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Category: European Union

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Fake nurse crackdown to boost public safety

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Fake nurse crackdown to boost public safety

    New measures to make it a criminal offence for people who are not qualified as a nurse to use the title and mislead the public

    Anyone misleading the public and describing themselves as a nurse without the relevant qualifications and registration will be committing a crime, under new measures announced by the government to protect the title ‘nurse’ in law. 

    The move will help to boost protections and safety for both patients and staff, driving up standards and improving patient experience across the NHS through the government’s Plan for Change. 

    Currently, anyone – including those struck off by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) for serious misconduct or criminal convictions – can call themselves a nurse. This can result in the public thinking they’re getting advice and care from an expert professional like a nurse when they aren’t.   

    Previous reported examples of the job title being misused include someone calling herself a nurse at a large public event after being struck off and another reportedly masquerading as an aesthetic nurse.

    There will be exemptions for relevant professions like veterinary nurse, dental nurse and nursery nurse, where the title ‘nurse’ is legitimately used. 

    The government is listening to nurses and recognises they are the backbone of the NHS, and today’s announcement follows campaigning by unions for the government to act on the issue, as well as by Dawn Butler MP who introduced a Ten-Minute Rule Bill earlier this year to protect the title ‘nurse’.  

    Through the Plan for Change, the government is driving forward vital reform to get the NHS back on its feet and fit for the future. This year, a refreshed workforce plan will also be published to ensure the health service has the right workforce in the right place at the right time. 

    Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said:  

    Nurses carry out lifesaving work every day, and I am determined we do everything we can to support them and safeguard trust in the profession. 

    I’ve been appalled to read reports of so-called nurses spreading dangerous misinformation and harming the public. 

    This new legislation will help crack down on bogus beauticians and conspiracy theorists masquerading as nurses, and those attempting to mislead patients.

    The British people hold nurses in the highest regard, and we trust them in our most vulnerable moments, so patients need to know they are genuinely being seen by a nurse. Now they will.

    This is part of our Plan for Change to fix the NHS and gets the right staff working in the right place at the right time.

    Only the title “registered nurse” is currently protected in law. The new legislation will change that – ensuring that only those individuals registered with the NMC can legally use the title. Anyone violating this will be committing a criminal offence and could face a hefty fine running into the thousands of pounds.  

    There have been previous reports of bogus nurses misleadingly using the title. One ran a cosmetic clinic offering Botox and dermal filler treatments for several years despite not being registered with the NMC.  

    Another gave a speech at a Covid conspiracy rally which likened NHS nurses and doctors to war criminals – spreading misinformation about vaccines and bringing her former colleagues into disrepute. She continued to call herself a nurse despite being struck off by the NMC.   

    A previous Freedom of Information request showed that across 93% of all NHS trusts, there were more than 8,000 people with the term “nurse” in their job title who had no registered nursing qualifications. Although these people are supervised and providing important care, their job titles can cause confusion. Some, including nursery nurses, will be exempt under this new legislation

    Duncan Burton, Chief Nursing Officer for England, said:

    The trust that people place in registered nurses is based on the rigorous training and education required to be registered as a nurse which gives us the skills and knowledge to deliver high quality, safe and personalised care.

    Nurses value this trust and protecting the title of nurse can give added confidence and clarity to patients and the public on who is delivering their care and the skills and knowledge they have.

    There are already various safeguards in place to deter people from pretending to be a nurse. The most serious cases would be captured by fraud offences and depending on the case they can also be prosecuted for other more serious offences like causing grievous bodily harm, assault, or manslaughter.  

    The new legislation – expected to be laid this Parliament – will help to strengthen those existing safeguards.  

    Registered nurses go through high-quality undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes and complete a process called revalidation every three years – ensuring they can continually update their skills set. The new measures reflect that.

    Professor Nicola Ranger, RCN General Secretary and Chief Executive , said: 

    This is an important moment for our safety-critical profession, after years of campaigning. 

    A change in the law will recognise the knowledge, professionalism and clinical expertise that comes with being a registered nurse. It will provide better legal protections for nursing professionals and reassurance to patients. 

    Crucially, this is an opportunity to begin the journey to properly valuing nursing as a profession, where respect, reward and investment match the crucial nature of our work. 

    Dr Crystal Oldman CBE, Chief Executive at The Queen’s Institute of Community Nursing, said: 

    Nurses and the millions of people they care for will benefit by this proposed change in legislation.

    This is a patient safety issue that the QICN has been campaigning on for some time. 

    People need confidence that when the person caring for them is described as a nurse, that person really is a qualified and registered nurse.

    Paul Rees MBE, Interim Chief Executive and Registrar at the Nursing and Midwifery Council, said:

    The public should always feel confident that anyone using the title ‘nurse’ is a registered professional with all the safeguards that brings.

    We look forward to working with the government and our stakeholders to deliver on it. In the meantime, it is already an offence for somebody to hold themselves out as a registered nurse when they are not.

    Helga Pile, UNISON Head of Health, said:

    Nurses and other NHS workers rightly enjoy a high level of trust because of the brilliant and important work they do.

    Charlatans and conspiracy theorists mustn’t be allowed to harm patients or damage nurses’ reputation and good standing with the public.

    It’s only right that anyone that tries to will now feel the full force of the law.

    Rachel Power, Chief Executive of The Patients Association, said:

    We welcome this commitment to ensuring patients know who is treating them and offering healthcare advice, and that those professionals are properly qualified. With health misinformation increasingly common, it’s more important than ever that patients can trust the expertise of those caring for them.

    Alison Morton, CEO, Institute of Health Visiting, said:

    The Institute of Health Visiting fully supports the campaign to protect the title “nurse” in legislation. This is urgently needed to protect the public and provide assurance that the person providing their care has the qualifications, knowledge, skills, expertise and professionalism to deliver safe and effective care. Nursing is a safety-critical workforce. And, in our view, there is only one clear path forward, the current gap in legislation needs to be closed as a matter of urgency.

    Professor Greta Westwood CBE PhD RN, CEO of the Florence Nightingale Foundation, said: 

    We welcome this recognition of the importance of the nursing role. Nurses are skilled and highly trained professionals, playing a key leadership role in the health and social care sectors, particularly around speaking out on patient safety and workforce challenges.

    This International Nurses Day, we are coming together to celebrate the incredible work that nurses do across the UK and globally, and we support the government taking this next step, working with the UK regulator, to protect our nurses and those we serve.

    Notes to editors 

    • The department will also establish the exemptions where ‘nurse’ can still be used as part of a professional title.  
    • The title ‘nurse’ is already used across multiple professions (e.g. registered nurses, dental nurses, nursery nurses and veterinary nurses) 
    • We expect the new protection of title offence to be a summary offence. Where a person is found guilty of an offence on summary conviction they will be liable to a fine across the UK.  
    • These changes, which require legislative change, will be implemented within this Parliament as part of the government’s commitment to reform the regulation of health and care professionals in the UK.

    Updates to this page

    Published 12 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: More scanners across the country for better care of brittle bones

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    More scanners across the country for better care of brittle bones

    Government announces 29,000 extra bone scans will be delivered each year, helping with earlier diagnosis of illness such as osteoporosis.

    • Government confirms 13 new state-of-the-art DEXA scanners to support better bone care  
    • Tens of thousands of patients set to benefit through extra scans 
    • Scanners are delivered as part of government commitment upheld in Plan for Change

    29,000 extra bone scans per year will be delivered for patients across England thanks to the government rolling out 13 new DEXA scanners. 

    The new scanners were promised as part of the government’s Elective Reform Plan and mark another step closer towards fixing the NHS and making it fit for the future, as set out in the Plan for Change.

    More than one in three women and one in five men will experience a fracture due to osteoporosis in their lifetime and so these scanners are equipped with advanced technology to identify with minute detail the quality of a patient’s bones.

    They will help with early diagnosis of illness such as osteoporosis, which weakens bones, making them so fragile that even a cough or sneeze could cause a painful break for people across the country.    

    13 areas will receive the new equipment this year, including hospitals in West Yorkshire and North East Lincolnshire serving some of the most under resourced and rural communities, with patients already receiving invitations for appointments to use the new scanners. 

    Seven of the new machines will enable trusts to offer new or extended DEXA services, improving access and reducing patient journey times. Another six scanners will replace existing machines, helping to increase the reliability and productivity of bone diagnostic services.

    Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting, said:

    Having seen the pain of a family member breaking a hip because of her osteoporosis, I know only too well how debilitating  a condition it can be.

    We know that early diagnosis of brittle bone conditions means faster treatment and better outcomes for patients, which is why I promised before the election that we would deliver an extra 15,000 scans a year. The investment the government is making in new scanners across the country will deliver an extra 29,000 scans a year, almost double what I promised.

    Our Plan for Change is cutting waiting lists by investing in our NHS, which is only possible because of the increase in employers’ national insurance.

     Sue Mann, Clinical Lead for Women’s Health at NHS England, said:

    This is a welcome targeted investment for the NHS Trusts across England set to receive these new scanners from this month – they measure tiny reductions in bone density that can help us diagnose osteoporosis in its early stages, before you break a bone.

    These scanners are key tools for prevention, particularly for some women who are known to be at higher risk of osteoporosis such as those who go through early menopause.

    Craig Jones, Chief Executive of the Royal Osteoporosis Society, said: 

    This investment in scanners is really good news for people with osteoporosis.  We want to thank Wes Streeting for ensuring bone scans are part of his package to modernise scanning technology so we can catch diseases like osteoporosis earlier. 

    This, and the recent good news on waiting lists, gives us confidence the NHS is beginning to turn a corner.

    Mr Haitham Hamoda, Trustee and Past Chair British Menopause Society said:

    This is very welcome news. Osteoporosis and related fractures is a significant public health issue. It is estimated that more than one in three women may sustain an osteoporosis related fracture with significant associated morbidity and mortality.

    In addition, women with premature ovarian insufficiency and early menopause have a significantly increased risk of osteoporosis and related fractures. Increasing access and availability to bone density screening and assessment will improve detection and allow earlier discussion of preventative measure and treatment.

    Dr Katharine Halliday, President of the Royal College of Radiologists, said:

    We welcome the pledge for more DEXA scanners which will help to deliver better care for patients at risk of osteoporosis.

    Increasing capacity to deliver scans in the hospitals and regions that need it most will be an important step to make sure patients receive timely, effective care no matter where they live.

    Over three million appointments have already been delivered since the end of June 2024, smashing the government’s target of delivering 2 million extra operations, scans and appointments.  

    Background information:

    The following locations will receive new scanners:

    • Harefield Hospital (Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust)

    • North Middlesex Hospital (North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust)

    • Newark Hospital (Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation NHS Trust)

    • Royal Victoria Infirmary (The Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust)

    • CDC Ellesmere Port (Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation NHS Trust)

    • Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust

    • Cranleigh Village Hospital (Royal Surrey County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust)

    The following locations will receive replacement scanners:

    • Leeds General Infirmary (Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust)

    • Wharfedale General Hospital (Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust)

    • Dewsbury Hospital (Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust)

    • Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital (Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust)

    • Salford Royal (Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust)

    • St Catherine’s Hospital (Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust)

    Updates to this page

    Published 12 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Applications open for 30 hours funded childcare expansion

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Applications open for 30 hours funded childcare expansion

    New data finds half a million children already benefitting from 15 hours extended childcare offer as applications open for tens of thousands more from today.

    Tens of thousands more working parents across England will soon see cash back in their pockets as they can now apply for 30 hours of funded childcare from September. 

    From today (12 May), all eligible working parents of children who will be 9 months old before 1 September can apply to access up to 30 hours of funded childcare a week, saving them up to £7,500 a year per child.  

    With savings from the government’s free breakfast club rollout and school uniform cap, this rises to up to £8,000 for working parents who also have school-aged children, every year. 

    This latest milestone follows the successful rollout of 15 funded hours for children from 9 months last September, with 499,592 children already benefitting from access to more affordable and high-quality early years education and childcare.  

    Despite the inherited delivery challenges, the government is committed to increasing access to childcare that gives every child the best start in life. That’s why through the Plan for Change it has already taken urgent action through hundreds of new school-based nurseries and a £2 billion extra investment compared to last year to support the brilliant existing providers deliver the 35,000 additional staff and 70,000 places required to meet demand for September. 

    A new government survey of parents who took up the childcare entitlements last September has found that the rollout is breaking down barriers to opportunity and playing a key role in supporting British business and kick-starting economic growth.  

    Lower-income families are seeing the biggest impact, with one in five of those earning £20,000 – £40,000 having increased their working hours thanks to the 15 hours brought in last year. 

    Looking ahead to this September, of the 2,723 respondents who are planning to increase their childcare hours, over half (1,425) are intending to up their work hours too – good news for families, and good news for employers. 

    Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said:

    This government has a clear Plan for Change to break the unfair link between background and opportunity across this country, which starts by ensuring our children start school ready to learn.

    Early years is my number one priority, and making sure families are able to benefit from this rollout is a promise made, and promise kept. But this is just the beginning.

    Through the hard work of the sector, supported by our record investment, landmark school-based nursery rollout and focus on vital early learning support, we will deliver an early years system that gives every child the best start in life.

    The success of the rollout so far is testament to the work and commitment of nurseries, pre-schools and childminders, alongside local authorities, with 6123 of 6337 respondents who applied for government-funded hours last Autumn going on to secure a place.   

    Sophie Lovell, from Nottingham, uses the 15 hours for working parents for her little girl. She said:  

    The government’s childcare support has been great for our family. 

    Having my child in formal childcare has provided wonderful opportunities for her to play, learn, and grow.  

    As a parent, balancing everything can be overwhelming, but knowing your child is supported by trained professionals makes all the difference.

    The government has always been clear that early years is about even more than family finances. Access to high-quality early education and childcare helps children build confidence, learn social skills, and prepare for school, and 83% of parents in the government’s survey agree it is important for children’s social development. 

    With evidence showing the huge benefits of outdoor play to children from improved problem solving to mental and physical health, the government has also today launched a consultation on how it can help nurseries make better use of outdoor space for play and learning. 

    Currently, the government’s early years framework requires provision of outdoor play but only formally recognises indoor space in its requirements for how many children nurseries and childcare providers can take on at any one time. However, 7 in 10 providers say they would make better use of their outdoor space if more flexibility was introduced.   

    The consultation will seek to understand whether to allow providers to include high-quality, accessible and safe outdoor space in meeting those requirements, and the appropriate conditions to be put in place should they include gardens and play areas as a full part of the early learning experience for the youngest children. 

    Justine Roberts, Founder and CEO of Mumsnet, said: 

    We’ve heard from countless women on Mumsnet pushed out of work by unaffordable childcare. This expansion of support is a major step in tackling that – giving parents, especially mothers, the freedom to stay in work if they choose, which benefits families and the economy. 

    We urge all eligible parents to check what they’re entitled to and make full use of it.

    Director of Future of Work and Skills at CBI, Matthew Percival said: 

    It’s good to see the rollout of the final phase of the UK’s childcare expansion. The CBI made the case that expanding childcare support was good for growth because our members told us that the cost of it was preventing parents from working or taking on more hours.  

    Moving from 15 to 30 funded hours gives working families greater flexibility, helps employers access more of the talent they need to grow, and supports a more productive economy.

    Lydia Hopper CEO, Grandir UK said:  

    We are supportive of the inclusion of free-flow outdoor space within the EYFS space requirements.

    At Grandir UK, we’ve actively champion free-flow outdoor play – it’s a big part of how we support children’s learning and development. We draw inspiration from Forest School principles, helping children explore nature and learn through play in the fresh air.

    Whether it’s running, climbing, or simply being outside, we know how much this benefits their physical health, builds confidence, and boosts their overall wellbeing.

    Updates to this page

    Published 12 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New NHS programme to reduce brain injury in childbirth 

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    New NHS programme to reduce brain injury in childbirth 

    Government to roll out the Avoiding Brain Injuries in Childbirth (ABC) programme nationally

    • Government rolls out NHS programme to boost maternity safety
    • Scheme will help maternity staff rapidly respond to emergencies and protect mothers and babies 
    • Hundreds of maternity staff, including obstetricians, midwives and anaesthetists, involved in developing and testing quality improvement programme

    Expectant mothers will receive safer maternity care as a new NHS programme to help prevent brain injury during childbirth is rolled out across the country. 

    The Avoiding Brain Injury in Childbirth (ABC) programme will help maternity staff to better identify signs that the baby is in distress during labour so they can act quickly.

    It will also help staff respond more effectively to obstetric emergencies, such as where the baby’s head becomes lodged deep in the mother’s pelvis during a caesarean birth.

    The government programme, which will begin from September and follows an extensive development phase and pilot scheme, will reduce the number of avoidable brain injuries during childbirth – helping to prevent lifelong conditions like cerebral palsy.

    The national rollout is only one step the government is taking to improve maternity services under its Plan for Change to fix the health service, as it reforms the NHS to ensure all women receive safe, personalised and compassionate care.   

    Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said: 

    All expectant mothers giving birth in an NHS hospital should have peace of mind that they are in safe hands.

    This vital programme will give staff across the country the right tools and training to deliver better care to women and their babies, reducing the devastating impact of avoidable brain injury. 

    Under our Plan for Change, we are supporting trusts to make rapid improvements and training thousands more midwives – but I know more needs to be done. We will put women’s voices right at the heart of our reforms as we work to improve care.

    The national rollout follows a pilot in 12 maternity units that was launched in October and delivered by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, Royal College of Midwives (RCM) and the THIS (The Healthcare Improvement Studies) Institute.

    The pilot has shown the programme will fill an important gap in current training by bringing multidisciplinary teams together to work more collaboratively than ever before, to improve outcomes. The programme will give clinicians more confidence to take swift action managing an emergency during labour.  

    It is expected to reduce unacceptable inequalities in maternity outcomes across England – so that most maternity units achieve outcomes comparable to the highest-performing 20% of trusts. 

    This government is dedicated to improving maternity services more widely and is committed to training thousands more midwives, as well as setting an explicit target to close the Black and Asian maternal mortality gap.

    In addition, we have allocated an extra £57 million for Start for Life services, helping expectant and new mothers with their infants by providing expert, trusted advice and guidance around pregnancy, birth and motherhood.

    Ranee Thakar, President of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists said:

    The ABC programme supports multidisciplinary maternity teams to deliver safer, more personalised care. Hundreds of maternity staff, including obstetricians, midwives and anaesthetists, have been involved in developing and testing this quality improvement programme.

    We have heard what a difference it makes, supporting teams to work effectively together in time-sensitive and high-pressure situations. The RCOG is extremely proud to have been part of this fantastic collaboration.

    Gill Walton, Royal College of Midwives Chief Executive, said:

    Every midwife, maternity support worker, obstetrician, anaesthetist and sonographer wants to provide good, safe care – and the best way to do that is by working and training together. The ABC programme has brought together all those involved in maternity care, offering practical solutions to some of the most acute clinical challenges.

    Crucially the ABC programme tools and training have been developed based on the voices of women, families and maternity staff. This has been the key to the success of the pilot programme.

    Equally the will and drive of midwives and the wider multidisciplinary team to improve safety and outcomes for women and their families has been evident across the course of the training at the pilot sites.

    The ABC programme has the potential to reduce the devastating impact of brain injuries during childbirth and the RCM is proud to have been part of this innovative programme and we hope to see this adopted and implemented across maternity services.

    Professor Mary Dixon-Woods, Director of The Healthcare Improvement Studies Institute, said:

    The ABC programme design is based on the principle that evidence-based, co-designed patient-focused standardisation of clinical practice can reduce unwarranted variation and improve care and outcomes.

    Crucially, this needs to be supported by comprehensive improvement resources, including training, tools and assets to enable good clinical practice and teamwork and respectful and inclusion communication and decision-making with women and birth partners.

    The pilot has shown that it’s possible to train people effectively and efficiently. A national commitment to implement the programme at scale will be important in ensuring that the benefits are seen.

    Notes to editors 

    The following sites participated in the pilot scheme: 

    • Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 
    • East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust 
    • Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust 
    • Liverpool Women’s NHS Foundation Trust 
    • Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 
    • Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 
    • Croydon Health Services NHS Trust 
    • Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust 
    • St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
    • Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
    • Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
    • Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

    Updates to this page

    Published 12 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Schakowsky Introduces Legislation to Ensure Access to Affordable Prescription Drugs

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (9th District of Illinois)

    Full Text of Bill (PDF)

    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (IL-09) introduced the Affordable and Safe Prescription Drug Importation Act to help put an end to Big Pharma’s greed and ensure that American patients can access prescription drugs at fair prices.

    Right now, some brand-name drug prices are over four times higher in the U.S. than in other countries. As a result, the U.S. makes up for more of Big Pharma’s profits than the rest of the world combined. This legislation will amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to allow American wholesalers, pharmacies, and individuals to import affordable and safe drugs from Canada, the United Kingdom, the European Union, and Switzerland.

    “Thanks to the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, millions of Medicare beneficiaries are seeing prescription drug costs lowered. While this is a historic achievement, more must be done to ensure that all Americans have access to affordable medications,” said Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky. “That is why I am proud to introduce the Affordable and Safe Prescription Drug Importation Act, which would allow for the importation of affordable and safe drugs to the U.S. from Canada, the United Kingdom, the European Union, and Switzerland, to ensure that every day Americans can get the prescriptions they need at a reasonable cost. There is no reason that Americans should be paying double, sometimes even triple the cost for the same drugs. It is time for Big Pharma’s price gouging to come to an end and for U.S. patients to have access to the same fair drug pricing as the rest of the developed world.”

    “The right to buy lower-cost prescription drugs from licensed pharmacies in other countries, in particular from Canada, is critical for millions of Americans on fixed incomes. It’s a proven money-saving pathway that has been used safely for more than 20 years,” said Ken Hunter, Executive Director of the Campaign for Personal Prescription Importation (CPPI). “In fact, CPPI’s most recent national survey shows Americans have an average annual savings of $4,920 per year by importing prescription medications from Canada, compared to U.S. costs, Rep. Schakowsky’s “Affordable and Safe Prescription Drug Importation Act” will preserve these rights. Prescription importation from licensed Canadian pharmacies works, is safe, and is a proven pathway for Americans to obtain their necessary, lower-cost, prescription medicines.”

    “Social Security Works thanks Rep. Schakowsky, one of the foremost champions for seniors and people with disabilities in Congress, for introducing this essential legislation. With millions of Americans struggling to fill their prescriptions, we need to make it easier for them to purchase affordable medications from abroad — not harder and more expensive, as President Trump is threatening to do. 

    Congress should swiftly pass the  Affordable and Safe Prescription Drug Importation Act into law so that Americans can get the medications they need.” said Alex Lawson, Executive Director of Social Security Works.

    Original cosponsors of the Affordable and Safe Prescription Drug Importation Act include Reps. Steve Cohen (TN-09), Lloyd Doggett (TX-37), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), and Mark Pocan (WI-02).

    Endorsing organizations include: Campaign for Personal Prescription Importation, Social Security Works, Alliance for Retired Americans, Economic Policy Institute, Prescription Justice, Consumer Action, Just Care USA, Citizen Action/Illinois, Physicians for a National Health Program, NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice, Voices of Health Care Action, Beta Cell Action, ACA Consumer Advocacy, Committee to Protect Health Care, Rise Up WV, NY StateWide Senior Action Council.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Prime Minister unveils new plan to end years of uncontrolled migration

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Prime Minister unveils new plan to end years of uncontrolled migration

    The Prime Minister will today announce an end to Britain’s failed experiment in open borders that saw migration soar to one million a year by ensuring people coming here earn the right to stay in the country.

    • Migration system will back British workers, boost economic growth and control our borders under the Plan for Change
    • New contributions-based model will extend route to settlement from five to 10 years – with reductions for those who contribute to economy
    • New English language requirements across all immigration routes to promote integration

    The Prime Minister will today announce an end to Britain’s failed experiment in open borders that saw migration soar to one million a year by ensuring people coming here earn the right to stay in the country.

    Speaking at a press conference ahead of today’s (Monday 12 May) publication of the Immigration White Paper, the Prime Minister will say that living in this country is a privilege that must be earned.

    New immigration rules will reduce reliance on overseas recruitment, prioritise those who contribute to Britain’s economy and put more money in the pockets of working people, the first priority of our Plan for Change.

    The new system will end automatic settlement and citizenship for anyone living here for five years.

    Instead, migrants must spend a decade in the UK before applying to stay unless they can show a real and lasting contribution to the economy and society. 

    Under a new framework to be rolled out high-skilled, high-contributing individuals who play by the rules and contribute to the economy and society would be fast-tracked, such as nurses, doctors, engineers and AI leaders.

    The government will also raise English language requirements across every immigration route to ensure those wishing to live and work in the UK speak a higher standard of English.

    For the first time this will also extend to all adult dependents by requiring them to demonstrate a basic understanding of English – helping individuals integrate into their local community, find employment and reducing the risk of exploitation and abuse.

    The changes are part of the government’s Plan for Change to turn the page on over a decade of decline that saw Britain’s immigration system spiral out of control with record migration numbers, undermining the confidence of working people. 

    The Prime Minister will take a new common-sense approach, one that backs British workers over cheap overseas labour and links migration policy with skills to boost economic growth.

    The full package of radical reforms will be unveiled by the Home Secretary in Parliament later today and builds on action already taken by the government to restore order to the immigration system. More than 24,000 people with no right to be here have been returned since the election – the highest rate in 8 years – including a 16% increase in foreign national offender removals.

    In a press conference today the Prime Minister will announce his overhaul of the broken system, and is expected to say:

    For years we have had a system that encourages businesses to bring in lower paid workers, rather than invest in our young people.

    That is the Britain this broken system has created.

    Every area of the immigration system, including work, family and study, will be tightened up so we have more control. Enforcement will be tougher than ever and migration numbers will fall.

    We will create a system that is controlled, selective and fair.

    One that recognises those who genuinely contribute to Britain’s growth and society, while restoring common sense and control to our borders.

    This is a clean break from the past and will ensure settlement in this country is a privilege that must be earned, not a right.

    And when people come to our country, they should also commit to integration and to learning our language.

    Lower net migration, higher skills and backing British workers – that is what this White Paper will deliver.

    The Immigration White Paper comes after net migration reached nearly one million in the year ending June 2023 – four times the levels seen in 2019.

    Public services were stretched, housing costs soared, and employers swapped skills investment for cheap overseas labour. In sectors like engineering, apprenticeships almost halved while work visas doubled and communities were asked to absorb record numbers.

    Visas have already fallen by 40% since the government took power, but our new approach will go further and faster – reshaping the system around the needs of the economy and fairness for working people.

    There will be tougher rules on who can come to work, study or bring family. Every part of the system is being tightened. Backdoor routes to settlement will be closed, enforcement will be stepped up as we end abuse of the system.

    Britain will remain open to the best global talent – but the days of mass recruitment to plug avoidable skills gaps will end. New mechanisms will ensure employers wanting visas must show they are investing in British workers and raising skills in this country to boost economic growth. 

    We will support businesses to take on British workers through new industry workforce strategies, while introducing much tighter restrictions on recruitment for shortage occupations.

    The full package of policies in the Immigration White Paper will be published later today (Monday 12 May).

    Updates to this page

    Published 11 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Overseas recruitment for care workers to end

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Overseas recruitment for care workers to end

    International recruitment for care workers will end under plans announced by Home Secretary Yvette Cooper. 

    The government’s Immigration White Paper, published in Parliament tomorrow, will include the change as the government takes action to bring down historically high levels of net migration.   

    Care workers from overseas have made a huge contribution to social care in the UK, but too many have been subject to shameful levels of abuse and exploitation.  

    Workers seeking to support the UK’s care sector arrived to find themselves saddled with debt, treated unfairly, or in extreme cases discover the jobs they were promised did not exist.   

    In March, the Home Office revealed over 470 care providers had had their licence to sponsor international staff suspended since 2022.

    Under plans to be outlined on Monday (12 May), the government will go further and put an end to any more overseas recruitment.

    The crackdown on rogue care providers has seen around 40,000 workers displaced, many of whom are ready to rejoin the workforce. They will be given the opportunity to do the jobs they were promised, while long-term plans are drawn up to train homegrown talent into the care sector.  

    International workers who are already sponsored to work legally in the sector will be able to continue to extend their stay, change sponsors and apply to settle, including those who need to switch employers following a sponsor licence revocation.

    This government is committed to tackling these issues and has committed to establishing Fair Pay Agreements which will empower worker, employer and other sector representatives to negotiate improvements in the terms of employment. This builds on the announcement in January of the expansion of the Care Workforce Pathway which will support the adult social care sector to professionalise the workforce.

    Together, these measures will move the UK away from a dependence on overseas workers to fulfil our care needs. Baroness Casey has also begun work on an independent commission into adult social care – a once in a generation opportunity to transcend party politics and build consensus on the future of the sector.

    The Immigration White Paper, published in full tomorrow, is part of government efforts to restore order, control and fairness to the system, bring down net migration and promote economic growth.

    Updates to this page

    Published 11 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Pope Leo XIV’s recent predecessors at the Vatican defended migrants. Will he do the same?

    Source: The Conversation – France – By Speranta Dumitru, Maitre de Conférences, Université Paris Cité

    Political language is sometimes used to describe the orientations of the Vatican. When the late Pope Francis defended migrants, it was suggested that he was a “left-wing” pope. Today, people are wondering whether Pope Leo XIV will adopt a “progressive” path or, on the contrary, a philosophy on immigration different from that of Francis.

    To answer this question, it is helpful to look at what successive popes have said about welcoming foreigners. We can see that they have defended not only migrants but also a right of immigration. Their approach has been universalist and it rejected all discrimination. Could it change?

    Supporting the right of immigration

    During the period between the second world war and the election of Leo XIV, the Vatican had six popes. The first, Pius XII (1939-1958), seems to have been more in favour of immigration than the United Nations. In 1948, when the UN adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, emigration was enshrined as a fundamental right: “Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own.”

    This wording does not mention the right to enter a country that is not one’s own, and Pius XII called this vagueness into question. In his 1952 Christmas message, he argued that it resulted in a situation in which “the natural right of every person not to be prevented from emigrating or immigrating is practically annulled, under the pretext of a falsely understood common good”.

    Pius XII believed that immigration was a natural right, but linked it to poverty. He therefore asked governments to facilitate the migration of workers and their families to “regions where they could more easily find the food they needed”. He deplored the “mechanisation of minds” and called for a softening “in politics and economics, of the rigidity of the old framework of geographical boundaries”.

    In the Apostolic Constitution on the Exiled Family, also in 1952, he wrote about why migration was essential for the Church.

    Pope John XXIII (1958-1963) extended this argument in two encyclicals: Mater et magistra in 1961 and Pacem in terris in 1963. Whereas Pius XII had thought that the natural right to emigrate only applied to people in need, John XXIII included everyone: “among man’s personal rights we must include his right to enter a country in which he hopes to be able to provide more fittingly for himself and his dependents” (Pacem in terris 106).

    A refusal of discrimination

    For Paul VI (1963-1978), the Christian duty to serve migrant workers must be fulfilled without discrimination. In a 1965 encyclical, he maintained that “a special obligation binds us to make ourselves the neighbour of every person without exception and of actively helping him when he comes across our path, whether he be an old person abandoned by all, a foreign labourer unjustly looked down upon, a refugee… ” He also stated the requirement “to assist migrants and their families” (Gaudium et spes).

    John Paul II (1978-2005) made numerous statements in favour of immigration. For example, his speech for World Migration Day in 1995 was devoted to undocumented migrants. He wrote: “The Church considers the problem of illegal migrants from the standpoint of Christ, who died to gather together the dispersed children of God (cf Jn 11:52), to rehabilitate the marginalized and to bring close those who are distant, in order to integrate all within a communion that is not based on ethnic, cultural or social membership.”

    Benedict XVI (2005-2013) acknowledged the “feminization of migration” and the fact that”female emigration tends to become more and more autonomous. Women cross the border of their homeland alone in search of work in another country.“ (Message, 2006)

    Welcoming the entry into force of the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, he recalled: “The Church encourages the ratification of the international legal instruments that aim to defend the rights of migrants, refugees and their families” (Message 2007).

    Pope Francis (2013-2025) embraced this globally inclusive tradition. His encyclical on “Fraternity and Social Friendship” calls for “recognizing that all people are our brothers and sisters, and seeking forms of social friendship that include everyone” (Fratelli tutti, 2020).

    He insisted that “for a healthy relationship between love of one’s native land and a sound sense of belonging to our larger human family, it is helpful to keep in mind that global society is not the sum total of different countries, but rather the communion that exists among them” (Fratelli tutti, 2020).

    On the question of migration, Francis maintained that “our response to the arrival of migrating persons can be summarized by four words: welcome, protect, promote and integrate” (Fratelli tutti, 2020).

    Not a political preference

    It appears that the pontificate of Leo XIV will reflect a similar commitment. However, this cannot be explained by political preference, or by personal and family history (the US-born pope is the grandson of immigrants and became a naturalized citizen of Peru). Popes do not defend immigrants because they are left-wing or progressive, but because they are at the head of an institution whose raison d’être is “to act in continuity with the mission of Christ”.

    For Christians, welcoming foreigners is meant to be a fundamental duty, a condition of salvation. In the gospel, Matthew has Jesus say that this is one of the criteria for the Last Judgement. Those who welcome the stranger will receive the kingdom of God “as an inheritance”. Others will receive eternal punishment: “For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty, and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger, and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me” (Matthew, 25:42-43).

    The stranger is at the heart of the New Testament revolution. Of course, the imperatives of hospitality are found in both the Old and New Testaments. It is a hospitality that is demanding (“You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt” [Leviticus 19:34]) and unconditional (“Show hospitality without complaining” [Peter 4:9]).

    But the New Testament revolution endows Christianity with a universal aspiration: human beings, by virtue of their origin, all become brothers. Belonging to Christianity itself is reflected by faith in this universality: “We know that we love the children of God when we love God” [John 5:2]. With this message, Christianity blurs the distinction between strangers and relatives: “You are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of God’s household” [Ephesians 2:19].

    According to the Letter to Diognetus, this is what makes Christians unique: “They reside each in his own country, but as dwelling strangers. Every foreign land is a homeland to them, and every homeland is a foreign land to them.”

    In his very first homily, Leo XIV suggested that the Christian faith might seem “absurd, reserved for the weak or the less intelligent”. But the institution of which he declared himself a “faithful administrator” has been preaching “universal mercy” for over 2,000 years.

    Les auteurs ne travaillent pas, ne conseillent pas, ne possèdent pas de parts, ne reçoivent pas de fonds d’une organisation qui pourrait tirer profit de cet article, et n’ont déclaré aucune autre affiliation que leur organisme de recherche.

    – ref. Pope Leo XIV’s recent predecessors at the Vatican defended migrants. Will he do the same? – https://theconversation.com/pope-leo-xivs-recent-predecessors-at-the-vatican-defended-migrants-will-he-do-the-same-256377

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: McCaul, Huizenga Introduce Legislation to Modernize Missile Technology Export Controls

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Michael McCaul (10th District of Texas)

    WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Congressman Michael McCaul (R-Texas) — chairman emeritus of the House Foreign Affairs Committee — and Congressman Bill Huizenga (R-Mich.) announced the introduction of H.R. 3068, the Missile Technology Control Revision Act. The legislation modernizes missile technology export controls by removing unnecessary regulatory barriers — bolstering U.S. national security while ensuring our allies are equipped to address shared security threats in a timely manner. 

    “The Chinese Communist Party is working at lightning speed to advance its military apparatus — and it does not play fair,” said Rep. McCaul. “The Mission Technology Control Revision Act empowers the United States and its allies to meet that generational challenge head-on by removing burdensome red tape that slows down the transfer of critical military technologies. I urge my colleagues to support this important bill that will strengthen crucial partnerships like the AUKUS defense pact and deter the CCP’s malign activity in the Indo-Pacific and beyond.”

    “The threats our nation faces have evolved over time; therefore, our approach to keeping America safe must evolve as well,” said Rep. Bill Huizenga. “We cannot allow bureaucratic red tape to hinder our national security. By modernizing the Missile Technology Control Regime to meet the security challenges of today, we can strengthen our defense capabilities and increase our cooperation with our allies, especially Australia and the United Kingdom. The Missile Technology Control Revision Act can act as a force multiplier that allows the United States and our closest allies to address the security challenges we face today and in the future.” 

    Background:

    The Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) was signed in 1987 and is a non-binding political arrangement designed to curtail exports and proliferation of WMD delivery vehicles and the underlying technologies. Unfortunately, the MTCR has no independent means to verify whether states adhere to its guidelines or a mechanism to penalize member states if they violate them.  

    The MTCR was established to prevent the proliferation of missile systems capable of delivering weapons of mass destruction, but in practice, its strict implementation through the Arms Export Control Act has often limited the United States’ ability to share certain missile-related technologies, such as advanced drones and space launch systems, with close allies. At the same time, countries like China and Russia, which have a history of violating MTCR norms, have continued to export similar technologies with fewer constraints. This disparity has complicated U.S. efforts to deepen defense cooperation and technology sharing through alliances like NATO, Five Eyes, and AUKUS. 

    Reps. McCaul and Huizenga’s legislation amends the Arms Export Control Act of 1976 to allow for expedited defense trade with countries the president determines to be eligible for a defense trade exemption. Additionally, the bill includes a statement of policy that the US shall no longer apply a “presumption of denial” for MTCR items to NATO, major non-NATO allies, and Five Eyes members.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Police appeal for witnesses following fatal collision in Hackney

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Detectives are appealing for witnesses following a fatal collision in Hackney yesterday evening.

    Officers were called at 18:16hrs on Saturday, 10 May, to reports of a collision involving a motorcycle on the westbound elevated section of the A12 at the Lea Interchange.

    The London Ambulance Service and the London Air Ambulance were also in attendance, and the motorcyclist – a 30-year-old man from Camden – was treated at the scene.

    Despite the efforts of the emergency services, he sadly died at the scene. His next of kin have been informed.

    Detectives are appealing for anyone who may have been in the area at the time to come forward.

    Detective Sergeant Rob Groombridge, who is leading the Met investigation, said:

    “Sadly a 30-year-old man died yesterday following a road traffic collision in Hackney. Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this incredibly difficult time.

    “We are working at pace to identify what happened on the A12 yesterday evening, and would encourage anyone who witnesses the incident, or who was in the surrounding area, to please come forward and speak to us. I’m particularly interested in any dashcam footage from drivers who were in the area between 18:00hrs and 18:30hrsyesterday.

    “Any piece of information could be vital in helping us understand exactly what happened.”

    Anyone with information is asked to call 101, quoting CAD 5852/10MAY

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Labour’s anti-migrant policies will hammer Scotland’s care sector

    Source: Scottish Greens

    11 May 2025 Health

    Labour’s cruel policies will harm the care sector and others.

    More in Health

    The plan announced by Labour Home Secretary Yvette Cooper to curb international visas for workers in the care sector and other vital parts of the economy will hammer Scotland’s services, say the Scottish Greens.

    The comments follow a series of harsh and restrictive announcements by the Home Secretary to crackdown on immigration.

    Scottish Green MSP Gillian Mackay said:

    “This is a cruel and totally self-defeating policy that will only serve to hammer Scotland’s services.

    “There have been warnings of staff shortages from the care sector and others, and these policies will only make them more severe.

    “It is extremely cynical politics. Nigel Farage just has to say ‘jump’ and Labour will ask how high. We cannot allow our immigration policy to be set by the far right priorities of Reform, and trying to imitate them won’t help anyone.

    “Labour has kept a lot of the most hostile anti-migrant Tory policies in place and doubled down on a failed Brexit that they know has hiked up prices, cost jobs and undermined our right to travel.

    “It is time for Scotland to have powers over immigration so that we can build a humane system that treats migrants as human beings and supports our services rather than harming them.

    “We can’t allow real people’s lives to be used as pawns in a nasty race to the bottom between Labour, the Tories and Reform.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Raging wildfires put Scotland on frontline of climate crisis

    Source: Scottish Greens

    11 May 2025 Rural Affairs

    We need climate action to stop wildfires being our new normal.

    More in Rural Affairs

    With extreme wildfires warnings across the country, and with fire crews battling a wildfire the size of five football pitches near Fauldhouse, Scotland’s communities are being put on the frontline of the climate crisis, say the Scottish Greens.

    Scottish Green MSP Ariane Burgess said:

    “We aren’t even in the height of our summer yet and we are already seeing our woodlands burning and warnings in place across much of the country.

    “We should all be grateful to the firefighters who are risking their lives and putting their safety on the line to protect us and our communities. It’s not just the immediate threats they face, but also the lifelong increased health risks from exposure to smoke and toxic substances.

    “We need to do everything we can to ensure that they are well supported and properly equipped for the growing threats that we face from increasing temperatures. Yet, in some parts of rural and island Scotland the fire service is facing a challenge to fill the crews, and some of their stations are in bad need of upgrade.

    “Some of these fires have raged for days at a time and have done a huge amount of damage to local livelihoods and habitats. But, most importantly, they have put people in serious danger.

    “Scotland is blessed with amazing and iconic landscapes that attract visitors from across the world. But they are also homes and places where people live and work, and, with our climate changing around us, they are being put at growing risk and thrust on to the frontline of the climate crisis.

    “It’s not just Scotland. We have seen heat waves and wildfires across the world and, without fundamental change, the threat will only become more severe. The situation is particularly urgent for people living in remote and rural communities who are often surrounded by tinderbox conditions.

    “All of this underlines the need for preventative steps to climate-proof our society and to step-up climate action if we are to ensure that the devastating scenes at Fauldhouse do not become our new normal.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Global: G20 is too elite. There’s a way to fix that though – economists

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Danny Bradlow, Professor/Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Advancement of Scholarship, University of Pretoria

    The G20 claims to be “the premier forum for international economic cooperation”.

    But is it?

    As scholars of global economic governance, we are sceptical of this claim. Here are our main reasons.

    • The G20 is insufficiently representative of the 193 member states of the United Nations plus the small number of non-member states.

    • It is a self-selected group of 19 countries and the European and African Unions.

    • It has no mandate to act or speak on behalf of the international community.

    • It has no transparent or formal mechanisms through which it can communicate with actors who do not participate in the G20 but have a stake in its deliberations and their outcomes.

    The growing tensions in the world make it more urgent to improve the efficacy of the G20. Firstly, because there is growing evidence of the loss of interest in global cooperation. Secondly, because rich states are cutting their official development assistance and are failing to meet their commitments to help countries deal with loss and damage from climate impacts and make their economies more resilient to shocks.

    And thirdly, because rich countries are also reluctant to discuss financing sustainable and inclusive development in forums like the upcoming Fourth Financing for Development Conference or the UN, where all states can participate. They prefer exclusive forums like the G20.

    Here, after briefly describing the structure of the G20, we argue that its lack of representation is a major problem. We offer a solution and argue that, as chair of the G20 this year, South Africa is well placed to promote this solution.

    What is the G20 and how does it function?

    The G20 was established in the late 1990s in the wake of the East Asian financial crisis. Its members were invited by the US and Germany based on a proposal from the Canadian government. Initially only finance ministers and central bank governors of major advanced and emerging economies were involved. After the financial crisis of 2008-2009 it was upgraded to summit level with the same membership.

    A summit is held annually, under the leadership of a rotating presidency.

    The group accounts for 67% of the world’s population, 85% of global GDP, and 75% of global trade. The membership comprises 19 of the “weightiest” national economies plus the European Union and the African Union. The 19 national economies are the G7 (US, Japan, Germany, UK, France, Italy, Canada), plus Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Republic of Korea, Russia, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Mexico, Brazil, and Argentina. These countries are permanently “in”. The remaining 90% of countries in the world are excluded unless invited as “special guests” on an ad hoc basis.

    Representatives of a select group of international organisations including the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the World Trade Organization also participate, together with those from some UN entities.

    The G20’s work is managed by a troika consisting of the current president with the assistance of the past president and the incoming president. In 2025 this troika consists of South Africa as the current chair, Brazil as the past chair and the US, which will become the G20 president in 2026. The G20 has no permanent secretariat.

    The consistency in G20 membership has proven to be an advantage because it helps foster a sense of familiarity, understanding and trust at the technical level among the permanent members. This is helpful in times of crisis and in dealing with complex problems.

    But its exclusivity and informal status have limited its ability to address major challenges such as the global response to the economic and health consequences of the COVID pandemic. This is because an effective response required agreement and coordinated action by all states and not just those in the G20.

    A solution

    We think that the governance model of the Financial Stability Board offers a solution.

    The Financial Stability Board was established under the umbrella of the G20 in 2009. Its job is to coordinate international financial regulatory standard-setting, monitor the global financial system for signs of stress, and to make recommendations that can help avert potential financial crises.

    It is also an exclusive club. Its membership consists of the financial regulatory authorities in the G20 countries plus those in a few other countries that are considered financially systemically important.

    However, unlike the G20, the Financial Stability Board has made a systematic effort to learn the views of non-members. It has established six Regional Consultative Groups, one each for the Americas, Asia, Commonwealth of Independent States, Europe, Middle East and North Africa, and sub-Saharan Africa.

    The objective is to expand and formalise the Financial Stability Board’s outreach activities beyond its membership and to better reflect the global character of the financial system.

    The regional consultative groups operate in a framework which promotes compliance within each region with the Financial Stability Board’s policy initiatives. The framework enables the group members to share among themselves and with the board their views on common problems and solutions and on the issues on the board’s agenda.

    Importantly, each regional group is co-chaired by an official from a Financial Stability Board member and an official from a non-member institution.

    Applying this model to the G20 would allow the current G20 membership to continue, while obliging the members to establish a consultation process with regional neighbours. This would create a limited form of representation for all the world’s states.

    It would also empower the smaller and weaker members of the G20 because it would enable them to speak with more confidence and credibility about the challenges facing their region.

    This arrangement would also establish a limited form of G20 accountability towards the international community.

    Next steps

    As chair of the G20 chair for 2025, South Africa is well placed to promote this solution to the group’s representation problem. It should work with the African Union to establish an African G20 regional consultative group. South Africa and the African Union could invite each African regional organisation to select one representative to serve on the initial consultative group.

    South Africa could also commit to convey the outcomes of G20 regional consultative group meetings to the G20.

    South Africa can then use this example to demonstrate to the G20 the value of having a G20 regional consultative group and advocate that other regions should adopt the same approach.

    Danny Bradlow, in addition to his position at the University of Pretoria, is the Senior G20 Advisor, South African institute of International Affairs.

    Robert Wade 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. G20 is too elite. There’s a way to fix that though – economists – https://theconversation.com/g20-is-too-elite-theres-a-way-to-fix-that-though-economists-255783

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: G20 is too elite. There’s a way to fix that though – economists

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Danny Bradlow, Professor/Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Advancement of Scholarship, University of Pretoria

    The G20 claims to be “the premier forum for international economic cooperation”.

    But is it?

    As scholars of global economic governance, we are sceptical of this claim. Here are our main reasons.

    • The G20 is insufficiently representative of the 193 member states of the United Nations plus the small number of non-member states.

    • It is a self-selected group of 19 countries and the European and African Unions.

    • It has no mandate to act or speak on behalf of the international community.

    • It has no transparent or formal mechanisms through which it can communicate with actors who do not participate in the G20 but have a stake in its deliberations and their outcomes.

    The growing tensions in the world make it more urgent to improve the efficacy of the G20. Firstly, because there is growing evidence of the loss of interest in global cooperation. Secondly, because rich states are cutting their official development assistance and are failing to meet their commitments to help countries deal with loss and damage from climate impacts and make their economies more resilient to shocks.

    And thirdly, because rich countries are also reluctant to discuss financing sustainable and inclusive development in forums like the upcoming Fourth Financing for Development Conference or the UN, where all states can participate. They prefer exclusive forums like the G20.

    Here, after briefly describing the structure of the G20, we argue that its lack of representation is a major problem. We offer a solution and argue that, as chair of the G20 this year, South Africa is well placed to promote this solution.

    What is the G20 and how does it function?

    The G20 was established in the late 1990s in the wake of the East Asian financial crisis. Its members were invited by the US and Germany based on a proposal from the Canadian government. Initially only finance ministers and central bank governors of major advanced and emerging economies were involved. After the financial crisis of 2008-2009 it was upgraded to summit level with the same membership.

    A summit is held annually, under the leadership of a rotating presidency.

    The group accounts for 67% of the world’s population, 85% of global GDP, and 75% of global trade. The membership comprises 19 of the “weightiest” national economies plus the European Union and the African Union. The 19 national economies are the G7 (US, Japan, Germany, UK, France, Italy, Canada), plus Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Republic of Korea, Russia, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Mexico, Brazil, and Argentina. These countries are permanently “in”. The remaining 90% of countries in the world are excluded unless invited as “special guests” on an ad hoc basis.

    Representatives of a select group of international organisations including the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the World Trade Organization also participate, together with those from some UN entities.

    The G20’s work is managed by a troika consisting of the current president with the assistance of the past president and the incoming president. In 2025 this troika consists of South Africa as the current chair, Brazil as the past chair and the US, which will become the G20 president in 2026. The G20 has no permanent secretariat.

    The consistency in G20 membership has proven to be an advantage because it helps foster a sense of familiarity, understanding and trust at the technical level among the permanent members. This is helpful in times of crisis and in dealing with complex problems.

    But its exclusivity and informal status have limited its ability to address major challenges such as the global response to the economic and health consequences of the COVID pandemic. This is because an effective response required agreement and coordinated action by all states and not just those in the G20.

    A solution

    We think that the governance model of the Financial Stability Board offers a solution.

    The Financial Stability Board was established under the umbrella of the G20 in 2009. Its job is to coordinate international financial regulatory standard-setting, monitor the global financial system for signs of stress, and to make recommendations that can help avert potential financial crises.

    It is also an exclusive club. Its membership consists of the financial regulatory authorities in the G20 countries plus those in a few other countries that are considered financially systemically important.

    However, unlike the G20, the Financial Stability Board has made a systematic effort to learn the views of non-members. It has established six Regional Consultative Groups, one each for the Americas, Asia, Commonwealth of Independent States, Europe, Middle East and North Africa, and sub-Saharan Africa.

    The objective is to expand and formalise the Financial Stability Board’s outreach activities beyond its membership and to better reflect the global character of the financial system.

    The regional consultative groups operate in a framework which promotes compliance within each region with the Financial Stability Board’s policy initiatives. The framework enables the group members to share among themselves and with the board their views on common problems and solutions and on the issues on the board’s agenda.

    Importantly, each regional group is co-chaired by an official from a Financial Stability Board member and an official from a non-member institution.

    Applying this model to the G20 would allow the current G20 membership to continue, while obliging the members to establish a consultation process with regional neighbours. This would create a limited form of representation for all the world’s states.

    It would also empower the smaller and weaker members of the G20 because it would enable them to speak with more confidence and credibility about the challenges facing their region.

    This arrangement would also establish a limited form of G20 accountability towards the international community.

    Next steps

    As chair of the G20 chair for 2025, South Africa is well placed to promote this solution to the group’s representation problem. It should work with the African Union to establish an African G20 regional consultative group. South Africa and the African Union could invite each African regional organisation to select one representative to serve on the initial consultative group.

    South Africa could also commit to convey the outcomes of G20 regional consultative group meetings to the G20.

    South Africa can then use this example to demonstrate to the G20 the value of having a G20 regional consultative group and advocate that other regions should adopt the same approach.

    – G20 is too elite. There’s a way to fix that though – economists
    – https://theconversation.com/g20-is-too-elite-theres-a-way-to-fix-that-though-economists-255783

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Foreign criminals to face rapid deportation 

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Foreign criminals to face rapid deportation 

    New reforms to deportation and removal rules will make it easier to remove foreign criminals committing crimes in the UK.

    New reforms to deportation and removal rules will make it easier to remove foreign criminals committing crimes in the UK, the Home Office will announce tomorrow.

    Currently the Home Office is only informed of foreign nationals given prison sentences and deportation arrangements focus predominantly on those sentenced to more than a year in prison.

    Under the new arrangements, the Home Office will be informed of all foreign nationals convicted of offences – not just those who receive prison sentences – and will be able to use wider removal powers on other crimes including swifter action to remove people who have recently arrived in the country but have already committed crimes. 

    The overhaul will make it easier to remove those who commit offences – including violence against women and girls, street and knife crimes – before the threat they pose escalates. 

    The reforms will be announced tomorrow as part of the government’s Immigration White Paper, which will radically reform Britain’s failed immigration system. 

    The Home Office will consider all offences, not just those that carry a 12-month custodial sentence, and strengthen powers to remove perpetrators of violence against women and girls. 

    Any foreign national placed on the Sex Offenders Register – regardless of sentence length – will be classed as having committed a ‘serious crime’ with no right to asylum protections in the UK. 

    Since July 2024, the Home Office has removed 3,594 foreign criminals from the UK – a 16% increase on the same period 12 months prior. 

    Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: 

    It is a basic requirement – those who come to the UK should abide by our laws. The system for returning foreign criminals has been far too weak for too long. Already we have increased the number of foreign national offenders being removed since the election. But we need much higher standards. The rules need to be respected and enforced.  

    We need to restore control so that net migration comes down and proper standards and order are returned.

    As part of the White Paper, the government will also update refusal policies and immigration rules to mirror these changes. This means if a person commits an offence while on a short-term visa, they will be refused if they make a fresh application. 

    New measures will be explored to swiftly cancel visas to those who commit crimes, ensuring action is taken against offenders before they can put down roots in the UK. 

    Notes to editors

    • As part of the Government’s Plan for Change to have Safer Streets and Secure Borders, and efforts to digitise information flows, the Government will be working with partners across the criminal justice system to ensure data on convictions of migrants in the UK is shared swiftly so the necessary action can be taken.

    Updates to this page

    Published 11 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI China: World Brand Moganshan Conference highlights innovation in global journeys of Chinese brands

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

    The ongoing 2025 World Brand Moganshan Conference in Deqing County, east China’s Zhejiang Province, is emphasizing innovation as a major driving force in expanding the global reach of Chinese brands.

    Themed “Brands Bring Better Future for the World,” the event offers Chinese brands a global stage to share their brand stories and fosters shared opportunities, common development and mutually beneficial cooperation.

    Conference attendees have emphasized the importance of brand building in nurturing new quality productive forces. They further noted that recent initiatives have shown positive outcomes — with innovation being a key driver.

    Take Wensli Group, a well-known Chinese silk producer established in 1975, as an example. Admired for its industry-leading silk double-sided printing process, Wensli has not only maintained long-term partnerships with many luxury brands but also created new growth opportunities.

    Notably, Wensli’s mini-program enables customers to instantly create a unique, self-designed scarf pattern. Leveraging AI-generated content, the scarf can be produced in just two hours, with minimal release of carbon emissions or wastewater.

    “With the help of technology, we can customize 100,000 unique silk scarves for each of the 8 billion people in the world,” said Tu Hongyan, chairperson of Wensli. She added that innovation has transformed Wensli from importing technologies and services to exporting its own independent, new technologies.

    Wensli’s journey mirrors the development trajectory of many Chinese brands.

    “Chinese brands have transitioned from followers to creators and leaders in new models and standards. Consequently, the image of Chinese brands has acquired new significance on the global stage,” said Shan Fan, president of the Brand University of Applied Sciences in Hamburg, Germany.

    The Chinese fashion industry has also seen Bosideng Group, a leading down jacket manufacturer, take its brand global.

    Its first overseas store opened in London ahead of the 2012 Olympics. Since then, its products have graced the runways of New York, Milan and London, shining a spotlight on Chinese down jackets in the global arena.

    “The robust growth of the Chinese economy, its rising cultural confidence, swift progress in technological innovation, and growing international influence have all paved the way for Chinese brands to thrive,” said Gao Dekang, chairman and chief executive officer of Bosideng Group.

    Despite mounting obstacles in international trade, Chinese brands have remained resolute in their pursuit of global presence.

    “To venture overseas, we have to tackle numerous challenges, such as obtaining the necessary certifications, arranging logistics and building our brand reputation. The overseas markets are highly diverse, and we stick to one unbreakable rule — we must adapt to local conditions and respect the differences,” said Wang Pu, co-founder of Chinese beverage company Chi Forest.

    In 2020, Chi Forest officially entered mainstream distribution channels in Singapore. Now, the company’s products have entered more than 40 countries and regions, including the United States and Australia, Wang added.

    Held for three consecutive years, the World Brand Moganshan Conference has developed into a vital platform for Chinese brands to enhance their visibility and explore new cooperation opportunities.

    Over 50 parallel activities also form part of the 2025 conference, including a main forum, a launch event for brand value evaluation, and several themed high-end dialogues.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China powers ahead at Intersolar Europe 2025

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

    An aerial drone photo taken on Sept. 12, 2024 shows a partial view of a 50-megawatt molten-salt solar thermal power plant in Naomaohu Township of Hami City, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. [Photo/Xinhua]

    The 2025 Intersolar Europe exhibition, one of the world’s most influential events in the photovoltaic (PV) industry, concluded in Munich on Friday after a three-day run. Chinese companies as major highlights of the event won widespread acclaim for their cutting-edge products and system integration capabilities.

    The exhibition hosted over 2,700 companies from more than 50 countries and regions, including around 850 from China. These Chinese exhibitors showcased a wide array of innovations ranging from high-efficiency PV modules to energy storage systems, EV charging infrastructure, and integrated energy solutions.

    Markus Elsaesser, founder and CEO of Solar Promotion GmbH, the event’s organizer, said that Chinese companies were “not only key product suppliers but also supplying very cost-effective solutions so that we can advance with the decarbonization of Europe.”

    According to a report entitled the Global Market Outlook for Solar Power 2025-2029, released during the event by SolarPower Europe, China accounted for roughly half of both the world’s new solar capacity additions and cumulative installations in 2024. The report hailed China’s contributions to global decarbonization, noting that its sustained investments have accelerated solar technology advancements worldwide.

    “The commitment of China to Europe is actually pretty strong at the moment, really providing the necessary models that we have to actually increase installation,” said Christophe Lits, senior market analyst at SolarPower Europe.

    He noted that China, as the world’s largest solar application market, plays a vital role in Europe’s energy transition not only by supplying quality products but also through local production and technology partnerships, fostering strong Europe-China industrial ties.

    Solar technology giant LONGi Green Energy Technology Co., Ltd. showcased a new solar panel that won its top technology award during the event. The panel was recognized for maintaining high energy conversion efficiency even in low-light conditions such as cloudy days, and for improved fire safety through structural innovations.

    This photo taken on Jan. 4, 2024 shows solar panels installed on the roof of a residential house in Berlin, Germany. [Photo/Xinhua]

    “The European market is highly receptive to new PV technologies. We are encouraged to increase our R&D investment continuously,” said Liu Yuxi, president of the global marketing center at LONGi Green Energy. He expected opportunities for China-Europe cooperation to continue to expand as renewables take up a growing share of Europe’s energy mix.

    Amid high energy prices in Europe, some Chinese companies are actively exploring the integration of solar technology into household appliances to better meet consumers’ demand for green living.

    Visitors to the event were attracted to a model home outfitted with a fully integrated green energy system showcased by TCL, a global technology company headquartered in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong, neighboring Hong Kong. The setup combines rooftop solar panels with indoor inverters and storage units to smartly distribute power to heat pumps, EV chargers, and other home applications.

    The integrated household energy system has been rolled out in some residential projects in Europe, according to Zhang Shengyang, General Manager of TCL SunPower Global, who is experienced in the home appliances business. He saw home energy solutions as a potential growth engine in the European market.

    Still reeling from the massive blackout that hit Spain and Portugal on April 28, attendees turned their focus to energy storage — one of the exhibition’s standout themes that drew heavy interest and high footfall.

    Major Chinese players such as CATL, Huawei, and Trina Solar showcased their latest solutions. CATL debuted a new container-sized modular storage unit capable of charging about 150 electric vehicles or powering an average German household for six years.

    “As the share of weather-dependent renewables rises, so does the need for flexible energy storage,” said Ji Yu, senior director of project management of ESS CATL. He said that Chinese storage firms are rapidly integrating into local markets and forging diverse partnerships.  

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Vollering claims final stage to seal overall win in Vuelta Femenina

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

    Demi Vollering (FDJ-Suez) retained her La Vuelta Femenina (Women’s Tour of Spain) title in style on Saturday, winning the last stage of the race to confirm her position at the top of the overall classification.

    The 2024 champion assured this year’s title when she rode off the front of an elite group of riders one kilometer from the finish at the top of the tough Alto de Cotobello to win the demanding 152.6-kilometer stage, which contained three mountains, and confirming her dominance as the best climber in the race.

    The final kilometers of the stage, held in the northern Spanish region of Asturias, were ridden in pouring rain, with Vollering’s group chasing down a breakaway of Mavi Garcia (Liv-AlUla-Jayco) and Evita Muzic (FDJ-Suez).

    With the breakaway swallowed up, Anna van der Breggen (SD Worx-Protime) set a strong pace up the final climb of the day, looking to pressure Vollering and Marlen Reusser (Movistar) but was unable to shake either when the race entered the last kilometer.

    Vollering then rode off the front to win her second mountain stage of the race after claiming Thursday’s climb to the Lagunas de Neila, with Reusser finishing 11 seconds behind and Van der Breggen 25 seconds down.

    The trio also shared the same positions in the overall classification with Vollering a minute and one second ahead of Reusser and a minute and 16 seconds on Van der Breggen, who returned to racing this year after three years coaching.

    “I am very happy that I could win both mountain stages. My team was so strong again so strong, and we were always in control. I’m really happy about the whole performance with the whole team,” said Vollering in her post-race interview.

    The champion admitted she “was waiting for the last steep part to go for the win. I didn’t have to risk anything today, I just wanted to win the stage again.”

    “I knew I had to wait, and that was not easy because I really wanted to go, but finally, on the last kilometer I threw in my attack and gave it everything until the finish line,” she said. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China’s Wang/Zheng suffer narrow defeat in first round of Italian Open

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

    Wang Xinyu (R) and Zheng Saisai react during the women’s doubles round of 32 match between Wang Xinyu/Zheng Saisai of China and Chan Hao-Ching of Chinese Taipei/Giuliana Olmos of Mexico at the WTA Italian Open in Rome, Italy, May 10, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Jing)

    China’s Wang Xinyu and Zheng Saisai lost to Chan Hao-ching of Chinese Taipei and Giuliana Olmos of Mexico in three sets in the first round of the women’s doubles at the WTA Italian Open on Saturday.

    It was the first meeting between the two pairs. In the opening set, Wang and Zheng started out trailing 4-1. They rallied to level the score at 4-4, only for Chan and Olmos to hold serve in the ninth game and edge ahead 5-4.

    In the crucial 10th game, Wang fired an ace and, together with Zheng, saved two break points. However, they couldn’t hold off their opponents and dropped the set 6-4.

    Wang and Zheng responded strongly in the second set. They earned an early break in the opening game and then consolidated with a solid service hold to go up 2-0. Although their opponents managed to get on the board in the third game, Wang and Zheng took control from there, dominating the rest of the set to take it 6-1.

    In the deciding match tiebreak, Wang and Zheng carried their momentum forward, racing to a 3-0 start and later extending their lead to 7-3. But Chan and Olmos mounted a comeback, reeling off seven straight points to seal the win, 10-7. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese men’s 4x400m team breaks national record at 2025 World Athletics Relays

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

    Team China celebrate after the men’s 4x400m relay heat at the World Athletics Relays Guangzhou 2025 in Guangzhou, south China’s Guangdong Province, May 10, 2025. (Xinhua/Deng Hua)

    Team China set a new national record in the men’s 4x400m in 3 minutes and 1.87 seconds at the 2025 World Athletics Relays on Saturday in rain.

    The competition serves as a main qualification for relay events at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, features 6 events including men’s, women’s and mixed 4x100m and 4x400m. The top 14 teams in each event (except for mixed 4x100m) will earn berths for Tokyo 2025.

    According to the rules, the top 14 teams in men’s and women’s 4x100m, 4x400m and mixed 4x400m consist of 8 spots booked Saturday and 6 spots Sunday. In each event, the top 2 teams in each of the 4 heats qualified for the finals and Tokyo 2025, with the remaining teams competing for 6 other spots per event in the second qualification round Sunday.

    The Chinese squad for the men’s 4x400m, composed of rookies Liang Baotang, Li Yiqing, Zhang Qining and Fu Haoran, finished second in Heat 1, breaking the national record, reaching the final and qualifying for Tokyo 2025.

    “My mind was blank when I was running, just to do my best,” said the fourth leg Fu, who caught up to the second place by surpassing a Spainish runner.

    Mixed 4x100m is a newly-introduced event for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, yet was not included in Tokyo 2025. In the event’s global debut, Team Canada finished first in qualification with a time of 40.90 seconds. The Chinese quartet of Huang Shuping, Kong Lingyao, Chen Jinfeng and Chen Guanfeng qualified for the final by clocking 41.30 seconds.

    “It’s interesting to mix and mingle boys and girls in 4X100m. We are really excited and happy for the introduction of the event,” said Chen Guanfeng.

    Veteran Xie Zhenye led Team China in men’s 4x100m, and the squad clocked 38.30 seconds to finish third in Heat 4, only 0.005 seconds shy of Team Italy, who finished second in the heat. South Africa and Japan set a new world-leading mark with 37.84 seconds.

    Drama unfolded in the women’s 4x100m as China’s third-leg runner Liang Xiaojing and fourth-leg runner Ge Manqi made a mistake in passing the baton, finishing sixth in the heat.

    Elsewhere, the United States made a world-leading mark of 3 minutes and 11.37 seconds in the mixed 4x400m. Spain set a new women’s 4x100m national record of 42.18 seconds. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Xi reaffirms China’s commitment to friendly cooperation, international equity

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

    Soldiers march during a grand parade marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Soviet Union’s Great Patriotic War in Moscow, Russia, May 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi)

    Chinese President Xi Jinping left here Saturday after paying a state visit to Russia and attending the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Soviet Union’s Great Patriotic War.

    During bilateral meetings with leaders of several countries here Friday on the sidelines of the Victory Day celebrations, Xi reaffirmed China’s commitment to enhancing cooperation and strengthening ties with these countries, and emphasized the importance of upholding multilateralism and working together to address global challenges.

    REMEMBERING HISTORY

    On Friday, the Chinese president joined his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, and leaders from more than 20 countries and international organizations to lay red flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

    The solemn ceremony marked a moment of remembering and paying tribute to those who perished in the Soviet Union’s Great Patriotic War.

    The Soviet Union was the principal theater of World War II in Europe, losing 27 million lives, while China was the main theater in Asia, suffering 35 million casualties in its resistance against the bulk of Japanese militarist forces.

    Together, the two countries were the mainstay of resistance against Japanese militarism and German Nazism, making pivotal contributions to the victory in the World Anti-Fascist War.

    This was the second time for Xi to attend Russia’s Victory Day celebrations. Ten years ago, he traveled to Moscow for the 70th anniversary. In the same year, Putin also attended China’s Victory Day parade on Sept. 3 in Beijing to commemorate the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.

    The past decade has been one of profound turbulence and transformation in the international landscape, Xi noted when meeting the press with Putin on Thursday.

    In the face of the changes of the world, of the times and of historical significance, China and Russia should keep a firm grasp on the development direction of bilateral ties and the general trend of the development of human society, Xi said, calling for greater joint efforts in safeguarding international fairness and justice.

    Ahead of Xi’s visit, Russian media published the Chinese leader’s signed article titled “Learning from History to Build Together a Brighter Future.”

    “Indeed, historical memory and truth will not fade with the passage of time. They serve as inspirations that mirror the present and illuminate the future. We must learn from history, especially the hard lessons of the Second World War,” he wrote.

    IRONCLAD FRIENDSHIPS

    During bilateral meetings with Venezuelan, Cuban and Serbian leaders attending Russia’s Victory Day celebrations, Xi reaffirmed ironclad friendships between China and the three countries, emphasizing the importance of deepening cooperation in various sectors.

    In his meeting with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, Xi noted that China and Venezuela have forged an ironclad friendship amid the changing international situation.

    Since the two countries elevated bilateral relations to an all-weather strategic partnership in 2023, exchanges across various sectors and at all levels have been vigorous, bilateral trade has grown continuously, new progress has been made in investment cooperation and people-to-people exchanges, and friendship between the two sides has become increasingly popular among the two peoples, Xi said.

    He said China has always viewed and developed relations with Venezuela from a strategic and long-term perspective and is willing to enhance the exchange of governance experience with Venezuela, continue to deepen practical cooperation in various areas and take bilateral ties to new heights, so as to better benefit the two peoples.

    While meeting with Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel, Xi noted that this year marks the 65th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and Cuba, adding that China is willing to further consolidate the ironclad friendship with Cuba, build a closer China-Cuba community with a shared future, and set an example of solidarity and cooperation among socialist countries and sincere mutual assistance among developing countries.

    Xi called on both sides to promote steady progress in exchanges at all levels and cooperation in various fields, and ensure that high-level political mutual trust always remains a distinct feature of relations between the two ruling parties and the two countries.

    In his meeting with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, Xi urged the two sides to carry forward the ironclad friendship, boost mutually beneficial cooperation and advance the high-quality building of a China-Serbia community with a shared future.

    China is ready to deepen strategic communication with Serbia, enhance mutual support, strengthen cooperation in trade and investment, continue supporting the construction and operation of relevant projects, give full play to their demonstrative effect, and achieve more outcomes that deliver mutual benefit and win-win results, Xi said.

    UPHOLDING MULTILATERALISM

    In these bilateral meetings on Friday, Xi also reaffirmed China’s commitment to multilateralism and international cooperation, and emphasized the importance of working together to address global challenges.

    During his meeting with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, Xi said that China stands ready to work with Slovakia and other countries to jointly address challenges through solidarity and cooperation and safeguard international fairness and justice.

    Fico said that the Slovak side stands ready to join efforts with China to uphold multilateralism, safeguard free trade rules, and maintain the stability of global industrial and supply chains.

    During the meeting with Maduro, Xi said that China is ready to work with Venezuela and other Latin American countries to firmly uphold the UN-centered international system and the international order underpinned by international law.

    For his part, Maduro said that Venezuela is willing to strengthen coordination and cooperation with China to uphold multilateralism, defend international fairness and justice, and safeguard the common interests of the international community.

    In the meeting with Myanmar leader Min Aung Hlaing, Xi urged the two sides to jointly uphold the UN-centered international system and the international order underpinned by international law, and safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries.

    In the meeting with Diaz-Canel, Xi urged the two sides to enhance coordination and cooperation within such frameworks as the BRICS and the China-CELAC (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) Forum, oppose power politics and unilateral bullying, and safeguard international fairness and justice.

    Diaz-Canel said Cuba supports the three major global initiatives proposed by China, and is willing to work with China to jointly oppose unilateralism and protectionism, and to safeguard the common interests of the international community.

    In his meeting with Serbia’s Vucic, Xi said China is ready to work with all countries in the world, including Serbia, to unite and cooperate to meet challenges, jointly safeguard world peace and international fairness and justice, safeguard the achievements of economic globalization, and promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

    Vucic commends China’s steadfast support for multilateralism, noting that China’s visions and actions have bolstered the international community’s courage and confidence in safeguarding common interests.

    Serbia stands ready to unite with China in addressing the challenges posed by unilateralism and protectionism, Vucic added. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: First Minister’s cost of living guarantee

    Source: Scottish Government

    The Scottish Government’s cost of living guarantee will help to deliver vital support for the people of Scotland, First Minister John Swinney has said.

    The Programme for Government 2025-26 commits to a range of measures which will help households in a challenging economic climate.

    The cost of living guarantee includes:

    • Lower income tax than in England for the majority of workers
    • Continuation of free prescriptions and free eye appointments
    • Free bus travel for 2.3 million people 
    • Scottish undergraduate students will continue to pay no tuition fees
    • Funded childcare hours, which would otherwise cost families more than £6,000 a year per eligible child.
    • Free school meals, which save the average family who take up the offer £400 per child per year, will be expanded, and more breakfast clubs introduced.
    • Winter fuel payments restored for Scottish pensioners in 2025-26 

    The Programme for Government also committed to scrapping peak rail fares for good from September.

    The First Minister said:

    “This Scottish Government will always do what it can to deliver the best deal for the people of Scotland.

    “Our cost of living guarantee is delivering real savings for hard-pressed households across the country and it goes further than any package offered in the rest of the UK.

    “These policies are already saving people money year on year, in the form of free prescriptions, free bus travel and more. This year we will go even further, funding the restoration of winter fuel payments for every pensioner in Scotland after they were abandoned by the UK Government. And from September, we will be scrapping peak rail fares for good – delivering a better deal for commuters.

    “I know that too many people are still struggling during the cost of living crisis and that is why my government is taking action to keep more money in people’s pockets during tough times.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Radical reforms to reduce migration

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Radical reforms to reduce migration

    Britain’s failed immigration system will be radically reformed so the system is controlled, managed and fair under a landmark White Paper.

    Britain’s failed immigration system will be radically reformed so the system is controlled, managed and fair under a landmark White Paper to be published tomorrow (Monday 12 May).  

    The government inherited a chaotic immigration system that saw net migration soar to record levels – driven by a huge increase in overseas recruitment since 2020.

    The government is now delivering on the priorities of working people to bring down numbers, restore control of Britain’s borders and make the system work for the economy.  

    The Immigration White Paper will deliver on its manifesto pledge to cut migration by training domestic workers, raising the bar on who can come to the UK and ending reliance on overseas labour.    

    It will establish tough new controls to restore order to a failed system that saw net migration almost quadruple to one million between 2019 and 2023.   

    New measures mean skills thresholds for work visas will be returned to degree level – reversing a system that saw the proportion of lower-skilled visas issued increase between 2021 and 2024.

    Meanwhile the government will end the chronic underinvestment in domestic skills that has hindered economic growth.   

    We will support businesses to take on British workers through new industry workforce strategies, while introducing much tighter restrictions on recruitment for shortage occupations.

    Employers will first need to develop domestic training plans to boost British skills and recruitment levels – increasing productivity and living standards for working people in the UK.

    So migration works for the whole UK, the country will remain open to the best of international talent – enhancing economic growth – while ensuring skilled work for migration purposes must truly mean skilled work.  

    The announcement follows major steps the government has already taken to crackdown on those exploiting the system and restoring order to the immigration system – ramping up removals to return 24,000 people with no right to be here since July 2024, the highest rate in eight years.

    But this government is going further. The White Paper establishes whole new approaches to migration across a range of areas – including work, study and family life – based on the principles of control, contribution and community cohesion.  

    It delivers on the Prime Minister’s Plan for Change to reduce the staggeringly high levels of immigration and replace Britain’s failing approach with a new plan that supports national security, economic renewal and restoring the confidence of the public. 

    Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said:   

    Migration must be properly controlled and managed so the system is fair. Instead, we’ve seen net migration quadruple in the space of just four years, driven especially by overseas recruitment.  

    We inherited a failed immigration system where the previous government replaced free movement with a free market experiment.

    Employers were given much greater freedom to recruit from abroad while action on training fell.

    Overseas recruitment soared at the same time as big increases in the number of people not working or in education here in the UK.

    The last government lost control of the immigration system and there was no proper plan to tackle skills shortages here at home.  

    This has undermined public confidence, distorted our labour market, and been really damaging for both our immigration system and our economy. 

    Under our Plan for Change, we are taking decisive action to restore control and order to the immigration system, raise domestic training and skills, and bring down net migration while promoting economic growth.”   

    Measures to be set out tomorrow include:   

    • Raising the skilled visa threshold to RQF6 (graduate level) to reduce increasing numbers of lower-skilled workers coming to the UK – with salary thresholds reflecting the higher skill level.  

    • For occupations below this level, access to the immigration system will be strictly time-limited, granted only on the basis of strong evidence of shortages which are critical to the industrial strategy and where workforce strategies are drawn up so employers also commit to increasing domestic skills and recruitment.  
    • Establishing the Labour Market Evidence Group (LMEG) to inform understanding of where sectors are overly reliant on overseas labour and reverse underinvestment in domestic skills. 

    For the first time it means that there will be a national approach to ensuring that action on skills, employer strategies and increasing UK workforce participation are the first response to labour market shortages rather than employers simply turning to immigration to fill gaps.

    Notes to editors

    • The Labour Market Evidence Group (LMEG) will be made up of the Industrial Strategy Council, Department of Work and Pensions, skills bodies and the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) and make recommendations on where workforce strategies are needed.   
    • These reforms are just part of government action to restore order, control and fairness to the system, and the full Immigration White Paper will be published in Parliament tomorrow.

    Updates to this page

    Published 11 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: expert reaction to conference press release about time-restricted eating and weight loss in overweight or obese adults

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    A conference press release presented at the European Congress on Obesity (ECO) in Malaga looks at time-restricted eating (TRE) and weight loss in obese adults. 

    Dr Adam Collins, Associate Professor of Nutrition, University of Surrey, said:

    “The finding that TRE protocols, whether early, late or self-selected eating windows, lead to weight loss, is consistent with other studies.  What is of interest here is that, strictly speaking, TRE protocols are not prescribed to reduce or restrict calories, just the eating window itself.  Yet inevitably, most people fail to squeeze all of what they used to eat daily into the new window; instead, they change their eating behaviour and end up eating less.  This may manifest as skipping whole meals, such as breakfast when abiding to late TRE windows.  Or omitting snacks and drinks (including alcohol), either between meals or later in the day/evening.  The latter may be significant in early time-restricted protocols.

    “The novelty of this new communicated study is in the follow-up of these participants after 12 months, with the observation that both early and late TRE groups managed to maintain their weight loss.  Interestingly, those who self-selected their window didn’t manage to keep the weight off as successfully.  It is possible that following the more regimented early and late TRE created more sustainable changes in eating behaviour and dietary habits, that remained after the intervention.

    “The originally published study was, I feel, robustly designed, with MRI-derived VAT as the primary outcome.  It is unclear in this follow-up a) how many (i.e. what proportion) of the original participants were measured at follow-up across the different intervention arms.  And b) what outcome measures were assessed (e.g. VAT).  This would be very important for context.

    “One general note of caution on TRE protocols is that altering the opportunities to eat, and potential for meal skipping, may compromise the nutritional adequacy of the diet.  This may be an issue for those whose diet was marginally nutritionally replete to start with.  To this end, we are midway through a study exploring the impact of TRE specifically on eating behaviour and nutritional adequacy of people’s diets.”

     

    Dr Maria Chondronikola, Principal Investigator and Lead for Human Nutrition, University of Cambridge Metabolic Research Laboratories, University of Cambridge, said:

    “The research study described in the press release explores the effects of time-restricted eating (TRE) on weight management, a topic that has attracted significant interest attention due to its potential health implications.

    “While the press release provides an overview of the main outcomes of the study, it does not offer sufficient information to fully evaluate the scientific rigor and methodology of this investigation.  This is not surprising given that the summary is intended for a broader audience.  However, this limits the ability to assess the scientific value of the study in detail.  Nevertheless, the findings outlined in the release appear reasonable within the context of existing literature.

    “The 3-month results showing a 3–4% weight loss in response to the different TRE groups align with previous studies in the field.  These results suggest that TRE may have modest effects on weight management.  However, the novel finding in this study is the observation that the early and late TRE groups (but not the TRE group with the self-selected eating window) experienced greater weight loss maintenance over time.  This is an interesting development and warrants further exploration, particularly in how TRE might help individuals sustain weight loss.

    “It is important to note that this study did not include a caloric restriction group, and therefore, its results cannot be directly compared to other weight loss strategies that involve intentional caloric restriction.

    “Furthermore, additional information on participant adherence to the prescribed eating windows is crucial.  Understanding how well participants adhered to the timing of their meals, the level of their caloric intake and whether TRE changed any obesity-related metabolic outcomes would provide valuable insight into the true effectiveness of TRE.

    “In conclusion, while the study’s findings are interesting, more detailed data on study design and compliance rates are needed to fully evaluate the results.”

     

    Prof Alexandra Johnstone, Theme Lead for Nutrition, Obesity and Disease, Rowett Institute, University of Aberdeen, said:

    “Dr Alba Camacho-Cardenosa and colleagues have shared some preliminary comments on their research findings, which are to be presented to peers at an obesity-related conference.  With only the press release to refer to, this limits the scope of this commentary, and I am unable to comment on the robustness of the work.  For example, there are no statistics mentioned in the press release, and it is therefore rather vague to interpret the results.

    “I do, however, look forward to reading the paper when peer-reviewed, as there is a lot of interest in the role of chrono-nutrition and timing of eating as a dietary weight loss tool.  The team present interesting data that support a time-restricted eating approach, as a 16 hour fasting window (with 8 hours eating), with a 12 week intervention period and a one-year follow-up.  The TRE approach was useful to help participants maintain their weight loss.  Aside from looking at their reported percentage weight change, I am interested in how health parameters changed in response to the dietary approaches, and this information is not provided in the press release.

    “My own group already published work to show that timing of eating the largest meal of the day did not impact on weight loss (Cell Metabolism, https://www.cell.com/cell-metabolism/pdfExtended/S1550-4131(22)00344-8).  Thus, these data are in line of our current understanding.”

     

     

     

    Press release: ‘3-month programme of time-restricted eating at any time of the day supports long-term weight loss in adults with overweight or obesity’. Authors are Alba Camacho-Cardenosa et al.

    This was presented as a poster at the European Congress on Obesity. The embargo lifted at 23:01 UK time on Saturday 10th May 2025. 

    There is no paper.

     

     

    Declared interests

    Dr Adam Collins: “No conflict of interest to declare.”

    Dr Maria Chondronikola: “I am currently leading a intervention study on the effects of time restricted eating in cardiometabolic health: https://trestudy.org.uk/#:~:text=Dr.,in%20the%20UK%20and%20worldwide.”

    Prof Alexandra Johnstone: “My COI is that I hold voluntary committee roles for The Nutrition Society, Association for The Study of Obesity and British Nutrition Foundation.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Xi Jinping’s visit to Russia contributed to the development of friendship and upholding justice – Chinese Foreign Minister

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    BEIJING, May 10 (Xinhua) — Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Russia has further strengthened the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination in the new era, set a benchmark for the world’s joint efforts to safeguard the post-war international order, and promoted the transition to a multipolar world and the reconstruction of the international political architecture, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Saturday.

    At the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping paid a state visit to Russia from May 7 to 10 and took part in celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s victory in the Great Patriotic War.

    As Wang Yi, who is also a member of the Politburo of the CPC Central Committee, noted during a briefing for journalists, Xi Jinping’s visit is of great historical significance.

    The head of the Chinese Foreign Ministry pointed out that during the visit, Xi Jinping and V. Putin spent almost 10 hours in-depth communication on issues of mutual interest. The most important political outcome of the visit was the signing by the heads of the two states of a joint statement on further deepening Chinese-Russian relations of comprehensive partnership and strategic interaction in the new era, Wang Yi stated.

    The parties agreed to continue to expand cooperation and strengthen the foundation of trade, economic and energy cooperation, Wang Yi continued, adding that the parties signed an updated version of the investment protection agreement, thereby giving a powerful response to the regressive trend of protectionism.

    Speaking about the crisis in Ukraine, Xi Jinping noted that China welcomes all efforts to promote peace and considers it necessary to take into account the legitimate security interests of all countries and eliminate the root causes of the crisis.

    Xi Jinping’s presence at the Victory Day celebration on May 9 once again demonstrated China’s desire to work with other countries to promote a correct view of the history of World War II and jointly uphold the post-war international order, the head of the Chinese Foreign Ministry noted.

    Xi Jinping said that in the face of a volatile and turbulent international situation, China and Russia should firmly uphold the international system with the UN at its core and the international order based on international law.

    Wang Yi noted that the return of Taiwan to China is the result of the victory in World War II and an important integral part of the post-war international order.

    No matter how the situation on Taiwan develops and no matter what problems external forces create, the historical trend of China’s inevitable and inevitable reunification is unstoppable, Xi Jinping pointed out.

    During his visit, the Chinese leader also held extensive contacts with politicians from various countries who attended the celebrations, as well as bilateral meetings with a number of national leaders from three continents, reaching broad consensus on firm mutual support, upholding multilateralism and opposing power politics and bullying.

    During his meeting with Myanmar leader Min Aung Hlaing, Xi Jinping stressed that China supports Myanmar in following a development path suited to its national conditions, safeguarding its sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and national stability, and confidently advancing its domestic political agenda.

    During separate meetings with Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel and Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, Xi Jinping noted that Latin American and Caribbean states are sovereign and independent nations, not someone’s “backyard.”

    M. Diaz-Canel and N. Maduro praised Xi Jinping’s vision of building a community with a shared future for humanity, as well as the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative. They expressed their readiness to work with China to counter unilateralism and protectionism.

    During meetings with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico, Xi Jinping stressed that China and the EU should firmly adhere to multilateralism, jointly oppose unilateral bullying, safeguard the achievements of economic globalization, and uphold the global free trade system and the international economic and trade order. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Prime Minister Carney participates in virtual meeting in support of Ukraine

    Source: Government of Canada – Prime Minister

    Today, the Prime Minister, Mark Carney, participated in a virtual meeting of the Coalition of the Willing.

    The Coalition discussed ongoing efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace in Ukraine and underlined their steadfast support for Ukraine’s long-term security. They committed to ensuring Ukraine’s ability to deter future Russian aggression and to continue exerting economic pressure on Russia. The leaders reaffirmed their support for U.S.-led peace efforts and the proposal of an unconditional 30-day ceasefire. If Russia chooses to reject or delay the ceasefire, the leaders will pursue further and stronger sanctions.

    The meeting was hosted by the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, co-chaired by the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Sir Keir Starmer, and the President of France, Emmanuel Macron, and attended by many of Canada’s closest Allies and partners.

    Associated Links

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Update on suspected targeted phishing attack on schools and early years network

    Source: Scotland – City of Edinburgh

    All secondary schools were open today to allow students who had exams early next week to attend in person to obtain a new password.

    On Friday afternoon we noticed some unusual e-mail activity on our schools and early years IT network. As a precautionary measure we reset passwords across our schools and early years network – including those of our students. 

    All secondary schools were open today from 10.15am to 12noon to allow students who had exams early next week to attend in person to obtain a new password.

    Education, Children and Families Convener Councillor James Dalgleish said:

    “We saw approximately 2,500 young people attend their secondary schools to reset their passwords this morning – and I’m delighted that our dedicated school staff were on hand to support them and minimise the impact on their exam preparations.

    “My thanks once again to our colleagues for their quick thinking and vigilance – without which this could have been far worse – and for their work throughout the weekend to ensure the attack was contained and our networks remain secure and protected.

    “Close monitoring will continue over the coming days and we’re keeping the Scottish Government and Police Scotland up-to-date.  

    “I’d like to wish all of our students sitting exams in the coming days and weeks the very best of luck.”

    Background

    No data has been compromised.

    Published: May 10th 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Lord Provost pays tribute to Sir Tom Farmer

    Source: Scotland – City of Edinburgh

    The Lord Provost has paid tribute to Sir Tom Farmer as it is announced he died on Friday.

     The Lord Provost Robert Aldridge said:

    I am deeply saddened to learn about the passing of Sir Tom Farmer. Sir Tom was a recipient of the prestigious Edinburgh Award, a generous philanthropist, and a proud Scotsman whose influence touched communities far beyond his own.

    As the founder of Kwik Fit, Sir Tom revolutionised the automotive industry, yet his legacy stretches far beyond business. His love for Edinburgh and its people was perhaps best demonstrated in 1991 when he stepped in to rescue his beloved Hibernian Football Club.

    Sir Tom’s memory will live on in the City Chambers Quadrangle, where his handprints are immortalised alongside those of other Edinburgh Award recipients. Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and all who were fortunate to have known him.

    Published: May 10th 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: President Meloni’s condolences on the passing of Koyo Kouoh

    Source: Government of Italy (English)

    10 Maggio 2025

    I express my deepest condolences for the sudden and premature passing of Koyo Kouoh, curator of the 61st Venice Biennale International Art Exhibition, on which she was working with great passion. Her passing leaves a void in the world of contemporary art: my sympathy goes to her family, friends, collaborators and colleagues.

    [Courtesy translation]

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI: BexBack Launches Double Deposit Bonus and 100x Leverage Crypto Trading No KYC

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SINGAPORE, May 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As the price of Bitcoin surpassed the $100,000 mark and many analysts believe that it will enter a long-term high-volatility market. Holding spot positions may not continue to generate profits in the short term. BexBack Exchange is stepping up its efforts to provide traders with irresistible preferential packages. The platform now offers a 100% deposit bonus, a $50 welcome bonus for new users, and a 100x leverage on cryptocurrency trading, creating unparalleled opportunities for investors.

    What Is 100x Leverage and How Does It Work?

    Simply put, 100x leverage allows you to open larger trading positions with less capital. For example:

    Suppose the Bitcoin price is $60,000 that day, and you open a long contract with 1 BTC. After using 100x leverage, the transaction amount is equivalent to 100 BTC.

    One day later, if the price rises to $63,000, your profit will be (63,000 – 60,000) * 100 BTC / 60,000 = 5 BTC, a yield of up to 500%.

    With BexBack’s deposit bonus

    BexBack offers a 100% deposit bonus. If the initial investment is 2 BTC, the profit will increase to 10 BTC, and the return on investment will double to 1000%.

    Note: Although leveraged trading can magnify profits, you also need to be wary of liquidation risks.

    How Does the 100% Deposit Bonus Work?
    The deposit bonus from BexBack cannot be directly withdrawn but can be used to open larger positions and increase potential profits. Additionally, during significant market fluctuations, the bonus can serve as extra margin, effectively reducing the risk of liquidation.

    About BexBack?

    BexBack is a leading cryptocurrency derivatives platform that offers 100x leverage on BTC, ETH, ADA, SOL, and XRP futures contracts. It is headquartered in Singapore with offices in Hong Kong, Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Argentina. It holds a US MSB (Money Services Business) license and is trusted by more than 200,000 traders worldwide. Accepts users from the United States, Canada, and Europe. There are no deposit fees, and traders can get the most thoughtful service, including 24/7 customer support.

    Why recommend BexBack?

    No KYC Required: Start trading immediately without complex identity verification.

    100% Deposit Bonus: Double your funds, double your profits.

    High-Leverage Trading: Offers up to 100x leverage, maximizing investors’ capital efficiency.

    Demo Account: Comes with 10 BTC in virtual funds, ideal for beginners to practice risk-free trading.

    Comprehensive Trading Options: Feature-rich trading available via Web and mobile applications.

    Convenient Operation: No slippage, no spread, and fast, precise trade execution.

    Global User Support: Enjoy 24/7 customer service, no matter where you are.

    Lucrative Affiliate Rewards: Earn up to 50% commission, perfect for promoters.

    Take Action Now—Don’t Miss Another Opportunity!

    If you missed the previous crypto bull run, this could be your chance. With BexBack’s 100x leverage and 100% deposit bonus and $50 bonus for new users (complete one trade within one week of registration), you can be a winner in the new bull run.

    Sign up on BexBack now, claim your exclusive bonus and start accumulating more BTC today!

    Website: www.bexback.com

    Contact: business@bexback.com

    Contact:
    Amanda
    business@bexback.com

    Disclaimer: This content is provided by BexBack. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform or its publisher. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. We do not guarantee any claims, statements, or promises made in this article. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or trading advice. Investing in crypto and mining-related opportunities involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital. It is possible to lose all your capital. These products may not be suitable for everyone, and you should ensure that you understand the risks involved. Seek independent advice if necessary. Speculate only with funds that you can afford to lose. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. However, due to the inherently speculative nature of the blockchain sector—including cryptocurrency, NFTs, and mining—complete accuracy cannot always be guaranteed.
    Neither the media platform nor the publisher shall be held responsible for any fraudulent activities, misrepresentations, or financial losses arising from the content of this press release. In the event of any legal claims or charges against this article, we accept no liability or responsibility. Globenewswire does not endorse any content on this page.

    Legal Disclaimer: This media platform provides the content of this article on an “as-is” basis, without any warranties or representations of any kind, express or implied. We assume no responsibility for any inaccuracies, errors, or omissions. We do not assume any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information presented herein. Any concerns, complaints, or copyright issues related to this article should be directed to the content provider mentioned above.

    Photos accompanying this announcement are available at
    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/5ac2d0d3-cc63-424d-832f-0d2031fb58a7

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/fd07fe85-5680-49df-bb89-dad7df64a310

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/bf08d95d-f545-48ed-b24c-c28dda50c07f

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8de105d7-303a-49d6-a0fe-22f9fe184528

    The MIL Network –