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Category: France

  • MIL-OSI Security: Leader of International Ponzi Scheme Targeting Indonesian-American Community Sentenced to 18 Years in Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Defendant Defrauded Hundreds of Victims in Three Countries and More than 30 States Who Invested More than $24.5 Million in Sham Loan Programs

    Earlier today, at a federal courthouse in Brooklyn, Francius Marganda was sentenced by United States District Judge Dora L. Irizarry to 18 years’ imprisonment for running a $24.5 million Ponzi scheme that defrauded hundreds of predominantly Indonesian and Indo-American victim investors. Marganda, an Indonesian national, led the scheme until it unraveled in 2021 and he fled the United States.  Marganda was extradited to the United States from Singapore in November 2023 and pleaded guilty to securities fraud in July 2024. As part of his sentence, Marganda was ordered to pay $8.5 million in restitution and $7.5 million in forfeiture.

    John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI); and Michael Alfonso, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, New York (HSI New York), announced the sentence.

    “Marganda’s attempt to evade justice by fleeing halfway across the world to hide in fancy hotels was futile, as he found out today in a federal courtroom in Brooklyn,” stated United States Attorney Durham.  “No matter how far defendants may flee, this Office and our law enforcement partners will work tirelessly to make sure they are brought to justice.  It is my hope that this prosecution will bring some measure of relief to the victims of Marganda’s fraud, who trusted him with their life savings because of their shared nationality and were cruelly exploited by him.”

    Mr. Durham expressed his appreciation to the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, particularly the DOJ Attachés based in Manila and Bangkok; law enforcement partners at the U.S. Embassy in Singapore, including the FBI’s Legal Attaché, the HSI Attaché, and the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service Overseas Criminal Investigations Office; and Singaporean authorities, particularly the Singapore Police Force and Attorney-General’s Chambers, for their assistance with Marganda’s arrest and extradition to the United States.  Mr. Durham also thanked the Securities and Exchange Commission, Fort Worth Regional Office; the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York; the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, New York; the Federal Trade Commission; the New York State Attorney General’s Office; the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office; the New York County District Attorney’s Office; the Queens County District Attorney’s Office; the New York City Police Department; the Westford Police Department, Westford, Massachusetts; the Richfield Police Department, Richfield, Minnesota; and the Lexington Police Department, Lexington, South Carolina, for their assistance in this matter.

    Francius Marganda financially crippled hundreds of victims after collectively stealing millions of dollars to fund his personal lifestyle,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Raia.  “The defendant enticed prospective investors across the globe with empty promises of guaranteed returns from his illegitimate companies, and subsequently created an alias to flee the country when his web of lies unraveled. The FBI will continue to pursue any individual who exploits others through fraudulent means, regardless of where they may hide.”

    HSI New York Acting Special Agent in Charge Alfonso stated: “Francius Marganda’s heartless scheme caused irreparable emotional, psychological, and in some cases even physical damage to many of his more than 200 victims. Marganda swindled the innocent, well-meaning public out of over $23 million, and then fled the country as his shameless conspiracy crumbled. Marganda left hardworking families without money they desperately needed for crucial, life-altering expenses — among them, cancer treatments, medical procedures, and college tuition — and with no opportunities to recoup their lost savings. While no amount of prison time can make up for the irreversible pain Marganda and his co-conspirators have caused, we are thankful to the special agents and officers from HSI’s El Dorado Task Force, together with the FBI and the Eastern District of New York, for securing whatever justice possible on behalf of his victims.”   

    From May 2019 to May 2021, while residing in New York after overstaying his visa, Marganda orchestrated a scheme to defraud investors by soliciting investments in two sham programs called Easy Transfer and Global Transfer, which Marganda and his co-conspirators falsely represented were short-term, high-interest loan programs in which investors would earn passive income.  Marganda and his co-conspirators promised rates of return as high as 200% or more.  On a near-daily basis, multiple investors were deceived into signing investment contracts.   

    Marganda and his co-conspirators misappropriated the invested funds for their own benefit, including by buying real estate and luxury goods, and paying off credit card bills.  They also laundered proceeds into their bank accounts.  As an example, more than $3.8 million in scheme proceeds was transferred into just one of Marganda’s personal accounts over the course of 11 months, and more than $264,000 in proceeds in the account was used to pay off his credit card bills.

    The Ponzi scheme ultimately collapsed in May 2021, when Marganda and his co-conspirators stopped making payments to investors.  Marganda fled the United States, obtained an Indonesian passport under a fake name, and used the scheme funds to pay for lavish stays in luxury hotels around the world, including in France, the Maldives, Nepal, and Thailand, until he was apprehended abroad and extradited to the Eastern District of New York.

    To date, 237 victims, ranging in age from 24 to 84, have identified losses of more than $24.5 million because of the defendant’s scheme.  The victims reside in the District of Columbia and at least 31 states, including New York, as well as in Indonesia and Malaysia.  Many of the victims had limited means and had pooled their resources with relatives and friends to make investments in U.S. dollars and Indonesian rupiah.

    Judge Irizarry considered statements prepared by dozens of victims in connection with the sentencing hearing held earlier today.  Many reported that, as a result of the defendant’s conduct, they declared bankruptcy or lost nearly all of their savings.  Because of the financial loss, one victim struggled to pay for a family member’s chemotherapy, while another struggled to pay for medical expenses associated with a family member’s Stage 4 lung cancer diagnosis.  One victim lacked the funds to travel and pay respects after both of the victim’s parents died.    Multiple victims suffered other serious losses and hardships.

    The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Public Integrity Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Victor Zapana and Laura Zuckerwise are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Kavya Kannan.

    The Defendant:

    FRANCIUS MARGANDA
    Age:  42
    Jakarta, Indonesia and formerly of Queens, New York

    E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-481 (DLI)

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Would you join the resistance if stuck in an authoritarian regime? Here’s the psychology

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Magnus Linden, Associate Professor of Psychology, Lund University

    Female activist protesting with megaphone during a strike with group of demonstrator in background. Jacob Lund/Shuttestock

    Most of us like to believe we would have opposed the rise of Nazism in 1930s Germany. We may even like to imagine that we would have bravely fought for the resistance to Nazism in the 1940s. But would we? Our ability to take a stand may be put to the test as authoritarianism is increasing worldwide.

    All electoral democracies can transform into autocracies. These are governments that restrict political and civil rights, centralise executive power, manipulate elections and minimise the diversity of political views.

    In western democracies, a move toward autocracy is often led by would-be strongmen whose focus is to reinstate traditionalist values and nationalism. They typically target the free media, opponents and stigmatised social groups without moral compunction.

    Moves to deepen autocracy are always resisted, however. Depending on how autocratic a country is, this resistance will differ. Early in the autocratisation process, resistance is common within formal state institutions. It may be expressed in overt actions, including public statements condemning government actions.

    In closed autocracies, however, resistance is exercised more by covert social movements. One reason for this is the personal risk connected to resistance. In Vladimir Putin´s autocratic Russia, for example, political dissenters know they risk being either murdered or imprisoned if they’re caught.

    In the United States, on the other hand, where the new administration has taken steps that increase the level of autocracy, dissonant views may effectively be silenced because of fear of retribution. Many people are scared of losing their jobs or having their companies harmed.

    Psychological profile

    The science about the choices made by those who resist autocratic regimes, and the strategies they apply in resisting, is evolving.

    Interviews with resisters in Myanmar suggest that personal moral commitments, being compassionate and feeling compelled to act when witnessing violations of rights, are all factors motivating resistance.

    These factors are also evident in those who helped Jews survive during the Holocaust. For example, studies suggest that rescuers were more empathic and morally conscious than others. They had essentially been socialised into being ethical in childhood and were also more inclusive of people from other social groups.

    People who join resistance groups also tend to be more open to taking risks. That makes sense: the more driven you are by a need to feel safe, the less likely you are to engage in anything that could jeopardise that – even if your moral compass suggests you should.

    Beyond resisting autocratic steps, research on moral courage in everyday settings shows that believing you can succeed, that you have the necessary knowledge and skills, is an important predictor for intervention when people witness norm violations, whether this means addressing a perpetrator or protecting a victim.

    Leadership characteristics

    That said, it’s not all down to individual followers. No autocratic leader can gain power without influencing their followers. The same is true of resistance: resistance cannot exist without effective leadership.

    Research suggests that followers are influenced by leaders who create a positive ethical climate, which in turn influences their own ethical behaviour.

    For fighting autocracy, one important aspect of this process is to communicate that inclusive moral values, such as universalism (the idea that things like liberty, justice, fraternity and equality should apply to everyone) and benevolence (helping, forgiving, being responsible) are a prominent part of the group’s identity.

    Members of the French resistance group Maquis in La Tresorerie, September 14 1944, Boulogne.

    For example, when the Danish Jews were persecuted by the Nazis in 1943, representatives of morally-grounded institutions, including bodies representing the Protestant clergy and hospital physicians, started to actively resist the regime. They became effective leaders as they were already in jobs perceived to be morally “committed”, and people trusted their judgement.

    Research on nonviolent resistance also shows that strong resistance organisations, and their leaders, tend to embrace diversity among people. And when they are successful, they often include the pillars in society that have the power to disrupt, such as military forces or economic elites.

    Research on the underground railroad, the network of activists helping enslaved people escape to the northern states in America or Canada, has shown that influential church leaders played a crucial role. They refused to follow federal legislation that obliged them to help slave owners capture enslaved people that had escaped.

    Knowing that ethical role models are taking a stand is important for a resistance movement’s followers. Stanley Milgram gave evidence for this in his much-debated psychological obedience studies, showing that 90% of the participants who had been asked to give others electrical shocks stopped immediately if two assistant teachers stopped first.

    Building resistance

    In a world where autocracy is on the rise, how can we foster traits in people that promote appropriate forms of resistance?

    Teaching others about morally courageous figures can work, but heroism is not the key for all learners. The science suggests a number of other – perhaps surprising – objectives which can move ordinary people to stand up for democracy. In particular, educational initiatives that boost contact between different groups may be useful.

    To be able to resist autocratic regimes, and help people who are persecuted under them, we ultimately need empathy for people who are different to ourselves. There’s plenty of research showing that white people who move to more diverse areas, within cities, for example, become less racist.

    So perhaps the more time we spend with people who are unlike us, the more we are growing our potential as resistance fighters.

    We may also want to boost our self-efficacy, or self-confidence. One technique is to repeatedly expose ourselves to situations that evoke fear, but which force us to act courageously, such as standing up to bullies. This is a crucial part of ethical police training, for example.

    Learning about moral values can also help build confidence. Educators who are given the challenge to teach good moral behaviour can do this effectively by focusing on universal principles – rather than those that are based on culture or social class – such as treating others how we wish to be treated.

    These are building blocks for a group identity which favours empathy with all and expectations of good behaviour.

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

    – ref. Would you join the resistance if stuck in an authoritarian regime? Here’s the psychology – https://theconversation.com/would-you-join-the-resistance-if-stuck-in-an-authoritarian-regime-heres-the-psychology-252533

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: New Education Pathway for People in Custody

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    A new opportunity for people in custody in Nova Scotia will give them a chance to further their education and improve their future.

    The Canadian Adult Education Credential (CAEC) is now available in provincial correctional facilities in Nova Scotia, replacing the old General Educational Development (GED) testing program, which was discontinued last year.

    “Making the CAEC available in Nova Scotia’s correctional facilities marks a significant step forward in helping people in custody use their time productively,” said Becky Druhan, Attorney General and Minister of Justice. “Education can be a powerful tool in reducing recidivism, providing individuals with the skills and qualifications they need to build a better future after release. This isn’t just about earning a certificate – it’s about transforming how people in custody see themselves and their potential.”

    The CAEC is designed to help adults demonstrate high-school-level competencies in key subject areas. Some high school credits may be recognized, as well as tests passed from the most recent Canadian GED series.

    Teachers working in corrections facilities will provide instruction and support to help people prepare for the exams, ensuring they have the knowledge and confidence to succeed. Correctional program officers and education liaison officers will be fully trained to administer the tests, ensuring the initiative is accessible and well supported.

    Quotes:

    “The value of education at any age or stage of life is so important. We are proud to offer this important next step to people in custody who want to build a better future.”
    — Nolan Young, Minister of Labour, Skills and Immigration

    Quick Facts:

    • the CAEC is a free, high-quality, made-in-Canada education credential that meets industry standards
    • test-takers who successfully complete the CAEC will be eligible to receive a Nova Scotia high school equivalency certificate
    • the CAEC is tailored to the needs of Canadian adults and reflects diverse cultures and perspectives; it is available in English and French and consists of tests on reading, writing, mathematics, social studies and science
    • correctional program officers and education liaison officers are trained and certified by the Department of Labour, Skills and Immigration, which manages the CAEC testing program in Nova Scotia

    Additional Resources:

    The Canadian Adult Education Credential: https://novascotia.ca/programs/canadian-adult-education-credential/

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Sports diplomacy – 4th “Relay Around the World” (3 Apr. 2025)

    Source: Republic of France in English
    The Republic of France has issued the following statement:

    Thanks to the joint efforts of the French diplomatic network, the Relay Around the World has become a key aspect of French sports diplomacy on the international stage. Each participating embassy or consulate is responsible for organizing an hour-long sports event from 9 to 10 a.m. (local time) before handing over to a post in the next time zone, so that the Relay lasts 24 hours, from New Zealand to Tahiti.

    The Paris 2024 Games showed just how much sport can build bridges and unite people, regardless of their origins, beliefs and opinions. The Relay Around the World symbolizes this will to bring us together around essential values (Olympic values of friendship, respect and excellence; Paralympic values of determination, equality, inspiration and courage).

    In a divided world, we must encourage “the spirit of the Games” now more than ever, a spirit of fraternity, cohesion and inclusion.

    This year, once again, the Relay will promote sporting actions and cooperation undertaken by the French diplomatic network and all “Team France” all over the world. The enthusiasm for this Relay is emblematic of our collective ability to mobilize our staff, our expatriate communities, our network abroad and our local sporting ecosystems thanks to the momentum generated by the 2024 Paris Games and with a view to the 2030 Winter Games in the French Alps.

    For example, our embassy in Singapore will bring together diplomats and students from the Institut Français for a football tournament; in Lebanon, the embassy will organize a multi-sports day with over 300 participants, including students from the French schools in Beirut and young people with disabilities; in Cuba, the embassy and the local federation will hold a day to introduce and promote rugby to about 100 students from schools in Havana.

    The Paris stage of the Relay will highlight France’s determination to host the world’s biggest sporting events. In the run-up to the Badminton World Championships in Paris this summer, the French Foreign Ministry will bring together the French Badminton Federation and several embassies for an awareness programme on the sport, which has 390 million players and 750 million fans around the world. Ministry staff will also partake in sporting activities (badminton, yoga, five-a-side football, walking, running) to show their commitment to a more united world through sport.

    In 2024, the Relay involved 138 embassies, consulates general and overseas territories, and a total of more than 20,000 participants.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI: Lectra: Special Meeting of Shareholders owning shares with double voting rights and Combined Shareholders’ Meeting of April 25, 2025 – Conditions of availability of the preparatory documents

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

                                                                     Press Release        

            Contact e-mail: investor.relations@lectra.com

    Special Meeting of Shareholders owning shares with double voting rights
    and Combined Shareholders’ Meeting of April 25, 2025 –
    Conditions of availability of the preparatory documents

    Paris, April 3, 2025 – Shareholders of Lectra are invited to participate in:

    • the Special Meeting of Shareholders owning shares with double voting rights which will be held on Friday April 25, 2025 at 8:30 a.m. (CET) (only registered shareholders owning shares with double voting rights are called to participate);
    • the Combined Shareholders’ Meeting which will be held on Friday April 25, 2025 at 9:30 a.m. (CET) (all the shareholders are called to participate).

    Both Meetings will take place at the Company’s head office situated at 16-18 rue Chalgrin, 75016 Paris.

    The Special Meeting and the Combined Shareholders’ Meeting will be broadcasted live in full, and a webcast replay will be available afterwards, via the following links (also available on the Lectra website, on the webpage dedicated to each Meeting):

    The notice of meeting (avis de reunion valant avis de convocation), which was published for each Meeting in the French Bulletin des Annonces Légales Obligatoires (BALO) dated March 19, 2025, bulletin n°34, includes the agenda, the draft resolutions submitted to the Meeting and the conditions for participation and exercise of voting rights.

    All the documents relating to the Meetings, as referred to in Article R.22-10-23 of the French Commercial Code, are available online and can be downloaded directly on the Lectra website:

    The documents and information relating to both Meetings are also available to shareholders at Lectra’s head office or may be received by letter post through a simple and free request addressed to Lectra, Investor Relations, 16-18 rue Chalgrin, 75016 Paris or at ag2025@lectra.com, under the conditions provided by current legal and regulatory provisions.

    About Lectra

    As a major player in the fashion, automotive and furniture markets, Lectra contributes to the Industry 4.0 revolution with boldness and passion by providing best-in-class technologies.

    The Group offers industrial intelligence solutions – software, equipment, data and services – that facilitate the digital transformation of the companies it serves. In doing so, Lectra helps its customers push boundaries and unlock their potential. The Group is proud to state that its 3,000 employees are driven by three core values: being open-minded thinkers, trusted partners and passionate innovators.

    Founded in 1973, Lectra reported revenues of 527 million euros in 2024. The company is listed on Euronext, where it is included in the following indices: CAC All Shares, CAC Technology, EN Tech Leaders and ENT PEA-PME 150.

    For more information, visit lectra.com.

    Lectra – World Headquarters: 16–18, rue Chalgrin • 75016 Paris • France
    Tel. +33 (0)1 53 64 42 00 – www.lectra.com
    A French Société Anonyme with capital of €37,966,274 • RCS Paris B 300 702 305

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: “Thank you to everyone who defends our country”: HSE Academic Council meeting held at the Victory Museum

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: State University Higher School of Economics – State University Higher School of Economics –

    Before the meeting, university veterans and members Academic Council laid wreaths and flowers at the sculpture group “Sorrow” in the Hall of Memory and Sorrow. In addition, they took part in the ceremony of transferring 185 stories of students and employees of the Higher School of Economics about their loved ones during the Great Patriotic War to the All-People’s Historical Project “Faces of Victory“.

    In memory of the defenders of the Fatherland

    The official ceremony of handing over the stories was opened by the General Director of the Victory Museum, Alexander Shkolnik. He recalled that the museum and the university had recently signed an agreement on partnership and cooperation. “After all, we are doing one big thing – raising new generations of real citizens of our country. And they can only be real when they know the history of their country, honor and remember its heroes,” he emphasized.

    Rector of the National Research University Higher School of Economics Nikita Anisimov noted that those who have no past cannot be responsible for the future, and the university is responsible for the future. The transfer of stories of students and employees of the HSE about their heroic ancestors to the Faces of Victory project is the university’s contribution to perpetuating the memory of the defenders of the Fatherland.

    “We are grateful to the Victory Museum for the opportunity to pay tribute to the memory and say words of gratitude to the heroes who defended our country in difficult years, and also to hold the Academic Council of the Higher School of Economics here. And we are happy to hand over to the museum 185 stories collected by our students and staff as part of the Faces of Victory project. We are a young university, but many of the HSE students have something in their families that is connected with the Great Patriotic War, they have a story of their heroes. And I also want to say thank you to everyone who is defending our country now. Among them are students and staff of the Higher School of Economics. And their names, I am sure, will be on the next pages of the memorial materials that we are compiling today,” said Nikita Anisimov.

    The hero of one of these stories is the first rector of the Moscow Institute of Electronic Engineering (now Moscow Institute of Electronics and Mathematics Yevgeny Armensky, who volunteered for the front after receiving his high school diploma and ended the war in Prague, was a member of the HSE. Nikita Anisimov noted that he created the glory of Russian engineering education and that it is important to remember this now, when it is being revived in Russia.

    Preservation of historical memory

    After the ceremonial meeting, the Academic Council met. The names of 11,695 Heroes of the Soviet Union are immortalized on the marble pylons of the Hall of Fame, where it was held, and a 10-meter figure of a victorious soldier is installed in the center.

    At the beginning of the meeting, Nikita Anisimov awarded honorary certificates to university veterans: Boris Gerenrot, professor Faculty of Law, and Vladimir Gavrilov, head of the rector’s secretariat from 1998 to 2000. Boris Gerenrot was 15 years old in 1941, he was called up to the front in 1944, and Vladimir Gavrilov survived the war as a child – he was driven away with his family to Germany, and his mother was shot before his eyes.

    The honorary guest of the Academic Council was the scientific director of the Russian Military Historical Society (RMHS) Mikhail Myagkov. He gave a report on the topic “Memory of the Liberators of Europe in the 21st Century”, emphasizing the role of the Soviet Union in the defeat of Nazi Germany.

    Mikhail Myagkov, in particular, said that in Prague, Marshal Konev lost control of the advanced units of the 1st Ukrainian Front for some time because the Praguers surrounded the soldiers and rocked them in their arms. More than 4 thousand monuments and memorials were erected in Europe, and, for example, 90% of the French considered the USSR’s role in the victory decisive, although France was liberated by the armies of the allies.

    Today, in Europe and the USA, the winners are considered to be primarily the British and Americans, history is falsified to suit politics, and American textbooks devote two lines to the Battle of Stalingrad. At the same time, Mikhail Myagkov emphasized, the decisive contribution of the USSR to the victory in the war is confirmed by indisputable facts and figures. On the Soviet-German front, 607 enemy divisions were destroyed, and on the Western front, only 176.

    The speaker answered questions from members of the Academic Council.

    Focus on technology leadership

    The second issue on the agenda of the Academic Council meeting was the participation of HSE in major federal projects and programs.

    Recently, the HSE team successfully defended the university development program before the Council for Support of Development Programs for Higher Education Organizations, taking second place among the participants of the Priority 2030 program. Vice-Rector Elena Odoevskaya presented a new model for implementing this program at the university, emphasizing that the emphasis in it is on technological leadership. In the near future, it is necessary to develop a KPI model for university departments to ensure their contribution to achieving the program’s target indicators.

    First Vice-Rector Leonid Gokhberg reported on the results of the work Center for Artificial Intelligence HSE University, created in 2021 following a large-scale competition. The most significant results: 31 publications at A* conferences and 23 articles in Q1 journals, 31 projects for industrial partners, 45 registered RIAs. More than 1,000 students have completed 34 AI courses created by the center. This year, the university applied for a new competition, the results of which will be announced soon.

    Vice-Rector Sergey Roshchin presented the main findings of the analytical report “The Position of HSE Graduates in the Russian Labor Market”. It notes HSE’s leading positions in terms of graduates’ salaries in most areas of training: IT, business informatics, economics, management, etc. Key employers for HSE graduates are leading bigtech and fintech companies.

    After the meeting, members of the Academic Council, accompanied by tour guides, visited the Victory Museum exhibitions “The Feat of the People” and “The Battle for Moscow. The First Victory.”

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: 3 April 2025 Departmental update WHO unveils bold commitments at Nutrition for Growth Summit

    Source: World Health Organisation

    Paris, France – The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced 13 ambitious commitments across 8 key areas at the Nutrition for Growth (N4G) Summit, hosted by the Government of France. The Summit raised US$ 28 billion in global funding for nutrition – an increase from the previous milestone of US$ 27 billion in 2021. This represents positive and hopeful moment for global solidarity amidst major funding crises faced in the development aid sector. It also showcases growing commitments from countries to improve health and well-being for all through nutrition.

    Malnutrition remains a global crisis, affecting every country. In 2022, approximately 390 million adults 18 years and older worldwide were underweight, while 2.5 billion were overweight, including 890 million living with obesity. Additionally, 148 million children under 5 years suffered from stunting, and 37 million were overweight or obese. Nearly half of all deaths among children under 5 are linked to undernutrition, predominantly in low- and middle-income countries.

    WHO commitments aim to accelerate progress towards ending all forms of malnutrition and achieving the Global Nutrition Targets and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.

    “Malnutrition in all its forms is one of the greatest global health challenges of our time. WHO is answering the N4G call for bold action with concrete, time-bound commitments that will drive measurable impact and accelerate progress,” said Dr Luz María De Regil, Director of the Department of Nutrition and Food Safety at WHO.

    WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus gave closing remarks, expressing gratitude to the Government of France for their leadership in organizing the summit and emphasizing that “nutrition is the foundation of health, and therefore of thriving individuals, families, communities, societies and economies … by contrast, where there is malnutrition of any form, disease follows close behind.” Dr Tedros also underscored WHO’s commitment to ensuring global access to essential nutrition services and safe, healthy and sustainable diets.

    Key WHO commitments:

    Anaemia: WHO will enhance the prevention, diagnosis and management of anaemia, building off the 2023 Accelerating anaemia reduction: a comprehensive framework for action and collaborating with UNICEF and partners of the Anaemia Action Alliance. This will include updated guidance on anaemia management in pregnancy and postpartum patients along with updated estimates on the global prevalence of anaemia in high-risk groups.

    Healthy diets: By 2027, WHO will release comprehensive guidance on optimal animal-source foods tailored to specific age, gender and country contexts. WHO will also address ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption with updated definitions and recommendations.

    Monitoring: Annual updates on country scorecards for trans–fatty acids, sodium and sugars will be provided through the Global database on the Implementation of Food and Nutrition Action (GIFNA). These scorecards shows country progress towards recommended policies as outlined in the WHO Best buys for preventing NCDs as well as technical packages including REPLACE and SHAKE. In addition, by 2026 WHO will develop a dashboard illustrating country progress towards SDG2.2 and the 2030 Nutrition Targets, including operational targets. 

    School nutrition: By 2030, WHO will support 10 countries in adapting the WHO Guideline on School food and nutrition policies and work with partners to ensure school food and nutrition policies are in line with existing nutrition standards.

    Sodium reduction: WHO will assist at least 10 countries in adopting global or regional sodium benchmarks and support 20 countries in implementing priority interventions for salt reduction in line with the SHAKE technical package and country scorecard indicators.

    Obesity: By 2026, WHO will publish normative guidelines on the clinical management of obesity in children, adolescents and adults and support 34 frontrunner countries of the WHO acceleration plan to stop obesity in reducing obesity prevalence by 5% by 2030. This will include developing an accountability framework to track progress towards national obesity roadmaps across health systems and food and activity environments.

    Wasting: Based on the Global Action Plan on Child Wasting: A framework for action to accelerate progress in preventing and managing child wasting (GAP) and the  WHO guideline on the prevention and management of wasting and nutritional oedema (‎acute malnutrition)‎ in infants and children under 5 years, WHO will aim to improve the prevention and treatment of wasting and nutritional oedema by developing implementation tools and supporting 25 frontrunner countries to scale up actions in collaboration with UNICEF and GAP partners.

    Climate change: By 2030, WHO will assist 40 countries to integrate nutrition and health into their climate action plans, aligning with global efforts to achieve SDG 2 (zero hunger), SDG 3 (good health and well-being), and SDG 13 (climate action). In addition, WHO will publish new guidance on sustainable procurement standards for nutritious and sustainable food in health settings with dedicated support to 20 countries. This will be accomplished through the Alliance for Transformative Action on Climate Action and Health (ATACH) in partnership with the Initiative on climate action and nutrition (I-CAN).

    These commitments reflect WHO’s dedication to tackling malnutrition and promoting health and well-being worldwide. A replay of Nutrition for Growth Summit sessions can be found here. 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Join Us on 4/24 for a Foreign and Comparative Law Webinar: The More the Merrier: The Form and Function of Coalition Governments Around the World

    Source: US Global Legal Monitor

    Join us on Thursday, April 24, 2025, at 2:00 pm EDT for our next foreign, comparative, and international law webinar, “The More the Merrier: The Form and Function of Coalition Governments Around the World.”

    Within the last two years, several jurisdictions have formed or are in the process of forming new coalition governments, including Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, France, South Africa, and New Zealand. In some instances, these new governments have occurred due to snap elections; taken a great deal of time to form; led to new parties coming into power or certain parties being excluded from power; indicated a change in national political practice; or a shift from one side of the political spectrum to the other. With these changes, we can observe how coalitions form, operate, and collapse in different global locations.

    In our April entry of our Foreign and Comparative Law Webinar Series, we will look at coalition governments, focusing on how they are formed, how they function, and how they are dissolved. We will use examples from various jurisdictions around the world to illustrate different means of creating and ending coalition governments, as well as the contrasting functions of those governments.

    Please register here.

    This webinar will be presented by Heather Casey, a writer-editor in the Global Legal Research Directorate of the Law Library of Congress. Heather has a J.D. from William & Mary Law School, an M.L.I.S. from Drexel University, and a B.A. from the University of Cincinnati.

    Subscribe to In Custodia Legis – it’s free! – to receive interesting posts drawn from the Law Library of Congress’s vast collections and our staff’s expertise in U.S., foreign, and international law.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Tunisia’s rap revolution: 5 women who are redefining hip-hop

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Jyhene Kebsi, Director of Learning & Teaching (Gender Studies), Macquarie University

    Women rappers were not really a feature of Tunisia’s typically masculine and chauvinist hip-hop scene until the revolution that overthrew Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali in 2011.

    Now there are several politically conscious female voices rising in the rap scene. Gender studies scholar Jyhene Kebsi has published a research paper on how their lyrics highlight the multiple inequalities that women in Tunisia – and the world – must overcome.

    How have male Tunisian rappers generally treated women in their songs and videos?

    The gender politics of Tunisian men’s rap is complex, but we can talk about one of its tendencies. Although there are men who’ve supported their female colleagues and collaborated with them on songs, their portrayals tend to lump women into one of two groups: virtuous or promiscuous; madonnas or whores.

    Read more: Senegal’s female rappers aren’t letting obstacles get in their way – who the rising voices are

    This is clear in their use of obscene words that aim to degrade the “fallen” women they rap about. Their sexual references can be seen as a way to debase the “easy girls and immoral women” who challenge patriarchal norms.

    This is in sharp contrast to the love and indebtedness they express towards their mothers and sisters. In contrast to western rap, the mother figure is central in Tunisian rap.

    The sacredness of the mother in Tunisian Muslim culture is seen in songs full of gratitude towards those who brought them into the world.

    Their reliance on this male-centred division between “respectable” and “unrespectable” women spreads a toxic masculinity that supports harmful gender stereotypes.

    This strengthens men’s social dominance and their policing of women’s bodies. Having said that, it is very important to highlight that sexism is not limited to the Arab rap scene. As I explain in my paper, many western male rappers objectify, humiliate and degrade women in their songs too.

    Who are the four female rappers you discuss?

    The four Tunisian women rappers I analyse are Sabrina, Medusa, Queen Nesrine and Tuny Girl.

    There’s a common perception that Medusa was Tunisia’s first female rapper. In reality, Sabrina began performing rap in 2007 and Tunisia’s other female artists joined the rap scene after the 2011 revolution.

    Medusa is Tunisia’s most famous female rapper in the west – her migration to France boosted her international profile. Although Tuny Girl and Queen Nesrine have not gained the fame of Medusa or Sabrina, they’ve released powerful feminist songs that criticise the status quo in post-revolutionary Tunisia.

    These artists have mainly relied on digital media to share their songs with the public through social platforms like YouTube and Facebook. Unfortunately, all four of them have faced opposition because they’re women.

    Rap is considered a masculine musical genre. Tunisian women’s initial entry into this male-dominated world was not easily accepted. Attitudes towards female rappers have evolved thanks to women’s gradual success in attracting a larger fan base.

    But these four artists share a strong resistance to sexism. Most importantly, while being aware of patriarchal pressures, they’re conscious of the many different forms of oppression that intersect to keep women less equal than men.

    This is evident in their songs, which reflect a strong awareness of intersectionality.

    What is intersesectionality?

    The black US feminist Kimberle Crenshaw coined the term “intersectionality” in 1989 to describe the double discrimination of sexism and racism faced by black women. So, she used the term to discuss the multiple forms of inequality that compound themselves and create interlocking obstacles that shape black women’s experiences of discrimination.

    Intersectionality highlights the experiences of multiple forms of discrimination when these categories of social identity interact with and shape one another.

    We see an understanding of intersectionality in a song like Hold On, where Medusa raps about illiteracy, political struggle and motherhood:

    I am watching the floating misery / Illiteracy has spread and made us go from one extreme to the other / Where is the freedom for which activists struggled? / I am the free Tunisian who exposed their chest to bullets / I am the mother, the mother of the martyr who has not gotten his revenge.

    Or, in her song Arahdli, Sabrina raps about a range of social ills:

    Leave me alone / The police catch you and harm you / Don’t believe the corrupt state / Unemployment and poverty will not make you happy.

    I found that what Medusa, Sabrina, Queen Nesrine and Tuny Girl have in common is their rejection of, as Crenshaw puts it, the “single-axis framework”. The one-sided narrative that reduces women’s problems solely to men and patriarchy.

    Instead, these artists highlight the damaging impact – for women – of the intersection of gender inequality, political corruption, unjust laws, ineffective local policies, the collapse of Tunisia’s economy and the country’s weak position in the global geopolitical landscape.

    Their songs are united in their recognition that Tunisian women’s lives are shaped by all these overlapping power structures, exposing them to marginalisation and discrimination.

    So, their songs identify hidden, interrelated structural barriers to their freedom. Misogyny is just one element that needs to be considered alongside other local and global issues when we discuss gender politics in Tunisia.

    What other new trends are female rappers ushering in?

    Women are at the forefront of innovation in Tunisian rap. Take Lully Snake. She’s a Tunisian-Algerian rapper based in Tunisia. This 24-year-old artist was previously a breakdancer. Her passion for hip-hop culture and her love for US artists like Tupac, Kool G Rap, Queen Latifah and Foxy Brown led her to start rapping.

    Like all Tunisian women rappers, she considers her entry into rap to have been a long and difficult journey. Starting in 2019, her first song was only released in 2024.

    Lully Snake first uploaded her debut song Zabatna Kida on Instagram. Its uniqueness lies in its combination of rap and mahraganat, an Egyptian street music that emerged in Cairo’s ghettos. Its success encouraged her to carry on rapping in both Tunisian and Egyptian, alongside other western languages and Maghrebi dialects.

    Lully Snake’s experimentation proves that female rappers are innovating while spreading messages that empower women. This has ultimately enriched Tunisian rap.

    – Tunisia’s rap revolution: 5 women who are redefining hip-hop
    – https://theconversation.com/tunisias-rap-revolution-5-women-who-are-redefining-hip-hop-253066

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Tunisia’s rap revolution: 5 women who are redefining hip-hop

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Jyhene Kebsi, Director of Learning & Teaching (Gender Studies), Macquarie University

    Women rappers were not really a feature of Tunisia’s typically masculine and chauvinist hip-hop scene until the revolution that overthrew Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali in 2011.

    Now there are several politically conscious female voices rising in the rap scene. Gender studies scholar Jyhene Kebsi has published a research paper on how their lyrics highlight the multiple inequalities that women in Tunisia – and the world – must overcome.

    How have male Tunisian rappers generally treated women in their songs and videos?

    The gender politics of Tunisian men’s rap is complex, but we can talk about one of its tendencies. Although there are men who’ve supported their female colleagues and collaborated with them on songs, their portrayals tend to lump women into one of two groups: virtuous or promiscuous; madonnas or whores.



    Read more:
    Senegal’s female rappers aren’t letting obstacles get in their way – who the rising voices are

    This is clear in their use of obscene words that aim to degrade the “fallen” women they rap about. Their sexual references can be seen as a way to debase the “easy girls and immoral women” who challenge patriarchal norms.

    This is in sharp contrast to the love and indebtedness they express towards their mothers and sisters. In contrast to western rap, the mother figure is central in Tunisian rap.

    The sacredness of the mother in Tunisian Muslim culture is seen in songs full of gratitude towards those who brought them into the world.

    Their reliance on this male-centred division between “respectable” and “unrespectable” women spreads a toxic masculinity that supports harmful gender stereotypes.

    This strengthens men’s social dominance and their policing of women’s bodies. Having said that, it is very important to highlight that sexism is not limited to the Arab rap scene. As I explain in my paper, many western male rappers objectify, humiliate and degrade women in their songs too.

    Who are the four female rappers you discuss?

    The four Tunisian women rappers I analyse are Sabrina, Medusa, Queen Nesrine and Tuny Girl.

    There’s a common perception that Medusa was Tunisia’s first female rapper. In reality, Sabrina began performing rap in 2007 and Tunisia’s other female artists joined the rap scene after the 2011 revolution.

    Medusa is Tunisia’s most famous female rapper in the west – her migration to France boosted her international profile. Although Tuny Girl and Queen Nesrine have not gained the fame of Medusa or Sabrina, they’ve released powerful feminist songs that criticise the status quo in post-revolutionary Tunisia.

    These artists have mainly relied on digital media to share their songs with the public through social platforms like YouTube and Facebook. Unfortunately, all four of them have faced opposition because they’re women.

    Rap is considered a masculine musical genre. Tunisian women’s initial entry into this male-dominated world was not easily accepted. Attitudes towards female rappers have evolved thanks to women’s gradual success in attracting a larger fan base.

    But these four artists share a strong resistance to sexism. Most importantly, while being aware of patriarchal pressures, they’re conscious of the many different forms of oppression that intersect to keep women less equal than men.

    This is evident in their songs, which reflect a strong awareness of intersectionality.

    What is intersesectionality?

    The black US feminist Kimberle Crenshaw coined the term “intersectionality” in 1989 to describe the double discrimination of sexism and racism faced by black women. So, she used the term to discuss the multiple forms of inequality that compound themselves and create interlocking obstacles that shape black women’s experiences of discrimination.

    Intersectionality highlights the experiences of multiple forms of discrimination when these categories of social identity interact with and shape one another.

    We see an understanding of intersectionality in a song like Hold On, where Medusa raps about illiteracy, political struggle and motherhood:

    I am watching the floating misery / Illiteracy has spread and made us go from one extreme to the other / Where is the freedom for which activists struggled? / I am the free Tunisian who exposed their chest to bullets /
    I am the mother, the mother of the martyr who has not gotten his revenge.

    Or, in her song Arahdli, Sabrina raps about a range of social ills:

    Leave me alone / The police catch you and harm you / Don’t believe the corrupt state / Unemployment and poverty will not make you happy.

    I found that what Medusa, Sabrina, Queen Nesrine and Tuny Girl have in common is their rejection of, as Crenshaw puts it, the “single-axis framework”. The one-sided narrative that reduces women’s problems solely to men and patriarchy.

    Instead, these artists highlight the damaging impact – for women – of the intersection of gender inequality, political corruption, unjust laws, ineffective local policies, the collapse of Tunisia’s economy and the country’s weak position in the global geopolitical landscape.

    Their songs are united in their recognition that Tunisian women’s lives are shaped by all these overlapping power structures, exposing them to marginalisation and discrimination.

    So, their songs identify hidden, interrelated structural barriers to their freedom. Misogyny is just one element that needs to be considered alongside other local and global issues when we discuss gender politics in Tunisia.

    What other new trends are female rappers ushering in?

    Women are at the forefront of innovation in Tunisian rap. Take Lully Snake. She’s a Tunisian-Algerian rapper based in Tunisia. This 24-year-old artist was previously a breakdancer. Her passion for hip-hop culture and her love for US artists like Tupac, Kool G Rap, Queen Latifah and Foxy Brown led her to start rapping.

    Like all Tunisian women rappers, she considers her entry into rap to have been a long and difficult journey. Starting in 2019, her first song was only released in 2024.

    Lully Snake first uploaded her debut song Zabatna Kida on Instagram. Its uniqueness lies in its combination of rap and mahraganat, an Egyptian street music that emerged in Cairo’s ghettos. Its success encouraged her to carry on rapping in both Tunisian and Egyptian, alongside other western languages and Maghrebi dialects.

    Lully Snake’s experimentation proves that female rappers are innovating while spreading messages that empower women. This has ultimately enriched Tunisian rap.

    Jyhene Kebsi 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. Tunisia’s rap revolution: 5 women who are redefining hip-hop – https://theconversation.com/tunisias-rap-revolution-5-women-who-are-redefining-hip-hop-253066

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services, February 2025

    Source: US Bureau of Economic Analysis

    The U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis announced today that the goods and services deficit was $122.7 billion in February, down $8.0 billion from $130.7 billion in January, revised.

    U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services Deficit
    Deficit: $122.7 Billion  –6.1%°
    Exports: $278.5 Billion  +2.9%°
    Imports: $401.1 Billion     0.0%°

    Next release: Tuesday, May 6, 2025

    (°) Statistical significance is not applicable or not measurable. Data adjusted for seasonality but not price changes

    Source: U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis; U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services, April 3, 2025

    Exports, Imports, and Balance (exhibit 1)

    February exports were $278.5 billion, $8.0 billion more than January exports. February imports were $401.1 billion, less than $0.1 billion less than January imports.

    The February decrease in the goods and services deficit reflected a decrease in the goods deficit of $8.8 billion to $147.0 billion and a decrease in the services surplus of $0.8 billion to $24.3 billion.

    Year-to-date, the goods and services deficit increased $117.1 billion, or 86.0 percent, from the same period in 2024. Exports increased $24.0 billion or 4.6 percent. Imports increased $141.2 billion or 21.4 percent.

    Three-Month Moving Averages (exhibit 2)

    The average goods and services deficit increased $14.8 billion to $117.1 billion for the three months ending in February.

    • Average exports increased $1.6 billion to $271.8 billion in February.
    • Average imports increased $16.5 billion to $389.0 billion in February.

    Year-over-year, the average goods and services deficit increased $50.1 billion from the three months ending in February 2024.

    • Average exports increased $10.2 billion from February 2024.
    • Average imports increased $60.3 billion from February 2024.

    Exports (exhibits 3, 6, and 7)

    Exports of goods increased $8.3 billion to $181.9 billion in February.

      Exports of goods on a Census basis increased $6.2 billion.

    • Industrial supplies and materials increased $3.0 billion.
      • Nonmonetary gold increased $3.2 billion.
      • Fuel oil decreased $1.0 billion.
    • Capital goods increased $2.7 billion.
      • Computer accessories increased $0.9 billion.
      • Civilian aircraft increased $0.5 billion.
    • Automotive vehicles, parts, and engines increased $1.6 billion.
      • Passenger cars increased $1.0 billion.
      • Trucks, buses, and special purpose vehicles increased $0.6 billion.
    • Other goods decreased $1.3 billion. (See the “Notice” for more information.)

      Net balance of payments adjustments increased $2.1 billion.

    Exports of services decreased $0.4 billion to $96.5 billion in February.

    • Transport decreased $0.3 billion.
    • Travel decreased $0.3 billion.
    • Government goods and services decreased $0.2 billion.
    • Financial services increased $0.2 billion.

    Imports (exhibits 4, 6, and 8)

    Imports of goods decreased $0.5 billion to $328.9 billion in February.

      Imports of goods on a Census basis decreased $0.6 billion.

    • Industrial supplies and materials decreased $4.2 billion.
      • Finished metal shapes decreased $2.6 billion.
      • Nonmonetary gold decreased $1.3 billion
    • Consumer goods increased $2.4 billion.
      • Cell phones and other household goods increased $1.5 billion.
      • Pharmaceutical preparations increased $1.2 billion.
    • Capital goods increased $1.0 billion.
      • Computers increased $0.7 billion.
      • Medical equipment increased $0.5 billion.
      • Civilian aircraft decreased $0.7 billion.

      Net balance of payments adjustments increased $0.1 billion.

    Imports of services increased $0.5 billion to $72.2 billion in February.

    • Travel increased $0.2 billion.
    • Charges for the use of intellectual property increased $0.1 billion.

    Real Goods in 2017 Dollars – Census Basis (exhibit 11)

    The real goods deficit decreased $6.9 billion, or 4.8 percent, to $135.4 billion in February, compared to a 4.4 percent decrease in the nominal deficit.

    • Real exports of goods increased $4.9 billion, or 3.4 percent, to $147.9 billion, compared to a 3.6 percent increase in nominal exports.
    • Real imports of goods decreased $2.0 billion, or 0.7 percent, to $283.3 billion, compared to a 0.2 percent decrease in nominal imports.

    Revisions

    Revisions to January exports

    • Exports of goods were revised up $0.8 billion.
    • Exports of services were revised down $0.2 billion.

    Revisions to January imports

    • Imports of goods were revised down $0.1 billion.
    • Imports of services were revised up $0.1 billion.

    Goods by Selected Countries and Areas: Monthly – Census Basis (exhibit 19)

    The February figures show surpluses, in billions of dollars, with South and Central America ($4.8), Netherlands ($4.1), United Kingdom ($3.4), Hong Kong ($2.4), Belgium ($0.8), Brazil ($0.4), and Saudi Arabia ($0.2). Deficits were recorded, in billions of dollars, with European Union ($30.9), China ($26.6), Switzerland ($18.8), Mexico ($16.8), Ireland ($14.0), Vietnam ($12.4), Taiwan ($8.7), Germany ($8.1), Canada ($7.3), India ($5.6), Japan ($5.2), Italy ($5.1), South Korea ($4.5), Malaysia ($3.1), Australia ($2.1), France ($1.5), Singapore ($1.1), and Israel ($0.7).

    • The deficit with Switzerland decreased $4.0 billion to $18.8 billion in February. Exports increased $0.7 billion to $2.5 billion and imports decreased $3.3 billion to $21.3 billion.
    • The balance with the United Kingdom shifted from a deficit of $0.5 billion in January to a surplus of $3.4 billion in February. Exports increased $3.3 billion to $9.5 billion and imports decreased $0.6 billion to $6.1 billion.
    • The deficit with the European Union increased $5.4 billion to $30.9 billion in February. Exports decreased $2.3 billion to $29.9 billion and imports increased $3.2 billion to $60.8 billion.

    All statistics referenced are seasonally adjusted; statistics are on a balance of payments basis unless otherwise specified. Additional statistics, including not seasonally adjusted statistics and details for goods on a Census basis, are available in exhibits 1-20b of this release. For information on data sources, definitions, and revision procedures, see the explanatory notes in this release. The full release can be found at www.census.gov/foreign-trade/Press-Release/current_press_release/index.html or www.bea.gov/data/intl-trade-investment/international-trade-goods-and-services. The full schedule is available in the Census Bureau’s Economic Briefing Room at www.census.gov/economic-indicators/ or on BEA’s website at www.bea.gov/news/schedule.

    Next release: May 6, 2025, at 8:30 a.m. EDT
    U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services, March 2025

    Notice

    Impact of Canada Border Services Agency’s (CBSA) Release of CBSA Assessment and Revenue Management (CARM)

    The CBSA introduced a new accounting system (CARM) on October 21, 2024. As a result, importers in Canada have experienced delays in filing shipment information. These delays affected the compilation of statistics on U.S. exports of goods to Canada for September 2024 through February 2025, which are derived from data compiled by Canada through the United States – Canada Data Exchange. A dollar estimate of the filing backlog is included in estimates for late receipts and, following the U.S. Census Bureau’s customary practice for late receipt estimates, is included in the export end-use category “Other goods” as well as in exports to Canada. This estimate will be replaced with the actual transactions reported by the Harmonized System classification in June 2025 with the release of “U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services, Annual Revision.” Until then, please refer to the supplemental spreadsheet “CARM Exports to Canada Corrections,” which provides a breakdown of the late receipts by 1-digit end-use category for statistics through 2024. This spreadsheet will be updated as late export transactions are received to reflect reassignments from the initial “Other goods” category to the appropriate 1-digit end-use category. Any 2025 impacts will be revised in June 2026.

    If you have questions or need additional information, please contact the Census Bureau, Economic Indicators Division, International Trade Macro Analysis Branch, on 800-549-0595, option 4, or at eid.international.trade.data@census.gov.

    Upcoming Updates to Goods and Services

    With the releases of the “U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services” report (FT-900) and the FT-900 Annual Revision on June 5, 2025, statistics on trade in goods, on both a Census basis and a balance of payments (BOP) basis, will be revised beginning with 2020 and statistics on trade in services will be revised beginning with 2018. The revised statistics for goods on a BOP basis and for services will also be included in the “U.S. International Transactions, 1st Quarter 2025 and Annual Update” report and in the international transactions interactive database, both to be released by BEA on June 24, 2025.

    Revised statistics on trade in goods will reflect:

    • Corrections and adjustments to previously published not seasonally adjusted statistics for goods on a Census basis.
    • End-use reclassifications of several commodities.
    • Recalculated seasonal and trading-day adjustments.
    • Newly available and revised source data on BOP adjustments, which are adjustments that BEA applies to goods on a Census basis to convert them to a BOP basis. See the “Goods (balance of payments basis)” section in the explanatory notes for more information.

    Revised statistics on trade in services will reflect:

    • Newly available and revised source data, primarily from BEA surveys of international services.
    • Corrections and adjustments to previously published not seasonally adjusted statistics.
    • Recalculated seasonal adjustments.
    • Revised temporal distributions of quarterly source data to monthly statistics. See the “Services” section in the explanatory notes for more information.

    A preview of BEA’s 2025 annual update of the International Transactions Accounts will be available in the Survey of Current Business later in April 2025.

    If you have questions or need additional information, please contact the Census Bureau, Economic Indicators Division, International Trade Macro Analysis Branch, on (800) 549-0595, option 4, or at eid.international.trade.data@census.gov or BEA, Balance of Payments Division, at InternationalAccounts@bea.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Imagining what the world could look like without fossil fuels spurs people to action

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Michael T. Schmitt, Professor, Simon Fraser University

    Human activity has already warmed the planet by more than one degree Celsius, fuelling forest fires, exacerbating floods, super-powering storms and increasing the frequency of deadly heat waves.

    The main human driver of climate change is carbon dioxide emissions from the burning of fossil fuels. Transitioning quickly off fossil fuels to other energy sources (solar, wind) is key to limiting global warming. To stay within 1.5 C of warming, we need to stop building new fossil fuel projects from this point forward.

    And yet, new pipelines, oil drilling projects and fracked gas wells are still being built. At a time when fossil fuel production should be decreasing, fossil fuel production is projected to expand — globally and in Canada.

    The total planned fossil fuel production for 2030 is double the level consistent with limiting warming to 1.5 C. In Canada, public support for expanding fossil fuel infrastructure seems to be increasing, possibly as a result of Trump’s tariff threats.

    What will it take to turn this pattern around? What might increase public support for a speedy transition away from fossil fuels?

    Increasing opposition

    Recently, in the Sustainability, Identity and Social Change Lab at Simon Fraser University, we successfully increased people’s opposition to new fossil fuel projects by simply asking them to imagine a sustainable world. We recruited American participants online, who were paid a small amount to complete a survey.

    Half were chosen at random to spend two to three minutes imagining and writing about a world in which humans have a sustainable relationship with the rest of the natural world. The other half were asked to write about their morning routine. We then asked participants whether they supported or opposed the development of two major and controversial fossil fuel infrastructure projects.

    The Willow Project is a proposed oil drilling project in Alaska that was approved by former U.S. president Joe Biden’s administration in 2023, shortly after we collected our data. The Mountain Valley Pipeline carries methane gas for 300 miles through West Virginia and Virginia. At the time of our study, it was still under construction and facing legal challenges, but went into operation last year.

    The participants who were asked to imagine a sustainable world expressed more opposition to the two fossil fuel projects than did participants who were not asked to imagine a sustainable world.

    For example, among participants who did not imagine a sustainable world, 44 per cent disagreed or strongly disagreed that the Willow Project should be completed. That opposition increased to 53 per cent for participants who imagined a sustainable world. Participants who imagined a sustainable world were also more likely to support the U.S. signing a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty — a campaign to get governments around the world to commit to ending the development of new fossil fuel projects.

    Imagining alternatives

    When we looked at what participants wrote when describing a sustainable world, they frequently mentioned a transition from fossil fuels to clean energy. Participants generally described a sustainable world in positive terms, including a cleaner and healthier environment free from pollution, with more intact natural habitats and green spaces, and more harmonious and equitable relationships between humans.

    When focused on this alternative world, our participants brought their attitudes and intentions more in line with the desirable world they imagined and became more opposed to new fossil fuel projects.

    These findings are consistent with the idea that the more people can imagine alternative social arrangements, the more likely they are to support and work for social transformation. Bringing this idea into the environmental domain, we developed a measure of how well people can imagine a sustainable relationship between humans and the rest of nature.

    We found that people who agreed with statements like “I can easily imagine a world in which we supply all of our energy needs without harming the natural world” and “It is easy to imagine a world where we no longer use fossil fuels” were more likely to express a willingness to engage in behaviours that support climate change mitigation, like participating in an environmental protest or getting involved with an environmental group.

    In another study with Canadians, participants who could imagine a sustainable future were more likely to write and sign a letter to the Canadian environment minister asking for more action on climate change.

    Clear pictures

    Similar results have been found in research on utopian thinking: when people thought about a green utopia, they reported greater willingness to engage in pro-environmental actions, such as signing pro-environmental petitions and giving money to environmental groups.

    Other researchers found that asking U.S. participants to imagine “a positive future in which climate change has been significantly addressed” led to higher intentions to engage in climate action. In a study of French participants, reading a positive vision of a “decarbonated” world increased participants’ intentions to engage in pro-environmental behaviour.

    The implication for those who want to promote pro-environmental social change — including putting an end to new fossil fuel projects — is to provide people with clear and detailed descriptions of how a sustainable world would function and what it would be like to live in that world.

    With a clear picture of what a sustainable world would be like, and knowing what to work toward, people will be more likely to work for change.

    Michael T. Schmitt receives funding from the Social Sciences and Human Research Council.

    Annika E. Lutz receives funding from the Social Sciences and Human Research Council.

    – ref. Imagining what the world could look like without fossil fuels spurs people to action – https://theconversation.com/imagining-what-the-world-could-look-like-without-fossil-fuels-spurs-people-to-action-252111

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI: Enphase Energy Adds Battery Backup to Boost Resilience in France and the Netherlands

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    FREMONT, Calif., April 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Enphase Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ: ENPH), a global energy technology company and the world’s leading supplier of microinverter-based solar and battery systems, today announced the introduction of the IQ® System Controller in France and the Netherlands. This advanced system integrates Enphase’s IQ® Microinverters and IQ® Battery 5Ps to provide a comprehensive energy solution that enables homeowners to seamlessly transition to backup power during grid outages, ensuring continuous operation of essential appliances.

    The product, the IQ System Controller 3 INT, consolidates the interconnection equipment, IQ® Gateway, and IQ® Relay into a single enclosure. It enables seamless grid-independent operation for solar and battery systems with a consistent, pre-wired solution, including production and consumption current transformers (CTs). A cellular modem enhances system connectivity. The IQ System Controller can support up to four IQ Battery 5P™ units, or 20 kWh, and comes with a 10-year warranty for all systems activated in France and the Netherlands. With Sunlight Jump Start™, the IQ8 Microinverters can restart the batteries using only sunlight after a prolonged grid outage that drains the battery. 

    “The IQ System Controller offers superior convenience and safety for homeowners,” said Marvin Cathelot, GM at Sarl Cathelot, an installer of Enphase products in France. “It integrates seamlessly with the IQ Battery 5P, providing a robust and dependable solution for backup power. This system allows us to confidently deliver backup power solutions that meet the high expectations of our customers in France.”

    “We’ve seen increasing demand for battery backup systems, and the IQ System Controller is exactly what our customers need,” said Twan Geurts van Kessel, owner of Solar Concept, an installer of Enphase products in the Netherlands. “Its pre-wired design and compatibility with Enphase solar and battery products make installation smooth and efficient.”

    “Our expansion into the European market with the IQ System Controller is another important milestone for Enphase as we continue to grow our footprint across the globe,” said Sabbas Daniel, senior vice president of sales at Enphase Energy. “Our latest technology is designed to deliver maximum power and energy efficiency, ensuring that households in France and the Netherlands have access to reliable energy whenever they need it.”

    For more information about the IQ System Controller, please visit the Enphase websites for France and the Netherlands.

    About Enphase Energy, Inc.

    Enphase Energy, a global energy technology company based in Fremont, CA, is the world’s leading supplier of microinverter-based solar and battery systems that enable people to harness the sun to make, use, save, and sell their own power—and control it all with a smart mobile app. The company revolutionized the solar industry with its microinverter-based technology and builds all-in-one solar, battery, and software solutions. Enphase has shipped approximately 80.0 million microinverters, and approximately 4.7 million Enphase-based systems have been deployed in more than 160 countries. For more information, visit https://enphase.com/.

    ©2025 Enphase Energy, Inc. All rights reserved. Enphase Energy, Enphase, the “e” logo, IQ, and certain other marks listed at https://enphase.com/trademark-usage-guidelines are trademarks or service marks of Enphase Energy, Inc. in the U.S. and other countries. Other names are for informational purposes and may be trademarks of their respective owners.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release may contain forward-looking statements, including statements related to the expected capabilities and performance of Enphase Energy’s technology and products, including safety, quality, and reliability; and the availability and market adoption of Enphase Energy’s products in France and the Netherlands. These forward-looking statements are based on Enphase Energy’s current expectations and inherently involve significant risks and uncertainties. Actual results and the timing of events could differ materially from those contemplated by these forward-looking statements as a result of such risks and uncertainties including those risks described in more detail in Enphase Energy’s most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K and other documents filed by Enphase Energy from time to time with the SEC. Enphase Energy undertakes no duty or obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release as a result of new information, future events or changes in its expectations, except as required by law.

    Contact:

    Enphase Energy

    press@enphaseenergy.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Serious Fraud Office sets out next steps in ambitious plan

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Serious Fraud Office sets out next steps in ambitious plan

    The SFO has published its plan for the year ahead focusing on using new tools, enhancing its intelligence capacity and with domestic and international partners.

    The SFO today published its plan for the year ahead focusing on using new tools, enhancing its intelligence capacity and working ‘more vigorously’ with domestic and international partners.  

    The Business Plan 2025-26 is the next step in the SFO’s ambition to be bolder and more pragmatic as an organisation.  

    This approach has already delivered faster progression of cases with stricter case discipline creating capacity to open eight new investigations and charge a case within 15 months of opening. 

    This year, the SFO aims to use the new “failure to prevent fraud” offence, part of the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act, which comes into force in September. The plan also includes delivery of refreshed corporate guidance for engaging with the SFO and advancing plans for a whistleblower incentivisation scheme.  

    Operational divisions will also begin rolling out Technology Assisted Review (TAR), which has been found during a pilot to review documents for disclosure up to 40 per cent faster than our standard method.  

    The SFO will continue to invest in its covert operational capacity and work more closely with key law enforcement and regulatory partners. The SFO recently created a new taskforce to tackle international bribery and corruption, with key partners Switzerland and France 

    Read the full SFO 2025-26 Business Plan (PDF, 2.8 MB, 9 pages), including a message from Nick Ephgrave QPM, Director of the Serious Fraud Office.

    Updates to this page

    Published 3 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Thales to recruit 8,000 people in 2025 and accelerate its ‘Learning company’ programme

    Source: Thales Group

    Headline: Thales to recruit 8,000 people in 2025 and accelerate its ‘Learning company’ programme

    • Thales, a global leader in advanced technologies for Defence, Aerospace and Cyber & Digital, plans to recruit 8,000 people worldwide in 2025 to support the strong growth momentum across its three business segments. Around 40% of new hires will join engineering roles (including software and systems engineering, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, data, etc.), while approximately 25% will join industrial roles (including technicians, operators and industrial engineers).
    • In parallel, more than 4,000 employees will benefit from functional and geographical internal mobility.
    • In a context marked by interconnected geopolitical crises, a rebound in air traffic and accelerating global connectivity, all of Thales’s businesses are growing and hiring. This builds on the strong momentum established in recent years, with:
      • Over 30,000 new hires between 2022 and 2024, including 9,000 in the Defence sector;
      • Over 8,000 internal mobility moves between 2023 and 2024;
      • Ten consecutive years during which Thales has hired at least 5,000 people annually.
    • In 2025, recruitment will take place across all regions of operation, including approximately 3,000 people in France, over 1,000 in the United Kingdom, 500 in the Netherlands, 400 in the United States, 400 in Australia, 300 in Central Europe, 250 in India, 200 in Germany, and 150 in Africa and the Middle East.

    Learning company: supporting employees’ professional development and keeping Thales’s expertise at the highest level

    • For the past three years, Thales has invested in its “Learning company” global skills development programme, delivered by 2,000 internal trainers as well as numerous tutors and mentors. Since 2023, Thales has increased the number of its Academies, which are designed to share knowledge globally. The Group now operates 13 Domain Academies (AI, Cybersecurity, Radar, Naval, Tube, Pyrotechnics, etc.) and 18 Functional Academies (Software, Hardware, Systems, Industry, Bid & Project Management, HR, Finance, Communication, etc.). By the end of 2025, Thales will have more than 35 academies.
    • The Group has also introduced innovative skills development methods, including a shared competency management system, simulation and virtual reality tools, and hands-on training solutions.
    • In 2024, 90% of Thales’s global workforce – 72,000 people – took part in skills development activities.

    Thales is committed to raising awareness amongst youth about the importance of science and to promoting inclusion and diversity

    • Across all countries where it operates, Thales strengthened its outreach efforts in 2024, engaging with more than 150,000 young people and taking part in over 600 events. In France in 2025, the Group plans to host more than 3,000 interns and apprentices, around 25% of whom will go on to be hired on permanent or fixed-term contracts. Nearly 1,500 middle and high school students will also complete observation internships at Thales sites.
    • Improving gender balance within teams and leadership remains a key priority for the Group. In 2024, women accounted for 30% of new hires worldwide. More than 60% of the Group’s executive Committees included at least four women; Thales is aiming for 75% by 2026.
    • With the signing of a new Group-wide agreement in 2024 to further promote the inclusion of people with disabilities, Thales is reaffirming its commitment, with an employment rate of nearly 7% in France.

    « To support the Group’s growth and performance, recruitment and internal mobility are essential, but we must go further. Giving our teams the opportunity to continuously develop their skills and encouraging them to pass on their expertise to colleagues is both the spirit and the ambition of our ‘Learning company’ programme. Our goal is to support the professional growth of our people and maintain Thales’s expertise at the highest level,»

    Clément de Villepin, Senior Executive Vice President, Human Resources, Thales

    Interested candidates can learn more and apply online at
    ​    Thales careers

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Minutes – Wednesday, 2 April 2025 – Strasbourg – Final edition

    Source: European Parliament

    PV-10-2025-04-02

    EN

    EN

    iPlPv_Sit

    Minutes
    Wednesday, 2 April 2025 – Strasbourg

    IN THE CHAIR: Sophie WILMÈS
    Vice-President

    1. Opening of the sitting

    The sitting opened at 09:00.


    2. Negotiations ahead of Parliament’s first reading (Rule 72) (action taken)

    The decisions of the LIBE, TRAN and AGRI committees to enter into interinstitutional negotiations had been announced on 31 March 2025 (minutes of 31.3.2025, item 7).

    A request for a vote in Parliament had been formulated by the PfE, ECR, The Left and ESN groups pursuant to Rule 72(2), on the following decision by the LIBE Committee:

    – Proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing an EU talent pool (2023/0404(COD))

    The vote would take place the next day, 3 April 2025.

    A request for a vote in Parliament had been formulated by the PfE Group pursuant to Rule 72(2), on the following decision by the AGRI Committee:

    – Proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Decision 2003/17/EC as regards the equivalence of field inspections carried out in the Republic of Moldova on fodder plant seed-producing crops and on the equivalence of fodder plant seed produced in the Republic of Moldova, and as regards the equivalence of field inspections carried out in Ukraine on beet seed-producing crops and oil plant seed-producing crops and on the equivalence of beet seed and oil plant seed produced in Ukraine (2024/0027(COD))

    The vote would take place the next day, 3 April 2025.

    As there had not been any requests for a vote in relation to the other decisions pursuant to Rule 72(2), the committees responsible had been able to begin negotiations upon expiry of the deadline.


    3. European Steel and Metals Action Plan (debate)

    Council and Commission statements: European Steel and Metals Action Plan (2025/2633(RSP))

    Adam Szłapka (President-in-Office of the Council) and Stéphane Séjourné (Executive Vice-President of the Commission) made the statements.

    The following spoke: Dennis Radtke, on behalf of the PPE Group, Dan Nica, on behalf of the S&D Group, Julie Rechagneux, on behalf of the PfE Group, Elena Donazzan, on behalf of the ECR Group, Christophe Grudler, on behalf of the Renew Group, Bas Eickhout, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Marina Mesure, on behalf of The Left Group, René Aust, on behalf of the ESN Group, Christian Ehler, Mohammed Chahim, Tomasz Buczek, Beatrice Timgren, Oihane Agirregoitia Martínez, Sara Matthieu, who also answered a blue-card question from João Oliveira, Rudi Kennes, Susana Solís Pérez, Yannis Maniatis, Jadwiga Wiśniewska, Letizia Moratti, Marie-Pierre Vedrenne, Jens Geier, Michael Bloss, Angelika Winzig, Nicolás González Casares, Ondřej Krutílek, Juan Ignacio Zoido Álvarez, Tilly Metz, Elena Sancho Murillo, Valentina Palmisano and Adam Jarubas.

    IN THE CHAIR: Christel SCHALDEMOSE
    Vice-President

    The following spoke: Bruno Tobback, Beata Szydło, who also answered a blue-card question from Petr Bystron, Massimiliano Salini and Majdouline Sbai.

    The following spoke under the catch-the-eye procedure: Dariusz Joński, Jonás Fernández, Sebastian Tynkkynen, Brigitte van den Berg, Ana Miranda Paz and Maria Zacharia.

    The following spoke: Stéphane Séjourné and Adam Szłapka.

    The debate closed.


    4. Energy-intensive industries (debate)

    Commission statement: Energy-intensive industries (2025/2536(RSP))

    The President made some clarifications on the organisational arrangements of the debate, as a new format was being trialled.

    Stéphane Séjourné (Executive Vice-President of the Commission) made the statement.

    The following spoke: Wouter Beke, on behalf of the PPE Group, Giorgio Gori, on behalf of the S&D Group, Jana Nagyová, on behalf of the PfE Group, Mariateresa Vivaldini, on behalf of the ECR Group, Brigitte van den Berg, on behalf of the Renew Group, Benedetta Scuderi, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Anthony Smith, on behalf of The Left Group, Markus Buchheit, on behalf of the ESN Group, Dan Nica, András Gyürk, Daniel Obajtek, Anna Stürgkh, Per Clausen, Anja Arndt, who also declined to take a blue-card question from Thomas Pellerin-Carlin, Kateřina Konečná, Radan Kanev, Jens Geier, who also answered a blue-card question from Davor Ivo Stier, Mélanie Disdier, who also answered a blue-card question from Thomas Pellerin-Carlin, Kris Van Dijck, Mirosława Nykiel, Bruno Gonçalves, who also answered a blue-card question from João Oliveira, Barbara Bonte, Marc Botenga, Tom Berendsen, Nicolás González Casares, Raffaele Stancanelli, Alexandr Vondra, Seán Kelly, Thomas Pellerin-Carlin, Anne-Sophie Frigout, Milan Mazurek, Pilar del Castillo Vera, Niels Fuglsang, Georg Mayer, Diego Solier, Sofie Eriksson, Mireia Borrás Pabón, Thomas Geisel and Christian Ehler.

    The following spoke under the catch-the-eye procedure: Krzysztof Hetman, Maria Grapini, Sebastian Tynkkynen, Katri Kulmuni, Majdouline Sbai and Lukas Sieper.

    The following spoke: Stéphane Séjourné.

    Motions for resolutions tabled under Rule 136(2) to wind up the debate: minutes of 3.4.2025, item I.

    The debate closed.

    Vote: 3 April 2025.


    IN THE CHAIR: Roberta METSOLA
    President

    5. Progress in the UN-led efforts for the resumption of negotiations towards a solution to the Cyprus problem – Statement by the President

    Progress in the UN-led efforts for the resumption of negotiations towards a solution to the Cyprus problem – Statement by the President (2025/2649(RSP))

    The President made the statement.

    The following spoke: Loucas Fourlas, on behalf of the PPE Group, Costas Mavrides, on behalf of the S&D Group, Afroditi Latinopoulou, on behalf of the PfE Group, Geadis Geadi, on behalf of the ECR Group, Hilde Vautmans, on behalf of the Renew Group, Reinier Van Lanschot, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Giorgos Georgiou, on behalf of The Left Group, and René Aust, on behalf of the ESN Group.

    The debate closed.

    (The sitting was suspended for a few moments.)


    6. Resumption of the sitting

    The sitting resumed at 12:07.


    7. Voting time

    For detailed results of the votes, see also ‘Results of votes’ and ‘Results of roll-call votes’.


    7.1. Guidelines for the 2026 budget – Section III (vote)

    Report on general guidelines for the preparation of the 2026 budget, Section III – Commission [2024/2110(BUI)] – Committee on Budgets. Rapporteur: Andrzej Halicki (A10-0042/2025)

    The debate had taken place on 31 March 2025 (minutes of 31.3.2025, item 12).

    (Majority of the votes cast)

    MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION

    Adopted (P10_TA(2025)0051)

    The following had spoken:

    Michał Dworczyk, to move an oral amendment to paragraph 12. Parliament had not agreed to put the oral amendment to the vote as more than 39 Members had opposed it.

    (‘Results of votes’, item 1)


    7.2. Agreements on Financial Mechanisms for the period May 2021 – April 2028 (EEA: EU-Iceland-Liechtenstein-Norway; Norwegian: EU-Norway); Additional Protocols to EEC-Norway Agreement and to EEC-Iceland Agreement *** (vote)

    Recommendation on the draft Council decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Union, of the Agreement between the European Union, Iceland, the Principality of Liechtenstein and the Kingdom of Norway on an EEA Financial Mechanism for the period May 2021 – April 2028, the Agreement between the Kingdom of Norway and the European Union on a Norwegian Financial Mechanism for the period May 2021 – April 2028, the Additional Protocol to the Agreement between the European Economic Community and the Kingdom of Norway and the Additional Protocol to the Agreement between the European Economic Community and Iceland [10005/2024 – C10-0103/2024 – 2024/0052(NLE)] – Committee on International Trade. Rapporteur: Željana Zovko (A10-0036/2025)

    (Majority of the votes cast)

    DRAFT COUNCIL DECISION

    Approved (P10_TA(2025)0052)

    Parliament consented to the conclusion of the agreements and protocols.

    (‘Results of votes’, item 2)


    7.3. Protocol on the Implementation of the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Guinea-Bissau (2024-2029) *** (vote)

    Recommendation on the draft Council decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Union, of the Protocol on the implementation of the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Guinea-Bissau (2024–2029) [12475/2024 – C10-0108/2024 – 2024/0159(NLE)] – Committee on Fisheries. Rapporteur: Eric Sargiacomo (A10-0028/2025)

    (Majority of the votes cast)

    DRAFT COUNCIL DECISION

    Approved (P10_TA(2025)0053)

    Parliament consented to the conclusion of the agreement.

    The following had spoken:

    Before the vote, Eric Sargiacomo (rapporteur) to make a statement on his reports on the basis of Rule 165(4).

    (‘Results of votes’, item 3)


    7.4. Protocol on the Implementation of the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Guinea-Bissau (2024-2029) (Resolution) (vote)

    Report containing a motion for a non-legislative resolution on the draft Council decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Union, of the Implementing Protocol (2024–2029) to the Fisheries Partnership Agreement between the European Community and the Republic of Guinea-Bissau [2024/0159M(NLE)] – Committee on Fisheries. Rapporteur: Eric Sargiacomo (A10-0040/2025)

    (Majority of the votes cast)

    MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION

    Adopted (P10_TA(2025)0054)

    (‘Results of votes’, item 4)


    7.5. EU-Bosnia and Herzegovina Agreement: cooperation between Eurojust and the authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina competent for judicial cooperation in criminal matters *** (vote)

    Recommendation on the draft Council decision on the conclusion on behalf of the European Union of the Agreement between the European Union and Bosnia and Herzegovina on the cooperation between the European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation (Eurojust) and the authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina competent for judicial cooperation in criminal matters [COM(2024)0299 – 2024/0167(NLE)] – Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs. Rapporteur: Jaroslav Bžoch (A10-0027/2025)

    (Majority of the votes cast)

    DRAFT COUNCIL DECISION

    Approved (P10_TA(2025)0055)

    Parliament consented to the conclusion of the agreement.

    (‘Results of votes’, item 5)


    7.6. Strengthening the security of identity cards of Union citizens and of residence documents issued to Union citizens and their family members exercising their right of free movement * (vote)

    Report on the proposal for a Council regulation on strengthening the security of identity cards of Union citizens and of residence documents issued to Union citizens and their family members exercising their right of free movement [COM(2024)0316 – C10-0112/2024 – 2024/0187(CNS)] – Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs. Rapporteur: Malik Azmani (A10-0041/2025)

    (Majority of the votes cast)

    COMMISSION PROPOSAL TO THE COUNCIL

    Approved as amended (P10_TA(2025)0056)

    (‘Results of votes’, item 6)


    7.7. Implementation of the common foreign and security policy – annual report 2024 (vote)

    Report on the implementation of the common foreign and security policy – 2024 annual report [2024/2080(INI)] – Committee on Foreign Affairs. Rapporteur: David McAllister (A10-0010/2025)

    The debate had taken place on 1 April 2025 (minutes of 1.4.2025, item 9).

    (Majority of the votes cast)

    MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION

    Adopted (P10_TA(2025)0057)

    (‘Results of votes’, item 7)


    7.8. Implementation of the common security and defence policy – annual report 2024 (vote)

    Report on the implementation of the common security and defence policy – annual report 2024 [2024/2082(INI)] – Committee on Foreign Affairs. Rapporteur: Nicolás Pascual de la Parte (A10-0011/2025)

    The debate had taken place on 1 April 2025 (minutes of 1.4.2025, item 9).

    (Majority of the votes cast)

    MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION

    Adopted (P10_TA(2025)0058)

    (‘Results of votes’, item 8)


    7.9. Human rights and democracy in the world and the European Union’s policy on the matter – annual report 2024 (vote)

    Report on human rights and democracy in the world and the European Union’s policy on the matter – annual report 2024 [2024/2081(INI)] – Committee on Foreign Affairs. Rapporteur: Isabel Wiseler-Lima (A10-0012/2025)

    The debate had taken place on 1 April 2025 (minutes of 1.4.2025, item 10).

    (Majority of the votes cast)

    MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION

    Adopted (P10_TA(2025)0059)

    The following had spoken:

    Bernard Guetta, to move an oral amendment to paragraph 4. Parliament had agreed to put the oral amendment to the vote.

    (‘Results of votes’, item 9)

    (The sitting was suspended at 13:41.)


    IN THE CHAIR: Martin HOJSÍK
    Vice-President

    8. Resumption of the sitting

    The sitting resumed at 13:45.


    9. Approval of the minutes of the previous sitting

    The minutes of the previous sitting were approved.


    10. Social Europe: making life affordable, protecting jobs, wages and health for all (topical debate)

    The following spoke: Marie Toussaint to open the debate proposed by the Verts/ALE Group.

    The following spoke: Adam Szłapka (President-in-Office of the Council) and Costas Kadis (Member of the Commission).

    The following spoke: Nikolina Brnjac, on behalf of the PPE Group, Gabriele Bischoff, on behalf of the S&D Group, Jorge Buxadé Villalba, on behalf of the PfE Group, Lara Magoni, on behalf of the ECR Group, Jana Toom, on behalf of the Renew Group, Katrin Langensiepen, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Li Andersson, on behalf of The Left Group, Maravillas Abadía Jover, Estelle Ceulemans, Valérie Deloge, Marlena Maląg, Irena Joveva, Jaume Asens Llodrà, Leila Chaibi, Maria Zacharia, Tomislav Sokol, Camilla Laureti, Pál Szekeres, Georgiana Teodorescu, Eugen Tomac, Maria Ohisalo, Catarina Martins, Jan-Peter Warnke, Regina Doherty, Idoia Mendia, Isabella Tovaglieri, Francesco Torselli, Hristo Petrov, Gordan Bosanac, João Oliveira, Marc Angel, Mélanie Disdier, Nora Junco García, Engin Eroglu, Vicent Marzà Ibáñez, Marit Maij, Dick Erixon, Vytenis Povilas Andriukaitis, Jaak Madison and Johan Danielsson.

    The following spoke: Costas Kadis and Adam Szłapka.

    The debate closed.


    11. European oceans pact (debate)

    Council and Commission statements: European oceans pact (2025/2610(RSP))

    Adam Szłapka (President-in-Office of the Council) and Costas Kadis (Member of the Commission) made the statements.

    IN THE CHAIR: Victor NEGRESCU
    Vice-President

    The following spoke: Gabriel Mato, on behalf of the PPE Group, Christophe Clergeau, on behalf of the S&D Group, António Tânger Corrêa, on behalf of the PfE Group, Veronika Vrecionová, on behalf of the ECR Group, Stéphanie Yon-Courtin, on behalf of the Renew Group, Isabella Lövin, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Emma Fourreau, on behalf of The Left Group, Siegbert Frank Droese, on behalf of the ESN Group, Isabelle Le Callennec, André Rodrigues, France Jamet, Stephen Nikola Bartulica, Oihane Agirregoitia Martínez, Nikolas Farantouris, Carmen Crespo Díaz, who also answered a blue-card question from Ana Miranda Paz, Annalisa Corrado, André Rougé, Ana Vasconcelos, Sebastian Everding, Paulo Do Nascimento Cabral, who also answered a blue-card question from João Oliveira, Nicolás González Casares, Séverine Werbrouck, who also answered a blue-card question from Christophe Clergeau, Emma Wiesner, Jessica Polfjärd, Željana Zovko, Francisco José Millán Mon and Fredis Beleris.

    The following spoke under the catch-the-eye procedure: Ana Miguel Pedro, Rosa Serrano Sierra, Ana Miranda Paz, Lukas Sieper, Nina Carberry, Thomas Bajada, João Oliveira, Giuseppe Lupo and Sofie Eriksson.

    The following spoke: Costas Kadis and Adam Szłapka.

    The debate closed.


    12. Recent legislative changes in Hungary and their impact on fundamental rights (debate)

    Council and Commission statements: Recent legislative changes in Hungary and their impact on fundamental rights (2025/2631(RSP))

    Adam Szłapka (President-in-Office of the Council) and Michael McGrath (Member of the Commission) made the statements.

    The following spoke: Zoltán Tarr, on behalf of the PPE Group, Csaba Molnár, on behalf of the S&D Group, Tamás Deutsch, on behalf of the PfE Group, Jacek Ozdoba, on behalf of the ECR Group, and Fabienne Keller, on behalf of the Renew Group (the President reminded the speaker of the rules on conduct), and Tineke Strik, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group.

    IN THE CHAIR: Antonella SBERNA
    Vice-President

    The following spoke: Konstantinos Arvanitis, on behalf of The Left Group, Zsuzsanna Borvendég, on behalf of the ESN Group, Adrián Vázquez Lázara, Marc Angel, Paolo Borchia, Paolo Inselvini, Raquel García Hermida-Van Der Walle, Daniel Freund, Ilaria Salis, who also declined to take a blue-card question from Enikő Győri, Milan Uhrík, who also answered a blue-card question from Lukas Sieper, Ľuboš Blaha, who also answered a blue-card question from Raquel García Hermida-Van Der Walle, Monika Hohlmeier, who also answered a blue-card question from Diana Iovanovici Şoşoacă, Krzysztof Śmiszek, who also declined to take a blue-card question from Jacek Ozdoba, Ondřej Knotek, Moritz Körner, Kim Van Sparrentak, Tomasz Froelich, Lukas Sieper, Michał Wawrykiewicz, who also answered a blue-card question from Ernő Schaller-Baross, Chloé Ridel, Fabrice Leggeri, Sigrid Friis, Mélissa Camara, who also answered a blue-card question from Jacek Ozdoba, Reinhold Lopatka, who also answered a blue-card question from Daniel Freund, Evin Incir, Jorge Buxadé Villalba, Rasmus Nordqvist, Regina Doherty, Matjaž Nemec, András László, who also answered a blue-card question from András Tivadar Kulja, Rosa Estaràs Ferragut and Dóra Dávid, who also answered a blue-card question from Annamária Vicsek.

    The following spoke under the catch-the-eye procedure: Maria Walsh, Juan Fernando López Aguilar, Csaba Dömötör and Dainius Žalimas.

    The following spoke: Lukas Sieper, concerning what certain speakers had said.

    The following spoke: Michael McGrath.

    The debate closed.


    13. The importance of trans-European transport infrastructure in times of stalling economic growth and major threats to Europe’s security (debate)

    Council and Commission statements: The importance of trans-European transport infrastructure in times of stalling economic growth and major threats to Europe’s security (2025/2609(RSP))

    Apostolos Tzitzikostas (Member of the Commission) made the statement on behalf of the Commission.

    The following spoke: Jens Gieseke, on behalf of the PPE Group, Johan Danielsson, on behalf of the S&D Group, Roman Haider, on behalf of the PfE Group, Roberts Zīle, on behalf of the ECR Group, Jan-Christoph Oetjen, on behalf of the Renew Group, Kai Tegethoff, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Merja Kyllönen, on behalf of The Left Group, and Siegbert Frank Droese, on behalf of the ESN Group.

    IN THE CHAIR: Javi LÓPEZ
    Vice-President

    The following spoke: Dariusz Joński, Sérgio Gonçalves, Julien Leonardelli, Georgiana Teodorescu, Valérie Devaux, Stanislav Stoyanov, Luis-Vicențiu Lazarus, Sophia Kircher, who also answered a blue-card question from Bogdan Rzońca, François Kalfon, Rody Tolassy, Mario Mantovani, Thomas Geisel, Borja Giménez Larraz, Rosa Serrano Sierra, Ondřej Krutílek, Elena Nevado del Campo, Ştefan Muşoiu, who also answered a blue-card question from João Oliveira, Aurelijus Veryga, Nikolina Brnjac, Piotr Müller and Kosma Złotowski.

    The following spoke under the catch-the-eye procedure: Nina Carberry, Sandra Gómez López, Annamária Vicsek, Antonella Sberna, Oihane Agirregoitia Martínez, João Oliveira, Lefteris Nikolaou-Alavanos and Francisco José Millán Mon.

    The following spoke: Apostolos Tzitzikostas.

    The debate closed.


    14. Outcome of the recent COP16 biodiversity negotiations in Rome (debate)

    Council and Commission statements: Outcome of the recent COP16 biodiversity negotiations in Rome (2025/2636(RSP))

    Jessika Roswall (Member of the Commission) made the statement on behalf of the Commission.

    The following spoke: Christine Schneider, on behalf of the PPE Group, César Luena, on behalf of the S&D Group, Mireia Borrás Pabón, on behalf of the PfE Group, Michele Picaro, on behalf of the ECR Group, Gerben-Jan Gerbrandy, on behalf of the Renew Group, Jutta Paulus, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Carola Rackete, on behalf of The Left Group, Sérgio Humberto, who also answered a blue-card question from João Oliveira, Antonio Decaro, Michal Wiezik, Pär Holmgren and Manuela Ripa.

    The following spoke under the catch-the-eye procedure: Seán Kelly and João Oliveira.

    The following spoke: Jessika Roswall.

    The debate closed.


    15. Delivering on the EU Roma Strategy and the fight against discrimination in the EU (debate)

    Council and Commission statements: Delivering on the EU Roma Strategy and the fight against discrimination in the EU (2025/2611(RSP))

    Hadja Lahbib (Member of the Commission) made the statement on behalf of the Commission.

    IN THE CHAIR: Younous OMARJEE
    Vice-President

    The following spoke: Zoltán Tarr, on behalf of the PPE Group, Murielle Laurent, on behalf of the S&D Group, Elisabeth Dieringer, on behalf of the PfE Group, Alessandro Ciriani, on behalf of the ECR Group, Hristo Petrov, on behalf of the Renew Group, Alice Kuhnke, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group, Estrella Galán, on behalf of The Left Group, Milan Mazurek, on behalf of the ESN Group, Loránt Vincze, Francisco Assis, who also answered a blue-card question from João Oliveira, Georgiana Teodorescu, Nicolae Ştefănuță, Tomáš Zdechovský, Marcos Ros Sempere, Reinhold Lopatka and Juan Fernando López Aguilar.

    The following spoke under the catch-the-eye procedure: Silvia Sardone, Isabella Tovaglieri, Katrin Langensiepen and João Oliveira.

    The following spoke: Hadja Lahbib.

    The debate closed.


    16. Composition of committees and delegations

    The non-attached Members had notified the President of the following decisions changing the composition of the committees and delegations:

    – Delegation to the EU-Montenegro Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee: Grzegorz Braun

    – Delegation to the OACPS-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly: Kateřina Konečná

    The decisions took effect as of that day.


    17. Threat to freedom of expression in Algeria: the five-year prison sentence of French writer Boualem Sansal (debate)

    Commission statement: Threat to freedom of expression in Algeria: the five-year prison sentence of French writer Boualem Sansal (2025/2655(RSP))

    Hadja Lahbib (Member of the Commission) made the statement.

    The following spoke: Céline Imart, on behalf of the PPE Group, Emma Rafowicz, on behalf of the S&D Group, Gilles Pennelle, on behalf of the PfE Group, Bernard Guetta, on behalf of the Renew Group, and Alexander Sell, on behalf of the ESN Group.

    The following spoke: Hadja Lahbib.

    The debate closed.


    18. Debate on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law (debate)

    (For the titles and authors of the motions for resolutions, see minutes of 3.4.2025, item I.)


    18.1. Prosecution of journalists in Cameroon, notably the cases of Amadou Vamoulké, Kingsley Fomunyuy Njoka, Mancho Bibixy, Thomas Awah Junior, Tsi Conrad

    Motions for resolutions B10-0230/2025, B10-0231/2025, B10-0232/2025, B10-0233/2025, B10-0234/2025, B10-0235/2025, B10-0236/2025 and B10-0237/2025 (2025/2627(RSP))

    Tomáš Zdechovský, Marta Temido, Catarina Vieira, Rima Hassan and Silvia Sardone introduced their groups’ motions for resolutions.

    The following spoke: Hannes Heide, on behalf of the S&D Group, and Marco Tarquinio.

    The following spoke under the catch-the-eye procedure: Lukas Sieper.

    The following spoke: Hadja Lahbib (Member of the Commission).

    The debate closed.

    Vote: 3 April 2025.


    18.2. Execution spree in Iran and the confirmation of the death sentences of activists Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hassani

    Motions for resolutions B10-0220/2025, B10-0222/2025, B10-0224/2025, B10-0225/2025, B10-0226/2025 and B10-0228/2025 (2025/2628(RSP))

    Danuše Nerudová, Francisco Assis, Veronika Vrecionová, Helmut Brandstätter, Hannah Neumann and Matthieu Valet introduced their groups’ motions for resolutions.

    The following spoke: Milan Zver, on behalf of the PPE Group, Daniel Attard, on behalf of the S&D Group, Petras Auštrevičius, on behalf of the Renew Group, Davor Ivo Stier and Evin Incir.

    The following spoke under the catch-the-eye procedure: Tiago Moreira de Sá.

    The following spoke: Hadja Lahbib (Member of the Commission).

    The debate closed.

    Vote: 3 April 2025.


    18.3. Immediate risk of further repression by Lukashenka’s regime in Belarus – threats from the Investigative Committee

    Motions for resolutions B10-0218/2025, B10-0219/2025, B10-0221/2025, B10-0223/2025, B10-0227/2025 and B10-0229/2025 (2025/2629(RSP))

    Miriam Lexmann, Małgorzata Gosiewska, Helmut Brandstätter, Mārtiņš Staķis and Merja Kyllönen introduced their groups’ motions for resolutions.

    The following spoke: Michał Szczerba, on behalf of the PPE Group, Vytenis Povilas Andriukaitis, on behalf of the S&D Group, Dainius Žalimas, on behalf of the Renew Group, and Petar Volgin, on behalf of the ESN Group.

    The following spoke: Hadja Lahbib (Member of the Commission).

    The debate closed.

    Vote: 3 April 2025.


    19. Explanations of vote


    19.1. Implementation of the common foreign and security policy – annual report 2024 (A10-0010/2025 – David McAllister) (oral explanations of vote)

    Petar Volgin


    19.2. Implementation of the common security and defence policy – annual report 2024 (A10-0011/2025 – Nicolás Pascual de la Parte) (oral explanations of vote)

    Kathleen Funchion, Lynn Boylan


    19.3. Written explanations of vote

    Explanations of vote submitted in writing under Rule 201 appear on the Members’ pages on Parliament’s website.


    20. Agenda of the next sitting

    The next sitting would be held the following day, 3 April 2025, starting at 09:00. The agenda was available on Parliament’s website.


    21. Approval of the minutes of the sitting

    In accordance with Rule 208(3), the minutes of the sitting would be put to the House for approval at the beginning of the afternoon of the next sitting.


    22. Closure of the sitting

    The sitting closed at 21:27.


    LIST OF DOCUMENTS SERVING AS A BASIS FOR THE DEBATES AND DECISIONS OF PARLIAMENT


    I. Motions for resolutions tabled

    Prosecution of journalists in Cameroon, notably the cases of Amadou Vamoulké, Kingsley Fomunyuy Njoka, Mancho Bibixy, Thomas Awah Junior, Tsi Conrad

    The following Members or political groups had requested that a debate be held, in accordance with Rule 150, on the following motions for resolutions:

    on the prosecution of journalists in Cameroon, notably the cases of Amadou Vamoulké, Kingsley Fomunyuy Njoka, Mancho Bibixy, Thomas Awah Junior and Tsi Conrad (B10-0230/2025) (2025/2627(RSP))
    Rima Hassan
    on behalf of The Left Group

    on the prosecution of journalists in Cameroon, notably the cases of Amadou Vamoulké, Kingsley Fomunyuy Njoka, Mancho Bibixy, Thomas Awah Junior and Tsi Conrad (B10-0231/2025) (2025/2627(RSP))
    Tomasz Froelich, Alexander Sell, Petr Bystron
    on behalf of the ESN Group

    on the prosecution of journalists in Cameroon, notably the cases of Amadou Vamoulké, Kingsley Fomunyuy Njoka, Mancho Bibixy, Thomas Awah Junior and Tsi Conrad (B10-0232/2025) (2025/2627(RSP))
    Catarina Vieira, Mounir Satouri, Maria Ohisalo, Ville Niinistö, Nicolae Ştefănuță
    on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group

    on the prosecution of journalists in Cameroon, notably the cases of Amadou Vamoulké, Kingsley Fomunyuy Njoka, Mancho Bibixy, Thomas Awah Junior and Tsi Conrad (B10-0233/2025) (2025/2627(RSP))
    Yannis Maniatis, Francisco Assis, Marta Temido
    on behalf of the S&D Group

    on the prosecution of journalists in Cameroon, notably the cases of Amadou Vamoulké, Kingsley Fomunyuy Njoka, Mancho Bibixy, Thomas Awah Junior and Tsi Conrad (B10-0234/2025) (2025/2627(RSP))
    Silvia Sardone, Susanna Ceccardi, Roberto Vannacci, Nikola Bartůšek
    on behalf of the PfE Group

    on the prosecution of journalists in Cameroon, notably the cases of Amadou Vamoulké, Kingsley Fomunyuy Njoka, Mancho Bibixy, Thomas Awah Junior and Tsi Conrad (B10-0235/2025) (2025/2627(RSP))
    Jan-Christoph Oetjen, Oihane Agirregoitia Martínez, Petras Auštrevičius, Malik Azmani, Dan Barna, Olivier Chastel, Engin Eroglu, Svenja Hahn, Karin Karlsbro, Ilhan Kyuchyuk, Urmas Paet, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, Hilde Vautmans, Lucia Yar
    on behalf of the Renew Group

    on the prosecution of journalists in Cameroon, notably the cases of Amadou Vamoulké, Kingsley Fomunyuy Njoka, Mancho Bibixy, Thomas Awah Junior and Tsi Conrad (B10-0236/2025) (2025/2627(RSP))
    Sebastião Bugalho, Tomáš Zdechovský, Michael Gahler, Isabel Wiseler-Lima, Michał Wawrykiewicz, Tomas Tobé, Luděk Niedermayer, Seán Kelly, Vangelis Meimarakis, Andrey Kovatchev, Wouter Beke, Danuše Nerudová, Loránt Vincze, Jessica Polfjärd, Łukasz Kohut, Antonio López-Istúriz White, Miriam Lexmann, Inese Vaidere
    on behalf of the PPE Group

    on the prosecution of journalists in Cameroon, notably the cases of Amadou Vamoulké, Kingsley Fomunyuy Njoka, Mancho Bibixy, Thomas Awah Junior and Tsi Conrad (B10-0237/2025) (2025/2627(RSP))
    Adam Bielan, Sebastian Tynkkynen, Ondřej Krutílek, Veronika Vrecionová, Małgorzata Gosiewska, Alexandr Vondra, Waldemar Tomaszewski, Assita Kanko, Ivaylo Valchev, Joachim Stanisław Brudziński
    on behalf of the ECR Group

    Execution spree in Iran and the confirmation of the death sentences of activists Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hassani

    The following Members or political groups had requested that a debate be held, in accordance with Rule 150, on the following motions for resolutions:

    on the execution spree in Iran and confirmation of the death sentences of activists Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hassani (B10-0220/2025) (2025/2628(RSP))
    Hannah Neumann, Mounir Satouri, Erik Marquardt, Catarina Vieira, Ville Niinistö, Nicolae Ştefănuță, Mélissa Camara, Maria Ohisalo
    on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group

    on the execution spree in Iran and the confirmation of the death sentences of activists Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hassani (B10-0222/2025) (2025/2628(RSP))
    Matthieu Valet, Pierre-Romain Thionnet, Nikola Bartůšek, Susanna Ceccardi, Silvia Sardone
    on behalf of the PfE Group

    on the execution spree in Iran and confirmation of the death sentences of activists Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hassani (B10-0224/2025) (2025/2628(RSP))
    Helmut Brandstätter, Oihane Agirregoitia Martínez, Abir Al-Sahlani, Petras Auštrevičius, Malik Azmani, Dan Barna, Olivier Chastel, Veronika Cifrová Ostrihoňová, Engin Eroglu, Bart Groothuis, Svenja Hahn, Karin Karlsbro, Ilhan Kyuchyuk, Nathalie Loiseau, Jan-Christoph Oetjen, Urmas Paet, Hilde Vautmans, Sophie Wilmès, Lucia Yar
    on behalf of the Renew Group

    on the execution spree in Iran and the confirmation of the death sentences of activists Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hassani (B10-0225/2025) (2025/2628(RSP))
    Yannis Maniatis, Francisco Assis, Daniel Attard, Evin Incir
    on behalf of the S&D Group

    on the execution spree in Iran and confirmation of the death sentences of activists Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hassani (B10-0226/2025) (2025/2628(RSP))
    Mariusz Kamiński, Sebastian Tynkkynen, Michał Dworczyk, Małgorzata Gosiewska, Ondřej Krutílek, Veronika Vrecionová, Waldemar Tomaszewski, Alexandr Vondra, Aurelijus Veryga, Assita Kanko
    on behalf of the ECR Group

    on the execution spree in Iran and confirmation of the death sentences of activists Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hassani (B10-0228/2025) (2025/2628(RSP))
    Sebastião Bugalho, Loucas Fourlas, Michael Gahler, Isabel Wiseler-Lima, Michał Wawrykiewicz, Tomas Tobé, Luděk Niedermayer, Seán Kelly, Vangelis Meimarakis, Andrey Kovatchev, Wouter Beke, Danuše Nerudová, Loránt Vincze, Jessica Polfjärd, Łukasz Kohut, Antonio López-Istúriz White, Tomáš Zdechovský, Miriam Lexmann, Inese Vaidere
    on behalf of the PPE Group

    Immediate risk of further repression by Lukashenka’s regime in Belarus – threats from the Investigative Committee

    The following Members or political groups had requested that a debate be held, in accordance with Rule 150, on the following motions for resolutions:

    on the immediate risk of further repression by Lukashenka’s regime in Belarus: threats from the Investigative Committee (B10-0218/2025) (2025/2629(RSP))
    Merja Kyllönen
    on behalf of The Left Group

    on the immediate risk of further repression by Lukashenka’s regime in Belarus – threats from the Investigative Committee (B10-0219/2025) (2025/2629(RSP))
    Mārtiņš Staķis, Maria Ohisalo, Mounir Satouri, Lena Schilling, Markéta Gregorová, Catarina Vieira, Nicolae Ştefănuță, Ville Niinistö, Sergey Lagodinsky
    on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group

    on the immediate risk of further repression by Lukashenka’s regime in Belarus: threats from the Investigative Committee (B10-0221/2025) (2025/2629(RSP))
    Yannis Maniatis, Francisco Assis, Robert Biedroń
    on behalf of the S&D Group

    on the immediate risk of further repression by Lukashenka’s regime in Belarus – threats from the Investigative Committee (B10-0223/2025) (2025/2629(RSP))
    Adam Bielan, Małgorzata Gosiewska, Mariusz Kamiński, Michał Dworczyk, Maciej Wąsik, Sebastian Tynkkynen, Ondřej Krutílek, Veronika Vrecionová, Alexandr Vondra, Assita Kanko, Aurelijus Veryga, Rihards Kols, Joachim Stanisław Brudziński, Ivaylo Valchev, Roberts Zīle
    on behalf of the ECR Group

    on the immediate risk of further repression by Lukashenka’s regime in Belarus – threats from the Investigative Committee (B10-0227/2025) (2025/2629(RSP))
    Michał Kobosko, Oihane Agirregoitia Martínez, Petras Auštrevičius, Malik Azmani, Dan Barna, Helmut Brandstätter, Olivier Chastel, Veronika Cifrová Ostrihoňová, Engin Eroglu, Svenja Hahn, Karin Karlsbro, Ľubica Karvašová, Ilhan Kyuchyuk, Jan-Christoph Oetjen, Urmas Paet, Hilde Vautmans, Lucia Yar, Dainius Žalimas
    on behalf of the Renew Group

    on the immediate risk of further repression by Lukashenka’s regime in Belarus: threats from the investigative Committee (B10-0229/2025) (2025/2629(RSP))
    Sebastião Bugalho, Miriam Lexmann, Michael Gahler, Isabel Wiseler-Lima, Michał Wawrykiewicz, Tomas Tobé, Dariusz Joński, Luděk Niedermayer, Seán Kelly, Vangelis Meimarakis, Andrey Kovatchev, Wouter Beke, Danuše Nerudová, Loránt Vincze, Jessica Polfjärd, Sandra Kalniete, Łukasz Kohut, Antonio López-Istúriz White, Tomáš Zdechovský, Inese Vaidere
    on behalf of the PPE Group


    II. Delegated acts (Rule 114(2))

    Draft delegated acts forwarded to Parliament

    – Commission Delegated Regulation correcting certain language versions of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2024/857 supplementing Directive 2013/36/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council with regard to regulatory technical standards specifying a standardised methodology and a simplified standardised methodology to evaluate the risks arising from potential changes in interest rates that affect both the economic value of equity and the net interest income of an institution’s non-trading book activities (C(2025)01555 – 2025/2614(DEA))

    Deadline for raising objections: 3 months from the date of receipt of 17 March 2025

    referred to committee responsible: ECON

    – Commission Delegated Regulation correcting the Dutch language version of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/945 on unmanned aircraft systems and on third-country operators of unmanned aircraft systems (C(2025)01614 – 2025/2625(DEA))

    Deadline for raising objections: 2 months from the date of receipt of 24 March 2025

    referred to committee responsible: TRAN

    – Commission Delegated Regulation correcting Delegated Regulation (EU) 2018/273 as regards the import of wine originating in Canada (C(2025)01628 – 2025/2617(DEA))

    Deadline for raising objections: 2 months from the date of receipt of 19 March 2025

    referred to committee responsible: AGRI

    – Commission Delegated Regulation supplementing Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 of the European Parliament and of the Council by establishing the methodology for calculation and verification of rates for recycling efficiency and recovery of materials from waste batteries, and the format for the documentation (C(2025)01674 – 2025/2621(DEA))

    Deadline for raising objections: 3 months from the date of receipt of 21 March 2025

    referred to committee responsible: ENVI
    opinion: ITRE, IMCO

    – Commission Delegated Regulation supplementing Regulation (EU) 2022/2554 of the European Parliament and of the Council with regard to regulatory technical standards specifying the elements that a financial entity has to determine and assess when subcontracting ICT services supporting critical or important functions (C(2025)01682 – 2025/2623(DEA))

    Deadline for raising objections: 3 months from the date of receipt of 24 March 2025

    referred to committee responsible: ECON

    – Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) amending Regulation (EU) No 691/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards investments on climate change mitigation and introducing the classification of environmental purposes (C(2025)01777 – 2025/2643(DEA))

    Deadline for raising objections: 2 months from the date of receipt of 26 March 2025

    referred to committee responsible: ENVI

    – Commission Delegated Regulation supplementing Regulation (EU) 2024/1449 of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans by setting out the elements of the scoreboard for the Reform and Growth Facility (C(2025)01810 – 2025/2651(DEA))

    Deadline for raising objections: 1 month from the date of receipt of 28 March 2025

    referred to committee responsible: AFET, BUDG

    – Commission Delegated Regulation correcting Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/126 supplementing Regulation (EU) 2021/2115 of the European Parliament and of the Council with additional requirements for certain types of intervention specified by Member States in their CAP Strategic Plans for the period 2023 to 2027 under that Regulation as well as rules on the ratio for the good agricultural and environmental conditions (GAEC) standard 1 (C(2025)01846 – 2025/2652(DEA))

    Deadline for raising objections: 2 months from the date of receipt of 31 March 2025

    referred to committee responsible: AGRI
    opinion: ENVI

    Draft delegated act for which the period for raising objections had been extended

    – Commission Delegated Regulation amending Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/1122 supplementing Directive 2003/87/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the functioning of the Union Registry C(2025)00814 – 2025/2562(DEA)

    Deadline for raising objections: 2 months from the date of receipt of 11 February 2025

    Extension of the deadline for raising objections: 2 months at the request of the Council

    referred to committee responsible: ENVI
    opinion: ITRE


    III. Implementing measures (Rule 115)

    Draft implementing measures falling under the regulatory procedure with scrutiny forwarded to Parliament

    – Commission Regulation (EU) amending Regulation (EU) No 142/2011 as regards requirements for the import of used cooking oil (D098112/02 – 2025/2615(RPS) – deadline: 18 June 2025)
    referred to committee responsible: ENVI

    – Commission Regulation amending Annexes II and III to Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards maximum residue levels for cyantraniliprole, cyflumetofen, deltamethrin, mefentrifluconazole, mepiquat and oxathiapiprolin in or on certain products (D102376/03 – 2025/2626(RPS) – deadline: 26 May 2025)
    referred to committee responsible: ENVI

    – Commission Regulation amending Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards carcinogens, germ cell mutagens or reproductive toxicants subject to restrictions (D102504/02 – 2025/2607(RPS) – deadline: 11 June 2025)
    referred to committee responsible: ENVI
    opinion: ITRE, IMCO

    – Commission Regulation amending Annexes II, III and IV to Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards maximum residue levels for amidosulfuron, azoxystrobin, hexythiazox, isoxaben, picloram, propamocarb, sodium silver thiosulfate and tefluthrin in or on certain products (D105252/02 – 2025/2622(RPS) – deadline: 21 May 2025)
    referred to committee responsible: ENVI

    – Commission Regulation amending Annexes II, III and V to Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards maximum residue levels for chlorpropham, fuberidazole, ipconazole, methoxyfenozide, S-metolachlor and triflusulfuron in or on certain products (D105253/03 – 2025/2624(RPS) – deadline: 25 May 2025)
    referred to committee responsible: ENVI

    – Commission Regulation amending Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 1334/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the inclusion of Naringenin and 2‐methyl‐1‐(2‐(5‐(p‐tolyl)‐1H‐imidazol‐2‐yl)piperidin‐1‐yl)butan‐1‐one in the Union list of flavourings (D105330/02 – 2025/2620(RPS) – deadline: 21 May 2025)
    referred to committee responsible: ENVI

    – Commission Regulation amending Annex III to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the use of sodium ascorbate (E 301) in vitamin A preparations intended for infant formula and follow-on formula (D105364/02 – 2025/2619(RPS) – deadline: 21 May 2025)
    referred to committee responsible: ENVI

    – Commission Regulation amending Regulation (EU) 2023/1803 as regards International Financial Reporting Standards 1, 7, 9 and 10, and International Accounting Standard 7 (Text with EEA relevance) (D105674/01 – 2025/2616(RPS) – deadline: 11 June 2025)
    referred to committee responsible: ECON
    opinion: JURI


    IV. Transfers of appropriations and budgetary decisions

    In accordance with Article 31(1) of the Financial Regulation, the Committee on Budgets had decided to approve the Commission’s transfer of appropriations DEC 02/2025 – Section III – Commission.

    In accordance with Article 31(6) of the Financial Regulation, the Council of the European Union had decided to approve the European Commission’s transfer of appropriations DEC 02/2025 – Section III – Commission.

    In accordance with Article 31(6) of the Financial Regulation, the Council of the European Union had decided to approve transfer of appropriations 1-DEC/2025 – Section IV – Court of Justice.


    In accordance with Article 31(6) of the Financial Regulation, the Council of the European Union had decided to approve transfer of appropriations DEC-01/T/2025 – Section V – Court of Auditors.

    In accordance with Articles 31 and 49 of the Financial Regulation, the Committee on Budgets had decided to approve transfer of appropriations 1-DEC – Section IV – Court of Justice.

    In accordance with Articles 31 and 49 of the Financial Regulation, the Committee on Budgets had decided to approve transfer of appropriations V/DEC-01/T/25 – Section V – Court of Auditors.


    V. Documents received

    The following documents had been received from other institutions:

    – Proposal for transfer of appropriations DEC 03/2025 – Section III – Commission (N10-0011/2025 – C10-0050/2025 – 2025/2066(GBD))
    referred to committee responsible: BUDG

    – Proposal for transfer of appropriations DEC 04/2025 – Section III – Commission (N10-0012/2025 – C10-0053/2025 – 2025/2068(GBD))
    referred to committee responsible: BUDG


    ATTENDANCE REGISTER

    Present:

    Aaltola Mika, Abadía Jover Maravillas, Adamowicz Magdalena, Aftias Georgios, Agirregoitia Martínez Oihane, Agius Peter, Agius Saliba Alex, Alexandraki Galato, Allione Grégory, Al-Sahlani Abir, Anadiotis Nikolaos, Anderson Christine, Andersson Li, Andresen Rasmus, Andrews Barry, Andriukaitis Vytenis Povilas, Androuët Mathilde, Angel Marc, Annemans Gerolf, Annunziata Lucia, Arias Echeverría Pablo, Arimont Pascal, Arłukowicz Bartosz, Arnaoutoglou Sakis, Arndt Anja, Arvanitis Konstantinos, Asens Llodrà Jaume, Assis Francisco, Attard Daniel, Aubry Manon, Auštrevičius Petras, Axinia Adrian-George, Azmani Malik, Bajada Thomas, Baljeu Jeannette, Ballarín Cereza Laura, Bardella Jordan, Barley Katarina, Barna Dan, Barrena Arza Pernando, Bartulica Stephen Nikola, Bartůšek Nikola, Bausemer Arno, Bay Nicolas, Bay Christophe, Beke Wouter, Beleris Fredis, Bellamy François-Xavier, Benifei Brando, Benjumea Benjumea Isabel, Beňová Monika, Bentele Hildegard, Berendsen Tom, Berger Stefan, Berlato Sergio, Bernhuber Alexander, Biedroń Robert, Bielan Adam, Bischoff Gabriele, Blaha Ľuboš, Blinkevičiūtė Vilija, Blom Rachel, Bloss Michael, Bocheński Tobiasz, Boeselager Damian, Bogdan Ioan-Rareş, Bonaccini Stefano, Bonte Barbara, Borchia Paolo, Borrás Pabón Mireia, Borvendég Zsuzsanna, Borzan Biljana, Bosanac Gordan, Boßdorf Irmhild, Bosse Stine, Botenga Marc, Boyer Gilles, Boylan Lynn, Brandstätter Helmut, Brasier-Clain Marie-Luce, Braun Grzegorz, Brejza Krzysztof, Bricmont Saskia, Brnjac Nikolina, Brudziński Joachim Stanisław, Buchheit Markus, Buczek Tomasz, Buda Daniel, Buda Waldemar, Budka Borys, Bugalho Sebastião, Buła Andrzej, Bullmann Udo, Burkhardt Delara, Buxadé Villalba Jorge, Bystron Petr, Bžoch Jaroslav, Camara Mélissa, Canfin Pascal, Carberry Nina, Cârciu Gheorghe, Carême Damien, Casa David, Caspary Daniel, Castillo Laurent, del Castillo Vera Pilar, Cavazzini Anna, Cavedagna Stefano, Ceccardi Susanna, Cepeda José, Ceulemans Estelle, Chahim Mohammed, Chaibi Leila, Chastel Olivier, Chinnici Caterina, Christensen Asger, Cifrová Ostrihoňová Veronika, Ciriani Alessandro, Cisint Anna Maria, Clausen Per, Clergeau Christophe, Cormand David, Corrado Annalisa, Costanzo Vivien, Cotrim De Figueiredo João, Cowen Barry, Cremer Tobias, Crespo Díaz Carmen, Cristea Andi, Crosetto Giovanni, Cunha Paulo, Dahl Henrik, Danielsson Johan, Dávid Dóra, David Ivan, de la Hoz Quintano Raúl, Della Valle Danilo, Deloge Valérie, De Masi Fabio, De Meo Salvatore, Demirel Özlem, Deutsch Tamás, Devaux Valérie, Dibrani Adnan, Diepeveen Ton, Dieringer Elisabeth, Dîncu Vasile, Di Rupo Elio, Disdier Mélanie, Dobrev Klára, Doherty Regina, Doleschal Christian, Dömötör Csaba, Do Nascimento Cabral Paulo, Donazzan Elena, Dorfmann Herbert, Dostalova Klara, Dostál Ondřej, Droese Siegbert Frank, Düpont Lena, Dworczyk Michał, Ecke Matthias, Ehler Christian, Ehlers Marieke, Eriksson Sofie, Erixon Dick, Eroglu Engin, Estaràs Ferragut Rosa, Everding Sebastian, Ezcurra Almansa Alma, Falcă Gheorghe, Falcone Marco, Farantouris Nikolas, Farreng Laurence, Farský Jan, Ferber Markus, Ferenc Viktória, Fernández Jonás, Fidanza Carlo, Fiocchi Pietro, Firea Gabriela, Firmenich Ruth, Fita Claire, Flanagan Luke Ming, Fourlas Loucas, Fourreau Emma, Fragkos Emmanouil, Freund Daniel, Frigout Anne-Sophie, Friis Sigrid, Fritzon Heléne, Froelich Tomasz, Fuglsang Niels, Funchion Kathleen, Furet Angéline, Furore Mario, Gahler Michael, Gál Kinga, Galán Estrella, Gálvez Lina, Gambino Alberico, García Hermida-Van Der Walle Raquel, Garraud Jean-Paul, Gasiuk-Pihowicz Kamila, Geadi Geadis, Gedin Hanna, Geese Alexandra, Geier Jens, Geisel Thomas, Gemma Chiara, Georgiou Giorgos, Gerbrandy Gerben-Jan, Germain Jean-Marc, Gerzsenyi Gabriella, Geuking Niels, Gieseke Jens, Giménez Larraz Borja, Girauta Vidal Juan Carlos, Glavak Sunčana, Glück Andreas, Glucksmann Raphaël, Goerens Charles, Gomart Christophe, Gomes Isilda, Gómez López Sandra, Gonçalves Bruno, Gonçalves Sérgio, González Casares Nicolás, González Pons Esteban, Gori Giorgio, Gosiewska Małgorzata, Gotink Dirk, Gozi Sandro, Grapini Maria, Gražulis Petras, Gregorová Markéta, Grims Branko, Griset Catherine, Gronkiewicz-Waltz Hanna, Groothuis Bart, Grossmann Elisabeth, Grudler Christophe, Gualmini Elisabetta, Guarda Cristina, Guetta Bernard, Guzenina Maria, Győri Enikő, Gyürk András, Hadjipantela Michalis, Hahn Svenja, Haider Roman, Halicki Andrzej, Hansen Niels Flemming, Hassan Rima, Hauser Gerald, Häusling Martin, Hava Mircea-Gheorghe, Heide Hannes, Heinäluoma Eero, Henriksson Anna-Maja, Herbst Niclas, Herranz García Esther, Hetman Krzysztof, Hohlmeier Monika, Hojsík Martin, Holmgren Pär, Homs Ginel Alicia, Humberto Sérgio, Ijabs Ivars, Imart Céline, Incir Evin, Inselvini Paolo, Iovanovici Şoşoacă Diana, Jalloul Muro Hana, Jamet France, Jarubas Adam, Jerković Romana, Jongen Marc, Joński Dariusz, Joron Virginie, Jouvet Pierre, Joveva Irena, Juknevičienė Rasa, Junco García Nora, Jungbluth Alexander, Kalfon François, Kaliňák Erik, Kaljurand Marina, Kalniete Sandra, Kamiński Mariusz, Kanev Radan, Kanko Assita, Karlsbro Karin, Kartheiser Fernand, Karvašová Ľubica, Katainen Elsi, Kefalogiannis Emmanouil, Kelleher Billy, Keller Fabienne, Kelly Seán, Kemp Martine, Kennes Rudi, Khan Mary, Kircher Sophia, Knafo Sarah, Knotek Ondřej, Kobosko Michał, Kohut Łukasz, Kolář Ondřej, Kollár Kinga, Kols Rihards, Konečná Kateřina, Kopacz Ewa, Körner Moritz, Kountoura Elena, Kovařík Ondřej, Kovatchev Andrey, Krištopans Vilis, Kruis Sebastian, Krutílek Ondřej, Kubín Tomáš, Kuhnke Alice, Kulja András Tivadar, Kulmuni Katri, Kyllönen Merja, Kyuchyuk Ilhan, Lakos Eszter, Lalucq Aurore, Lange Bernd, Langensiepen Katrin, Laššáková Judita, László András, Latinopoulou Afroditi, Laurent Murielle, Laureti Camilla, Laykova Rada, Lazarov Ilia, Lazarus Luis-Vicențiu, Le Callennec Isabelle, Leggeri Fabrice, Lenaers Jeroen, Leonardelli Julien, Lewandowski Janusz, Lexmann Miriam, Liese Peter, Lins Norbert, Loiseau Nathalie, Løkkegaard Morten, Lopatka Reinhold, López Javi, López Aguilar Juan Fernando, López-Istúriz White Antonio, Lövin Isabella, Lucano Mimmo, Luena César, Łukacijewska Elżbieta Katarzyna, Lupo Giuseppe, McAllister David, Madison Jaak, Maestre Cristina, Magoni Lara, Maij Marit, Maląg Marlena, Manda Claudiu, Mandl Lukas, Maniatis Yannis, Mantovani Mario, Maran Pierfrancesco, Marczułajtis-Walczak Jagna, Mariani Thierry, Marino Ignazio Roberto, Marquardt Erik, Martins Catarina, Marzà Ibáñez Vicent, Mato Gabriel, Matthieu Sara, Mavrides Costas, Maydell Eva, Mayer Georg, Mazurek Milan, Mažylis Liudas, McNamara Michael, Mebarek Nora, Mehnert Alexandra, Meimarakis Vangelis, Mendes Ana Catarina, Mendia Idoia, Mertens Verena, Mesure Marina, Metsola Roberta, Metz Tilly, Mikser Sven, Milazzo Giuseppe, Millán Mon Francisco José, Minchev Nikola, Miranda Paz Ana, Molnár Csaba, Montero Irene, Montserrat Dolors, Morace Carolina, Morano Nadine, Moratti Letizia, Moreira de Sá Tiago, Moreno Sánchez Javier, Motreanu Dan-Ştefan, Mularczyk Arkadiusz, Müller Piotr, Mullooly Ciaran, Mureşan Siegfried, Muşoiu Ştefan, Nagyová Jana, Nardella Dario, Navarrete Rojas Fernando, Negrescu Victor, Nemec Matjaž, Nerudová Danuše, Nesci Denis, Neuhoff Hans, Neumann Hannah, Nevado del Campo Elena, Nica Dan, Niebler Angelika, Niedermayer Luděk, Niinistö Ville, Nikolaou-Alavanos Lefteris, Nikolic Aleksandar, Ní Mhurchú Cynthia, Noichl Maria, Nordqvist Rasmus, Novakov Andrey, Nykiel Mirosława, Obajtek Daniel, Ódor Ľudovít, Oetjen Jan-Christoph, Ohisalo Maria, Oliveira João, Omarjee Younous, Ó Ríordáin Aodhán, Orlando Leoluca, Ozdoba Jacek, Paet Urmas, Pajín Leire, Palmisano Valentina, Papadakis Kostas, Papandreou Nikos, Pappas Nikos, Pascual de la Parte Nicolás, Patriciello Aldo, Paulus Jutta, Pedro Ana Miguel, Pedulla’ Gaetano, Pellerin-Carlin Thomas, Peltier Guillaume, Penkova Tsvetelina, Pennelle Gilles, Pereira Lídia, Pérez Alvise, Peter-Hansen Kira Marie, Petrov Hristo, Picaro Michele, Picierno Pina, Picula Tonino, Piera Pascale, Pietikäinen Sirpa, Pimpie Pierre, Piperea Gheorghe, de la Pisa Carrión Margarita, Pokorná Jermanová Jaroslava, Polato Daniele, Polfjärd Jessica, Popescu Virgil-Daniel, Pozņaks Reinis, Prebilič Vladimir, Princi Giusi, Protas Jacek, Rackete Carola, Radev Emil, Radtke Dennis, Rafowicz Emma, Ratas Jüri, Razza Ruggero, Rechagneux Julie, Regner Evelyn, Repasi René, Repp Sabrina, Ressler Karlo, Reuten Thijs, Riba i Giner Diana, Ricci Matteo, Ridel Chloé, Riehl Nela, Ripa Manuela, Rodrigues André, Ros Sempere Marcos, Roth Neveďalová Katarína, Rougé André, Ruissen Bert-Jan, Ruotolo Sandro, Rzońca Bogdan, Saeidi Arash, Salini Massimiliano, Salis Ilaria, Salla Aura, Sánchez Amor Nacho, Sanchez Julien, Sancho Murillo Elena, Saramo Jussi, Sardone Silvia, Šarec Marjan, Sargiacomo Eric, Satouri Mounir, Saudargas Paulius, Sbai Majdouline, Sberna Antonella, Schaldemose Christel, Schaller-Baross Ernő, Schenk Oliver, Scheuring-Wielgus Joanna, Schieder Andreas, Schilling Lena, Schneider Christine, Schwab Andreas, Scuderi Benedetta, Seekatz Ralf, Sell Alexander, Serrano Sierra Rosa, Serra Sánchez Isabel, Sidl Günther, Sienkiewicz Bartłomiej, Sieper Lukas, Simon Sven, Singer Christine, Sinkevičius Virginijus, Sippel Birgit, Sjöstedt Jonas, Śmiszek Krzysztof, Smith Anthony, Smit Sander, Sokol Tomislav, Solier Diego, Solís Pérez Susana, Sommen Liesbet, Sonneborn Martin, Sorel Malika, Sousa Silva Hélder, Søvndal Villy, Squarta Marco, Staķis Mārtiņš, Stancanelli Raffaele, Ştefănuță Nicolae, Steger Petra, Stier Davor Ivo, Storm Kristoffer, Stöteler Sebastiaan, Stoyanov Stanislav, Strada Cecilia, Streit Joachim, Strik Tineke, Strolenberg Anna, Sturdza Şerban Dimitrie, Stürgkh Anna, Szczerba Michał, Szekeres Pál, Szydło Beata, Tamburrano Dario, Tânger Corrêa António, Tarczyński Dominik, Tarquinio Marco, Tarr Zoltán, Târziu Claudiu-Richard, Tavares Carla, Tegethoff Kai, Temido Marta, Teodorescu Georgiana, Teodorescu Måwe Alice, Terheş Cristian, Ter Laak Ingeborg, Terras Riho, Tertsch Hermann, Thionnet Pierre-Romain, Timgren Beatrice, Tinagli Irene, Tobback Bruno, Tobé Tomas, Tolassy Rody, Tomac Eugen, Tomašič Zala, Tomaszewski Waldemar, Tomc Romana, Tonin Matej, Toom Jana, Topo Raffaele, Torselli Francesco, Tosi Flavio, Toussaint Marie, Tovaglieri Isabella, Toveri Pekka, Tridico Pasquale, Trochu Laurence, Tsiodras Dimitris, Turek Filip, Tynkkynen Sebastian, Uhrík Milan, Ušakovs Nils, Vaidere Inese, Valchev Ivaylo, Vălean Adina, Valet Matthieu, Van Brempt Kathleen, Van Brug Anouk, van den Berg Brigitte, Vandendriessche Tom, Van Dijck Kris, Van Lanschot Reinier, Van Leeuwen Jessika, Vannacci Roberto, Van Overtveldt Johan, Van Sparrentak Kim, Varaut Alexandre, Vasconcelos Ana, Vasile-Voiculescu Vlad, Vautmans Hilde, Vedrenne Marie-Pierre, Ventola Francesco, Verougstraete Yvan, Veryga Aurelijus, Vešligaj Marko, Vicsek Annamária, Vieira Catarina, Vigenin Kristian, Vilimsky Harald, Vincze Loránt, Vind Marianne, Vistisen Anders, Vivaldini Mariateresa, Volgin Petar, von der Schulenburg Michael, Vondra Alexandr, Voss Axel, Vozemberg-Vrionidi Elissavet, Vrecionová Veronika, Vázquez Lázara Adrián, Waitz Thomas, Walsh Maria, Walsmann Marion, Warborn Jörgen, Warnke Jan-Peter, Wąsik Maciej, Wawrykiewicz Michał, Wcisło Marta, Wechsler Andrea, Weimers Charlie, Werbrouck Séverine, Wiesner Emma, Wiezik Michal, Wilmès Sophie, Winkler Iuliu, Winzig Angelika, Wiseler-Lima Isabel, Wiśniewska Jadwiga, Wölken Tiemo, Wolters Lara, Yar Lucia, Yon-Courtin Stéphanie, Yoncheva Elena, Zalewska Anna, Žalimas Dainius, Zan Alessandro, Zarzalejos Javier, Zdechovský Tomáš, Zdrojewski Bogdan Andrzej, Zijlstra Auke, Zīle Roberts, Zingaretti Nicola, Złotowski Kosma, Zoido Álvarez Juan Ignacio, Zovko Željana, Zver Milan

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: NATO must be ‘stronger, fairer, and more lethal’ Foreign Secretary to say

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    NATO must be ‘stronger, fairer, and more lethal’ Foreign Secretary to say

    UK to highlight ironclad support for Alliance and push Allies to increase defence spending.

    • UK says NATO must stay strong and united to boost our collective defence in face of generational threat from Russia

    • Foreign Ministers’ summit follows biggest sustained increase in UK defence spending since the Cold War, delivering security for hardworking British people

    • Allies set out their ironclad support for Ukraine in NATO-Ukraine Council

    The UK will encourage NATO Allies to step up defence spending to support Euro-Atlantic security as the Foreign Secretary arrives in Brussels for the NATO Foreign Ministers Meeting today (Thursday 3 April).

    He will say that making NATO stronger, fairer, and more lethal is key to protecting the conditions for growth at home.

    As the Alliance steps up to face long-term and interconnected threats from Russia and its enablers , the UK will tell Allies that it’s our collective duty to boost defence spending and deter our adversaries. Increases in defence spending mean more and better capabilities, keeping us safe.

    While Russia and other actors work to destabilise Euro-Atlantic societies, the UK is playing its part, with the largest sustained increase to defence spending since the Cold War, hitting 2.5% from April 2027 and rising to 3% in the next parliament.

    Increasing defence spending by £11.8bn between now and 2027/28 will protect the conditions for growth and security at home, putting money back into the pockets of hard-working British people. Between 2023-24 the defence sector supported more than 430,000 jobs across the UK.

    In the NATO-Ukraine Council, the Foreign Secretary will discuss the practical planning undertaken by the UK, France, and other Allies to prepare and deploy as a Coalition of the Willing in the event of a peace deal.

    While Putin continues to delay and obstruct on a move to a ceasefire, the UK and Allies have doubled down to support Ukraine in the face of Russia’s barbaric invasion. Ukraine has shown its strong commitment to peace, yet Russia’s on-going bombardment of Ukrainian cities and infrastructure has not ceased. 

    The Foreign Secretary will tell Allies that now is the time to maximise pressure on Putin, through every economic lever possible, to force him to the negotiating table. 

    Foreign Secretary David Lammy said:

    Keeping our country safe is the Government’s first duty, and NATO is the cornerstone of our security, both at home and abroad.

    That’s why we have announced the biggest investment to defence spending since the Cold War.

    Allies must spend more, produce more and deliver more on defence so NATO can become stronger, fairer and more lethal – boosting our collective defence ensures that NATO is ready for the threats and challenges we face.

    At the meeting David Lammy will discuss shared security threats and challenges with counterparts from NATO, as well as the EU and NATO’s Indo-Pacific partners – Australia, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea. This includes the challenges China poses to both Indo-Pacific and Euro-Atlantic security, especially its enablement of Russia’s illegal war.

    The NATO Foreign Ministers Meeting follows a week of meetings on regional security with Allies and partners across Europe.

    On Sunday the Foreign Secretary visited STRIKFORNATO, the naval command centre for the Allied Command Operations outside of Lisbon, before heading to the Weimar Plus Foreign Ministers Meeting in Madrid on Monday, where he urged partners to take a united approach to the global challenges posed by Russia’s war machine. He also visited British and other NATO troops stationed in Kosovo to maintain stability in the Western Balkans.

    On Tuesday, the UK added Russia to the UK’s Foreign Influence Registration Scheme to expose interference attempts on British soil.

    Updates to this page

    Published 3 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Arrest of two men in west London linked to Hezbollah

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Two men have been arrested on suspicion of terrorism offences as part of a proactive investigation by the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command.

    Detectives arrested a 39-year-old man [A] on Tuesday, 1 April at an address in north west London on suspicion of being a member of a proscribed organisation, preparation for acts of terrorism and being involved in a funding arrangement for the purposes of terrorism.

    Officers also arrested a 35-year-old man [B] at an address in west London on suspicion of being a member of a proscribed organisation.

    The investigation relates to Hezbollah, a proscribed organisation under UK counter terrorism legislation. The investigation is largely focused on activity overseas, as well as activity within the UK. At this time, there is not believed to be any imminent threat to the public .

    Commander Dominic Murphy, head of the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command said: “Terrorism and terrorists have a global reach and impact and the activities of terrorist groups overseas can harm communities here in the UK as well as causing devastation to those abroad.

    “Our investigation remains ongoing, but I hope that these arrests show we will take robust action against anyone here whom we suspect as being involved in terrorist activity regardless of whether their activity is focused here in the UK or elsewhere.”

    The two men were taken to a London police station, and have since been released on bail until a date in mid-July.

    Searches were carried out at five addresses – two in North West London, one in West London, one in South West London and one in Essex – and these are now complete.

    Enquiries continue

    + Communities defeat terrorism, and information from the public is vital to counter terrorism investigations. If you see or hear something that doesn’t feel right, then trust your instincts and ACT by reporting it in confidence at www.gov.uk/ACT or call police in confidence on 0800 789 321.

    In an emergency, always dial 999.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Estes Reintroduces Legislation to Protect American Taxpayers

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Ron Estes (R-Kansas)

    Today, Rep. Ron Estes (R-Kansas), joined by every Ways and Means Republican, reintroduced the Unfair Tax Prevention Act to discourage foreign countries from attacking U.S. jobs and tax revenues through the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)’s Pillar 2 so-called Under Taxed Profit Rule (UTPR) surtax. The bill ensures that if a country moves forward with a UTPR surtax on American workers and businesses, the United States will impose a reciprocal tax measure that will apply as long as the foreign country’s unfair tax remains in place.
     
    “When it comes to international taxes, the United States should put American businesses and the U.S. Treasury first – a departure from the Biden administration’s policies of putting America last,” said Rep. Estes. “The OECD and their so-called Under Taxed Profit Rule in Pillar 2 is a disgraceful surtax that disproportionately impacts U.S. job creators and our country’s economic competitiveness by targeting our companies for foreign treasuries’ gains. Ways and Means Republicans stand behind President Trump, who has clearly stated that he will protect American interests in any global tax negotiations, in defending our tax base from unfair extraterritorial taxes by foreign countries. Our allies and partners should take note – abandon the UTPR surtax.”
     
    Background
    The Unfair Tax Prevention Act defends Americans from unfair taxation by foreign countries with a reciprocal tax measure for any country that decides to target Americans under the guise of the OECD deal:

    • Defines “foreign-owned extraterritorial tax regime entities” (FETR entities) as foreign-controlled entities connected with entities operating in jurisdictions with extraterritorial taxes aimed at U.S. business operations, including the UTPR surtax. 
    • Strengthens anti-avoidance rules in the U.S. base erosion and anti-abuse tax (BEAT), by eliminating the 3% base erosion percentage floor and the $500 million gross receipts test for FETR entities.
    • Revokes the ability of FETR entities to disregard certain service payments and payments subject to withholding taxes, and treats 50% of cost of goods sold as a base erosion tax benefit.
    • Accelerates the scheduled BEAT rate increase and tax credit changes for FETR entities.

    For years Rep. Estes has been sounding the alarm and pushing back against the OECD’s global tax scheme, and outside organizations, like the Federation of German Industries (BDI) and the American Free Enterprise Chamber of Commerce, agree. Earlier this week, he commented on reports that Treasury delivered a memo to the White House in response to President Donald Trump’s Jan. 20 executive action on OECD. In January, Rep. Estes praised President Trump’s executive actions rejecting the OECD tax deal. On that same day, he also joined Ways and Means Chairman Jason Smith (R-Missouri) in introducing the Defending American Jobs and Investment Act. Earlier that month he published an op-ed in London’s Telegraph outlining U.S. opposition to the OECD deal. He previously published an op-ed with MP Priti Patel on the OECD Pillar Two tax scheme, led a letter to Treasury demanding accountability and traveled with Ways and Means colleague to Germany and France to discuss Pillar Two with European leaders. He also introduced legislation to impose reciprocal taxes on countries that use the OECD deal to impose unfair taxes on U.S. business and raid the U.S. tax base in the last Congress. Earlier, he penned an op-ed in The Hill outlining the concerns with the OECD deal and published a Bloomberg op-ed with Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-Iowa) highlighting how the OECD tax deal would harm the United States.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Estes Comments on Treasury Memo Regarding OECD

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Ron Estes (R-Kansas)

    Today, Rep. Ron Estes (R-Kansas) issued the following statement after reports that Treasury delivered a memo to the White House in response to President Donald Trump’s Jan. 20 executive action on OECD.
     
    “I’m pleased to hear that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has followed through on the president’s directive to dismantle the disastrous OECD agreements that put America last and allow foreign countries to target U.S. job creators for their own treasuries’ gains,” said Rep. Estes. “The Trump administration made clear from day one that it will defend American interests in any global tax negotiations. Delivery of the Treasury report directly to the White House is a positive step in confirming that the U.S. is not going to cede our tax authority or our tax revenues. Ways and Means Chairman Smith has already introduced legislation to assist in this process, and I look forward to introducing a bill soon as well.”
     
    Background:
    For years Rep. Estes has been sounding the alarm and pushing back against the OECD’s global tax scheme. In January, Rep. Estes praised President Trump’s executive actions rejecting the OECD tax deal. On that same day, he also joined Ways and Means Chairman Jason Smith (R-Missouri) in introducing the Defending American Jobs and Investment Act. Earlier that month he published an op-ed in London’s Telegraph outlining U.S. opposition to the OECD deal. He previously published an op-ed with MP Priti Patel on the OECD Pillar Two tax scheme, led a letter to Treasury demanding accountability and traveled with Ways and Means colleague to Germany and France to discuss Pillar Two with European leaders. He also introduced legislation to impose reciprocal taxes on countries that use the OECD deal to impose unfair taxes on U.S. business and raid the U.S. tax base. Earlier, he penned an op-ed in The Hill outlining the concerns with the OECD deal and published a Bloomberg op-ed with Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-Iowa) highlighting how the OECD tax deal would harm the United States.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK and Allies to build on momentum in efforts to enhance Ukraine’s security, uphold international law and protect human rights: UK Statement to the OSCE

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3

    Speech

    UK and Allies to build on momentum in efforts to enhance Ukraine’s security, uphold international law and protect human rights: UK Statement to the OSCE

    UK Military Advisor, Lt Col Joby Rimmer, says a lasting peace in Ukraine can only be provided if we step up and offer real and credible security assurances to deter Russia from further threatening European Security.

    Thank you, Mr Chair. The UK strongly condemns Russia’s unprovoked and illegal war against Ukraine. We are committed to providing extensive economic, humanitarian, and defensive military assistance to Ukraine. The UK remains steadfast in supporting Ukraine’s sovereignty and security, ensuring that Russia faces consequences for its actions. Ukraine has shown it is ready and willing to work towards peace. The ball is now in Russia’s court, and President Putin must prove he is serious about peace and sign up to a ceasefire with immediate effect. The Kremlin’s procrastination and game-playing with the agreed naval ceasefire in the Black Sea, despite good faith participation from all sides, show Russian promises to be hollow.

    We welcome President Trump’s readiness to increase the pressure on Russia if President Putin does not agree to a ceasefire soon. The Institute for the Study of War and others assess that Russia is using the temporary ceasefire in the Black Sea as leverage to stall efforts toward a general ceasefire and extract additional concessions from the West. This is unacceptable.

    We must remain committed to the US and Ukraine’s proposal for a full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire. British, French, and Ukrainian military leaders are set to meet in the coming days to build on recent momentum in efforts to enhance Ukraine’s security. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced that the meeting aims to drive forward the next stage of detailed planning, following a call with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy. Last week in the UK’s Permanent Joint Headquarters, Britain and France led over 200 planners from ‘a group of nations politically aligned to the defence, security and sovereignty of Ukraine’. These military planning meetings have focused on how we keep the skies, the seas and the border of Ukraine safe. To be clear, a lasting peace in Ukraine can only be provided if we step up and offer real and credible security assurances to deter Russia from further threatening European Security.

    And what is Russia’s contribution to peace and negotiations? We have seen no sign of Putin abandoning his war of aggression and his disregard of international law is being realised on the ground in Ukraine. Russian forces shelled a frontline settlement in Ukraine’s south-east Zaporizhzhia region, resulting in the death of a 66-year-old woman and injuries to five others. In the early hours of today, Russian attacks left 45,000 in Kherson without power, and this is despite Russia’s alleged agreement to a partial ceasefire on strikes against energy facilities following technical discussions in Riyadh in March.

    The Report of the independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine published on 11 March, highlighted a sharp increase in criminal cases concerning Russian troops executing wounded, captured or surrendering Ukrainian soldiers. In most situations, soldiers targeted ‘were in a vulnerable situation: unarmed, lying on the ground, kneeling, and some were partly naked’.

    On 26 March, Russia convicted 23 captured Ukrainians on terrorism charges in a trial widely denounced by the international community as a sham and a gross violation of international law. The defendants received sentences ranging from 13 to 23 years in maximum security forced labour camps. The trial’s proceedings were marred by numerous irregularities and violations of fair representation. Defendants were reportedly denied access to independent legal counsel and subjected to coerced confessions obtained under duress.

    Our position has not changed. We will continue to support Ukraine for as long as it takes. President Putin must stop playing games and agree to a full and immediate ceasefire without conditions. Only through a concerted and sustained effort can we hope to bring an end to this egregious campaign of violence and pave the way for a just and lasting peace. Efforts to support Ukraine and its pursuit of justice must be intensified to ensure our commitment to upholding international law and protecting human rights.

    Thank you, Mr Chair.

    Updates to this page

    Published 3 April 2025

    Invasion of Ukraine

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Counter Terrorism officers call on parents to be aware

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Counter Terrorism officers from the Met Police are urging parents across London to be aware of the signs that might indicate that their child could be vulnerable to radicalisation or being drawn into dangerous forms of violent extremism.

    The call comes after heightened public and media focus on how schoolchildren are increasingly being drawn into extreme and radical ideologies after a similar storyline was featured in current TV drama Adolescence where a young schoolboy was drawn into a violent form ‘incel’ ideology online.

    Detective Superintendent Jane Corrigan, who is the Met’s London Prevent Co-ordinator said: “The themes and storyline in Adolescence have sparked some incredibly important debate about dangerous rhetoric and ideologies that young schoolchildren can be exposed to through online and social media platforms.

    “While it’s a fictitious drama, the story is grounded in a reality that we are seeing more and more in our work within Counter Terrorism Policing. Young people are being referred into us, and in almost every instance, a big part of their vulnerability is coming from what they are doing, seeing and consuming online.

    “But it’s actually those who aren’t being referred to us who most concern us. That’s why it is so important that parents and carers are taking an active interest in what their child is doing online – to have those conversations and be aware of the potential warning signs. And if following that, they are still concerned or worried about their child, then it’s really important they reach out for more help as quickly as possible.

    “The Act Early website is an excellent starting place, with tips and guidance on how to have those conversations and some of the warning signs to look out for. And there is also a support line they can call to get advice direct from one of our specialist officers.”

    If you are worried about someone, then visit the ACT Early website – actearly.uk – or call the Act Early Support Line on 0800 011 3764, in confidence, to speak with specially trained officers.

    Although public attention has been particularly drawn to this issue as a result of the Adolescence drama, Counter Terrorism officers have been concerned for some time over the increasing numbers of young people being radicalised.

    These concerns have found to be proven by recently published figures for terrorism arrests and Prevent referrals.

    Both 2023 and 2024 were the highest two years on record in terms of the number of children aged 17 or under being arrested for terrorism related offences, with 43 and 39 such arrests respectively. In 2002, there were only three such arrests and even as recently as 2019, the equivalent figure was as low as 12.

    Prevent referral figures paint a similar picture, with almost six out of every ten Prevent referrals in 2023/24 now relating to those aged 17 and under, up from around five in every ten back in 2016/17.

    Detective Superintendent Corrigan added: “I appreciate that this might seem quite daunting or unsettling for some parents or carers. And while it is still only a very small proportion of young people who may actually be affected, parents must not be fooled into thinking that this is something that only happens to others. We’ve had referrals and provided support through Prevent to a whole range of children, relating to a whole mix of different ideologies.

    “So please, visit the ACT Early website, speak to your child and if you have any concerns at all then trust your instincts and get in touch with us so that we can help – before it might become too late.”

    Prevent is the government-led programme which aims to stop vulnerable people from being drawn into terrorism, with police working with other safeguarding agencies to provide the necessary support.

    The public can also take an active role in reporting any terrorist or extremist online content that they come across via gov.uk/ACT.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI China: Experts explore global pathways for Chinese science fiction

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    Francesco Verso delivers a keynote speech at an international forum during the 2025 China Science Fiction Convention in Beijing, March 30, 2025. [Photo courtesy of the Beijing Yuanyu Science Fiction and Future Technology Research Institute]

    Writers, experts and insiders expressed optimism about the future of Chinese science fiction and discussed its current state and global expansion at a forum during the 2025 China Science Fiction Convention (CSFC 2025) in Beijing on Sunday.

    Francesco Verso, an Italian sci-fi writer and publisher of 13 books of Chinese science fiction, has attended numerous conventions across Italy, Europe and around the world. “After the phenomenal WorldCon in Chengdu and the worldwide success of ‘The Three-Body Problem’ by Liu Cixin, I can confidently say that Chinese sci-fi is here to stay,” he said. 

    “And for a very good reason: People read Chinese science fiction, and they love it,” Verso added. “I’ve published, and I can assure you – Chinese sci-fi is among the most appreciated works.”

    Just last year, “The Three-Body Problem” ranked fourth among the top 10 best-selling books in Italy. “For a science fiction novel, that is an extraordinary achievement,” he said, while also revealing his plans to publish a novel by Wang Jinkang this year, translated by Francesca Bistocchi.

    “And to all of you – authors, readers, experts, translators and producers – you are one of the most exciting and transformative forces in global science fiction today,” Verso said. “Keep writing excellent stories and I will be there, ready to translate, publish and promote them.”

    Mitchell Farkas, an American television producer, writer and director, introduced his documentary series “Flash Forward” that was broadcast on China Central Television (CCTV), which examines global challenges and how China is planning to meet them. 

    “If science fiction is all about exploring what could happen with our world, it also pushes limits and gives us a glimpse of what’s possible. After all, as humans, we’re natural storytellers – we make sense of the world through stories,” Farkas said in a keynote speech about finding inspiration for Chinese sci-fi.

    Liang Gaoyan, a lecturer from Shanxi University of Finance and Economics, shared the findings of her research into international translations of Liu Cixin’s 37 novels created over 35 years. The most notable remains Liu’s “Three-Body” trilogy, which has sold 40 million copies worldwide.

    Liang noted that the translation and overseas publication of Chinese sci-fi started late and still lacks high-quality translators. However, as sci-fi literature has boomed in recent years, the speed of translation and publication has quickened, while there is plenty of content awaiting translation. “We should inspire more sci-fi writers to create and improve overall literary quality, nurture more skilled translators and international copyright agents, making Chinese sci-fi visible and significant in world literature,” she said.

    Writers and experts take part in panel discussions on overseas growth and exchanges of Chinese sci-fi at an international forum during the 2025 China Science Fiction Convention in Beijing, March 30, 2025. [Photo courtesy of the Beijing Yuanyu Science Fiction and Future Technology Research Institute]

    Chinese sci-fi writer Bao Shu analyzed three key themes at the forum – the appeal of Chinese culture, contemporary Chinese narratives and current opportunities and challenges. He illustrated his points with photographs of translated Chinese sci-fi books collected during his overseas travels.

    Sci-fi writer Jiang Bo stressed that Chinese writers should concentrate first on creating quality works and gaining recognition from domestic readers before considering overseas expansion. He advocated prioritizing English translations and markets, which would then drive translations in minor languages, and expressed confidence that China’s growing national strength and international sci-fi partners would help elevate Chinese sci-fi on the global stage.

    “The Western view of the future has actually occupied our imagination. But this occupation does not reflect the diversity of the many possible futures,” Francesco Verso said. “I came across Chinese science fiction, which is one of the most interesting phenomenon in science fiction worldwide. But there is no big difference in the themes because we are all humans, we all share the same hopes and anxieties as we see problems in the same future. It’s important to acknowledge that there is no one single solution for everyone.”

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: First step towards honouring more veterans on Anzac Day

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Legislation to formally recognise the service of more New Zealanders as part of official Anzac Day commemorations has passed its first reading in Parliament today, Veterans Minister Chris Penk and Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Paul Goldsmith say.

    “Anzac Day is a significant anniversary for New Zealanders, where we reflect on the costs of service and sacrifice. It is our opportunity to honour those who have served, some of whom gave their lives for our country,” Mr Penk says. 

    “The Anzac Day Act enshrines in law that we will remember them. Yet, because it does not acknowledge conflicts after 1966, many New Zealanders who have served with great courage in the following decades remain unrecognised under current legislation. 

    “While April 25 marks the day our soldiers set foot on the Gallipoli Peninsula in 1915, Anzac Day has long become an anniversary of remembrance for those who served beyond the First and Second World Wars. It’s past time that this is reflected in the law. 

    “Once the Bill passes, Anzac Day will officially commemorate all those who have served New Zealand in wars and war-like situations. This will include those who have given non-military service, such as the Home Guard and members of the Merchant Navy. 

    “In addition, the Bill will be amended to encompass other troops who took part in the landing at Gallipoli, including those from India and France. At present the Anzac Day Act only recognises troops from the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand.”

    “New Zealanders deeply appreciate the courage, commitment, and sacrifice of servicemen and women – past and present. Anzac Day stands as a powerful tribute to their service,” Mr Goldsmith says.

    “Today’s service personnel carry forward a long and proud tradition. It’s time for overdue change – every New Zealander who has served in war and war-like conflicts deserves official recognition and honour. Anzac Day is the right moment to acknowledge them.”

    The Anzac Day Amendment Bill is expected to be passed in time for Anzac Day 2026.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Wagner, Hill Commend SEC on Recent Rule Rollback, Encourage Commission to Review Further Harmful Rules

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Ann Wagner (R-MO-02)

    House Financial Services Committee Chairman French Hill (AR-02), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Capital Markets Ann Wagner (MO-02), and all Republican members of the Subcommittee on Capital Markets, sent a letter to Acting Chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Mark Uyeda commending the Commission for its recent decision to rescind Staff Legal Bulletin (SLB) No. 14L. The lawmakers also used the letter to highlight additional challenges that remain within the Rule 14a-8 framework. 

    In the letter, Hill, Wagner, and Republican members of the Subcommittee stated, “The SEC’s core mission is to protect investors, maintain fair and efficient markets, and facilitate capital formation. The recent rescission of SLB 14L is a commendable action aligned with this mission. We encourage the Commission to build upon this progress by pursuing further reforms to Rule 14a-8 that will promote a shareholder proposal process that is both fair and focused on enhancing long-term shareholder value.

    Read the full letter here or below.

    Dear Acting Chair Uyeda,

    We write to commend the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for its recent decision to rescind Staff Legal Bulletin No. 14L through the issuance of Staff Legal Bulletin No. 14M on February 12, 2025. This action marks a significant step toward restoring balance in the shareholder proposal process and ensuring that proposals included in proxy statements are pertinent to shareholder value.

    However, despite this positive development, challenges remain within the Rule 14a-8 framework. The politicization of the proxy process continues to place a substantial burden on public companies, drive up unnecessary costs for shareholders, and undermine the broader attractiveness of U.S. public markets. When shareholder proposals are driven by social and political agendas rather than issues directly tied to corporate performance, they erode investor confidence and divert resources away from long-term value creation. This not only harms the companies targeted but also retail investors, pension funds, and other market participants who rely on fair and efficient capital markets.

    In addition to the broader politicization of the proxy process, the unchecked influence of proxy advisory firms, such as Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) and Glass Lewis, continues to distort voting outcomes with little transparency or accountability. By imposing arbitrary voting thresholds, these firms override shareholder intent, disenfranchising the majority of investors who support management proposals. Despite their outsized influence, proxy advisory firms often issue blanket recommendations that fail to account for company-specific circumstances. Worse, their recommendations are rarely grounded in a substantive analysis of whether a given proposal serves the economic interests of shareholders, further eroding confidence in the process.

    These challenges underscore the need for the SEC to take decisive action in regulating the proxy process. Given the ongoing litigation surrounding the SEC’s proxy advisor rules and the conflicting decisions from various circuit courts, we urge the SEC to reengage in defending its interpretation that proxy voting advice constitutes a “solicitation.” Reinforcing the agency’s authority to regulate proxy advisory firms is critical to ensuring accountability and restoring trust in the proxy process.

    To further enhance the effectiveness and fairness of the shareholder proposal process, we urge the SEC to undertake a formal rulemaking to:

    1. Restore the Shareholder Proposal Rule’s Original Intent by Keeping Politics Out of Proxy Statements: The SEC should formally recognize that corporate proxy statements are not the appropriate forum for partisan ideological debates. The shareholder proposal rule was designed to facilitate engagement on matters directly tied to a company’s business and financial performance, not as a tool for advancing broader social or political agendas. To restore this original intent, the SEC should amend Rule 14a-8 to clarify that companies may exclude shareholder proposals that do not directly relate to core business operations and financial performance.

    2. Eliminate the Significant Policy Exception: The SEC should eliminate the so-called “significant policy exception” under Rule 14a-8(i)(7), a provision not explicitly stated in the rule but created through Commission-level guidance and SEC staff interpretation. This loophole allows activists to compel companies to include shareholder proposals on controversial political and social issues, even when they are not meaningfully tied to a company’s operations. The exception has increasingly been exploited to advance special interest agendas, resulting in an influx of proposals that detract from corporate governance and impose unnecessary costs on businesses and shareholders. Removing this loophole would help refocus the shareholder proposal process on issues that promote long-term shareholder value, rather than allowing it to become a tool for divisive political activism.

    3. Increase Resubmission Thresholds: Raising the resubmission thresholds would prevent the recurrence of proposals that have been consistently rejected, ensuring that only those with substantial shareholder support are reconsidered.

    4. Enhance Oversight of Proxy Advisory Firms: Establishing greater transparency and accountability standards for proxy advisory firms would ensure that their recommendations are accurate, free from conflicts of interest, and in the economic interest of shareholders.

    5. End Robovoting Practices: Ensuring institutional investors conduct independent analyses before voting, rather than automatically following proxy advisory firm recommendations, is consistent with investors’ fiduciary duties and will protect shareholder interests.

    The SEC’s recent actions are a step in the right direction, but the Commission must build on this momentum by implementing durable, substantive reforms through formal rulemaking. Ensuring that the proxy process serves the interests of all shareholders—not just a vocal minority with political agendas—is critical to maintaining the integrity and competitiveness of U.S. capital markets and supporting long-term value creation. Political debates should be left to Congress, not corporate proxy statements.

    The SEC’s core mission is to protect investors, maintain fair and efficient markets, and facilitate capital formation. The recent rescission of SLB 14L is a commendable action aligned with this mission. We encourage the Commission to build upon this progress by pursuing further reforms to Rule 14a-8 that will promote a shareholder proposal process that is both fair and focused on enhancing long-term shareholder value.

    We appreciate your attention to this critical issue and look forward to working with the Commission to advance important, commonsense reforms to the proxy process.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cotton, Colleagues Introduce Stephen Hacala Poppy Seed Safety Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Arkansas Tom Cotton

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    Contact: Caroline Tabler or Patrick McCann (202) 224-2353
    April 2, 2025

    Cotton, Colleagues Introduce Stephen Hacala Poppy Seed Safety Act

    Washington, D.C. — Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), along with Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut) and John Boozman (R-Arkansas), today introduced the Stephen Hacala Poppy Seed Safety Act. The legislation would prohibit the sale of poppy seeds that contain a harmful level of opiates and require the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to issue regulations that establish a maximum level of contamination.

    Congressman Steve Womack (Arkansas-03) is leading companion legislation in the House. Representatives Rick Crawford (Arkansas-01), Rosa DeLauro (Connecticut-03), French Hill (Arkansas-02), and Bruce Westerman (Arkansas-04) are cosponsoring the legislation in the House.

    “Stephen Hacala, Jr. died from an opioid overdose because of a dangerous gap in our nation’s drug laws. Despite government warnings, unwashed poppy seeds, which can contain lethal doses of morphine, are still entering our food supply. It’s time for the FDA to act so that no other families experience the pain the Hacala family has endured,” said Senator Cotton. 

    “This measure would close loopholes that have allowed dangerous and deadly opiates to be sold online. Unwashed poppy seeds available for sale online can contain deadly levels of morphine and have killed tens of Americans. Our bill would ensure stricter FDA regulations and prohibit unwashed poppy seeds from being sold to unwitting consumers,” said Senator Blumenthal.

    “The sale of unwashed poppy seeds is a threat to the safety of Arkansans and all Americans. This legislation honors Stephen Hacala Jr.’s memory by protecting other consumers from falling victim to dangerous, toxin-laced poppy seeds sold online and families from experiencing the loss of a loved one from similar circumstances,” said Senator Boozman.

    “I am proud to join my Arkansas colleagues in supporting this legislation and I hope it makes the changes necessary to protect individuals in the future from harm,” said Congressman Crawford. 

    “Because of negligent practices among poppy seed distributors, the Hacala family now grieves the loss of a loved one. Congress must act to ensure that the Food and Drug Administration issues the appropriate regulations to correctly warn the public on the level of opiates that could be consumed through contaminated poppy seeds. I’m proud to support this legislation alongside my fellow Arkansans and House Republicans to prevent other families from enduring the same loss the Hacala family is unfortunately all too familiar with,” said Congressman Westerman.

    “The Hacala family of Rogers tragically lost their son, Stephen, because lethal substances find their way into our food supply through contaminated poppy seeds. In Stephen’s memory, my colleagues and I have created a solution to close an FDA loophole and ensure that only safe products are available for consumption. This bill can save lives and prevent another family from experiencing an unimaginable loss like the Hacalas,” said Congressman Womack.

    Text of the legislation may be found here.

    Background:

    • While most poppy seeds are harmless, some manufacturers sell seeds laced with morphine at a cost far higher than normal seeds. These seeds can contain more than 20 times the therapeutic dosage of morphine.
    • On April 3, 2016, Stephen Hacala of Fayetteville, Arkansas, died from morphine intoxication caused by morphine-laced poppy seeds purchased from Amazon. As many as 20 other Americans reportedly have died from overdoses caused by morphine-laced poppy seeds sold directly to consumers.
    • A research team led by Dr. Madeleine Swortwood, assistant professor of forensic science at Sam Houston State University, studied the morphine content in different bags of poppy seeds. The researchers found that some bags of poppy seeds contained morphine levels many times higher than a fatal dose.
    • In February 2023, the Department of Defense warned service members to avoid poppy seed products due to contamination and risk of failing drug tests.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Stuck in the past: Trump tariffs and other policies are dragging the U.S. back to the 19th century

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Eric Strikwerda, Associate Professor, History, Athabasca University

    During Donald Trump’s first term as president, the United States lurched from the absurdity of his lies to the use of his office for personal financial gain, his schoolyard insults and his utter contempt for critics. His term ended with his irresponsible and dangerous incitement of the assault on the Capitol building on Jan. 6, 2021.

    This time around, Trump is replying on outdated tools — tariffs, small government, territorial expansion and nationalism — to solve modern problems of globalization, wealth disparities, the decline of manufacturing jobs and exploitative capitalism.

    On April 2, he announced a baseline tariff of 10 per cent on all countries that import goods to the U.S., including Canada. Canada has also been hit with a 25 per cent levy on Canadian-made automobiles.

    The Trump administration’s current use of 19th-century tools to solve 20th-century problems that are wholly inappropriate for the 21st century threatens to take America back to the 19th century. This is an incredibly dangerous road for the U.S to take.

    The rise of the nation state

    The 19th century was marked by the rise of the nation-state — a single political entity united by geography, culture and language.

    This was, in many respects, the result of the rapidly industrializing world shifting away from monarchical rule and mercantile economics toward limited democratic rule and free-market capitalism.

    It was a time of tariffs, small government, territorial expansion and nationalism. It was also a time of mass migration from Europe to North America, where rampant nativism, colonialism and unchecked and exploitative capitalism shaped the landscape.

    The prevailing belief at the time was that nation-states should use tariffs, adopt isolationist policies to cut off the outside world and seize territory where possible. These measures, it was thought, would foster national unity and allow capitalism to thrive by letting the “invisible hand” of the marketplace work its magic.

    Protective tariffs promised to grow domestic industries, but the economic benefits were not evenly distributed. Wealth disparities grew wider as millions of immigrants arrived on North American shores, only to find deplorable living conditions in the cities and hardscrabble farmland out in the country.

    Some newcomers prospered, of course, but they tended to be those who arrived with money already in their pockets. And they fast learned how to exploit the lack of state-directed regulation, patches of corruption amid rapid western expansion and growing nativism and poverty to their own benefit.

    Many of the 20th century’s problems flowed from these 19th-century trends.

    The economic fallout of tariffs

    Following the financial Panic of 1873 and its ensuing economic depression in both Europe and North America, nation-states unleashed tariffs to protect their domestic economies. It was the wrong strategy to pursue, as it slowed trade even more by limiting the free flow of goods and capital. Money, as is now well-known, needs to move to grow.

    Working families chafed at the lack of labour protections like bargaining rights, health and safety measures, unemployment insurance and sick benefits. In response, they formed unions and initiated waves of strikes throughout the western industrialized world.

    Western North American farmers were furious that tariffs forced them to buy on protected markets while selling on unprotected ones subject to international market prices. They organized, too, by forming farmer co-operatives and backing movements like the Granger movement, populism and progressivism to protect their interests.

    Nation-states, warmed by rising nationalist fires, formed military-defence alliances across Europe and its colonial and former colonial holdings, including Canada. In 1914, these alliances led to the First World War, a global and industrial war the likes of which the world had never seen.

    The Great Depression

    By the 1930s, unrestricted and largely unregulated capitalism, together with astonishing wealth disparities and monopolistic tendencies, plunged the world into the decade-long Great Depression.

    Many governments’ initial response was to impose tariffs once again, and just as in 1873, they only made the problem worse. The simultaneous rise of fascism, which was largely nationalism run amok, brought the world to war again at the end of the decade, to devastating consequence.

    The post-war years saw a concerted international effort at using the nation-state to regulate domestic economies by investing in social services and programs and to rein in runaway capital when its excesses threatened stability.

    International bodies like the World Bank, the United Nations and the International Court of Justice were created to promote peace and stability. This new approach wasn’t always successful in its goals, but so far the world hasn’t seen any global hot wars or massive economic depressions.

    The end of history

    In 1992, historian Frances Fukuyama infamously declared that the world had reached “the end of history.”

    He didn’t mean that time stopped, of course. Instead, he was arguing that the liberal nation-state represented “the end-point of mankind’s ideological evolution and the universalization of western liberal democracy as the final form of human government.”

    In his view, the western industrialized world had reached the pinnacle of successful governance and unlimited prosperity.

    Yet, even as western liberal democracy was congratulating itself on its own success, these same nation-states, in conjunction with large corporations, were seeking out lower labour costs and greater profit in the developing world.

    The result was a hollowing-out of North America’s industrial heartlands, along with rampant exploitation of vulnerable labour in places like Asia, South Asia and South Central America. Once mighty American cities declined. Wages failed to keep up with inflation. Farm debt soared.

    This is where the Trump administration re-enters the story — tapping into the frustration and disillusionment of frustrated Americans by promising to restore a “golden age” that never was.

    Trump’s 19th-century playbook

    Despite his promises, Trump’s tariffs are unlikely to bring manufacturing jobs back to the U.S. As history has shown, tariffs do not revive industries that are already gone; instead, they will only make Americans pay more for the things they need.

    A return to small government won’t “make America great again,” either. Instead, it risks repeating the 19th-century pattern of making the rich richer and gutting the very social programs millions of people rely on. The Trump administration’s massive and ongoing cuts to the Social Security Administration are already well under way.

    Trump’s rhetoric about territorial expansion, including threats to annex Greenland and Canada, won’t make the U.S. more secure. It will just exacerbate the sort of international tensions the world saw in 1914 and 1939.

    And with limited resources left to exploit, it’s becoming harder for capital to sustain itself, even as it seeks to wrest whatever is left from our planet, the realities of environmental catastrophe be damned.

    Nationalism, meanwhile, won’t foster a sense of national unity. It will only deepen existing divisions based on race and class. And if history is any guide, the consequences could be even more dire this time around, even pushing the world toward a global conflict unlike anything seen before.

    Eric Strikwerda 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. Stuck in the past: Trump tariffs and other policies are dragging the U.S. back to the 19th century – https://theconversation.com/stuck-in-the-past-trump-tariffs-and-other-policies-are-dragging-the-u-s-back-to-the-19th-century-253106

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: New Permanent Representative of Pakistan Presents Credentials

    Source: United Nations 4

    (Based on information provided by the Protocol and Liaison Service)

    The new Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the United Nations, Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, presented his credentials to UN Secretary-General António Guterres today.

    Prior to his appointment, Mr. Ahmad served as his country’s ambassador to France and Monaco and as Permanent Delegate to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) from November 2022 to December 2024.

    Before holding several positions in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad, Mr. Ahmad served as Pakistan’s ambassador to Thailand and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) from 2017 to 2021.

    His work with the United Nations in New York and Geneva includes serving as a member of the country’s delegation to the Security Council in 2003-2004 and in 2012-2013, when he also served as Pakistan’s political coordinator in the Council.  He has represented Pakistan at the Human Rights Council and the review of Pakistan’s reports to the Committee on the Rights of the Child and the Committee against Torture.  He also served as the Deputy Chef de Cabinet to the General Assembly President from 2009-2010.

    Mr. Ahmad holds a degree in electrical engineering from the University of Engineering and Technology, and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of the Punjab, both in Lahore, Pakistan.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Amid Record High Killing of Humanitarian Workers, Speakers Implore Security Council to Ensure Accountability for Attacks on Personnel in Conflict Zones

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI b

    What is the Council going to do to ensure accountability for the killing of aid workers and to prevent more such deaths, a senior United Nations humanitarian official asked the 15-member body today, as she detailed the unprecedented attacks that such workers face in conflict zones around the world.

    Joyce Msuya, Assistant-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator, noting the record number of humanitarian workers killed in 2024 — 377 across 20 countries — said many more were injured, kidnapped, and arbitrarily detained.  “Being shot at should not be part of the job,” she emphasized. 

    In Sudan, at least 84 humanitarian workers, all Sudanese nationals, have been killed since the current conflict began in 2023.  Three days ago, the bodies of 15 emergency aid workers were recovered from a mass grave in Rafah — killed several days earlier by Israeli forces while trying to save lives.  “Gaza is the most dangerous place for humanitarians ever”, she said — a statement echoed several times in the ensuing discussion.  More than 408 aid workers were killed there, since 7 October 2023.  

    There is no shortage of robust international legal frameworks to tackle this, she added — “what is lacking is the political will to comply.”   Almost 95 per cent of those killed are local aid workers; but the killing of a local aid worker receives 500 times less media coverage than that of an international staff member.  She also highlighted the challenge posed by disinformation and misinformation campaigns targeting aid organizations. 

    Respect for International Law Is Critical 

    Highlighting three asks, she called on the Council to ensure respect for international law and protect humanitarian workers.  Secondly, “speak out”, she said, adding that “silence, inconsistency and selective outrage is emboldening perpetrators”.  Finally, accountability is crucial, she stressed, adding that the Council must ask concerned Governments to pursue justice, and when national jurisdictions fail it must use international mechanisms.

    Gilles Michaud, Under-Secretary-General for Safety and Security, recalled that he had previously urged the Council to “translate words of support for the protection of humanitarian and United Nations personnel into meaningful action”.  At the time, he also called on Member States to join the Convention on the Safety of United Nations and Associated Personnel.  “Since that briefing, I regret to inform you that progress has been elusive,” he said.

    In Gaza, the breakdown of the ceasefire has been “particularly brutal”, he emphasized, noting, among others, the direct attack on a clearly identified UN building on 19 March.  On 23 March, a worker of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and other humanitarian staff were killed while providing life-saving assistance — “their bodies left for days before they could be retrieved”, he noted. 

    “Impunity for attacks on humanitarian personnel have become the ‘new normal’,” he said.  Such attacks are perpetrated by non-State actors and Governments alike and, while the motives vary, he stressed:  “But, above all, they do it because they can get away with it.” 

    Closure of Vital Services Due to ‘Criminalization of Aid’ 

    “Through the eyes of a humanitarian, the world is a volatile place,” Nic Lee, Executive Director of the International NGO Safety Organisation told the Council.  On average, at least one aid worker is abducted, injured or killed every day.  Nationally and locally recruited personnel are particularly vulnerable and the international response to their death is lacking.  Violence at the hands of non-State armed groups continues to remain prevalent, with the most common incidents occurring in West and Central Africa. Further, the “criminalization of aid” amid an “explosive growth” in NGO restrictions has led to the closure of vital services for populations in dire need, he said.

    The Council must do more to facilitate diplomatic engagement on humanitarian issues, protect the humanitarian space and “challenge the worrying trend of criminalization of aid”, he said. “The fact is that violence against aid workers is more commonly linked to their identity as civilians than as aid workers,” he added.  The Council must address the double standards of Member States who continue to support those responsible for civilian and aid worker deaths alike. 

    Patterns of Violence Extend Across Multiple Conflict Zones

    When the floor opened, Council members reaffirmed that it is unacceptable to target humanitarian workers and highlighted the frontlines where they are in danger.  The representative of Slovenia recalled the words of the President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), who addressed the Council in September 2024:  “One conflict informs the other, boundaries are pushed into the zone of the acceptable, and more human suffering follows.” 

    “The pattern of violence against humanitarian workers extends across multiple conflict zones,” Somalia’s delegate said, noting that in Sudan, over 100 aid workers have been killed since April 2023, while Ukraine has lost 23 brave souls, and in Gaza, 399 humanitarian personnel, including 289 UN staff members, paid the ultimate price.  Eight of the aid workers whose bodies were discovered in a mass grave in Rafah recently, he noted, were Red Crescent medics still wearing their protective gear.  This is a “stark violation of every principle we hold sacred”, he said. 

    In Gaza UN Workers Systematically Suppressed, Aid Workers Attacked

    Algeria’s delegate noted that the bodies were buried near destroyed ambulances — they were assassinated by Israeli occupying forces while attempting to save lives.  They deserve justice, he said, stressing that attacks directed at humanitarian personnel, their premises and assets are considered war crimes under international law.  The fact that these basic principles do not seem to apply to the Israeli occupying Power calls into question the relevance of international humanitarian law and the Security Council itself, he said.  Also stressing the need for accountability, China’s delegate stressed the role of UNRWA in Gaza, noting that it has been systematically suppressed and its humanitarian workers attacked. 

    The representative of the United Kingdom noted the one-year anniversary of the attack on a World Central Kitchen convoy in Gaza, which killed seven aid workers, including three British citizens, and called for the conclusion of the Military Advocate General’s consideration of the incident, including determining whether criminal proceedings should be initiated. 

    In Gaza, the representative of the United States said, “Hamas has cynically misused civilian infrastructure to shield themselves” causing “civilians to be caught in the crossfire”.  He expressed concern about the surge in civilian deaths in Sudan, the constraints faced by humanitarians in South Sudan and the devastating effects of the Russian Federation’s war on Ukraine on civilians and civilian infrastructure. Further, “we condemn the Houthis’ sham so-called judicial proceedings against detainees,” he said, expressing concern about the humanitarian and diplomatic personnel detained by the Houthis. 

    In eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sierra Leone’s delegate said, civilians are caught in the crossfire of armed group activity, while in Haiti, violence from armed gangs has engulfed urban centers, displaced thousands and left civilians at the mercy of lawlessness.  In Ukraine, the Russian Federation uses “cruel double-tap strikes” to target first responders, Denmark’s delegate pointed out.

    The Republic of Korea’s delegate noted that in Sudan, warring parties spread false narratives accusing the Sudan Emergency Response Room of collaborating with their enemies, thereby justifying the denial of humanitarian access and leaving millions in urgent need.  He called upon all States to consider sanctioning those responsible for disseminating unverified and libelous content.  Last year – the deadliest on record for humanitarian workers – also saw the adoption of Council resolution 2730 (2024), he recalled.

    Calls for Stronger Action to Implement Council Resolution 2730 (2024)

    The representative of Switzerland, who presented that text to the Council during the country’s tenure as a non-permanent member, stressed the importance of implementing it and guaranteeing unimpeded humanitarian access.  Several speakers reaffirmed support for that text, including the representative of Greece.  France’s delegate, Council President for April, speaking in his national capacity, echoed the call for justice and said that each time violations occur, the Council has to “speak out, it must react”.  Panama’s delegate said the text “set us on the right track, and it remains fully relevant.” 

    Pakistan’s delegate urged the creation of a “global implementation dashboard” for that resolution — it should provide real-time public tracking of violations, investigations and their outcomes “for everyone to see and follow”. The escalating attacks on humanitarian personnel are not just isolated incidents — “they reflect a growing disregard for international norms,” he said, adding that it is unacceptable that those who work to provide “dignity amidst displacement” are met “not with gratitude, but with gunfire”. 

    Guyana’s delegate expressed support for the Secretary-General’s recommendation for the Council to systematically request the concerned State authorities to conduct prompt, independent and effective investigations into incidents and to report to the Council about the outcomes of these investigations, including on measures to prevent reoccurrence.  The Council must also consider referrals to the International Criminal Court or other international tribunals where State authorities prove unable or unwilling to act, she said.

    “What new instruments can we talk about if the Security Council or the General Assembly of the United Nations are unable to enforce previous ones which remain fully relevant?” asked the Russian Federation’s delegate.  Current international obligations are more than sufficient, he said, calling for more scrupulous compliance.  His delegation abstained from voting on Council resolution 2730 (2024) because it contained some language “which is not fully accurate” and may result in distorted interpretation, he said.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI: Oportun Closes $187.5 Million Committed Warehouse Facility

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SAN CARLOS, Calif., April 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Oportun (Nasdaq: OPRT), a mission-driven financial services company, today announced the closing of a new warehouse facility. Features of this facility include:

    • $187.5 million total commitment
    • Natixis Corporate & Investment Banking, as senior lender
    • Neuberger Berman, on behalf of client funds, as mezzanine lender
    • Two-year revolving period
    • Collateralization by Oportun’s unsecured and secured personal loan originations

    “This new warehouse facility materially increases Oportun’s warehouse capacity with a diversified group of lenders,” said Paul Appleton, Interim Chief Financial Officer of Oportun. “With the support of Natixis and Neuberger Berman, this committed financing will help drive Oportun’s responsible growth in the years ahead.”

    Oportun maintains a diverse set of capital sources including committed warehouse facilities, asset-backed securitizations, corporate-level debt financing, and whole loan sales.

    About Oportun

    Oportun (Nasdaq: OPRT) is a mission-driven financial services company that puts its members’ financial goals within reach. With intelligent borrowing, savings, and budgeting capabilities, Oportun empowers members with the confidence to build a better financial future. Since inception, Oportun has provided more than $19.7 billion in responsible and affordable credit, saved its members more than $2.4 billion in interest and fees, and helped its members save an average of more than $1,800 annually. For more information, visit Oportun.com.

    About Natixis Corporate & Investment Banking

    Natixis Corporate & Investment Banking is a leading global financial institution that provides advisory, investment banking, financing, corporate banking and capital markets services to corporations, financial institutions, financial sponsors and sovereign and supranational organizations worldwide.

    Our teams of experts in about 30 countries advise clients on their strategic development, helping them to grow and transform their businesses, and maximize their positive impact. Natixis CIB is committed to aligning its financing portfolio with a carbon neutrality path by 2050 while helping its clients reduce the environmental impact of their business.

    As part of Groupe BPCE, the second largest banking group in France through the Banque Populaire and Caisse d’Epargne retail networks, Natixis CIB benefits from the Group’s financial strength and solid financial ratings (Standard & Poor’s: A+, Moody’s: A1, Fitch: A+, R&I: A+).

    About Neuberger Berman

    Neuberger Berman is an employee-owned, private, independent investment manager founded in 1939 with over 2,800 employees in 26 countries. The firm manages $508 billion of equities, fixed income, private equity, real estate and hedge fund portfolios for global institutions, advisors and individuals. Neuberger Berman’s investment philosophy is founded on active management, fundamental research and engaged ownership. The PRI identified the firm as part of the Leader’s Group, a designation awarded to fewer than 1% of investment firms for excellence in environmental, social and governance practices. Neuberger Berman has been named by Pensions & Investments as the #1 or #2 Best Place to Work in Money Management for each of the last eleven years (firms with more than 1,000 employees). Visit www.nb.com for more information. Data as of December 31, 2024.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release contains forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to the safe harbor provisions under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements other than statements of historical fact contained in this press release, including statements as to our expectations regarding our future growth, are forward-looking statements. These statements can be generally identified by terms such as “expect,” “plan,” “goal,” “target,” “anticipate,” “assume,” “predict,” “project,” “outlook,” “continue,” “due,” “may,” “believe,” “seek,” or “estimate” and similar expressions or the negative versions of these words or comparable words, as well as future or conditional verbs such as “will,” “should,” “would,” “likely” and “could.” These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. We have based these forward-looking statements on our current expectations and projections about future events, financial trends and risks and uncertainties that we believe may affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. These risks and uncertainties include those risks described in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our most recent annual report on Form 10-K. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made and, except to the extent required by federal securities laws, we disclaim any obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which the statement is made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. In light of these risks and uncertainties, there is no assurance that the events or results suggested by the forward-looking statements will in fact occur, and you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements.

    Investor Contact
    Dorian Hare
    (650) 590-4323
    ir@oportun.com

    Media Contact
    Michael Azzano
    Cosmo PR for Oportun
    (415) 596-1978
    michael@cosmo-pr.com

    The MIL Network –