficulties in managing its growth and expanding operations, (ix) the risk that third-party providers, including the Codere Group, are not able to fully and timely meet their obligations, (x) the risk that the online gaming operations will not provide the expected benefits due to, among other things, the inability to obtain or maintain online gaming licenses in the anticipated time frame or at all, (xi) the risk that Codere Online is unable to secure or protect its intellectual property, (xii) the risk that Codere Online’s securities may be delisted from Nasdaq and (xiii) the possibility that Codere Online may be adversely affected by other political, economic, business, and/or competitive factors. Additional information concerning certain of these and other risk factors is contained in Codere Online’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements concerning Codere Online or other matters and attributable to Codere Online or any person acting on their behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements above.

    Financial Information and Non-GAAP Financial Measures
    Codere Online’s financial statements are prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board (“IFRS”), which can differ in certain significant respects from generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”).

    This document includes certain financial measures not presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP or IFRS (“non-GAAP”), such as, without limitation, net gaming revenue, Adjusted EBITDA and constant currency information. These non-GAAP financial measures are not measures of financial performance in accordance with U.S. GAAP or IFRS and may exclude items that are significant in understanding and assessing Codere Online’s financial results. Therefore, these measures should not be considered in isolation or as an alternative to revenue, net income, cash flows from operations or other measures of profitability, liquidity or performance under U.S. GAAP or IFRS. You should be aware that Codere Online’s presentation of these measures may not be comparable to similarly-titled measures used by other companies. In addition, the audit of Codere Online’s financial statements in accordance with PCAOB standards, may impact how Codere Online currently calculates its non-GAAP financial measures, and we cannot assure you that there would not be differences, and such differences could be material.

    Codere Online believes that the use of these non-GAAP financial measures provides an additional tool for investors to use in evaluating ongoing operating results and trends in comparing Codere Online’s financial measures with other similar companies, many of which present similar non-GAAP financial measures to investors. These non-GAAP financial measures are subject to inherent limitations as they reflect the exercise of judgments by management about which expense and income are excluded or included in determining these non-GAAP financial measures. Reconciliations of non-GAAP financial measures to their most directly comparable measure under IFRS are included herein.

    This document may include certain projections of non-GAAP financial measures. Codere Online is unable to quantify certain amounts that would be required to be included in the most directly comparable U.S. GAAP or IFRS financial measures without unreasonable effort, due to the inherent difficulty and variability of accurately forecasting the occurrence and financial impact of the various adjusting items necessary for such comparable measures or such reconciliation that have not yet occurred, are out of our control, or cannot be reasonably predicted, ascertained or assessed, which could have a material impact on its future IFRS financial results. Consequently, no disclosure of estimated comparable U.S. GAAP or IFRS measures is included and no reconciliation of the forward-looking non-GAAP financial measures is included.

    Use of Projections
    This document contains financial forecasts with respect to Codere Online’s business and projected financial results, including net gaming revenue and adjusted EBITDA. Codere Online’s independent auditors have not audited, reviewed, compiled or performed any procedures with respect to the projections for the purpose of their inclusion in this document, and accordingly, they did not express an opinion or provide any other form of assurance with respect thereto for the purpose of this document. These projections should not be relied upon as being necessarily indicative of future results. The assumptions and estimates underlying the prospective financial information are inherently uncertain and are subject to a wide variety of significant business, economic and competitive risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the prospective financial information. See “Forward-Looking Statements” above. Accordingly, there can be no assurance that the prospective results are indicative of the future performance of Codere Online or that actual results will not differ materially from those presented in the prospective financial information. Inclusion of the prospective financial information in this document should not be regarded as a representation by any person that the results contained in the prospective financial information will be achieved.

    For further information on the limitations and assumptions underlying these projections, please refer to Codere Online’s filings with the SEC.

    Preliminary Information
    This document contains figures, financial metrics, statistics and other information that is preliminary and subject to change (the “Preliminary Information”). The Preliminary Information has not been audited, reviewed, or compiled by any independent registered public accounting firm. This Preliminary Information is subject to ongoing review including, where applicable, by Codere Online’s independent auditors. Accordingly, no independent registered public accounting firm has expressed an opinion or any other form of assurance with respect to the Preliminary Information. During the course of finalizing such Preliminary Information, adjustments to such Preliminary Information presented herein may be identified, which may be material. Codere Online undertakes no obligation to update or revise the Preliminary Information set forth in this document as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as otherwise required by law. The Preliminary Information may differ from actual results. Therefore, you should not place undue reliance upon this Preliminary Information. The Preliminary Information is not a comprehensive statement of financial results, and should not be viewed as a substitute for full financial statements prepared in accordance with IFRS. In addition, the Preliminary Information is not necessarily indicative of the results to be achieved in any future period.

    No Offer or Solicitation
    This document does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor will 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 will be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or an exemption therefrom.

    Trademarks
    This document may contain trademarks, service marks, trade names and copyrights of Codere Online or other companies, which are the property of their respective owners. Solely for convenience, some of the trademarks, service marks, trade names and copyrights referred to in this document may be listed without the TM, SM, © or ® symbols, but Codere Online will assert, to the fullest extent under applicable law, the rights of the applicable owners, if any, to these trademarks, service marks, trade names and copyrights.

    Industry and Market Data
    In this document, Codere Online relies on and refers to certain information and statistics obtained from publicly available information and third-party sources, which it believes to be reliable. Codere Online has not independently verified the accuracy or completeness of any such publicly-available and third-party information, does not make any representation as to the accuracy or completeness of such data and does not undertake any obligation to update such data after the date of this document. You are cautioned not to give undue weight to such industry and market data.

    Contacts:

    Investors and Media
    Guillermo Lancha
    Director, Investor Relations and Communications
    Guillermo.Lancha@codere.com
    (+34) 628.928.152

    1 Net Gaming Revenue is a non-IFRS measure; please see reconciliation of Net Gaming Revenue to Revenue at the end of the report.

    2 Adjusted EBITDA is a non-IFRS measure; please see reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to Net Income at the end of the report. Net gaming revenue and Adjusted EBITDA outlooks are forward-looking non-IFRS measures; please see important disclaimers at the end of the report.
    3 See “Preliminary Information” below.        

    4 Average Monthly Active Players include real money (i.e. exclude free bets) sports betting and casino actives.

    5 Figures primarily reflect differences in recognition of revenue related to certain partner and affiliate agreements in place in Colombia, VAT impact from entry fees in Mexico and the impact from the application of inflation accounting (IAS 29) in Argentina.

    6 Please refer to page 26 of our Q1 2025 Earnings Presentation for further details regarding this reconciliation.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Talent and tenacity is celebrated in champion style at 2025 Leeds Sports Awards

    Source: City of Leeds

    Organised by Sport Leeds and Leeds City Council, the ceremony is held each year to celebrate the achievements of athletes – of all ages and levels – as well as coaches, administrators and volunteers.

    And the 2025 edition of the event – hosted at Leeds’s Carriageworks Theatre – did exactly that, with close to 20 different awards being presented to some extremely deserving recipients.

    The evening’s winners included Leeds Rhinos Wheelchair Rugby League coach and former player James Simpson, who took home the coveted Sporting Pride of Leeds title.

    Previous recipients of the award – which recognises work done by an individual, club or organisation to raise the profile of the city as a centre of sporting excellence – include Rob Burrow, Eddie Gray and Josh Warrington.

    A Lifetime Achievement Award, meanwhile, went to Rhinos chief executive Gary Hetherington. The same award was presented posthumously to former Rhinos chief scout Bob Pickles.

    Joan Young’s tireless work supporting netball across the city was recognised with a Special Contribution Award.

    Local, national and international athletics stalwart Dr Ian Richards and City of Leeds Diving Club fundraisers Fiona Croft and Becky Simmonds were all winners in the Outstanding Sports Volunteer category.

    There were awards, too, for local stars of the Olympics and Paralympics, including Georgie Brayshaw, Katy Marchant, Tom Pidcock, Hannah Cockroft and Kadeena Cox.

    Crossgates Harriers took first place in the Community Club category, with a highly-commended mention going to Methley Athletic AFC.

    Councillor Salma Arif, Leeds City Council’s executive member for adult social care, active lifestyles and culture, said:

    “The Leeds Sports Awards is one of the highlights of our city’s sporting calendar and an event that means a huge amount to many people.

    “It’s an opportunity to salute the sporting community as a whole, with the important contribution made by grassroots organisations – as well as volunteers and other unsung heroes – being rightfully celebrated alongside the high-profile achievements of Leeds Rhinos, Leeds United and our Olympians and Paralympians.

    “Congratulations to all the winners and nominees at this year’s awards, you have done yourself and the city proud.”

    FULL LIST OF WINNERS AND ‘HIGHLY COMMENDED’ RECIPIENTS

    Young Sportsperson (sponsored by Technogym)

    Winner: Yaried Alem

    Highly commended: Matilda Potter and Amy Wright               

    Young Disability Sportsperson (Sponsored by Technogym)

    Winner: Oliver Porter     

    Highly commended: Lucas Town               

    Sportsperson (Sponsored by Technogym)

    Winners: Georgie Brayshaw, Katy Marchant and Tom Pidcock

    Disability Sportsperson (Sponsored by Technogym)

    Winners: Hannah Cockroft and Kadeena Cox

    School Achievement (Sponsored by YPO Sports)

    Winner: St Theresa’s Catholic Primary School

    Highly commended: Dave Curtis                                  

    Community Coach (Sponsored by Evans Homes)

    Winner: Charlotte Williams

    Highly commended: Elaine Brown and Pete Makowski

    Community Club (Sponsored by Evans Homes)

    Winner: Crossgates Harriers

    Highly commended: Methley United AFC

    Student Sport Champion (Sponsored by Leeds Trinity University)

    Winner: Max Burgin

    Highly commended: Luke Whitehouse                                               

    Outstanding Sports Volunteer (Sponsored by Rosterfly)

    Winners: Dr Ian Richards, Fiona Croft and Becky Simmonds

    Inspirational Community Champion (Sponsored by University of Leeds)

    Winner: Come Outside – Jovanni Sterling and Rob Lattibeaudiere

    Highly commended: Anthony Hall

    Performance Coach (Sponsored by Yorkshire Sport Foundation)

    Winner: Dave Murray

    Highly commended: Rhys Davey, Paul Moseley and Adam Smallwood

    Performance Club (Sponsored by Weetwood Hall Hotel)

    Winner: City of Leeds Diving Club

    Highly commended: Leeds Gymnastics Club

    Sustainability Champion (Sponsored by Zoggs)

    Winner: K.E.E.P.

    Highly commended: Yorkshire Cricket Foundation                                         

    Sporting Pride of Leeds (sponsored by first direct arena)

    Winner: James Simpson

    Lifetime Achievement Award (Sponsored by Leeds City Council)

    Winner: Gary Hetherington

    Posthumous Lifetime Achievement Award (Sponsored by Leeds City Council)

    Winner: Bob Pickles

    Special Contribution Award (Sponsored by Leeds City Council)

    Winner: Joan Young

    Note to editors:

    Sport Leeds was established in 2002 and has since become a dynamic sports network with a strong reputation in the city and region. It serves as the strategic partnership for organisations involved in promoting and developing sports and active recreation in Leeds. The network includes professional and amateur sports clubs, universities, colleges, school clusters and other important sporting organisations from within the city, region and beyond.

    ENDS

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Uzbek Minister: China is a strategic partner in building a complementary and innovative educational ecosystem in Central Asia

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    URUMQI, May 16 (Xinhua) — We regard China as a strategic partner in building a complementary and innovative educational ecosystem in Central Asia, said Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation of the Republic of Uzbekistan Kongratbay Sharipov in an exclusive interview with Xinhua News Agency.

    Kongratbay Sharipov arrived in China to participate in the First Meeting of Education Ministers “China-Central Asia”, which was held in the city of Urumqi in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region /Northwest China/.

    According to K. Sharipov, this event made an exceptionally positive impression on him – both in terms of the level of organization and the substantive content of the meeting. He called the meeting an important platform that contributes to the deepening of strategic partnership and mutually beneficial cooperation between China and the Central Asian countries in the field of education, science and innovation.

    “Uzbekistan is interested in expanding bilateral and multilateral projects with the participation of leading Chinese universities and research institutes, including the creation of joint scientific laboratories, educational programs, student and teacher exchanges, as well as the implementation of digital and engineering initiatives,” he said.

    The Minister noted: “In the field of higher and professional education, we strive to actively borrow Chinese experience in introducing dual education, training personnel for priority industries, as well as integrating science, production and education.”

    “We are particularly interested in Chinese experience in such areas as the development of innovative universities, technology transfer, university science management and commercialization of scientific developments, development of professional colleges and institutes. We are also interested in the development of startup ecosystems, incubators, science and technology parks based on universities, as well as in a deeper integration of the educational process with the needs of the economy,” he said.

    K. Sharipov added that Uzbekistan welcomes the development of joint educational institutions, double degree programs, as well as the study of the Uzbek language and Central Asian regions in China.

    “I am convinced that our efforts aimed at forming sustainable, institutional mechanisms of cooperation will allow us to take the educational and scientific partnership between Uzbekistan and China to a new, strategic level,” K. Shapirov summed up.

    Let us recall that at the said meeting a number of memorandums and agreements were signed between educational institutions of the participating countries, including a memorandum on the joint creation of a research center for the mutual study of the civilizations of China and Uzbekistan. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Xi Jinping Addresses Disabled Citizens on National Day for Persons with Disabilities

    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 16 (Xinhua) — Chinese President Xi Jinping has called on fellow citizens with disabilities to draw spiritual strength from those who are recognized as role models for their unwavering pursuit of progress, bravely overcome difficulties and challenges that arise, and actively pursue their dreams.

    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 the occasion of a meeting in Beijing on Friday to award role models of disabled people, teams and leaders for their outstanding contributions to helping the disabled.

    The award ceremony took place on the occasion of China’s National Day for the Disabled, which falls on May 18 this year and is celebrated for the 35th time. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Vice Premier of the State Council of China to attend the 78th session of the World Health Assembly, visit Switzerland and Belarus

    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 16 (Xinhua) — Chinese Vice Premier Liu Guozhong will attend the 78th World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva from May 18 to 23 and visit Switzerland, then travel to Belarus to hold the sixth meeting of the China-Belarus Intergovernmental Cooperation Committee, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Friday.

    As noted by the representative of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Liu Guozhong, who is also a member of the Politburo of the CPC Central Committee, will make the trips at the invitation of the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, as well as the governments of Switzerland and Belarus. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China calls on international community to work to resolve issue of missing persons in armed conflicts

    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

    UNITED NATIONS, May 16 (Xinhua) — China’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations Geng Shuang on Thursday called on the international community to step up efforts to resolve the issue of persons missing in armed conflicts and fully implement relevant Security Council resolutions.

    Speaking at a Security Council briefing, the diplomat said that searching for missing persons is an important aspect of protecting civilians during armed conflict. Although the Security Council adopted Resolution 2474 in 2019, progress in its implementation remains insufficient, he added.

    Citing data from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Geng Shuang noted that more than 56,000 new cases of missing people were registered worldwide in 2024, the highest annual increase in the past 20 years.

    He drew attention to several conflict zones. In the Gaza Strip, more than 50,000 people have died in 19 months of fighting, with mass graves discovered and many still missing. In Sudan, more than 11.6 million people have been displaced, and the ICRC has registered more than 7,700 missing. In South Sudan, almost 100 aid workers have been killed and many more are missing. In Haiti, where gang violence is widespread, people often go missing, especially women and children.

    “The international community must support the affected countries in resolving the issue of missing persons and help each affected family find answers and solace,” the diplomat said, calling on the conflicting parties to comply with international humanitarian law. He also stressed the need to focus on conflict prevention and resolution and the importance of international support for the affected countries.

    China supports the ICRC and other international organizations that operate in accordance with the principles of neutrality and independence, Geng Shuang stressed.

    “China remains committed to working with the international community to advance the implementation of Resolution 2474 and make unremitting efforts to resolve the issue of persons missing in armed conflicts,” he assured. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Xinjiang’s foreign trade turnover increased by more than 20 percent in January-April

    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

    URUMQI, May 16 (Xinhua) — Northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region’s foreign trade turnover rose 20.2 percent year-on-year to 165.86 billion yuan (about 23.01 billion U.S. dollars) in the first four months of 2025, with the figure exceeding 57.7 billion yuan (up 30.4 percent) in April, according to Urumqi Customs data.

    According to the local customs, Xinjiang maintained trade relations with 216 countries and regions in the world from January to April, with Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan ranking first in terms of trade volume. Trade with Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and other countries participating in the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership demonstrated a high growth rate of 96.4 percent, accounting for 16.5 percent of Xinjiang’s foreign trade turnover during the period. Trade with countries in Africa, West Asia and Latin America increased by 70.4 percent, 104.8 percent and 96 percent, respectively.

    Almost half of the region’s foreign trade turnover – 42.2 percent /69.92 billion yuan/ – was provided by the Xinjiang Pilot Free Trade Zone, thus proving its competitive advantages in foreign trade, formed thanks to institutional innovations. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Secretary of State announces the reappointment of Justin Kouame to the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Secretary of State announces the reappointment of Justin Kouame to the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission

    The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, the Right Honourable Hilary Benn MP, has announced the reappointment of Justin Kouame to the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission.

    Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Hilary Benn.

    The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, the Right Honourable Hilary Benn MP, has announced the reappointment of Justin Kouame to the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission.

    Background

    The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (the ‘NIHRC’) was created by the Northern Ireland Act 1998, as part of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement.

    The NIHRC was established in 1999 and operates as an executive non-departmental public body sponsored by the Northern Ireland Office.

    Its powers and duties are set out in legislation, and it operates in compliance with UN General Assembly resolution 48/134 (the ‘Paris Principles’) on National Human Rights Institutions. The NIHRC’s functions include keeping under review the adequacy and effectiveness in Northern Ireland of law and practice relating to the protection of human rights and promoting understanding and awareness of the importance of human rights in Northern Ireland. 

    Further information about the work of the Commission can be found at: https://nihrc.org/about-us 

    A biography for Justin Kouame can be found at: https://nihrc.org/about/who-we-are/our-people/justin-kouame

    Terms of Appointment

    • This position is part-time for a period of three years ending on 31 August 2028.
    • The position receives a fixed annual remuneration of £7,500.
    • The position is not pensionable.

    Political Activity

    All appointments are made on merit and with regards to the statutory requirements. Political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for appointees’ political activity in defined categories to be made public. 

    Mr Kouame has declared that he has not been politically active in the past five years. 

    Regulation

    The appointment is regulated by the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointment (OCPA).

    Statutory Requirements

    The Secretary of State makes appointments to the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission in accordance with the Northern Ireland Act 1998.

    Updates to this page

    Published 16 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Chinese-Kazakhstani elite engineering institute will be created on the basis of cooperation between SZPU and KazNU

    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 16 (Xinhua) — A China-Kazakhstan Elite Engineering Institute will be established based on cooperation between the Northwestern Polytechnical University (NWPU) of China and the Kazakh National University named after Al-Farabi (KazNU), the NWPU website reported.

    The agreement on the establishment of the above-mentioned institute, which will be located in the Kazakh branch of SZPU in Almaty, was concluded recently within the framework of the 1st Meeting of Ministers of Education “China-Central Asia” between SZPU and KazNU.

    The establishment of elite engineering institutes abroad is a project developed by the Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China on the basis of unified planning in the field of international cooperation.

    The Chinese-Kazakhstan Elite Engineering Institute will establish cooperation with enterprises of both countries in the field of training highly qualified engineers with an innovative approach, said SZPU Rector Song Baowei.

    SZPU is located in Xi’an, the capital of Shaanxi Province /Northwest China/. The university, which belongs to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of the PRC, is one of the most important centers in the country for scientific research and training of specialists in the field of aviation, astronautics, navigation, etc.

    In recent years, NWPU has been actively cooperating with research institutions in the countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative. In May 2023, NWPU and KazNU signed an agreement to open a Kazakhstan branch of the Northwestern Polytechnical University of China. The branch was opened five months later in Almaty. Thus, according to the data, Kazakhstani students were given the opportunity to do an internship in Xi’an. Upon completion of their studies, they will receive diplomas from two universities. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Minister Lamola arrives in France

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    Friday, May 16, 2025

    International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola has arrived in France to co-chair the Ninth Forum for Political Dialogue alongside the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of the French Republic, Jean-Noël Barrot.  

    “This bilateral engagement will enable the two Ministers to review progress and discuss key issues of mutual interest, further strengthening the strategic partnership between South Africa and France,” the Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation said on Friday.

    South Africa enjoys robust trade relations and significant investment flows with France, which remains one of its largest trading partners within the European Union. 

    The two nations also collaborate strategically in critical areas such as education and skills development science, technology, arts, and culture, energy cooperation, health and defence. 

    According to the Ministry, the forum will further provide an opportunity for the Ministers to exchange perspectives on pressing global and regional geopolitical developments, underscoring their shared commitment to multilateralism and a rules-based international order.  

    “This dialogue reaffirms the enduring partnership between South Africa and France, rooted in mutual respect and a common vision for advancing peace, sustainable development, and innovation,” it said. – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –