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Category: Europe

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Italy affirms Partnership with African Development Bank under the Mattei Plan

    Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

    ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, May 15, 2025/APO Group/ —

    Italy has reaffirmed its partnership with the African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org) and expressed keenness to explore mutual growth opportunities in Africa under the Mattei Plan. 

    Stefano Gatti, Director General for Development Cooperation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (FAIC) and Lorenzo Ortona, Head of the Mattei Plan Task Force led a delegation to the Bank’s Abidjan headquarters on Thursday 8 May. The delegation comprised representatives of institutions charged with implementing the Mattei plan for Africa, such as Cassa Depositi e Prestiti(CDP), the Ministry of Finance, as well as important representatives of the business and private sector and civil society organisations. 

    Under the Mattei Plan for Africa, Italy aims to foster economic and strategic partnerships with African nations and institutions. Its Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has stated that the African Development Bank Group would be (https://apo-opa.co/3FkcLD8) its main strategic financial partner for implementation of the plan on the continent. 

    The delegation was hosted by African Development Bank Senior Vice President Marie-Laure Akin-Olugbade, who was joined by three vice presidents –Nnenna Nwabufo, Beth Dunford and Kevin Kariuki, as well as several directors from the energy, resource mobilization and finance departments, among others. 

    Participants in the meeting exchanged on ways to strengthen public-private sector collaboration with Italy in reducing hunger and boosting agriculture in Africa. The conversation also discussed the importance of the African Development Fund, the Bank’s concessional lending arm in addressing the challenges of the continent’s most disadvantaged countries. 

    Akin-Olugbade expressed satisfaction at the progress made since the announcement of the Plan in July 2024, in particular, the Rome Process/Mattei Plan Financing Facility (RPFF), a multi-donor Special Fund aimed at supporting climate aligned sovereign infrastructure projects that help to address the root causes of migration. The RPFF with contributions from Italy and the UAE amounting to over $170 million, is now operational.  

    The senior vice president commended Italy for demonstrating its commitment and thanked the government for its choice of The African Development Bank as partner. “We appreciate, of course, the choice of the African Development Bank to accompany you in your strategy, very ambitious strategy for the continent. We are really very happy to hear that Italy, indeed, is still strongly committed to the continent, and of course, to working with the African Development Fund.” 

    Other instruments under the Plan with the African Development Bank include the Growth and Resilience Platform for Africa (Graf), and a bilateral co-financing facility. Under Graf, CDP and the African Development Bank intend to invest up to EUR 400 million over five years in private equity funds to accelerate private sector development in Africa. 

    “We are grateful for the outstanding job that the bank has done. We really appreciate it,” Ortan said. “We really believe that in order to enhance the Mattei plan in Africa and the visibility of it, we need partners like you.”  

    Concluding the discussions, Akin-Olugbade said the Mattei plan has emerged as a template for future cooperation between Italy and other developed countries and Africa. 

    She said: “I believe that Italy has seen the African Development Bank, the African Development Fund as trusted partners. I believe we have a good track record of providing and achieving results. There’s a leveraging effect that multilateral development banks have that sometime bilateral resources do not have. And we need to take advantage of this.” 

    Italy has been a strong partner to the African Development Fund and pledged EUR 298.88 million to its sixteenth replenishment. Italy has been a partner in Mission 300, as well as advocating for strengthening private sector engagement, especially for youth entrepreneurship.  

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Disarming Hezbollah is key to Lebanon’s recovery − but task is complicated by regional shifts, ceasefire violations

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Mireille Rebeiz, Chair of Middle East Studies and Associate Professor of Francophone and Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies, Dickinson College

    Slain Lebanese Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah looms large in Lebanon. Anwar Amro/AFP via Getty Images

    Within a span of two weeks from late April to early May 2025, Israel launched two aerial attacks ostensibly targeting Hezbollah in Lebanon: The first, on April 27, struck a building in Beirut’s southern suburbs; the second, an assault in southern Lebanon, left one person dead and eight others injured.

    While the attacks may not be an aberration in the long history of Israel’s military action in Lebanon, the latest episodes were notable given the context: Israel and Hezbollah have been nominally locked in a truce for five months.

    As an expert on Lebanese history and culture, I believe the latest violations clearly show the fragility of that ceasefire. But more importantly, they complicate the Lebanese government’s mission of disarming Hezbollah, the paramilitary group that remains a powerful force in the country despite a series of Israeli targeted killings of its senior members. That task forms the backbone of a nearly 20-year-old United Nations resolution meant to bring lasting peace to Lebanon.

    The long road to a ceasefire

    In the aftermath of Hamas’ attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, Hezbollah vowed solidarity with the Palestinian movement, resulting in a running series of tit-for-tat attacks with Israel that escalated into a full-blown war in the fall of 2024.

    On Oct. 1, 2024, Israel invaded Lebanon – the sixth time since 1978 – in order to directly confront Hezbollah. That operation led to the killing of an estimated 3,800 Lebanese people and the displacement of over 1 million civilians. The damage to Lebanon’s economy is estimated at US$14 billion, according to the World Bank.

    Hezbollah lost a lot of its fighters, arsenal and popular support as a result. More importantly, these losses discredited Hezbollah’s claim that it alone can guarantee Lebanon’s territorial integrity against Israel’s invasion.

    The United States and France brokered a ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel on Nov. 27, 2024. The agreement was based in part on United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701, which was adopted in 2006 to end that year’s 34-day war between Israel and Hezbollah. The resolution had as a central tenet the disarmament of armed militias, including Hezbollah, and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon.

    The 2024 ceasefire built on that resolution. It required Hezbollah’s retreat beyond the Litani River, which at its closest point is about 20 miles from northern Israel. In return, and by February 2025, Israel was to gradually withdraw from Lebanese territories in order to allow the Lebanese army to take control of areas in the south and to confiscate all unauthorized weapons – a nod to Hezbollah’s arsenal.

    Yet, Israel maintained the occupation of several posts in southern Lebanon after that deadline and continued to launch attacks on Lebanese soil, the most recent being on May 8, 2025.

    The challenge of disarming Hezbollah

    Despite these violations, large-scale war between Israel and Hezbollah has not resumed. But the next step, a lasting peace based on the laying down of Hezbollah arms, is complicated by a series of factors, not least the sectarian nature of Lebanese politics.

    Since its inception in 1920, Lebanon’s governance has been defined by a polarized and formally sectarian political system, which seeded the roots of a decades-long civil conflict that began in 1975. A series of invasions by Israel in response to attacks from Lebanese-based Palestinian groups exacerbated sectarianism and instability.

    From this mix, Hezbollah emerged and became a powerful force during the late 1980s.

    The Taif Agreement, ending Lebanon’s civil war in 1989, formally recognized the state’s right to resist the Israeli occupation of Lebanese territories – and with it Hezbollah’s presence as a force of resistance. An uneasy coexistence between the government and Hezbollah emerged, which often spilled over into violence, including assassinations of important public figures.

    More recently, Hezbollah was responsible for a two-year political vacuum as it mobilized members to repeatedly block opposition candidates for the vacant presidency in the hopes of installing a leader that would support its agenda.

    A view from the southern Lebanese district of Marjeyoun shows smoke billowing from the site of Israeli airstrikes on May 8, 2025.
    Rabih Daher/AFP via Getty Images

    In January 2025 that standoff ended when Lebanon’s parliament elected army chief Joseph Aoun, a Maronite Christian, as president.

    The acquiescence of Hezbollah and its allies was in part a sign of how much the power of the Shiite militia had been diminished by Israel during the conflict.

    But it is also the result of a widespread general understanding in Lebanon of the need to end the humanitarian crisis caused by Israel’s war. The new president has brought much-needed hope to a battered country – one that has been plagued by numerous crises, including a collapsed economy that by 2019 had pushed 80% of the population into poverty.

    But Aoun’s presidency signals the changing political environment in another key way; unlike his predecessors, Aoun has not endorsed Hezbollah as a legitimate resistance movement.

    Further, Aoun has announced his intentions to disarm the group
    and to fully implement resolution 1701.

    To this end, Aoun has made impressive gains. According to state officials, the Lebanese army had by the end of April 2025 dismantled over 90% of Hezbollah’s infrastructure south of the Litani River and taken control over these sites.

    Yet Hezbollah’s chief, Naim Kassem, doggedly rejects calls to disarm and integrate the group’s fighters into the Lebanese armed forces.

    Even in Hezbollah’s weakened position, Kassem believes only his movement, and not the Lebanese state, can guarantee Lebanon’s safety against Israel. And Israel violations of the ceasefire only play into this narrative.

    “We will not allow anyone to remove Hezbollah’s weapons,” Kassem said after one recent airstrike, vowing that the group would hand over weapons only when Israel withdrew from southern Lebanon and ended it’s air incursions.

    Can Lebanon’s new president, Joseph Aoun, untangle the Gordian knot of Lebanese politics?
    Ludovic Marin/AFP via Getty Images

    The challenge going forward

    Yet countries including the United States and Qatar – not to mention Israel – consider Hezbollah’s disarmament a prerequisite to both peace and much-needed international assistance.

    And this makes the task ahead for Aoun difficult. He will be well aware that international aid is desperately needed. But pressing too hard to accommodate either Israel’s or Hezbollah’s interests risks, respectively, exacerbating either domestic political pressures or jeopardizing future foreign investment.

    To complicate matters further, the situation in Lebanon is hardly helped by developments in neighboring Syria.

    The fall of Syrian President Bashar Assad in December 2024 has added another element of regional uncertainty and the fear in Lebanon of further sectarian violence. Although Syria’s new leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, has vowed to protect all religious groups, he was not able to prevent the massacre of Alawite civilians in several coastal towns – an attack that triggered a fresh wave of refugees heading toward Lebanon.

    The removal of Assad was another blow for Hezbollah, a strong Assad ally that benefited from years of Syrian interference in Lebanon.

    The challenge of international relations

    For now, a return to full-scale war in Lebanon does not appear to be on the table.

    But what comes next for Lebanon and Hezbollah depends on many factors, not least the state of Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza and any spillover into Lebanon. But the actions of other regional actors, notably Saudi Arabia and Iran, matter too. Should Saudi Arabia be encouraged down the path of normalizing relations with Israel – a process interrupted by the Oct. 7 attack – then it would impact Lebanon in many ways.

    Any deal would, from the Saudi perspective, likely have to include a solution to the question of Palestinian statehood, taking away one of Hezbollah’s main grievances. It would also likely put pressure on Lebanon and Israel to find a solution to its long-standing border dispute.

    Meanwhile, Iran, too, is seemingly turning to diplomatic means to address some of its regional issues, with nascent moves to both improve ties with Saudi Arabia and forge forward with a new nuclear deal with the U.S. This could see Tehran turn away from a policy of trying to impose its influence throughout the region by arming groups aligned with Tehran – first among them, Hezbollah.

    Mireille Rebeiz is affiliated with the American Red Cross.

    – ref. Disarming Hezbollah is key to Lebanon’s recovery − but task is complicated by regional shifts, ceasefire violations – https://theconversation.com/disarming-hezbollah-is-key-to-lebanons-recovery-but-task-is-complicated-by-regional-shifts-ceasefire-violations-255671

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: The roots of dementia can start in childhood – prevention should be a lifelong goal

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Scott Chiesa, Senior Research Fellow and Alzheimer’s Research UK David Carr Fellow, UCL

    Krakenimages.com/Shutterstock

    More than 60 million people are estimated to be living with dementia, resulting in over 1.5 million deaths a year and an annual cost to the global healthcare economy of around US $1.3 trillion (almost £1 trillion).

    Despite decades of scientific research and billions of pounds of investment, dementia still has no cure. But what of the old saying that prevention is better than cure? Is preventing dementia possible? And if so, at what age should we be taking steps to do so?

    Despite what many believe, dementia is not simply an unavoidable consequence of ageing or genetics. It is estimated that up to 45% of dementia cases could potentially be prevented by reducing exposure to 14 modifiable risk factors common throughout the world.

    Many of these risk factors – which include things like obesity, lack of exercise, and smoking – are traditionally studied from middle age (around 40 to 60 years old) onwards. As a result, several of the world’s leading health bodies and dementia charities now recommend that strategies aimed at reducing dementia risk should ideally be targeted at this age to reap the greatest benefits.

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    We argue, however, that targeting even younger ages is likely to provide greater benefits still. But how young are we talking? And why would exposure to risk factors many decades before the symptoms of dementia traditionally appear be important?

    To explain, let’s work backwards from middle age, starting with the three decades covering adolescence and young adulthood (from ten to 40 years old).

    Many lifestyle-related dementia risk factors emerge during the teenage years, then persist into adulthood. For example, 80% of adolescents living with obesity will remain this way when they are adults. The same applies to high blood pressure and lack of exercise. Similarly, virtually all adults who smoke or drink will have started these unhealthy habits in or around adolescence.

    This poses two potential issues when considering middle age as the best starting point for dementia-prevention strategies. First, altering health behaviour that has already been established is notoriously difficult. And second, most high-risk individuals targeted in middle age will almost certainly have been exposed to the damaging effects of these risk factors for many decades already.

    As such, the most effective actions are likely to be those aimed at preventing unhealthy behaviour in the first place, rather than attempting to change long-established habits decades down the line.

    The roots of dementia

    But what about even earlier in people’s lives? Could the roots of dementia stretch as far back as childhood or infancy? Increasing evidence suggests yes, and that risk factor exposures in the first decade of life (or even while in the womb) may have lifelong implications for dementia risk.

    To understand why this may be, it’s important to remember that our brain goes through three major periods during our lives – development in early life, a period of relative stability in adult life, and decline (in some functions) in old age.

    Most dementia research understandably focuses on changes associated with that decline in later life. But there is increasing evidence that many of the differences in brain structure and function associated with dementia in older adults may have at least partly existed since childhood.

    For example, in long-term studies where people have had their cognitive ability tracked across their whole lives, one of the most important factors explaining someone’s cognitive ability at age 70 is their cognitive ability when they were 11. That is, older adults with poorer cognitive skills have often had these lower skills since childhood, rather than the differences being solely due to a faster decline in older age.

    Similar patterns are also seen when looking for evidence of dementia-related damage on brain scans, with some changes appearing to be more closely related to risk factor exposures in early life than current unhealthy lifestyles.

    Taken together, perhaps the time has come for dementia prevention to be thought of as a lifelong goal, rather than simply a focus for old age.

    A lifelong prevention plan

    But how do we achieve this in practical terms? Complex problems require complex solutions, and there is no quick fix to address this challenge. Many factors contribute to increasing or decreasing an individual’s dementia risk – there is no “one size fits all” approach.

    But one thing generally agreed upon is that mass medication of young people is not the answer. Instead, we – along with 33 other leading international researchers in the field of dementia – recently published a set of recommendations for actions that can be taken at the individual, community and national levels to improve brain health from an early age.

    Our consensus statement and recommendations deliver two clear messages. First, meaningful reductions in dementia risk for as many people as possible will only be achievable through a coordinated approach that brings together healthier environments, better education and smarter public policy.

    Second – and perhaps most importantly – while it’s never too late to take steps to reduce your risk of dementia, it’s also never too early to start.

    Scott Chiesa receives funding from an Alzheimer’s Research UK David Carr Fellowship.

    Francesca Farina receives funding from the Alzheimer’s Association and the University of Chicago.

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

    – ref. The roots of dementia can start in childhood – prevention should be a lifelong goal – https://theconversation.com/the-roots-of-dementia-can-start-in-childhood-prevention-should-be-a-lifelong-goal-255845

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Cockney Yiddish: how two languages influenced each other in London’s East End

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Nadia Valman, Professor of Urban Literature, Queen Mary University of London

    Yiddish is a familiar presence in contemporary English speech. Many people use or at least know the meaning of words like chutzpah (audacity), schlep (drag) or nosh (snack).

    These words have been absorbed into English from their original speakers, eastern European Jews who migrated to Britain in the late 19th century, through generations of living in close proximity in areas like London’s East End.

    Linguistics scholars have even theorised that elements of a Yiddish accent may have influenced the cockney accent as it evolved in the early 20th century. Phonetic analysis of cockney speakers recorded in the mid-20th century suggests that East Enders who grew up with Jewish neighbours spoke English with speech rhythms typical of Yiddish.

    A distinctive pronunciation of the “r” sound is thought to have originated among Jewish immigrants and spread into the wider population.

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

    But, as we explore in our new podcast, cockney reshaped the Yiddish language too. This can be seen in surviving texts from the popular culture of the Jewish immigrant East End, including newspapers and songsheets, where songs, poems and stories dramatise the thrills and challenges of modern London.

    The Yiddish music of London’s East End brought together the Yiddish language and Jewish culture of eastern Europe with the raucous, irreverent style of the cockney music hall. Theatres and pubs overflowed with audiences eager to see the immigrant experience in Whitechapel represented in all its perplexity and pathos, with a good measure of slapstick comedy.

    A Yiddish music hall song from around 1900 jokes that East Enders live on “poteytes un gefrayte fish” – a Yiddish version of the cockney staple fish and chips. The song lists the many novelties that immigrants encountered on arriving in the metropolis: trains running underground, women wearing trousers and people speaking on telephones.

    Yiddish music hall song ‘London hot sikh ibergekert’ (London has turned itself upside down) performed by the author’s (Vivi Lachs) band Katsha’nes.

    Yiddish was also the language of street protest in the Jewish East End. During the “strike fever” of 1889, when workers throughout east London were demanding better pay and working conditions, the Whitechapel streets resonated with the voices of Jewish sweatshop workers singing:

    In di gasn, tsu di masn fun badrikte felk rasn, ruft der frayhaytsgayst (In the streets, to the masses / of oppressed peoples, races / the spirit of freedom calls).

    This song was penned by the socialist poet Morris Winchevsky, an immigrant from Lithuania who spoke Yiddish as a mother tongue but preferred to write in literary Hebrew. In London he switched to writing in the vernacular language of Yiddish in order to make his writing more accessible to immigrant Jewish workers. The song became a rousing anthem in labour protests across the Yiddish-speaking world, from Warsaw to Chicago.

    The decline of Yiddish

    Yet from the earliest days of Jewish immigration to London, the Yiddish-language culture of the East End was a focus of anxiety for the Jewish middle and upper class of the West End. They regarded Yiddish as a vulgar dialect, detrimental to the integration of Jewish immigrants in England.

    While they provided significant philanthropic support for immigrants, they banned the use of Yiddish in the educational and religious institutions that they funded.

    In 1883, budding novelist Israel Zangwill was disciplined by the Jews’ Free School, where he worked as a teacher, for publishing a short story liberally sprinkled with dialogues in cockney-Yiddish.

    By the 1930s Yiddish had begun to decline. As Jews moved away from the East End, local Yiddish newspapers folded and publications dwindled.

    The Yiddish writer I.A. Lisky, who wrote fiction for a keen but diminishing readership in the London Yiddish newspaper Di tsayt, movingly described a young woman and her grandmother who each harbour complex hopes and worries but cannot communicate: “Ken ober sibl nit redn keyn yidish un di bobe farshteyt nor a por verter english. Shvaygt sibl vayter.” (But Sybil spoke no Yiddish, and her grandmother knew only a few words of English. So she remained silent.)

    Yiddish-language newspapers like Der Fonograf flourished in the early 20th century East End.
    Courtesy of Jewish Miscellanies website.

    Jewish writers of the postwar period were haunted by the sense of a lost connection to the Yiddish language and culture of previous generations.

    The novelist Alexander Baron, who grew up in Hackney, remembered his grandparents reading Yiddish literature and newspapers, and his parents speaking Yiddish when they did not want their children to understand what they were saying.

    In his novel The Lowlife (1963) the narrator’s vocabulary is peppered with Yiddish words. But these fragments are all that remains of his link to the East End where he was born. When he returns to these streets, he feels that “my too, too solid flesh in the world of the past is like a ghost of the past in the solid world of the present; it can look on but it cannot touch”.

    Yiddish in London today

    If you walk through the north London neighbourhood of Stamford Hill today, you’ll hear Yiddish on the streets and see new Yiddish books on the shelves of the local bookshops. Although they have no connection to the Victorian Jewish East End, the ultra-orthodox Hasidic community who live there speak Yiddish as their first language.

    And for a younger generation of secular Jews, Yiddish is also acquiring a new appeal. They look to past traditions of Jewish diasporism to forge an identity rooted in language, culture and solidarity with other minorities rather than nationalism.

    London is one centre of this worldwide revival: the Friends of Yiddish group established in the East End in the late 1930s is now flourishing in its contemporary incarnation as the Yiddish Open Mic Cafe. And Yiddish is once again a language that anyone can learn.

    The Ot Azoy Yiddish summer school is in its 13th year, and new Yiddish language schools are thriving, including east London-based Babel’s Blessing, which teaches diaspora languages including Yiddish and offers free English classes to refugees and asylum seekers. The annual Yiddish sof-vokh hosts an immersive weekend for Yiddish learners.

    Yiddish culture too is being rejuvenated. Projects we have been involved with include the Yiddish Shpilers theatre troupe, the Great Yiddish Parade marching band, which has brought Winchevsky’s socialist anthems back onto London’s streets, and the London band Katsha’nes, which has reimagined cockney Yiddish music hall songs for the 21st century.

    If Yiddish was once reviled as a debased, slangy mishmash, full of borrowings and adaptations, it’s precisely for those qualities that it is celebrated today.

    Nadia Valman received funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Council for research included in this article.

    Vivi Lachs received funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Council for research included in this article.

    – ref. Cockney Yiddish: how two languages influenced each other in London’s East End – https://theconversation.com/cockney-yiddish-how-two-languages-influenced-each-other-in-londons-east-end-252779

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Putin dodges peace talks in Istanbul as Russia pushes for territorial concessions from Ukraine

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Sam Phelps, Commissioning Editor, International Affairs

    This article was first published in The Conversation UK’s World Affairs Briefing email newsletter. Sign up to receive weekly analysis of the latest developments in international relations, direct to your inbox.

    Demands by British, French, German and Polish leaders in Kyiv last weekend that Russia agree to a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine or face possible “massive” sanctions went down in Moscow about as well as you’d expect. In an address from the Kremlin, Russian president Vladimir Putin lambasted European powers for talking to Russia “in a boorish manner and with the help of ultimatums”.

    He did, however, offer a counter-proposal: an invitation for Ukraine to take part in direct talks in the Turkish city of Istanbul. Putin called the talks “the first step towards a long-term, lasting peace”. Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, accepted the invitation and announced he would attend the talks in person. He challenged Putin to do the same.

    But on the eve of the talks it was announced that, no, Putin wouldn’t attend and a junior delegation would be sent in his place. Zelensky, who is in Turkey anyway for talks with the Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has called the Russian envoy “phony” and accused Moscow of sending “stand-in props”.

    Putin’s no-show, alongside Russia’s refusal to agree to a ceasefire as a precursor to negotiations, probably says all you need to know about whether Moscow truly intends to bring the war to an end. But, regardless, the talks are the first to take place directly between the two warring parties since the early weeks of Russia’s full-scale invasion.

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    The Russian delegation in Istanbul is being led by Vladimir Medinsky, a Putin aide who led the previous round of direct peace talks with Ukraine. This is evidence, as Stefan Wolff and Tetyana Malyarenko also point out, that Russia wants the talks to be based on the same framework as in 2022 – namely, forcing Ukraine to accept significant restrictions on its military and sovereignty.

    Wolff and Malyarenko, who are two regular contributors to our coverage of the war in Ukraine, explain that Russia’s territorial demands have become more contentious since the start of the war. Russia’s current position is that it sees international recognition of Crimea, Sevastopol, the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics, and the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions as part of Russia as “imperative”.

    This is a non-starter for Ukraine. But Wolff and Malyarenko suggest there could be some flexibility on accepting that some parts of Ukrainian territory are under temporary Russian control in exchange for peace.

    The problem, they write, is that much of the territory Russia currently occupies, including Crimea and land on the shores of the Azov Sea, is of key strategic value for Russia. Donetsk and Luhansk, meanwhile, have substantial economic value because of the resources located there.

    In any case, there is no guarantee that territorial concessions from Kyiv now would put a permanent end to the war, write Wolff and Malyarenko. This is because it “does not address the fundamental issue of how to deal with a vengeful and revisionist autocracy on Europe’s doorstep”.



    Read more:
    Territorial concessions will be central to any Ukraine peace deal, and to Russia’s long-term plan

    Lasting peace between India and Pakistan, two countries that regularly clash over control of the disputed Kashmir region, is proving equally tricky to find. Several rounds of military strikes, prompted by a terrorist attack in Indian-administered Kashmir in April that killed at least 31 people, have recently brought the nuclear powers closer to war than they have been in decades.

    The Trump administration initially expressed reluctance to get involved, saying it was “none of our business”. But as hostilities rapidly escalated, raising the prospect of nuclear war, US officials stepped in and talked down the two countries. A ceasefire was agreed that, for almost a week now, seems to have held.

    Alex Waterman and Sudhir Selvaraj, experts on peace studies at the University of Bradford, say the ceasefire represents an “incredibly precarious peace”.

    That ceasefires have been agreed – and respected – by the two parties before is cause for optimism, they write. But cross-border tensions have increased in recent years. Waterman and Selvaraj argue this has been part of a strategy used by Pakistan’s powerful army to deflect attention away from political and economic crises at home.

    Tensions remain high and may, at some point, spill over again. Some of the decisions taken by India after the recent terror attack, for instance, such as the suspension of a treaty governing water sharing of rivers in the Indus basin, could compel further support for militant groups in Kashmir. Despite a US offer to mediate talks between the two countries, deeper resolution looks a way off.



    Read more:
    India and Pakistan have agreed a precarious peace – but will it last?

    Donald Trump, meanwhile, is wrapping up his four-day tour of the Middle East. His visit has seen him sit down with the Saudi crown prince and the Qatari emir (as well as Syria’s leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa) to discuss bolstering economic and security ties.

    In that sense, the trip has been a resounding success. Trump signed a US$142 billion (£107 billion) arms deal with Saudi Arabia and agreements with Qatar that, according to the White House, will “generate an economic exchange worth at least US$1.2 trillion”.

    Adam Hanieh, a professor of political economy at the University of Exeter, explains that arrangements like these are part of a long history in which the Gulf monarchies have supported the architecture of US global power.

    In this piece, Hanieh explores how the vast amounts of income generated by the Gulf’s nationalised petroleum industries in the 20th century was invested into US financial markets. Gulf states, he writes, were essential contributors to the growth of the US as a global financial power.

    The US promised military protection in return, resulting in a web of American military bases across the region. As Trump’s lavish welcome in the Middle East shows, the relationship between the US and Gulf monarchies looks robust.

    But much has changed in the past two decades, says Hanieh, referring to China’s rise as a global manufacturing hub. The Gulf is a critical energy lifeline for Beijing, while China’s demand for oil, gas and petrochemicals will be a vital part of the Gulf’s economic future.



    Read more:
    Not every US president gets a free private jet, but the Gulf states have boosted US economic dominance for decades

    Trump is no stranger to competition with China, as his first five months in office have shown. Tit-for-tat tariffs that the US and China imposed on each other quickly snowballed into heavy duties, as high as 145% on Chinese goods looking to enter the US.

    However, after weeks of signalling that tariff levels could reduce, US and Chinese officials announced this week that US tariffs on Chinese goods would drop to 30% for a period of 90 days, while Chinese tariffs on US products would drop back to 10%. Trade negotiations between the two countries will continue.

    We asked Chee Meng Tan, an assistant professor of business economics at the University of Nottingham, what the deal means for China. He says the tariff reduction has provided China with much-needed relief as it attempts to repair its ailing economy.

    But China will ultimately hope to bring US tariffs down to around 10%, in line with the rest of the world. And, as Tan explains, there is more China can do to persuade the Trump administration to cut tariffs further. Ensuring the flow of critical minerals to the US and assuring its support for US agriculture, an important political support base for Trump, will be key.

    China needs to engage with the US and lower US tariffs as much as possible. But it will want to look at other options, writes Tan, rather than relying on an unpredictable Trump. The next 90 days are a big deal for Beijing.



    Read more:
    China-US trade war: the next 90 days are a big deal for Beijing as it seeks long-term solutions

    Jonathan Este is on holiday.

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    – ref. Putin dodges peace talks in Istanbul as Russia pushes for territorial concessions from Ukraine – https://theconversation.com/putin-dodges-peace-talks-in-istanbul-as-russia-pushes-for-territorial-concessions-from-ukraine-256504

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How Denmark’s oysters are transforming foodies into citizen scientists

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Dominique Townsend, Visiting Researcher, School of Geography and Environmental Science, University of Southampton

    Lea Meilandt Mathisen, CC BY-NC-ND

    This year 80 people put on their waders, grabbed buckets and quadrats (square metal frames), and splashed through the clear shallow waters. Once they reached one of the many sampling locations, marked by miniature floats, they threw their quadrats into the shallow water, ready to collect all the sea life that landed inside their quadrats.

    No one had any idea what they might find living on the seabed until they reached into the water. Nearby, kids peered down at the seabed using underwater scopes, grandparents chuckled as they returned for a second forage.

    This citizen science project combines coastal ecology and gastronomy. Our groups returned to the sorting stations to identify, count, weigh and measure each bucket of creatures and algae. A typical bucket might contain four living Pacific oysters, nine dead, a brush-clawed shore crab, four folded sea squirts and a handful of snails.

    Then, we sat down together to eat a gourmet oyster dinner, prepared by Denmark’s top chefs. Organised by a shellfish gastrotourism association called Danmarks Skaldyrshovedstad, this oyster hunt (Østerjagten 2025) is a new annual festival held at the Salling Sund Bridge in the Danish Limfjorden, a 110-mile strait of water in northern Denmark.

    Citizen scientists gather flora and fauna samples from the seafloor.
    Lea Meilandt Mathisen, CC BY-NC-ND

    The invasive Pacific oysters people had collected from the seabed then went on to be shucked and cooked. They were served au gratin, with wild flavour combinations, ranging from blueberry and blue cheese to shavings of prosciutto with strawberries and lime.

    Most people told us they came along because of the quirkiness of this event, and the promise of gourmet food. Less than one in five people stated their interest in marine research as their reason for joining. Nobody attended the event just for the science.

    As a coastal change researcher, this result was exciting – we were reaching an audience that might not normally engage. Even after participating, many people didn’t feel like citizen scientists. But when asked what they had learnt, most recalled facts about coastal ecology, as well as new ways to cook oysters.

    A delicious plate of Pacific oysters served au gratin.
    Lea Meilandt Mathisen, CC BY-NC-ND



    Read more:
    How citizen science is shaping international conservation

    Eating aliens

    Back to the basket sample contents. Pacific oyster, brush-clawed shore crab, folded sea squirts: none are native to the Limfjorden or Danish waters. So many people were shocked to find out that their baskets were full of invasive species – these “alien species” are non-native and can compete with the resident species for both food and space.

    Despite an increase in the number of empty Pacific oysters shells we found this year compared to last (indicating more oyster deaths), temperatures are rising in this estuary system. This means that conditions are becoming more suitable for the Pacific oysters and the other invasive creatures, many of which originate in warmer waters.

    Individual Pacific oysters were measured by hand.
    Lea Meilandt Mathisen, CC BY-NC-ND

    All oysters provide ecosystem services; improving water quality, forming new habitats and protecting coastlines from erosion by reducing wave energy. As Pacific oysters are bigger, rougher, tougher and much faster growing than native European oysters, they can have a greater impact on the environment.

    This, however, is not necessarily a good thing. As Pacific oysters take over European oyster and blue mussel beds, birds which once fed on these species are left without vital food sources. The thick shells mean they have no predators once they reach a certain size. Beach goers can also be affected as the razor-sharp shells occupy previously sandy bathing areas.

    Farming of the Pacific oyster has been banned in Denmark since 1998, yet despite this measure, Pacific oyster beds are now widespread and prevalent across Denmark’s estuaries. A single oyster can release between 50 and 200 million eggs during a spawning event each year meaning it is impossible to control them.

    A young citizen scientist holds a small shore crab.
    Lea Meilandt Mathisen, CC BY-NC-ND

    While children were discovering the joy of sea squirts, other marine scientists and I could have tougher conversations with adults about climate change. We explained that warming temperatures are clearly visible in the here-and-now of local monitoring data.

    The Limfjorden is made up of a series of fjords and islands in northern Denmark which link the North Sea to the Kattergat (the sea between Denmark and Sweden). This area is characterised by undisturbed coastlines and rolling hills, as well as some famous geological sites. It is a popular holiday destination for those that enjoy being in nature, some Danish hyggelig (comfort) and seafood.

    But the Limfjorden is subject to numerous pressures: eutrophication (when extra nutrients in the water cause toxic algal blooms), changing climate, fishing, dumping of dredged materials and the arrival of invasive species. Its resilience to these may serve as an ecological bell weather for the rest of the world’s coasts.

    Our event highlights how we’ll have to deal with environmental issues together. One feedback form still sits on my desk, the participant wrote in Danish: “Forskning er alle mands projekt og at det har effekt.” This translates to “research is everyone’s project and it has an effect”.

    This edible approach offers a new way of communicating complex issues such as biodiversity and the introduction of alien species. Oyster hunt-style events such as this offer an excellent opportunity for scientists like us to provide some food for thought.

    Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?

    Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 45,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

    Camille Saurel receives funding from the European Union, Danish Government and research councils.

    Pedro Seabra Freitas receives funding from the European Union, Danish Government and Research Councils, Aage V. Jensen Naturfond.

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

    – ref. How Denmark’s oysters are transforming foodies into citizen scientists – https://theconversation.com/how-denmarks-oysters-are-transforming-foodies-into-citizen-scientists-255828

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Symptoms of androgen excess in women are too often being overlooked – or dismissed as ‘just cosmetic’

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Michael O’Reilly, Clinical Associate Professor of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences

    Hair loss can be a symptom of androgen excess Hazal Ak/Shutterstock

    Acne that won’t go away. Hair thinning at the crown. Unwanted facial hair, unpredictable periods, mood swings and weight gain. For millions of women, these aren’t just annoying symptoms – they’re signs of a deeper, often ignored condition: androgen excess. Despite affecting at least one in ten women worldwide, this hormonal imbalance remains underdiagnosed, misunderstood, and too often dismissed.

    Androgens are commonly known as “male hormones”, but all women have them too. The problem arises when levels become too high. This excess can wreak havoc across multiple systems in the body, disrupting menstrual cycles, fertility, metabolism and even mental health. Yet because some of the more visible symptoms, like acne or hirsutism, are often brushed off as cosmetic, many women don’t get the support or treatment they need.

    The most well known cause of androgen excess is polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). It affects up to 13% of women globally and costs the US alone an estimated US$15 billion (£11 bllion) each year.

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

    But, even though PCOS dominates the conversation, it’s not the only condition behind androgen excess. Other, sometimes more serious, disorders can also cause elevated hormone levels like hormone-secreting tumours, congenital adrenal hyperplasia (a group of genetic disorders that affect your adrenal glands), Cushing’s syndrome (a rare hormonal disorder caused by prolonged exposure to very high levels of the hormone cortisol) and severe insulin resistance. Yet too often, the assumption is that any woman with high androgens has PCOS, which can delay diagnosis of these rarer but potentially serious conditions.

    The effects of androgen excess go far beyond skin deep. It’s associated with significant metabolic issues – insulin resistance affects the majority of women with PCOS, putting them at higher risk for type 2 diabetes. Many also live with higher body weight and are more likely to develop high blood pressure, liver disease and cardiovascular problems.

    For some, difficulty conceiving is what finally leads them to seek medical help. But even among women not trying to become pregnant, hormonal imbalance can take a toll: anxiety and depression are two to three times more common in women with PCOS than in the general population.

    And yet, hormonal health is still too often treated as an afterthought. Many women describe years of feeling dismissed by doctors, told to “come back if you want to get pregnant”, or offered little more than the contraceptive pill. On average, women with PCOS wait over two years and consult several different healthcare professionals before receiving a diagnosis. Nearly half say their symptoms were initially ignored.

    Part of the problem may be the name itself. “Polycystic ovary syndrome” is a misnomer – many women with PCOS don’t actually have cysts on their ovaries, and having ovarian cysts doesn’t necessarily mean you have PCOS. It’s a complex metabolic and hormonal disorder, not just a reproductive one. That’s why some experts and patient advocates around the world are calling for a name change to better reflect the condition’s true nature. A more accurate label could raise awareness and improve the way it’s diagnosed and treated.

    Encouragingly, there’s been a major step forward in how androgen excess is addressed. In June 2024, the Society for Endocrinology in the UK published new clinical guidelines to help doctors better identify and manage the condition. These guidelines include clear diagnostic pathways, recommendations for when to carry out blood tests or scans, and guidance on when to refer patients for specialist care. Crucially, they acknowledge that androgen excess can affect women at all ages – not just during the reproductive years.

    A real difference

    Publishing guidelines is only the first step. To make a real difference in women’s lives, several things need to happen. First, there must be greater investment in research. We still don’t fully understand why some women develop excess androgens while others don’t, or why symptoms vary so much between individuals. Research in women’s health has long been underfunded and androgen-related conditions are no exception.

    Doctors also need better training. General practitioners, gynaecologists, dermatologists and even mental health professionals all have a role to play in recognising the signs of androgen excess. If they don’t feel confident identifying the symptoms or knowing when to investigate further, women will continue to fall through the cracks.

    Just as importantly, women need access to clear, trustworthy information. Too many are left to Google their symptoms or rely on online forums. Knowing what to look out for – and what to ask a doctor – can empower women to advocate for themselves and get the care they deserve.

    Finally, we need to move toward more joined up, holistic care. Hormonal health doesn’t exist in a vacuum. It affects – and is affected by – mental wellbeing, lifestyle, metabolism and reproductive health. Effective treatment means looking at the whole picture, not just prescribing a pill or focusing on fertility alone.

    Androgen excess may be invisible to those who don’t experience it, but its impact is profound. For too long, it has flown under the radar. With better understanding, better care, and a stronger voice for women’s health, we can ensure that hormonal symptoms are taken seriously – and treated with the urgency and compassion they deserve.

    Michael O’Reilly receives research funding from the Health Research Board (Ireland) and Wellcome

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

    – ref. Symptoms of androgen excess in women are too often being overlooked – or dismissed as ‘just cosmetic’ – https://theconversation.com/symptoms-of-androgen-excess-in-women-are-too-often-being-overlooked-or-dismissed-as-just-cosmetic-255743

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Briefing – An EU climate target for 2040 – 15-05-2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Article 4(3) of the European Climate Law states: ‘With a view to achieving the climate-neutrality objective set out in Article 2(1) of this Regulation, a Union-wide climate target for 2040 shall be set’. Article 4(4) and 4(5) sets out aspects to consider in setting the 2040 target. In early 2024, the European Commission adopted a communication accompanied by an impact assessment (IA) regarding a 2040 target and the pathway to 2050 climate neutrality. Setting out pathway scenarios and an indicative 2030-2050 EU greenhouse gas (GHG) budget, it considers that a 2040 climate target depends on two dimensions (I): fairness and (II): feasibility. The legislative proposal was scheduled for first quarter 2025 but is delayed until June or July 2025.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Briefing – Strengthening Europol’s mandate – 15-05-2025

    Source: European Parliament

    The European Commission proposes to strengthen the EU law enforcement agency’s mandate to: • turn Europol into a truly operational police agency and double its staff; • strengthen Europol’s mandate and its oversight; • reinforce the support Europol provides to Member States; • reinforce cooperation between Europol and other Justice and Home Affairs agencies The European internal security strategy, which the Commission presented on 1 April 2025, provides indication of the Commission’s plans for the agency, but is scant on detail, since the Commission wants to begin by consulting Member States on the agency’s future. Historically, Member States have ranged from those that make very little use of the agency, via those that are happy with the current mandate and functions (supporting Member States with analysis and reports from its headquarters in The Hague), and those that want to see the agency more (pro)-active on the ground. While the European Parliament has not yet taken a position on Europol during the current legislative term, the European People’s Party and the Renew Group have in previous terms called, respectively, for Europol to become ‘Eurocops’ or a ‘European FBI’. The latter would imply giving Europol greater autonomy, including the right of initiative, which some Member States could be expected to oppose. In the context of an ongoing proposal to strengthen Europol’s role in combating migrant smuggling and trafficking, the Council has been reluctant to grant the agency additional powers. A legislative proposal for a new Europol regulation is expected in the second quarter of 2026.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Briefing – New European biotech act: Which way forward? – 15-05-2025

    Source: European Parliament

    The new European biotech act, announced in Ursula von der Leyen’s political guidelines for 2025, was not included in the Commission work programme published on 11 February, but has recently been announced for early 2026. Strong uncertainty on the timing and scope of the biotech act have existed since the initial announcement. The Commission ordered a complex study to provide a foundation for the act only in early 2025, and it has become evident that discussions about the scope, key components, and timeline of the new European biotech act were still at an early stage. Expectations about the possibility for the Danish Presidency to initiate the discussions on the biotech act in the second half of 2025 have therefore faded. A key area of debate among stakeholders – from research to manufacturing, but also Member States – is the scope of the act. Concerns have been raised about the possibility that Commissioner Várhelyi and DG SANTE (currently leading on this file) might limit it primarily to healthcare, potentially overlooking the biotech industry’s broader potential in critical sectors including defence, energy, agriculture, and climate change mitigation. The European Parliament has the opportunity to use the time until a draft is presented to be proactive and use its tools to shape the proposal (see below), aiming for a comprehensive approach that encompasses biotech’s full impact across essential sectors. Discussions are currently taking place in the Committee on Public Health (SANT) and the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE), to demonstrate that it is about strengthening a competitive comprehensive European biotech sector.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Highlights – Hearings of Executive Director candidates for eu-LISA and EUDA – Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

    Source: European Parliament

    On 20 May the LIBE committee will hold two hearings to assess the short-listed candidates for the positions of Executive Directors of the European Union Agency for the Operational Management of Large-Scale IT Systems in the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice (eu-LISA), and Executive Director of the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA), respectively.

    The Executive Directors of eu-LISA and the EU Drugs Agency each leads and manages the agencies, with overall responsibility for their operations, and they are accountable to the Management Board. Each Executive Director is appointed for a period of a five-year period, with the possibility of a single renewal.

    The Executive Director will be appointed by the Management Board on the basis of a short-list of candidates proposed by the European Commission, following the selection process.

    Before appointment, the candidates proposed by the Commission shall be invited to make a statement before the competent committee or committees of the European Parliament and answer questions from the committee members. After hearing the statement and the responses, the European Parliament shall adopt an opinion setting out its view and may indicate a preferred candidate.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Impact of tariffs and quota systems on downstream steel manufacturing in the EU – E-001037/2025(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    The steel industry is the sector most protected by trade defence instruments with over 70 trade defence measures including a safeguard.

    Before imposing measures, the Commission conducts an EU interest test where it examines if the overall EU interest justifies the imposition of measures. It examines the interests of importers, users and consumers in that context. Users are encouraged to cooperate in investigations so their concerns can be taken into account when deciding to impose measures.

    Once measures are imposed, if there is evidence that they are being evaded, the Commission imposes anti-circumvention measures to stamp out such practices — now almost a quarter of all measures address circumvention.

    Furthermore, in the European Steel and Metals Action Plan[1] the Commission announced it would assess the introduction of the rule of ‘melted and poured’ which would allow action against the country where the metal was originally melted, regardless of the place of subsequent transformation. In addition, by the third quarter of 2025 at the latest, the Commission will propose a long-term measure providing a highly effective level of protection to the EU’s steel sector. It will take into account changes in EU demand as well as security and resilience considerations, while preserving a certain level of openness in the EU market.

    Industry harmed by unfair competition from imports should contact the Complaints Office[2] of the Directorate-General for Trade and Economic Security for information on the options available.

    • [1] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex:52025DC0125.
    • [2]  trade-defence-complaints@ec.europa.eu.
    Last updated: 15 May 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Impact of the delay in State aid approval for Solar Package I on agri-photovoltaics and European competitiveness – E-001269/2025(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    In December 2022, the Commission declared an amendment to the German Renewable Energy Act (‘Erneuerbare Energien Gesetz’, EEG 2023) compatible with the internal market in line with the Guidelines on state aid for climate, environmental protection and energy[1].

    One of the criteria for state aid approval is to limit aid to what is necessary to address an identified market failure, and thus to avoid over-compensating aid recipients for their investments. Long-term commitments (with potential aid disbursement of up to 20 years) entail significant uncertainty about market developments and thus the possibility of undue windfall profits. For that reason, Germany committed to introduce a claw-back provision (or similar mechanism) to limit eventual overcompensation, in the context of the Commission decision approving the EEG 2023. This commitment is a condition of the approval.

    The current discussions on the Solar Package I amendments include the outstanding need to incorporate this pre-existing requirement in the scheme. It falls within the responsibility of Member States to notify new aid in line with the applicable legal requirements and to ensure the timeliness and quality of information provided. The Commission is awaiting a proposal from Germany to address the requirement regarding the EEG 2023 approval condition and remains available and committed to rapidly review any such proposal once received.

    • [1] Communication from the Commission — Guidelines on state aid for climate, environmental protection and energy 2022, Official Journal of the European Union, C 80, 18 February 2022.
    Last updated: 15 May 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Environmentally harmful subsidies – E-001353/2025(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    Subsidies harmful to biodiversity comprise the following:

    — energy subsidies harmful to the environment including fossil fuel subsidies, where there is established reporting to the Commission[1];

    — and ‘other’ non-energy environmentally harmful subsidies, which would cover agricultural subsidies, where Member States are due to report for the first time in 2025. A guidance document on the methodology for doing so has been agreed based on input and discussions in an Expert Group of the Member States[2].

    The Member States and the Commission have a commitment to report on these environmentally harmful subsidies as part of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework on Target 18 by February 2026. The Commission intends to publish an overview of environmentally harmful subsidies before this time, but this is dependent on Member States reporting to the Commission their non-energy environmentally harmful subsidies including for sectors such as agriculture, transport and manufacturing.

    By 31 December 2025, the Commission will report on the assessment of the operation of the new delivery model by the Member States and consistency and combined contribution of the interventions in Member States’ Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) Strategic Plans[3] to achieving environmental and climate-related commitments of the Union. The Commission will examine the effectiveness of the CAP by 31 December 2026 as part of the interim evaluation.

    • [1] https://energy.ec.europa.eu/news/energy-subsidies-report-shows-progress-2023-2025-01-29_en.
    • [2] Sub group on Environmentally Harmful Subsidies and the Polluter Pays Principle (E02987/1): https://ec.europa.eu/transparency/expert-groups-register/screen/expert-groups/consult?lang=en&groupId=103352&fromMeetings=true&meetingId=50127.
    • [3] https://agriculture.ec.europa.eu/cap-my-country/cap-strategic-plans_en.
    Last updated: 15 May 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Highlights – AFET ad-hoc delegation to Uruguay and Argentina – Committee on Foreign Affairs

    Source: European Parliament

    AFET ad-hoc delegation to Uruguay and Argentina © Image used under license from Adobe Stock

    A delegation of eight Members of the Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET), led by Chair David McAllister, will travel to Uruguay and Argentina from 26 to 29 May. Members will engage in high-level discussions regarding the EU-Mercosur Partnership Agreement which was concluded last December in Montevideo, Uruguay. The findings from this visit will contribute to the preparatory work for the consent procedure on the political and cooperation aspects of the Agreement, for which AFET is responsible.

    More broadly, this mission will allow to exchange views on bilateral, regional and multilateral cooperation, as well as geopolitical issues such as Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, the situation in the Middle East, and China’s expanding influence in Latin America.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Inhumane conditions in EU-funded Greek reception centres – E-001589/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-001589/2025/rev.1
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Tineke Strik (Verts/ALE), Mélissa Camara (Verts/ALE), Jaume Asens Llodrà (Verts/ALE), Erik Marquardt (Verts/ALE), Saskia Bricmont (Verts/ALE)

    On 31 March 2025, investigative journalists found[1] that children are facing inhumane conditions in EU-funded refugee reception centres on the Greek islands, including extreme overcrowding, systemic neglect and prolonged confinement. On Samos, an area intended to host 200 unaccompanied minors, there were 500 children in December 2024, who had to resort to sleeping on the floor in shifts. The investigation is based on internal documents from Commission representatives stationed on the islands and staff at the European Union Asylum Agency.

    • 1.Does the Commission consider the current conditions in the EU-funded reception centres on the Greek islands to be compliant with Directive (EU) 2024/1346, notably Article 19?
    • 2.What concrete measures has the Commission taken to improve the conditions in these facilities, specifically as regards ensuring the best interests of unaccompanied minors, given its direct funding of these facilities?
    • 3.What action has the Commission taken in relation to Greece to enforce compliance with Directive (EU) 2024/1346?

    Submitted: 22.4.2025

    • [1] https://wearesolomon.com/mag/focus-area/migration/unaccompanied-children-sleep-on-the-floor-in-shifts-in-greece-model-camps/.
    Last updated: 15 May 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Young-child formula – E-001857/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-001857/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Vytenis Povilas Andriukaitis (S&D)

    According to the Commission’s report on young-child formulae from 2016[1], 17 out of 27 Member States classified the product as a dietetic food, and the majority of Member States and of interested stakeholders were in favour of specific measures for young-child formula. Yet the Commission decided against specific measures at the time. Recently, a relevant global standard regulating inter alia young-child formula was published[2].

    • 1.Has the Commission gathered any new insights on the matter in recent years, including in the context of its collaboration on the global standard? If so, what insights has it gathered?
    • 2.Is the Commission still against introducing specific measures for composition and labelling in relation to nutrient reference value requirements for young-child formula, despite the opinion of Member States and stakeholders? If so, could the Commission explain its reasons?

    Submitted: 8.5.2025

    • [1] Report from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council on young child formulae, COM(2016)0169, https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:52016DC0169.
    • [2] Codex Standard for Follow-Up Formula for Older Infants and Product for Young Children: CXS 156-1987, revised in 2023, which regulates the nutritional composition and labelling, https://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/sh-proxy/en/?lnk=1&url=https%253A%252F%252Fworkspace.fao.org%252Fsites%252Fcodex%252FStandards%252FCXS%2B156-1987%252FCXS_156e.pdf.
    Last updated: 15 May 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Man charged with three counts of arson with intent

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    A man arrested in connection with a series of arson attacks in north London has been charged.

    Roman Lavrynovych 21 (06.02.04), of Sydenham, a Ukrainian national has been charged with three counts of arson with intent to endanger life.

    The charges, which were authorised by the Crown Prosecution Service, relate to three incidents – a vehicle fire in NW5 on 8 May, a fire at the entrance of a property in N7 on 11 May and a fire at a residential address in NW5 in the early hours of 12 May.

    Due to the property having previous connections with a high-profile public figure, officers from the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command have led the investigation into the fires.

    Lavrynovych was arrested in the early hours of 13 May and has remained in custody after warrants of further detention were obtained.

    He is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday, 16 May.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: ILM Highland and Highland Council Launch Electrical Recycling Service in Fort Augustus

    Source: Scotland – Highland Council

    Published by the Reuse Network

    Reuse Network member ILM Highland, in partnership with The Highland Council, proudly launched a new Household Electrical Recycling Collection Service with a community event in Fort Augustus held on Friday 2nd May.

    The launch marked the beginning of a new monthly collection service aimed at helping residents across Highland communities recycle unwanted electrical items—whether working or broken. The new service covers Fort Augustus, Caol, Kinlochleven, Mallaig, Kingussie, Golspie, Melvich & Bettyhill, Kinlochbervie, Aultbea, Kyleakin, Lochcarron, Raasay & Sconser.

    The Highland Council and ILM Highland have been awarded £135,000 of funding from the Scottish Government’s Recycling Improvement Fund (Small Grant Scheme) to increase circular economy practices for Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) across the region.

    This includes the introduction of the new electrical and electronic equipment collection service and new facilities at 4 Household Waste Recycling Centres which will be available in the coming weeks, for the separation of domestic appliances which are suitable for reuse.

    The funding includes the purchase of a new van which will be utilised by ILM Highland to provide the monthly collection of WEEE in communities which have limited access to Household Waste Recycling Centres, to help increase the recycling and reuse of this type of waste.

    David Gunn, Manager (Recycling Improvement Fund) Operations at Zero Waste Scotland said: “It’s fantastic to see recycling and reuse being made more accessible to rural communities through this new service. By supporting households across the Highlands to recycle their electrical items – whether broken or in working order, this initiative is not only helping to reduce waste but also playing a vital role in Scotland’s journey towards a more circular economy.”

    The event was held at the Village Hall car park, where members of the public joined representatives from ILM Highland and Highland Council for a photo opportunity and live demonstration of the collection service.

    Residents are encouraged to bring any electrical item with a plug, cable, or household battery. While most small and large appliances are accepted, vapes and disposable/rechargeable vape devices could not be collected. Lithium batteries in power tools, however, are accepted.

    Martin Macleod, CEO at ILM Highland said: “This initiative represents our continued commitment to reducing waste and supporting our communities. We’re grateful to Highland Council for their partnership and to the residents of Fort Augustus for such a warm welcome.”

    All reusable items collected will be earmarked for repair and resale, while remaining components will be responsibly recycled—supporting ILM Highland’s mission as a social enterprise reinvesting profits into community support and home improvement services for vulnerable residents.

    Councillor Graham MacKenzie, Chair of Highland Council’s Communities and Place Committee, said: “I am delighted that The Highland Council and ILM Highland have been successful in securing the funding from the Scottish Government to help improve the recycling facilities in Highland. Electrical and electronic waste is the fastest growing waste stream in the world, and recent research shows that the Highland region, produces the most e-waste per capita than anywhere else in Europe. Increasing the opportunities for the public to recycle and reuse e-waste has significant environmental and social benefits that help to reduce carbon emissions, preserve precious metals found in all kinds of tech and helping to create jobs within Highland.”

    Details of the new WEEE collection service are available on the Council’s website www.highland.gov.uk/recycle.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Council progressing well against Operational Delivery Plan

    Source: Scotland – Highland Council

    Councillors have approved a progress report on Highland Council’s Operational Delivery Plan for 2024/25 which provides a planned approach to transforming Highland communities by bringing major sources of investment to the area and new ways of delivering services.

    The report noted positive feedback from Audit Scotland on progress made since 2020, including plans in place to support priorities and an embedded culture of transformation.

    Transformation projects within the Delivery Plan aimed to make savings of £27.6m in 2024/25, for example, by changing procurement processes, generating income from tourism, and reducing numbers of senior managers. The report forecasts that 95% of savings will have been delivered, excluding Adult Social Care, where earmarked reserves have been used to frontload the transformation of the service.

    Leader of the Council, Cllr Raymond Bremner said: “I welcome this report which shows the progress being made as directed by our Future Highland Programme bringing changes in services to benefit communities across Highland. A focus on driving external investment has already seen successes such as £17.5 million investment for home energy efficiency.

    “The report also reflects the positive comments in the recent Audit Scotland report about the ways in which Highland Council is taking steps to transform its delivery of services.”

    Convener of the Council, Cllr Bill Lobban added: “Members have had the opportunity to discuss the Delivery Plan report which is vital to ensure that the Council’s ambitious plans are robustly scrutinised to keep project delivery on track. Innovative approaches to income generation such as the Storr Centre are paying off for people in Highland.”

    Chair of Corporate Resources Committee, Cllr Derek Louden said: “Long term financial stability, sustainable service delivery and affordability is what we are aiming to achieve to enable continuous improvements to service delivery for Highland. This report is a positive step in the right direction, highlighting the importance of good value systems and processes such as in procurement, where savings of hundreds of thousands of pounds have been delivered.”

    The report also highlighted how staff have been kept informed and involved, with 97% agreeing that a roadshow programme for staff set the Council’s vision for the future; 96% that it clearly articulated opportunities; and 78% that they could see the benefits for communities from the Council’s Delivery Plan.

    The delivery plan shows how Highland Council intends to transform over time, with a focus on six development areas incorporated into the following portfolios:

    • Person-centred solutions.
    • Workforce for the future.
    • Reconfiguring our asset base.
    • Net zero energy, investment and innovation.
    • Corporate solutions.
    • Income generation.

    The Operational Delivery Plan supports the My Future Highland Programme and Performance Plan which combined together comprise the Council’s transformation programme.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Council to invest £756m in the Highlands

    Source: Scotland – Highland Council

    Highland Councillors have considered £756m investment across Highland communities over the next 5 years when they discussed an updated report on the consolidated Highland Investment Plan (HIP) at a meeting of The Highland Council today Thursday 15 May.

    Convener of the Council, Cllr Bill Lobban said: “The consolidated programme which was presented to Members is part of a longer-term strategy for the Highland Investment Plan which creates a potential £2.1bn of capital investment over a twenty-year period.

    “Councillors agreed that officers progress actions to ensure the HIP programme is managed within the overall funding as described in the report.”

    Leader of the Council, Cllr Raymond Bremner said: “The Highland Investment Plan is creating a new generation of community based facilities known as Points of Delivery or PODs. In addition to schools and community facilities the HIP also aims to provide investment for transport and roads, depots and offices. People will start to see a real difference in their communities over the coming five years as these projects are rolled out.”

    The first phase of agreed HIP projects includes investment in Beauly, Charleston, Dingwall, Dunvegan, Fortrose, Inverness High and Thurso schools.

    The consolidated HIP report reflects decisions made by the Council over the past year on capital project priorities and budgets, and the HIP will continue to operate within agreed funding and affordability. The full report can be found here (Item 4).   

    More information on the Highland Investment Plan can be found on the Council’s website:  

    https://www.highland.gov.uk/highlandinvestmentplan 

    15 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Council’s Community Council Scheme Review moves on to second public consultation

    Source: Scotland – Highland Council

    Members of The Highland Council have noted the feedback received during phase 1 of the Community Council Scheme Review 2024-25 public consultation and have agreed to proceed to a second and final consultation.

    Members also agreed an amendment from the Nairnshire Area Committee members to amend the “Review of the Highland Scheme of Establishment for Community Councils 2024/25 – Phase 1 Feedback” 2.1(ii) to add an additional bullet point:

    • The proposals for East Nairnshire CC as set out in 7.3 and Appendix 2 to proceed to phase 2 consultation.

    The consultation will focus on revised and new boundary proposals, amendments to existing Scheme proposals, and new proposals.  

    The Council has made a commitment to review the Scheme on a regular cycle.

    Feedback was received on boundary proposals, finance, the role of Community Councils, membership, and elections.

    Leader of the Council, Cllr Raymond Bremner said: “During the first consultation period we received 96 responses from individuals, Community Councils and individual Community Council members so I’d like to thank everyone for their input into the process.”

    Convener of the Council, Cllr Bill Lobban added: “We are now ready to move forward and the proposals we are consulting on in this next phase have all come following feedback directly from the first phase of public consultation.”

    A 12-week public consultation will run from 22 May until 13 August 2025.

    Following this, a further report will go to a special meeting of The Highland Council on 18 September at which Members will make a final decision to approve a New Scheme of Establishment for Community Councils.

    15 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China’s decision not to approve Taiwan region’s participation in 78th WHA session received broad support from international community – Chinese MFA

    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 15 (Xinhua) — China’s decision not to approve the Taiwan region’s participation in the 78th World Health Assembly (WHA) has found broad support and understanding in the international community, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said Thursday.

    Lin Jian made the remarks at a regular press briefing, commenting on media reports that Taiwan has not yet received an invitation to attend the 78th session of the WHA, which opens on May 19. The diplomat noted that China’s position on Taiwan’s participation in international organizations, including the World Health Organization (WHO), is consistent and clear.

    “This issue should be resolved in accordance with the one-China principle, which is also a fundamental principle affirmed by UN General Assembly (GA) Resolution 2758 and WHA Resolution 25.1,” Lin Jian noted.

    According to him, the Chinese region of Taiwan has no basis, no reason, and no right to participate in the WHA without the permission of the central government, and due to the stubborn separatist position of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) administration in Taiwan, there is no longer a political basis for the Taiwan region to participate in the WHA.

    In order to uphold the one-China principle and uphold the seriousness and authority of the relevant UNGA and WHA resolutions, China has decided not to approve the Taiwan region’s participation in this year’s WHA session, Lin Jian said.

    He recalled that for quite some time now, the DPP administration and individual countries have been openly trying to turn back the wheel of history by deliberately distorting and challenging UNGA Resolution 2758 in an effort to challenge the one-China principle.

    “Such actions, in fact, challenge not only China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, but also international justice, broad international consensus and the post-war international order,” the official representative emphasized.

    As Lin Jian noted, China’s decision not to approve the Taiwan region’s participation in this year’s WHA session has won broad support and understanding from the international community, and this convincingly demonstrates that adhering to the one-China principle meets the aspirations of the people and the general trend of the times, and is a generally recognized truth.

    “The international community’s commitment to the one-China principle is unquestionable and cannot be shaken. Whatever the DPP administration says or does, it will not change the fact that Taiwan is part of China, nor will it stop the historical trend toward China’s inevitable and final reunification,” Lin Jian concluded, adding that “Taiwan independence” is a dead end, and any provocations by its supporters are doomed to failure. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: V. Zelensky refused to participate in Russian-Ukrainian negotiations in Istanbul

    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

    ANKARA, May 15 (Xinhua) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said at a press conference held at the Ukrainian Embassy in Turkey on Thursday that he will not personally participate in the talks with the Russian side in Istanbul, but the Ukrainian side will send a high-level delegation to them.

    V. Zelensky arrived in Ankara at midday on May 15, after which he held several hours of closed-door talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at his residence. He then made the above statement at a press conference at the Ukrainian embassy.

    He said that the Ukrainian delegation would be headed by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov and would include representatives of military and intelligence agencies. It is not yet clear when the talks will take place – May 15 or 16.

    The head of the Russian delegation to the talks with Ukraine, Vladimir Medinsky, said on Thursday: “We view these talks as a continuation of the peace process in Istanbul, which, unfortunately, was interrupted by the Ukrainian side three years ago. Our official delegation has been approved by a presidential decree, and it has all the necessary competencies and powers to conduct negotiations.”

    “The delegation is set on a constructive mood, on finding possible solutions and points of contact. The goal of direct negotiations with the Ukrainian side is to sooner or later establish long-term peace by eliminating the basic root causes of the conflict,” the head of the Russian delegation emphasized. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Pakistan, India agree to extend ceasefire until May 18: Pakistani FM

    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

    ISLAMABAD, May 15 (Xinhua) — Pakistan and India held talks on Thursday and agreed to extend the current ceasefire until May 18, Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said.

    Speaking in parliament, he said that earlier on Thursday, the two countries’ militaries had contacted each other and decided to extend the ceasefire, followed by a transition to political dialogue.

    “The initial ceasefire agreement concluded on May 10 was in effect until May 12. It was then extended until May 14, and now until May 18,” I. Dar told parliamentarians.

    He added that so far, military-level talks have played an important role in maintaining the ceasefire, and comprehensive political talks will begin after May 18.

    “Comprehensive and result-oriented negotiations will be held with India. The aim is not to recognize anyone’s superiority, but to resolve issues on the basis of equality,” the Pakistani Foreign Minister stressed.

    Tensions between the two countries escalated in the early hours of May 7 when India carried out airstrikes on several targets in Pakistan following an armed attack last month in Pahalgam in Indian-controlled Kashmir, where unidentified militants killed 26 civilians.

    After several days of fierce fighting, the parties agreed to a ceasefire on May 10, which was then extended in stages. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Chinese Premier Stresses Sustainable Economic Growth, High-Quality Development

    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 15 (Xinhua) — Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Thursday stressed the importance of using the stability and long-term growth of domestic economic circulation to guard against the uncertainty of international circulation, and called for promoting the country’s sustainable and long-term economic growth and high-quality development.

    Li Qiang made the remarks at a State Council meeting on strengthening domestic circulation, chaired by State Council Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang.

    China needs to coordinate its strategy of expanding domestic demand and deepening supply-side structural reforms, and strengthen effective links between domestic and international markets, Li Qiang said.

    The head of the Chinese government stressed that in order to strengthen domestic economic circulation, it is necessary to focus on four aspects: efficient allocation of resources, deep integration of scientific and technological and industrial innovation, building self-sufficient and complete industrial and supply chains, and maintaining a dynamic balance between supply and demand.

    Li Qiang called for providing targeted and effective assistance to the country’s foreign trade enterprises, stimulating employment in various ways, identifying the potential for stimulating consumption, increasing effective investment, and coordinating development and security.

    The Premier of the State Council stressed that all departments and regions should strengthen the planning and implementation of policies, strengthen the coordination of work, and do everything possible to stimulate market vitality and social creativity. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China’s defense chief outlines six proposals to support UN peacekeeping reform 2025-05-16 01:05:21 Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun on Wednesday laid out six proposals to support the reform and transformation of United Nations peacekeeping operations, reaffirming China’s long-standing commitment to multilateral security cooperation.

    Source: People’s Republic of China – Ministry of National Defense

      By Jiang Chenglong

      Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun on Wednesday laid out six proposals to support the reform and transformation of United Nations peacekeeping operations, reaffirming China’s long-standing commitment to multilateral security cooperation.

      Speaking at the 6th UN Peacekeeping Ministerial in Berlin, Dong said peacekeeping missions offer peace and hope to people suffering in conflict zones. His remarks were released Thursday by China’s Ministry of National Defense.

      China “steadfastly promotes the building of a community with a shared future for mankind,” Dong said, adding that the country remains a firm supporter and constructive contributor to UN peacekeeping.

      Dong’s six-point proposal included advancing the Global Security Initiative through unity, cooperation and mutual benefit in addressing international security challenges. He also called for firm support for the UN’s central role in global peace and security.

      Additional proposals included enhancing training for peacekeeping professionals, organizing high-level strategic seminars, expanding training sessions, and improving the readiness and capabilities of China’s peacekeeping standby forces.

      On the sidelines of the conference, Dong met with senior UN officials as well as defense leaders from France, Germany, Italy and Nepal.

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    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese defense minister holds talks with German counterpart 2025-05-15 23:02:51 The Chinese Defense Minister Admiral Dong Jun, who is currently on a visit to Germany at invitation, held talks with his German counterpart, Boris Pistorius, on May 15.

    Source: People’s Republic of China – Ministry of National Defense

      BEIJING, May 15 — The Chinese Defense Minister Admiral Dong Jun, who is currently on a visit to Germany at invitation, held talks with his German counterpart, Boris Pistorius, on May 15.

      The two sides had an in-depth exchange of views on the relations between the two countries and the two militaries, international and regional situations as well as issues of common concern, and reached a consensus on strengthening practical exchanges and cooperation between the two militaries.

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    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI: Aleran Software’s Digital Commerce Platform Is Certified by SAP as Built with SAP Business Technology Platform

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MINNEAPOLIS, May 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Aleran Software announced today that its digital commerce platform is now certified by SAP® as built with SAP Business Technology Platform (SAP BTP), SAP’s platform for the Intelligent Enterprise.

    Aleran helps mid-market B2B manufacturers, wholesalers and distributors quickly and easily orchestrate omni-channel B2B sales and commerce. It does this with an AI-fueled holistic commerce platform that simplifies complex product configuration and pricing by delivering customer portals, B2B eCommerce, end-to-end sales order management, and AI-powered catalog embedded buying – all with minimal IT support.

    “Discrete manufacturers often believe their products, pricing, or go-to-market models are too complex for online selling. In fact, it’s surprisingly easy to do,” said Aleran CEO Alex Sayyah. “We’ve focused on making it easy to implement our cloud-based platform with minimal IT, and easy for customers to find, price and buy what they need so your sales and channel partners can focus on creating sustainable, value-driven customer relationships.”

    Aleran’s cloud-based platform is available on the SAP Store and is purpose-built to support make-to-stock, make-to-order and engineer-to-order companies that have complex product, pricing or sales processes. Key capabilities include:

    • Automated native configuration, order, quote management, and pricing functionality designed to accelerate the sales process.
    • Customer portals for self-service ordering and re-ordering and viewing and managing quotes and invoices, lowering the cost of sales.
    • Simplified and improved customer experience with AI Sales Agent and catalog-embedded buying.

    One global industrial and mechatronic manufacturing company with over $1 billion in sales was able to increase its average customer spend by 20% and decrease sales operations costs by over 50% by adding Aleran’s digital commerce platform to complement its traditional sales processes.

    SAP Integration and Certification Center (SAP ICC) has certified that Aleran’s digital commerce platform is built with SAP BTP, extending the capabilities of SAP S/4HANA® to orchestrate omni-channel sales through tailored B2B e-commerce features. SAP BTP helps companies connect and integrate their business processes and data with SAP and third-party applications to make well-informed decisions and meet their evolving needs.

    About Aleran

    Aleran Software provides the first holistic, all-in-one commerce platform purpose-built for discrete manufacturing, industrial distributors and wholesalers. Aleran’s connected commerce platform helps manufacturers simplify, unify, and accelerate sales online, offline and everywhere they sell. Based in Minneapolis, Aleran empowers manufacturers with the ability to sell easily, efficiently, and economically by seamlessly integrating with core business technology, including ERP, CRM, and WMS systems, while also streamlining and digitizing the entire sales process. Aleran’s full suite of features enables manufacturers to easily create e-commerce buying experiences for individual customers at scale, launch personalized pricing and promotion, leverage AI-enabled suggested selling, automate configurable pricing and quoting and much more. Learn more about Aleran at www.aleran.com.

    SAP and other SAP products and services mentioned herein as well as their respective logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of SAP SE in Germany and other countries. Please see https://www.sap.com/copyright for additional trademark information and notices. All other product and service names mentioned are the trademarks of their respective companies.

    An image accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/7c03daea-135b-4c72-821d-3cce8036010b

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: After an autocratic leader was toppled in Bangladesh, democratic renewal remains a work in progress

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Intifar Chowdhury, Lecturer in Government, Flinders University

    Last July, a powerful student-led uprising in Bangladesh toppled the authoritarian, corrupt government led for 15 years by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

    Bangladesh now shows modest signs of democratic recovery. Months into its tenure, a transitional government has reopened political and civic space, especially at universities, and begun reforming key state bodies.

    Yet, violence and political retribution persist. This week, the interim government banned Hasina’s former party, the Awami League, under the country’s Anti-Terrorism Act while a tribunal investigates its role in the deaths of hundreds of protesters last year.

    Elections have also been delayed and may not happen until 2026.

    Amid this fragile transition, interim leader Muhammad Yunus, the 84-year-old Nobel-prize winning economist, has emerged as a rare figure of trust and calm. His popularity is so high, in fact, many are calling for him to remain at the helm for another five years.

    Given the uncertainty, Bangladesh faces some uncomfortable questions: can it afford electoral democracy right now? Or must stability come first, with democracy postponed until institutions can catch up?

    And what happens if emergency governance becomes the new normal?

    Fraught road to democratic renewal

    According to a global democracy report, Bangladesh is still classified as an “electoral autocracy” — one of the few in the category that actually got worse in 2024.

    The opposition, chiefly the Bangladesh National Party (BNP), has mounted a fierce challenge to the interim government’s legitimacy, arguing it lacks a democratic mandate to implement meaningful reforms.

    While the BNP and its former ally, the Islamist party Jamaat-e-Islami, may appeal to segments of Bangladesh’s Muslim majority, their support is undermined by reputational baggage and limited resonance with younger voters.

    At the same time, radical, right-wing, Islamist forces are exploiting the vacuum to reassert themselves, exacerbating tensions between Muslims and the Hindu minority.

    Economically, the country is also still reeling from the damage done under Hasina’s regime.

    Corruption hollowed out the banking system, leaving key institutions almost bankrupt. Although Yunus has taken steps to stabilise the economy by bringing in competent officials, uncertainty continues to dampen investor confidence.

    Inflation remains high. And unless job creation accelerates, especially for the youth, the seeds of further unrest are already planted.

    In addition, law and order has deteriorated sharply. The country’s police force has been tainted by its association with the Alami League, and the former police chief is facing charges of crimes against humanity.

    Street crime is rising and minorities are experiencing growing harassment. Women feel deeply unsafe — both online and on the streets. Some parties are also seen as a threat to countering violence against women.

    Despite strong laws on paper, weak law enforcement and victim-blaming are allowing violence to flourish. It’s very difficult to hold perpetrators of crimes to account.

    Bangladesh is also increasingly isolated on the global stage.

    India, long allied to Hasina’s government, has turned its back on the interim government. The United States is disengaging, as well. USAID had committed nearly US$1 billion (A$1.6 billion) from 2021–26 to help improve the lives of Bangladeshis, but this funding has now been suspended.

    Some gains on civil liberties

    This year, Bangladesh improved slightly in Freedom House’s index on political freedoms and civil liberties, from a score of 40 points out of 100 last year to 45. This is a step in the right direction.

    Among the improvements in the past year, the government has:

    The appointment of new election commissioners and the creation of advisory commissions for judicial and anti-corruption reform also signal an institutional reset in motion.

    But gains remain fragile. While politically motivated cases against opposition figures have been dropped, new ones have emerged against former ruling elites. The military’s policing role has expanded and harassment of Awami League supporters by protesters persists.

    In addition, media freedom remains heavily constrained, with a human rights group reporting the interim government had targeted hundreds of journalists in the past eight months.

    In this fractured environment, urgent reforms are needed. But these need to be sustainable, as well. Whether the interim government has the time, authority or support to deliver them remains in doubt. The government also needs to deliver on its promise to hold free and fair elections.

    A new party on the rise

    The country’s politically engaged youth have not been dissuaded by these issues. Rather, they are trying to reshape the political landscape.

    The new National Citizen Party (NCP) was formed in early 2025 by leaders of last year’s student uprising. It has positioned itself as the party to bring a “second republic” to Bangladesh. Drawing from historical models from France and the US, the party envisions a new elected, constituent assembly and constitution.

    With organisational support and tacit backing from the interim government, the NCP has rapidly grown into a viable political force.

    Still, the party faces a steep, uphill climb. Its broad, ideological umbrella risks diluting its message, blurring its distinctions with the BNP.

    For the NCP to turn protests into policy, it must sharpen its identity, consolidate its base, and avoid being co-opted or outflanked.

    Whether this moment of political flux leads to real transformation or yet another cycle of disillusionment will depend on how boldly — and how sustainably— the interim government and new actors like the NCP act. And they must not draw out the process of transition for too long.

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

    – ref. After an autocratic leader was toppled in Bangladesh, democratic renewal remains a work in progress – https://theconversation.com/after-an-autocratic-leader-was-toppled-in-bangladesh-democratic-renewal-remains-a-work-in-progress-253846

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –