NewzIntel.com

Category: European Union

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney Martin Encourages Staff to Attend May 14 Federal Interagency Holocaust Remembrance Program

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    WASHINGTON – President Donald J. Trump’s U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia said he hoped his staff and partners with his office would participate with him at the 32nd Annual Federal Interagency Holocaust Remembrance Program.

    “This year’s theme is ‘Courage Cannot Be Silenced,’ and the keynote speaker is Holocaust survivor Eugene Bergman, whose personal story is a compelling reminder of the horrors of the Shoah.

    “In 1939, Bergman, a native of Poznan, Poland, was moved with his family to Lodz, as part of the Nazi ghetto policies, and there a German soldier struck him with the butt of his rifle as he was in the street with other children,” Martin said.

    “Five days later, Bergman woke up from a coma completely deaf,” he said.

    “For the rest of the war, Bergman was shuttled between ghettos and camps as the Nazis pursued their so-called ‘final solution,” he said.

    After the war, Bergman threw himself into his education, becoming a master of five languages and the first deaf individual to earn a PhD in English.

    “Bergman’s life story is full of sorrow and survival, but always in the context of his own courage that could not be silenced,” Martin said.

    The program will be held Wednesday, May 14, 2025, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in the Great Hall of the Robert F. Kennedy Main Building.

    The Federal Interagency Holocaust Remembrance Program started at the U.S. Department of Education in 1994 to commemorate the Congressional Days of Remembrance—an annual, national, and civic commemoration of the Holocaust. This year’s program also coincides with both Jewish American Heritage Month and the 80th anniversary of U.S. troops liberating Nazi concentration camps.

    For more information, please visit the Federal Inter-Agency Holocaust Remembrance Program. Sign-language interpretation will be provided.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: TSplus International Meeting 2025 Took Place in Bali

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LYON, France, April 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — From April 14–18, TSplus hosted its annual International Meeting in Bali, Indonesia—bringing together more than 100 collaborators and their families from around the world. This major event combined celebration and strategy, reinforcing TSplus’ commitment to rewarding its teams while shaping the path forward as a leading global provider of remote access and cybersecurity solutions.

    Set in a stunning tropical location, this annual gathering serves to strengthen the group’s collective identity as a forward-looking, people-centered tech company.

    The international meeting offered a balance of professional exchanges, cultural discovery, and team-building activities—reflecting the company’s core values of innovation, accessibility, and international collaboration.

    Founder Dominique Benoit opened the event with a strong message: “Let’s be proud of what we are and what we’ve achieved together.” He emphasized the strength of TSplus’ product portfolio, trusted by hundreds of thousands of users worldwide, and the long-term relevance of its focus on applications and cloud delivery solutions in an ever-growing market.

    A Milestone of Unity, Vision and Growth

    Strategic presentations throughout the week highlighted ongoing progress and upcoming priorities. Key themes included expanding presence in high-potential markets such as Japan and Canada, growing customer and partner ecosystems, and improving global brand consistency.

    TSplus also continues to evolve its product and licensing offerings to meet modern IT demands. While permanent licenses remain available, a new subscription-based licensing option will soon be introduced across the entire product line—adding flexibility for customers and partners alike. More details will be shared in an upcoming release around the official launch date in May.

    In line with its mission to make remote support more accessible, TSplus also announced the upcoming release of a simplified, affordable solution designed specifically for individuals—aiming to reach a broader user base with a lightweight, user-friendly approach.

    International Sales Director François Stoop shared a dynamic global expansion strategy focused on both mature and emerging markets, supported by a strong partner network and enhanced training tools like the TSplus Academy.

    Sales and Marketing strategies are being sharpened, with efforts to better align messaging, unify the company’s visual identity, and improve internal communication across regions. Collaborative sessions during the event generated valuable insights to support these goals.

    Marketing and Product leaders showcased the impact of new tools—AI-generated content, improved product videos, and redesigned documentation—all contributing to a stronger, more unified brand presence.

    More than just a strategic summit, the 2025 International Meeting demonstrated TSplus’ strength as a global organization driven by shared values, mutual trust, and long-term vision.

    IT professionals interested in joining TSplus’ growing network of partners can explore the benefits of collaboration at www.tsplus.net/partners.
    All TSplus software is available for free trial download on the website: https://tsplus.net/download/

    About TSplus:

    TSplus is a global software company specializing in secure remote access, application delivery, and IT management solutions. With a presence in over 140 countries and more than 500,000 deployments worldwide, TSplus helps businesses of all sizes enable flexible, cost-effective, and secure digital work environments. Its suite of products—including Remote Access, Remote Support, Advanced Security, Server Monitoring —offers a comprehensive, user-friendly alternative to complex and expensive solutions. TSplus is committed to innovation, customer success, and making remote work technology accessible to everyone.

    Press Contact:

    Caleb Zaharris

    Marketing Director for TSplus

    Caleb.zaharris@tsplus.net

    Photos accompanying this announcement are available at: 
    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/90bd50c7-fdbf-458f-bf14-676617ebc5ce
    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/dafa60e5-ec43-4f7b-a1e0-3daa1e3f4b9e
    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/16c4596c-f924-4705-b846-aa89282917fc
    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/73fbbe29-e5fa-4cdd-bc71-b8a3d37bc96b

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Microsoft announces new European digital commitments

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: Microsoft announces new European digital commitments

    Includes datacenter operations in 16 countries and Digital Resilience Commitment.

    Forty-two years ago, Microsoft released the very first version of Microsoft Word. It was a major milestone in the company’s journey to enhance people’s productivity through innovation. It also marked the young and growing company’s first big step in Europe with the first Microsoft product localized in multiple European languages, starting with German and French.

    Since then, our economic reliance on Europe has always run deep. We recognize that our business is critically dependent on sustaining the trust of customers, countries, and governments across Europe. We respect European values, comply with European laws, and actively defend Europe’s cybersecurity. Our support for Europe has always been–and always will be–steadfast.

    In a time of geopolitical volatility, we are committed to providing digital stability. That is why today Microsoft is announcing five digital commitments to Europe. These start with an expansion of our cloud and AI infrastructure in Europe, aimed at enabling every country to fully use these technologies to strengthen their economic competitiveness. And they include a promise to uphold Europe’s digital resilience regardless of geopolitical and trade volatility.

    As a multinational company, we believe in trans-Atlantic ties that promote mutual economic growth and prosperity. ​We were pleased the Trump administration and the European Union recently agreed to suspend further tariff escalation while they seek to negotiate a reciprocal trade agreement. We hope that successful talks can resolve tariff issues and reduce non-tariff barriers, consistent with the recommendations in the recent Draghi report.

    We will always be dedicated to creating jobs, promoting economic opportunities, and strengthening cybersecurity on both sides of the Atlantic. The five commitments below, like the very first European version of Microsoft Word, take our support for Europe another step forward.

    1. We will help build a broad AI and cloud ecosystem across Europe

    We recognize that European nations want and need a world class and broad AI and cloud ecosystem. Today, we are announcing plans to increase our European datacenter capacity by 40% over the next two years. We are expanding datacenter operations in 16 European countries. When combined with our recent construction, the plans we’re announcing today will more than double our European datacenter capacity between 2023 and 2027. It will result in cloud operations in more than 200 datacenters across the continent.

    This expansion will play an important role in boosting Europe’s economic growth and competitiveness. We believe that broad AI diffusion will be one of the most important drivers of innovation and productivity growth over the next decade. Like electricity and other general-purpose technologies in the past, AI and cloud datacenters represent the next stage of industrialization. They are creating real-world capabilities to fuel business and manufacturing innovation, run national health systems, enable secure government services, and support digital tools in education—all while keeping data and operations close to home, subject to European laws and regulations.

    Public cloud datacenters

    Our public cloud datacenters are a foundation for the diversified cloud ecosystem we are committed to supporting across Europe. This includes the Microsoft Cloud for Sovereignty, a package of technologies and configurations to help governments and other customers run on Azure in our public cloud datacenters with greater control over data location, encryption, and administrative access.

    Sovereign cloud datacenters

    A second aspect of our diversified approach involves sovereign cloud datacenters. In France, Microsoft has partnered with Capgemini and Orange, who formed a joint venture named Bleu. Designed as a “cloud de confiance” (trusted cloud) platform, Bleu offers a broad range of Microsoft Azure cloud services and Microsoft 365 productivity tools operated under French control. In Germany, a similar sovereign cloud initiative is underway through a partnership between Microsoft, SAP, and Arvato Systems (a Bertelsmann IT subsidiary). This effort, through SAP’s subsidiary, Delos Cloud GmbH, is creating a sovereign cloud platform for the German public sector, hosted in German datacenters and operated by German personnel.

    Support for European cloud providers

    A third aspect of our work involves our collaboration with European cloud providers to offer Microsoft applications and services on their local cloud infrastructure. This partnership provides these European providers with the opportunity to run Microsoft applications on more favorable terms than we make available to Amazon and Google. Additionally, we are developing new technology and licensing solutions tailored for these European providers and the markets they serve.

    Emerging options

    Given recent geopolitical volatility, we recognize that European governments likely will consider additional options. Some of these may involve public financing to support European home-grown offerings. We recognize the importance of a diversified technology ecosystem, and we are committed to collaborating with European participants across the tech ecosystem.

    Respect for European laws

    Microsoft is investing tens of billions of dollars annually in expanding its datacenters across Europe. These investments aren’t on wheels. They are permanent structures and subject to local laws, regulations, and governments. Like every citizen and company, we don’t always agree with every policy of every government. But even when we’ve lost cases in European courts, Microsoft has long respected and complied with European laws.

    We understand that European laws apply to our business practices in Europe, just as local laws apply to local practices in the United States and similar laws apply elsewhere in the world. This includes European competition law and the Digital Markets Act, among others. We’re committed not only to building digital infrastructure for Europe, but to respecting the role that laws across Europe play in regulating our products and services.

    2. We will uphold Europe’s digital resilience even when there is geopolitical volatility

    By building a European cloud for Europe, Microsoft is committed to helping Europe navigate the uncertain geopolitical and trade environment and better manage risk by strengthening the continent’s digital resilience. We will always strive to be a voice of reason that promotes mutual opportunities and stable ties across the Atlantic. We in fact believe that even amidst current trade and tariff disputes, there is a strong consensus in Washington supporting the sustained flow of digital services from the United States to Europe.

    We also are listening closely to the views of European governments and leaders. We recognize that European countries, like nations everywhere, need to have rock-solid confidence in the digital infrastructure on which they rely. To ensure this confidence, we will take the following three steps:

    A European cloud for Europe

    Microsoft is headquartered in the United States, but we provide cloud services to Europe through corporate entities headquartered in Europe. To further cement the nexus between Microsoft and Europe, going forward our European datacenter operations and their boards will be overseen by a European board of directors that consists exclusively of European nationals and operates under European law.

    A Digital Resilience Commitment

    In the unlikely event we are ever ordered by any government anywhere in the world to suspend or cease cloud operations in Europe, we are committing that Microsoft will promptly and vigorously contest such a measure using all legal avenues available, including by pursuing litigation in court. By including a new European Digital Resilience Commitment in all of our contracts with European national governments and the European Commission, we will make this commitment legally binding on Microsoft Corporation and all its subsidiaries.

    Microsoft has a demonstrated history of pursuing litigation when that has been needed to protect the rights of our customers and other stakeholders. This includes four lawsuits we filed against the U.S. Executive Branch during President Obama’s tenure, including to protect the privacy of our customers’ data in the United States and Europe. It also included, during President Trump’s first term, a successful decision before the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold the rights of employees who are immigrants. When necessary, we’re prepared to go to court.

    We are confident of our legal rights to ensure continuous operation of our datacenters in Europe. And we are prepared to back this confidence with our contractual commitments to European governments.

    Business continuity partnerships

    Finally, we will designate and rely upon European partners with contingency arrangements for operational continuity in the unlikely event Microsoft were ever required by a court to suspend services. We are already enabling our partners in France and Germany to do this for the Bleu and Delos datacenters, and we will pursue arrangements for our public cloud datacenters in Europe. We will store back-up copies of our code in a secure repository in Switzerland, and we will provide our European partners with the legal rights needed to access and use this code if needed for this purpose.

    3. We will continue to protect the privacy of European data

    Microsoft has long been at the forefront in designing and implementing technology solutions to protect customer data. We enable customers to control where their data is stored and processed, how it is encrypted and secured, and when Microsoft can access it. We offer customers robust capabilities across the entire cloud stack from infrastructure to platform to software as a service, from Azure to Microsoft 365 to Dynamics 365. We back our technical solutions with strong contractual commitments and, as noted above, a demonstrated history of going to court on behalf of our customers.

    The EU data boundary project

    Reflecting our continuing commitment to innovation, we recently finished implementing our EU Data Boundary project. This offers European customers the ability to have their data stored and processed in Europe. Since January 2024, our European commercial and public sector customers have been able to store and process their data and personal identifiers for Microsoft core cloud services—including Microsoft 365, Dynamics 365, Power Platform, and Azure services—within the EU and EFTA regions. Three months ago, Microsoft completed the project by extending the EU Data Boundary to include professional services data from technical support interactions. And, critically, we make these solutions available in all our European cloud regions and throughout our tech stack, from IaaS, to PaaS, to SaaS, including M365 Copilot.

    Additional security and encryption options

    In addition to the EU Data Boundary, we provide European customers with multiple options for securing and encrypting their data. Our Confidential Compute offerings in Azure eliminate the ability of third parties—including Microsoft—to access customer data by ensuring data is processed within a trusted environment the customer alone controls. We enable customers to create a “lockbox” around their data across Azure, Dynamics 365, and Microsoft 365 by giving them the ability to review and approve before Microsoft accesses their data for customer and service support operations. We also enable customers to secure their data with encryption keys that they, not Microsoft, control with Azure Key Vault and Microsoft Purview Customer Key. Our Microsoft Cloud for Sovereignty offers customers a range of other tools to secure data, protect against unauthorized access, and satisfy legal requirements.

    A strong legal track record

    In addition to technical measures, we will continue our fight to protect the rights of European customers. Microsoft has a strong track record of going to court in the rare instances that we need to protect European data from unauthorized access. We have consistently fought legal demands that conflict with European law and have taken our challenges all the way to the Supreme Court of the United States. In 2018, as a direct result of litigation Microsoft brought on behalf of our European customers, the U.S. Congress enacted legislation that guarantees our right to object to U.S. law enforcement demands to access European data that conflict with EU law.

    We codified our promise to protect our European customers’ data with our Defending Your Data commitment, in which we agreed to challenge any government demand for EU public sector or enterprise customer data where we have a legal basis for doing so. We have included that commitment in our customer contracts and backed it up with a promise to compensate customers if we disclose their data in violation of EU law.

    New opportunities for innovation

    Today we commit to further strengthen and expand solutions that allow European customers to control and protect their data. We are embarking on new steps to listen to and consult with European customers to build on what already is the most complete, widest range of privacy, security, and sovereignty solutions that any cloud services provider now offers to customers in Europe. We look forward to sharing in the coming months the conclusions that emerge and the new steps we decide to take.

    For more details about Microsoft’s data protection and compliance programs, see the Microsoft Trust Center.

    4. We will always help protect and defend Europe’s cybersecurity

    As war erupted in 2022, Microsoft immediately helped evacuate Ukraine’s critical data and technology services to our datacenters across Europe. This move ensured Ukraine’s continued digital operation outside the range of cruise missile and air attacks. In many ways, this illustrates the role that a broad network of datacenters plays in supporting not only digital but broader resilience, both for a country and a continent.

    Uninterrupted, world-class cybersecurity protection

    In addition to safeguarding the country’s data, we immediately helped Ukraine’s officials and citizens defend their nation from Russian cyberattacks. Since the start of the war, Microsoft has provided more than $500 million of free technology and financial assistance to Ukraine and has sustained our substantial support to this day. Without interruption, we have provided cybersecurity support to NATO, Ukraine, and other European governments, including by sharing cybersecurity threat intelligence, protecting elections, and disrupting attacks against European governments, companies, and citizens.

    New measures to protect against new threats

    More than three years since the start of the war in Ukraine, European governments and countries confront ongoing cyberattacks from Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea. As these threats grow in number and sophistication, strong cybersecurity protection and coordination are more important than ever, as is the ability to respond rapidly to regional demands. That is why today we are announcing the following cybersecurity steps, which will be followed by additional announcements in the coming weeks.

    A new Deputy CISO for Europe

    Today, our Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) Igor Tsyganskiy announced that we are appointing a new Deputy CISO for Europe as part of the Microsoft Cybersecurity Governance Council. This senior executive will be dedicated to Microsoft’s security responsibilities in Europe. Last year we created this council, consisting of our Global CISO and Deputy Chief Information Security Officers (Deputy CISOs) representing each of our technology services. This Council oversees the company’s cyber risks, defenses, and compliance across regions and domains.

    The appointment of a Deputy CISO for Europe reflects the importance and global influence of EU cybersecurity regulations and the company’s commitment to meeting and exceeding those expectations to prioritize cybersecurity across the region. This new position will report directly to Microsoft’s CISO. The Deputy CISO for Europe will be accountable for compliance with current and emerging cybersecurity regulations in Europe, including the Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA), the NIS 2 Directive, and the Cyber Resilience Act (CRA). These laws will prove transformative not only in EU markets, but worldwide, and Microsoft is actively engaged in preparing for what lies ahead.

    New security steps under the Cyber Resilience Act

    We believe the CRA will reshape the regulatory landscape as a new gold standard for cybersecurity, much as the GDPR did for privacy. We will build on the work of our Secure Future Initiative and dedicate additional resources to comply with the CRA. As its deadlines approach, we look forward to continuing our years of engagement with the European Commission, industry partners, and customers on CRA implementation efforts. We are committed to our role as a member of the European Commission’s Expert Group on Cybersecurity of Products with Digital Elements.

    To that end, Microsoft will continue to engage with stakeholders across a range of CRA topics. These will include incident and vulnerability reporting, security by design and default, cybersecurity best practices and improving open-source security and attestation. We will share our innovations that support implementing the CRA essential security requirements to help European economic operators also prepare for CRA compliance.

    Security is the foundation of trust. To sustain that trust, we will engage an independent auditor to verify and validate our commitments to Europe. We know that people will only use technology that they trust, which is why we are dedicating resources to accelerate our compliance with the CRA and committing to independent validation.

    5. We will help strengthen Europe’s economic competitiveness, including for open source

    Our AI Access Principles

    We recognize the importance of ensuring open access to our AI and cloud platform and infrastructure across Europe, including for open-source development. That is why we announced last year a set of AI Access Principles and we will introduce new enhancements to these commitments in the coming months.

    Open access across Europe

    These principles have ensured that our Azure AI platform and infrastructure is open to a variety of business models—both open-source and proprietary. We now host more than 1,800 AI models. Most of these models are open-source models, such as those from European-based AI developers Mistral and Hugging Face. And they are all available via public APIs to facilitate interoperability. This means that customers can choose which models to use and where to build their AI-powered solutions: on Azure, in another public cloud, or in their own datacenter. Finally, we enable customers to export and transfer their data. Last year we eliminated fees for the transfer of data when customers choose to switch to another cloud provider.

    A foundation for European competitiveness

    Over the past year, we have seen European startups, established businesses, and other organizations take advantage of the open access to models and tools that we provide to innovate, grow, and compete in the new AI economy. This includes technology startups such as Factorial in Spain to build AI-driven automation for HR professionals, iGenius in Italy to develop AI solutions for regulated industries, and Visma in Norway to provide AI solutions for companies in accounting, payroll, invoicing, and beyond. And it includes the Institute Curie in France to research new therapies for cancer, UBS in Switzerland to create the future of banking, and Heineken in The Netherlands to boost employee productivity.

    Building European infrastructure for Europe’s future

    We recognize that Microsoft must constantly remain focused on earning and sustaining our “license to operate” in each country across Europe. With datacenters and digital technology, this starts with each local community and country and includes officials with continental-wide responsibilities.

    Since we first brought the first version of Microsoft Word to Europe 42 years ago, digital technology has changed the ways people work many times over. Yet as we look forward, we believe the second quarter of the 21st century may bring even bigger changes ahead. Artificial intelligence offers what may become the most powerful tool for people in the history of humanity. And like all tools, there will be some who will seek to turn it into a weapon.

    More than ever, it will be critical for us to help Europe harness the power of this new technology to strengthen its competitiveness. We will need to partner with smaller and larger companies alike. We will need to support governments, non-profit organizations, and open-source developers across the continent. And we will need to listen closely to European leaders, respect European values, and adhere to European laws. We are committed to doing all these things well.

    As we celebrated Microsoft’s 50th birthday earlier this month, we recognized that our longstanding presence in Europe has been a lynchpin of our success. Europe has treated us well. Our support for Europe has always been—and always will be—steadfast.

    Tags: Digital commitments, Europe

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Global: People with neoliberal views are less likely to support climate-friendly policies – new research

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Felix Schulz, Research Fellow, Lund University Centre for Sustainability Studies, Lund University

    Sambulov Yevgeniy/Shutterstock

    Donald Trump won the US election on a campaign that included rolling back environmental laws. In the UK, Conservative party leader Kemi Badenoch has called the national net zero target “impossible”. And former prime minister Tony Blair has said the current approach of phasing out fossil fuels is “doomed to fail”.

    Meanwhile in Germany, the parties in the most likely incoming coalition government hardly engaged with climate policy during the recent election campaign – and the far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD), which openly denies human-made climate change, received 20% of the vote.

    With political leaders around the world moving away from progressive climate policy, it’s worth asking: is this what the public wants?

    When it comes to the climate, what people think is influenced by where they live and what else they believe in. In recently published research, we sought to find out just how much people’s ideologies affected their views on climate policy.

    We surveyed representative samples of the public in six countries about their attitudes towards different types of climate policy. We asked about support for regulation (for example, building and vehicle standards or product bans), taxes (like carbon taxes), subsidies (to promote low-carbon alternatives), and information-based policies (such as emission disclosure requirements). Our survey covered policies in transport, housing, energy and industry.

    We also asked respondents about their ideologies: cultural worldviews, personal values, free market beliefs and political trust. Our findings reveal how people’s ideologies shape their support for climate policies.

    We included three high-income countries of the global north (the US, UK and Germany) and three upper-middle income countries from the global south (Brazil, South Africa and China). Together, these six countries are responsible for half of global CO₂ emissions.

    Our definition of global south, which includes countries such as China, is based on work by UN Trade and Development and the UN G-77 countries. It includes Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, most of Asia (excluding Israel, Japan and South Korea) and Oceania (excluding Australia and New Zealand). These countries generally have lower per capita income and are considered “developing” compared to global north countries.

    This comparison is important because, as we will explain, political and economic ideologies that originated in the global north can influence how people view climate policies.

    Across all policy types, we found more support for climate policies in the global south countries. In the global north countries, we found only minority support for regulatory policies and climate-related taxes. In Germany, support for regulatory policies and taxes was as little as 18%.

    Subsidies for the four sectors – for example, to support renewable energy projects or the production of green steel – received 35% support in Germany and 48% in the US. In contrast, the majority of the public in the three countries of the global south supported subsidies and regulatory climate policies.

    As with subsidies, we found strong majority support for information-based policies in the three countries of the global south (74-79%), against only minority support in Germany (36%) and the US (49%). In the UK, 53% supported information-based climate policies.

    Personal values play a role in support for the policies. Our findings show people with stronger biospheric values – the importance people place on the environment and the relationship between humans and nature – are more supportive of climate policies. This is true irrespective of the country they live in. People who are more trusting of political institutions and politicians also support these policies more.

    But demographics such as age, gender, education or income have a negligible effect on attitudes towards these policies, when accounting for other factors in our analysis.

    Neoliberalism and the climate

    We observed a strong link between a neoliberal worldview and lack of support for the climate policies in our study. As a political economic project, neoliberalism originated in the global north. But it continues to take root in the global south, particularly in Latin America.

    The belief that individuals need to take care of themselves and are responsible for their own fortune and problems was associated with less support for climate policies. And in every country we studied, we found a strong relationship between support for the free market and lack of support for climate policies.

    People who believe the free market is best at allocating outcomes efficiently and meeting human needs without government interference, and that it is more important than some local environmental concerns, show less support for the climate policies.

    These two sets of beliefs – individualistic worldviews and support for the free market – are the core principles of neoliberal thought.

    In the Global North countries, we found only only minority support for regulatory policies and climate-related taxes.
    Fotogrin/Shutterstock

    The superiority of the market over governments as an efficient and fair allocation machine has been the mantra of neoliberal politicians, thinktanks and institutions for more than half a century.

    Neoliberalism opposes government regulation and spending, and supports the free market. It also fosters an individualistic worldview. Instead of seeing themselves as workers, citizens or members of a collective, people are persuaded to internalise market logic – to see themselves as individuals who are out to maximise their personal profit.

    The cultural shift from more communitarian and egalitarian ideals towards an ideology based on the self-driven individual and the free market has been quite successful. Empirical evidence from 41 countries shows that individualist practices and values around the world have surged significantly over the past 50 years.

    We know from research that what the public thinks (or votes for) does influence what governments do. This is true even when accounting for the influence of powerful interest groups.

    So, those creating and campaigning for urgently needed climate policies need to take this into account. Support for climate policies isn’t just about whether someone believes in human-made climate change or cares about the planet – there are deeply-rooted ideological factors at play too.

    Felix Schulz receives funding from Formas, a Swedish research council for sustainable development and the Hans-Böckler-Foundation.

    Christian Bretter 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. People with neoliberal views are less likely to support climate-friendly policies – new research – https://theconversation.com/people-with-neoliberal-views-are-less-likely-to-support-climate-friendly-policies-new-research-253478

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NREL-Led Research Effort Adds Salt, Boosts Performance of Perovskites

    Source: US National Renewable Energy Laboratory

    Using an ionic salt to replace the fullerene layer in perovskite solar cells boosted their performance, efficiency, and durability, according to a global research effort led by scientists at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).

    The performance of the perovskite solar cell improved with the addition of an ionic salt.

    Their findings appear in the journal Science.

    The researchers said their findings point to a promising approach to advancing perovskite photovoltaic technologies toward commercialization. Perovskites refers to a crystalline structure that has proven highly efficient as a semiconductor material for absorbing sunlight. Work continues to improve the long-term stability of perovskite solar cells.

    Kai Zhu, a senior scientist at NREL and an architect of the research effort, said improvements involved changing the chemical composition of the electron transport layer in the perovskite solar cell. This layer is essential as it moves electrons triggered by sunlight through the cell, thereby generating electricity. The fullerene C60 is commonly used for the electron transport layer in inverted perovskite solar cells, but its molecular nature leads to a weak interface and limits the performance of the device. That is especially a problem with long-term stability.

    The researchers experimented with adding acids and chemical compounds that reacted with C60 to form an ionic salt referred to as CPMAC. The change resulted in a three-fold increase in the mechanical strength of the electron transport layer of the cell, which is crucial for long-term stability and durability.

    “That’s really the surprise, but it’s a very good surprise,” Zhu said.

    The inverted architecture of the perovskite solar cell refers to how the layers are deposited on the glass substrate. This construction is known for its high stability and integration into tandem solar cells.

    The research at NREL was supported in part by the Center for Hybrid Organic-Inorganic Semiconductors for Energy (CHOISE), an Energy Frontier Research Center funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Basic Energy Sciences and the Solar Energy Technologies Office. The research reported the initial lab efficiency of the perovskite cells that used the ionic salt was 26.1%, vs. 25.5% for the C60 version.

    Using the CPMAC, the researchers obtained a 26% lab efficiency with about 2% degradation after 2,100 hours of operation at 65 degrees Celsius, and a 25.5% efficiency with about 5% degradation after 1,500 hours of operation at 85 degrees Celsius. For a minimodule made up of four subcells, six square centimeters, the lab efficiency was 23% with less than a 9% degradation after 2,200 hours of operation at 55 degrees Celsius.

    The paper is “C60-based ionic salt electron shuttle for high-performance inverted perovskite solar modules.” Other co-authors from NREL are Shuai You, Yifan Dong, Lei Chen, Matthew Beard, and Joseph Berry. Researchers who contributed to the work hailed from King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (Saudi Arabia) and Newcastle University (United Kingdom) in addition to CubicPV Inc., the University of Colorado Boulder, Arizona State University, and the University of Toledo.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Convening of the Annual General Meeting to approve the 2024 financial statements to be held on June 13, 2025 and evolution of the Atos Board of Directors

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Press Release

    Convening of the Annual General Meeting to approve the 2024 financial statements to be held on June 13, 2025 and evolution of the Atos Board of Directors

    Paris, France – April 30, 2025

    Convening of the 2025 Annual General Meeting

    The meeting notice (avis de réunion) for the General Meeting scheduled for June 13, 2025, containing the agenda, the draft resolutions, and the participation and voting procedures for this Meeting, will be published in the Official Legal Gazette (Bulletin des Annonces Légales Obligatoires – BALO) on May 5, 2025, and will be available on the Company’s website (https://atos.net/en/investors/annual-general-meeting).

    Evolution of the composition of Atos Board of Directors

    On the recommendation of the Nomination and Governance Committee, chaired by Lead Independent Director Elizabeth Tinkham, Atos’ Board of Directors has endorsed a series of proposed changes to its composition to be submitted for approval at the General Meeting convened for June 13, 2025. The proposed changes reflect the evolving needs identified by the Board and align with the Group’s ongoing transformation.

    It will be proposed to the vote of the shareholders at the Annual General Meeting:

    • to renew the terms of office of Françoise Mercadal-Delasalles and Jean-Jacques Morin as directors, for a duration that will expire at the end of the General Meeting called to approve the financial statements for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2027;
    • to appoint Surojit Chatterjee as new independent director, for a duration that will expire at the end of the General Meeting called to approve the financial statements for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2027; and
    • to ratify the appointment of Mandy Metten as a censor, for a duration of one year expiring at the end of the General Meeting called to approve the financial statements for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2025.

    The Board of Directors has also been informed that Elizabeth Tinkham has decided not to seek renewal of her term of office as director, which will expire at the end of the General Meeting of June 13, 2025.

    Subject to approval of the proposed resolutions by the Annual General Meeting, the Board of Directors will comprise eight members (in addition to the director representing employees) and one censor, including 87.5%1independent members (seven out of eight), 50%2women and six nationalities3represented on the Board.

    Philippe Salle, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Atos SE, declared:

    “I am pleased with the upcoming appointment of a highly qualified new director as well as the renewal of terms on our Board of Directors. These developments will support the continued effectiveness of the Board and help to strengthen its overall capabilities. I would also like to express my sincere appreciation to Elizabeth Tinkham for her commitment, which has contributed meaningfully to advancing our mission and shared vision”.

    * * *

    About Françoise Mercadal-Delasalles

    Cofounder and President at Auxo, Co‑chair of the National Digital Council (Conseil National du Numérique) and non‑executive Board Director, Françoise Mercadal-Delasalles was first appointed to the Board of Directors of Atos SE on January 2, 2024, and currently chairs the CSR Committee and sits on the Remuneration Committee. Her experience at the intersection of senior public service and the private sector, along with her recognized expertise in digital transformation and sustainability issues, are valuable assets to the work of the Board.

    Biography of Françoise Mercadal-Delasalles

    Françoise Mercadal‑Delasalles began her career in senior public service at the Ministry of the Economy and Finance from 1988 to 1992, then at the Caisse des Dépôts from 2002 to 2008. Appointed Director of Resources and Innovation at Société Générale in 2008, she sat on the Group’s Executive Committee and steered its digital transition project. In 2018, Françoise Mercadal-Delasalles became CEO of Crédit du Nord, where she introduced digital tools to position the Group in new banking services and integrated ecological concerns into the company’s business model. In 2023, she co-founded Auxo, an integrated platform to manage extra-financial data and support companies in their transition to sustainability.

    Françoise Mercadal-Delasalles holds various non-executive positions on boards of directors and supervisory boards, notably that of Eurazeo. She has co-chaired the Conseil National du Numérique since 2021. She is a Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur (Knight of the Legion of Honor), Officier du Mérite (Officer of the Order of Merit) and Chevalier du Mérite Agricole (Knight of the Order of Agricultural Merit).

    Françoise Mercadal-Delasalles holds a degree in literature and law, and is a graduate of the Institut d’Études Politiques (IEP) de Paris, Sciences Po Paris and the École Nationale d’Administration (ENA).

    * * *

    About Jean-Jacques Morin

    Deputy CEO of the Accor Group and CEO of the Premium, Midscale & Economy Division, Jean-Jacques Morin was first appointed to the Atos SE Board of Directors on January 2, 2024, and currently chairs the Audit Committee. His strong financial background and strategic insight are major assets in helping Atos meet its current challenges, and he would continue to bring his valuable expertise and leadership to the Board’s work.

    Biography of Jean-Jacques Morin

    Jean-Jacques Morin began his professional career with Deloitte, where he spent five years in auditing and consulting roles in Paris and Montreal. From 1992 to 2005, he held various international positions, notably in the semiconductor sector with Motorola Semiconductors (USA, Switzerland, and France), ON Semiconductor (USA) and Communicant AG, a start-up in Berlin. In 2005, Jean-Jacques Morin joined Alstom as CFO of the Power sectors in Zurich, then in Transport, before being appointed Group CFO from 2013 to 2015. In 2015, Jean-Jacques Morin joined Accor’s Executive Committee as CFO. He is then appointed Group Deputy CEO in charge of Finance, Strategy, IT, Legal, Purchasing and Communications. In June 2023, in addition to his position as Group Deputy CEO, Jean-Jacques Morin took over the Premium, Midscale & Economy Division under his leadership, as CEO of the Division.

    Jean-Jacques Morin has held various non-executive positions, including with Orbis from 2016 to 2020 as a member of the Supervisory Board and the Audit Committee, and with Vallourec from 2018 to 2021 as a member of the Supervisory Board and Chairman of the Finance and Audit Committee. He is currently Chairman of the Board of Directors of Adagio since 2022 and a member of the Board of Directors of AccorInvest since 2018. He was appointed Chairman of the Audit Committee of GROUPE REEL in 2024.

    Jean-Jacques Morin is a graduate of the École Nationale Supérieure de l’Aéronautique et de l’Espace, holds an MBA from Thunderbird (Arizona State University) and a DSCG from the Ordre des Experts Comptables.

    * * *

    About Surojit Chatterjee

    Founder and CEO of Ema Unlimited, a generative AI company, Surojit Chatterjee is a seasoned technology executive with over two decades of experience driving innovation across global companies. His deep expertise in artificial intelligence, combined with extensive product leadership at firms like Google, Coinbase and Flipkart, would bring strategic insight and forward-thinking vision to the Board.

    Biography of Surojit Chatterjee

    Surojit Chatterjee began his career in 1999 as a Software Developer at IBM before joining Oracle Corporation in a technical role. In 2005, he moved into product management at Symantec Corporation. He joined Google in 2007, where he held several leadership roles across payments, mobile products, and advertising. In 2015, he became Senior Vice President and Head of Product at Flipkart, before returning to Google in 2017 as Vice President of Product Management for Google Shopping. He joined Coinbase as Chief Product Officer in 2020 and founded Ema Unlimited, a generative AI startup, in 2023.

    Since 2024, Surojit Chatterjee has served on the Board of Directors of Meesho, a privately-owned Indian e-commerce company.

    Surojit Chatterjee holds a Bachelor in Technology in Computer Science and Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, an MS in Computer Science from the University at Buffalo (SUNY), and an MBA from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

    * * *

    About Mandy Metten

    Head of Group Executives and Strategic Functions in Atos and a long-standing leader within the Group, Mandy Metten was a member of the Board of Directors representing employees until January 31, 2025, when she was appointed censor subject to the General Meeting’s ratification. Her experience across organizational change, diversity initiatives and people development would continue to bring valuable insight to the Board’s work.

    Biography of Mandy Metten

    Mandy Metten began her professional journey within the ATOS Group as an Executive Management Consultant specializing in Digital Transformation, Innovation, and Change from October 2007 to June 2014, during which she demonstrated expertise in critical strategic areas. In June 2014, she assumed the role of Manager of Atos Young Professionals, designing and overseeing a comprehensive 2-year development program for young professionals, providing development with training, mentoring and client exposure. As from November 2018, Mandy Metten served as Global Head of Group Campus Management, defining and implementing the Group campus strategy globally, including diversity and inclusion initiatives. Mandy Metten took additional responsibilities at Eviden in April 2023 and currently serves as Head of Group Executives & Strategic Functions.

    Mandy Metten was Chairman of the works council of Atos from 2010 to 2015. She also served as the Dutch delegate on Atos Societas Europaea Council (SEC) from 2012 to January 2024 and was a member of the Board Participating Committee (2017- January 2024). From August 2023, she became a Commissaris (Member of the Board of Directors) for Atos Nederland, contributing to the company’s governance.

    Mandy Metten holds a master’s degree in social and organizational Psychology. She completed a multi-level curriculum in Strategy, Economy, and Finance at the LeFebvre Institute.

    * * *

    About Atos

    Atos is a global leader in digital transformation with circa 74,000 employees and annual revenue of circa €10 billion. European number one in cybersecurity, cloud and high-performance computing, the Group provides tailored end-to-end solutions for all industries in 68 countries. A pioneer in decarbonization services and products, Atos is committed to a secure and decarbonized digital for its clients. Atos is a SE (Societas Europaea) and listed on Euronext Paris.

    The purpose of Atos is to help design the future of the information space. Its expertise and services support the development of knowledge, education and research in a multicultural approach and contribute to the development of scientific and technological excellence. Across the world, the Group enables its customers and employees, and members of societies at large to live, work and develop sustainably, in a safe and secure information space.

    Contacts

    Investor relations:

    David Pierre-Kahn | investors@atos.net | +33 6 28 51 45 96

    Sofiane El Amri | investors@atos.net | +33 6 29 34 85 67

    Individual shareholders: +33 8 05 65 00 75

    Press contact: globalprteam@atos.net

    1         In accordance with article 10.3 of the AFEP-MEDEF Code, the director representing employees is not taken into account in determining the percentage of independent members.
    2           In accordance with the law, the director representing employees is not taken into account in determining the parity ratio on the Board of Directors.
    3         Seven nationalities if the censor is taken into account.

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New way of working set to strengthen families in Liverpool

    Source: City of Liverpool

    Today, Liverpool City Council officially introduced its new way of working with children, young people and their families.

    The new model of practice – Our City, Our Children, Together – has been co-produced by staff and young people and will see the council and its partners working in a holistic way that focuses on relationships and long-term wellbeing underpinned by strengths-based support.

    At the heart of Our City, Our Children, Together will be Family Safeguarding. This model of safeguarding is already used by over 20 local authorities in England and brings a whole-family approach that not only ensures the safety of vulnerable children but also works to keep families together and to support long-term safety.

    As well as social workers, Family Safeguarding brings together the right services at the right time to offer families the support they need. The council will be recruiting new colleagues with experience in substance misuse, mental health and domestic abuse who will give support alongside other partner agencies.

    Family Safeguarding, also known as the Hertfordshire Model after the local authority that pioneered the approach in 2015, is widely favoured by social care professionals as it supports families to make sustainable change.

    One of the approach’s cornerstones is a technique called motivational interviewing which means that professionals work on an equal footing with families, identifying their strengths and giving them power to make positive changes.

    The model was launched in Liverpool with an event at St George’s Hall with speakers including Steph Atalla from the Centre for Family Safeguarding, Angela Frazer-Wicks, chair of the Family Rights Group, Isabelle Trowler, Chief Social Worker for England, and Alisdair Cant, a specialist in motivational interviewing.

    Local authorities using Family Safeguarding see significant reductions in the number of children taken into care as well as those needing a Child Protection Plan, sometimes seeing figures halved. In Hertfordshire, the council saved an estimated £220m over the first decade of the model’s implementation.

    Liverpool currently has over 1,400 looked-after children and young people.

    Introducing Family Safeguarding to Liverpool is an important step on the council’s improvement journey in children’s social care and follows the introduction to Liverpool of the Family Drug and Alcohol Court earlier this month.

    Bringing the model to Liverpool will support Pillar 4 of the Council Plan – Healthier lives for children and adults.

    Cllr Liz Parsons, Liverpool City Council’s cabinet member for Children’s Social Services, said: “The introduction of the new model of practice marks the end of a huge project for teams across the Children and Young People’s services and the start of a truly transformational way of working for Liverpool’s families

    “Our City, Our Children, Together will mean that more families are kept together so they feel empowered to thrive and overcome challenges.

    “In particular, we know from other local authorities that have introduced Family Safeguarding that it works; it works because social workers and other professionals understand its value and have seen in action the profound effect it has on children, young people and their parents. This is not only good for families but it is good for Liverpool as a whole.”

    Steph Atalla, practice lead, Centre for Family Safeguarding, said: “It’s fantastic that Family Safeguarding is coming to Liverpool. There are some fantastic practitioners and leaders in the city and I know that they really want to focus on reducing the in-care population and the number of children on a Child Protection Plan and this model is proven to do that.

    “Family Safeguarding is now in 24 local authorities and is having a significant impact so I know that it will be just as successful here in Liverpool and I’m really excited to see where it goes – good luck Liverpool!”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Botched Labour pilot unfair on teens

    Source: Party of Wales

    Plaid Cymru Transport spokesperson, Peredur Owen Griffiths has criticised the Labour Government’s ‘botched’ pilot that leaves 11-15 years old paying more for public transport compared to 16-21 year olds.

    The pilot scheme, which will introduce £1 capped bus fares for 16-21 year olds, a proposal welcomed by Plaid Cymru, will mean that 11-15 year olds are being treated unfairly, paying more than their 16-21 year old counterparts.

    In areas such as Cardiff (£1.70), Newport (£1.70), and Swansea (£1.10-£2), 11-15 year olds will be paying more than the new capped fares under the new pilot.

    A series of Written Questions from Mr Owen Griffiths has revealed that the impact of the pilot on 5-15 year olds was not considered before the policy announcement, as negotiations are ‘currently’ taking place with bus operators. It was also revealed that the Labour Welsh Government does not hold any formal data on the amount of journeys made by 11-15 year olds in 2024.

    Peredur Owen Griffiths MS has criticised the implementation of the pilot, accusing the Welsh Government of ‘a botched job’ in order to secure support for their ‘unambitious’ Budget.

    The pilot in question was part of the Budget negotiations between the Labour Welsh Government and the sole Liberal Democrat MS, Jane Dodds.

    Plaid Cymru transport spokesperson, Peredur Owen Griffiths MS, said:

    “Plaid Cymru strongly agrees with the principle behind the Government’s pilot scheme for bus fare caps, but the proposals put forward show all the signs of a botched job, designed in haste to pass this Labour Welsh Governments unambitious Budget, without consideration on the impact on other groups.

    “Not only does this pilot make the fare system unfair for younger teens, it’s a kick in the teeth to learners who have long struggled with the inefficiencies of the learner travel measure for years. Under the new system, learners travelling to schools will be at a disadvantage to 16-21 years old.

    “The Welsh Government’s own review of the learner travel measure 2022 said doing nothing wasn’t an option, yet here we are. Despite promises to act, there’s been no meaningful change to mileage thresholds, no full legislative review, and even minor updates to guidance haven’t reached consultation.

    “The implementation process of this pilot shows not only the lack of consideration to legislation by this Labour Welsh Government, but also shows further disregard to an age group dependent on public transport to access education, hampering their ability to succeed.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Mr. Jens Wandel of Denmark – Adviser on the UN80 Initiative

    Source: United Nations MIL-OSI 2

    nited Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced today that he has invited his Special Adviser on Reforms, Jens Wandel of Denmark, to also act as an Adviser on the UN80 Initiative, reporting through Under-Secretary-General for Policy, Guy Ryder, to the Secretary-General.  This will ensure complementarity between the ongoing reform streams and the UN80 Initiative.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How dandelions conquered concrete to bring nature back to cities

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Yannick Woudstra, Postdoctoral Researcher in Asexual Plant Evolution, Stockholm University

    A dandelion in full bloom on the pavement of a busy street in Gothenburg, Sweden. Yannick Woudstra/Stockholm University

    “Nothing is so uncommon as a common dandelion” say Karst Meijer and Erik van den Ham, Dutch botanists who started an international day (April 27) to celebrate this yellow flower in 2020. The pair hoped to showcase the immense diversity and fascinating ecology of dandelions, which are often maligned as noxious weeds.

    Intensive farming and weeding have drastically diminished dandelions in the Dutch countryside. Insects, many of whom feed on the pollen and nectar of these plants, have been the first to suffer. Between 1990 and 2017, Dutch protected areas reported a 75% decline in flying insects which has prompted another precipitous drop in the numbers of plants that rely on insects to pollinate them.

    However, hope comes from unexpected corners and dandelions are thriving in cities.

    A small crack in the pavement is sufficient for a dandelion to grow a long taproot that can access water and nutrients in the soil below the concrete. But don’t be fooled – that dandelion you stepped over is withstanding extreme pressure to thrive in your neighbourhood. There’s pollution, trampling, the heat that radiates from the concrete after a hot day and artificial light from street lamps to contend with.

    Having found ways to resist these pressures, dandelions grow prolifically in unfriendly cities, helping other wild species to survive as well. How do they do it?

    Many people think of plants as nice-looking greens. Essential for clean air, yes, but simple organisms. A step change in research is shaking up the way scientists think about plants: they are far more complex and more like us than you might imagine. This blossoming field of science is too delightful to do it justice in one or two stories.

    This article is part of a series, Plant Curious, exploring scientific studies that challenge the way you view plantlife.

    King of the urban jungle

    Cities are islands of heat. On average, a city like Amsterdam is 2°C warmer than its rural surroundings. On a hot summer day, it could be more than 11°C warmer. You can feel the heat when you walk a city’s streets in summer – how nice and cool does a park with trees and shade feel then?

    This heat is a challenge for plants too. Fortunately for dandelions, evolution has offered a helping hand. I discovered that dandelions evolved to use urban heat to their advantage: urban dandelions grow better and faster than their rural relatives at higher temperatures by making more efficient use of photosynthesis.

    Not only do urban dandelions cope better with summer heat, they can also avoid the problems other plants experience with warming winters caused by climate change.

    Plants are programmed to respond to changes in temperature; when a cold snap yields to milder weather, that’s a cue for plants to start flowering. Timing is crucial, as flowering must correspond with the emergence of pollinators. Milder city winters might weaken this signal and ensure plants miss their cue to flower. I discovered that urban dandelions have finetuned this process and can start flowering even after a very short and mild winter.

    Winter also brings frost. The salt sprayed on roads to keep traffic safe can stress the plants which grow on the roadside verge, but several dandelion species have, fortunately, become experts in dealing with high salt concentrations. The exact mechanisms are yet unknown, but it looks like these dandelions can store the toxic salts and metals that are typical of roadside pollution in their leaves, without being bothered by it.

    Urban dandelions even have a solution for feet and lawnmowers trampling and shredding them: growing low to the ground, so lawnmowers pass right over and feet do not cut the flowers away from the plants.

    Protector of the realm

    City plants cycle from eradication by concrete and asphalt to reconquest in the nooks and cracks that subsequently form. A group of artists from Sweden likened cities to disturbed gardens and said that people and plants alike are gardeners of this dynamic landscape.

    The dandelion is a pioneer of this disturbed garden: the first to arrive with its windborne seeds and the best equipped to conquer the pavement with its long taproots. Once established, dandelions enable others to arrive by providing a buffet for insects in early spring. A survey of urban meadows in Edinburgh, Leeds, Bristol and Reading in the UK revealed that dandelions were providing 90% of the nectar (carbohydrates) and 80% of the pollen (proteins) in the diets of pollinators. As a result, more than 200 species of insects (that we know of) are supported by dandelions. These are the necessary pollinators that allow other plant species to establish, such as clover, mallow, mustard and poppy.

    A survey showed that 20% of insects visiting dandelions were solitary bees, like mining bees. Bumblebees were next most common (17%), then hoverflies (13%) and pollen beetles (6%).
    Yannick Woudstra/Stockholm University

    Because dandelions can grow almost anywhere there is a sliver of soil, they provide essential refreshment stops for urban pollinators on their way between gardens and parks. Not only does the dandelion rule the streets, it also protects and supports its inhabitants. And so, the dandelion can rightly be called king of the urban jungle.

    Next time you see one in your garden, think about what it does for friendly pollinating insects. Without dandelions, your garden plants would struggle to reproduce. And if all this talk about food makes you hungry, try some dandelion leaves in your salad for a tangy bite.

    Don’t hate dandelions. Let them spice up your life, your street and your garden.

    Yannick Woudstra receives funding from The European Commission (Horizon Europe; Marie-Skłodowska Curie Actions), The Sven & Lily Lawski Foundation (Sweden), The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, The Physiographical Society in Lund (Sweden) and the Lars Hiertas Memorial Foundation (Sweden).

    – ref. How dandelions conquered concrete to bring nature back to cities – https://theconversation.com/how-dandelions-conquered-concrete-to-bring-nature-back-to-cities-254849

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: The ‘entourage effect’ — what we don’t know about how cannabis works

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Jonathan Simone, Adjunct Professor of Biological Sciences, Brock University

    In the years since legalization, there has been a tremendous surge in the number of cannabis products available to Canadian consumers, many offering tailored experiences to enhance seemingly any mood or activity.

    Do you want something calming or uplifting? Are you looking to inspire focus, spark creativity or get a good night’s sleep? Do you prefer full-spectrum extracts or THC isolates?

    But how does one plant produce so many different experiences? Like many of its botanical relatives, cannabis is rich in active compounds. The prevailing view is that these compounds work together to shape the overall experience, a phenomenon known as the “entourage effect.”

    From a consumer standpoint, the idea of custom-tailored experiences guided by key active ingredients is appealing — and it certainly makes things easier. But in reality, it’s not so cut-and-dried.

    Making informed decisions as a cannabis consumer can seem overwhelming, and navigating a product menu can feel like it requires a chemistry degree. But how much do we really know about how cannabis works? And how well are we able to predict individual experiences based on a product’s composition?

    What’s in a high?

    Most research into cannabis’ effects has focused on two key compounds, Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). CBD is non-intoxicating and thought to underlie many therapeutic effects of cannabis, whereas THC is the primary compound responsible for the classic cannabis high.

    Until recently, the most pertinent information available to cannabis consumers was the THC:CBD ratio, and from a regulatory standpoint, these are the only compounds required by Health Canada for product labels. But the cannabis plant produces over 500 potentially bioactive compounds, most notably cannabinoids, terpenes and flavonoids, with increasing emphasis being placed on how they interact to drive different experiences.

    The idea that the different components of cannabis work in concert, modulating one another’s activity to influence the overall experience, has been termed the “entourage effect.” Simply put, it seeks to explain the effects of cannabis beyond those of any individual component, such as THC or CBD, and offers an elegant explanation for a common question: how can products with the same amount of THC and CBD produce different effects?

    Indeed, the medical cannabis community has long-favoured full- and broad-spectrum products (those containing a varied chemical profile) over single-compound isolates such as purified THC or CBD, based on claims of superior safety and efficacy.

    Ask your local budtender for a recommendation and you will likely get a crash-course on terpene nomenclature, hearing words like limonene, myrcene, pinene and linalool.

    While this modern embrace of terpene pharmacology and natural product chemistry reflects a growing appreciation for the complexities of the cannabis plant, claims of entourage effects remain largely speculative, highlighting how much we’ve yet to learn.

    Sound science or smoke and mirrors?

    Initially coined by scientists in Israel and Italy in study published in 1998, the term “entourage effect” described interactions among endogenous cannabinoids (THC-and CBD-like molecules produced by the human body). The idea was that some of these compounds, which are inactive on their own, could enhance or modulate the activity of others, resulting in combined effects greater than the sum of their parts.

    It is important to note that this study did not examine plant-derived cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant, but rather structurally related compounds produced naturally in the brain and body. As such, the idea of cannabis-specific entourage effects did not emerge directly from the data itself, but from broader inferences drawn from that research that provided a rationale for the diverse effects often reported by cannabis users.

    Since then, and despite a lack of supporting evidence, the term has been widely adopted and adapted by the cannabis industry, often leveraged to differentiate products in an overly crowded market.

    The available support for entourage effects in humans is limited to a few small clinical and observational studies and meta-analyses that suggest whole-plant extracts may outperform isolates for conditions like chronic pain and pediatric epilepsy.

    However, these studies often use non-standardized extracts and are therefore unable to identify which chemical interactions are driving the effects. Further, direct comparisons of full-spectrum and isolate products are lacking, with most claims rooted in inferences made from pre-clinical (in other words, non-human) research and from studies of non-cannabis derived phytomolecules.

    That said, the entourage effect is a valid hypothesis and arguably the most promising in terms of explaining cannabis’s varied and nuanced effects. Similar effects have been described for other drug classes, though these interactions are often termed synergism and potentiation and typically involve just a few well-characterized compounds. In contrast, unlocking cannabis synergy requires untangling the interactions of hundreds of different molecules, many of which are still poorly understood.

    That complexity is what I’ve spent my career trying to understand. Researching how cannabis-derived compounds work in the brain and body, I have gained a considerable appreciation for how far our understanding of cannabis has come, how much we have still yet to uncover and how easy it is for enthusiasm to outpace evidence.

    Reading between the product lines

    As the cannabis industry continues to evolve, consumers need to approach product claims with a healthy dose of skepticism. There is no doubt the cannabis plant is a treasure trove of unexplored and underexplored bioactive molecules, and that we will continue to uncover interesting and unexpected interactions among them. But we are far from a complete picture.

    At present, the entourage effect remains a hypothesis more often co-opted for marketing than grounded in evidence. That doesn’t mean it’s wrong, but it does mean we should resist conflating convenient narratives with established science. This highlights an important question: where does the onus of responsibility for generating this new knowledge fall?

    If the cannabis industry continues invoking the entourage effect for marketing and product differentiation, then it should support and contribute to research that furthers the state of evidence.

    Relying solely on existing pre-clinical and academic studies in lieu of directly advancing the science and validating real-world product claims risks perpetuating hype at the expense of credibility. But industry is not alone in their duty. Government must also remedy the regulatory bottlenecks that impede new research.

    Establishing a credible, science-backed cannabis marketplace means moving beyond hype. It requires action, from industry and government, to generate the information consumers need to make informed decisions.

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

    – ref. The ‘entourage effect’ — what we don’t know about how cannabis works – https://theconversation.com/the-entourage-effect-what-we-dont-know-about-how-cannabis-works-251799

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI: Crédit Agricole Assurances: Availability of the 2024 Universal Registration Document of Crédit Agricole Assurances

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Press release                                                                             Paris, April 30, 2025

    Availability of the 2024 Universal Registration Document of Crédit Agricole Assurances

    Crédit Agricole Assurances announced today the filing of its Universal Registration Document for the financial year 2024 with the Autorité des marchés financiers (the “AMF” – French Financial Markets Authority), under number D.25-0348.

    The 2024 Universal Registration Document includes:

    • the Annual financial report,
    • the Sustainability report,
    • the Report on corporate governance,
    • the information concerning the fees paid to the Statutory Auditors.

    It is available for public consultation free of charge in accordance with current regulation and may be consulted on Crédit Agricole Assurances’ website (www.ca-assurances.com/en/Investors) and on AMF’s website.

    About Crédit Agricole Assurances
    Crédit Agricole Assurances, France’s leading insurer, is Crédit Agricole group’s subsidiary, which brings together all the insurance businesses of Crédit Agricole S.A. Crédit Agricole Assurances offers a range of products and services in savings, retirement, health, personal protection and property insurance. They are distributed by Crédit Agricole’s banks in France and in 9 countries worldwide, and are aimed at individual, professional, agricultural and business customers. At the end of 2024, Crédit Agricole Assurances had more than 6,700 employees. Its 2024 premium income (non-GAAP) amounted to 43.6 billion euros.
    www.ca-assurances.com

    Press contacts
    Géraldine Bailacq +33 (0)6 81 75 87 59
    Nicolas Leviaux +33 (0)6 19 60 48 53
    Julien Badé +33 (0)7 85 18 68 05
    service.presse@ca-assurances.fr    		 Investor relations contacts
    Yael Beer-Gabel +33 (0)1 57 72 66 84
    Gaël Hoyer +33 (0)1 57 72 62 22
    Sophie Santourian +33 (0)1 57 72 43 42
    Cécile Roy +33 (0)1 57 72 61 86
    relations.investisseurs@ca-assurances.fr

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Atlantic Petroleum Posts Net Profit of DKK 1,4MM for 2024

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Tórshavn, Faroe Islands, 2025-04-30 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — P/F Atlantic Petroleum (NASDAQ OMX: ATLA DKK) today announces its Annual Results for 2024. This company announcement should be read in conjunction with Atlantic Petroleum’s Consolidated Annual Report

    Highlights are:

    • The result after tax for 2024 was a net profit of DKK 1.4MM (2023: loss of DKK 20.7MM).
    • The Group had a gross profit of DKK 0MM in 2024 (2023: Gross profit of DKK 0MM).
    • Exploration expenses amounted to DKK 0.0MM in 2024 (2023: DKK 0.0MM).
    • General and administration costs amounted to DKK 2.4MM in 2024 (2023: DKK 2.3MM).
    • Loss before taxation was DKK 2.4MM in 2024 (2023: loss of DKK 20.7MM).
    • Total shareholders’ equity amounted to DKK -112.8MM at the end of 2024 (2023: DKK -115.9MM).
    • Net cash provided from operating activities amounted to DKK 0.5MM in 2024 (2023: DKK 1.7MM).
    • Cash and cash equivalents totalled DKK 0.0MM at the end of 2024 (2023: DKK 1,1MM).

    Mark T. Højgaard, CEO commented:

    The overhead costs remain at a very low-cost base. General and administration costs in 2024 were DKK 2.4MM which is slightly higher than the general and administration cost in 2023 of DKK 2.3MM.

    The main focus has been to get a solution on the bank debt from Betri Banki and the convertible debt from London Oil and Gas in Administration.

    Atlantic Petroleum reached an agreement on the 4thApril 2025 with its main creditors to reduce the Company’s debt. The total debt will be reduced by at least DKK 90MM. However, the debt restructuring is not finalized. The Directors believe that finalization of the agreed upon framework will be in place in May 2025.

    The ability of the Group to continue as a going concern is dependent on the finalization of the debt restructuring, and the cash flows generated from the interest in the Orlando field.

    Atlantic Petroleum in brief:

    Atlantic Petroleum participates in oil and gas joint ventures with reputable, international partners. Atlantic Petroleum P/F is based in Tórshavn, Faroe Islands, and the Company has subsidiaries and offices in the UK and Ireland. Atlantic Petroleum’s shares are listed on NASDAQ OMX Copenhagen.

    Further Details:

    Further details can be obtained from Mark T. Højgaard, (markh@petroleum.fo). This announcement will be available, together with other information about Atlantic Petroleum, on the Company’s website: www.petroleum.fo.

    Announcement no.: 5/2025

    Issued: 30-04-2025

    P/F Atlantic Petroleum
    Lucas Debesargøta 8
    P.O.Box 1228
    FO-110 Torshavn
    Faroe Islands

    Website: www.petroleum.fo

    Attachments

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New boxing ring for Coventry youth thanks to historic charity funds

    Source: City of Coventry

    Young boxing enthusiasts in Coventry will have the opportunity to go toe-to-toe in a brand-new ring after being awarded the first grant from a six-figure funding pot which will benefit communities.

    Bell Green ABC (Amateur Boxing Club) has been awarded £5,000 by Heart of England Community Foundation after the grant-giving organisation joined together with Coventry City Council to unlock dormant assets to benefit the voluntary and community sector in Coventry.

    The ringfenced charitable funds, which were donated to the council by philanthropists hundreds of years ago for causes not relevant to today’s society, were uncovered by the Foundation in conjunction with the Charity Commission’s revitalising trusts initiative, which highlights dormant charity assets that have been lost in the system over long periods of time.

    The money has been added to the Foundation’s own funds that target improving communities across Coventry, which in-turn create a long-term source of income for the voluntary and community sector in the city.

    Bell Green ABC, based at Bell Green Working Men’s Club, was the very first recipient of a grant from the funds and has used the £5,000 to purchase a new boxing ring as well as paint to revamp the gym, creating a more welcoming space.

    Cllr Kamran Caan, Cabinet Member for Public Health and Sport, added: “It’s fantastic to see the first grant awarded to Bell Green ABC, which will make a real difference to young people across Coventry.

    “This investment not only helps to grow boxing in the city but also provides a safe and positive space for young people who want to take part in a new sport.

    “We are proud to work with the Heart of England Community Foundation to unlock these valuable resources and continue to support initiatives that strengthen our communities.”

    The club was taken over by Damon Croft just last year, and it has since gone from strength to strength, welcoming an increasing number of young people through the door and being a recognised name in the boxing circuit.

    Damon hopes that the new ring will see even more local children take up the sport.

    He said: “I’d like to say a huge thank you to Heart of England Community Foundation and Coventry City Council for this grant.

    “Having a brand-new facility like this will have a massive impact on the club. We’ve been on a really good journey so far, but we do lose some children because they move on to clubs with better facilities. The new ring will change that.

    “I’m extremely passionate about boxing and have worked hard to transform the classes so that they are really fun for children of all ages.

    “Boxing has so many benefits for young people – it not only helps with fitness, but also improves their focus, self-discipline and confidence, and we’ve had so many parents comment on how much their child’s behaviour and manners have improved since being with us.

    “The gym also provides young people with a safe space to come where they feel comfortable and can make new friends, rather than them hanging around on the streets or being in front of screens.

    “I have so many plans for the future – I’ve already started doing voluntary work with young people who aren’t in mainstream schooling, but I’ll also be looking to expand what we offer at the gym including launching some new fitness classes for adults, and the new ring will really support this.”

    Tina Costello OBE, Chief Executive of the Foundation, said: “It is fantastic to have worked with Coventry City Council to unlock these dormant assets for the benefit of the voluntary and community sector in Coventry.

    “It’s not unusual for councils to have incredibly historic assets such as these, and we have the expertise and local knowledge to both manage these funds and ensure they reach the communities where they are needed most.

    “We are extremely pleased to have awarded the very first grant from this funding to Bell Green ABC.

    “The club has had a significant positive impact on the Bell Green community, and it shares our values of creating happier, healthier, fairer lives for all. We wish them every success for the future.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: RCI BANQUE : PLACEMENT OF A 624 MILLION EURO SECURITIZATION BACKED BY GERMAN AUTO LOANS 

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    PRESS RELEASE 
      
    30 APRIL 2025 

      

    PLACEMENT OF A 624 MILLION EURO SECURITIZATION BACKED BY GERMAN AUTO LOANS 

    Mobilize Financial Services Group announces the placement of a securitization backed by auto loans originated by its German branch.

    The FCT Cars Alliance Auto Loans Germany v 2025-1 has placed 611m€ of Senior notes and 13m€ of subordinated notes. These notes are rated AAA(sf) / Aaa(sf) and AAA(sf) / Aa1(sf) respectively by DBRS and Moody’s.

    The Senior tranche, with a weighted average life of 2.95 years, has a coupon(1)of Euribor 1 month + 62bps. The subordinated notes, with a weighted average life of 4.66 years, have a coupon(1) of Euribor 1 month + 90bps.

    This transaction confirms the diversified financing sources to which the company has access.

    (1) Priced at par

    Contact

    About Mobilize Financial Services   
    Attentive to the needs of all its customers, Mobilize Financial Services, a subsidiary of Renault Group, creates innovative financial services to build sustainable mobility for all. Mobilize Financial Services, which began operations nearly 100 years ago, is the commercial brand of RCI Banque SA, a French bank specializing in automotive financing and services for customers and networks of Renault Group, and also for the brands Nissan and Mitsubishi in several countries.  
    With operations in 35 countries and nearly 4,000 employees, Mobilize Financial Services financed more than 1,3 million contracts (new and used vehicles) in 2024 and sold 3,7 million services. At the end of December 2024, average earning assets stood at 55,9 billion euros of financing and pre-tax earnings at 1,194 million euros.   
    Since 2012, the Group has deployed a deposit-taking business in several countries. At the end of December 2024, net deposits amounted to 30,5 billion euros, or 50 % of the company’s net assets.   
    To find out more about Mobilize Financial Services: www.mobilize-fs.com/  
    Follow us on Twitter: @Mobilize_FS 

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    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: CIC – Issuer Call Notice (Titres Participatifs)

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

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

    Paris, April 30th, 2025

    Notice of Early Redemption

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

    Dear Sirs,

    Crédit Industriel et Commecial S.A.,
    €137,205,000 “Titres Participatifs” Variable Rate Notes issued on 28 May 1985 (the ‘’Notes”)

    (ISIN Code: FR0000047805)

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

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

    We, the Issuer, instruct you as Fiscal Agent, to authorise the French Central Securities Depository to cancel the Notes redeemed on 28 May, 2025 (“Early Redemption Date”).

    For the purposes of the Issuer Call:

    (i) the Issuer Call Date will be 28 May, 2025; and
    (ii) the Optional Redemption Amount(s) or Early Redemption Amount excluding accrued interest is: EUR 300.68 per Denomination.

    Unless otherwise defined in this notice, capitalised terms used in this notice shall have the meaning given to them in the Listing Particulars (‘’Note d’Information’’) dated Mai, 1985, as applicable, relating to the Notes.

    Yours faithfully,

    For and on behalf of

    Crédit Industriel et Commercial

    By: Alexandre SAADA

    Duly authorised

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

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

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

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    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Body in Thames confirmed to be Kaliyah Coa

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    The Metropolitan Police can confirm the body recovered in Maritime Quay on Sunday, 13 April is sadly that of 11-year-old Kaliyah Coa.

    Officers responded to reports of a girl entering the River Thames at 13:23hrs on Monday, 31 March. Kaliyah had been playing near Barge House Causeway during a school inset day.

    First responders arrived on the scene swiftly to support His Majesty’s Coastguard, Royal National Lifeboat Institute, the London Ambulance Service and London Fire Brigade in a large scale search and rescue effort.

    In a statement Kaliyah’s family said:

    “Our hearts are broken and our lives will never be the same. We were blessed to have Kaliyah, even if it was for such a short time. She will be missed so much. Kaliyah went to a birthday party and never returned home to her family.

    “The family would like to thank all those who were involved in the search and recovery of Kaliyah.

    “We sincerely hope that everyone will respect our wishes to be given the space and time to grieve as a family.”

    Detective Superintendent Scott Ware, who led the Met’s investigation, added:

    “This tragic accident took away a little girl who was loved by many. Our specialist officers will continue to support Kaliyah’s family as they process this heart-breaking news.

    “I echo her family’s request for privacy while they navigate the difficult road ahead, and urge the public to refrain from wholly inaccurate speculation both on and offline.

    “I would like to extend my thanks to our search and recovery teams, supported by blue light partners. I know the local community has been deeply impacted by this incident and also thank them for their support.”

    The Met was alerted to a body in the River Thames in Maritime Quay, E14 on Sunday, 13 April at 09:03hrs. The formal identification was conducted on Tuesday, 29 April.

    An inquest into Kaliyah’s death is due to open on Friday, 2 May.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Viridien: Combined General Meeting and Board of Directors Meeting of April 30, 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Combined General Meeting and Board of Directors Meeting

    of April 30, 2025

    Paris, France – April 30, 2025

    The Combined General Meeting of Viridien, chaired by Mr. Philippe SALLE was held on April 30, 2025 in Paris. The voting results and video replay of the event will be available on the Company’s website at the following address: https://www.viridiengroup.com/investors/shareholders/general-meetings.

    The General Meeting approved all resolutions that were submitted to it and notably:

    • The statutory financial statements and consolidated financial statements for the financial year 2024;
    • Appointment of DELOITTE & ASSOCIES, in replacement of ERNST & YOUNG et Autres, as statutory auditor in charge of certifying financial statements;
    • Appointment of BDO PARIS, in replacement of MAZARS, as statutory auditor in charge of certifying financial statements;
    • The Appointment of BDO PARIS as statutory auditors in charge of certifying the sustainability information;
    • The Say on Pay resolutions on the remuneration of corporate officers;
    • The renewals of Mr. Philippe SALLE, Mrs. Anne-France LACLIDE-DROUIN and Mr. Michael DALY’s term as Director for a period of four years and the co-optation of Mrs. Amélie OYARZABAL as Director.

    The Board of Directors, at its meeting following the General Meeting, appointed:

    • Mrs. Sophie ZURQUIYAH as Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer until the end of her term of office as director at the latest, i.e. until the Annual General Meeting of 2026,
    • Mr. Philippe SALLE as Vice-Chairman and Lead Independent Director.

    The Board also noted the end of Patrick CHOUPIN’s term of office as Director representing the employees. As the Company no longer exceeds the headcount thresholds requiring the appointment of a director representing the employees, no new director representing the employees will be appointed. The Board thanks Patrick CHOUPIN for his valuable insights, bringing the employees’ view to the Board room.

    The Board of Directors therefore comprises 8 directors, of whom 87.5% are independent and 50% are women. The Board is composed of:

    • Sophie ZURQUIYAH, Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer
    • Philippe SALLE*, Vice-Chairman and Lead Independent Director
    • Michael DALY*
    • Olivier JOUVE*
    • Anne-France LACLIDE-DROUIN*
    • Colette LEWINER*
    • Amélie OYARZABAL*
    • Mario RUSCEV*

    The Board also modified the composition of its committees as follows:

    Audit and Risk Management Committee

    • Anne-France LACLIDE-DROUIN*, Chairwoman 
    • Colette LEWINER *
    • Amélie OYARZABAL*

    Appointment, Remuneration and Governance Committee

    • Colette LEWINER*, Chairwoman
    • Olivier JOUVE*
    • Mario RUSCEV*

    New Businesses and M&A Committee

    • Michael DALY*, Chairman
    • Olivier JOUVE*
    • Amélie OYARZABAL*
    • Mario RUSCEV*

    Sustainability Committee

    • Philippe SALLE*, Chairman
    • Michael DALY*
    • Anne-France LACLIDE-DROUIN*
    • Mario RUSCEV*

    Sophie Zurquiyah, Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer of Viridien:

    “On behalf of the Board of Directors, I extend our heartfelt gratitude to Philippe SALLE for his exceptional leadership and vision. His guidance has empowered the Group to undertake a bold and pivotal transformation, laying the foundation for a sustainable future. We are fortunate to have his continued presence on the Board as Vice-Chair and Lead Independent Director, which will be a precious assurance of continuity and stability.
    I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the Board of Directors for the trust they have placed in me by appointing me as Chairperson of the Board, in addition to my current role as Chief Executive Officer. This responsibility is a true honor, and I am committed to fulfilling it with determination, while awaiting the Board’s definition of a new governance structure for Viridien starting in 2026.”

    * Independent director

    About Viridien :

    Viridien (www.viridiengroup.com) is an advanced technology, digital and Earth data company that pushes the boundaries of science for a more prosperous and sustainable future. With our ingenuity, drive and deep curiosity we discover new insights, innovations, and solutions that efficiently and responsibly resolve complex natural resource, digital, energy transition and infrastructure challenges. Viridien employs around 3,400 people worldwide and is listed as VIRI on the Euronext Paris SA (ISIN: FR001400PVN6).

    Contact:
    Group General Secretary
    general.secretary@viridiengroup.com

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    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Exosens: Availability of documents and information relating to the Combined General Meeting of 23 May 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    PRESS RELEASE
    MÉRIGNAC, FRANCE – 30 APRIL 2025

    EXOSENS ANNOUNCES THE AVAILABILITY OF DOCUMENTS AND INFORMATION RELATING TO THE COMBINED GENERAL MEETING OF 23 MAY 2025

    Shareholders of Exosens (the ‘Company’) are invited to attend the Combined General Meeting (ordinary and extraordinary) to be held on Friday, 23 May 2025 at 10 a.m. at Apostrophe, 83 avenue Marceau, 75016 Paris, France.

    The meeting notice, including the agenda and the text of the proposed resolutions, was published in the Bulletin des Annonces Légales Obligatoires (BALO) No. 47 on 18 April 2025. The notice of meeting will be published in the Bulletin des Annonces Légales Obligatoires (BALO) No. 54 on 5 May 2025 and in a legal gazette : Echos-judiciaires.com. The procedures for participating and voting at this Combined General Meeting are set out in these notices.

    Shareholders may consult and download the information and documents provided for in Article R.22-10-23 of the French Commercial Code relating to the Combined General Meeting on the Exosens website at the following address: www.exosens.com (section Investors/General Meeting of Shareholders).

    Documents that must be made available to shareholders in connection with General Meetings will be available at Exosens’ registered office, Domaine de Pelus 18 Avenue de Pythagore Axis Business Park Bat 5e 33 700 Mérignac, France, in accordance with the applicable legal and regulatory provisions.

    Any shareholder may inspect these documents at Exosens’ registered office or send a request by email to the following address: investor.relations@exosens.com during the 15 days preceding the date of the General Meeting.

    About Exosens

    Exosens is a high‐tech company, with more than 85 years of experience in the innovation, development, manufacturing and sale of high‐end electro‐optical technologies in the field of amplification, detection and imaging. Today, it offers its customers detection components and solutions such as travelling wave tubes, advanced cameras, neutron & gamma detectors, instrument detectors and light intensifier tubes. This allows Exosens to respond to complex issues in extremely demanding environments by offering tailor‐made solutions to its customers. Thanks to its sustained investments, Exosens is internationally recognized as a major innovator in optoelectronics, with production and R&D carried out on 11 sites, in Europe and North America, and with over 1,800 employees. Exosens is listed on compartment A of the regulated market of Euronext Paris ﴾Ticker: EXENS – ISIN: FR001400Q9V2﴿. Exosens is a member of Euronext Tech Leaders segment and is also included in several indices, including the SBF 120, CAC All-Tradable, CAC Mid 60, FTSE Total Cap and MSCI France Small Cap. For more information: www.exosens.com.

    Investor relations

    Laurent Sfaxi, l.sfaxi@exosens.com

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    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Why are women paid less than men? New research in South Africa shows the company you work for makes the biggest difference

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Ihsaan Bassier, Researcher in Economics, University of Surrey

    Why do women earn less than men? The usual suspects – occupation, hours, experience – explain some of it. But a powerful, often overlooked reason is simply this: where women work. The companies that hire them play a huge role in shaping their lifetime earnings.

    South Africa has a severe gender pay gap, much of which is unexplained by worker characteristics such as occupation, skills or experience.

    In our new study published in the Journal of Development Economics, using tax data on the universe of formal workers in South Africa, we uncover a striking fact: nearly half of the gender pay gap in South Africa is explained by women working at lower-paying companies than men. That is, more women tend to work at companies that pay all workers less.

    In addition, this phenomenon evolves dramatically over a woman’s life.

    We tracked millions of workers between 2010 and 2018 using tax data. We wanted to figure out how much money different companies paid, relative to each other, regardless of the type of worker. To do this, we compared what two companies pay the same worker. We looked at workers who switched companies and compared how their pay changed when they moved to a new company. By doing this for many workers and many companies, we could see how much more or less that company tends to pay people with the same kind of background or job.

    In the formal sector in South Africa, women, on average, get paid 12% less than men. We find that about 45% of this gap – 5.5 percentage points – is due to women being concentrated in firms that pay less overall (to both women and men).

    This isn’t because women are paid less within the same company — that kind of direct discrimination plays a much smaller role. Instead, it’s largely about sorting: women and men end up at different companies, and those pay differently.

    Women disproportionately enter lower-paying sectors such as education, retail, or personal care, while men are over-represented in high-premium sectors like construction, mining, and manufacturing.

    As labour and development economists, we argue that reducing the gender pay gap takes more than putting women into male-dominated jobs or promoting equal pay for equal work. It means tackling the invisible structures that steer women into lower-paying companies.

    A gender gap that grows, then shrinks

    What’s particularly revealing is how the firm-pay gap changes across the life cycle. For workers in their early twenties, this gap is almost nonexistent. But from the mid-20s to the mid-40s — roughly the child-rearing years — the gap widens significantly.

    Why does this happen?

    First, women who remain continuously employed through their 30s tend to move to worse-paying firms than men, even though they switch jobs at similar rates.

    Second, women entering or re-entering formal work (after a spell of unemployment or informal work) tend to start at lower-paying firms than men. This disadvantage when re-entering contributes to the overall gap, but is more constant over the life cycle.

    Interestingly, churn (moving in and out of employment) is common — but men and women do it at similar rates. The key difference is what type of firm they land in when they return. Nearly half the gap among entrants is explained by industry sorting — women disproportionately enter lower-paying sectors such as education, retail, or personal care, while men are overrepresented in high-premium sectors like construction, mining, and manufacturing.

    This isn’t because women have less (or different) skills. That might be another contributor to the overall gender gap in pay, but it’s not what we looked at. This is the pay disadvantage that women face from being at firms that pay less for the same job or skill.

    The firms that women join tend to be in lower-paying industries, have fewer resources, and are less likely to be covered by collective bargaining agreements (union-negotiated industry wages) that boost pay.

    Just like women leave or re-enter formal jobs at the same rates as men, they are in fact just as likely to switch jobs when employed. The problem then is that their job switches are less likely to lead to upward moves in the pay hierarchy, possibly due to employer discrimination or a need to prioritise non-pay job characteristics (like flexibility).

    Then something remarkable happens. As women age into their late 40s and 50s, the gender gap begins to close. They start making more advantageous moves than men. This is likely because, having been sorted into lower-paying firms earlier in their careers, they have more room to climb. And with child-related constraints easing later in life, they finally can.

    Firms in developing countries

    Our finding — that women ending up in lower-paying companies accounts for nearly half of the pay gap — is higher than estimates from high-income countries like Portugal or Italy, where it explains around 20%–25%. But in developing countries like Brazil and Chile, the contribution is similar to what we find.

    Why do firms matter more in places like South Africa?

    Labour markets are more “monopsonistic” — firms have more power to set wages due to high unemployment and few outside options for workers. So because formal jobs are scarce, entering or moving up within the formal sector is harder, especially for women. In fact, we show that in regions of South Africa with lower levels of formality, the gender gap in firm pay is wider.

    Policy takeaways

    One instructive exception is the public sector, where the state has actively pursued gender equity in hiring. Public administration employs a much higher share of women than men and offers relatively high pay premia.

    In developing countries especially, where formality is limited and transitions into good jobs are harder, policy can focus on easing women’s access to high-paying companies.

    This can mean policies that support childcare, promote flexibility without penalising pay, or reduce discrimination in hiring. Otherwise, sorting into low-paying firms will keep reproducing the gender pay gap, one job move at a time.

    Ihsaan Bassier has previously received funding for several research projects, including this one, through the SA-TIED joint initiative between UNU-WIDER and the South African National Treasury. He is a research affiliate at the Southern Africa Labour and Development Research Unit (SALDRU) at the University of Cape Town.

    Leila Gautham 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. Why are women paid less than men? New research in South Africa shows the company you work for makes the biggest difference – https://theconversation.com/why-are-women-paid-less-than-men-new-research-in-south-africa-shows-the-company-you-work-for-makes-the-biggest-difference-254221

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI: Exosens: Availability of 2024 Universal Registration Document

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    PRESS RELEASE
    MÉRIGNAC, FRANCE – 30 APRIL 2025

    EXOSENS ANNOUNCES THE AVAILABILITY OF ITS 2024 UNIVERSAL REGISTRATION DOCUMENT

     

    Exosens announces today that it has filed its 2024 Universal Registration Document with the French Financial Markets Authority (AMF) on 29 April 2025 under number R.25-001.

    Exosens‘ 2024 Universal Registration Document contains the Group’s 2024 annual financial report, the Group’s management report, the Board of Directors’ report on corporate governance and the Group’s sustainability report.

    The 2024 Universal Registration Document can be viewed on Exosens‘ website (www.exosens.com) in the section Investors/Regulated Information, as well as on the AMF website (www.amf-france.org).

    A printed version of the Universal Registration Document may be obtained from the Company at its registered office: Domaine de Pelus 18 Avenue de Pythagore Axis Business Park Bat 5e 33 700 Mérignac, France, upon request.

    About Exosens

    Exosens is a high‐tech company, with more than 85 years of experience in the innovation, development, manufacturing and sale of high‐end electro‐optical technologies in the field of amplification, detection and imaging. Today, it offers its customers detection components and solutions such as travelling wave tubes, advanced cameras, neutron & gamma detectors, instrument detectors and light intensifier tubes. This allows Exosens to respond to complex issues in extremely demanding environments by offering tailor‐made solutions to its customers. Thanks to its sustained investments, Exosens is internationally recognized as a major innovator in optoelectronics, with production and R&D carried out on 11 sites, in Europe and North America, and with over 1,800 employees. Exosens is listed on compartment A of the regulated market of Euronext Paris ﴾Ticker: EXENS – ISIN: FR001400Q9V2﴿. Exosens is a member of Euronext Tech Leaders segment and is also included in several indices, including the SBF 120, CAC All-Tradable, CAC Mid 60, FTSE Total Cap and MSCI France Small Cap. For more information: www.exosens.com.

    Investor relations

    Laurent Sfaxi, l.sfaxi@exosens.com

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    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: SUTNTIB AB Tewox publishes its factsheet for the first quarter of 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Vilnius, Lithuania, April 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —

    SUTNTIB AB Tewox (the Company) publishes its factsheet, providing information about Company’s financial indicators and key events as at 31 March 2025.

    2025 Q1 KEY EVENTS

    • The 10 mEUR Tewox bond emission was fully redeemed, with the final repayment of 7.5 mEUR made in January.
    • The third tranche of 11 mEUR was issued, marking the completion of the 35 mEUR bond program offered under public prospectus.
    • A construction permit was received for a grocery store in Vilnius.
    • The 35 mEUR Tewox bond issuance was listed on the Nasdaq Baltic Bond List on March 3.
    • The acquisition of two Lidl grocery stores, each approximately 2,000 sqm in size and located in Jurbarkas and Panevėžys, was successfully closed. Luminor bank provided a 6.7 mEUR loan for the acquisition.
    • A land plot in Klaipėda district with a construction permit and long-term lease agreement with a grocery store operator was acquired.

    Contact person for further information:

    Paulius Nevinskas

    Manager of the Investment Company

    paulius.nevinskas@lordslb.lt

    https://lordslb.lt/tewox_bonds/

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Leaders of 764 Arrested and Charged for Operating Global Child Exploitation Enterprise

    Source: US State of California

    Arrests Mark Significant Takedown Within Violent Online Network Known as ‘764’

    Note: View the criminal complaint.

    Leonidas Varagiannis, also known as War, 21, a citizen of the United States residing in Thessaloniki, Greece, and Prasan Nepal, also known as Trippy, 20, of High Point, North Carolina, are charged for their crimes operating an international child exploitation enterprise in connection with a nihilistic violent extremist (NVE) network known as 764. Nepal was arrested on April 22 in North Carolina. Varagiannis was arrested yesterday in Greece.

    According to the affidavit unsealed today in the District of Columbia, 764 is a violent online network that seeks to destroy civilized society through the corruption and exploitation of vulnerable populations, which often include minors. The 764 network’s accelerationist goals include social unrest and the downfall of the current world order, including the U.S. Government.

    “These defendants are accused of orchestrating one of the most heinous online child exploitation enterprises we have ever encountered — a network built on terror, abuse, and the deliberate targeting of children,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “We will find those who exploit and abuse children, prosecute them, and dismantle every part of their operation.”

    “These defendants allegedly recruited others to exploit children and created a guide for the disgusting online content they wanted,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Let me be very clear about our efforts. The FBI and our partners are determined to protect juveniles from predators, and we will track down and hold accountable those who engage in these criminal activities. We will continue to work closely with our partners at the Department of Justice to bring justice to the victims of such cruel abuse.”

    “The allegations in this case are not only disturbing, they are also every parent’s nightmare,” said U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr. for the District of Columbia. “The number of victims allegedly exploited by these defendants, and the depths of depravity are staggering. Justice demands that our response be swift in order to ensure public safety, hold the wrongdoers accountable, and bring the victims some sense of closure so they can heal.” 

    As alleged, the defendants engaged in a coordinated criminal enterprise and led a core subgroup within 764 known as 764 Inferno, operated through encrypted messaging applications. As alleged, they directed, participated in, and otherwise caused the production and distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), and the defendants facilitated the grooming, manipulation, and extortion of minors. Varagiannis and Nepal allegedly ordered their victims to commit acts of self-harm and engaged in psychological torment and extreme violence against minors. The affidavit alleges that the group targeted vulnerable children online, coercing them into producing degrading and explicit content under threat and manipulation. This content includes “cut signs” and “blood signs” through which young minors would cut symbols into their bodies.

    The defendants and their co-conspirators around the world used the CSAM and other gore and violent material to create digital “Lorebooks,” which NVEs used as digital currency within the 764 network — traded, archived in encrypted “vaults,” and used as a means to recruit new members or maintain status within the network. The affidavit also details how the defendants instructed other members in grooming tactics and set content production expectations for new recruits. In multiple instances, the defendants threatened and caused their victims to engage in self-mutilation, online and in-person sexual acts, harm to animals, sexual exploitation of siblings and others, acts of violence, threats of violence, suicide, and murder.

    Also according to the complaint affidavit, the defendants exploited at least eight minor victims across multiple jurisdictions, with some content traced back to children as young as 13 years old. The network’s activities spanned from late 2020 through early 2025, with core leadership roles attributed to both defendants throughout the period.

    If convicted, the defendants face a maximum penalty of life in prison.

    The FBI Washington Field Office and the FBI New York Field Office are investigating the case, with assistance from the FBI Charlotte Field Office and the FBI Athens (Greece) Legal Attaché Office. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided crucial assistance.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexandra Hughes, Karen Ditzler Shinskie, and Jack Korba for the District of Columbia, and Trial Attorneys Justin Sher and James Donnelly of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case, with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Iverson for the Middle District of North Carolina and Paralegal Specialists Marissa Mondelli, Kristina Hamil, and Jorge Casillas.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

    Charges in a criminal complaint are merely allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Companjon and Omio expand globally with Cancel for any reason – No questions asked and no documentation required

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    • Companjon is a global leader in CFAR and in embedded insurance solutions
    • Omio is the leading multi-modal travel booking platform
    • Omio Flex, CFAR developed with the partnership between Omio and Companjon, was first introduced in EEA countries and the UK, and now make it available for the rest of the world

    DUBLIN, April 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Companjon, a leading Insurtech company specializing in dynamic embedded insurance, announced the rollout of its flexible cancellation solution for Omio to the rest of the world. Omio Flex was developed in partnership with the multi-modal travel booking platform, bringing ultimate flexibility to travel plans. From now on, Omio customers from all over the world can cancel their train and bus journeys for any reason up to 15 minutes before departure (depending on fare type).

    The solution is seamlessly integrated into Omio’s customer journey from purchasing to cancelling. Users can select it in the ticket configuration process. If customers with Omio Flex decide not to travel, they can simply cancel their trip and receive a payment of up to 100% of the purchase fare (depending on fare type). Omio pays the compensation directly to the customer. The solution was first introduced in EEA countries and the UK, and after a successful trial period, Omio decided to make it available for the rest of the world as well. Companjon will use its advanced technology into Omio’s booking platform and ensuring a seamless customer experience for Omio users.

    Matthias Naumann, CEO, Companjon, said: “We’ve been proud of our collaboration with Omio since day one, and we’re thrilled to take it a step further. The expansion of Omio Flex allows customers across the world to cancel for any reason, with no questions asked and no documentation required. Travellers consistently highlight flexibility as one of the most valued features when booking trips. Embedding our technology into Omio’s booking platform is essential to staying ahead of the competition. Both teams—Omio and Companjon—have invested heavily in developing this product, with our unique technology and data-driven insights playing a key role in bringing it to life.”

    Veronica Diquattro, President B2C Europe, Omio, commented, “Journeys don’t always go as planned. The ability to cancel a booking for any reason is an important cornerstone of our promise to offer seamless travel anywhere in the world. Our customer data shows that flexibility is a key travel consideration, which is why we’re excited to now offer Omio Flex globally. Companjon’s advanced technology and data insights were instrumental in helping us address the evolving demands of our users and developing this product.”

    About Omio

    Since its foundation in 2013, the Omio Group has helped customers discover new ways of travelling. Thanks to its two interconnected platforms, Omio and Rome2Rio, Omio is the world’s leading travel platform for searching, comparing, and booking. Omio B2B Partnership services OTAs and mobility providers with bespoke business solutions. Omio supports its customers in their desire to explore Europe, the US, Canada and Southeast Asia by train, bus, flight, and ferry. Omio sells more than 80,000 tickets daily, employs over 430 staff from more than 50 countries and maintains offices in Berlin, Prague, Melbourne, London and Bangalore. The Omio Group offers its customers journeys that move them.

    www.omio.com

    About Companjon 

    Companjon is a leading B2B2C Insurtech start-up specializing in fully digital, AI-driven embedded insurance. Its modern, end-to-end insurance solutions enable companies to delight their customers and drive more business value from stronger brand loyalty and new ancillary revenue opportunities. Companjon designs, builds, and underwrites its dynamic solutions on a 100% cloud-based platform capable of issuing 32,000 policies per second, integrating API gateways easily, and leveraging the latest advanced technology. It has been recognized as one of the World’s Top Insurtech Companies 2024 by CNBC and one of the world’s most innovative insurtechs by FinTech Global for four consecutive years (2021-2024).

    Companjon seeks to change the way people think about insurance by creating seamless and positive experiences when things don’t go as planned: being right there when ‘life’ happens. The company is registered in Ireland and regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.

    www.companjon.com

    Media Contact:
    Simone Vottari
    +353 86 032 4630
    press@companjon.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Secretary of State provides update on Brown case

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Secretary of State provides update on Brown case

    The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Hilary Benn MP, has today (30 April) filed applications with the Court of Appeal

    The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Hilary Benn MP, has today filed applications with the Court of Appeal seeking an extension of time for decision-making and seeking protective leave to appeal to the Supreme Court in the case brought by Bridie Brown, whose husband was murdered by loyalist paramilitaries in 1997.

    Mr Benn said:

    The murder of Sean Brown nearly 28 years ago was brutal and despicable and it has caused deep pain and anguish to Mrs Brown, her family, and many in the wider community. I know that this has been exacerbated by the time it has taken to find answers.

    As I have said many times, I am committed to ensuring that there is a full, thorough and independent Article 2-compliant investigation into the murder of Sean Brown.

    I am taking steps to repeal and replace the previous government’s Legacy Act to ensure that we have a legacy system that is capable of delivering for all families who lost loved ones during the Troubles, and who are seeking answers.

    It is clear that the detailed judgement requires a full and considered response. I have therefore today asked the Court of Appeal for more time to consider it and the terms of the declaration. This will allow me to receive comprehensive advice that responds in full to the issues the Court has identified.

    Also, given the approaching deadline from the Court for requesting leave to appeal, I have today asked the Court for leave to appeal to the Supreme Court, in case that should ultimately be necessary.

    These steps will not delay the Government’s determination to take the necessary steps to ensure that the system for dealing with legacy is human rights compliant and can command the confidence of victims and families.

    Updates to this page

    Published 30 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Leaders of 764 Arrested and Charged for Operating Global Child Exploitation Enterprise

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    WASHINGTON – Leonidas Varagiannis, also known as “War,” 21, a citizen of the United States residing in Thessaloniki, Greece, and Prasan Nepal, also known as “Trippy,” 20, of North Carolina, were arrested and charged for operating an international child exploitation enterprise known as “764,” a nihilistic violent extremist (NVE) network. Varagiannis was arrested yesterday in Greece; Nepal was arrested on April 22, 2025, in North Carolina and had a court appearance. Court hearings in Washington, D.C. are pending for both defendants.

    The charges were announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi, FBI Assistant Director in Charge Steven J. Jensen of the Washington Field Office, and FBI Assistant Director in Charge Christopher G. Raia of the New York Field Office.

    According to the affidavit in the District of Columbia, 764 is a network of nihilistic violent extremists who engage in criminal conduct in the United States and abroad, seeking to destroy civilized society through the corruption and exploitation of vulnerable populations, which often include minors. The 764 network’s accelerationist goals include social unrest and the downfall of the current world order, including the United States Government.

    As alleged, the defendants engaged in a coordinated criminal enterprise and led a core subgroup within 764 known as 764 Inferno, operated through encrypted messaging applications. As alleged, they directed, participated in, and otherwise caused the production and distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), and the defendants facilitated the grooming, manipulation, and extortion of minors. Veragiannis and Nepal allegedly ordered their victims to commit acts of self-harm and engaged in psychological torment and extreme violence against minors. The affidavit alleges that the group targeted vulnerable children online, coercing them into producing degrading and explicit content under threat and manipulation. This content includes “cut signs” and “blood signs” through which young girls would cut symbols into their bodies.

    The defendants and their co-conspirators around the world used the CSAM and other gore and violent material to create digital “Lorebooks,” which NVEs used as digital currency within the 764 network — traded, archived in encrypted “vaults,” and used as a means to recruit new members or maintain status within the network. The affidavit also details how the defendants instructed others members in grooming tactics and set content production expectations for new recruits. In multiple instances, defendants threatened and caused their victims to engage in self-mutilation, online and in-person sexual acts, harm to animals, sexual exploitation of siblings and others, acts of violence, threats of violence, suicide, and murder.

    Also according to the complaint affidavit, the defendants exploited at least eight minor victims across multiple jurisdictions, with some content traced back to children as young as 13 years old. The network’s activities spanned from late 2020 through early 2025, with core leadership roles attributed to both defendants throughout the period.

    “The allegations in this case are not only disturbing, they are also every parent’s nightmare” said U.S. Attorney Martin. “The number of victims allegedly exploited by these defendants, and the depths of depravity are staggering. Justice demands that our response be swift in order to ensure public safety, hold the wrongdoers accountable, and bring the victims some sense of closure so they can heal.”

    “These defendants are accused of orchestrating one of the most heinous online child exploitation enterprises we have ever encountered – a network built on terror, abuse, and the deliberate targeting of children,” said Attorney General Bondi. “We will find those who exploit and abuse children, prosecute them, and dismantle every part of their operation.”

    “The charges against these subjects represent our resolve to dismantle violent networks that seek to destroy civilized society,” said Assistant Director in Charge Jensen of the FBI Washington Field Office. “Our work is not done until justice is restored for all impacted victims.”

    “Prasan Nepal, a leader of 764, allegedly instructed other members of the network to use explicit material to induce and extort victims into producing child exploitative content,” said Assistant Director in Charge Raia of the FBI New York Field Office. “Manipulating the most vulnerable members of society—our children—to produce sexually harmful material to further their depraved goals is unconscionable. The FBI is determined to do whatever necessary to stop the heinous actions of 764 members and hold them accountable in the justice system.”

    If convicted, the defendants face a maximum penalty of life in prison.

    This case is being investigated by FBI’s Washington Field Office and New York Field Office with assistance from the FBI Charlotte Field Office and the FBI Athens (Greece) Legal Attaché Office.

    It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexandra Hughes, Karen Ditzler Shinskie, and Jack Korba for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorneys Justin Sher and James Donnelly of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Paralegal Specialists Marissa Mondelli, Kristina Hamil, and Jorge Casillas provided assistance. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of North Carolina provided invaluable assistance.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice.  Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

    Charges in a criminal complaint are merely allegations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Pre Stabilisation Notice

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Toucan FinCo Limited, Toucan FinCo Can Inc, and Toucan FinCo US LLC

    PARIS, April 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — HSBC (contact: syndexecution@noexternalmail.hsbc.com) hereby gives notice, as Stabilisation Coordinator, that the Stabilisation Manager(s) named below may stabilise the offer of the following securities

    The securities:
    Issuer: Toucan FinCo Limited, Toucan FinCo Can Inc, and Toucan FinCo US LLC
    Guarantor (if any): NA
    Aggregate nominal amount: EUR Benchmark
    Description: Fixed rate 5yr (2030)
    Offer price: TBC
    Other offer terms:
    Stabilisation:
    Stabilising Manager(s): HSBC Continental Europe
    Stabilisation period expected to start on: 2nd May 2025
    Stabilisation period expected to end no later than: 13th June 2025
    Existence, maximum size & conditions of use of over-allotment facility[1]: 5% of the aggregate nominal amount
    Stabilisation Venue(s) Over the counter (OTC)
       

    In connection with the offer of the above securities, the Stabilisation Manager(s) may over-allot the securities or effect transactions with a view to supporting the market price of the securities at a level higher than that which might otherwise prevail. However, there is no assurance that the Stabilisation Manager(s) will take any stabilisation action and any stabilisation action, if begun, may be ended at any time. Any stabilisation action or over-allotment shall be conducted in accordance with all applicable laws and rules.

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

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

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

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

    [1] Please note that the existence and the maximum size of any greenshoe option, the exercise period of the greenshoe option and any conditions for exercise of the greenshoe option must also be disclosed, if such option exists. In addition, the exercise of the greenshoe option must be disclosed to the public promptly, together with all appropriate details, including in particular the date of exercise and the number and nature of securities involved 

    This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact rns@lseg.com or visit www.rns.com.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Statements on Ukraine and Middle East by Jean-Noël Barrot, Minister for Europe and foreign Affairs, at the UN Security Council

    Source: France-Diplomatie – Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development

    Ministers,

    Ladies and gentlemen,

    My European partners and I would have preferred not to have to convene this Security Council meeting on Ukraine, but Russia’s high-intensity war of aggression continues to ravage Ukraine, as reiterated by the Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs and the Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, with drastic humanitarian consequences in violation of international law and in violation of the Charter of the United Nations: our Charter.

    How did this happen?

    It started with the aspirations of the Ukrainian people to freedom and democracy, which Russia sought to repress in the 2014 Maidan Uprising.

    Ten years ago, a fragile ceasefire was agreed in Minsk. It was violated twenty times.

    Three years ago, Russia launched its large-scale invasion of Ukraine, a unilateral, brutal, unjustifiable war of aggression that must end now. A war that was not a defensive war, and that was not inevitable. A war that was not justified, and continues to be unjustifiable. It is quite simply the expression of an overt revisionist plan.

    Ladies and gentlemen,

    On 24 February this year, the Security Council adopted an American resolution, Resolution 2774, and I wish to cite it as a reminder: “the Security Council […] implores a swift end to the conflict”.

    What has Ukraine done since 24 February?

    On 9 March, Ukraine accepted the principle of a total and unconditional ceasefire, in accordance with Resolution 2774, showing its good faith and sincere desire to move towards peace.

    And what has Russia done since 24 February and the adoption of Resolution 2774?

    It has continued its war crimes and crimes against humanity by striking infrastructures and targeting civilians, women and children, and humanitarian workers.

    While it is totally violating international law, Russia would have us believe that is in within its right and that it may lay claim to the Ukrainian territories in the name of the principle of self-determination. But it is a diversion; it is false. What is true is that Russia is violating the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, Russia is attacking its neighbour, and in this war of aggression, it is violating international law and international humanitarian law. Everyone can see that, and everyone knows it.

    And today, the only obstacle now to the ceasefire, the only obstacle to the implementation of Resolution 2774 adopted by the Council on 24 February, is Vladimir Putin.

    So why oppose the implementation of this resolution in this way?

    Vladimir Putin’s Russia most likely wants to push Ukraine to surrender. But France, like many other members of this Council, is opposed to this, and will continue to oppose it.

    First, because it is a security challenge for Europe and France, which Russia seeks to destabilize.

    Yes, ladies and gentlemen, France has already been targeted.

    Since the beginning of the conflict, our country, a supporter of Ukraine, has been targeted by Russian cyber attacks originating in the Russian military intelligence services, GRU, carried out by threat actor APT28. They targeted a dozen French entities including public services, enterprises, and sports organizations involved in the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. We condemn these cyber attacks in the strongest terms. They are unworthy of a permanent member of the Security Council and contrary to the framework set by the United Nations. They must cease immediately.

    But if France, like other members of this Council, is opposed to any form of surrender by Ukraine, it is not only for the sake of Europe’s and France’s security, it is also for the sake of global peace and security. Because such an outcome in this war would enshrine the concept of “might is right”, and inevitably lead the world into a frenetic arms race, and most certainly proliferation.

    I believe that quite simply we must return to some of the elementary principles of our Charter, which I would once again like to cite to refresh the memories of all members of this Council. In Chapter I, Article 2, Paragraph 4, it states that: “States shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any State, or in any other manner inconsistent with the Purposes of the United Nations (…)”.

    So let’s get back to simple principles: aggressors must not be rewarded at the victim’s expense; borders are intangible; and States, no matter which, are sovereign.

    I therefore call on President Putin to say to him:

    Cease fire!

    Cease fire!

    Cease fire!

    That is when peace will become possible again.

    A just and true peace.

    A peace that complies with the Charter of the United Nations and international law.

    A peace that respects the sovereignty, territorial integrity and security of Ukraine.

    We can succeed.

    That is why, while commending the mediation efforts undertaken by the United States of America and at the highest level, France wants this Council to unanimously demand a total, immediate and unconditional ceasefire, and by that I mean that weapons be laid down.

    Thank you.

    Open debate on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinain issue

    Statement by the Minister for Europe and Foreign affairs, Jean Noel Barrot

    Dear Secretary-General,

    Ministers,

    Ladies and gentlemen,

    I wanted to make the debate on the Middle East a focus of the French Presidency of the Security Council.

    The anti-Semitic massacres on 7 October 2023 and the ensuing military conflagration have upended the region.

    As we are speaking here today, Gaza has been devastated by war, Lebanon is struggling to recover, Syria is engaged in a fragile and uncertain transition, and Iran is pursuing its dangerous race towards nuclear weapons. This spiral of destabilization must not lead us to a situation that cannot be undone. That is why we must work together to find a path to peace and security for all.

    Our first priority is to stop the hostilities and end the suffering of civilian populations.

    In Lebanon, in close cooperation with our American partners, we managed to achieve a ceasefire agreement five months ago. Its implementation still needs to be fine-tuned, but it has brought about peace. It is crucial and must be upheld.

    In Gaza, war rages on. The fact that the ceasefire has been broken and Israel has resumed its military strikes should alarm us all. It is a huge step backwards for the Palestinian civilian population, for the Israeli hostages and their loved ones, and for the security of the entire region. Negotiations urgently need to resume and bring about a lasting ceasefire. We support mediators’ efforts to achieve that.

    This ceasefire must bring about the unconditional and immediate release of all the hostages being held arbitrarily by Hamas. I would like to take a moment to mention before this Council our fellow Frenchman, Ofer Kalderon, who was released after 484 days in captivity. I would also like to pay homage to the memory of another fellow Frenchman, Ohad Yahalomi, taken hostage on 7 October, arbitrarily held and murdered in Gaza. He has left behind a widow and three innocent children.

    The ceasefire must also bring about deliveries of massive amounts of humanitarian aid to Gaza. The situation in Gaza is catastrophic, as all humanitarian aid has been blocked for two months. I was able to see this for myself when I visited the Egyptian border and I testify before you that this situation is unacceptable. Because since the end of March, Israeli bombings have killed more than 1,300 people, including many civilians, women and children. And these military strikes have also killed humanitarian workers and UN staff members. The tremendous suffering of the civilian populations in Gaza has to stop. I call on Israel to remove all obstacles so that massive amounts of humanitarian aid can finally be delivered to Gaza.

    France is fully doing its part to address this humanitarian emergency. Since 2023, we have contributed €250 million in humanitarian aid to civilian populations. A portion of this aid was distributed via UNRWA and France supports UNRWA’s action and efforts of committed reform. In close cooperation with our regional partners, including Egypt and Jordan, we have also directly provided healthcare, food and shelter for people living in Gaza who are victims of the war.

    Our second priority is to help the territories ravaged by conflicts to recover.

    The International Conference in Support of Lebanon’s People and Sovereignty held in Paris on 24 October 2024 raised more than $1 billion. This aid went to the population and security forces. The new authorities have begun reform and reconstruction efforts that we support. When the time is right, we will hold an international conference in support of Lebanon’s economic recovery in Paris. The role of the United Nations throughout this process will be key.

    Lebanon needs to recover its sovereignty – its full sovereignty. We call on Israeli forces that are still in Lebanon to fully withdraw from Lebanese territory so that the Lebanese Armed Forces can be redeployed there. It is up to them to ensure the security and sovereignty of the State, assisted by UNIFIL and the supervision mechanism in which France participates alongside the United States, and which includes the United Nations. France is continuing its efforts with determination to ensure the full implementation of Council’s Resolution 1701.

    In Syria, a historic transition process has begun since Bashar al-Assad’s dictatorship was overthrown. France is prepared to provide support. With its European partners, it has started to lift the first sanctions under certain conditions. The transition process must respect and protect the rights of all Syrians, regardless of their ethnic background, religion or gender. It must also ensure effective and determined action to counter terrorism. I will say this before the United Nations General Assembly: the terrible crimes committed by Bashar al-Assad’s regime must not be forgotten. The UN has an important role to play against impunity and in Syria’s reconstruction.

    In Gaza, we will support our Arab partners’ efforts to build a robust and credible framework for the “day after”. This framework should enable the reconstruction, governance and security of the enclave. But these efforts can only produce their effects if they are carried out from a political standpoint.

    That is why our third priority is to work on political solutions ensuring a just and lasting peace

    There is only one solution to achieve a political settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict: it is the two-state solution, the only solution that can ensure peace and security over the long term for both Israelis and Palestinians.

    This solution is now being threatened by the increasing settlement building in the West Bank, by the violence of extremist settlers, by the desire to weaken the Palestinian Authority and by discourse on an annexation and forced displacement of the population.

    Amid faits accomplis on the ground, the prospect of a Palestinian State has to be protected. That is why France is holding an international conference on the implementation of the two-state solution with Saudi Arabia here in New York in June. Our aim is clear: to advance the recognition of Palestine and the normalization of relations with Israel. That is how we will successfully ensure Israel’s security and regional integration, while responding to the legitimate aspirations of Palestinians to have a State. This roadmap for the effective implementation of the two-state solution also involves disarming Hamas, defining a credible governance from which it will be excluded, and reforming the Palestinian Authority. The UN and its agencies must have a full role in this process.

    Also, we are not toning down our efforts to find a diplomatic solution to the challenge related to the headlong pursuit of Iran’s nuclear programme. IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi explained the situation clearly yesterday during our meeting on non-proliferation.

    Amid destabilizing interference, we have to continue to work on reinforcing the sovereignty of the States in the region.

    Having just visited Iraq, I would like to stress how much headway this country is making. Destroyed recently by conflicts and power plays, it is now on the sidelines of regional tensions. Iraq has resumed its role as a hub for balance and stabilization. The third Baghdad Conference, which will be held at the end of 2025, testifies to this. It will provide an opportunity to work on regional cooperation and security, countering the fragmentation and confrontation approach at work today.

    Secretary-General,

    Ladies and gentlemen,

    France is working for peace and sovereignty; without them nothing is possible. We are deeply committed to the Middle East for historic and geographic reasons. Today, everyone’s security and stability depend on this region. We are therefore determined to build a path to peace there, for you and with you.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: DfE Update: 30 April 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Correspondence

    DfE Update: 30 April 2025

    Latest information and actions from the Department for Education about funding, assurance and resource management, for academies, local authorities and further education providers.

    Applies to England

    Documents

    DfE Update further education: 30 April 2025

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    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Red Arrows could return to Ryde for Isle of Wight Armed Forces Day 30 April 2025 Red Arrows could return to Ryde for Isle of Wight Armed Forces Day

    Source: Aisle of Wight

    The RAF’s iconic Reds Arrows could return to Ryde for Armed Forces Day, helping to celebrate the 80th anniversary of VE Day.

    Last year marked a historic first as the Red Arrows soared over Ryde sands, performing breath-taking manoeuvres that left thousands of spectators in awe. The possibility of their return this June has stirred excitement across the Island once again.

    Ian Dore, event organiser, said: “As you may have seen, there is a currently a space in the Red Arrows display season calendar, and we have the opportunity to fill it as it’s reserved for us.

    “We had hoped to go firm with this at the beginning of the year, but circumstances out of our control prevented that.

    “Once the MOD comes through with their support, it will enable us to provide the necessary safety elements for a sky-high, seat-of-your-pants salute to the Island’s Armed Forces community.

    “We are one of only three Armed Forces Days to be offered the Reds, so it should be pursued at full throttle as it’s a considerable privilege.”

    Currently, the Red Arrows are engaged in their annual assessment in Croatia. Their first scheduled display is a flypast in London on 5 May, with a return to the Capital in June for His Majesty the King’s birthday flypast. If all goes well, they could be dazzling the skies over Ryde on Sunday, 29 June.

    Ian added: “We’ve done all the groundwork, and the air planning is in place. However, until the MOD commits further, I am not 100 per cent sure what we are looking at. Working off the known numbers as they stand, if everyone who attended last year’s event chipped in £2, we’d be there overnight.

    “I’m pleased to say that two major Island businesses have already stepped up to support this element of the event. Ultimately, it will be down to public generosity to get it fully airborne. If some more Armed Forces Covenant signatories do the same, the challenge lessens.”

    He added: “Times are tough, but given the significance of this year, it’s appropriate to rally together, helping to fund a spectacular display that honours the courage, commitment, and sacrifice of our Armed Forces community.

    “It’s also easy to forget that many youngsters and families, through no fault of their own, lack the resources to visit such a dynamic air display on the mainland. We strive to combine excitement and adventure with history and high-octane action for everyone to enjoy.

    “The Red Arrows are more than just a display team; they are a symbol of national pride. If the Island’s community can help crowd-fund their appearance at Armed Forces Day, it will demonstrate that our support is not just in words but in action. We surely must give it our best shot and try?”

    Next Wednesday afternoon, the official Isle of Wight Armed Forces Day website will provide details on any proposed fundraisers.

    Businesses, individuals, and corporate bodies have exclusive opportunities to support and facilitate this element of the event.

    For more information, please contact Ian Dore at ian.dore@iow.gov.uk

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –