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Category: Europe

  • MIL-OSI: ASSOCIATED CAPITAL GROUP, INC. Reports First Quarter Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    • Performance for our Merger Arbitrage strategy in the first quarter was 3.8% before expenses and 2.8% after expenses
    • Assets Under Management (“AUM”): $1.27 billion at March 31, 2025 compared to $1.25 billion at December 31, 2024
    • Book Value per share ended the quarter at $42.51 per share vs $42.14 per share at December 31, 2024

    GREENWICH, Conn., May 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Associated Capital Group, Inc. (“AC” or the “Company”), a diversified financial services company, today reported its financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2025.

    In March 2025, Doug Jamieson retired as our Chief Executive Officer and President but will continue serving the Company as a Director. We thank him for his years of dedicated service and look forward to his continued contributions as a member of the Board of Directors. Patrick Huvane was named Interim Chief Executive Officer upon Doug Jamieson’s retirement.

    “The prospects for Associated Capital Group remain strong and we are well positioned to grow value in the face of an uncertain environment. I am privileged to take on this opportunity to serve AC shareholders.” Mr. Huvane said.

    Financial Highlights
    ($ in 000’s except AUM and per share data)

     (Unaudited)   Three months ended  
        March 31,     December 31,     March 31,  
        2025     2024     2024  
    AUM – end of period (in millions)   $ 1,268     $ 1,248     $ 1,549  
    AUM – average (in millions)     1,261       1,291       1,556  
                             
    Revenues     2,129       5,154       3,011  
    Operating loss before management fee (Non-GAAP)     (4,185 )     (3,059 )     (2,988 )
    Investment and other non-operating income, net     15,834       4,372       22,625  
    Income before income taxes     10,546       1,179       17,655  
                             
    Net income     7,669       4,280       13,821  
    Net income per share-diluted     0.36       0.20       0.64  
                             
    Class A shares outstanding (000’s)     2,194       2,234       2,469  
    Class B ” “     18,951       18,951       18,951  
    Total ” “     21,145       21,185       21,420  
                             
    Book value per share   $ 42.51     $ 42.14     $ 42.80  


    First Quarter Financial Data

    • Assets under management ended the quarter at $1.27 billion versus $1.25 billion at December 31, 2024. 
    • Book value was $42.51 per share at March 31, 2025 versus $42.14 per share at December 31, 2024. 

    First Quarter Results

    Total revenues in the first quarter were $2.1 million compared to $3.0 million in the first quarter of 2024.  Revenues generated by the GAMCO International SICAV – GAMCO Merger Arbitrage (the “SICAV”) were $0.9 million versus $1.7 million in the prior year period due to lower average AUM in 2025. All other revenues were $1.2 million compared to $1.3 million in the year-ago quarter.

    Total operating expenses, excluding management fee, were $6.3 million in the first quarter of 2025 and $6.0 million in the first quarter of 2024. The increase is driven primarily by $0.9 million of mark to market expense on phantom RSA’s driven by an increase in AC’s stock price compared to 2024, partially offset by lower variable-based sales and marketing costs on the SICAV of $0.6 million.

    Net investment and other non-operating income was $15.8 million for the first quarter of 2025 compared to $22.6 million in the first quarter of 2024. The primary driver of the 2025 quarter’s results was our merger arbitrage partnerships. Interest income was lower in the 2025 quarter due to lower average interest rates in the first quarter of 2025.

    For the quarter ended March 31, 2025, the management fee was $1.1 million versus $2.0 million for the three months ended March 31, 2024.

    The effective tax rate applied to our pre-tax income for the quarter ended March 31, 2025 was 26.3%. In the year ago quarter, the effective tax rate was 21.5%; 2024’s lower rate is primarily driven by deferred tax benefits from a foreign investment.

    Assets Under Management (AUM)

    Assets under management at March 31, 2025 were $1.27 billion, $21 million higher than year-end 2024 primarily due to market appreciation of $33 million and the impact of currency fluctuations in non-US dollar denominated classes of investment funds ($13 million). These increases were partially offset by net outflows of $25 million. 

        March 31,     December 31,     March 31,  
        2025     2024     2024  
    ($ in millions)                        
    Merger Arbitrage(a)   $ 1,012     $ 1,003     $ 1,262  
    Long/Short Value(b)     221       209       251  
    Other     36       36       36  
    Total AUM   $ 1,269     $ 1,248     $ 1,549  

    (a) Includes $401, $408, and $580 of sub-advisory AUM related to GAMCO International SICAV – GAMCO Merger Arbitrage, $70, $68, and $66 of sub-advisory AUM related to Gabelli Merchant Partners Plc (f/k/a Gabelli Merger Plus+ Trust Plc), respectively.
    (b) Assets under management represent the assets invested in this strategy that are attributable to Associated Capital Group, Inc.

    Alternative Investment Management

    The alternative investment strategy offerings center around our merger arbitrage strategy which has an absolute return focus of generating returns independent of the broad equity and fixed income markets. We also offer strategies utilizing fundamental, active, event-driven and special situations investments.

    Merger Arbitrage

    For the first quarter of 2025, the longest continuously offered fund in the merger arbitrage strategy generated gross returns of 3.77% (2.81% net of fees). A summary of the performance is as follows:

                        Full Year                  
    Performance%(a)   1Q ’25     1Q ’24     2024     2023     2022     2021     5 Year(b)     Since 1985(b)(c)  
    Merger Arb                                                                
    Gross     3.77       1.33       5.83       5.49       4.47       10.81       9.57       10.02  
    Net     2.81       0.87       3.82       3.56       2.75       7.78       7.09       7.09  

    (a) Net performance is net of fees and expenses, unless otherwise noted. Performance shown for an actual fund in this strategy. The performance of other funds in this strategy may vary. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.
    (b) Represents annualized returns through March 31, 2025
    (c) Inception Date: February 1985

    Global M&A activity for the first quarter of 2025 totaled $890 billion, an increase of 15% compared to the first quarter of 2024. Technology was the most active sector with $165 billion, accounting for 19% of total value, followed by Financials ($165 billion or 19%) and Energy & Power ($126 billion or 14%). Europe was a bright spot with M&A totaling $154 billion in Q1 2025, a 12% increase compared to Q1 2024, while Asia Pacific M&A increased 59% to $187 billion. Both of these regions experienced their strongest performance in 3 years. Private Equity remained active, accounting for 21% of deal volume overall, or about $185 billion. This was the third strongest opening quarter for private equity and is indicative of the values PE firms are finding and reflective of the approximately $3 trillion of “dry powder” private equity firms have to deploy. Despite recent market volatility creating uncertainty, we believe a more accommodative antitrust environment and pent-up demand from acquirers should be supportive of ongoing M&A activity.

    The Merger Arbitrage strategy is offered by mandate and client type through partnerships and offshore corporations serving accredited as well as institutional investors. The strategy is also offered in separately managed accounts, a Luxembourg UCITS (an entity organized as an Undertaking for Collective Investment in Transferrable Securities) and a London Stock Exchange listed investment company, Gabelli Merchant Partners Plc (GMP-LN) (f/k/a Gabelli Merger Plus+ Trust Plc). 

    Acquisitions

    Associated Capital Group’s plan is to accelerate the use of its capital. We intend to leverage our research and investment capabilities by pursuing acquisitions and alliances that will broaden our product offerings and add new sources of distribution. In addition, we may make direct investments in operating businesses using a variety of techniques and structures to accomplish our objectives.

    Gabelli Private Equity Partners, LLC was created to launch a private equity business, somewhat akin to the success our predecessor PE firm had in the 1980s. We will continue our outreach initiatives with business owners, corporate management, and various financial sponsors. We are activating our program of buying privately owned, family started businesses, controlled and operated by the founding family.

    Shareholder Compensation

    On May 7, 2025, the Board of Directors declared a semi-annual dividend of $0.10 per share, which is payable on June 26, 2025 to shareholders of record on June 12, 2025.

    During the first quarter of 2025, AC repurchased 39,018 Class A shares, for $1.4 million, at an average price of $36.32 per share. In the first quarter of 2024, AC repurchased 117,354 Class A shares, for $3.9 million, at an average price of $33.63 per share.

    Since our spin-off from GAMCO on November 30, 2015, AC has returned $184.2 million to shareholders through share repurchases, exchange offers and dividends of $83.2 million.

    At March 31, 2025, there were 21.145 million shares outstanding, consisting of 2.194 million Class A shares and 18.951 million Class B shares outstanding.

    About Associated Capital Group, Inc.

    Associated Capital Group, Inc. (NYSE:AC), based in Greenwich, Connecticut, is a diversified global financial services company that provides alternative investment management through Gabelli & Company Investment Advisers, Inc. (“GCIA”). We have also earmarked proprietary capital for our direct investment business that invests in new and existing businesses. The direct investment business is developing along several core pillars including Gabelli Private Equity Partners, LLC (“GPEP”), formed in August 2017 with $150 million of authorized capital as a “fund-less” sponsor. We also created Gabelli Principal Strategies Group, LLC (“GPS”) in December 2015 to pursue strategic operating initiatives.

    Operating Loss Before Management Fee

    Operating loss before management fee expense represents a non-GAAP financial measure used by management to evaluate its business operations. We believe this measure is useful in illustrating the operating results of the Company as management fee expense is based on pre-tax income before management fee expense, which includes non-operating items including investment gains and losses from the Company’s proprietary investment portfolio and interest expense.

        Three Months Ended
    March 31,    		  
    ($ in 000’s)   2025     2024  
                     
    Operating loss – GAAP   $ (5,288 )   $ (4,970 )
                     
    Add: management fee expense (1)     1,103       1,982  
                     
    Operating loss before management fee – Non-GAAP   $ (4,185 )   $ (2,988 )

    (1) Management fee expense is incentive-based and is equal to 10% of Income before management fee and income taxes and excludes the impact of consolidating entities. For the three months ended March 31, 2025 and 2024, Income before management fee, income taxes and excluding consolidated entities was $11,028 and $19,822, respectively. As a result, $1,103 and $1,982 was accrued for the 10% management fee expense in the first quarters 2025 and 2024, respectively.

                       
    Table I
                       
    ASSOCIATED CAPITAL GROUP, INC.
    UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION
    (Amounts in thousands)
                       
        March 31,     December 31,     March 31,  
        2025     2024     2024  
    ASSETS                        
                             
    Cash, cash equivalents and US Treasury Bills(1)   $ 357,813     $ 367,850     $ 395,386  
    Investments in securities and partnerships(1)     506,156       487,623       442,458  
    Investment in GAMCO stock(2)     15,599       16,920       51,026  
    Receivable from brokers(1)     25,458       27,634       32,966  
    Income taxes receivable, including deferred tax assets, net(1)     3,310       6,021       6,444  
    Other receivables(1)     1,752       4,778       2,126  
    Other assets(1)     23,169       24,463       23,776  
    Total assets   $ 933,257     $ 935,289     $ 954,182  
                             
    LIABILITIES, REDEEMABLE NONCONTROLLING INTERESTS AND EQUITY   
                             
    Payable to brokers(1)   $ 5,258     $ 5,491     $ 6,332  
    Income taxes payable, including deferred tax liabilities, net     –       –       1,723  
    Compensation payable(1)     12,456       17,747       11,545  
    Securities sold short, not yet purchased(1)     8,754       8,436       9,439  
    Accrued expenses and other liabilities(1)     2,149       5,317       2,514  
    Total liabilities   $ 28,617     $ 36,991     $ 31,553  
                             
    Redeemable noncontrolling interests(1)     5,682       5,592       5,779  
                             
    Total equity     898,958       892,706       916,850  
                             
    Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests and equity   $ 933,257     $ 935,289     $ 954,182  

    (1) Certain captions include amounts related to a consolidated variable interest entity (“VIE”) and voting interest entity (“VOE”); refer to footnote 4 of the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements included in the 10-Q report to be filed for the quarter ended March 31, 2025 for more details on the impact of consolidating these entities.
    (2) Investment in GAMCO stock: 674,700, 699,749 and 2,382,170 shares, respectively.

           
    Table II
           
    ASSOCIATED CAPITAL GROUP, INC.
    UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
    (Amounts in thousands, except per share data)
           
        Three Months Ended
    March 31,    		  
        2025     2024  
                     
    Investment advisory and incentive fees   $ 2,004     $ 2,907  
    Other revenues     125       104  
    Total revenues     2,129       3,011  
                     
    Compensation     4,448       3,820  
    Other operating expenses     1,866       2,179  
    Total expenses     6,314       5,999  
                     
    Operating loss before management fee     (4,185 )     (2,988 )
                     
    Investment gain     10,892       16,794  
    Dividend income from GAMCO     54       95  
    Interest and dividend income, net     4,919       5,805  
    Shareholder-designated contribution     (31 )     (69 )
    Investment and other non-operating income, net     15,834       22,625  
                     
    Income before management fee and income taxes     11,649       19,637  
    Management fee     1,103       1,982  
    Income before income taxes     10,546       17,655  
    Income tax expense     2,777       3,798  
    Income before noncontrolling interests     7,769       13,857  
    Income attributable to noncontrolling interests     100       36  
    Net income attributable to Associated Capital Group, Inc.   $ 7,669     $ 13,821  
                     
    Net income per share attributable to Associated Capital Group, Inc.:                
    Basic and Diluted   $ 0.36     $ 0.64  
                     
    Weighted average shares outstanding:                
    Basic and Diluted     21,166       21,500  
                     
    Shares outstanding – end of period     21,145       21,420  

    SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

    The financial results set forth in this press release are preliminary. Our disclosure and analysis in this press release, which do not present historical information, contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements convey our current expectations or forecasts of future events. You can identify these statements because they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. They use words such as “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “project,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” and other words and terms of similar meaning. They also appear in any discussion of future operating or financial performance. In particular, these include statements relating to future actions, future performance of our products, expenses, the outcome of any legal proceedings, and financial results. Although we believe that we are basing our expectations and beliefs on reasonable assumptions within the bounds of what we currently know about our business and operations, the economy and other conditions, there can be no assurance that our actual results will not differ materially from what we expect or believe. Therefore, you should proceed with caution in relying on any of these forward-looking statements. They are neither statements of historical fact nor guarantees or assurances of future performance.

    Forward-looking statements involve a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors, some of which are listed below, that are difficult to predict and could cause actual results and outcomes to differ materially from any future results or outcomes expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Some of the factors that could cause our actual results to differ from our expectations or beliefs include a decline in the securities markets that adversely affect our assets under management, negative performance of our products, the failure to perform as required under our investment management agreements, and a general downturn in the economy that negatively impacts our operations. We also direct your attention to the more specific discussions of these and other risks, uncertainties and other important factors contained in our Form 10 and other public filings. Other factors that could cause our actual results to differ may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for us to predict all of them. We do not undertake to update publicly any forward-looking statements if we subsequently learn that we are unlikely to achieve our expectations whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required by law.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8f083310-4b5e-4b0f-8176-453a01cbd4c1

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Patrick Norman of USX Cyber to Speak at ACC Chief Legal Officer Global Summit

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    WASHINGTON, May 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Patrick Norman, Chief Risk Officer and General Counsel at USX Cyber®, was named to speak at the Association of Corporate Counsel’s Chief Legal Officer Global Summit 2025 in Barcelona, Spain.

    The Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) is a global bar association that promotes the common professional and business interests of in-house counsel through information, education, networking opportunities, and advocacy initiatives. Membership provides opportunities for in-house counsel to broaden their knowledge and expertise through collaboration with peers in their industry and region. ACC’s Chief Legal Officer (CLO) Global Summit brings chief legal officers together as peers to explore the next, best practices for driving innovation and addressing complex demands in the face of economic uncertainty and evolving business needs.

    Norman will be leading a roundtable discussing “Chief Legal Officers Leading through a VUCA World”. A VUCA world is one characterized by Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity. The roundtable will explore the critical role of the chief legal officer in managing VUCA risks and offer strategic insights into proactive risk management, crisis leadership, regulatory adaptation, and ethical decision-making in uncertain times.

    ACC Chief Legal Officer Global Summit 2025
    May 21, 2025 – May 23, 2025
    Torre Melina Gran Meliá
    Av. Diagonal, 671, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
    Register: https://www.acc.com/closummit

    About USX Cyber®

    USX Cyber® is transforming cybersecurity compliance through its Guardiant® platform—a security-driven compliance solution built for today’s complex threat landscape. More than just a robust, end-to-end XDR platform, Guardiant® empowers the C-suite with real-time dashboard visibility into both their organization’s cybersecurity posture and compliance status. Executives gain immediate insight into live threats, risk exposure, and cybersecurity investments. Guardiant® accelerates compliance with major cybersecurity frameworks, with many protocols satisfied right out of the box, dramatically reducing time-to-compliance and overhead. Built on a powerful XDR core, Guardiant® unifies real-time threat detection, automated incident response, and centralized control—delivering comprehensive protection and compliance tracking through a single-pane-of-glass experience.

    Media Contact:
    Megan Donovan
    External Communications Director
    USX Cyber, LLC
    megan@howllouder.com
    732-245-3399

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Multinational command and staff exercises “NATO-Georgia 2025” have ended in Georgia

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    TBILISI, May 8 (Xinhua) — The NATO-Georgia 2025 multinational command post exercise concluded on Thursday at the NATO-Georgia Joint Training and Evaluation Centre (JTEC) near Tbilisi.

    According to the Georgian Defense Ministry, Georgia, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Turkey, Great Britain, the United States, Azerbaijan, Moldova, Armenia and Tunisia participated in the headquarters and field parts of the exercises.

    NATO-Georgia 2025 is a brigade-level, computer-assisted command post exercise designed to prepare Georgian-led multinational forces to plan and conduct crisis operations.

    The current NATO-Georgia exercises began on April 28 and are the fourth such exercises. They are held in Georgia every three years. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Lightning: No force can stop China and Russia from pursuing development and rise as long as they maintain strategic determination and coordination – Xi Jinping

    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

    Xinhua | 09. 05. 2025

    Keywords:

    Source: Xinhua

    Lightning: No force can stop China and Russia from pursuing development and rise as long as they maintain strategic determination and coordination – Xi Jinping Lightning: No force can stop China and Russia from pursuing development and rise as long as they maintain strategic determination and coordination – Xi Jinping

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: A new pope is chosen: A look back on the jostling for the papacy and the conclave’s history

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Colin Rose, Associate Professor of European and Digital History, Brock University

    Cardinal Robert Prevost of the United States is the new pope, succeeding Pope Francis, and taking the name Pope Leo XIV. He’s been elected following a millennium-old ceremony known as the papal conclave. During the conclave, the 135 eligible Cardinal Electors of the Catholic Church sequestered themselves and elected the new pope in isolation.

    During that time, they had no contact with the outside world and they voted repeatedly, in written ballots and verbal declaration, until one of them achieved a two-thirds majority.

    Every failure brings sighs from the crowds in St. Peter’s Square as the votes, burned with a chemical admixture, send up a plume of inky black smoke from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel. White smoke, signalling a new pope has been elected, provokes cheers and celebrations and the beginning of a new papal era, as was the case after the election of Leo on May 8, 2025.



    Read more:
    How the next pope will be elected – what goes on at the conclave

    The history of the conclave, especially during the Italian Renaissance that I teach and research, tells us a lot about how the papacy is both a religious and a political office.

    The pope is at once the supreme pontiff of the Catholic Church as well as the absolute monarch of Vatican City. He is both bishop of Rome and head of state of the smallest sovereign state in the world.

    Politics of the papacy

    In the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries, the Vatican was the capital of a much-larger Papal State. This territorial buffer around Rome at its height bordered the territories of Florence, Naples, Milan and Venice, and covered much of northern Italy.

    Popes wielded great influence in the dramatic politics of famous Italian families like the Medici: it was a Medici pope, Clement VII, who helped negotiate the installation of the first Medici duke in Florence.

    Apocryphal accounts persist of Julius II, the so-called “Warrior Pope,” leading a charge over the walls of Bologna in 1506.

    At the same time popes, and Catholic policy, had profound consequences for European and global politics: Clement’s successor Paul III excommunicated England’s King Henry VIII, cementing the English break with Rome in 1538.

    A portrait of Pope Alexander VI Borgia circa 1495.
    (Vatican Museums)

    Alexander VI was more audaciously imperial: he sponsored the treaty that arbitrarily divided the entire world outside of Europe between Spain (his home country) and Portugal in 1494.

    Alexander VI’s historical infamy is perhaps outdone only by his son, Cesare Borgia, made famous by his mention is Niccolo Machiavelli’s book The Prince.

    Becoming pope was a big deal for a cardinal and his family. Leading candidates known as papabili (pope-ables) began strategizing and negotiating even before popes died.

    When a pontiff died, those cardinals abroad began their travels to Rome, construction began on the temporary cells that would house them all during the sequestration and the real work of electing a pope began.

    Enea Silvio Piccolomini left a detailed memoir of his election as Pius II in 1458. In it he describes a process of negotiating, threatening, cajoling and strategizing that make the scheming in the recent movie Conclave look unsophisticated.

    Renaissance Italy wrestled with and ultimately reconciled itself to the political nature of the papacy.

    Many, including popes such as Pius II, expressed discomfort with the political power of the papacy. While it was a clear factor in the schism of European Christendom that led to the emergence of the Protestant churches in the 16th century, in early modern Italy the political power of the papacy was a reality of the diplomatic milieu.

    The empty throne

    The conclave marks a special place in early modern history as a time when ordinary political order was overturned for a brief period known as the sede vacante (the Vacant See).

    The Vacant See was a time when identities were swappable and when, as one Paolo di Grassi told a judge in 1559, “in Vacant See [Romans] are the masters. The People are the Masters.” Di Grassi had, during the Vacant See of November 1559, pursued his own longstanding grudges against his enemies and been involved in at least one armed brawl.

    While they waited for a new pope, Romans and everyone else might have passed the time with another favourite vice: gambling on the conclave’s outcome.



    Read more:
    Who will the next pope be? Here are some top contenders

    European princes and other potentates of the church paid close attention to conclaves, tried to smuggle information in and out and steer the conclave in favour of their preferred candidate.

    In 1730, for instance, Cardinal Lambertini smuggled a letter out of his conclave thanking a benefactor for their donations to his future ordination as Pope Benedict XIV.

    The election held everyone’s attention as a rare and unusually impactful event in the Roman calendar.

    While Rome’s streets thrummed with tension during the chaotic days of a Vacant See, the conclave proceeded serenely and secretly within the Vatican’s walls.

    The use of white smoke to mark the election of a pope only began in the 20th century. During the Renaissance, the sound of bells would be a more effective way to spread the news through Rome, before the new pope was announced to the city and the world.

    Much turns on that announcement now, as much did in previous centuries. The conclave elects both a pope and a head of state. While Vatican City is magnitudes smaller than the Papal State of the past, it remains a sovereign state.

    Papal pronouncements shape not just religious thought but political action, through voting, advocacy and more. The crowds who awaited the announcement of the new pope might be less raucous than Renaissance Romans, but they were nonetheless invested in the results.

    Colin Rose receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

    – ref. A new pope is chosen: A look back on the jostling for the papacy and the conclave’s history – https://theconversation.com/a-new-pope-is-chosen-a-look-back-on-the-jostling-for-the-papacy-and-the-conclaves-history-255492

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Donald Trump has reduced tariffs on British metals and cars, but how important is this trade deal? Experts react

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Maha Rafi Atal, Adam Smith Senior Lecturer in Political Economy, School of Social and Political Sciences, University of Glasgow

    The US president called it a “very big deal”. The UK prime minister said it was “fantastic, historic” day. For sure, Keir Starmer and his team will have been delighted that the UK was first in line to negotiate adjustments to Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs announced on “liberation day” just a few weeks ago. But what might the trade deal between the UK and US actually mean? We asked four economic experts to respond to the Oval Office announcement.

    Wins for the UK are real, but limited

    Maha Rafi Atal, Adam Smith Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor) in Political Economy, University of Glasgow

    The new UK-US trade announcement is less a breakthrough than a careful balancing act – partial, tactical and politically calculated.

    Key UK wins are real but limited. Tariffs on British metals and autos are eased, thanks in part to the UK government acquisition of the Chinese-owned Scunthorpe steelmaking facility, removing a longstanding US objection. But even auto tariffs are only scaled back to the general baseline of 10% and not eliminated.

    Agriculture and tech remain the real stress points. The UK has granted market access to US agricultural products, including beef, but crucially without changing its food safety standards. This sidesteps a domestic political fight and avoids undermining the UK’s Northern Ireland arrangements or its EU alignment. Still, if US beef doesn’t meet those standards, the market access may prove meaningless in practice – setting up future pressure points.

    Perhaps the most notable UK win: it retains its digital services tax on US tech giants. That tax hits Silicon Valley hard, and the US wanted it gone. Instead, the announcement punts this to future talks – holding the line for now, but not securing it permanently.

    This isn’t the long-anticipated UK-US free trade agreement. It’s not a treaty, not comprehensive, and not ratified. It’s a limited, executive-level arrangement with more questions than answers – and more negotiations to come.

    Stronger ties and badly needed growth to come

    David Collins, Professor of International Economic Law, City St George’s, University of London

    This deal is an excellent development that should help restore the UK-US trade relationship to what it was before President Trump took office for the second time. At the time of writing, few details about the arrangement are known. But the 25% tariff on UK steel and aluminium has been removed, as has the tariff rate on most car exports – from 27.5% to 10%

    The lower car rate applies to the first 100,000 vehicles exported from the UK to the US each year. Around 101,000 were exported last year.

    More details are promised in the coming days and weeks. Perhaps they will include an agreement which separates the UK from any restrictions that the US intends to impose on the film industry. In return, the UK might eliminate its digital services tax on the US (which I argue it should never have imposed because it will only raise prices for consumers and generate little revenue).

    But overall, it seems clear that the Labour government has prioritised the UK’s relationship with the EU, evidently seeking as close as possible a connection without formally rejoining. So, while this agreement with Trump is well short of a comprehensive free trade agreement, it is a welcome development that should strengthen Anglo-American ties and bring some badly needed economic growth to both countries.

    Political theatre for both sides

    Conor O’Kane, Senior Lecturer in Economics, University of Bournemouth

    This announcement is a framework for a trade deal rather than an actual formal completed agreement. Trade deals are detailed, complex and take many months to negotiate.

    The US and the UK are both countries with massive persistent structural trade deficits. It is very unlikely that what has been announced will significantly shift the dial on either country’s structural deficit or growth forecast.

    Jerome Powell, chair of the US Federal Reserve, recently warned that Donald Trump’s tariff policy risked higher inflation and higher unemployment at the same time, what economists call “stagflation”. The president’s announcement will prove a welcome distraction from Powell’s comments.

    The deal should perhaps be viewed as symbolic. Trump’s US tariff policy has been chaotic to date and his administration finally has something they can point to as a win in the aftermath of “liberation day”.

    Of course, a trade deal is also a good news story for the Labour government after disappointing local elections. Prime Minister Keir Starmer can claim economic credibility by being first in line for a trade deal, perhaps cementing the “special relationship”.

    Mini-tariffs on UK cars.
    balipadma/Shutterstock

    However, is the US a reliable partner to sign a trade deal with? During his first term, Trump signed a free trade deal with Mexico and Canada (the 2020 United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA – the successor to Nafta). At the time, he said the deal “will be fantastic for all”. But he subsequently reneged on it.

    There is also a wider strategic element to this. First, the US wanted to get a trade deal in place with the UK ahead of what looks like a comprehensive EU-UK trade deal coming down the line. Second, Trump sees the EU as an economic rival. By signing a deal with the UK, he is signalling to other European countries the possibility of a potentially better trading relationship with the US outside of the EU.

    Deal leaves the door open for EU relationship

    Sangeeta Khorana, Professor of International Trade Policy, Aston University

    The agreement is a tactical win for both countries. It eases trade frictions, supports key industries and sets the framework for a broader UK-US free trade agreement without impacting on the UK’s economic reset with the European Union.

    The UK–US agreement, which suspends some of Trump’s recent tariffs, is sector-specific and far from comprehensive. It preserves UK food safety and animal-welfare standards. And it safeguards post-Brexit EU links while allowing the UK to cement its strategic partnership with Washington. Talks will be launched on aerospace, advanced batteries, data flows and services liberalisation within 12 months.

    This is a timely coup, coming so soon after the India deal. The pact represents a strategic diplomatic gain that brings tariff relief (and potentially the associated uncertainty) for key British industries, while also preserving UK’s regulatory alignment with the EU.

    Maha Rafi Atal is sometimes a volunteer organiser for the US Democratic party/candidates and has no party affiliation or involvement in the UK.

    Sangeeta Khorana is Professor and endowed Chair of International Trade Policy at Aston University.

    Conor O’Kane and David Collins do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Donald Trump has reduced tariffs on British metals and cars, but how important is this trade deal? Experts react – https://theconversation.com/donald-trump-has-reduced-tariffs-on-british-metals-and-cars-but-how-important-is-this-trade-deal-experts-react-256240

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: GUU and MIREA celebrate the 80th anniversary of Victory: a memorial was opened in the village of Selizharovo

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    On May 8, 2025, students and staff of the State University of Management, together with colleagues from the Russian Technological University MIREA, opened a memorial to Soviet soldiers in the village of Selizharovo in the Tver Region.

    The opening ceremony, timed to coincide with the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War, was attended by Rector Vladimir Stroyev and students of the university expeditionary corps led by Vladimir Linnik on behalf of the State University of Management. RTU MIREA was represented by Vice-Rector Igor Tarasov and members of the Student Expeditionary Corps “Arctic Team”.

    Two years ago, students from RTU MIREA discovered a reinforced concrete firing point during search operations, and while clearing it, they found a trench and the remains of a Red Army soldier. The remains were raised, and a memorial was subsequently founded on this site, arranged by students from GUU and MIREA. The construction of the memorial began on April 30. During the shift, the students also visited the Nilov-Stolobenskaya Hermitage, the source of the Volga River, and a livestock farm on an excursion.

    Having greeted those gathered, the rector of the State University of Management Vladimir Stroyev noted that universities are engaged not only in education, but also in upbringing. Students are at an age when they are being formed as individuals and citizens. Search work on battlefields helps them to learn more about history and find themselves.

    “We are a non-war generation, we grew up in peacetime thanks to our ancestors, who at the cost of incredible efforts achieved victory over the aggressor. Now there are almost no living veterans left, and we have no right to forget the contribution of each of them to the common Great Victory.

    It so happened that today, on the fields of a special military operation, a new military generation is being formed, a generation of successors to the victors of fascism, who continue the fight against this inhuman ideology. This continuity is extremely important, because it is the peers of our students and they themselves who, many, many years from now, will tell their children and grandchildren about the current events.

    I want to congratulate everyone on the upcoming Victory Day, the 80th anniversary of the Victory. And I am sure that another such day will definitely come when we will have a big holiday – our next big common victory,” Vladimir Stroyev wished.

    Acting head of the Selizharovsky municipal district Dmitry Markuzov:

    “80 years ago, the final page of the bloodiest war in history was turned. Every year we pay tribute to those who allowed us to live in a free country, to raise children and grandchildren. The opening of this memorial shows that in every corner of our country, there were stubborn battles for the Motherland.”

    The Chairman of the Ostashkov District Public Organization of Veterans, Anatoly Lukashov, who helped raise the remains of many soldiers lying in the Tver soil and participated in the creation of the memorial exhibition in Selizharovo, reminded those gathered about the events of the Great Patriotic War that took place in the Tver Region.

    After the fall of Smolensk, a decision was made to build three defensive lines around Moscow. The outer, third line of defense ran right through the territory of the Rzhevsky, Selizharsky and Ostashkovsky districts. The fortifications were built day and night, mostly by women and children. The production standard was considered to be 7 cubic meters per day. As a result, on August 27, 1941, the colonel who accepted the work wrote in a report, “The line was accepted with a good, almost excellent rating.”

    “As is known, despite stubborn resistance, in November 1941 the village of Selizharovo was captured by the enemy. But not for long, in January the Red Army returned to these places and at the cost of great losses liberated the surrounding area. Yes, many guys died, about 4,000 people, but there are no unnecessary losses in the defense of the Motherland. The enemy was thrown back from our land, and later finally routed in his lair,” said Anatoly Lukashov.

    Subscribe to the TG channel “Our GUU” Date of publication: 05/08/2025

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Statement by President von der Leyen and President Costa on the election of Pope Leo XIV as head of the Catholic Church

    Source: European Commission – Justice

    European Commission Statement Brussels, 08 May 2025 We sincerely congratulate His Holiness Leo XIV on his election as Pope and head of the Catholic Church. Millions of Europeans draw daily inspiration from the Church’s enduring commitment to peace, human dignity, and mutual understanding among nations. We are confident that Pope Leo XIV will use his voice on the global stage to promote these shared values and encourage unity in the pursuit of a more just and compassionate world.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Zombie knife attacker guilty of attempted murder at Carnival

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    A teenager who carried out at a zombie knife attack during Notting Hill Carnival has been found guilty of attempted murder.

    Rumarni Tuitt, 19 (01.12.05) of Sutherland Road, Walthamstow was charged on 29 August 2024 with attempted murder and possession of a bladed article.

    He stood trial at the Old Bailey and was convicted on Thursday, 8 May.

    The court heard that shortly before 20:00hrs on the Monday evening of Carnival – 26 August 2024 – Tuitt was in Canal Way, off Ladbroke Grove.

    Officers who were on duty as part of the policing operation recounted how they saw him appear agitated as he argued verbally with someone in a crowd, before taking a huge knife from his waistband and thrusting it into a group in front of him.

    A 19-year-old man who was in the crowd was stabbed no fewer than five times causing multiple serious injuries including some to his abdomen that required life saving surgery. He and Tuitt did not know each other and a motive for the attack has never been established.

    Officers intervened immediately, arresting Tuitt at the scene and providing vital medical treatment to his victim until paramedics could reach them.

    The knife used, which was at least 10 inches in length, was recovered from the scene.

    Acting Detective Inspector Sophie McLoughlin, who led the investigation, said: “This was a savage and senseless attack. The victim was very lucky to survive his injuries.

    “Hundreds of thousands of people, including the victim in this case, go to Carnival to have a good time and enjoy the music and entertainment. Those who would choose to turn up armed with a 10 inch zombie knife clearly have no such intentions.

    “It is thanks to the vigilance of officers on duty that day and the hard work of my team in the months since that we were able to build the case that saw Tuitt convicted at court.

    “It is also thanks to officers’ immediate medical intervention at the scene, as well as the specialist further care by paramedics, that we’re talking about a conviction for attempted murder and not worse.

    “I hope the victim can now move forward and begin to put this experience behind him.”

    Tuitt was remanded in custody and will be sentenced at the same court on Friday, 27 June.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Keep calm and carry on buying: how Ukrainian consumers are hitting back at Russia

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Cristina Galalae, Senior Lecturer in Marketing, The Open University

    Political conflicts and global tensions always affect people on the ground and across borders. Unable to influence events such as the ongoing war against Ukraine or proposed sweeping US tariffs, people turn to whatever resources are available for defending their livelihoods, institutions and communities.

    This explains the recent surge of boycotts and “buycotts” where consumers swerve a brand or actively support it for political reasons. For example, shoppers across the world are replacing US goods with local alternatives to protect national pride and economies.

    In the early days of Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine, shoppers were making similar public commitments to boycott Russian products.

    But there are many other ways in which brands and consumers responded to the start of the invasion in 2014. Global and local reactions from brands included donations, divestment, the creation of new products or product names and advertising and social media content linked to the invasion. In turn, consumer responses to these brand initiatives are a form of civic action.

    In a study we undertook (along with our colleagues Carlo Mari, Verónica Martín Ruiz and Lizette Vorster), we analysed how marketing professionals and ordinary consumers create and interpret products and brands explicitly or implicitly acknowledging the war in Ukraine. To do this, we conducted in-depth interviews with marketing managers and consumers and analyses of brand and product imagery.

    Our findings highlight three ways that marketing resources and consumer responses support psycho-social and cultural resilience in war-affected communities.

    1. Using satire to ease symbolic threat

    Humour and satire have long been used for addressing pressing societal issues, and many brands in Ukraine have embraced them in response to the invasion. For example, mayonnaise brand Ukrop Style, marketed by Ukrainian firm Olkom, leant on satire to boost consumer morale.

    The term “Ukrop” (meaning “dill” in Ukrainian) has been used by Russia as a slur against Ukrainians since the beginning of the war. Several “ukrop”-themed products and services then sprang up to reclaim the word and its imagery. It was used in new product names and packaging, as Olkom did.

    Several participants in our study discussed engagement with brands like this to mobilise the public spirit of defiance. For them, the use of humour helped lessen the insult directed at their nation.

    2. National symbols for societal cohesion

    When people perceive that their society and way of life is under threat, they often turn to cultural symbols. These can help to assert connections with others.

    Several brands have incorporated symbolic references to Ukraine in their communication messages, with national flags and designs depicting vyshyvanka
    embroidery (which is specific to traditional Ukrainian shirts).

    A Samsung advert using vyshyvanka, traditional Ukrainian garments and the phrase “Evolution is beautiful” evokes Ukraine’s 2014 Revolution of Dignity and the shared Ukrainian identity built on dignity, freedom and togetherness.

    Samsung taps into Ukrainian national pride.

    3. Promoting the origin of products

    Between 2014 and 2022, Ukraine and Russia continued to trade in consumer goods. During this time, several major retail chains in Ukraine used flags to mark the origin of products.

    These marketing signals kept consumers informed, but potentially also supported boycotts and buycotts. Since 2022, Ukraine’s trade in consumer goods with Russia has ceased. But the labelling of Ukraine-made goods has grown. The Ukrainian ministry of economy has launched a “Made in Ukraine” trademark, encouraging people to support local manufacturers.

    Even when brand boycotts are no longer needed – as is the case with Ukraine and Russia, since the two countries no longer trade – consumers still use their collective power to support their local economy.

    The response of consumers

    Participants in our study shared the view that brand activism and marketing related to political shocks can offer people an outlet for a civic response. It also opens up conversations about the distressing events affecting them and their country.

    Some described these marketing activities as grassroot initiatives by fellow citizens – owners and managers of brands engaging in activism. Others stressed that their willingness to support brand activism is dependent on whether they perceive it as sincere or mere profit-seeking. Few interviewees separated private consumption from political views and actions.

    Brand activism and marketing related to conflict and political shocks could well be a trend that will grow in scale and scope. After all, consumption remains one domain where people have collective power.

    Boy/buycotting movements responding to the US tariffs are gaining momentum, while the #buyforukraine and #shopukrainian initiatives have stood the test of time.

    Brands and governments may be tempted to leverage this social sentiment, but here our research tells a cautionary tale. The consumers we interviewed were savvy in their assessment of the sincerity of brand activism. And they held different views about its appropriateness as a form of civic action.

    Brand activism merely seeking to encourage sales may backfire, evoking consumer cynicism rather than support. For example, brands like Unilever and Pepsi were criticised for appearing to be insincere in their announced suspension of sales and production in Russia.

    At the same time, brand activism increasingly requires careful, nuanced consideration. More widely, consumers are not united on whether companies should take positions on political and social issues. Whether brand activism proves to be this century’s “Keep Calm and Carry On” remains to be seen.

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

    – ref. Keep calm and carry on buying: how Ukrainian consumers are hitting back at Russia – https://theconversation.com/keep-calm-and-carry-on-buying-how-ukrainian-consumers-are-hitting-back-at-russia-256000

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Energean Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Confirmed to Speak at Invest in African Energy (IAE) 2025 in Paris

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

    PARIS, France, May 8, 2025/APO Group/ —

    Mathios Rigas, CEO of Energean, will speak at the upcoming Invest in African Energy (IAE) 2025 Forum in Paris, where he will bring critical insights into the future of gas development and investment in Africa. As the head of one of the Mediterranean’s leading independent E&P companies, Rigas is uniquely positioned to discuss how African nations can accelerate gas monetization, meet rising domestic energy demand and attract private sector-led upstream investment.

    Energean’s entry into Morocco marks a notable expansion of its operations in Africa and reflects the company’s strategic focus on gas development across the continent. In April 2024, Energean farmed into the Lixus and Rissana offshore licenses and began drilling at the Anchois gas project in August. Although the discovery did not yield sufficient volumes to justify development, the move signals Energean’s intent to replicate its gas-focused success in the Mediterranean and target gas-weighed assets.

    IAE 2025 (www.Invest-Africa-Energy.com) is an exclusive forum designed to facilitate investment between African energy markets and global investors. Taking place May 13-14, 2025 in Paris, the event offers delegates two days of intensive engagement with industry experts, project developers, investors and policymakers. For more information, please visit www.Invest-Africa-Energy.com. To sponsor or participate as a delegate, please contact sales@energycapitalpower.com.

    Following the announcement in December 2024 that Energean would target new acquisitions across Africa, along with the Balkans, the UK and the North Sea, the company is actively reshaping its portfolio around high-impact, development-ready assets. This strategic shift comes in the wake of the divestment of mature assets and signals a renewed focus on frontier and underdeveloped regions, where Energean can apply its proven development model. Africa is set to play a central role in this new chapter, offering both resource potential and strong demand fundamentals.

    With its technical capabilities, successful track record in bringing offshore gas projects online, and experience navigating complex regulatory environments, Energean is well-positioned to make a significant contribution to Africa’s gas agenda. The company’s approach aligns with the continent’s energy transition priorities, offering cleaner-burning fuel sources that can support industrial growth, job creation and greater energy independence.

    IAE 2025 will serve as a critical platform for facilitating dialogue between Energean and key African stakeholders – including governments, regulators and investors – as the company deepens its presence on the continent. As Africa advances its gas agenda and seeks partners to support energy security and industrial development, IAE offers unmatched opportunities to share strategic insights, forge new partnerships and drive investment into high-impact, gas-focused projects.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: VE Day: We must never appease fascism

    Source: Scottish Greens

    We can never let fascism win.

    Speaking in a Scottish Government debate Commemorating the 80th Anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day, Scottish Green Co-leader Patrick Harvie reflected on the horrors of WW2 and warned against appeasing fascism.

    “The motion reminds us of the hundreds of thousands of UK forces, and the tens of thousands of civilians, whose lives were lost in WW2.

    “Beyond that, the war caused up to 85 million deaths worldwide – around 3% of the global population at the time – including six million Jews, and millions of others exterminated by the Nazis. And an estimated 40 to 60 million people were displaced.

    “But mere statistics aren’t enough to truly comprehend the scale of what had to be done in the defeat of Nazism and Fascism, the sacrifice of those who fought, and the scale of the impact on the millions of lives affected.

    “I don’t think I can imagine the emotional release that must have come with the announcement of VE day, and the end of the fighting in Europe.

    “In the wake of such suffering, it led to new beginnings –

    “In recognising that they had fought together, and survived together, people decided to rebuild their society together, with a welfare state & and NHS, an astonishing legacy for that generation to leave us.

    “But also the creation of international institutions of peace, a framework for international law, human rights, and what eventually became the European Union.

    “But it’s important to remember too that VE day was not the end of the story.

    “Not for those still enduring war in other parts of the world.

    “Not for East Germany, which went from Nazi to Communist control; it would be decades before they would achieve freedom, and join a peaceful and democratic family of European nations

    “Not for the gay men liberated from the Nazi concentration camps, who were re-imprisoned by the Allies

    “We must remember too that the struggle to defeat fascism remains our responsibility today.

    “As we see an expansionist war against Ukraine being rewarded on the world stage

    “As we see the horrific images of genocide from Gaza

    “As we see the brutality of immigration detention camps and imprisonment without trial in countries claiming to be democracies.

    “As we see far right ideology growing around the world, and the arrest of Nazis in the UK only yesterday.

    “As we hear prominent voices in major political parties seeking to abolish our fundamental human rights, and tear up that astonishing endowment the post war generation left us.

    “As we see the UK Govt celebrating VE Day on the same day as they announce an agreement with a US president whose ideology is indistinguishable from fascism

    “We need to remember that appeasement never works.”

    “I want to finish with the words of Ken Turner, 98, in a video posted on social media yesterday, as he sat in a Sherman tank. Mr Turner served in WW2, as did the tank.

    “I’m old enough to have seen fascism the first time round, and now it’s coming back,”  he said.

    “And driving the tank over a Tesla, crushing it, he gave this message to Elon Musk: “We’ve crushed fascism before and we’ll crush it again”

    “Presiding Officer, Ken gets it. Ken knows what had to be done. Ken knows the cost of what had to be done.

    “But Ken also knows why it had to be done. And he knows that it must still be done. Let’s never forget what Ken has reminded us of.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Peacekeeping Ministerial: Investing in Prisons to Secure Long-lasting Peace

    Source: United Nations – Peacekeeping

    This story was written by the Justice and Corrections Service at the UN Department of Peace Operations, which supports the work of peacekeeping operations and special political missions, as well as other UN entities, to strengthen the rule of law and criminal justice systems, including courts and prisons. 

    In some peacekeeping settings, armed groups attack prisons as a deliberate strategy. Their aim may be to release dangerous inmates and destabilize communities or to free their own members and bolster their ranks by coercing newly released inmates to join them. In others, prisoners are breaking free to escape appalling conditions. Regardless of the reasons, a single mass escape can significantly set back what peacekeeping has taken years to accomplish.  

    “Peacekeepers risk their lives to oppose armed groups and protect civilians, but without a functioning prison system, high-risk prisoners can sometimes simply walk away,” warns Robert Pulver, Chief of the Justice and Corrections Service at the UN Department of Peace Operations. 

    Effective, well-managed prisons are essential to public safety and long-term peace. When prisons are not secured, they can become targets for armed groups. When they are overcrowded, under-resourced or inhumane, they can become flashpoints for violence, mass escapes and radicalization, undermining already fragile peace efforts.  “Without safe, secure and humane prisons, there can be no law and order and no rule of law, the lives of civilians are put in danger and peace remains at risk,” says Pulver.  

    The cost of inaction 

    In January, armed group offensives in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) resulted in prison breaks, including in the cities of Goma, Bukavu and Kabare. Over 7,000 prisoners escaped, of which more than 4,500 were high-risk inmates. Some were members of armed groups, some had been convicted of crimes against humanity, war crimes and conflict-related sexual violence. Some remain at large, making threats against victims and those who were involved in the legal proceedings against them. Some have rejoined armed groups, including in command positions.  

    In Bangui, capital of the Central African Republic (CAR), Ngaragba Prison was housing more than five times its intended capacity, causing food shortages, deaths from malnutrition and heightened security and health risks.  Makala Central Prison in Kinshasa, DRC, was designed to hold 1,500 inmates but was holding close to 10 times that when an escape occurred last September.  Prisons like these “are time bombs waiting to explode,” says Pulver, facing much higher risks of mass escapes.   

    In conflict-affected settings, prison breaks undo the hard work missions have undertaken to remove dangerous individuals from communities and hold them accountable. They erode confidence in state capacity to maintain order and exacerbate cycles of violence – especially when armed actors exploit prison breaks to advance their agendas.  

    Building safe prisons 

    With support from Member States, UN peacekeeping missions are helping national authorities in conflict-affected countries improve prison management and security. In the DRC, UN peacekeeping has supported the installation of surveillance systems, like CCTV and drones, the improvement of infrastructure and the development of emergency response protocols. In the CAR, we have supported health screenings for over 2,000 detainees, helping them get treatment for illness and malnutrition through the International Committee of the Red Cross. In Kosovo, we have supported rehabilitation programmes for inmates.  

    Currently, 28 Member States provide corrections personnel to peacekeeping and special political missions to help in these efforts. These officers help train national prison staff in key areas including the prevention of violent extremism and prison escapes. However, many challenges remain due to insufficient resources, jeopardizing the very security goals peacekeepers strive to achieve.  

    Stepping up support 

    Canada, Rwanda and Sweden co-chair the Group of Friends of Corrections in New York to draw more political support, expertise and resources for this often-neglected aspect of peace operations.  

    The upcoming Peacekeeping Ministerial in Berlin offers a key opportunity for Member States to strengthen this work. Participants are expected to pledge vital resources, including trained corrections personnel and equipment such as protective gear and metal detectors.  

    This support will help transform at-risk prisons from security liabilities into pillars of peace and public safety. 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Austin Scott Announces 2025 Congressional App Challenge

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Austin Scott (GA-08)

    WARNER ROBINS, Ga.– U.S. Representative Austin Scott (GA-08) today announced the start of the 2025 Congressional App Challenge. This annual, nationwide competition engages students’ creativity and encourages their participation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields.

    “Over the years, many talented students in our district have showcased their advanced skills during the Congressional App Challenge, and I look forward to seeing what participants come up with this year,” Rep. Scott said. 

    The Congressional App Challenge allows students to compete with peers throughout their congressional district by creating and exhibiting an original software application, or “app,” for web, PC, tablet, mobile, or other platforms of their choice.

    The Congressional App Challenge is open to all middle and high school students in Georgia’s Eighth District. Students can form teams, and those entering the competition must submit their app to CongressionalAppChallenge.us by October 30, 2025.

    The winner will be chosen by a panel of expert judges, featured on the Congressional App Challenge website, and displayed in the U.S. Capitol Building.

    More information can be found here.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How Canada can turn tariff tensions into a global affordable housing alliance

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Ehsan Noroozinejad Farsangi, Visiting Senior Researcher, Smart Structures Research Group, University of British Columbia

    Canada is facing a worsening housing crisis. Home prices have exploded, with 45 per cent of Canadians saying they are deeply worried about finding affordable housing.

    The country needs to build an additional 3.5 million homes by 2030 to achieve housing affordability. However, housing supply is lagging well behind that target even as demand continues to rise, driven largely by population growth and immigration.



    Read more:
    Canada’s housing crisis: Innovative tech must come with policy reform

    Into this crisis have come new costs. In March 2025, the United States imposed 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum imports. Canada immediately hit back with its own 25 per cent duties on U.S. steel and aluminum, affecting roughly $12.6 billion of steel and $3 billion of aluminum goods.

    In practical terms, that means higher costs for key building materials like steel beams, aluminum cladding, appliances and machinery.

    Industry groups say these duties will drive up the price of new construction and further erode affordability. In a market already strained, adding tariff charges is like pouring salt on an open wound: it makes every new home more expensive to build and to buy.

    Factory-built housing offers a way forward

    Modern methods of construction, such as modular and prefabricated housing, are a promising answer to the housing shortage. These methods involve large components of houses being produced in factories and assembled at their final location.

    Factory-built housing can be done about 50 per cent faster and up to 35 per cent cheaper than site-built homes.

    Importantly, this speed and affordability do not come at the expense of quality or energy performance. Canadian-built modular homes achieve top efficiency ratings and reach net-zero energy while frequently delivering superior performance compared to site-built homes. They are also greener, as controlled factory processes produce far less waste.

    In Japan, modular factories produce over 15 per cent of all new housing. Sweden’s construction industry heavily relies on prefabricated construction as well; it is present in approximately 84 per cent of detached houses.

    Other countries are rapidly scaling up modern construction methods. Singapore mandates every public housing project to use modular techniques because this enables mass apartment production with efficiency.

    The combination of expensive labour costs and immediate housing needs makes Australia, the United Kingdom and parts of the United States optimal markets for modular construction expansion.

    Canada can lead in modular housing

    Canada has key advantages that make it well suited to expand modular and prefabricated housing. In particular, it has a strong forest products sector for supplying wood panels and engineered timber, a skilled construction and technology workforce and a growing policy drive for lower-carbon building.

    Canadian builders have already shown they can deliver modular housing at scale. Launched in 2020, Canada’s Rapid Housing Initiative committed $1 billion to modular projects, followed by another $1.5 billion in 2021 to quickly house vulnerable populations.

    The Rapid Housing Initiative exceeded its target, creating nearly 4,700 new homes in short order. It proved that factory-built housing can be both fast and high-quality in Canada.

    Canada has the opportunity to build on that success. The 2024 federal budget created a Homebuilding Technology and Innovation Fund aimed at expanding prefabricated housing. It set aside $50 million through Next Generation Manufacturing Canada (to be matched by industry) and up to $500 million in low-cost loans from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation for prefabricated apartment projects.

    Prime Minister Mark Carney has also shown interest in modular and prefabricated housing technologies to create sustained demand.

    Provinces like Ontario and British Columbia are focusing on modular construction to cut red tape and better understand how to expand it. Canada’s National Research Council is also consulting on aligning building codes and inspections for factory-built homes with the help of Canadian universities.

    A global alliance on modular housing

    As Canada faces a deepening housing crisis, it has the opportunity to turn today’s tariff tensions into deeper international partnerships.

    By forming an international affordable housing consortium, Canada could collaborate with countries that have succeeded in modern construction methods, like Sweden, Japan, Australia and Germany, to share knowledge. Together, these nations could harmonize building standards and invest in research.

    Here are five practical moves Canada can take to build this global modular housing alliance:

    1. Create a zero-tariff modular homes club.

    Canada should use the trade tools it already has, like the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, to eliminate most tariffs with the European Union and Asian countries. Canada should negotiate an add-on protocol that lets modular components, such as panels and factory equipment, cross borders without tariffs.

    2. Launch a joint show-home projects in partner countries.

    We propose a “FastBuild 1000 initiative” initiative that would see each member nation commit to building a minimum of 1,000 modular homes. Pilot sites could include Vancouver, Sydney, Hamburg and Osaka — urban centres in countries already familiar with modern construction techniques. Engineers could travel across countries to test how modules fit different climates and design codes, while giving factories steady orders.

    3. Pool global buying power for materials and appliances.

    Canada and its partners could form a modular materials co-operative that bundles steel, engineered timber, heat pumps and windows. The proposed system should leverage economies of scale in factory production to make the final product much cheaper.

    4. Open-source designs and one-click certifications.

    Ottawa’s catalogue of pre-approved housing designs could be expanded into a global online catalogue where partner countries can download and adapt pre-existing designs while keeping the structure safe and secure. Simplified, one-click certification would help speed up approvals across borders.

    5. Create a ‘modular skills passport’ and research and development hub.

    Canadian universities and colleges could train workers through micro-credentials in areas like offsite manufacturing, digital construction, robotics, penalization and on-site assembly. Some countries like Japan have a huge prefabrication industry valued at over $24 billion. Linking research and development would give Canada access to the latest technologies while offering partner countries entry into the Canadian construction sector.

    By investing in this kind of international collaboration, Canada can address its domestic housing crisis while leading a fast, green housing revolution that makes homes affordable worldwide.

    Dr. Ehsan Noroozinejad has received funding from both national and international organizations to support research addressing housing and climate crises. His most recent funding for integrated housing and climate policy comes from the James Martin Institute for Public Policy. He has also been involved in securing funding from NSERC and Mitacs.

    Prof. T.Y. Yang secures funding from national and international organizations to develop innovative solutions for housing and climate crises, with a focus on modern methods of construction. His most recent funding has been from NRCan, NSERC and Mitacs.

    – ref. How Canada can turn tariff tensions into a global affordable housing alliance – https://theconversation.com/how-canada-can-turn-tariff-tensions-into-a-global-affordable-housing-alliance-255829

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: FM’s message of support to Scotland’s Indian and Pakistani communities

    Source: Scottish Government

    First Minister writes to cross-party groups.

    First Minister John Swinney has written to the Conveners of the Scottish Parliament’s cross-party groups on India and Pakistan to express his support in light of the recent tensions between the two countries, following the terrorist attack in Pahalgam.

    In his letter, the First Minister said:

    “For many in the community, this may be a worrying time, and my thoughts are with those who have family and friends in the region. Scotland’s Indian and Pakistani communities enrich Scotland socially, culturally, and economically.

    “I have called upon leaders in the region to choose dialogue, diplomacy, and shared humanity ahead of force and bloodshed. There can be no winners from further military escalation. Protecting civilians is urgent and paramount.

    “My officials are in contact with various stakeholders in the communities, as well as with Police Scotland, Universities Scotland, and diplomatic missions.  I would urge you to support that dialogue and bring to us any concerns you hear from Scotland’s Indian and Pakistani communities.”

    Background

    India and Pakistan: letter from First Minister – gov.scot

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: PM remarks on the UK’s landmark economic deal with the US: Thursday 8 May

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Speech

    PM remarks on the UK’s landmark economic deal with the US: Thursday 8 May

    Prime Minister’s remarks that he delivered at Jaguar Land Rover today (Thursday 8 May) on the UK agreeing a landmark economic deal with the United States.

    Just a few moments ago, I spoke to President Trump, the President of the United States.

    And I am really pleased to announce to you, and I wanted to come to you to announce it, that we have agreed the basis of an historic Economic Prosperity Deal.

    That is a deal will protect British businesses and save thousands of jobs in Britain, really important, skilled, well-paid jobs.

    It will remove tariffs on British steel and aluminium, reducing them to zero.

    It will provide vital assurances for our life sciences sector, so important to our economy and grant unprecedented market access for British farmers without compromising our high standards.

    And for the great British cars that you make here, that we see all around us, this deal means that US tariffs will now be cut from 27.5% to 10% for 100,000 vehicles every year, that’s a huge and important reduction.

    And I know from when I was last here, how much that will have been weighing on your minds when you knew the size of the tariffs that would otherwise be in place. 

    To get that decrease was hugely important to me and I can tell you my teams were working really hard on this deal night and day for weeks. I was working with them.

    And in politics what matters sometimes is who you have in your mind’s eye when you are making these deals, who do you have in your mind’s eye when you are taking decisions. 

    What I took away from here last time was you and the brilliant work that you do and had you in my mind’s eye as we did that. 

    We have scope to increase that quota as we go forward, this is not fixed, this is where we have got to. 

    And all of these tariff cuts will come into place as soon as possible and that’s really important in relation as well to the work that you are doing, and the brilliant cars that you make.

    And as Adrian has said I was here with you just a few weeks ago and I promised you that I would deliver in the national interest.

    And today I am really pleased to come back here, to be able to look you in the eye and say I have delivered on the promise I made to you. 

    And that’s why as soon as I knew this deal was coming in today, I said I want to come back to JLR to talk to the workforce there, for whom this means so such. 

    Now of course we are the first country to secure such a deal with the United States.

    In an era of global instability that is so important. The great challenge of our age is to secure and renew Britain. 

    And that is what we are going to do.  

    Acting in the national interest.

    Shaping this new era – not being shaped by it.

    If it’s not good for Britain, we won’t do it.

    If it doesn’t mean more money in people’s pockets, we won’t do it.

    If it doesn’t mean security and renewal in every part of the country – we won’t do it.

    But that doesn’t mean we’re turning inward. 

    Instead, we are sending a message to the world that Britain is open for business – seeking trade agreements with India on Tuesday, with the US today, and working to boost trade with other partners too – including of course the EU with who we have an important meeting just a week on Monday. 

    Making deals that will benefit working people.

    You know – in recent years an idea has taken hold that you show strength by rejecting your allies. 

    That you shut the door, put the phone down, storm off. I’ve had plenty of people urging me to do that rather than stay in the room and fight for the interests of our country. 

    I want to be absolutely crystal clear – that is not how this Government operates. It is never how this Government operates. We don’t storm off, we stay in the room, and we negotiate, and we work for our country with the national interest at the foremost of our mind. 

    Because the other way of working doesn’t deliver the benefits that working people need.

    And so I also want to be clear – this is just the start.

    With the deal we have done today we can say: jobs saved. Jobs won. But not job done. 

    Because we are more ambitious for what the UK and US can do together.

    So we are hammering out further details to reduce barriers to trade with the United States across the board.

    We have £1.5 trillion invested in each other’s economies, creating 2.5 million jobs across both countries.

    There are so many areas where I think we can even more than that and put more pounds in the pockets of working people across the United Kingdom.

    As the two biggest services exporters in the world, we will work to bring down barriers, creating jobs in our thriving services sectors – in Leeds, in Manchester, London and Birmingham.

    As the only two western nations with trillion-dollar tech sectors we will go further to deepen our partnership in new technologies to shape the innovations of this century together and create the jobs of the future. 

    Because, look – our history shows what we can achieve when we work together.

    And what timing for this deal, that we have agreed this deal on VE Day.  

    80 years ago, today Churchill was addressing the nation at the end of the Second World War. Victory in Europe. 

    And we were standing the United Kingdom with the United States on defence and security. For 80 years we have been the closest of partners, and today we have added to that trade and the economy in the special relationship between us. 

    Defined by peace and economic prosperity. 

    So, it is fitting today that we renew the bond on the 80th anniversary of VE Day.

    Updates to this page

    Published 8 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: If talks with the US fail, the EU plans to impose duties on US goods worth 95 billion euros and initiate proceedings in the WTO

    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

    BRUSSELS, May 8 (Xinhua) — The European Commission has launched a public consultation on a list of imported U.S. goods worth 95 billion euros (107.2 billion U.S. dollars), warning that they could be the target of retaliatory measures if ongoing talks with the United States fail to produce an agreement, it said in a statement on Thursday.

    The consultations cover a wide range of U.S. industrial and agricultural products, including wine, frozen meats, aircraft, automobiles and auto parts, chemicals, medical products, electrical equipment and machinery.

    In parallel, the European Union is considering the possibility of introducing new restrictions on the export of goods such as scrap steel and chemical products to the United States, worth 4.4 billion euros.

    The U.S. currently imposes 25 percent tariffs on steel, aluminum and cars on the EU, as well as basic 10 percent tariffs on most other goods. The EU is bracing for a possible end to a 90-day “tariff truce” that expires on July 8. If no agreement is reached, the U.S. universal tariffs could rise to 20 percent.

    The European Commission said consultations on retaliatory measures were underway on both the US universal tariffs and the US tariffs on cars and auto parts.

    In the case of a WTO dispute, after the EU formally requests consultations, the parties will have up to two months to reach a mutually acceptable solution. If no agreement is reached, the EU may request the creation of a dispute resolution panel to issue a ruling. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The Armenian government has approved a bill on the country’s accession to the Ashgabat Agreement

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    Yerevan, May 8 (Xinhua) — The Armenian government approved a bill at a meeting on Thursday on the country’s accession to the Ashgabat Agreement on the establishment of an international transport and transit corridor between Iran, Oman, Qatar, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

    The rationale for the decision states that Armenia’s accession to the Ashgabat Agreement will create new opportunities for integration into the transport corridor between the Central Asian countries, the ports of the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman. This step will contribute to the creation of reliable conditions for the transportation and transit of goods and passengers through the territories of the above-mentioned states, facilitating multimodal transportation, optimizing transportation costs, strengthening Armenia’s transit role and increasing transportation safety.

    It is noted that the agreement will ensure Armenia’s access to international markets, harmonization of transit documents required for international transportation, simplification of customs procedures and unimpeded use of the transport infrastructure of the respective countries.

    In addition, the agreement will promote the development of mutually beneficial economic and business ties and the expansion of cooperation.

    The Armenian government will send the draft law to the Constitutional Court for review and, after receiving a positive response, will submit it to the National Assembly /parliament/ for ratification. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI: BTCC Exchange Brings Crypto’s Elite Influencers Together For Exclusive TOKEN2049 Yacht Experience

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    A Media Snippet accompanying this announcement is available in this link.

    VILNIUS, Lithuania, May 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — BTCC, the world’s longest-serving crypto exchange, hosted an exclusive VIP yacht party that brought together cryptocurrency’s most prominent voices following TOKEN2049 Dubai on May 2, 2025. The luxurious event, set against the backdrop of Dubai’s coastline on the Arabian Sea, created a premier networking space where the industry’s leading content creators could connect in a more relaxed setting.

    The exclusive after-party attracted the crypto world’s most influential voices, with top-tier Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) who collectively reach millions of followers across various social media platforms. Guests enjoyed perfect Dubai weather while cruising at sea, with live DJ music creating an energetic atmosphere that encouraged open conversation and networking.

    “Our goal is to create moments that matter—beyond charts and screens,” said Erik Gjergji, Head of Business Development at BTCC. “This yacht party isn’t just a celebration; it’s about turning online connections into real relationships and gaining insights that give us a competitive edge.”

    The exclusive event featured thrilling jetski sessions along Dubai’s coastline, live DJ performances, and exquisite Japanese cuisine prepared by Mr. Nishimura Yukou, the Head Chef from Umi Kei at Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab, one of Dubai’s premier dining destinations. As evening approached, guests enjoyed a scenic cruise showcasing Dubai’s iconic skyline at dusk, adding a magical backdrop to the networking experience.

    Unlike traditional conference settings, the yacht party provided a relaxed atmosphere where influential voices in the crypto space could engage in candid conversations about market trends, technological innovations, and the future of cryptocurrencies.

    BTCC Exchange has consistently demonstrated its commitment to fostering community connections through events alongside major industry conferences. By bringing together content creators in distinctive settings like yacht parties and desert safari tours, the exchange positions itself as a trusted name in the cryptocurrency space where meaningful dialogues flourish.

    As TOKEN2049 Dubai concludes, the relationships forged during these immersive experiences and on the conference floor will continue to thrive online, building trust, creating opportunities to collaborate, and ultimately enhancing the exchange’s services in meaningful ways.

    About BTCC Exchange

    Founded in 2011, BTCC is one of the world’s longest-serving cryptocurrency exchanges, offering secure and user-friendly trading services to millions of users globally. With a commitment to security, innovation, and community building, BTCC continues to be a trusted platform in the evolving cryptocurrency landscape.

    Website: https://www.btcc.com/en-US

    X: https://x.com/BTCCexchange

    Contact: press@btcc.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: What does Netanyahu’s plan for ‘conquering’ Gaza mean for Israel, Palestine and their neighbours? Expert Q&A

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Scott Lucas, Professor of International Politics, Clinton Institute, University College Dublin

    The Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has announced that the Israeli military will launch a new “intensified” offensive in Gaza. In a video posted on X, he said Israel’s security cabinet had approved a plan for “conquering” the Gaza Strip and establishing a “sustained presence” there.

    This announcement was well-received by far-right ministers in the Netanyahu government. Finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, has since declared that an Israeli victory in Gaza would see the territory “entirely destroyed” and its residents “concentrated” in the south. From there, they would “start to leave in great numbers to third countries”.

    The plan, which Palestinian militant group Hamas says represents “an explicit decision to sacrifice” Israeli hostages, far exceeds the aims Israel has been pursuing in the war so far. It has drawn widespread criticism, including from the UK, France, EU and UN, as well as from within Israel.

    Middle East expert, Scott Lucas, answered our questions as to what the plan involves and what it means for neighbouring Egypt and Jordan.

    What is Netanyahu’s ultimate plan for Gaza?

    Since March, Netanyahu has been clear that his government’s ultimate plan for Gaza is the “voluntary” emigration of its population.

    It looks like he is using US president Donald Trump’s narcissist thought bubble of Gaza, ethnically cleansed of Gazans in a “Riviera of the Middle East”, as political cover for his ambition and those of his hard-right ministers.

    In January 2024, three months into the military response to Hamas’s cross-border attack on southern Israel, Netanyahu said: “Israel has no intention of permanently occupying Gaza or displacing its civilian population.”

    But by September, unable to “destroy” Hamas despite the killing of almost 35,000 Gazans and the displacement of 1.9 million of the territory’s 2.1 million inhabitants, the government was considering occupation with the removal of all those in northern Gaza.

    Political pressure from inside Israel, as well as from the Biden administration in the US, forced Netanyahu to back away. And in January 2025, pushed hard by Trump, he accepted a six-week phase one ceasefire. This involved Hamas returning some of the hostages in return for Israel releasing many Palestinians detained in its jails.

    However, Netanyahu had no intention of moving to phase two, which would have paved the way for a more permanent end to the war. The hard-right ministers in his government made clear they would leave and withdraw support in the Knesset (parliament) if the war ended before Hamas had been completely destroyed.

    Netanyahu could face early elections and his trial on bribery charges should his government collapse. This left only one possible resolution to the “open-ended” war on Gaza: occupation.

    So at the start of March, Israel renewed its airstrikes and cut off humanitarian aid. It began expanding ground operations, initially with the declaration of a “buffer strip” and then claiming northern Gaza.

    Netanyahu has now announced a “forceful operation” in which Gaza’s population “will be moved, to protect it”. Israeli ground forces will be in the Strip indefinitely. “They will not enter and come out,” he said.

    Will Egypt and Jordan accept displaced Palestinians from the Gaza Strip?

    When Trump first proposed displacing Palestinians from Gaza, the leaders of Egypt and Jordan said they would refuse to allow an exodus of refugees on their territory. Egypt’s president, Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, said at the end of January: “The deportation and displacement of the Palestinian people from their land is an injustice that we cannot take part in.”

    That position has not changed. Egypt and Qatar reiterated on May 7 that they will persist with mediation to alleviate suffering and promote de-escalation within Gaza. Egypt affirmed that it will not be drawn into any agendas that “do not serve the interests of the Palestinian people”.

    Any Arab government that takes in Gazans, even amid a humanitarian crisis, would be tacitly burying the idea of a Palestinian state. That would break a 77-year-old principle and resurrect the Nakba, the forced displacement and ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in 1948.

    It would also risk unrest from disaffected populations. The Gazans are added to the 5.9 million Palestinians who are refugees in countries such as Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.

    How might Egypt and Jordan respond to increased pressure to house Gazan refugees?

    Trump has previously looked to coerce Egypt and Jordan into accepting Palestinians from Gaza, even threatening to withhold US aid to the two countries.

    But such pressure does not look likely at present. The Trump administration is a chaotic mess. Bent on destroying US agencies, it has gutted the State Department, threatened the military, and undermined intelligence services.

    Trump’s envoy to the Middle East, the real estate developer Steve Witkoff, is now preoccupied with photo opportunities in the Kremlin and informal talks over Iran’s nuclear programme.

    The US government has walked away, leaving Israel to resume the mass killing but abjuring any role beyond that. The UN is not going to back ethnic cleansing. Nor will the EU, China, Russia or the Gulf States.

    Does the depopulation of Gaza now look inevitable?

    Far from it, at least in the sense of Palestinians being relocated from Gaza. In recent weeks, Israel has finally eased its near-total block on exiting Gaza and has allowed hundreds of people to leave.

    But this is not forced removal. It was the Israeli government relenting on urgent cases of those who were trapped in the Strip – dual nationals or their dependents, Gazas needing medical treatment, students, and some people with visas for third countries.

    The depopulation is instead occurring within Gaza. Depopulation through killing, starvation, destruction of healthcare, displacement from housing, and lack of clean water.

    It is depopulation through the reduction of Gazans to nothing more than irritants in the way of Hamas’s quest for survival and the Netanyahu government’s quest for perpetual dominance.

    Scott Lucas 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. What does Netanyahu’s plan for ‘conquering’ Gaza mean for Israel, Palestine and their neighbours? Expert Q&A – https://theconversation.com/what-does-netanyahus-plan-for-conquering-gaza-mean-for-israel-palestine-and-their-neighbours-expert-qanda-256150

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: World Press Freedom Day 2025: Joint Statement to the OSCE

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3

    Speech

    World Press Freedom Day 2025: Joint Statement to the OSCE

    UK and others call for action to safeguard media freedom across the OSCE.

    Madam Chair, 

    I am delivering this statement on behalf of the following participating States that are members of the informal Group of Friends on Safety of Journalists: Austria, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Latvia, Lithuania, Montenegro, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom and my own country France. 

    Last week, on 3 May, we marked the World Press Freedom Day. This day serves as a reminder for States to respect their commitments and obligations regarding press freedom. It is also an opportunity for us all to show our support for media that are affected by restrictions of press freedom, and a day of remembrance of journalists and media actors who lost their lives in the line of duty. 

    As the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media has consistently highlighted: there is no security without media freedom. There can be no media freedom if journalists and other media actors cannot work safely and freely. Despite ample commitments and obligations in the field of human rights, media freedom and the safety of journalists, the challenges in the OSCE area are manifold. Journalists and media actors are being harassed, threatened, imprisoned or even killed. Legislation seeking to restrict the space for civil society, journalists and media actors is being implemented in several participating States. Challenges in the digital sphere, such as disinformation, information manipulation and smear campaigns, adverse impacts of AI, and online violence and harassment spurring physical attacks, all  pose additional pressure on the safety of journalists and media freedom in the OSCE area. As highlighted by the RFoM, female journalists face a double burden as they are being attacked as journalists and as women. 

    More than three years into Russia’s unprovoked and unjustifiable war of aggression against Ukraine, with the complicity of Belarus, media freedom and the safety of journalists continue to be severely affected. According to Reporters Without Borders, 13 journalists have been killed by Russian forces, at least 47 Ukrainian and foreign journalists have been injured while reporting due to attacks by Russian armed forces. According to the International Press Institute, at least 20 Ukrainian journalists are currently in Russian captivity. The Moscow Mechanism report of April 2024 also found that journalists are among the thousands of Ukrainian civilians arbitrarily detained by Russia. We continue to be deeply concerned about the treatment of Ukrainian journalist Viktoriia Roshchyna. Russia continues attacking media facilities in Ukraine. On 13 April 2025, several media offices in Sumy were damaged as a result of a Russian strike. On the night of 6 April 2025, an office building in Kyiv used by Inomovlennya, Ukraine’s state service for foreign broadcasting, was damaged as a result of Russian strikes on the city.   

    In Russia, the systematic, state-sponsored repression is intensifying, including through the silencing of dissenting voices, civil society and independent media. Also in Belarus, the systematic and widespread repression continues unabated and intensifies. At least 38 journalists and media actors are currently detained in Russia, and 45 in Belarus. We call on Russia and Belarus to immediately and unconditionally release all those arbitrarily detained and imprisoned, including journalists and media actors. 

    We are following with deep concern the developments regarding media freedom and how it is affected by the spread of so-called “foreign agents” laws and other legislation restricting the possibilities for journalists and media actors to operate. In Georgia, the rushed adoption of repressive legislation is fundamentally incompatible with core democratic principles. We repeat our call on Georgia to immediately and unconditionally release all journalists and media actors arbitrarily detained or arrested, and to engage in genuine dialogue with the RFoM and ODIHR. In Azerbaijan, there has been a concerning increase in cases against independent journalists and free media outlets. We call on Azerbaijan to honour its OSCE commitments and ensure all its citizens due legal process and access to free and independent media. All those detained for exercising their fundamental rights should be released. Regarding Türkiye, we echo the statement by the RFoM calling for the swift release of journalists arrested while covering recent demonstrations. 

    Madam Chair,  

    Let us take the opportunity of the World Press Freedom Day to honor those journalists and media actors that risk their lives and safety to keep us informed, and to reiterate our commitment to implementing our joint commitments and international obligations in the field of human rights and media freedom.  

    I thank you and request that you attach a copy of this statement to the Journal of the Day.

    Updates to this page

    Published 8 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China’s Defense Ministry warns Philippines against any encroachment on China’s core interests

    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 8 (Xinhua) — Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Zhang Xiaogang on Thursday issued a stern warning to the Philippines against infringing on China’s core interests in any form.

    Zhang Xiaogang made the remarks at a press conference, commenting on the recent appearance of the Chinese aircraft carrier Shandong in waters north of the Philippines during joint Philippine-US military exercises, as well as the words of a Philippine navy spokesman about possible joint maneuvers with Taiwanese troops.

    According to the official representative of the PRC Ministry of Defense, the group of ships led by the aircraft carrier Shandong carried out annual training missions in the relevant waters in order to test and improve the comprehensive combat potential of the aircraft carrier group.

    “This is in line with international law and generally accepted international practice and is not directed against any specific country or target,” Zhang Xiaogang stressed.

    He noted that some Filipino figures are colluding with external forces such as the United States, “muddying the waters” for selfish purposes, undermining peace and stability in the South China Sea, and even trying to “play with fire” on the Taiwan issue.

    “We strongly warn the Philippine side to stop violations and provocations, and stop encroaching on China’s core interests in any form,” Zhang Xiaogang said, adding that the Chinese side will continue to take resolute and effective measures to protect China’s territorial sovereignty, maritime rights and interests. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Video: 🚨 A GOOD DEAL: Trump announces the first breakthrough trade deal between America and the U.K.

    Source: United States of America – The White House (video statements)

    A GOOD DEAL

    President Trump announces the first breakthrough trade deal between America and the United Kingdom.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lN-iv5m6NQg

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI: MiddleGround Capital Completes Add-On for Xtrac with Acquisition of Zoerkler

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LEXINGTON, Ky., May 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — MiddleGround Capital (“MiddleGround”), an operationally focused private equity firm that makes control investments in North American and European headquartered middle-market B2B industrial and specialty distribution companies, today announced that it has acquired Zoerkler GmbH & Co KG (“Zoerkler” or “the Company”), an Austria-based manufacturer and supplier of high-performance transmission components for the aerospace & defense, automotive, rail, and industrial industries. Zoerkler will be integrated into MiddleGround’s portfolio company, Xtrac, a leading designer, manufacturer, and supplier of high-performance transmissions and mechatronics for top-level professional motorsport and specialist high-performance automotive applications.

    Headquartered in Jois, Austria, Zoerkler is a leading manufacturer of gearing solutions and transmission systems specializing in high-performance applications serving industrial and mobility end-markets, including motorsport, automotive, aerospace & defense, agriculture, and rail. Zoerkler’s capabilities span the entire value chain, with an emphasis on R&D and prototyping activities that allow small-series production with high-batch-size spare parts to serve customers in short lead times that are best-in-class for the industry.

    “We’re very excited to welcome the Zoerkler team to the Xtrac platform. Zoerkler is well-established and highly regarded in the industry and offers a unique opportunity to bring a complementary transmission and drivetrain component specialist to our portfolio,” said John Stewart, Founding and Managing Partner of MiddleGround. “This acquisition underscores our commitment to partnering with leading technology and engineering companies aligned with our Mobility Thesis. Further, Zoerkler brings attractive end-market diversification to our Xtrac platform, allowing us to unlock new segments and customer demand, expand our high-performance engineering expertise into aerospace & defense, and other segments, and augment Xtrac’s long-term growth potential.”

    As a trusted partner of several blue-chip customers for high-quality components, including Leonardo, Safran, Mercedes AMG, Porsche, Honda and Comer Industries, Zoerkler has established a meaningful network which will enhance Xtrac’s product line and expand its offerings into highly attractive markets, whilst ensuring focus on serving long standing core motorsport and high performance automotive customers. The company’s production capabilities complement Xtrac’s, and its world-class manufacturing quality will unlock existing demand from both current and new motorsport and high-performance automotive customers. Further, Zoerkler’s additional machining capacity will facilitate higher production volumes and new programs across the Xtrac platform.

    “For over 100 years, Zoerkler has been recognized for superior quality and innovation in developing and producing premium drive systems,” said Bernhard Wagner, CEO at Zoerkler. “Joining forces with a cutting edge, market-leading brand like Xtrac will create new engineering and manufacturing synergies for both businesses. Additionally, MiddleGround’s operational expertise, combined with their support of our core values of quality, precision, reliability, and safety, makes them an ideal partner as we enter this next phase of growth.”

    “Adding Zoerkler to the Xtrac platform is highly exciting. As well as providing additional capacity and an established presence within Europe, the addition of Zoerkler will bring new products, precision manufacturing capacity, and an established aerospace presence, allowing us to better serve the complex needs of our customers,” said Adrian Moore, CEO at Xtrac. “Zoerkler’s unwavering commitment to innovation, quality, and customer satisfaction perfectly aligns with our mission, which prioritizes R&D, technological advancements, and the continuous development of our team, with exceptional customer service.”

    With the acquisition of Zoerkler, MiddleGround is further building on its extensive experience in electric drive systems manufacturing and the powersports aftermarket segments. Having already invested in Helix, a leading designer and manufacturer of the world’s most power-dense electric motors and inverters, and New Eagle, a leading provider of proprietary hardware and software technology solutions that are mission-critical for the development of mechanical control systems for a variety of applications, including autonomous and electric vehicles, MiddleGround continues to expand its portfolio of companies within the mobility sector.

    About Zoerkler GmbH & Co KG
    Headquartered in Jois, Burgenland, AT, Zoerkler is a leading manufacturing company specializing in high-performance drive systems for the aerospace, automotive, and industrial sectors. Founded more than 120 years ago, the firm is family-owned and owner-managed. They are guided by the principle “the spirit of precision”, and pay attention to quality, precision, reliability and safety in products as well as actions. Zoerkler is a reliable partner for companies worldwide in the development and production of high-quality drive systems. With expertise spanning the entire development process—from design and prototyping to series production—Zoerkler delivers customized solutions that meet the highest industry standards. For more information, please visit http://www.zoerkler.at.

    About Xtrac
    Based in Berkshire in the UK and Indiana and North Carolina in the US, Xtrac is a prominent ambassador for the UK’s world-renowned motorsport industry.

    Established in 1984, the company employs around 500 highly qualified employees, including those trained through Xtrac’s award-winning apprentice and undergraduate schemes to work on global customer programmes, supplying world-class transmission and driveline products, including gearboxes, differentials, and gearchange systems. It exports around 70 per cent of its manufacturing output to Asia, Australia, Europe, South America, and the US.

    Xtrac works mainly with the high-performance automotive sector alongside its traditional heartland of the motorsport industry. Customers of its high-performance automotive and motorsport business sectors rely on its specialist expertise, augmented by the company’s substantial investment in research and innovation supported by advanced design, engineering and manufacturing resources.

    For further information, please visit www.xtrac.com.

    About MiddleGround Capital
    MiddleGround Capital is a private equity firm based in Lexington, Kentucky with over $3.85 billion of assets under management. MiddleGround makes control equity investments in middle market B2B industrial and specialty distribution businesses. MiddleGround works with its portfolio companies to create value through a hands-on operational approach and partners with its management teams to support long-term growth strategies. For more information, please visit: https://middleground.com/.

    MiddleGround Capital Media Contacts
    Doug Allen/Maya Hanowitz
    Dukas Linden Public Relations
    MiddleGround@dlpr.com
    +1 (646) 722-6530

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Landmark Economic Deal with US saves thousands of jobs

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Landmark Economic Deal with US saves thousands of jobs

    Today the UK and US has agreed a landmark economic deal which will save thousands of jobs for British carmakers and steel industry

    • Britain secures the first US trade deal protecting British business and British jobs, the second landmark deal in Britain’s national interest in a matter of days following the India deal
    • Prime Minister delivers on his promise to save UK steel and British car makers – saving thousands of jobs across the country
    • US tariffs on automotives immediately slashed from 27.5%, with steel and aluminium reduced to zero
    • Unprecedented market access for British farmers with protections on food standards maintained 

    Thousands of jobs have been saved as the Prime Minister secured a first-of-a-kind trade agreement with the US.

    It is the second major trade announcement this week – following the India Free Trade Agreement on Tuesday, this historic agreement with the US to slash tariffs delivers for UK carmakers, steelworks and farmers – protecting jobs and providing stability for exporters. 

    Car export tariffs will reduce from 27.5% to 10% – saving hundreds of millions a year for Jaguar Land Rover alone. This will apply to a quota of 100,000 UK cars, almost the total the UK exported last year. 

    The Prime Minister visited Jaguar Land Rover last month announcing greater freedom for car manufacturers to back British industry in the face of global headwinds. During this visit he told workers he would accelerate trade deals to protect their jobs, their livelihoods, and to champion British business worldwide. 

    The UK steel industry – which was on the brink of collapse just weeks ago – will no longer face tariffs thanks to today’s deal. The Prime Minister negotiated the 25% tariff down to zero, meaning UK steelmakers can carry on exporting to the US. This follows last month’s intervention from the Prime Minister to take control of British Steel to save thousands of jobs in Scunthorpe.

    In a win for both nations, we have agreed new reciprocal market access on beef – with UK farmers given a tariff free quota for 13,000 metric tonnes. There will be no weakening of UK food standards on imports. 

    We will also remove the tariff on ethanol – which is used to produce beer – coming into the UK from the US, down to zero. 

    It is one of many international deals that the Government is landing to boost our economy – following an Indian trade deal which will add £4.8 billion to the UK economy and £2.2 billion in wages every year.

    Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, said:

    “The new global era demands a government that steps up, not stands aside. 

    “This historic deal delivers for British business and British workers protecting thousands of British jobs in key sectors including car manufacturing and steel. 

    “My government has put Britain at the front of the queue because we want to work constructively with allies for mutual benefit rather than turning our back on the world.

    “As VE Day reminds us, the UK has no greater ally than the United States, so I am delighted that eight decades on, under President Trump the special relationship remains a force for economic and national security. 

    “This is jobs saved, jobs won but not job done and our teams will continue to work to build on this agreement. 

    “My Government is determined to go further and faster to strengthen the UK’s economy, putting more money in working people’s pockets as part of our Plan for Change.”

    Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said:

    “I am delighted our calm approach and proactive engagement with the US has resulted in this deal which cuts tariffs for UK industry and cuts costs for businesses.

    “Businesses across the country will be glad to see our approach working, but this is only the beginning. We look forward to strengthening our trading relationship with the US through a wider economic deal, which will help us to deliver on our Plan for Change to provide economic stability and make this country fit for the future.”

    Adrian Mardell, Chief Executive Officer, JLR said:  

    “The car industry is vital to the UK’s economic prosperity, sustaining 250,000 jobs. We warmly welcome this deal which secures greater certainty for our sector and the communities it supports. We would like to thank the UK and US Governments for agreeing this deal at pace and look forward to continued engagement over the coming months.”

    Work will continue on the remaining sectors – such as pharmaceuticals and remaining reciprocal tariffs. But – in an important move – the US has agreed that the UK will get preferential treatment in any further tariffs imposed as part of Section 232 investigations. The deal opens the way to a future UK US technology partnership through which our science-rich nations will collaborate in key areas of advanced technology, for example biotech, life sciences, quantum computing, nuclear fusion, aerospace and space. 

    The Digital Services Tax remains unchanged as part of today’s deal. Instead the two nations have agreed to work on a digital trade deal that will strip back paperwork for British firms trying to export to the US – opening the UK up to a huge market that will put rocket boosters on the UK economy.

    Updates to this page

    Published 8 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Global: David Attenborough’s Ocean reveals how bottom trawling is hurting sealife in horrifying detail

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Callum Roberts, Professor of Marine Conservation, University of Exeter

    A bottom trawl net hanging to dry in the harbour of Harlingen in the Netherlands, showing the rockhopper rollers on the footrope that contacts the seabed. 365 Focus Photography/Shutterstock

    In one of the most powerful scenes of Sir David Attenborough’s new film Ocean, the audience sees industrial fishing from a fish’s perspective.

    Confronting a bottom trawl net as it thunders across the seabed, terrified fish scatter in desperate but futile attempts to escape the vast net swallowing them. The heavy chain that holds the trawl down sweeps away sponges, corals, seagrass and other seabed life, leaving behind utter devastation.

    Attenborough’s latest nature documentary is a visually magnificent and highly personal meditation on the relationship humans have with the sea. It is the most important part of our world, he says. But we have taken it for granted.

    A century of intensifying and destructive fishing has culminated in bottom trawl nets, some as big as cathedrals and weighing many tonnes, being towed along the seabed to catch fish. To allow them to fish more effectively in areas of rough seabed, which is where most marine life is found, fishers in the 1920s invented “rock-hopper” gear: rollers placed along the foot rope that touches the bottom, allowing the net to bounce over obstacles.

    This innovation followed the trajectory of many fishing methods, which was to become more destructive over time to sustain the size of catches in the face of declining fish stocks.

    Trawler nets are designed to gobble up marine life indiscriminately.
    Anney_Lier/Shutterstock

    Shellfish dredging, another fishing method that destroys as it catches, is shown in a second horrifying scene. To catch scallops, steel dredges armed with spikes (imagine the harrows farmers use to break up soil on ploughed fields) drag along the seabed, smashing and pummelling everything. In minutes, seabed life of astonishing diversity and beauty is erased.

    Together, Attenborough explains, bottom trawling and dredging wreak their havoc across an area of seabed larger than the Amazon rainforest every year.

    Attenborough invites viewers to wonder how on Earth these fishing methods are still allowed when the damage is so obvious. Viewers may be even more surprised, and very probably angry, to learn that most marine protected areas in Europe, and indeed worldwide, permit bottom trawling and dredging within their boundaries.

    To understand why this is the case, we have to go back in time.

    A medieval practice

    We know from the parliamentary records of Edward III in 1376 that fishers in southern England were practising bottom trawling as far back as the 1300s. Long-held traditions are hard to change, even when there is irrefutable evidence that they cause harm.

    It is telling, however, that this early description of trawling is a petition urging the king to ban the method for its reckless destruction of habitat and waste of fish.

    Nevertheless, these fisheries expanded because trawling was an efficient means of landing huge quantities of fish. Trawling’s success came at the expense of what we call marine animal forests, habitats built by animals like oysters, horse mussels and sponges – all swept away to leave behind vacant shifting sands, mud and gravel that predominate over vast swaths of seafloor today.

    A recent estimate has suggested that oyster reefs once covered at least 17,000 square kilometres of European seas – an area the size of Northern Ireland. All of this was gone by the beginning of the 20th century. This ecosystem cannot recover until it is offered protection from trawling and dredging. So, why haven’t we protected it?

    Degraded habitats, profoundly altered by trawling, were what scientists and then conservationists found when they first ventured below water after the invention of scuba diving in the mid-20th century. These early submarine explorers mistook them for natural and wild, failing to see the role industrial fishing had played in their creation.

    Being now occupied almost exclusively by creatures used to the passage of trawls – animals that live fast and die young like worms, prawns and whelks – these habitats were labelled as resilient, and not in need of protection.

    This warped perspective fooled us into thinking that marine protected areas left open to bottom trawling would be fine. In the few cases where protected areas exclude trawling, like around the Isle of Arran in western Scotland, the swift resurgence of seabed life has revealed how wrong this assumption was.

    In only five years, sea-moss, sea-nettles, scallops and brittle stars have reoccupied the seafloor, a transformation that is nevertheless just the beginning of a recovery that will carry on for decades.

    Seabeds protected from trawls and dredges can rebound, like this one off the Isle of Arran. It offers a glimpse of what existed before industrial fisheries.
    Henley Spiers/Blue Marine Foundation

    Giving up the trawl and dredge does not mean an end to fishing, as the film explains. In fact, recovering fish populations in protected areas replenish those in fishing grounds nearby, leading to better and more sustainable catches.

    Calling time on destructive fishing

    Perhaps now, at last, the writing is on the wall for bottom trawling and dredging, because they do a more insidious form of damage we have only recently become fully aware of. The ocean floor is one of the planet’s largest carbon stores. A snowfall of sinking organic matter and sediment accumulates on the seabed, where the carbon it contains is buried for thousands of years.

    Left undisturbed, this carbon is out of harm’s way. But when churned up by the passage of trawls and dredges, some is turned back into CO₂, some of which will end up back in the atmosphere.

    The magnitude of these seabed carbon emissions, and their role in climate change, is hotly debated. Getting more reliable estimates is the mission of a five-year project I lead, the Convex Seascape Survey. One thing is already clear from our research, however: there are places underwater – like peat bogs or permafrost on land – that we should not disturb because they harbour immense quantities of carbon.

    Ironically, these muddy basins have in the past few decades become some of the most intensively fished places in the sea because they are home to valuable prawns, which are among the few species still able to support viable fisheries.

    Any country serious about meeting net zero in time to prevent dangerous climate change must act swiftly to protect its seabed carbon stores. And any country serious about ocean conservation knows that marine protected areas are useless if they don’t exclude trawling and dredging.

    David Attenborough, Silverback Films and the Open Planet Studios team have brought these truths to a mass audience, leaving no space for further evasion and denial. What we need now is action.

    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.

    Callum Roberts receives funding from Convex, the Natural Environment Research Council and the European Research Council. He is on the board of Nekton and Maldives Coral Institute and sits on the Minderoo Natural Ecosystems advisory panel, the Bertarelli Ocean Legacy Science advisory board and the CORDAP science advisory panel.

    – ref. David Attenborough’s Ocean reveals how bottom trawling is hurting sealife in horrifying detail – https://theconversation.com/david-attenboroughs-ocean-reveals-how-bottom-trawling-is-hurting-sealife-in-horrifying-detail-255991

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Video: UK #VEDay80 Procession to Westminster Abbey

    Source: United Kingdom UK Parliament (video statements)

    Today the Speakers of both Houses met in Central Lobby and processed with the maces, echoing the House of Commons and House of Lords #VEDay procession of 1945.

    They made their way to Westminster Abbey for a service to honour and pay tribute to the Second World War generation.

    The joint procession reflected the unity of UK Parliament and the nation in marking 80 years since victory was declared in Europe.

    #VEDay80

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnaVjC8lNr4

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI: UAB “Valstybės investicinis kapitalas” Dividend Decision

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    UAB Valstybės investicinis kapitalas, UAB informs that the company’s shareholder has decided to allocate EUR 34,059 for dividends. The remaining share of profit available for distribution EUR 6,777,798 will be allocated to the legal reserve.

    This decision follows the Resolution No. 256 of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania dated April 30, 2025 “Regarding the Dividends Payable by UAB Valstybės investicinis kapitalas for Shares Owned by the State”, which authorized the Ministry of Finance to decide in 2025 to allocate 0.5 percent of the company’s profit available for distribution for the 2024 financial year to dividends.

    Enclosed:

    Approved distribution of Valstybės investicinis kapitalas UAB profit (loss) for the year 2024.

    Contact person:

    Vaidas Daktariunas
    Valstybės investicinis kapitalas UAB, Chief Executive Officer
    Phone: +370 618 29216
    E-mail: vaidas.daktariunas@vika.lt

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Landmark economic deal with United States saves thousands of jobs for British car makers and steel industry

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Landmark economic deal with United States saves thousands of jobs for British car makers and steel industry

    Thousands of jobs have been saved as the Prime Minister secured a first-of-a-kind trade agreement with the US.

    • Britain secures the first US trade deal protecting British business and British jobs, the second landmark deal in Britain’s national interest in a matter of days following the India deal
    • Prime Minister delivers on his promise to save UK steel and British car makers – saving thousands of jobs across the country
    • US tariffs on automotives immediately slashed from 27.5%, with steel and aluminium reduced to zero
    • Unprecedented market access for British farmers with protections on food standards maintained

    Thousands of jobs have been saved as the Prime Minister secured a first-of-a-kind trade agreement with the US.

    It is the second major trade announcement this week – following the India Free Trade Agreement on Tuesday, this historic agreement with the US to slash tariffs delivers for UK carmakers, steelworks and farmers – protecting jobs and providing stability for exporters. 

    Car export tariffs will reduce from 27.5% to 10% – saving hundreds of millions a year for Jaguar Land Rover alone. This will apply to a quota of 100,000 UK cars, almost the total the UK exported last year. 

    The Prime Minister visited Jaguar Land Rover last month announcing greater freedom for car manufacturers to back British industry in the face of global headwinds. During this visit he told workers he would accelerate trade deals to protect their jobs, their livelihoods, and to champion British business worldwide. 

    The UK steel industry – which was on the brink of collapse just weeks ago – will no longer face tariffs thanks to today’s deal. The Prime Minister negotiated the 25% tariff down to zero, meaning UK steelmakers can carry on exporting to the US. This follows last month’s intervention from the Prime Minister to take control of British Steel to save thousands of jobs in Scunthorpe.

    In a win for both nations, we have agreed new reciprocal market access on beef – with UK farmers given a tariff free quota for 13,000 metric tonnes. There will be no weakening of UK food standards on imports. 

    We will also remove the tariff on ethanol – which is used to produce beer – coming into the UK from the US, down to zero. 

    It is one of many international deals that the Government is landing to boost our economy – following an Indian trade deal which will add £4.8 billion to the UK economy and £2.2 billion in wages every year.

    Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, said:

    The new global era demands a government that steps up, not stands aside. 

    This historic deal delivers for British business and British workers protecting thousands of British jobs in key sectors including car manufacturing and steel. 

    My government has put Britain at the front of the queue because we want to work constructively with allies for mutual benefit rather than turning our back on the world.

    As VE Day reminds us, the UK has no greater ally than the United States, so I am delighted that eight decades on, under President Trump the special relationship remains a force for economic and national security. 

    This is jobs saved, jobs won but not job done and our teams will continue to work to build on this agreement. 

    My Government is determined to go further and faster to strengthen the UK’s economy, putting more money in working people’s pockets as part of our Plan for Change.

    Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said:

    I am delighted our calm approach and proactive engagement with the US has resulted in this deal which cuts tariffs for UK industry and cuts costs for businesses.

    Businesses across the country will be glad to see our approach working, but this is only the beginning. We look forward to strengthening our trading relationship with the US through a wider economic deal, which will help us to deliver on our Plan for Change to provide economic stability and make this country fit for the future.

    Adrian Mardell, Chief Executive Officer, JLR said:

    The car industry is vital to the UK’s economic prosperity, sustaining 250,000 jobs. We warmly welcome this deal which secures greater certainty for our sector and the communities it supports. We would like to thank the UK and US Governments for agreeing this deal at pace and look forward to continued engagement over the coming months.

    Work will continue on the remaining sectors – such as pharmaceuticals and remaining reciprocal tariffs. But – in an important move – the US has agreed that the UK will get preferential treatment in any further tariffs imposed as part of Section 232 investigations. The deal opens the way to a future UK US technology partnership through which our science-rich nations will collaborate in key areas of advanced technology, for example biotech, life sciences, quantum computing, nuclear fusion, aerospace and space. 

    The Digital Services Tax remains unchanged as part of today’s deal. Instead the two nations have agreed to work on a digital trade deal that will strip back paperwork for British firms trying to export to the US – opening the UK up to a huge market that will put rocket boosters on the UK economy.

    Updates to this page

    Published 8 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –