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Category: European Union

  • MIL-OSI Russia: US abuse of tariffs has resulted in global retaliation – Chinese Ambassador to Russia

    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

    Moscow, June 11 (Xinhua) — The unilateral imposition of customs duties by the United States has caused widespread opposition around the world, not only causing systemic damage to the American economy, but also seriously damaging the international reputation of the United States, as a result of which the process of “de-Americanization” is taking place at an accelerated pace in many countries around the world, according to an article by China’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Russia Zhang Hanhui published in the Argumenty i Fakty newspaper.

    The article notes that dissatisfaction with the government’s tariff policy continues to grow in the United States. It is noted that, according to polls, most Americans believe that the government’s economic policy will lead to a recession in the short term, since, on the one hand, the tariff burden significantly reduces the profits of enterprises and exacerbates the difficulties of doing business, and on the other hand, the abuse of duties has led to a sharp increase in the cost of living for the American population.

    Zhang Hanhui notes that the abuse of tariffs has caused discontent and resistance among US allies. The introduction of “mirror tariffs” has seriously damaged the US’s international reputation and deepened its rift with its allies. “A wave of boycotts of American goods is growing around the world. Following the “Buy Canadian” movement that began in Canada in February 2025, tens of thousands of people in Sweden, Denmark, France and other countries have called on social media to “not buy American goods,” while many Europeans have canceled subscriptions to Netflix, Disney and other American platforms,” the article states.

    According to the diplomat, the main victims of the US tariffs are the countries of the Global South, as the abuse of tariffs deprives these countries of economic sovereignty. Such a policy is outright “neocolonialism,” the ambassador said.

    The US tariff policy encourages the countries of the Global South to unite, accelerate the deepening of cooperation with each other and economic relations with other countries. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Zhang Hanhui recalls, said that the BRICS countries have the right to create a trading system completely independent of the US dollar.

    “China has repeatedly said that tariff and trade wars cannot be won, and that protectionism will ultimately harm the interests of all parties and will not find support,” the article says.

    According to the diplomat, China is ready to deepen cooperation and interaction with developing countries and emerging market countries together with Russia, strengthen coordination and cooperation within the framework of such mechanisms as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and BRICS. China is ready to “unite to counter economic blackmail by the United States, resolutely defend the common interests of the countries of the Global South, protect international justice and the international free trade system, and promote the construction of a more just and rational global governance system,” Zhang Hanhui emphasized. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Spending review delivers big boosts for health and defence – but Rachel Reeves is focused on investment

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Linda Yueh, Fellow in Economics/Adjunct Professor of Economics, University of Oxford

    UK chancellor Rachel Reeves has delivered the government’s spending review, setting out its plans and priorities for the next three years. The aim of the review is of course to allocate spending over that time period – but this government is keen for economic growth and so has directed the funds to try to boost GDP. This approach could work but is particularly challenging in an uncertain global environment.

    The parameters of the UK’s fiscal policy were set in the budget last October and the spring statement in March when the chancellor confirmed her fiscal rules, which allowed borrowing only for investment. Day-to-day spending on public services like the NHS and schools has to be met by tax revenues.

    As a result of an earlier tweak to the fiscal rules, public investment – spending on things like roads and hospitals – will total about £113 billion from now until nearly the end of this parliament.

    Many investors and creditors will have been looking out for this boost, as the UK has lagged behind comparable economies partly due to its lower levels of investment. The announcements have the potential to bring in private funding if more investors see an opportunity to benefit from increased economic growth, particularly if the UK’s relatively high energy costs are also addressed.

    Also in line for government investment is social and affordable housing. The announcement of £39 billion for this sector in England was a centrepiece of Reeves’ announcement. Coupled with planning reforms, the independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) judged in March that this could indeed boost growth.

    There will be more money for social housing – £39 billion over ten years in England.
    Irene Miller/Shutterstock

    In terms of day-to-day spending, health and defence received the biggest increases among government departments because of, respectively, pressures on the NHS arising from COVID-19 and the ageing population, and from geopolitical challenges like the war in Ukraine.

    Both departments, though, also have the potential to raise economic growth. Rates of economic inactivity (people who aren’t in paid work, for example) in the UK have not fallen back to their pre-COVID levels as they have in other major economies such as the US, France and Germany. Improving health services, cutting waiting lists and widening access to mental health support could help get more people back to work, which would boost employment and support growth.

    And on defence, spending in this area has the potential (depending greatly on the type of spend) to create technology that could eventually boost the nation’s productivity. GPS, for example, was developed by the US Department of Defense, as were many innovations now used in smartphones. Boosting UK defence spending to 2.6% of GDP by 2027 and investing in technology has the potential to unlock advances in equipment for the UK.

    Who loses out?

    This is not to say that increasing the settlements to other government departments would not support growth too. But some of those departments, including the Home Office, Foreign Office and transport, are now facing cuts in real terms to their spending. And they may find themselves under even more pressure should GDP growth slow.

    This is because of the chancellor’s fiscal rule about funding current spending from taxes. This would mean cuts if these receipts fall as a result of slowing growth, since Reeves has very little “fiscal headroom” (spare cash) to ensure she can meet her rules – only £9.9 billion.

    But the reverse may also prove to be true. Should investment in research and development (£22.6 billion per year by 2029‑30), renewable energy and infrastructure, alongside planning reforms, increase GDP growth, then the chancellor may find that she has more funding to allocate to day-to-day departmental spending to support public services.

    However, it takes time for investment to generate growth. OBR forecasts only expect increased growth of around 1.7% to 1.8% in the second half of this parliament. But those growth forecasts pre-date the US president Donald Trump’s tariffs announced in April, which are causing turmoil in global trade.

    This is why it is even more important for the UK to raise domestic economic growth through investing in people, technology and productivity. To govern is to choose, as the saying goes, and the government will hope that these are the right trade-offs to have made in order to grow during such shaky times. Despite the uncertain global picture, the chancellor has laid some promising foundations. Now the challenge will be delivering the growth.

    Linda Yueh 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. Spending review delivers big boosts for health and defence – but Rachel Reeves is focused on investment – https://theconversation.com/spending-review-delivers-big-boosts-for-health-and-defence-but-rachel-reeves-is-focused-on-investment-258746

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: E-bikes are becoming e-waste – here’s how to reduce the environmental cost

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Yvonne Ryan, Associate Professor in Environmental Science, University of Limerick

    Electric e-bikes make cycling easier, faster and more accessible. They are already playing an important role in reducing the environmental impact of transport, particularly when they replace a trip in a private car.

    But when you scrap an e-bike, you also have to scrap its battery. And these batteries can be particularly dangerous and tricky to dispose of. This means the growth of e-bikes is leading to at least one related environmental problem: a rise in electronic or e-waste.

    The sector needs stronger regulations to encourage it to cut its waste. This includes encouraging bikes to be designed to be easier to repair or recycle, and establishing universal standards that allow parts to work across different brands and models, so components can be reused instead of thrown away.

    However, e-bikes often fall between legislative cracks, and their exclusion from the priority products under the EU Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation, introduced in 2024, was unfortunate.

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

    At the University of Limerick in Ireland, colleagues and I have been researching the environmental impact of e-bikes. We’re interested in their full lifecycle, from metals in rocks to extraction, manufacturing, years of use and eventual disposal – to see if there are ways to reduce the materials they use.

    We interviewed retailers and people who work in waste management. They expressed concerns about online sales of lower-quality e-bikes with easily broken components, as well as the high turnover rates of e-bikes.

    E-bike rental services like this one in Dublin, Ireland are growing fast.
    Brendain Donnelly / shutterstock

    Using data from the fleet of e-bikes loaned out at our university, we noted issues with design and compatibility of components. Bike tyres, for instance, have become increasingly non-standard and specialised.

    Additive manufacturing, such as 3D printing, may become more important for bike retailers and repairers, who could use it to “print” themselves replacements nuts, screws or even seats. This may be particularly needed in island states such as Ireland, where there are often delays in sourcing parts.

    But first, the e-bikes must be of sufficient quality to be repaired. Then, to create the replacement parts, people will need to access the necessary data – digital files with precise designs of objects such as a bicycle tyre or handlebar.

    Keeping e-bikes in use

    New business models are emerging. Some companies are lending e-bikes to their employees, with a management company taking care of maintenance and repair.

    There are also a growing number of mobile e-bike repair services, and specialist training for e-bike repair and retail through manufacturer platforms like Bosch and Shimano.

    E-bike brands are shifting from a focus on selling bikes towards offering ongoing services. For example, e-bike retailer Cowboy offers a subscription to mobile bike mechanics, and VanMoof partners with authorised repair services. But while these models work well in big towns and cities, they may not be suitable for rural and smaller urban areas.

    Care needs to be taken to ensure that consumers are not disadvantaged or locked out from repair options. In the US, e-bike manufacturers have been requesting exceptions to laws designed to make products easier to repair – while urging that the public should not be allowed to access data needed to make repairs.

    E-bikes can be hard to spot

    On the waste handling side, some of the innovations that have made e-bikes more accessible are also creating new problems.

    For example, e-bikes have evolved to be sleeker and sometimes indistinguishable from regular bikes. This makes it easier for them to end up in regular waste management facilities that aren’t equipped for electronic waste. If a lithium-ion battery inside an e-bike still holds charge and gets crushed or shredded, it can start a fire.

    But this is a problem we can solve. Computer vision and other AI technologies could help to recognise e-bikes and batteries at waste management facilities. QR codes on bike frames could be used to provide information on the entire product lifecycle, including repair manuals and service history – just like the EU’s proposed product passports.

    Consumer awareness, choice and education are key. While it’s up to consumers to initiate the maintenance and repair of e-bikes, policymakers need to ensure these options are available and affordable, and that consumers are aware of them.

    Retailers need support to embed “repair and reuse” in their business models. This includes cycle-to-work schemes for people to buy e-bikes, as well as better access to insurance and legal protections for selling refurbished e-bikes, and a workforce with the skills to repair these bikes.

    Across the world, bike libraries and “try before you buy” schemes are helping consumers make better decisions, as people can test an e-bike before committing. Moving away from traditional ownership – especially for expensive e-bikes – could make active mobility more accessible.

    Policies that drive sales, such as grants and incentives for new bike purchases, can work against efforts to reduce waste. We need more policies that support refurbished and repaired e-bikes.

    The e-bike sector is one with great potential to improve both environmental and public health. But to realise these benefits, we need to focus on making them last longer and use less resources.

    Yvonne Ryan 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. E-bikes are becoming e-waste – here’s how to reduce the environmental cost – https://theconversation.com/e-bikes-are-becoming-e-waste-heres-how-to-reduce-the-environmental-cost-258367

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Foreign Minister strengthens relationship with Italy

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has concluded a constructive visit to Italy, marking 75 years of diplomatic relations. 

    Mr Peters and Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani met in Rome overnight and confirmed the strength of the bilateral relationship that New Zealand and Italy share.   

    “New Zealand and Italy are long-standing partners,” Mr Peters says. “We have agreed to work more closely together, in order to expand strategic and trade and economic relations.

    “We work closely in Antarctica and have shared interests in supporting the rules-based international order and multilateral system, including cooperation on human rights and UN reform,” Mr Peters says. 

    Mr Peters signed an arts, science and sport arrangement with Minister Tajani, which supports cooperation between New Zealand and Italy in these areas. 

    While in Rome, Mr Peters also met:

    • a range of Italian businesses with investment and commercial interests in New Zealand; and
    • Elizabeth Dibble, the Director-General of the Multinational Forces and Observers (MFO), the international peace monitoring organisation in the Sinai which New Zealand has supported since its inception in 1982. 

    Mr Peters now travels to Jakarta, to attend the annual Indonesia-New Zealand Joint Ministerial Commission meeting.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Leader’s Report – June 2025

    Source: Scotland – City of Edinburgh

    Latest news from the Council Leader Jane Meagher.

    Driving attainment in our schools

    As we near the end of the school term, I want to begin by recognising the hard work and achievements of our children, young people, teachers and school staff throughout the year.

    I was particularly pleased to hear that the attainment of our school leavers has improved across almost all measures, with the gap narrowing between the performance of the most and least disadvantaged young people in our schools.

    These results are due, at least in part, to our curriculum pathways programme, which offers our secondary pupils the opportunity to enjoy a varied and engaging school day while seeing clear connections to future career opportunities.

    Our construction, roofing and stone carving courses, for example, help students in S4 to S6 to develop practical skills while also gaining qualifications that help them to map out a career path beyond school. It’s testament to this work that 95% of our school leavers are now going on to positive destinations.

    To all of our pupils who recently sat their exams, I wish you all the best of luck with your results in August. Pupils, teachers and staff have put in a tremendous amount of hard work preparing for exams and I know many parents, carers and wider family members will also have been encouraging their children to do their best.

    And to our school leavers, I wish you the very best as you embark on your next journey, whether in the workforce or further education.

    Cleaner, greener travel

    Earlier this month we marked one year since we began enforcement of our Low Emission Zone (LEZ). With Clean Air Day (19 June) coming up next week, this anniversary is a timely reminder of the importance of restricting the most polluting vehicles and improving air quality in our busy city centre.

    Air pollution is associated with between 29,000 and 43,000 deaths a year in the UK alone, with both the World Health Organisation and the UK Government citing it as the largest environmental threat to our health. It was reassuring then to hear both NHS Lothian and Asthma + Lung UK praising our scheme.  

    The good news is we’re seeing wider benefits across our network with the Institute of Occupational Medicine finding a statistically significant shift towards active travel and public transport in the six months following LEZ enforcement.

    Recent data suggests further positive outcomes from new active travel projects such as Leith Connections (20% increase in pedestrian numbers) and Leith Walk (40% increase in cycling numbers), with Cycling Scotland also reporting record journeys on the City Centre West to East Link (CCWEL) and at Picardy Place.

    Meanwhile Edinburgh Trams and Lothian Buses both continue to report improving passenger numbers and performance following their respective Operator of the Year accolades at the National Transport Awards 2024.

    Building a strong and stable third sector

    Tackling poverty remains a key priority for us – but we can’t achieve this without the third sector. Yet worryingly, with funding becoming ever scarcer, our population growing and more people struggling with the cost of living, many charities are in a precarious position.

    It’s clear to me that we need to find a more sustainable way forward for a sector that brings so much good. That’s why we’ve asked the Edinburgh Partnership to conduct a review of how it supports and works with third sector organisations across the city, and ultimately to find solutions for improving funding certainty in future years.

    We want to hear about how we can make it simpler, provide more stability, and collaborate to help those who need this sector’s support most. Please share your views on our Consultation Hub. Results will be shared with everyone who takes part and with the third sector, before being reported to our next Policy and Sustainability Committee in August.

    Farewell Sir Tom

    I was saddened to hear of the passing of Sir Tom Farmer last month. A proud Leither, generous philanthropist and true son of Edinburgh whose influence reached far beyond our city’s boundaries.

    Sir Tom was a recipient of the Edinburgh Award, and his handprints remain immortalised in the City Chambers Quadrangle, a lasting tribute to a life of service, innovation, and generosity. Best known as the founder of Kwik Fit, he transformed the automotive industry, building a business that grew to over 2,000 locations across 18 countries and, of course, owned a majority stake in Hibernian FC for 28 years. I have no doubt he was looking down proudly as Hibs Ladies clinched the league title for the first time in 18 years.

    Yet, his legacy extends well beyond his entrepreneurial success. Born in Leith in 1940, his roots in the community remained strong throughout his life. His service was recognised with a knighthood in 1997, and again in 2009, when he was made a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) for his charitable work. He also received the Carnegie Medal for Philanthropy and was named a Knight Commander with Star of the Order of St Gregory the Great, an honour bestowed by the Pope.

    Sir Tom’s final journey took him through the streets of Leith, past Easter Road Stadium, where hundreds of Hibs fans gathered to pay tribute to a man whose kindness, leadership and civic pride have left a lasting mark.

    Summer in the city

    The busy summer season is upon us once more. The city has already enjoyed the Edinburgh Children’s Festival, with the ever-popular Meadows Festival taking place last weekend.

    Looking ahead, the city is gearing up for a colourful and joyful celebration next weekend as the annual Pride Edinburgh march brings thousands together in the heart of the Capital. Pride is an important date in the city’s calendar and honours the diversity, history and dignity of our LGBT+ community. 

    Then, later this month, all eyes will turn to Ingliston for the Royal Highland Show (19–22 June), a highlight of Scotland’s summer and a showcase of rural life, food, and culture.

    The coming weeks will see the city filled with music, art, and performance, starting with the Edinburgh Castle concert series and the Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival in July. As we move into August, the city becomes the world’s stage with the Edinburgh Festival Fringe – boasting 3,350 shows and 265 venues this year – the International Festival, Book Festival, Art Festival, Film Festival, and the iconic Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.

    I’m also very much looking forward to the reopening of the Filmhouse on 27 June following a lengthy and well-coordinated campaign to save and refurbish it. I know this was a cause very close to the heart of our late friend and colleague, Val Walker, and how much joy this would have brought her.

    Our world-renowned festivals and events sustain our reputation as a global cultural capital, with the positives extending well beyond entertainment. You need look no further than the £200 million our Winter Festivals brought to the local economy last year.

    They also bring real energy and excitement to the city, alongside lasting benefits to our businesses, communities and local charities. From next July, they will help to raise even more (as much as £50 million per year) for the city, courtesy of our visitor levy. We’re continuing to make good progress towards its introduction and have just given our views to the Scottish Government on a potential Cruise Ship Levy, which could be worth a further million pounds to the city each year.

    Stay Different

    Of course, these events require meticulous planning and coordination to limit the inevitable pressure on the city and our residents – and I want to extend my thanks to the many colleagues across events, waste, public safety and our partner organisations, for ensuring they remain safe, inclusive, and successful.

    Another way we can relieve the pressure is to encourage visitors (and residents!) to leave the beaten track and explore the many other wonderful attractions we have across the city. That’s the message of our new destination visitor marketing campaign Stay Different, which reminds visitors that Edinburgh is a year-round destination and there is much to discover in our local neighbourhoods and beyond.

    A revealing glimpse into our past

    As if we didn’t have enough to do this summer, I’m very much looking forward to exploring three standout shows that offer powerful glimpses into our past.

    At the St Giles’ Cathedral, Edinburgh’s First Burghers: Revealing the Lives and Hidden Faces of Edinburgh’s Medieval Citizens presents an extraordinary mix of science, history, and storytelling. Marking the joint 900th anniversaries of Edinburgh and St Giles’ Cathedral, this unique exhibition brings to life the medieval citizens buried at the site and allows us to see the faces and learn the stories of some of our earliest residents.

    At the City Art Centre, meanwhile, John Bellany: A Life in Self-Portraiture showcases more than 80 works by one of Scotland’s most important modern artists. With never-before-seen sketchbooks and artworks displayed across two floors, this is a compelling insight into a life lived through art.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: Canadian Online Casinos That Are Making Waves in the 2025 Gambling Scene – Findings Released by All iGaming

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

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    Consider bonuses with reasonable wagering requirements, clear terms—including minimum deposit amounts and game restrictions—and valuable offers such as deposit matches, free spins, or cash back. All bonuses featured in iGaming reviews are carefully assessed to ensure they’re fair, transparent, and player-friendly at the best online casinos in Canada.

    5. Can I Play at Online Casinos Anonymously?

    Yes, some of the best online casinos in Canada offer low or no KYC options for discreet play. All iGaming highlights platforms that balance privacy and compliance for a secure casino online Canada experience.

    6. How Do I Stay Safe While Gambling Online in Canada?

    All iGaming recommends using a dedicated payment method for gambling, enabling two-factor authentication (2FA) for added account security, and always double-checking your payment details before making any transactions. To promote responsible play, it’s also wise to set personal budgets and use features like deposit limits.

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    >>Find Your Perfect Canadian Online Casino, Recommended by All iGaming!<<

    Disclaimer

    This article is for informational purposes only. While we aim to provide accurate, relevant insights, we do not endorse or guarantee the legitimacy of any listed platforms among the best online casinos in Canada. Online gambling carries financial risk and may face legal restrictions in some regions. Ensure compliance with Canadian laws before playing at a Canadian online casino. We promote responsible gaming and urge caution. Verify platform details and consult legal advisors before making decisions at Canadian gambling sites.

    Email:support@alligaming.com

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    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Video: UK 🔴 LIVE: Prime Minister’s Questions + Spending Review with British Sign Language (BSL) – 11 June 2025

    Source: United Kingdom UK Parliament (video statements)

    Prime Minister’s Question Time, also referred to as PMQs, takes place every Wednesday the House of Commons sits. It gives MPs the chance to put questions to the Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer MP, or a nominated minister.

    In most cases, the session starts with a routine ‘open question’ from an MP about the Prime Minister’s engagements. MPs can then ask supplementary questions on any subject, often one of current political significance.

    The Leader of the Opposition, Kemi Badenoch MP, asks six questions and the leader of the second largest opposition party asks two. If another minister takes the place of the Prime Minister, opposition parties will usually nominate a shadow minister to ask the questions.

    Want to find out more about what’s happening in the House of Commons this week? Follow the House of Commons on:

    Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/HouseofCommons
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ukhouseofcommons
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ukhouseofcommons

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYOzDzhz3mE

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI China: MOFA response to UK Ministry of Defence’s expression of concern over cross-strait peace and stability in Strategic Defence Review

    Source: Republic of Taiwan – Ministry of Foreign Affairs

    MOFA response to UK Ministry of Defence’s expression of concern over cross-strait peace and stability in Strategic Defence Review

    • Date：2025-06-03
    • Data Source：Department of European Affairs

    June 3, 2025  

    On June 2, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) of the United Kingdom published its Strategic Defence Review, which stressed that the Indo-Pacific was strategically important to the United Kingdom and that growing Chinese assertiveness was a key driver of regional and global instability. The report also emphasized that China’s military exercises around Taiwan risked dangerous escalation in the Taiwan Strait and that its aggressive actions were fueling tension in the South China Sea. Moreover, the review stated that the MOD would continue strengthening regional partnerships and protecting freedom of navigation so as to further defend and shape international rules and norms. 

     

    At the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on May 31, Admiral Tony Radakin, UK Chief of the Defence Staff, publicly stated that upholding the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the principles of freedom of navigation in the Indo-Pacific mattered greatly to the United Kingdom. He added that Royal Navy ships had therefore been exercising the right of freedom of navigation in the region, including in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea. The fact the MOD’s Strategic Defence Review once again expressed grave concern over the Taiwan Strait and clear opposition to China’s provocative military actions demonstrates the United Kingdom’s consistent stance regarding the need to maintain peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) strongly affirms and appreciates the UK statements. 

     

    The United Kingdom, a like-minded partner, shares with Taiwan such universal values as democracy, freedom, and the rule of law. It also plays a key role in maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific. Taiwan will continue to engage in close cooperation with the United Kingdom and other democratic countries, taking concrete action to uphold peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, defend the rules-based international order, and jointly advance security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific and throughout the world. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Council’s commitment to heritage shown with investment in Portsmouth’s historic cemeteries

    Source: City of Portsmouth

    In line with the council’s heritage strategy and to ensure that important historic structures within these spaces can be enjoyed for years to come, the council is prioritising their preservation. Since 2012, the council has invested almost £14.5 million into heritage projects across the city.

    Currently, repairs are being made to the Dissenter’s Chapel in Highland Road Cemetery as part of a £65,000 project. Designed by the renowned architect Thomas Ellis-Owen, this Grade II listed building is a unique Byzantine style brick cemetery chapel. Repairs are being made to the roof, walls and rendering, and floor joists are being repaired.

    The council is also planning an investment of £200,000 to restore the Grade II listed neo-Gothic West Chapel in Kingston Cemetery, which will bring this building back into use.

    At Milton Cemetery, plans are underway to sensitively dismantle the cemetery lodge, which is not listed and has been empty for over a decade as cemetery managers no longer live on site. The building has also been deemed unsafe to be used as an office for the cemeteries team, and in its current state does not give a good impression to those entering the cemetery.

    Many options have been explored to bring it back into use, but the position within the cemetery means these are impractical, and the dangerous condition of the building means it must be removed. The space can then be used for burials, ensuring that the residents of Portsmouth can continue to choose their preferred funeral ceremony for years to come, as developing a new cemetery in the city will be difficult due to lack of available sites.

    An ecological survey has been carried out, and the garden of the lodge will remain as it is during the work to minimise disruption. In the future, work will take place to tidy this area up so the public can enjoy it, whilst minimising the impact on wildlife habitats. The toilet block behind the lodge will be kept, with investment sought in the coming years to improve it.

    Cllr Steve Pitt, Leader of Portsmouth City Council said:

    “The city has a duty to its heritage, one that the council takes seriously. Our heritage strategy builds on the other recent heritage projects in the city including the redevelopment of the D-Day Story, the arrival of LCT 7074, the renovation of Victoria Park and the Hotwalls Studios project. More recent investment has seen repairs made to the Kings Theatre, Fort Widley and also the renovation of Hilsea Lido.

    “In an ideal world, the council would be able to invest in all of the buildings in its care but after seeing over £110 million cut from our budget over the last 15 years, we have to make choices. The heritage strategy was specifically devised to help us make the best choices for the right reasons, to protect those buildings which have the most significance and the ability to be repurposed for future uses”.

    The council’s heritage strategy uses a scoring system to decide which heritage projects to support. This was used to determine where this investment into the city’s cemeteries was made. Each project is rated from 0 to 10 in three areas:

    • Status (how officially recognised or protected the site is),
    • Condition (how much repair or attention it needs), and
    • Potential Impact (how much benefit the project could bring socially, economically, culturally, and environmentally).

    The higher the total score, the higher the priority for support. This helps the council focus on projects that are both important and in need, and that can make a real difference to the community.

    Milton Cemetery Lodge scores low across all three categories of the heritage assessment formula. It lacks official heritage status, is not listed on any ‘at risk’ registers, and offers minimal social, economic, or environmental impact if restored. As a result, investment in the building cannot be justified.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: Game-Changing Crypto Casinos Recognized in All iGaming’s 2025 Gambling Report! (Expert Findings)

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    New York City, June 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —  Crypto casinos and Bitcoin casinos are taking over in 2025 with fast transactions, top privacy, and epic features. Ready to dive in? All iGaming has your back with real reviews and tips on the best crypto casinos.

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    Crypto casinos have leveraged blockchain technology to deliver an easy and secure gaming experience. Unlike traditional casinos that rely on fiat currencies and banking systems, the best crypto casinos allow players to deposit, wager, and withdraw using cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, Tether, and others.

    This shift has fueled a global boom in crypto gambling, with the market seeing over $26 billion in bets placed with digital currencies in Q1 2025, nearly double the volume from Q1 2024. Industry projections estimate the crypto gambling market will reach $55.3 billion by 2032, reflecting growing player demand. The appeal of Bitcoin casinos and other crypto platforms lies in their ability to address common pinpoints in traditional gambling, such as slow payouts, high fees, and privacy concerns.

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    All iGaming, a leading authority in online gambling, provides comprehensive reviews of these platforms, helping players navigate the crowded market with confidence. All iGaming.com is a one-stop destination for discovering top crypto casinos, understanding their features, and accessing educational resources to enhance your gaming experience.

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    The popularity of the best crypto casinos among players stems from several unique advantages that set them apart from traditional online casinos. All iGaming highlights these benefits in their detailed analyses, ensuring players understand why crypto casinos are a game-changer in 2025.

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    All iGaming’s reviews emphasize these advantages, showcasing how best crypto casinos cater to modern players’ needs. Their platform provides detailed comparisons of platforms, helping users identify those that excel in speed, privacy, or game variety.

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    While Bitcoin casinos offer numerous benefits, they also come with challenges that players should consider. All iGaming ensures transparency by highlighting these drawbacks in their evaluations.

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    The use of top crypto casinos has skyrocketed in 2025, driven by a diverse player base ranging from crypto enthusiasts to traditional gamblers seeking faster, more private alternatives. All iGaming’s insights reveal how players engage with these platforms:

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    ▶️ How to Play Safely at Crypto Casinos: All iGaming’s Guide

    Safety is paramount when gambling online, especially in the crypto space where scams and unregulated platforms exist. All iGaming offers expert advice on how to identify and play at secure top crypto casinos. Here’s a step-by-step guide to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience:

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    The world of top crypto casinos in 2025 offers endless possibilities for players seeking fast, private, and rewarding gaming experiences. From lightning-fast payouts to provably fair games, Bitcoin casinos are redefining online gambling. However, with great opportunity comes responsibility—players must prioritize safety, verify licensing, and practice responsible gambling to fully enjoy these platforms.

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    Absolutely! Many crypto casinos recommended by All iGaming feature low-entry games and progressive jackpots, giving you a shot at big wins even with modest bets. Check their reviews for platforms with the best odds.

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    Disclaimer: Online gambling carries financial risks and may be illegal in some regions. Always verify local laws and gamble responsibly. All iGaming provides informational content but does not endorse the legitimacy of listed platforms.

    Email: support@alligaming.com

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    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Chancellor pledges at least £445 million of rail investment as part of biggest ever Welsh funding boost

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Chancellor pledges at least £445 million of rail investment as part of biggest ever Welsh funding boost

    Major transport upgrade to drive growth and unlock economic potential across Wales, as UK Government delivers on Plan for Change.   

    Spending Review: Investing in Wales’ future.

    • Investment is part of comprehensive spending package to invest in UK’s renewal, creating thousands of jobs in clean energy, manufacturing and defence  
    • The Welsh Government will receive the largest real terms settlement since devolution began in 1999, with an average settlement of £22.4 billion per year, enabling the Welsh Government to deliver for working people in Wales.

    Working people across Wales will benefit from better access to jobs and opportunities thanks to a Welsh rail investment worth at least £445 million announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves today as part of the UK Government’s Spending Review which will invest in UK’s renewal.

    The transformative rail package will reconnect Wales’s industrial heartlands, improve commuter journeys and drive economic growth in communities that have long suffered from poor transport links.  

    The package will invest in both north and south Wales, fixing level crossings, building new stations, and upgrading existing lines  

    This strategic rail investment forms the cornerstone of the UK Government’s plan to reconnect, reindustrialise and renew Wales – addressing decades of underinvestment in critical infrastructure that has held back the Welsh economy.  

    The rail upgrades will specifically link centres of advanced manufacturing excellence in North Wales and improve vital connections between Cardiff and Bristol, making it easier for businesses to invest and for workers to access employment opportunities.  

    Alongside this major transport investment, the Spending Review delivers significant backing for Wales’s key industrial sectors.  

    In Port Talbot, a combined investment of up to £580 million will secure the future of steelmaking while transforming the port into a clean energy hub. Within this, £500 million for Tata Steel’s new Electric Arc Furnace will protect 5,000 jobs while reducing carbon emissions.  

    Secretary of State for Wales, Jo Stevens, said:  

    This UK Government is investing in Wales’ future and driving economic growth across the country.  

    We promised we would deal with the historical under-investment in Wales’ rail network and the funding announced today in this Spending Review shows we are delivering on that pledge.  

    Along with a record financial settlement for Welsh Government to improve public services, £118m more to help keep coal tips safe and investment in growing industries like aerospace, we are backing Wales’ potential and delivering for working people.”    

    Growing Wales’ domestic aerospace and defence industries  

    Speaking in the House of Commons today, the Chancellor reaffirmed the government’s commitment to increase defence spending to 2.6% of GDP by April 2027, backing our Armed Forces, creating British jobs in British industries, and prioritising the security of Britain when it is most needed.  

    The Spending Review also backed Welsh industry by continuing investment in the defence industry right across the UK, including Wales.  

    Wales’s aerospace and automotive industries, already employing over 15,000 people, also stands to gain through UK-wide funding announced for the advanced manufacturing sector, enabling the development and delivery of ultra-low and zero-carbon emission vehicles and aircraft.   

    Coal tip safety   

    The Spending Review also confirms a further £118 million between 2026-27 and 2028-29 for the Welsh Government to maintain the safety of disused coal tips, on the back of £25 million already committed in 2025-26 during 2024 Autumn Budget. The money will see tips secured, homes protected and land unlocked for housing, industry and recreation.   

    The UK Government also pledged continued support for Welsh Investment Zones in Cardiff City Region and Wrexham and Flintshire, which will receive £160 million each over 10 years, driving growth and jobs.  

    Supporting Welsh businesses  

    The new Industrial Strategy and Public finance Institutions will collaborate with the devolved governments and local stakeholders to drive growth across the UK. Through the Nations and Regions Investment programme the British Business Bank is delivering £130 million across Wales to break down access to finance barriers and drive economic growth.  

    Local growth funding  

    A new local growth fund, and investments in up to 350 deprived communities across the UK, will maintain the same cash level as in 2025-26 under the Shared Prosperity Fund. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Wales Office will work with local partners to ensure money goes to projects that matter to local people. This investment will help drive growth and improve communities across all parts of Wales.  

    A record settlement for Welsh public services  

    The Welsh Government will receive the largest settlement in real terms since devolution in 1999, with an average settlement of £22.4 billion per year to deliver against the priorities of working people in Wales.  

    This comprehensive investment package is further delivery of the UK Government’s promise to invest in Britain’s renewal and ensure that economic growth benefits every part of the United Kingdom.

    ENDS

    Updates to this page

    Published 11 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Springwood Leisure Centre’s outdoor pitches to get major upgrade

    Source: City of Derby

    Derby City Council’s Springwood Leisure Centre is delighted to announce a major refurbishment of both its outdoor 3G football pitches, thanks to the successful acquisition of £147,000 in Section 106 funding. The funding will enable a comprehensive upgrade, including the installation of a state-of-the-art artificial playing surface, permanent line markings, and brand-new fencing around the pitches, to be completed at no cost to the Council.

    Work will start at the end of July and is expected to take five weeks, which means the refurbished pitches will be fully operational in time for the winter sports season, providing a much-improved playing experience for local clubs, teams, schools, and recreational users.

    This is the second time Springwood Leisure Centre has successfully secured Section 106 funding for infrastructure improvements. In 2023, the Centre received £190,000 to develop its immersive Spin Studio, which has been widely praised for its innovative design and contribution to local health and wellbeing. Together, these investments reflect the Centre’s growing role as a cornerstone of the local community and its commitment to expanding the range and quality of sports and leisure opportunities available to residents.

    In celebration of this latest milestone, Springwood Leisure Centre is also planning to launch its first-ever Springwood Community Cup. The tournament aims to showcase the upgraded pitches and create a legacy of community engagement through sport. Full details of the Community Cup will be shared in the coming weeks.

    Councillor Ndukwe Onuoha, Derby City Council Cabinet Member for Streetpride, Public Safety and Leisure, said:

    This is great news for the local community. The new pitches will support grassroots sport, improve facilities for residents, and it’s all been achieved at no cost to the Council.  I look forward to seeing the pitches in use and to the first Springwood Community Cup. Investments like this show our commitment to accessible, high-quality leisure for all.

    The upgraded facilities will support increased participation in grassroots football, provide a safe and durable all-weather playing surface, and accommodate a wide range of users, from casual kickabouts to league matches and school sports programmes. The work will be carried out by S&C Slatter, a leading UK specialist in sports construction and artificial pitch installations.

    Nathaniel Leney, Business Development Manager at S&C Slatter, said: 

    S&C Slatter are proud to have been appointed by Derby City Council to deliver the resurfacing of the 3G pitches at Springwood Leisure Centre. As a valued community facility, it deserves a first-class refurbishment, and we are committed to providing a safe, high-performance all-weather surface that will support and inspire local players, teams, and residents for years to come.

    Working in close partnership with the Council, we’ve developed a specification that meets the latest industry standards and ensures long-term performance and durability. We’re excited to begin work on this important project and contribute to the continued growth of sport and recreation in Derby.

    The Centre welcomes casual and block bookings for the new pitches. Whether you’re part of a club, organising a tournament, or just looking for a space to play, Springwood Leisure Centre offers a welcoming and professional environment.

    For booking enquiries or further information, please see our website or contact: springwood.sports@derby.gov.uk

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: AVAILABILITY OF THE 2024-2025 UNIVERSAL REGISTRATION DOCUMENT

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    AVAILABILITY OF THE 2024-2025 UNIVERSAL REGISTRATION DOCUMENT

    Bernin (Grenoble), France, June 11, 2025 – Soitec (Euronext Paris) announces the filing today of its 2024-2025 Universal Registration Document in European Single Electronic Format (ESEF) with the French Financial Markets Authority (Autorité des Marchés Financiers – AMF) under number D.25-0439.

    The 2024-2025 Universal Registration Document is made available to the public in compliance with applicable laws and regulations and a French and English version is available for consultation on the Company’s website (www.soitec.com under Investors section – Regulated Information – Financial reports and results & other regulated releases). A French version is also available on the website of the AMF (www.amf-france.org).

    The 2024-2025 Universal Registration Document, comprising the annual financial report, notably contains:

    • the management report, the consolidated and statutory financial statements and related Statutory Auditors’ reports, the information on the fees paid to the Statutory Auditors and the declaration by the person responsible for the Universal Registration Document ;
    • the Board of Directors’ report on corporate governance;
    • the description of the share buyback program ;
    • the sustainability report;
    • the explanatory notes and the draft resolutions submitted to the approval of the Annual General Meeting of July 22, 2025.

    *****

    Agenda

    First-quarter 2025-2026 revenue: July 22, 2025, after market close.

    Annual General Meeting: July 22, 2025.

    *****

    About Soitec

    Soitec (Euronext – Tech Leaders), a world leader in innovative semiconductor materials, has been developing cutting-edge products delivering both technological performance and energy efficiency for over 30 years. From its global headquarters in France, Soitec is expanding internationally with its unique solutions, and generated sales of 0.9 billion Euros in fiscal year 2024-2025. Soitec occupies a key position in the semiconductor value chain, serving three main strategic markets: Mobile Communications, Automotive and Industrial, and Edge and Cloud AI. The company relies on the talent and diversity of more than 2,200 employees, representing 50 different nationalities, working at its sites in Europe, the United States and Asia. Nearly 4,300 patents have been registered by Soitec.

    Soitec, SmartSiC™ and Smart Cut™ are registered trademarks of Soitec.

    For more information: https://www.soitec.com/en/ and follow us on LinkedIn and X: @Soitec_Official

    *****

    Media Relations: media@soitec.com

    Investor Relations: investors@soitec.com

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    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Exciting new future for leisure unveiled

    Source: Scotland – City of Perth

    The updated proposals include two exciting options for the new PH2O facility at Thimblerow in Perth city centre — both of which include flumes and enhanced leisure water features. These options respond directly to the instruction of Councillors to explore leisure water provision at the site, while still being affordable and aligned with the Council’s strategic priorities.

    Council Leader Grant Laing said: “This is a really positive step forward. We asked officers to explore how we could deliver a leisure water offer that meets the ambitions of our communities — and they’ve delivered. These proposals show that we can do that while staying true to the principles agreed by Council last September: delivering the greatest impact from our capital investment and ensuring best value for our residents.

    “PH2O at Thimblerow will be a fantastic new facility for Perth, and we should never lose sight of the fact that building there means that we can continue to keep Perth Leisure Pool open and maintain access to swimming in Perth right up to the moment it transfers to the new facility.

    “And by making the most of the funding previously allocated for PH2O, we’ve also created the opportunity to do even more to secure the future for sport and leisure across Perth and Kinross. The proposals being put before Council will also allow us to identify the funding to progress with much-needed upgrades and improvements to the pools in Kinross and Crieff, as well as providing a funded pathway to a sustainable future for Bell’s Sports Centre.”

    The report also outlines a proposal to allocate part of the Glover Street site — which will be freed up once PH2O at Thimblerow opens — to Capability Scotland. This would allow the charity to relocate from its current Upper Springland site, securing its future in Perth and offering new supported accommodation in the city centre.

    Depute Leader and Convener of the Economy and Infrastructure Committee Eric Drysdale said: “This is a great example of how joined-up thinking can deliver real benefits for our communities. Not only are we investing in leisure and wellbeing, but we’re also creating an opportunity for the valued service provided to residents and other clients at Capability Scotland to thrive in the heart of our city.

    “This is about more than buildings — it’s about creating a supportive and welcoming environment in our communities where everyone can live life well.”

    The proposals will be considered at a meeting of Perth and Kinross Council on Wednesday 18 June 2025, and include:

    • £74m for PH2O at Thimblerow with:
      • 25m 8-lane swimming pool with movable floor
      • 12.5m x 8.5m teaching pool
      • 5.5m flumes
      • Extended splashpad/aquatic children’s play space
      • Holiday and weekend inflatables in the main pool
      • Indoor play area (Clip n’ Climb/ soft play or other family play activity)
      • Games hall (6 court)
      • Fitness gym
      • Studio 1,2,3 (flexible)
      • Café
    • £10m for Bell’s Sports Centre to fund delivery of the transformed facility, including the costs of essential RAAC and asbestos removal work. Confirms that the development and future use of Bell’s Sports Centre should be as an unheated, covered sports pitch/ events space as supported by 60% of respondents to a public consultation on the subject.
    • £13.2m investment in energy efficiency and building upgrades at Live Active Loch Leven (Kinross) and Strathearn Community Campus (Crieff) to sustain the life of of both facilities for a further 20 years, and reduce the emergency consumption by 75% and 80% respectively. 

    Together, these proposals represent a sustainable, future-focused investment in leisure across Perth and Kinross — one that supports health and wellbeing, strengthens communities, and brings new life to the city centre.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Orange Middle East and Africa and risingSUD join forces to facilitate the establishment and development of startups in the South of France

    At the Viva Technology trade show in Paris, Orange Middle East and Africa (OMEA) (www.Orange.com), represented by its CEO Jérôme Hénique, and risingSUD, represented by its President Bernard Kleynhoff, signed a strategic partnership to support the establishment and growth of African startups in the Orange Digital Center network in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region, in the South of France.

    This three-year partnership aims to bring together innovation ecosystems in Africa, the Middle East, and the South of France. Specifically, startups from the Orange Digital Center network will benefit from tailored support from the teams at risingSUD, the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region’s economic attractiveness and development agency, to establish themselves in the South of France. They will thus join a dynamic region that is already home to 500,000 companies, including global leaders and startups that are inventing the world of tomorrow.

    With this partnership, OMEA strengthens its support for the internationalization of startups from Africa and the Middle East and reaffirms its commitment to developing the continent’s entrepreneurial ecosystems. Deployed in 17 countries in Africa and the Middle East and eight countries in Europe, the Orange Digital Center network is a free and accessible ecosystem for all. It brings together, in one place, digital skills training for young people, support for project leaders, incubation, acceleration, and startup financing.

    In 2024 alone, risingSUD supported the establishment of 14 African companies in the South of France, including the startup from the Orange Digital Center in Tunisia, Guépard, which opened an office in Marseille. This partnership will allow more startups from Africa and the Middle East to benefit from risingSUD’s expertise, ranging from project development to access to financing and networking with international partners. It will also facilitate access for talent and startups from the South region to the Orange Digital Centers network.

    ​​​Jérôme Hénique, CEO of Orange Middle East and Africa, commented: “This partnership with risingSUD marks a key step in our ambition to promote African innovation internationally. It is a continuation of the support we offer startups through our Orange Digital Centers. By facilitating their establishment and acceleration in France, particularly in the South region, we are giving young African companies the means to accelerate their growth.”

    Bernard Kleynhoff, President of risingSUD and President of the Economic and Digital Development, Industry, Export, Attractiveness and Cybersecurity Commissions of the Sud Region, added: “Thanks to its strategic position, its historical trade flows and its commitment to innovation, the South of France is a natural bridge between Europe, Africa and the Middle East. It is now the leading French region for hosting African investment projects. This partnership opens up new economic opportunities and constitutes a real springboard for the development of businesses on both sides of the Mediterranean.”

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Orange Middle East and Africa.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Chancellor “knows know the price of everything and the value of nothing.” say Greens in response to Spending Review

    Source: Green Party of England and Wales

    by Green Party

    Responding to the Spending Review, Green Party Co-Leader, Adrian Ramsay MP, said,

    “Today’s Spending Review shows we have a chancellor who seems to know the price of everything and the value of nothing. While today Reeves may have balanced her spreadsheet, it is done on the backs of some of the worst off in our society. The proof is in how many will still be feeling worse off as the cost-of-living crisis bites hard.

    People want to feel pride in Britain again, and for this, they need real hope. Hope only comes from seeing how things will improve through real investment in the everyday services we all rely on.

    Despite the rhetoric in the chamber, it is clear that this Spending Review represents a squeeze in many frontline budgets. With education, for example, where many schools are already being forced to make difficult budget cuts, core school budgets are set to rise by just 0.6% – well under that of inflation. It is hard to see this money ever reaching our teachers and children in the classroom. Equally, I am horrified to see real-term cuts to Defra funding, just as the impact of climate change is starting to affect our communities. Now is the time to invest in climate resilience and preparedness.”

    He continued, “These ‘tough decisions’ are actually ‘Labour’s political choices’. They are choosing to leave the economy tilted towards those with considerable wealth. Our front-line services continue to deteriorate through a political choice of decline by design. By introducing a wealth tax on the super-rich, we could instead properly invest in our children’s future. We could give them the education they deserve and start now to invest in the climate resilience and preparedness they will need throughout their lives as the climate crisis unfolds.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: The UK will continue to play its part in cooperating with the Mechanism: UK Statement at the UN Security Council

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Speech

    The UK will continue to play its part in cooperating with the Mechanism: UK Statement at the UN Security Council

    Statement by Legal Adviser Colin McIntyre at the UN Security Council meeting on the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals.

    Madam President, I will make four points today.

    First, as the president of the Mechanism rightly noted in her remarks today, the upcoming 30th anniversary of the genocide at Srebrenica reminds us of the significance of the work which the Mechanism has undertaken. And important work continues with the Mechanism continuing to perform important judicial, prosecutorial and operational functions as part of its ongoing work.   

    Second, State cooperation with the Mechanism remains essential, and we welcome the support that States continue to provide. 

    The UK will continue to play its part, including through the enforcement of a number of sentences of imprisonment of persons convicted by the Mechanism or its predecessor institutions.

    We welcome the President’s request for States to give serious consideration to enforcing the sentences of imprisonment of persons currently housed in the UN Detention Unit in The Hague.  

    And we call once again on Serbia to ensure the arrest and transfer of Petar Jojic and Vjerica Radeta to the Mechanism.

    Third, the President made reference in her remarks today to a case in the UK relating to a judge from the Mechanism roster. The UK would like to thank the Secretary-General for the prompt action taken to waive immunity and for the close co-operation that UK and UN officials took to keep each other updated on the case.

    Fourth and finally, as we look to the future, it is important to have regard to the broader context. This includes both the Mechanism’s status as a residual institution and the financial challenges facing the United Nations more broadly.  

    There will therefore continue to be a need for rigorous budgeting and efficiency in all UN bodies, including at the Mechanism. In this context, we welcome the measures that the Mechanism has taken to maximise efficiency as outlined in the report.  

    We are also pleased to hear of the ongoing cross-organ consultation on options for the location of the archives and for the transfer of certain other functions. 

    We encourage the Mechanism to continue and to deepen such work over the period ahead. 

    We look forward to seeing more detailed proposals in the Secretary-General’s reports later in the year. 

    This will be helpful as we work to deliver the vision of the Mechanism as a small, temporary and efficient institution.

    Madam President, to conclude, the UK remains a steadfast supporter of the Mechanism’s work and of its role in delivering justice.

    Updates to this page

    Published 11 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Sunderland’s potential rugby stars of the future have come face to face with one of the sport’s top trophies.

    Source: City of Sunderland

    Local schoolchildren enjoyed a day to remember getting up close to the Women’s Rugby World Cup trophy when it visited Barnes Park as part of its tour of the city.

    The iconic silverware was in Sunderland ahead of the city hosting the opening match of the Women’s Rugby World Cup at the Stadium of Light on the evening of Friday 22 August.

    World Rugby unveiled the new trophy last month to tie in with the start of the 100-day countdown to the opening match of the tournament in Sunderland which will see England’s Red Roses take on the USA.

    The trophy’s visit to Sunderland marked the culmination of a nationwide tour of all eight host cities and towns as excitement continues to build for the record-breaking tournament.

    Around 150 youngsters from Barnes Junior School and Broadway Primary School got the see the trophy and put their rugby skills to the test when it visited Barnes Park.

    They are among almost 800 hundred pupils in primary and secondary schools across Sunderland who have been introduced to the game of rugby as part of the Active Sunderland Community Impact Programme in the lead up to the tournament’s opening match in their home city.

    Councillor Beth Jones, Cabinet Member for Communities, Culture and Tourism at Sunderland City Council, said: “Hosting the opening match of this record breaking tournament is incredibly exciting for our city and we want one of its lasting legacies to be the impact it has on growing the game in Sunderland and inspiring more girls and boys to take up the sport.

    “We know that being active is really important, with all sorts of benefits for our physical and mental wellbeing and it’s been fantastic to see so many pupils in schools across Sunderland embracing the game and enjoying everything it has to offer. 

    “So it was really special for pupils who have been learning all about the game and the skills needed to play it, to come face to face with the trophy the world’s top rugby teams are going to be competing to win this summer.”

    The ongoing work in the city’s schools has included an Active Sunderland Rugby Skills event last October, with another  planned for 2 July.

    T1 rugby sessions – a new non contact style of rugby, with an emphasis on fun, fitness and inclusion – have also been delivered to 600 students in primary schools and 180 in secondary schools, along with a series of festivals for different year groups.

    During its visit to Sunderland, the trophy also stopped at Hylton Castle and at the Sunderland Food and Drink Festival in Keel Square where people had the opportunity to have their photo taken with it and the bespoke RWC Defender Trophy Tour Vehicle.

    Leader of Sunderland City Council, Councillor Michael Mordey said: “It was fantastic to have the trophy visiting Sunderland as we get ever closer to hosting the opening match of the Women’s Rugby World Cup on 22 August.

    “Having the opening game here is a brilliant opportunity to showcase our city on the international stage.

    “It was also great to see our own young players, who could well be the next generation of top rugby stars, demonstrating their own rugby skills during the trophy’s stop offs at Barnes Park and Hylton Castle, and to see so many people coming along to Keel Square to see the trophy for themselves.”

    The 2025 tournament is the biggest Women’s Rugby World Cup in history after selling more than 300,000 tickets – more than twice the total attendance at the last tournament in New Zealand in 2021.

    Tickets for the tournament are competitively priced from £10 for adults and £5 for children. This means a family of four can enjoy an evening at the Women’s Rugby World Cup Opening Game for £30. To find out more about the Women’s Rugby World Cup, how to get tickets and how to get involved in free rugby activities in Sunderland visit:Rugby World Cup 2025 – MySunderland

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Statement by council leader on central government Spending Review

    Source: City of Leeds

    Leeds City Council’s leader has given his response to the UK Government’s newly-published Spending Review 2025.

    Councillor James Lewis, leader of Leeds City Council, said:

    “Today’s Spending Review is a big moment for the country and contains much that makes encouraging reading for both the council and the city of Leeds as a whole.

    “The £39bn national investment in affordable housing announced by the Chancellor is welcome news for local authorities, and underlines the value of what we have already achieved as a council with the delivery of hundreds of new homes in Leeds.

    “Confirmation of £2.1bn of funding support for a new tram network serving Leeds and other parts of West Yorkshire, meanwhile, is a vital boost for a scheme that will bring jobs and opportunities within easier reach of thousands of people.

    “The £240m announced for work to increase capacity and ease congestion at Leeds City Station will also make a huge difference to our transport infrastructure.

    “It was really pleasing, too, to hear that the Chancellor will be setting out plans in the coming weeks to take forward the Northern Powerhouse Rail programme.

    “In addition, I’m delighted that Middleton Park Avenue has been named as one of 25 trailblazer neighbourhoods that will receive up to £20m over the next decade to support regeneration and renewal.

    “Investment in areas such as school buildings, NHS technology and training for young people will also, I’m sure, have a positive impact on communities across cities like Leeds.

    “It should be stressed, however, that we, in common with local authorities up and down the country, continue to face severe financial pressures following austerity-era cuts that saw our core government funding reduced by roughly £260m for each year between 2011 and 2023.

    “This means, as we digest the full details and implications of the Spending Review, we will be working as hard as ever to keep delivering our frontline services in ways that meet the needs of the people of Leeds and are also cost effective.”

    ENDS

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: New group to drive down business costs

    Source: Government of Ireland – Department of Jobs Enterprise and Innovation

    11th June 2025

    • The Cost of Business Advisory Forum met today for the first time
    • Group chaired by Former Labour Court Judge Kevin Foley, and Vice Chaired by Mr. Ronan Byrne, Manager of Bloomfield Hotel

    The Inaugural meeting of a new Department of Enterprise-led group to examine the costs involved in running a business held its first meeting today. 

    The Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment Peter Burke has established the new group with the aim of reducing the cost of running a business, and addressing delays which can impact the operation of businesses in Ireland. For the first time, regulators will be directly in the room to hear from business owners and representatives themselves.

    The Forum brings together business owners, retailers, tourism operators, accounting professionals and representative groups—alongside regulators and state agencies—to look at the structural issues that are driving up costs and the steps that could be taken to mitigate them.  

    “I’ve been looking forward to the first meeting of the Cost of Business Advisory Forum, and hearing directly from the people who run businesses, employ our citizens and keep our economy strong. I believe it is important for our regulators, our Government Departments and our decision-makers to hear directly from this key cohort, the people that are at the coal face when we implement policy and regulations.

    “I want to thank Mr. Kevin Foley, former Chair of the Labour Court, and Mr. Ronan Byrne, General Manager of Bloomfield Hotel for agreeing to be our Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson, respectively. This Forum is about balance and reflecting all sectors of business, and ensuring all voices are heard in this important discussion.

    “After our initial meeting, each subsequent session will focus on a specific theme, like licensing, infrastructure, or regulatory fees, with the relevant regulators invited to attend and respond. The goal is to create a space where businesses can speak directly to decision-makers about the real-world impact of rules and charges—and identify areas to make practical changes.”

    ENDS

    Notes to Editors

    Group includes representatives from:

    • American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham)
    • Chambers Ireland
    • Chartered Accountants Ireland
    • Irish Business Employers Confederation (IBEC)
    • Irish Exporters Association
    • Irish Farmers Association (IFA)
    • Irish Small and Medium Enterprises (ISME)
    • Irish Tax Institute
    • Irish Tourism Industry Confederation (ITIC)
    • Retail Excellence Ireland
    • Small Firms Associations (SFA)
    • Central Bank 
    • Coimisiún na Mean
    • Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg)
    • Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU)
    • Companies Registration Office
    • Competition and Consumer Protection Commission
    • Eirgrid
    • Enterprise Ireland 
    • Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
    • ESB Networks
    • Fáilte Ireland
    • Gas Networks Ireland
    • Health & Safety Authority
    • IDA Ireland
    • Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII)
    • Office of the Revenue Commissioners
    • Immigration Service Delivery

    Back to Department News

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    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Foreign Minister Lin meets with delegation led by Mayor Zdanowska of Polish city of Łódź

    Source: Republic of Taiwan – Ministry of Foreign Affairs

    Foreign Minister Lin meets with delegation led by Mayor Zdanowska of Polish city of Łódź

    • Date：2025-06-05
    • Data Source：Department of European Affairs

    June 5, 2025  

    No. 196  

    Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung on the morning of June 4 met with a delegation led by Hanna Zdanowska, Mayor of Łódź, Poland. The six-member delegation also included Łódź University of Technology Rector Krzysztof Jóźwik, Łódź City Councilors Beata Bilska and Maciej Rakowski, and Łódź city government officials. The two sides engaged in an in-depth exchange of opinions regarding Taiwan-Poland interactions on economics and trade, culture, and academic and city affairs.

     

    During the meeting, Minister Lin began by once again welcoming Mayor Zdanowska to Taiwan and thanking her for the warm reception extended to him during his visit to Łódź in November 2024. Noting that city-to-city diplomacy played an important role in Taiwan’s overall external relations, Minister Lin said he was delighted that the delegation would be meeting with Tainan Mayor Huang Wei-che to formally conclude a sister-city agreement. He said that Tainan and Łódź had many things in common and that he looked forward to the two cities continuing to deepen substantive cooperation, further expanding mutual interactions and exchanges in a range of areas, and developing a mutually beneficial partnership.

     

    Mayor Zdanowska said that Łódź, a city with a long history at the heart of Poland, enjoyed convenient transport links, a rich cultural heritage, and a solid industrial foundation. Remarking that the development of special economic zones and road and airport infrastructure had much improved the city’s economic prospects in recent years, she said she hoped that Taiwanese industries would work with Łódź to generate mutual prosperity. Mayor Zdanowska also stated that Łódź had recently been active in developing its film and television and arts and cultural industries, and said she believed there was room for collaboration with related sectors in Taiwan.

     

    Taiwan and Poland share such values as freedom and democracy. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue to promote close cooperation between Taiwan and Poland and seek to deepen their resilient partnership so as to create enduring prosperity and well-being for the peoples on both sides. (E)

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Foreign Minister Lin hosts welcome luncheon for delegation led by Chair Battistel of French National Assembly’s Taiwan Friendship Group

    Source: Republic of Taiwan – Ministry of Foreign Affairs

    Foreign Minister Lin hosts welcome luncheon for delegation led by Chair Battistel of French National Assembly’s Taiwan Friendship Group

    • Date：2025-06-09
    • Data Source：Department of European Affairs

    June 9, 2025  

    No. 204  

    Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung hosted a luncheon on June 9 to welcome a delegation led by Marie-Noëlle Battistel, Chair of the French National Assembly’s Taiwan Friendship Group. He extended appreciation to the French Parliament for its staunch support and close friendship with Taiwan.

     

    In his speech, Minister Lin congratulated Ms. Battistel on her election as chair of the Taiwan Friendship Group earlier this year and thanked the French Parliament for its long-standing and cross-party support of Taiwan, including the overwhelming endorsement in a resolution in 2021 supporting Taiwan’s international participation, the passage of the seven-year Military Programming Law in 2023 supporting freedom of navigation in the Taiwan Strait, and its enthusiastic response to sending a joint letter to the director-general of the World Health Organization in May backing Taiwan’s bid. Minister Lin noted that Europe’s support for Taiwan was crucial, that Taiwan-France relations continued to grow and thrive, and that there was great potential to deepen collaboration between Taiwan and France in key technological domains and innovative industries. He expressed hope that the two sides would further contribute to global prosperity and development through closer exchanges and cooperation in the future.

     

    In her speech, Chair Battistel said that she was honored to serve as chair of the French National Assembly’s Taiwan Friendship Group and emphasized that she would continue to lead the group in its steadfast support of Taiwan, in line with French values and global common interests. She indicated that China’s threats and attempts to suppress Taiwan had had wide-ranging impacts on the world and urged democratic countries to jointly support Taiwan. She added that she believed Taiwan’s participation in international organizations was pivotal and that the entire international community stood to benefit from Taiwan’s knowledge and experience.

     

    This is the second delegation from the French National Assembly to visit Taiwan this year, following a visit in May by Guillaume Kasbarian, former French Minister of Civil Service and member of the National Assembly’s Taiwan Friendship Group. 

     

    At the invitation of Minister Lin, Professor Lee Hahn-ming of the Department of Computer Science and Information Engineering at National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, along with Wu Min-hsuan, CEO of Doublethink Lab, attended the luncheon and exchanged views with the delegation on such issues as how Taiwan and France could jointly cope with the use of artificial intelligence by foreign forces to manipulate information. (E)

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI: CIC – Notice of Early Redemption (ISIN code: FR0000584377)

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION IN OR INTO OR TO ANY JURISDICTION WHERE IT IS UNLAWFUL TO RELEASE, PUBLISH OR DISTRIBUTE THIS ANNOUNCEMENT (SEE “DISCLAIMER” BELOW).

    Paris, June 11th 2025

    Notice of Early Redemption

    To : (i)      The Noteholders of the below mentioned Notes;
    (ii)      Euronext Paris
    (iii)      Fiscal Agent.

    Dear Sirs,

    Crédit Industriel et Commecial S.A.,
    Issuance of F 500 000 000 (€76 224 508),
    Undated Subordinatede Notes
    With the Isin code: FR0000584377 (the ‘’Notes’’);

    Crédit Industriel et Commercial S.A., (formerly “Compagnie Financière de Crédit Industriel et Commercial’’) is the issuer (the “Issuer’’) of the Notes.

    In accordance with the terms and conditions of the Notes (the ‘’Conditions’’), the Issuer hereby gives notice that it is exercising in whole its right to redeem the Notes pursuant to the provision Redemption (‘’Remboursement’’) of the Listing Particulars (“Issuer Call Option”) of the Notes.

    We, the Issuer, instruct you as Fiscal Agent, to authorise the French Central Securities Depository to cancel the Notes redeemed on 21 July, 2025 (“Early Redemption Date”).

    For the purposes of the Issuer Call:

    (i) the Issuer Call Date will be 21 July, 2025; and
    (ii) the Optional Redemption Amount(s) or Early Redemption Amount excluding accrued interest is: 769.87 euros per Denomination.

    Unless otherwise defined in this notice, capitalised terms used in this notice shall have the meaning given to them in the Listing Particulars (‘’Note d’Information’’) dated June, 1987, as applicable, relating to the Notes.

    Yours faithfully,

    For and on behalf of

    Crédit Industriel et Commercial S.A.,

    By Eric CUZZUCOLI

    Duly authorized

    DISCLAIMER
    This press release does not constitute an offer to purchase, or the solicitation of an offer to sell, the Instruments in the United States, Canada, Australia, or Japan or in any other jurisdiction, including France. The distribution of this press release in certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law. Persons into whose possession this press release comes are required to inform themselves and observe any such restrictions. No communication may be distributed to the public in any jurisdiction in which registration or approval is required. No action has been or will be taken in any jurisdiction where such action would be required; CIC disclaims any liability for any violation by any person of such restrictions.

    Contacts
    Corporate Communications and Press Relations Department: +33 (0)1 53 48 26 00 – compresse@cic.fr
    Investor Relations: bfcm-web@creditmutuel.fr

    About CIC
    CIC is a leading bank in France and internationally, and the bank of one in three businesses in France. It provides nearly 5.5 million customers with a French network of nearly 1,800 branches and 20,000 employees, as well as international branches in 37 countries. In order to meet the needs of all economic players and to build up a constantly efficient offer on a daily basis, it combines financial, insurance, telephony and cutting-edge technological services with a high level of financial solidity backed by that of its parent company, Crédit Mutuel Alliance Fédérale. For more information, visit cic.fr

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Spending Review presents challenges

    Source: Scottish Government

    Funding for Scotland falls behind UK Government departments.

    The UK Spending Review fails to deliver for Scotland, Finance Secretary Shona Robison has said.

    Spending levels for public services will fail to offset the impact of proposed cuts to welfare support and the rise in National Insurance contributions, the Finance Secretary warned in response to the Chancellor’s statement.

    Shona Robison said: 

    “This Spending Review is business as usual from the UK Government, which is yet again treating Scotland as an afterthought and failing to provide us with the funding we need.

    “Today’s settlement for Scotland is particularly disappointing, with real terms growth of 0.8% a year for our overall Block Grant, which is lower than the average for UK Departments. Had our resource funding for day-to-day priorities grown in line with the UK Government’s overall spending, we would have £1.1 billion more to spend on our priorities over the next three years. In effect, Scotland has been short-changed by more than a billion pounds.

    “This all comes on top of the UK Government’s failure to fully fund their employer National Insurance increase, depriving us of hundreds of millions of pounds in funding, and their proposed cuts in support for disabled people that will push 250,000 people into poverty, including 50,000 children.

    “It is also disappointing that despite apparent briefing to media in advance, we are still awaiting clarity on funding for the vital Acorn project in the North East of Scotland.

    “We made extensive representations to the UK Government on our priorities for the Spending Review, including calls for an end to spending that bypasses devolution, but there has been limited opportunity to engage with them. It appears that the continuation of local growth funding – which fails to match the European Structural Funds it was supposed to replace – will come directly from Whitehall, yet again bypassing devolved governments.

    “We will now take the time to digest the detail of this statement and will set out our formal response on 25 June as part of the Medium Term Financial Strategy.” 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Stoke-on-Trent secures £20 million regeneration money as UK “trailblazer”

    Source: City of Stoke-on-Trent

    Published: Wednesday, 11th June 2025

    Stoke-on-Trent will receive up to £20 million to transform Bentilee and Ubberley through regeneration projects led by the local community.

    The money – announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves as part of today’s Comprehensive Spending Review – will support to drive forward the changes they want to see over the next decade.

    Bentilee and Ubberley was chosen as one of only 25 “trailblazer” neighbourhoods across the UK which will receive the funds.

    The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) will now work with partners in the trailblazer areas to develop schemes and provide a direct route in to Whitehall.

    MHCLG said the money would “support improvements people can see on their doorstep, champion local leadership, foster community engagement and strengthen social cohesion”.

    The city council will provide support to the community to bring forward proposals, align them to ongoing council work, and ensure benefits are felt across the wider city.

    Councillor Jane Ashworth, leader of Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said: “This is a truly transformational sum of money which will make a real difference to people’s lives for decades to come.

    “It is also recognition of the work we have already been doing to empower communities to have more control over the places where they live.

    “We will support the people of Bentilee and Ubberley to secure the maximum benefits from this investment, and ensure that those benefits are felt as widely as possible by the people who need it most.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: XRP Investors Diversify to Profitable Cloud Mining Platform, VNBTC

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    London, United Kingdom, June 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As of June 10, cryptocurrencies are in the green with Bitcoin rising to over $109K, Ethereum hitting $2,687, and XRP trading above $2.29. XRP’s rise specifically was expected following an activity-packed week, with XRP making headlines every day.

    In the most recent news, Ripple announced the decision to provide $200,000 in funding to Japanese startups built on XRPL, the XRP ledger. Targeting Japan’s tech innovation and Web3 boom, Ripple could be setting XRP for a major price rally. XRP certainly makes one of the best cryptocurrencies to buy.

    But what if making money doesn’t end up at buying and holding XRP? A popular Dogecoin cloud mining platform, VNBTC, has seen a significant surge of XRP holders purchasing its top cloud mining contracts. 

    “After discovering that I could safely turn my XRP holdings into a passive income stream with VNBTC Dogecoin cloud mining, my assets are making significant profits as I wait for the best time to sell,” said a happy VNBTC user.

    XRP Holders Earning Over $10,000 Passive Income Using VNBTC Bitcoin and Dogecoin Cloud Mining

    First, cloud mining with VNBTC does not require expertise or the need to own mining hardware. Being 100% hands-off, it’s the perfect crypto investment option for XRP holders simply looking to earn profits without additional effort. The investors who come on board only need to purchase a mining contract, the system starts working instantly and automatically updates daily earnings on user dashboards. 

    According to the sentiments of XRP holders, the daily profits are consistent with earnings exceeding $42,000 a month. The earning potential varies depending on the mining contract an investor chooses, but a consistent 100% monthly ROI is easily achievable. 

    VNBTC was founded in the UK in 2019 and has operated legally since. Relying on AI optimisation, the company owns over 100 mining farms that are energy efficient and profitable. This is how VNBTC manages to offer the highest ROI in the market renting hashpower to users through mining contracts. For many investors, Bitcoin and Dogecoin cloud mining is a reasonable way to boost your crypto returns. 

    A table showing VNBTC mining contracts and Expected Profits:

    Why Choose VNBTC Bitcoin and Dogecoin Cloud Mining Over Others?

    Since getting registered legally in the UK, VNBTC has built a proven track record of profitability and security for investor funds. So far, it has attracted over 11 million users, building a reputation for investor trust.

    “Our platform is designed for transparency, with daily updates on earnings and automated settlement once a contract period expires. Investors’ principal is automatically returned alongside the profits,” commented a VNBTC spokesperson.

    Looking at the user interface, users access a simple but comprehensive platform. It’s simple enough for beginners to navigate, start mining, track earnings, and withdraw without the need for guidance. Amazingly, you can get your settlement in XRP, BTC, DOGE, LTC, ETH, USDT, and others.

    In Short

    VNBTC Bitcoin & Dogecoin Cloud mining platform could be your bridge to making millions with crypto investments. Instead of repeatedly exiting and entering trades, XRP holders are choosing to channel their assets into a consistent money-making opportunity. With crypto trading, ensuring profitability every day is almost impossible. But through cloud mining, every day could be a green day.

    Choose a sustainable way to make money with crypto investment, visit: https://vnbtc.com/mining-contracts

    Disclaimer: The information provided in this press release does not constitute an investment solicitation, nor does it constitute investment advice, financial advice, or trading recommendations. Cryptocurrency mining and staking involve risks and the possibility of losing funds. It is strongly recommended that you perform due diligence before investing or trading in cryptocurrencies and securities, including consulting a professional financial advisor.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Summary of Bigbank AS Webinar: Introduction to the Public Offering of Subordinated Bonds

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    On 11 June 2025, Bigbank AS held a webinar introducing the public offering of its subordinated bonds in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

    During the webinar, Bigbank AS Management Board members Martin Länts and Argo Kiltsmann presented an overview of the Bigbank Group, including the Group’s financial results and the terms and conditions of the subordinated bond offering.

    The webinar recording is available at: https://youtu.be/89x1Kgen_tk.

    Further information about the public offering of subordinated bonds is available at: https://investor.bigbank.eu.

    Bigbank AS would like to thank all participants for attending!

    Bigbank AS (www.bigbank.eu), with over 30 years of operating history, is a commercial bank owned by Estonian capital. As of 30 April 2025, the bank’s total assets amounted to 2.9 billion euros, with equity of 274 million euros. Operating in nine countries, the bank serves more than 170,000 active customers and employs over 550 people. The credit rating agency Moody’s has assigned Bigbank a long-term bank deposit rating of Ba1, along with a baseline credit assessment (BCA) and an adjusted BCA of Ba2.

    Argo Kiltsmann
    Member of the Management Board
    Telephone: +372 5393 0833
    Email: argo.kiltsmann@bigbank.ee
    www.bigbank.ee

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Crime and Policing Bill: government amendments for committee and report stage

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Correspondence

    Crime and Policing Bill: government amendments for committee and report stage

    Correspondence relating to the Crime and Policing Bill, which was introduced in the House of Commons on 25 February 2025.

    Documents

    Letter from Minister Johnson to Matt Vickers MP detailing government amendments for report stage: 10 June 2025 (accessible)

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    Letter from Minister Johnson to Matt Vickers MP detailing government amendments for report stage: 10 June 2025

    PDF, 350 KB, 12 pages

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    Letter from Ministers Johnson and Davies-Jones to Public Bill Committee detailing government amendments for committee stage: 25 April 2025 (accessible)

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    Letter from Ministers Johnson and Davies-Jones to Public Bill Committee detailing government amendments for committee stage: 25 April 2025

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    Letter from Minister Johnson to Public Bill Committee detailing government amendments for committee stage: 23 April 2025

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    Letter from Minister Johnson to Public Bill Committee detailing government amendments for committee stage: 23 April 2025

    PDF, 245 KB, 4 pages

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    Letter from Minister Johnson to Public Bill Committee detailing government amendments for committee stage: 26 March 2025

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    Letter from Minister Johnson to Public Bill Committee detailing government amendments for committee stage: 26 March 2025

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    Details

    Ministerial correspondence relating to the Crime and Policing Bill.

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    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Steve Reed National Trust 130th Anniversary Dinner speech

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Speech

    Steve Reed National Trust 130th Anniversary Dinner speech

    Defra Secretary of State Steve Reed addressed the National Trust’s 130th Anniversary Dinner on Tuesday 10 June

    Thank you for inviting me to your celebration today.

    I’d like to thank Hilary, Rene, National Trust staff and the thousands of volunteers around the country for the work you do. And wish the National Trust a happy 130th birthday.

    I’m one of the 5 million people who have a National Trust membership card like this one.  We all have a special place we love to visit. For me, it’s Sissinghurst Castle in Kent.

    I love the beautiful gardens designed by the writer and poet Vita Sackville-West and her husband Harold Nicolson.

    Vita opened her gardens for everyone to enjoy in the late 1930s, with visitors putting a shilling into an old tobacco tin under the entrance archway.

    This special place was donated to the National Trust in the 1960s, and it continues to welcome thousands of visitors every year. Admittedly seeing some inflation since Vita’s time!

    As we have heard from Hilary, the National Trust is not just about preserving the past. It is carrying out vital work to prepare for the future.

    The Frogmead Restoration project on the Sissinghurst Estate is restoring biodiversity – increasing flora and fauna, attracting wetland birds, bolstering the dragonfly population and allowing frogs to return to the area.

    It is also reducing flood risk in the Medway catchment, protecting homes and livelihoods.

    We need more projects like this so we can adapt to our changing world.

    We make many competing demands on the finite amount of land that’s available to us.

    Nature underpins everything. Our economy, our communities and our livelihoods. 

    But we have become one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world.

    Restoring nature is a key pillar of the Government’s Plan for Change.  That’s essential because we human beings are not merely observers of nature, we are an intrinsic part of it. When we destroy nature, we are ultimately destroying ourselves, and we can’t let that happen.  

    The National Trust’s new strategy to 2035 that will be pivotal in helping us restore nature. But the Government must play our part too. 

    I’ve just arrived back this afternoon from the UN Oceans Conference in Nice.  I was proud to announce a consultation on banning bottom-trawling in our Marine Protected Areas. We can’t go on wiping out precious marine habitats just because they’re out of sight beneath the sea. 

    The oceans cover two thirds of our planet. If we are serious about protecting nature, we must protect our seas and the life and ecosystems they sustain.  

    This afternoon, my colleague Emma Hardy has told the same conference that the UK will introduce legislation this year to ratify the Global Oceans Treaty so we are part of the first group of nations coming together to protect biodiversity in the seas beyond national jurisdictions. 

    And yesterday, my colleague Matthew Pennycook announced that the Government will update national planning policy to ensure swift bricks are incorporated into new buildings. They make a massive impact on expanding bird populations.  We will make sure that now happens in new developments right across the country. 

    Those three initiatives have been announced in the past 24 hours alone. But we know there’s much more to do.

    We are committed to increasing access to nature for everyone, whether that’s hiking in our beautiful countryside, swimming in clean rivers, lakes and seas, or taking a lunchtime stroll around the park.  

    We will create nine new National River Walks, plant three new National Forests and support communities to create new parks and green spaces in their neighbourhoods.

    We’ve already announced the first new national forest between the Cotswolds and the Mendips which will see 20 million trees planted in the coming years.

    It’s a national scandal that our rivers, lakes and seas are choked by record levels of pollution. We’re cleaning them up with new laws to ban bonuses for water bosses who oversee catastrophic pollution incidents, and bringing in over £100bn of private sector funding to upgrade the broken pipes that are the primary cause of sewage leaks.   

    We’ve saved more than 40 thousand miles of footpaths and historic rights of way so they can continue to be used by the public.

    And we are making protected landscapes, national trails, forests and countryside more accessible with our £33 million ‘Access for All’ programme.

    I look forward to working with the National Trust to develop this work and open up more of our beautiful countryside for everyone to enjoy.

    I know that we need to speed up nature’s recovery.

    I asked Dan Corry to lead a review into environmental regulation. He pointed out that a very large proportion of applications come from organisations like the National Trust, the RSPB and others who have to wait months despite having a proven track record in protecting nature. 

    So we are going to speed things up by giving them the power to approve their own applications.

    I’m delighted that the National Trust is a frontrunner for this.

    The National Trust and Natural England, along with the Forestry Commission, are working together in the Peak District to pilot one of two ‘Nature Enterprise Zones’ – the other is in North Devon.

    These zones will pilot this new approach, reviewing and testing how we can streamline and simplify the system so the National Trust can do more on protected sites, restoring species, and improving land management. 

    The Peak District Nature Enterprise Zone will span over ten thousand hectares of National Trust land. It will include trees, peat, grassland, farming, and it will open up nature to more people.   

    I’m excited about this pilot, and we’ll learn from it how we can expand the approach more widely.   

    Collaboration like this is vital to protecting nature.  We are all links in a chain, and we have to pull together to get the outcomes we want to see. 

    I want to thank the National Trust for your continued engagement with Defra.

    I know the Minister for Nature, Mary Creagh, was thrilled to be part of the historic moment at Purbeck when beavers were reintroduced into the wild in England.

    We’ve fully banned bee-killing pesticides as a step towards helping pollinators recover, which will also support the bird populations that depend on them as a food source.

    We are working with farmers to move towards regenerative farming that focuses on improving the soil so it needs less artificial fertiliser, fewer pesticides, and has more organic matter that helps retain water.  

    Approaches like this aren’t just good for nature and good for water quality, they’re good for farm businesses because they reduce input costs but increase food production and food quality sustainably. 

    Many people at this gathering are helping shape the first-ever Land Use Framework for England. A rather boring title for an incredibly exciting initiative that will provide the most sophisticated land-use data and toolkit ever published in our country’s history. 

    It will allow us to expand nature across whole landscapes while ensuring land is used more rationally for the many other demands we make of it for food, energy and housing. 

    The partnership between us is critical as we work together to restore nature for future generations.  We’ll have to overcome tensions and disagreements from time to time. But this is a government that aspires to be the best government for nature this country’s ever had. And you are our partners in getting there.   

    The prize before us is huge.

    Our rivers, lakes and seas cleaned up of pollution.

    Birds, pollinators and wildlife back in our gardens.

    Nature in full recovery and open to everyone to enjoy.

    Nature underpins everything that we are as a society.  It is our duty to protect it, cherish it, and restore it. 

    That’s the best 130th anniversary present we could wish for!

    Updates to this page

    Published 11 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Spending Review: Billions to back Scottish jobs

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3

    Press release

    Spending Review: Billions to back Scottish jobs

    UK Government’s Plan for Change delivers record settlement for Scottish Government with an extra £9.1 billion over the SR period to deliver public services

    Working people across Scotland will benefit from significant investment in clean energy and innovation, creating thousands of high-skilled jobs and strengthening Scotland’s position as the home of the United Kingdom’s clean energy revolution.  

    The UK Government has confirmed £8.3 billion in funding for GB Energy-Nuclear and GB Energy in Aberdeen. This is alongside an increased commitment to the Acorn Carbon Capture, Usage and Storage project, which will receive development funding.   

    The Spending Review, outlined today, Wednesday 11 June, announces targeted investment in Scotland’s most promising sectors to grow the economy and put more money in working people’s pockets.  It delivers an extra £9.1 billion over Phase 2 of the Spending Review, through the Barnett formula.

    The government also confirmed £25 million for the Inverness and Cromarty Firth Freeport.   

    These investments are part of a wider package, with funding for hydrogen production projects at Cromarty and Whitelee.

    Secretary of State for Scotland, Ian Murray, said:  

    Putting more money in the pockets of working Scots by investing in the country’s renewal is at the heart of this Spending Review and our Plan for Change.

    The Chancellor has unleashed a new era of growth for Scotland, confirming billions of pounds of investment in clean energy – including new development funding for Acorn – creating thousands of high-skilled jobs.

    Scotland’s leading role at the heart of UK defence policy has been strengthened and there is also significant investment in our trailblazing innovation, research and development sectors.

    And the Scotland Office will work with local partners to ensure hundreds of millions of pounds of new targeted support for Scottish communities and businesses goes to projects that matter to local people. This means that the UK Government is now investing almost £1.7 billion in dozens of important growth schemes across Scotland over 10 years.

    To maximise the benefit of recent trade deals with India, US and the EU we are continuing the Brand Scotland programme to promote inward investment opportunities boosting Scottish exports of our globally celebrated products.

    And we are delivering a record real-terms funding settlement for the Scottish Government with an extra £9.1 billion over the Spending Review period through the Barnett formula. That’s more money than ever before for them to invest in Scottish public services like our NHS, police, housing and schools.

    This is a historic Spending Review for Scotland that chooses investment over decline and delivers on the promise that there would be no return to austerity.

    Investment in Scotland to strengthen UK defence  

    Speaking in the House of Commons today, the Chancellor reaffirmed the government’s commitment to increase defence spending to 2.6% of GDP by April 2027, backing our Armed Forces, creating British jobs in British industries, and prioritising the security of Britain when it is most needed.  

    The long-term future of the Clyde is secured through an initial £250 million investment over three years which will begin a multi-decade, multi-billion pound redevelopment of HM Naval Base Clyde through the ‘Clyde 2070’ programme.   

    Investing in innovation and R&D  

    Scotland will also become home to the UK’s largest and most powerful supercomputer, with up to £750 million committed to its development at Edinburgh University. This world-class facility will give scientists across all UK universities access to extraordinary computer power, further strengthening Scotland’s research and innovation capability.   

    The UK Government is backing Scottish industry with a share of increased UK-wide R&D spending set to grow from £20.4 billion in 2025-26 to over £22.6 billion per year by 2029-30. Scotland will also benefit from a £410 million UK-wide Local Innovation Partnerships Fund.  

    Targeted support for Scottish communities   

    The government is also investing £160 million over 10 years for Investment Zones in the North East of Scotland and in Glasgow City Region, and confirming £452 million over four years for City and Growth Deals across Scotland.  

    A £100 million joint investment for the Falkirk and Grangemouth Growth deal with the Scottish Government (£50 million from UK Government and £50 million from Scottish Government), demonstrating the UK Government’s continued commitment to the Grangemouth industrial area.  

    A new local growth fund, and investments in up to 350 deprived communities across the UK, will maintain the same cash level as in 2025-26 under the Shared Prosperity Fund. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Scotland Office, will work with local partners and the Scottish Government, to ensure money goes to projects that matter to local people. This investment will help drive growth and improve communities across Scotland.  

    Supporting Scottish businesses  

    The National Wealth Fund (NWF) is trialling a Strategic Partnership with Glasgow City Region to provide enhanced, hands-on support to help it develop and finance long term investment opportunities. The NWF has already made its first investment in Scotland with £43.5 million in direct equity for a sustainable packaging company, which is to build its first commercial-scale manufacturing facility near Glasgow.  

    Through its Nations and Regions Investment programme the British Business Bank is delivering £150 million across Scotland to break down access to finance barriers and drive economic growth.  

    The settlement also allocates £0.75 million each year to champion our ‘Brand Scotland’ trade missions to promote Scotland’s goods and services on the world stage and to encourage further growth and investment.

    A record settlement for Scottish public services   

    The Government has been clear that local decision-making against local priorities is central to delivering growth.   

    The Scottish Government will receive the largest real terms settlement since devolution began in 1998, with an average £50.9 billion per year between 2026-27 and 2028-29, enabling the Scottish Government to deliver for working people in Scotland.  This includes £2.9 billion per year on average through the operation of the Barnett formula, with £2.4 billion resource between 2026-27 and 2028-29 and £510 million capital between 2026-27 and 2029-30. 

    This investment and record settlement is made possible by the tough but necessary decisions taken in the October Budget.

    Updates to this page

    Published 11 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –