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Category: France

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Germany: Largest EIB financing for EWE – over 2,600 km of new underground power lines and more than 1,100 substations for Lower Saxony’s energy transition

    Source: European Investment Bank

    EIB

    The European Investment Bank (EIB) and EWE AG announced the largest EIB loan that EWE has ever received at a ceremony marking the 25th anniversary of the EIB’s Berlin office today.

    A long-term credit facility of up to €450 million was finalised at an event attended by German federal government ministers, project partners and stakeholders.

    This will support investment totalling more than €700 million between 2025 and 2028. The programme includes the laying of more than 2,600 kilometres of new underground power lines and the construction and modernisation of over 1,100 substations, constituting another major step forward for energy infrastructure and energy security in northern Germany.

    EWE Chief Financial Officer Frank Reiners said:

    “We are pleased to further develop our partnership with the EIB. This financing will help supercharge our investments in grid expansion and digitalisation. This will enable us to rapidly and securely integrate more renewable energy into the power grid and strengthen the security of supply in our regions, thereby making them more attractive for new industrial developments.”

    EIB Vice-President Nicola Beer added:

    “What many people do not know is that the most important energy-transition investments are often right under our feet. With over 2,600 km of new underground power lines and more than 1,100 new and modernised substations, we are working with EWE to build a hidden backbone for a more secure energy supply and expanded use of renewable energy throughout northern Germany. Today’s signature of the EIB’s largest-ever financing for EWE at the 25th anniversary event for our Berlin office – attended by high-ranking representatives from politics and business – sends a strong signal for the future of energy supply in Germany. 2024 was a record year for EIB support for the energy grid and this project shows how we are actively shaping Europe’s green future.”

    Hidden infrastructure – the backbone of the energy transition

    Investing in power grids is at the heart of the European energy transition. The massive expansion of renewable energy makes high-performance, flexible grids vital to adding new wind and solar power systems, switching to electrical power for heat and transport and ensuring secure, reliable supply for households and industry. Around 95% of the electricity fed into EWE’s power grid in Lower Saxony comes from renewable sources. The investments will enable an additional 3 gigawatts (GW) of renewable generation capacity to be connected by 2028, representing an important contribution to German and European climate targets.

    2024: A record year for EIB power grid investment

    2024 was a record year for EIB support for power-grid investment across Europe. As the EU climate bank, the EIB has a long track record of financing key energy infrastructure projects making decarbonisation, economic growth and energy-security possible. In recent years, the EIB has financed grid modernisation and expansion in Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Poland and many other EU Member States, laying the foundations for a sustainable, interconnected European energy market.

    Contributing to national and EU objectives

    EWE’s investment programme is fully aligned with Germany’s national energy and climate plan, which foresees an 80% share of renewable energy in electricity use by 2030. It also supports the REPowerEU initiative by expanding clean-energy integration, cutting emissions and strengthening energy supply. A total of 40% Sof the investments will go to cohesion regions, promoting economic and social cohesion.

    The EIB – a reliable partner for Europe’s energy transition

    The EIB’s long-term, flexible financing provides a stable basis on which EWE can implement its investment plans, diversifies sources of funding and sends a positive signal to capital markets. As an anchor investor, the EIB is mobilising additional public and private capital for critical infrastructure projects.

    Background information

    EIB

    The European Investment Bank is the world’s largest multilateral lender for climate action projects, supporting initiatives that promote sustainable growth, innovation and social cohesion in the European Union and beyond.

    EWE

    EWE AG is one of Germany’s leading energy and infrastructure companies, operating electricity, gas, water supply and telecommunications networks in Lower Saxony and beyond.

    EWE Electricity Grid Investments Germany

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    EWE Electricity Grid Investments Germany

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    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Unfair competition from imports of products not subject to environmental requirements or social standards – E-002444/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-002444/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Maria Grapini (S&D)

    The reindustrialisation of the EU is one of the objectives of the single market.

    The previous Commission introduced a reindustrialisation programme with the aim of reducing dependence on third countries.

    Despite this, European manufacturing is being eroded by imports of products from third countries that do not have the same production, quality, social and environmental standards as those imposed on European producers.

    One example is the ceramic tiles industry in Romania, Italy, France, Poland and other European countries, which is being greatly affected by imports from India.

    Prices of Indian ceramic tiles are half those of European prices, due to the use of cheaper gas from Russia and not having to pay a carbon tax on gas consumption or for Green Certificates (green taxation) for energy consumption.

    What are the Commission’s concrete proposals for action to end unfair competition from imports of products not subject to environmental requirements and social standards?

    The closure of European companies has led to the loss of jobs and sources of revenue for national budgets.

    Submitted: 17.6.2025

    Last updated: 30 June 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Future of European rail freight and winding up of Fret SNCF – E-002520/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-002520/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Marina Mesure (The Left)

    In the 1980s, the French rail network was one of the most extensive in Europe and was world-renowned for its quality. Today, however, it is at risk more than ever, thanks to the Commission’s neoliberal policies, which run counter to its own target of doubling rail freight by 2050.

    The winding up of the sole public rail transport operator, Fret SNCF – a decision that was made in the wake a procedure launched by the Commission against the French State for ‘unlawful aid not in line with competition rules’ – meant offloading 23 of the most profitable flows, the divestment of some 60 locomotives and the loss of 500 jobs. It represents between 300 000 and 520 000 more lorries on our roads at a time when the transport sector accounts for 31 % of CO2 emissions.

    • 1.Have the 23 flows in question been resumed?
    • 2.If so, to which operators have they been allocated?
    • 3.What does the Commission intend to do to achieve its ambitious target of doubling the volume of goods transported by rail by 2050?

    Submitted: 23.6.2025

    Last updated: 30 June 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NYS Pays Off Unemployment Insurance Debt

    Source: US State of New York

    arlier today, Governor Kathy Hochul rallied with the Hotel and Gaming Trades Council, AFL-CIO to announce New York State has paid off the nearly $7 billion federal Unemployment Insurance (UI) Trust Fund loan — a move that will bring the fund to solvency, increase benefits for unemployed New Yorkers and cut costs to businesses. The Governor announced this action back in May as part of the Fiscal Year 2026 Enacted Budget.

    VIDEO: The event is available to stream on YouTube here and TV quality video is available here (h.264, mp4).

    AUDIO: The Governor’s remarks are available in audio form here.

    PHOTOS: The Governor’s Flickr page has photos of the event here.

    A rush transcript of the Governor’s remarks is available below:

    Thank you, everyone. Is HTC in the house?

    […]

    Then I’m in the right place. So great to see a group of people who understands the power of leadership, and in Rich Maroko, you have the very best. He has been —

    […]

    We all love him. We love you, Richard. Great friend of ours.

    But also I am so fortunate to have partners that I trust and rely on to govern this state, and I want to tell you about Carl Heastie, the Speaker. I don’t think we had a single conversation for months where he didn’t raise the issue of like, “Governor, can we finally fix the unemployment insurance issue, then we get to everything else?” So he was dogged in his determination to make sure we got this done. I want to thank him. And Harry Bronson as well, our Assemblymember from Upstate New York. Anybody find Upstate New York on a map? It’s a great place. Okay. I know we have members up there as well, Harry, but Carl, thank you, thank you, thank you for being conscious.

    And Leader Steward-Cousins, making sure that the Senate was on board to drive this and get this over the finish line. These are the leaders that worked with me to say it is time we stood up for our workers. This is how we get it done. So thank you to them.

    Also, we have an extraordinary Commissioner of Labor who hearkens back to the legacy of Frances Perkins, who was so forward thinking when she was Commissioner of Labor for FDR when he was Governor. Did you know he was Governor first? Yeah, okay. Then he went to be President, he took her with him and they changed the course of history by lifting up people in the greatest time of need. And I want to thank Roberta Reardon for being our 2025 version of Frances Perkins.

    Alright. It’s time to just talk this time. Is this on? It is on. Alright.

    These are really tough times for our people. When we can do something like this, it sends a message that we care so deeply about every stress that people are going through, especially the high cost of living. It is oppressive. It is so discouraging because you work hard and many of you came from immigrant parents or grandparents or yourselves. You came here to live the American — in fact, I’ll say the New York Dream, and no matter how hard you’re working and you’re getting good wages because you have a great fighter — sometimes it just feels like we’re not getting ahead. No one counted on a pandemic to slam us down and to stop people from coming to our city, which is the bread and butter of this union. Remember those times. We tried to help you with resources at that time, and then when you think we’re out of the woods, now we’re going to be okay — this is New York — then inflation knocks us down. Everything you bought for your little kids taking care of your teenagers, your adult kids who needed your help, they sometimes didn’t even leave the basement, right? They couldn’t find a place to live, right? People have struggled, no fault of their own.

    So, I have declared for a long time that your family is my fight. I announced that with a whole set of reforms back as part of my State of the State. You know what we got done? Everything I wanted to do. It’s $5,000 back in families’ pockets and I want to thank our leaders once again because when I said we need a middle class tax cut the largest in seven years, they said yes. When I said we need an inflation rebate, putting $400 back in peoples’ pockets, they said yes. A Child Tax Credit — anybody with little kids? They’re pretty expensive, aren’t they? I mean, I’m New York’s first mom Governor. I know. And I’m a grandma too, so I know what it costs for families today. A $1,000 for families with a child under the age of four or $500 for older kids. And we’re going to pick up the cost of school lunches and breakfast. That adds up to $5,000 for New York families.

    So we have been laser focused on affordability and we’re just getting warmed up. We know we can do more. When I think about our union men and women now, we are the most unionized state in America. The most pro-union state in America? Yes, and I happen to come from the most unionized part of the most unionized State of New York, and that is Western New York. We got a Western New Yorker out there. Really? Where are you from? Alright. I’ll know you’re a real Western New York if you say, “Go Bills,” or — I’ll stop. I’ll stop. I know I’ll keep that for the season. Alright, let me get back on track. I am trying to unite Upstate and Downstate. There are three teams coupled, placed somewhere else, but okay, we’ll work on that.

    But it’s in my blood because grandpa was a very poor immigrant who lived in great poverty, worked as a migrant farm worker himself, came to Buffalo to make steel with his hands. My dad did the same, his brothers did the same. My next door workers worked at the GM plant. So it is in my blood to fight for working men and women. And when I know there’s something that happens periodically, because I’ve been on so many strike lines, then people need to strike for better wages and conditions — that first of all, to wait three weeks for those benefits to take effect. That’s a long hungry time for your family — long time. My dad was on strike when we were little kids at the steel plant. His parents tried to help him out. They struggled. I remember him telling me this. I didn’t know this story until much later in his life. So, families suffer when the parents are out there fighting for good wages and benefits. We can’t let that happen. It’s now three weeks down to two. We made that happen for you.

    But to think because there was this huge debt owed to our unemployment system, and I want to give — everybody give another round of applause to Roberta Reardon, who made sure the checks went out during the pandemic. We owed a lot of money and they said under the rules. You can’t raise that amount up from $504 a week. I said, “$504 a week. Who can live on that? Nobody. Nobody”. And I said, “Well, why aren’t we able to raise it?” Well, you have to pay down the debt. Alright, so we have these reserves, it’s going to be $7 billion that we shipped from here over here to pay it out. And that’s a lot of money. I worked hard and I said, “I’m saving that for a rainy day.” And all of a sudden I declared. It’s raining. It’s raining. It’s time to make sure that if people are on strike or unemployed, lose their job — $869 a week. That’s how we lift people up.

    And I’m going to continue because we have a long road ahead, but I’ll tell you, we’re all New Yorkers. There’s nobody tougher than us, right? We are strong, we’re resilient, and all these policies out of Washington are scarier than hell. Talk about the hotels losing business from the Canadians. It’s hard to blame them because they were insulted by our President, right? We’re trying to win them back. I was up in Elise Stefanik’s district Friday, meeting hotel owners up there and small businesses and people in the restaurants. They’re going to be starving because the Canadians used to come over. They’re our friends, they’re our neighbors. They used to spend weekends here in New York City staying at your hotels. And now they’re saying, we’re not coming. The President needs to reset that relationship now. Let them come back, fix that relationship now.

    And we’re on a high, we’re having a good time. This is New York. But if those bills that you hear about — the Big Ugly Bill that is being worked on by the Senate right now to give tax breaks to millionaires and billionaires out of your pockets — that is going to be devastating for people on Medicaid and people who need the support for childcare. And SNAP benefits, my gosh, so many families rely on this. So, I’m excited about what we can do here in New York, but we must continue to be the firewall to stop the insanity in Washington. Say no matter what they do, we have your back here in the great State of New York. You can count on that.

    Thank you, everybody. Thank you.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada:

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

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    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: New taxes on premium flyers and private jets: Greenpeace comment

    Source: Greenpeace Statement –

    Sevilla, Spain – Barbados, France, Kenya, Spain, Benin, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Antigua & Barbuda supported by the European Commission, have announced they will form a ‘solidarity coalition on premium flyers’ to raise funds for climate action and sustainable development. Campaigners reacted to the announcement, which was made on the first day of the UN Financing for Development conference in Sevilla (FFD4).[1]

    Rebecca Newsom, Global Political Lead of Greenpeace International’s Stop Drilling Start Paying campaign said: “Flying is the most elite and polluting form of travel, so this is an important step towards ensuring that the binge users of this undertaxed sector are made to pay their fair share. With the cost of climate impacts surging in countries least responsible for the crisis, bold, cooperative action that makes polluters pay is not just fair – it’s essential.”

    “The obvious next step is to hold oil and gas corporations to account. As fossil fuel barons rake in obscene profits, and people are battered with increasingly violent floods, storms and wildfires, it’s no surprise that 8 out of 10 people support making them pay. Members of the Global Solidarity Levies Task Force and rich countries around the world should act upon this enormous public mandate: commit to higher taxes on fossil fuel profits and extraction by COP30, while ensuring that those being hit hardest by the climate crisis around the world benefit most from the revenues.”  

    Greenpeace International maintains it is critical that the revenues raised from solidarity levies in Global North countries go towards the countries and communities most affected by the climate crisis, for example through helping to fill the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage. 

    With demand for a climate damages tax on big polluters fast gaining momentum globally, Greenpeace urges all countries to join and implement the commitments of the new solidarity coalition on premium flyers by COP30. It also calls on all governments to adopt bold taxes and fines on greedy oil and gas corporations for the damages they have caused, without delay.[2][3][4][5][6] 

    ENDS

    Notes:

    [1] The Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD) takes place from June 30 to 3 July 2025 in Sevilla, Spain, with participation of Heads of State and Government, relevant ministers, and other special representatives. Official website

    [2] Popularity of climate damages taxes on fossil fuel consumption and production. A global survey, commissioned by Greenpeace International and Oxfam International, found that 3 out of 4 people agree that wealthier airline passengers (i.e. those who fly more often, use business and first-class and or/private jets) should pay additional tax due to their outsized individual impact on climate change. The same survey found that taxing oil, gas and coal corporations for their climate damages is even more popular. 81% of people support this, while 86% support channeling the revenues from higher taxes on oil and gas corporations towards communities most impacted by the climate crisis.

    [3] A call to action. The Polluters Pay Pact is a global alliance of more than 160,000 people on the frontlines of climate disasters, concerned citizens, first responders like firefighters, humanitarian groups and political leaders. It demands that governments around the world make oil, coal and gas corporations pay their fair share for the damages they cause. 

    [4] 80% of the world’s population have never flown. A single transatlantic flight on a private jet can produce emissions equivalent to those generated by an average person over several years. Private jets are 10 times more carbon-intensive than commercial flights and 50 times more polluting than trains. 

    [5] Recent Oxfam International research found that a polluter profits tax on 590 oil, gas and coal companies could raise up to US $400 billion in its first year. This compares to estimated loss and damage costs of $290-1045 trillion in the Global South annually by 2030. Further, Oxfam analysis found that the emissions of just 340 fossil fuel companies each year make up half of all global emissions – emissions of just one year are enough to cause 2.7 million heat-related deaths over the next century. 

    [6] Over 100 climate groups are backing a ‘Climate Damages Tax’ on fossil fuels extraction. This could be imposed by OECD countries, which if introduced at low initial rate of US$5 per tonne of CO2e increasing by US$5 per tonne each year could raise a total of US$ 900 billion by 2030 to help the world’s poorest and most vulnerable with climate damages, and pay for damages caused by some of the worst extreme weather events last year. Greenpeace is calling on governments to introduce frequent flyer levies so that those who fly the most, pay the most, while preventing the expansion of the aviation industry. Private jets are an extravagant luxury which should be banned altogether.

    Contacts:

    Tal Harris, Global Media Lead – Greenpeace International’s Stop Drilling Start Paying campaign, +41-782530550, [email protected] 

    Greenpeace International Press Desk: +31 (0) 20 718 2470 (available 24 hours), [email protected]

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: New taxes on premium flyers and private jets: Greenpeace comment

    Source: Greenpeace Statement –

    Sevilla, Spain – Barbados, France, Kenya, Spain, Benin, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Antigua & Barbuda supported by the European Commission, have announced they will form a ‘solidarity coalition on premium flyers’ to raise funds for climate action and sustainable development. Campaigners reacted to the announcement, which was made on the first day of the UN Financing for Development conference in Sevilla (FFD4).[1]

    Rebecca Newsom, Global Political Lead of Greenpeace International’s Stop Drilling Start Paying campaign said: “Flying is the most elite and polluting form of travel, so this is an important step towards ensuring that the binge users of this undertaxed sector are made to pay their fair share. With the cost of climate impacts surging in countries least responsible for the crisis, bold, cooperative action that makes polluters pay is not just fair – it’s essential.”

    “The obvious next step is to hold oil and gas corporations to account. As fossil fuel barons rake in obscene profits, and people are battered with increasingly violent floods, storms and wildfires, it’s no surprise that 8 out of 10 people support making them pay. Members of the Global Solidarity Levies Task Force and rich countries around the world should act upon this enormous public mandate: commit to higher taxes on fossil fuel profits and extraction by COP30, while ensuring that those being hit hardest by the climate crisis around the world benefit most from the revenues.”  

    Greenpeace International maintains it is critical that the revenues raised from solidarity levies in Global North countries go towards the countries and communities most affected by the climate crisis, for example through helping to fill the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage. 

    With demand for a climate damages tax on big polluters fast gaining momentum globally, Greenpeace urges all countries to join and implement the commitments of the new solidarity coalition on premium flyers by COP30. It also calls on all governments to adopt bold taxes and fines on greedy oil and gas corporations for the damages they have caused, without delay.[2][3][4][5][6] 

    ENDS

    Notes:

    [1] The Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD) takes place from June 30 to 3 July 2025 in Sevilla, Spain, with participation of Heads of State and Government, relevant ministers, and other special representatives. Official website

    [2] Popularity of climate damages taxes on fossil fuel consumption and production. A global survey, commissioned by Greenpeace International and Oxfam International, found that 3 out of 4 people agree that wealthier airline passengers (i.e. those who fly more often, use business and first-class and or/private jets) should pay additional tax due to their outsized individual impact on climate change. The same survey found that taxing oil, gas and coal corporations for their climate damages is even more popular. 81% of people support this, while 86% support channeling the revenues from higher taxes on oil and gas corporations towards communities most impacted by the climate crisis.

    [3] A call to action. The Polluters Pay Pact is a global alliance of more than 160,000 people on the frontlines of climate disasters, concerned citizens, first responders like firefighters, humanitarian groups and political leaders. It demands that governments around the world make oil, coal and gas corporations pay their fair share for the damages they cause. 

    [4] 80% of the world’s population have never flown. A single transatlantic flight on a private jet can produce emissions equivalent to those generated by an average person over several years. Private jets are 10 times more carbon-intensive than commercial flights and 50 times more polluting than trains. 

    [5] Recent Oxfam International research found that a polluter profits tax on 590 oil, gas and coal companies could raise up to US $400 billion in its first year. This compares to estimated loss and damage costs of $290-1045 trillion in the Global South annually by 2030. Further, Oxfam analysis found that the emissions of just 340 fossil fuel companies each year make up half of all global emissions – emissions of just one year are enough to cause 2.7 million heat-related deaths over the next century. 

    [6] Over 100 climate groups are backing a ‘Climate Damages Tax’ on fossil fuels extraction. This could be imposed by OECD countries, which if introduced at low initial rate of US$5 per tonne of CO2e increasing by US$5 per tonne each year could raise a total of US$ 900 billion by 2030 to help the world’s poorest and most vulnerable with climate damages, and pay for damages caused by some of the worst extreme weather events last year. Greenpeace is calling on governments to introduce frequent flyer levies so that those who fly the most, pay the most, while preventing the expansion of the aviation industry. Private jets are an extravagant luxury which should be banned altogether.

    Contacts:

    Tal Harris, Global Media Lead – Greenpeace International’s Stop Drilling Start Paying campaign, +41-782530550, [email protected] 

    Greenpeace International Press Desk: +31 (0) 20 718 2470 (available 24 hours), [email protected]

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI: Equasens: acquisition of DIS and RESURGENCES BUSINESSES

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Villers-lès-Nancy (France), 30 June 2025 – 06:00 PM (CET)

    PRESS RELEASE

    EQUASENS ACQUIRES DIS AND RESURGENCES BUSINESSES, STRENGTHENING ITS POSITION IN THE MARKET OF SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS FOR HEALTHCARE ESTABLISHMENTS.

    Strengthening the position of a leading provider of software solutions for hospitals and the medical-social sector

    • Transaction finalised: acquisition of Novaprove, publisher of ResUrgences software and the DIS business assets, (GESDIS, FACDIS, ARCADIS ranges)
    • Acquisition scope: more than 300 customers in the public healthcare sector, with annual revenue of around €5 million
    • The AXIGATE LINK Division strengthens its position in the market of software solutions for public healthcare establishments
    • Industrial synergies: The AXIGATE LINK Division expands its range of digital products and services for health and medico-social establishments.

    ***

    Equasens Group (Euronext Paris™ – Compartment B – FR 0012882389 -$EQS), announces the completion of the acquisition on July 1, 2025, by its AXIGATE LINK Division through its subsidiary Axigate, of two businesses specialising in solutions for the public healthcare sector from a French software solutions editor.

    This strategic acquisition which is a product of the exclusive negotiations announced on 30 April will contribute to Equasens’ goal to significantly strengthen its position in the hospital and medico-social software market, by creating a complete technology ecosystem to support the digital transformation of public and private establishments.

    Scope and impact of the acquisition
    The acquired business assets cover more than 300 customers in the public healthcare sector and generate annual sales of around €5m. They include:

    • ResUrgences (Novaprove): a cloud-based software platform specialising in the management of hospital emergency services, equipping 8 university hospitals (CHU) and a total of 75 customers. This functionally reliable and robust technological solution optimises the management of emergency department patient flows and care delivery processes.
    • DIS range: digital solutions for public healthcare establishments. 215 sites are equipped with the DIS range, including 125 healthcare establishments (hospitals) and 90 medico-social establishments (mainly nursing homes). This range integrates the management of EPR (Electronic Patient Records), billing, accounting, business and financial management and HR management, including payroll management solutions. The suite also includes inventory and purchasing management, providing solutions for in-house pharmacies.

    These two activities have been integrated into the AXIGATE LINK Division, and will strengthen the HOSPILINK solution for Hospitals, Regional Hospital Groups (GHT) and specialised after-care and rehabilitation facilities and psychiatric facilities in France.

    Growth strategy in action
    This acquisition is fully in line with Equasens’ strategy for:

    • developing software solutions for public health establishments, a market with numerous renewal and equipment opportunities,
    • and strengthening the Group’s offering for both the private practice and hospital segments over the entire patient care pathway.

    The resulting technical and commercial synergies with the AXIGATE LINK Division’s existing solutions will be a major growth driver by optimising resources and accelerating innovation.

    This acquisition significantly reinforces the Group’s position as a key force in the transformation of the digital healthcare ecosystem, providing an even more precise and comprehensive solution for management and EPR (Electronic Patient Records) needs of healthcare establishments and their practitioners.

    An industrial growth model and future prospects
    The integration of these activities within the AXIGATE LINK Division reflects a clear industrial vision: to expand and complete its software offering for healthcare establishments by adding new technology building blocks to the AXIGATE LINK Division’s EPR solutions in various areas (accounting, billing, stock management and payroll).

    The short-term objective is to develop the new building blocks originating from the acquisition to be integrated into the existing AXIGATE LINK Division ranges: HOSPILINK (hospital), TITANLINK (nursing homes) and DOMILINK (home care). For ResUrgences, the aim is to strengthen this specialized range while integrating it into the HOSPILINK range as a full-fledged module.

    The medium-term objective is to create smooth, secure patient care pathways, by improving interoperability between the various services and users, based on our different solutions for institutions (emergency services, nursing homes, hospitals, hospital-at-home programmes, in-home nursing care services) and private healthcare practitioners (physicians, allied health professionals, pharmacies), by developing new functionalities based on artificial intelligence and data analysis, making it possible to retrieve information from patient records throughout the patient’s care pathway.

    Denis Supplisson, Chief Executive Officer of Equasens, commented: “This acquisition illustrates our determination to expand and diversify within our core business – software for both private practice and hospital healthcare professionals – by targeting opportunities that make industrial and economic sense. By integrating the ResUrgences and DIS ranges, we are combining the added value of our medico-social and healthcare offerings to meet the growing digital needs of healthcare establishments. Our goal is to become the technology partner of choice to support the transformation of the French healthcare system, by harnessing the potential of innovation to benefit people: improving the handling of administrative and medical tasks to save time for users. ”

    Grégoire de Rotalier, Deputy CEO of Equasens and Manager of the AXIGATE LINK Division, added: “For Equasens and the AXIGATE LINK Division, this quality acquisition significantly strengthens our presence in the public health sector, in terms of market share, expertise and product range. This acquisition further reinforces AXIGATE LINK’s strong position in the hospital, medico-social and home care sectors, and strengthens a team of 270 employees fully focused on serving 5,000 healthcare and medico-social establishment customers. ”

    Timetable and integration
    Operational integration of the teams and solutions will begin in Q3 2025, with a phased migration plan for customers to Equasens’ new technology platforms. Continuity of service is guaranteed throughout the transition period.

    Upcoming financial communications

    • 31 July 2025: Q2 2025 revenue – After the close of trading
    • 26 September 2025: H1 2025 results: 26 September 2025

    About Equasens Group – Follow us also on LinkedIn

    Founded over 35 years ago, Equasens Group, a leader in digital healthcare solutions, today employs over 1.400 people across Europe.
    Equasens Group’s specialised business applications facilitate the day-to-day work of healthcare professionals and their teams, working in private practice, collaborative medical structures or healthcare establishments. The Group also provides comprehensive support to healthcare professionals in the transformation of their profession by developing electronic equipment, digital solutions and healthcare robotics, as well as data hosting, financing and training adapted to their specific needs.
    And reflecting the spirit of its tagline “Technology for a More Human Experience”, the Group is a leading provider of interoperability solutions that improve coordination between healthcare professionals, their communications and data exchange resulting in better patient care and a more efficient and secure healthcare system.

    Listed on Euronext Paris™, Equasens Group (Compartment B – FR 0012882389 – $EQS) applies a two-pronged development strategy combining organic growth with targeted acquisitions at a European level.

    CONTACTS

    Analyst and Investor Relations:
    Chief Administrative and Financial Officer: Frédérique Schmidt
    Tel: +33 (0)3 83 15 90 67 – frederique.schmidt@equasens.com

    Financial communications agency:
    FIN’EXTENSO – Isabelle Aprile

    Tel.: +33 (0)6 17 38 61 78 – i.aprile@finextenso.fr

    Forward-looking statements
    This press release contains forward-looking statements that are not guarantees of future performance and are based on current opinions, forecasts and assumptions, including, but not limited to, assumptions about Equasens’ current and future strategy and the environment in which Equasens operates. These involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause actual results, performance or achievements, or industry results or other events, to materially differ from those expressed in or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include those detailed in Chapter 3 “Risk factors” of the Universal Registration Document filed with the French financial market authority (Autorité des Marchés Financiers or AMF) on April 29, 2025 under number D.25-0334. These forward-looking statements are valid only as of the date of this press release.

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Equasens: acquisition of DIS and RESURGENCES BUSINESSES

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Villers-lès-Nancy (France), 30 June 2025 – 06:00 PM (CET)

    PRESS RELEASE

    EQUASENS ACQUIRES DIS AND RESURGENCES BUSINESSES, STRENGTHENING ITS POSITION IN THE MARKET OF SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS FOR HEALTHCARE ESTABLISHMENTS.

    Strengthening the position of a leading provider of software solutions for hospitals and the medical-social sector

    • Transaction finalised: acquisition of Novaprove, publisher of ResUrgences software and the DIS business assets, (GESDIS, FACDIS, ARCADIS ranges)
    • Acquisition scope: more than 300 customers in the public healthcare sector, with annual revenue of around €5 million
    • The AXIGATE LINK Division strengthens its position in the market of software solutions for public healthcare establishments
    • Industrial synergies: The AXIGATE LINK Division expands its range of digital products and services for health and medico-social establishments.

    ***

    Equasens Group (Euronext Paris™ – Compartment B – FR 0012882389 -$EQS), announces the completion of the acquisition on July 1, 2025, by its AXIGATE LINK Division through its subsidiary Axigate, of two businesses specialising in solutions for the public healthcare sector from a French software solutions editor.

    This strategic acquisition which is a product of the exclusive negotiations announced on 30 April will contribute to Equasens’ goal to significantly strengthen its position in the hospital and medico-social software market, by creating a complete technology ecosystem to support the digital transformation of public and private establishments.

    Scope and impact of the acquisition
    The acquired business assets cover more than 300 customers in the public healthcare sector and generate annual sales of around €5m. They include:

    • ResUrgences (Novaprove): a cloud-based software platform specialising in the management of hospital emergency services, equipping 8 university hospitals (CHU) and a total of 75 customers. This functionally reliable and robust technological solution optimises the management of emergency department patient flows and care delivery processes.
    • DIS range: digital solutions for public healthcare establishments. 215 sites are equipped with the DIS range, including 125 healthcare establishments (hospitals) and 90 medico-social establishments (mainly nursing homes). This range integrates the management of EPR (Electronic Patient Records), billing, accounting, business and financial management and HR management, including payroll management solutions. The suite also includes inventory and purchasing management, providing solutions for in-house pharmacies.

    These two activities have been integrated into the AXIGATE LINK Division, and will strengthen the HOSPILINK solution for Hospitals, Regional Hospital Groups (GHT) and specialised after-care and rehabilitation facilities and psychiatric facilities in France.

    Growth strategy in action
    This acquisition is fully in line with Equasens’ strategy for:

    • developing software solutions for public health establishments, a market with numerous renewal and equipment opportunities,
    • and strengthening the Group’s offering for both the private practice and hospital segments over the entire patient care pathway.

    The resulting technical and commercial synergies with the AXIGATE LINK Division’s existing solutions will be a major growth driver by optimising resources and accelerating innovation.

    This acquisition significantly reinforces the Group’s position as a key force in the transformation of the digital healthcare ecosystem, providing an even more precise and comprehensive solution for management and EPR (Electronic Patient Records) needs of healthcare establishments and their practitioners.

    An industrial growth model and future prospects
    The integration of these activities within the AXIGATE LINK Division reflects a clear industrial vision: to expand and complete its software offering for healthcare establishments by adding new technology building blocks to the AXIGATE LINK Division’s EPR solutions in various areas (accounting, billing, stock management and payroll).

    The short-term objective is to develop the new building blocks originating from the acquisition to be integrated into the existing AXIGATE LINK Division ranges: HOSPILINK (hospital), TITANLINK (nursing homes) and DOMILINK (home care). For ResUrgences, the aim is to strengthen this specialized range while integrating it into the HOSPILINK range as a full-fledged module.

    The medium-term objective is to create smooth, secure patient care pathways, by improving interoperability between the various services and users, based on our different solutions for institutions (emergency services, nursing homes, hospitals, hospital-at-home programmes, in-home nursing care services) and private healthcare practitioners (physicians, allied health professionals, pharmacies), by developing new functionalities based on artificial intelligence and data analysis, making it possible to retrieve information from patient records throughout the patient’s care pathway.

    Denis Supplisson, Chief Executive Officer of Equasens, commented: “This acquisition illustrates our determination to expand and diversify within our core business – software for both private practice and hospital healthcare professionals – by targeting opportunities that make industrial and economic sense. By integrating the ResUrgences and DIS ranges, we are combining the added value of our medico-social and healthcare offerings to meet the growing digital needs of healthcare establishments. Our goal is to become the technology partner of choice to support the transformation of the French healthcare system, by harnessing the potential of innovation to benefit people: improving the handling of administrative and medical tasks to save time for users. ”

    Grégoire de Rotalier, Deputy CEO of Equasens and Manager of the AXIGATE LINK Division, added: “For Equasens and the AXIGATE LINK Division, this quality acquisition significantly strengthens our presence in the public health sector, in terms of market share, expertise and product range. This acquisition further reinforces AXIGATE LINK’s strong position in the hospital, medico-social and home care sectors, and strengthens a team of 270 employees fully focused on serving 5,000 healthcare and medico-social establishment customers. ”

    Timetable and integration
    Operational integration of the teams and solutions will begin in Q3 2025, with a phased migration plan for customers to Equasens’ new technology platforms. Continuity of service is guaranteed throughout the transition period.

    Upcoming financial communications

    • 31 July 2025: Q2 2025 revenue – After the close of trading
    • 26 September 2025: H1 2025 results: 26 September 2025

    About Equasens Group – Follow us also on LinkedIn

    Founded over 35 years ago, Equasens Group, a leader in digital healthcare solutions, today employs over 1.400 people across Europe.
    Equasens Group’s specialised business applications facilitate the day-to-day work of healthcare professionals and their teams, working in private practice, collaborative medical structures or healthcare establishments. The Group also provides comprehensive support to healthcare professionals in the transformation of their profession by developing electronic equipment, digital solutions and healthcare robotics, as well as data hosting, financing and training adapted to their specific needs.
    And reflecting the spirit of its tagline “Technology for a More Human Experience”, the Group is a leading provider of interoperability solutions that improve coordination between healthcare professionals, their communications and data exchange resulting in better patient care and a more efficient and secure healthcare system.

    Listed on Euronext Paris™, Equasens Group (Compartment B – FR 0012882389 – $EQS) applies a two-pronged development strategy combining organic growth with targeted acquisitions at a European level.

    CONTACTS

    Analyst and Investor Relations:
    Chief Administrative and Financial Officer: Frédérique Schmidt
    Tel: +33 (0)3 83 15 90 67 – frederique.schmidt@equasens.com

    Financial communications agency:
    FIN’EXTENSO – Isabelle Aprile

    Tel.: +33 (0)6 17 38 61 78 – i.aprile@finextenso.fr

    Forward-looking statements
    This press release contains forward-looking statements that are not guarantees of future performance and are based on current opinions, forecasts and assumptions, including, but not limited to, assumptions about Equasens’ current and future strategy and the environment in which Equasens operates. These involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause actual results, performance or achievements, or industry results or other events, to materially differ from those expressed in or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include those detailed in Chapter 3 “Risk factors” of the Universal Registration Document filed with the French financial market authority (Autorité des Marchés Financiers or AMF) on April 29, 2025 under number D.25-0334. These forward-looking statements are valid only as of the date of this press release.

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Credit Agricole Sa: REDUCTION OF RESOURCES TO THE LIQUIDITY CONTRACT WITH KEPLER CHEUVREUX

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Montrouge, June 30, 2025

    PRESS RELEASE

    REDUCTION OF RESOURCES TO THE LIQUIDITY CONTRACT
    WITH KEPLER CHEUVREUX

    Today, Crédit Agricole S.A. is pleased to announce the launch of its annual capital increase reserved for employees of the Crédit Agricole Group around the world.

    In accordance with the agreement signed as of 25 October 2006, updated on 18 January 2019, and amended by Amendment No. 1 dated 6 July 2020 and by Amendment No. 2 dated 18 March 2022, Crédit Agricole SA (ISIN: FR0000045072) entrusted Kepler Cheuvreux with the implementation of a liquidity contract (the “Contract”). This Contract, with an initial amount of €50 million, is intended to create an active market for the shares of Crédit Agricole S.A on the regulated market of Euronext Paris.
    In order to readjust the amount made available for this contract, a redemption of €5 million was made to the Liquidity account on June 27, 2025 (the “Redemption”).
    The Redemption was carried out in accordance with the MAR Regulation (EU No. 596/2014 on market abuse ), the Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/908 of 26 February 2016 supplementing Regulation (EU) n° 596/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council with regulatory technical standards on the criteria, the procedure and the requirements for establishing an accepted market practice and the requirements for maintaining it, terminating it or modifying the conditions for its acceptance, articles L. 225-209 and following ones of the French Commercial Code (Code de commerce) and French Financial Market Authority (AMF) Decision No. 2021-01 of June 22, 2021, applicable as of July 1, 2021.
    The position after Redemption, as of June 27, 2025, amounts to:

    – 30 394 424.67 € 
    – 1 133 877 shares

    Detailed information can be found on Crédit Agricole S.A.’s website at the following address:
    https://www.credit-agricole.com/en/finance/regulated-information

    PRESS CONTACTS CRÉDIT AGRICOLE S.A.

       Alexandre Barat          + 33 1 57 72 12 19                         alexandre.barat@credit-agricole-sa.fr
       Olivier Tassain        + 33 1 43 23 25 41                        olivier.tassain@credit-agricole-sa.fr

    INVESTOR RELATIONS CONTACTS CRÉDIT AGRICOLE S.A.

    Institutional Investors + 33 1 43 23 04 31 investor.relations@credit-agricole-sa.fr
         

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: International Petroleum Corporation Updated Share Capital

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    International Petroleum Corporation (IPC or the Corporation) (TSX, Nasdaq Stockholm: IPCO) reports the following, in accordance with the Swedish Financial Instruments Trading Act:

    Following the cancellation of 288,027 common shares repurchased by IPC under the normal course issuer bid / share repurchase program, the total number of issued and outstanding common shares of the Corporation is 113,354,532 common shares with voting rights as at June 30, 2025 and IPC holds no common shares in treasury.

    International Petroleum Corp. (IPC) is an international oil and gas exploration and production company with a high quality portfolio of assets located in Canada, Malaysia and France, providing a solid foundation for organic and inorganic growth. IPC is a member of the Lundin Group of Companies. IPC is incorporated in Canada and IPC’s shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) and the Nasdaq Stockholm exchange under the symbol “IPCO”.

    For further information, please contact:

    Rebecca Gordon
    SVP Corporate Planning and Investor Relations
    rebecca.gordon@international-petroleum.com
    Tel: +41 22 595 10 50

    Or

    		 Robert Eriksson
    Media Manager
    reriksson@rive6.ch
    Tel: +46 701 11 26 15

    This information is information that International Petroleum Corporation is required to make public pursuant to the Swedish Financial Instruments Trading Act. The information was submitted for publication, through the contact persons set out above, at 17:30 CEST on June 30, 2025.

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Robinhood Launches Stock Tokens, Reveals Layer 2 Blockchain, and Expands Crypto Suite in EU and US with Perpetual Futures and Staking

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Robinhood Stock Tokens will allow EU customers to get exposure to the US stock market

    Robinhood will also launch a new Layer 2 blockchain to power the tokenization of Real World Assets

    MENLO PARK, Calif., June 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Today, at Robinhood Presents: To Catch a Token in Cannes, France, we unveiled a suite of new products that mark a major step forward for crypto. From expanding Robinhood to over 400 million people across 30 EU and EEA countries, to launching stock and ETF tokens, we’re building toward a future where investing is simpler, smarter, and more accessible worldwide.

    “Our latest offerings lay the groundwork for crypto to become the backbone of the global financial system,” said Robinhood Chairman and CEO Vlad Tenev.

    Tokenization and Layer 2 Blockchain

    We’ve launched US stock and ETF tokens in the EU, giving eligible customers exposure to US equities with Robinhood Stock Tokens—featuring zero commissions or added spreads from Robinhood (other fees may apply), dividend support, and 24/5 access. With tokenized stocks, our European app transitions from being a crypto-only app to an all-in-one investment app powered by crypto.

    European customers will have access to 200+ US stock and ETF tokens. Stock token holders will also receive dividend payments directly in their app.

    “Crypto was built by engineers for engineers, and has not been accessible to most people,” said Johann Kerbrat, GM and SVP of Robinhood Crypto. “We’re onboarding the world to crypto by making it as easy to use as possible—with the goal of bringing powerful tools into one intuitive platform.”

    Stock tokens will initially be issued on Arbitrum. In the future, tokenized stocks will be facilitated by our very own Robinhood Layer 2 blockchain, based on Arbitrum. Currently in development, the Robinhood blockchain will be optimized for tokenized real-world assets and built to support 24/7 trading, seamless bridging, and self-custody.

    Perpetual Futures

    We are introducing crypto perpetual futures in the EU, where we will offer eligible customers access to a new class of derivatives with continuous exposure and up to 3x leverage. Perpetuals will be 100% rolled out to eligible customers by the end of the summer. Designed to help reduce the complexity typically associated with trading perpetuals, we built our interface with intuitive controls for setting position size and managing margin. Orders are routed through Bitstamp’s perpetual futures exchange.

    This launch will mark an important step in serving active traders across the globe with advanced trading tools in an intuitive platform.

    Crypto Staking in the US

    Crypto staking is launching to eligible US customers, starting with Ethereum and Solana. With our user-friendly interface, you can now participate in blockchain ecosystems and access competitive reward rates by contributing to network operations. Crypto staking is also available to all Robinhood customers in the EU and EEA.

    Expanded Product Suite

    There’s more—we’ve rolled out a suite of new products to make trading crypto on Robinhood even more powerful and seamless.

    • Instant Boost on Crypto Deposits: For a limited time, U and EU investors can transfer crypto into Robinhood and earn a 1% deposit boost—with the chance to double it to 2% if total deposits hit the $500M goal.
    • Crypto Credit Card Rewards: The Robinhood Gold Credit Card gives US customers cash back on purchases—across all categories. Coming this fall, customers can use those rewards to purchase crypto automatically.
    • Cortex for Crypto: Our US feature, Cortex, an AI-powered investing assistant, will be available later this year. Robinhood Gold members can see curated insights, trends, and event-driven market analysis right inside each token’s detail page. It’s designed to help customers quickly understand price movement and market shifts in real time.
    • Smart Exchange Routing: Smart exchange routing evaluates multiple partner exchanges and routes your order to get the best available price across them. Soon, all orders placed through Smart Exchange Routing will qualify for fee tiers, meaning the more you trade, the lower your rate— based on your trailing 30-day trading volume. API support is coming soon.
    • Tax Lots: US customers can also now view and sell specific tax lots for crypto trades, allowing you to strategically choose which lots to sell.
    • Advanced Charts: Advanced charts from Robinhood Legend are coming to mobile, starting with equities and expanding to crypto in August.

    To learn more about today’s announcements, visit go.robinhood.com/presents.

    Disclosures:

    Terms apply. Eligibility and restrictions vary by region.

    US stock and ETF tokens and crypto perpetual futures trading involves significant risk and is not appropriate for all investors. Please carefully consider if investing in such financial instruments is appropriate for you based on your specific experience, risk tolerance, and financial situation. Restrictions and eligibility requirements apply.

    Staking is not available in every state.

    To Catch a Token is sponsored by Robinhood Europe, UAB (“RHEU”). RHEU (company code: 306377915) is authorized and regulated by the Bank of Lithuania (“BoL”) as a financial brokerage firm and a crypto-asset service provider. RHEU’s registered address is: Mėsinių 5, LT-01133 Vilnius, Lithuania; address for correspondence: Konstitucijos pr, 21A (QUADRUM East), LT-08130, Vilnius, Lithuania; website.

    Cryptocurrency services in the US are offered through an account with Robinhood Crypto, LLC (NMLS ID 1702840). Robinhood Crypto, LLC (“RHC”) is licensed to engage in virtual currency business activity by the New York State Department of Financial Services. Cryptocurrency held through Robinhood Crypto is not FDIC insured or SIPC protected.

    Robinhood Gold Visa® Credit Card is offered by Robinhood Credit, Inc. (“RCT”), and is issued by Coastal Community Bank, pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. RCT is a financial technology company, not a bank. Must have Robinhood Financial brokerage account to redeem crypto. See Robinhood Gold Card Rewards Program Rules for detail and other redemption options. Rewards Program Rules are subject to change. The Gold Card requires an annual Robinhood Gold subscription to apply and maintain the card and does not include a 30 day free trial.

    Robinhood Gold is a subscription-based membership program of premium services offered through Robinhood Gold, LLC (“RHG”).

    US Deposit boost is paid in cash into your self-directed individual brokerage account and applies to eligible net crypto deposits from an external address to your crypto account between June 24 and July 7, 2025. Any 2% bonus will be applied retroactively to your net eligible deposits once the combined net crypto deposits across the Robinhood Platform exceeds $500M during the promotion period. Potential bonus deductions will be pulled from your self-directed individual brokerage account. Bonus offered by Robinhood Crypto, LLC. Cryptocurrency held through Robinhood Crypto is not FDIC insured or SIPC protected. See terms and conditions.

    EU Bonus is paid in crypto and applies to eligible net crypto deposits from an external address to your account between 28 May to 7 July, 2025. Excludes deposits of USDC and EURC. Any 2% bonus will be applied retroactively to your eligible deposits once the combined net crypto deposits across the Robinhood Platform exceeds $500M during the promotion period. Dollar value of crypto deposits is determined by Robinhood in its reasonable discretion based on applicable market rates. You cannot trade or withdraw your bonus for 1 year. Other terms apply.

    All investments involve risk and loss of principal is possible.

    Robinhood Financial LLC (“RHF”) (member SIPC), is a registered broker-dealer.

    Robinhood Cortex showcases a conceptual framework illustrating how Robinhood envisions the integration of traditional investing tools with Artificial Intelligence (‘AI’). Currently, Robinhood Cortex is designed to incorporate AI but Trade Builder does not. There is no guarantee that AI will improve investing performance, mitigate risk, or reduce losses.

    RHEU, RHC, RCT, RHG and RHF are separate but affiliated entities and are wholly owned subsidiaries of Robinhood Markets, Inc. (‘Robinhood’).

    About Robinhood

    Robinhood Markets, Inc. (NASDAQ: HOOD) transformed financial services by introducing commission-free stock trading and democratizing access to the markets for millions of investors. Today, Robinhood lets you trade stocks, options, futures (which includes options on futures, swaps, and event contracts), and crypto, invest for retirement, and earn with Robinhood Gold. Headquartered in Menlo Park, California, Robinhood puts customers in the driver’s seat, delivering unprecedented value and products intentionally designed for a new generation of investors. Additional information about Robinhood can be found at www.robinhood.com.

    A Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

    This blog post includes forward-looking statements about Robinhood Markets, Inc. (together with its consolidated subsidiaries, “Robinhood,” “we,” or the “Company”), including statements regarding our planned product launches and developments, including our Layer 2 blockchain, tokenized stocks and ETFs, crypto perpetual futures and staking, Cortex, and other upcoming features. These statements are based on current assumptions and subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. Such risks include, but are not limited to, regulatory developments, market demand, legal challenges, technological changes, and economic conditions. Our forward-looking statements are subject to a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions, and other factors that may cause our actual future results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from any future results expressed or implied in this blog post. Because some of these risks and uncertainties cannot be predicted or quantified and some are beyond our control, you should not rely on our forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. More information about potential risks and uncertainties that could affect our business and financial results can be found in the “Risk Factors” section in Part I, Item 1A of our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2025, and in other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission at www.sec.gov. Except as otherwise noted, all forward-looking statements in this blog post are made as of the date of this blog post, June 30, 2025, and are based on information and estimates available to us at this time. Except as required by law, we assume no obligation to update any of the statements in this blog post whether as a result of any new information, future events, changed circumstances, or otherwise. You should read this blog post with the understanding that our actual future results, performance, events, and circumstances might be materially different from what we expect.

    © 2025 Robinhood

    Contacts

    Investor Relations
    ir@robinhood.com 

    Media
    press@robinhood.com

    Photos accompanying this announcement are available at: 

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d0ff35df-ed50-4cc0-98c8-97ba8ee6aa33

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2a752aac-2ca9-4e66-9cf3-af87513160ce

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/903feb9a-4a24-4da9-9b8d-39751210a515

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ecd2144a-7583-4e25-b27e-6bce6e4cc563

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Iran says US ‘betrayed’ diplomacy by ‘encouraging’ Israeli attacks

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    TEHRAN, June 30 (Xinhua) — Iran’s Foreign Ministry on Monday accused the United States of “betraying” diplomacy, saying Washington’s alleged role in recent military strikes against Israel jeopardizes the future of proximity talks on Iran’s nuclear program.

    At a weekly press conference in Tehran, spokesman Esmail Baghaei said the United States had encouraged the Israeli attack, which came just two days before the scheduled sixth round of Oman-brokered Iran-US talks.

    The US has betrayed the diplomatic process, he stressed, adding that “one cannot expect that this fact will not affect the continuation of negotiations.”

    The diplomat also rejected US accusations that Iran was not serious about the talks, calling them “baseless” and a pretext to justify the strikes.

    In addition, E. Baghaei criticized Germany and France for supporting Israel, singling out German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s remarks, which described Israeli actions as “the dirty work that Israel is doing for all of us.” These words will bring “historical and eternal shame on Germany,” the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman said. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: 30 June 2025 News release Suriname certified malaria-free by WHO

    Source: World Health Organisation

    Today, Suriname became the first country in the Amazon region to receive malaria-free certification from the World Health Organization (WHO). This historic milestone follows nearly 70 years of commitment by the government and people of Suriname to eliminate the disease across its vast rainforests and diverse communities.

    “WHO congratulates Suriname on this remarkable achievement,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “This certification is a powerful affirmation of the principle that everyone—regardless of nationality, background, or migration status—deserves universal access to malaria diagnosis and treatment. Suriname’s steadfast commitment to health equity serves as an inspiration to all countries striving for a malaria-free future.”

    With today’s announcement, a total of 46 countries and 1 territory have been certified as malaria-free by WHO, including 12 countries in the Region of the Americas.

    “Suriname did what was needed to eliminate malaria—detecting and treating every case quickly, investigating to prevent spread, and engaging communities,” said Dr Jarbas Barbosa, Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), WHO’s regional office for the Americas. “This certification reflects years of sustained effort, especially reaching remote areas. It means future generations can grow up free from this potentially deadly disease.”

    Certification of malaria elimination is granted by WHO when a country has proven, beyond reasonable doubt, that the chain of indigenous transmission has been interrupted nationwide for at least the previous three consecutive years.

    Dr Amar Ramadhin, Minister of Health of Suriname, stated: “Being malaria-free means that our population is no longer at risk from malaria. Furthermore, eliminating malaria will have positive effects on our healthcare sector, boost the economy, and enhance tourism.

    “At the same time, we recognize that maintaining this status requires ongoing vigilance. We must continue to take the necessary measures to prevent the reintroduction of malaria. We are proud that our communities are now protected, and we look forward to welcoming more visitors to our beautiful Suriname—while remaining fully committed to safeguarding these hard-won gains.”

    Suriname’s road to elimination

    Suriname’s malaria control efforts began in 1950s in the country’s densely-populated coastal areas, relying heavily on indoor spraying with the pesticide DDT and antimalarial treatment. By the 1960s, the coastal areas had become malaria-free and attention turned towards the country’s forested interior, home to diverse indigenous and tribal communities.

    Although indoor spraying was successful in coastal areas, its impact was limited in the country’s interior due to the prevalence of traditional open-style homes that offer minimal protection against mosquitoes. In 1974 malaria control in the interior was decentralized to Medische Zending, Suriname’s primary health care service, which recruited and trained healthcare workers from the local communities to provide early diagnosis and treatment.

    The surge in mining activities, particularly gold mining which often involves travel between malaria-endemic areas, led to increases in malaria, reaching a peak of more than 15 000 cases in 2001, the highest transmission rates of malaria in the Americas.

    Since 2005, with support from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, the capacity to provide diagnosis was greatly expanded with both improvements in microscopy and the use of rapid diagnostic tests, particularly among mobile groups. Artemisinin-based treatments with primaquine were introduced in Suriname and neighboring countries through PAHO-led studies under the Amazon Malaria Initiative (AMI-RAVREDA), supported by the United States. Prevention among high-risk groups was also strengthened through the distribution of insecticide-treated nets funded by the Global Fund.

    By 2006, malaria had drastically decreased among the indigenous populations, prompting Suriname to shift its focus to high-risk mobile populations in remote mining areas. To reach these groups—many of whom were migrants from neighboring endemic countries—the country established a network of Malaria Service Deliverers, recruited directly from the mining communities. These trained and supervised community workers provide free malaria diagnosis, treatment, and prevention services, playing a vital role in closing access gaps in hard-to-reach regions.

    Through ensuring universal access to diagnosis and treatment regardless of legal status, deploying an extensive network of community health workers, and implementing nationwide malaria screening, including at border crossings, Suriname successfully eliminated malaria. The last locally transmitted case of Plasmodium falciparum malaria was recorded in 2018, followed by the final Plasmodium vivax case in 2021.

    Sustained leadership commitment and funding

    The government of Suriname has shown strong commitment to malaria elimination, including through the National Malaria Elimination Taskforce, Malaria Program, Malaria Elimination Fund, and cross-border collaboration with Brazil, Guyana and French Guiana. For many years PAHO/WHO, with the support of the U.S. Government, has provided technical cooperation throughout Suriname’s anti-malaria campaign. Since 2016 Suriname also participated in the “Elimination 2025” initiative – a group of countries identified by WHO as having the potential to eliminate malaria by 2025.

    This success in Suriname is a demonstration that malaria elimination is possible in challenging contexts in the Amazon basin and in tropical continental countries. The country’s malaria-free certification plays a critical role in advancing PAHO’s Disease Elimination Initiative which aims to eliminate more than 30 communicable diseases, including malaria, in countries of the Americas by 2030.

    Note to the editor

    WHO malaria-free certification

    The final decision on awarding a malaria-free certification is made by the WHO Director-General, based on a recommendation by the Technical Advisory Group on Malaria Elimination and Certification and validation from the Malaria Policy Advisory Group. For more on WHO’s malaria-free certification process, visit  this link.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Secretary of State Sarai concludes participation in the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    June 30, 2025 – Ottawa, Ontario – Global Affairs Canada

    Access to development financing is essential to help countries thrive. It grows businesses, creates jobs, and builds a more secure future for families and communities at home and abroad. It also plays a critical role in supporting underserved communities in emerging markets as they make progress toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

    To help drive progress on these priorities, the Honourable Randeep Sarai, Secretary of State (International Development), today participated in the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4), a high-level UN event, taking place from June 30 to July 3, 2025, in Sevilla, Spain.

    At the conference, Secretary of State Sarai reaffirmed Canada’s commitment to sustainable development and to building a more inclusive international financing system. As a clear example of this commitment, Canada contributed The Common Principles for Private Capital Mobilization to the Sevilla Platform for Action. Canada is co-leading this work alongside France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom. The Common Principles will serve as a road map for Canada and others to mobilize private capital for sustainable development now and into the future.

    Secretary of State Sarai also announced 3 initiatives aimed at mobilizing sustainable investments in emerging markets. They are as follows:

    • The Blended Finance Accelerator for Fund Managers (A4FM) is a $10-million project in partnership with Convergence Blended Finance Inc. The project aims to increase the mobilization of private capital for blended finance funds—that is, a mix of private and public investment—improving the livelihoods of those in underserved communities in developing markets. The project supports gender inclusive investment strategies through knowledge building, repayable grants and tailored technical assistance
    • Support to the Integrated National Financing Frameworks (INFF) Facility is a $2-million project in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme. This project aims to address the persistent misalignment between financial systems and SDGs. The INFF offers a structured approach to align diverse financial flows with sustainable development priorities
    • Funding the Future: Domestic Resource Mobilization in a Digital Economy is a $5-million project in partnership with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s Centre for Tax Policy and Administration. The project will help developing countries enhance domestic resource mobilization through a comprehensive technical assistance program, which includes support for implementing international standards to raise revenues from multinational enterprises, exchange information to combat illicit financial flows and implement measures to fight financial crime. The project will also mobilize international expertise to provide data, training, guidance and practical support to developing countries across a range of issues related to digitalization

    Following Secretary of State Sarai’s departure, Bob Rae, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Canada to the United Nations in New York, who also attended the conference, highlighted Scaling Capital for Sustainable Development (SCALED) on his behalf. Canada is contributing approximately $50 million to the SCALED initiative.

    SCALED will help address major barriers to private sector investment in developing countries by simplifying and standardizing blended finance structures, as well as quickly and efficiently get investments to market in support of the SDGs.

    These investments demonstrate Canada’s commitment to mobilizing all sources of finance. Combined private and public investment strengthens economic growth and stability in developing markets, helping achieve the SDGs.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI: insightsoftware Brings JustPerform to France, Supporting Finance Teams with AI Powered Financial Companion

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    RALEIGH, N.C. and PARIS, June 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — insightsoftware, the most comprehensive provider of solutions for the Office of the CFO, today announced that JustPerform is now available in France. This intelligent financial planning, forecasting, and close companion empowers French finance teams to work smarter, not harder. It seamlessly blends human expertise with AI capabilities that feel like having the most insightful colleague always at your side.

    French finance professionals know the frustration: endless hours wrestling with spreadsheets, chasing down data from multiple systems, and scrambling to meet closing deadlines while trying to deliver strategic insights that actually drive business value. JustPerform transforms this daily reality by working alongside teams as an intelligent companion that understands how finance teams think and work.

    Lineos, AI powered by insightsoftware, is woven throughout the JustPerform experience, giving teams a trusted partner that streamlines every process. Lineos delivers critical insights through predictive forecasting that anticipates what’s ahead and anomaly detection that catches what others miss. Lineos is intelligence built into the fabric of how modern finance teams work. It enables collaboration for you to close faster, report with confidence, and make decisions that matter.

    “Finance teams shouldn’t spend their expertise fighting technology – they should spend it solving business challenges,” said Elisabeth Rambert, Regional Vice President of France at insightsoftware. “JustPerform represents our commitment to giving French finance professionals the modern tools they deserve to focus on what matters most. Further, it reinforces our commitment to the French market, which we’ve been honored to serve for more than 20 years with other comprehensive solutions for the Office of the CFO.”

    The solution puts business users in control, enabling them to master any process in under five minutes. French organizations using JustPerform are seeing 40% faster budget preparation, 60% time savings in data transformation, and 2x return on investment delivered in half the typical timeframe.

    In the coming months, JustPerform will also be able to set up multiple customer instances, enabling CPA firms to take advantage of the solution’s capabilities. In addition to France, JustPerform is available in North America, the UK, Ireland, and APAC.

    Discover how JustPerform helps finance teams achieve 40% faster budget preparation, 2x quicker ROI, and 60% time savings in data transformation. Join the ‘How to transform your financial planning in 2025’ webinar on July 2, 2025 at 17:30. Register here.

    About insightsoftware
    insightsoftware is a global provider of comprehensive solutions for the Office of the CFO. We believe an actionable business strategy begins and ends with accessible financial data. With solutions across financial planning and analysis (FP&A), accounting, and operations, we transform how teams operate, empowering leaders to make timely and informed decisions. With data at the heart of everything we do, insightsoftware enables automated processes, delivers trusted insights, boosts predictability, and increases productivity. Learn more at insightsoftware.com.

    Media Contacts
    Inkhouse for insightsoftware
    insightsoftware@inkhouse.com

    insightsoftware PR Team
    pr@insightsoftware.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: $75M for NYS Dairy Manufacturing Facilities

    Source: US State of New York

    overnor Kathy Hochul today announced Lactalis USA will invest more than $75 million to upgrade both its Walton and Buffalo facilities, enabling them to expand capacity and gain efficiencies. The projects in Delaware and Erie counties include the purchase of new equipment and upgrades that will allow the dairy manufacturer to retain more than 800 full time jobs and create more than 50 new jobs. Lactalis USA is part of Lactalis, the world’s largest dairy company, and has chosen to expand in New York State thanks in part to support from the Governor and Empire State Development.

    “New York will continue to work with businesses in the agri-food sectors as they expand and grow to ensure good-paying jobs remain in our communities,” Governor Hochul said. “By investing in the Lactalis USA facilities and assisting with improvements, New York is retaining hundreds of jobs and adding new jobs, as well as helping to support the region’s dairy farmers.”

    The Walton plant, located at 261 Delaware Street, produces Breakstone’s Sour Cream and Cottage Cheese. It will undergo a $15 million modernization, focusing on automating and expanding the cottage cheese and sour cream production lines, enhancing efficiency, capacity, and sustainability. Currently, the facility has limited capacity, while market demand for nutritious high-protein foods is increasing. The facility also relies on technology that requires extensive maintenance, and the improvements will increase versatility for product innovation. The project will include new fillers, HEPA air filtration, advanced lab equipment, new roofing, boiler upgrades, and several other improvements to the facility. The upgrades will result in a 30% boost in output and create more than 20 new jobs.

    The Buffalo plant, located at 2375 South Park Avenue, produces Galbani Ricotta, Mozzarella and Provolone cheese, along with whey powder that is distributed across the U.S. and abroad. The $60 million expansion includes the installation of six 50,000-pound vats, an advanced cheese belt, separators, silos, and a robotic palletizer. Building remodeling will include relocating the cheese lab to maintain production, increasing mozzarella and provolone production by 37 million pounds annually. Ricotta production will also be expanded, and new energy efficient technology will be added. With the addition of this expansion project, Lactalis USA has committed to investing a total of approximately $123 million in its Buffalo facilities from 2020 through the end of 2027.

    In addition to creating jobs, both plants support the region’s agricultural economy by processing more than 800 million pounds of raw milk annually from 236 local dairy farmers.

    Lactalis USA CEO Esteve Torrens said, “Lactalis has two plants in New York State that are key to our growing business in the United States. Our Buffalo plant is home to a significant ricotta and mozzarella production under the Galbani brand. Our Walton plant continues a rich tradition since 1882 of producing Breakstone’s Sour Cream and is essential to strengthening our cottage cheese business in a rapidly growing category. We are committed to supporting the communities of Buffalo and Walton as we continue to grow in those markets and we thank Gov. Hochul and ESD for their support.”

    ESD is offering $750,000 in Excelsior Jobs Program tax credits for the Walton project (which is in an economically distressed community) and $550,000 in tax credits for the Buffalo project in exchange for Lactalis’ job retention and creation commitments. The projects are expected to be completed in 2027.

    Empire State Development President, CEO & Commissioner Hope Knight said, “The direct impact of Lactalis remaining and growing in Walton and Buffalo is hundreds of cheese manufacturing jobs but indirectly the plant also supports area dairy farmers by purchasing more than $180 million worth of milk each year, making the projects a win for both the manufacturing and agricultural sectors.”

    New York State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball said, “This investment in Lactalis’ existing facilities in Buffalo and Walton is a win-win, retaining hundreds of jobs and adding new jobs, as well as ensuring New York State remains a leader in the dairy industry for years to come. This expansion is great news for the dairy farmers that supply fresh, local milk for the Lactalis cheese manufacturing facilities, which have a long-standing tradition of producing some of New York’s highest quality dairy products. I look forward to seeing these plants continue to grow and bring more fresh, delicious dairy products to families across the state.”

    The largest sector of the agricultural industry, New York’s dairy industry is a critical component of the State’s economy. New York State is home to nearly 3,000 dairy farms with 630,000 cows, producing 16.1 billion pounds of milk. New York ranks fifth in the production of milk and is first in the nation in the production of yogurt and cottage cheese.

    State Senator April Baskin said, “This investment by Lactalis is more than just an upgrade to its facilities, it’s a commitment to the people, the farmers, and the traditions that define New York’s dairy industry. From Walton to Buffalo, this expansion is creating opportunities, preserving livelihoods, and ensuring that New York remains at the forefront of dairy innovation. It’s proof that when we invest in our communities and our industries, we’re building a stronger, more sustainable future for everyone.”

    State Senator Peter Oberacker said, “Generational family-owned farms in the 51st District set the gold standard for dairy excellence nationally and this investment is a powerful testament to that legacy. I’m proud to see Lactalis expand in our region and grateful for their commitment to our family farms, our local workforce, and the future of agriculture in upstate New York,”

    Assemblymember Patrick Burke said, “I’m proud to see continued investment in a facility that has long been part of our neighborhood’s industrial backbone. Lactalis’ expansion secures good-paying jobs, supports local farmers and boosts key sectors of our statewide economy. It’s a big win for South Buffalo, and a sign that our dairy economy remains strong, steady and well cultured.”

    Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz said, “The Lactalis Buffalo facility is not only a large local employer but a vital partner for Erie County’s dairy community, with fresh local dairy products heading there to be processed and sent out to the worldwide community. This investment is great news for the Lactalis plant, its workers and all the ancillary workers in the local dairy field who will benefit from this expansion. I thank Governor Hochul for her work in bringing this investment to fruition and I look forward to the expansion of Lactalis in Erie County.”

    City of Buffalo Mayor Christopher Scanlon said, “Lactalis’ continued investment in Buffalo is a powerful vote of confidence in our city, our workforce, and our role in New York’s dairy industry. This $60 million expansion will not only create new jobs and modernize their South Park Avenue facility, but it will also strengthen the connection between our local economy and family-owned dairy farms across the region. I want to thank Governor Hochul and Lactalis USA for their commitment to Buffalo and for supporting good-paying, sustainable jobs right here in our community.”

    About the Dairy Industry in New York State

    New York State has roughly 3,000 dairy farms that produce over 16 billion pounds of milk annually, making New York the nation’s fifth-largest dairy state. The dairy industry is the state’s largest agricultural sector, contributing significantly to the state’s economy by generating nearly half of the state’s total agricultural receipts and providing some of the highest economic multipliers. New York’s unique and talented dairy producers and processors contribute significantly to the state’s agriculture industry, economy and the health of our communities.

    About Lactalis USA

    Lactalis USA is committed to enriching lives by producing nutritious and great tasting dairy products. The company offers an unrivaled house of beloved dairy brands in the United States including Galbani® Italian cheeses, Président® specialty cheeses and gourmet butters, Kraft® brands in natural and grated cheeses, Breakstones® cottage cheese, ricotta and sour cream, Cracker Barrel® cheese, Black Diamond® cheddar cheese, Parmalat® milk, siggi’s® and Stonyfield Organic® yogurt brands. In the United States the company has approximately 4,000 employees, is present in eight states with 11 manufacturing facilities and corporate offices located in New York City and Buffalo, N.Y., Chicago, Ill., Bedford, N.H., and San Fernando, Calif. Lactalis USA is part of Lactalis Group, the world’s leading dairy company, a French family business founded in 1933 in Laval, France.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Laser Focus: DASA and Dstl funding accelerates novel laser detection tech

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Case study

    Laser Focus: DASA and Dstl funding accelerates novel laser detection tech

    A novel laser detection system developed by Sentinel Photonics has evolved from a promising concept to commercial technology through DASA and Dstl support.

    • Sentinel Photonics was founded in 2019 by former Dstl scientists who developed innovative laser detection technology. The scientists spun out their own company in 2020, licencing the technology from Dstl.
    • Another DASA-funded innovation which protects users’ eyesight from lasers has been adopted on the Army’s KS1 rifles.
    • Sentinel Photonics also secured a DASA Defence Innovation Loan to help grow the size of their team and further develop the technology.
    • The company has grown at a remarkable pace, from one full-time employee to a team of 20, with products being deployed across NATO nations.

    The Innovation Journey

    For military personnel operating in hostile environments, detecting adversaries’ lasers is a vital capability. From artillery targeting systems to drones, sniper range finders and precision strike guided munitions, lasers pose an increasing threat on the modern battlefield.

    This challenge inspired Sean Tipper and Chris Burgess, while working as scientists at the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), to develop a new approach to laser detection. Their innovation showed great promise during development at Dstl, where the core technology was conceived and initially tested.

    “We worked on the core technology at Dstl for a number of years, developing the fundamental concepts,” explains Sean Tipper, now Chief Technology Officer at Sentinel Photonics. “We saw the potential for this technology to help protect our forces and founded Sentinel Photonics to take it to the next level of development and productisation.”

    In 2019 the scientists and Ploughshare Innovations founded Sentinel Photonics to commercialise their invention, licencing the IP from Dstl and the Ministry of Defence (MOD). The company formally began operations in late 2020 with the critical support of early Dstl funding through the Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA).

    A new way of detecting lasers

    Traditional laser warning systems rely on photodiodes that convert light to voltage, looking for rapid temporal changes. They look for quick, sharp changes, similar to how you can notice someone flicking a torch on and off in a dark room.

    While effective for detecting laser pulses, they struggle with continuous wave lasers and can generate false alarms.

    Sentinel’s breakthrough product, LASERD MAX (Laser Signal and Event Recording Device), uses a unique camera-based method that detects the spectral and spatial features of lasers. What sets LASERD MAX apart from conventional systems is its portability and comprehensive coverage. It doesn’t just monitor a narrow field of view but provides complete awareness.

    Sentinel Photonics’ LASERD MAX system in action

    “It’s more of an all-encompassing system,” explains Tipper.  “It’s easy to detect one laser in one direction, but what makes our system unique is the ability to detect many different types of lasers simultaneously in a clustered background, even in challenging daylight conditions.”

    The system can detect everything from drone LIDAR systems and artillery rangefinders to anti-tank guided missiles. It can also spot battlefield scanning systems that use invisible lasers to find hidden optics like sniper scopes.

    “Our system can detect a broad range of laser threats,” says Tipper. “It’s novel because it’s portable and standalone, targeted for dismounted use and also at forward operating bases.”

    The DASA and Dstl Impact

    DASA and Dstl support proved instrumental at multiple points in Sentinel Photonics’ development journey. Their first DASA projects in late 2020 provided critical funding that allowed Tipper to work full-time on developing the technology.

    “Those early DASA projects were really critical because that’s where I experimented with different sensors and camera systems and picked the exact sensors and optics we’re still using today,” says Tipper.

    As Sentinel Photonics progressed with their innovation journey, they reached a critical point where they needed to grow their team to meet increasing demand and develop their technology further.

    In 2022, DASA’s Defence Innovation Loans provided the perfect opportunity to take this next step.

    The loan helped transform the organisation from a founder-led startup into a growing enterprise with the capabilities to deliver advanced defence technology.

    “Without the Defence Innovation Loan, we wouldn’t have been able to deliver for Dstl, and we wouldn’t have had the resources to increase the size of our team,” Tipper notes.

    Commercial Success

    Sentinel Photonics’ progress has been remarkable. From just one person working part-time in 2020, the company has grown to 20 people by 2025. Their product line has expanded to include not just the LASERD MAX detection system but also products such as FROST (Filters for Reduction of Optical Signature Thresholds).

    The FROST system, also developed with DASA funding and Dstl technical support, protects eyes from laser damage and prevents detection by scanning systems. This technology has achieved significant commercial success and has been integrated into the KS1 rifles that have entered service with UK Armed Forces through a partnership with Edgar Brothers, Sentinels UK partner, as part of the Hunter programme.

    Sentinel Photonics’ FROST system installed on a KS1 scope

    The company has also expanded its reach beyond the UK. “We’re expanding across Europe and NATO nations in general, finding partners to bring our products into those markets,” says Tipper. “There’s a direct link from DASA-funded work to us making sales and getting partners into markets.”

    The SME has now established strategic collaborations with Glomex in Poland, TBM in the Netherlands, StarC4SIS in Romania and Precision Technic Defence Group in Denmark to add to its already established partnerships with Danger Solutions in Australia and Outervision in France.

    The Collaborative Ecosystem

    Sentinel’s story highlights the powerful collaboration between Dstl, DASA, and innovative small businesses. Dstl provided the foundation for the core technology and continues to work with Sentinel Photonics by providing technical support. DASA helped bridge the critical gap between concept and the commercially viable product.

    For Sentinel, DASA’s involvement has offered more than just funding. “DASA has been a very useful mechanism to test ideas and feasibility within defence,” explains Tipper. “It gives us a way to understand how important what we’re developing is to potential users and get early sight of that as well.”

    Looking ahead, Sentinel aims to shift from an R&D focused in its early years to a balanced commercial approach to increase their foothold in defence.

    As threats continue to evolve on the modern battlefield, innovations like Sentinel’s laser detection systems and FROST system can play an increasingly vital role in protecting UK and coalition forces. Their journey from laboratory concept to battlefield protection demonstrates the importance of supporting promising defence technologies through the challenging path of commercialisation.

    Updates to this page

    Published 30 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: New cargo air route links Xinjiang and Tbilisi

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    BEIJING, June 30 (Xinhua) — A cargo flight from Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, landed at Laining International Airport in Kashgar Prefecture, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, on Saturday, marking the launch of a new cargo air route between the two regions, the prefecture’s press service said.

    The cargo carried on the aircraft, including chilled salmon from Norway, live jumbo land crabs from France and cherries from Tajikistan, was delivered to the integrated import inspection facility upon arrival at the airport. It is the first shipment of fruits and edible aquatic organisms to be brought to the facility since it was granted import approval in 2024.

    It should be noted that to ensure the quality of these food products on the charter flight, a cold chain and advanced freshness preservation technologies were used.

    It should be recalled that Laining International Airport is the second largest air checkpoint in Xinjiang and one of the important hub airports of the Belt and Road Initiative. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI: IP Fabric Releases Compliance Mapping Resources for All Major Security & Regulatory Frameworks

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    BOSTON, June 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — IP Fabric, the Automated Infrastructure Assurance Platform, today announced new resources to operationalize compliance with leading security frameworks, including NIST and ISO 27001, and regulatory standards, including PCI-DSS, HIPAA, DORA and NIS2. These complement IP Fabric’s core automated assurance capabilities, which provide continuous validation of business intent so that organizations can implement automation, AIOps and other strategic projects with confidence.

    With ransomware attacks surging 84% over the past year, and global regulatory frameworks growing more complex by the day, today’s enterprises face a stark reality: stay continuously compliant or risk operational disruption, multi-million-dollar fines and the loss of board and stakeholder trust.

    With today’s patchwork of infrastructure tools, up to 20% of the infrastructure is left unmonitored and unmanaged at any given time — resulting in gaps in security, outages and incomplete evidence of compliance. IP Fabric helps enterprises avoid these risks by expanding visibility to all infrastructure devices, connections and configurations, and embedding continuous validation into strategic initiatives like infrastructure automation and AIOps. Teams can also automatically generate end-to-end snapshots as on-demand evidence to prove that all security and compliance policies are aligned with business intent, especially as organizations scale.

    “Regular network security audits are essential in dynamic, hybrid environments, but nearly half of organizations fail to complete them,” said Pavel Bykov, co-founder and CEO of IP Fabric. “Security and regulatory compliance requires continuous governance from day one. IP Fabric helps teams meet compliance requirements while keeping infrastructure resilient, available and secure as they innovate.”

    Key Features of IP Fabric Security & Regulatory Controls:

    • NIST 2.0: IP Fabric automatically detects drift in firewall, segmentation and other security policies before submitting ITSM ticketing, and generates timestamped compliance reports in a clean, user-friendly interface.
    • ISO 27001: IP Fabric builds a full inventory of devices, connections and configurations across environments, flags outdated hardware and simulates end-to-end pathways to ensure that Zero Trust security controls are behaving as intended.
    • HIPAA: IP Fabric surfaces all infrastructure devices and runs end-to-end snapshots to analyze ePHI in transmission and prove that encrypted paths (e.g. IPSec tunnels) are protected.
    • PCI-DSS: IP Fabric inventories all Cardholder Data Environment (CDE) system components, surfaces misconfigurations and firewall gaps and automates infrastructure snapshots to track and prove compliance.
    • DORA: IP Fabric maps Information and Communication Technology (ICT) assets and dependencies, flags outdated tech, cross-references CVEs and creates timestamped snapshots to support audit and recovery efforts.
    • NIS 2: IP Fabric discovers all devices and configurations across hybrid environments, identifies End-of-Life (EoL) devices and runs custom and built-in intent checks to ensure aherence with Zero Trust architecture.

    To learn how IP Fabric helps organizations meet specific security frameworks and regulatory standards, visit the interactive microsite and download the e-Book.

    About IP Fabric
    IP Fabric is the industry’s leading automated infrastructure assurance platform, offering a continuously validated view of cloud, network and security infrastructure to improve stability, security and spend. Within minutes, the platform creates a unified view of devices, state, configurations and interdependencies, normalizing multi-vendor data and revealing operational truth through automated intent checks. By uncovering risks and providing actionable insights, IP Fabric empowers enterprises to accelerate IT and business transformation while reducing costs. Trusted by industry leaders like Red Hat, Major League Baseball and Air France, IP Fabric delivers the foundation for a secure and modern infrastructure.

    Learn more at www.ipfabric.io and follow the company on LinkedIn.

    Media Contact
    Liesse Jayalath
    ipfabric@lookleftmarketing.com

    A video accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6b0d12f1-fd56-45af-85ee-0dd9e775d2b3

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: IP Fabric Releases Compliance Mapping Resources for All Major Security & Regulatory Frameworks

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    BOSTON, June 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — IP Fabric, the Automated Infrastructure Assurance Platform, today announced new resources to operationalize compliance with leading security frameworks, including NIST and ISO 27001, and regulatory standards, including PCI-DSS, HIPAA, DORA and NIS2. These complement IP Fabric’s core automated assurance capabilities, which provide continuous validation of business intent so that organizations can implement automation, AIOps and other strategic projects with confidence.

    With ransomware attacks surging 84% over the past year, and global regulatory frameworks growing more complex by the day, today’s enterprises face a stark reality: stay continuously compliant or risk operational disruption, multi-million-dollar fines and the loss of board and stakeholder trust.

    With today’s patchwork of infrastructure tools, up to 20% of the infrastructure is left unmonitored and unmanaged at any given time — resulting in gaps in security, outages and incomplete evidence of compliance. IP Fabric helps enterprises avoid these risks by expanding visibility to all infrastructure devices, connections and configurations, and embedding continuous validation into strategic initiatives like infrastructure automation and AIOps. Teams can also automatically generate end-to-end snapshots as on-demand evidence to prove that all security and compliance policies are aligned with business intent, especially as organizations scale.

    “Regular network security audits are essential in dynamic, hybrid environments, but nearly half of organizations fail to complete them,” said Pavel Bykov, co-founder and CEO of IP Fabric. “Security and regulatory compliance requires continuous governance from day one. IP Fabric helps teams meet compliance requirements while keeping infrastructure resilient, available and secure as they innovate.”

    Key Features of IP Fabric Security & Regulatory Controls:

    • NIST 2.0: IP Fabric automatically detects drift in firewall, segmentation and other security policies before submitting ITSM ticketing, and generates timestamped compliance reports in a clean, user-friendly interface.
    • ISO 27001: IP Fabric builds a full inventory of devices, connections and configurations across environments, flags outdated hardware and simulates end-to-end pathways to ensure that Zero Trust security controls are behaving as intended.
    • HIPAA: IP Fabric surfaces all infrastructure devices and runs end-to-end snapshots to analyze ePHI in transmission and prove that encrypted paths (e.g. IPSec tunnels) are protected.
    • PCI-DSS: IP Fabric inventories all Cardholder Data Environment (CDE) system components, surfaces misconfigurations and firewall gaps and automates infrastructure snapshots to track and prove compliance.
    • DORA: IP Fabric maps Information and Communication Technology (ICT) assets and dependencies, flags outdated tech, cross-references CVEs and creates timestamped snapshots to support audit and recovery efforts.
    • NIS 2: IP Fabric discovers all devices and configurations across hybrid environments, identifies End-of-Life (EoL) devices and runs custom and built-in intent checks to ensure aherence with Zero Trust architecture.

    To learn how IP Fabric helps organizations meet specific security frameworks and regulatory standards, visit the interactive microsite and download the e-Book.

    About IP Fabric
    IP Fabric is the industry’s leading automated infrastructure assurance platform, offering a continuously validated view of cloud, network and security infrastructure to improve stability, security and spend. Within minutes, the platform creates a unified view of devices, state, configurations and interdependencies, normalizing multi-vendor data and revealing operational truth through automated intent checks. By uncovering risks and providing actionable insights, IP Fabric empowers enterprises to accelerate IT and business transformation while reducing costs. Trusted by industry leaders like Red Hat, Major League Baseball and Air France, IP Fabric delivers the foundation for a secure and modern infrastructure.

    Learn more at www.ipfabric.io and follow the company on LinkedIn.

    Media Contact
    Liesse Jayalath
    ipfabric@lookleftmarketing.com

    A video accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6b0d12f1-fd56-45af-85ee-0dd9e775d2b3

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: African Development Bank, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) sign Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) renewing their collaboration on sustainable economic development for Africa

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

    The African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org) and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) have signed an agreement strengthening their collaboration on sustainable economic development, designed to boost infrastructure development and economic opportunities across the African continent.  

    The Memorandum of Understanding, which builds on an earlier one in 2018, was signed by African Development Bank president, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, and AIIB President and Chair of the Board of Directors Jin Liqun on Saturday 28 June. The signing took place on the sidelines of a meeting of Heads of Multilateral Development Banks held in Paris, France, the same day. 

    The agreement outlines continued collaboration from both parties in six priority areas, aligned with the Bank Group’s Ten-Year Strategy 2024–2033 as well as AIIB’s Corporate Strategy and its Strategy on Financing Operations in Non-Regional Members. The areas are:  

    (i) Green infrastructure 

    (ii) Industrialization 

    (iii) Private capital mobilization including Public – Private Partnerships 

    (iv) Cross-border-connectivity 

    (v) Digitalization; and  

    (vi) Policy-based financing 

    The MOU will promote among other things, co-financing, co-guaranteeing and other forms of joint participation in financial assistance for development projects primarily in sustainable infrastructure. The African Development Bank and AIIB’s existing cooperation in this area, includes providing guarantees to support the issuance of Egypt’s first Sustainable Panda Bond in 2023, valued at RMB 3.5 billion.  

    This historic issuance—backed by guarantees from both AfDB and AIIB—marked the first African sovereign bond placed in the Chinese interbank bond market. The guarantees provided by the two triple-A-rated multilateral banks were instrumental in de-risking the transaction, enabling Egypt to secure competitive terms and attract investor confidence. 

    “This partnership continues to be an effective pathway to provide economic development for our member countries, especially in infrastructure. By reaffirming today, we are boosting energy access by accelerating Mission 300 which is targeting to connect 300 million people to electricity by 2030,” Dr Adesina said. 

    Mr. Jin Liqun remarked: “The renewal of our partnership with the African Development Bank reflects AIIB’s commitment to supporting sustainable development beyond Asia. Through this collaboration, we can leverage our combined expertise to deliver transformative projects that will benefit millions across the continent and create prosperity through quality infrastructure investment.” 

    – on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).

    Contact: 
    Amba Mpoke-Bigg
    Communication and External Relations Department
    email: media@afdb.org

    About the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB): 
    The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank is a multilateral development bank with a mission to improve social and economic outcomes in Asia and beyond. Headquartered in Beijing, we commenced operations in January 2016 and have now grown to 84 approved members from around the world. By investing in sustainable infrastructure and other productive sectors today, we will better connect people, services and markets that over time will impact the lives of billions and build a better future. 

    About the African Development Bank Group: 
    The African Development Bank Group is Africa’s premier development finance institution. It comprises three distinct entities: the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Development Fund (ADF) and the Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF). On the ground in 41 African countries with an external office in Japan, the Bank contributes to the economic development and the social progress of its 54 regional member states.

    For more information: www.AfDB.org

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    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Waiting for Godot has been translated into Afrikaans: what took so long

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Rick de Villiers, Associate professor, University of the Free State

    At last, the most infamous latecomer in all of literature has arrived – not in the flesh, but in South Africa’s Afrikaans language. Irish playwright Samuel Beckett’s best-known drama, Waiting for Godot, now also lives as Ons Wag vir Godot.

    Published and staged in 2024, the translation was inspired by the official centenary of Afrikaans in 2025.

    As a Beckett scholar, I think it’s worth asking why Afrikaans is so late on the scene – and why it matters.

    Godot in many tongues

    First written in French, En attendant Godot was published in 1952 and debuted on stage the next year.

    The action involves two tramps, Vladimir and Estragon, who have a series of absurd conversations and encounters as they wait for a man called Godot who never arrives. Beckett would self-translate the drama into English in 1954, calling it “a tragicomedy in two acts”.

    Since then, translations of the play have exploded. By 1969 – the year of Beckett’s Nobel Prize for Literature – Waiting for Godot could already be read in dozens of languages, including Albanian, Marathi, and even Icelandic.

    Samuel Beckett and South Africa

    Beckett’s connections with South Africa are surprisingly varied. As a young man, he unsuccessfully applied for a lectureship at the University of Cape Town. His 1951 novel, Molloy, was translated from French into English with the help of a South African student, Patrick Bowles. And in 1968, Beckett made a donation to the then-banned resistance party, the African National Congress, in the form of a manuscript for auction.

    This gesture was unprecedented for the Irish writer, who was wary of political causes. Yet not only did Beckett feel strongly enough about apartheid’s injustices to make this donation, he also refused to let anyone perform his plays before South Africa’s racially segregated audiences.



    Read more:
    The case of the acclaimed South African novel that ‘borrows’ from Samuel Beckett

    Already in 1963 Beckett had signed the petition Playwrights Against Apartheid. He would continue to refuse performance rights in South Africa until 1980, when the Baxter Theatre was allowed to stage Waiting for Godot with a racially integrated cast.

    Nevertheless, unauthorised Godots materialised before this. Athol Fugard, the South African playwright whose own dramas were influenced by Beckett, directed one of the earliest South African productions in 1962. Featuring an all-black cast, it testified to the play’s political charge, which Fugard emphasised:

    Vladimir and Estragon … were at Sharpeville or the first in at Auschwitz.

    It’s reasonable to think that Beckett would have supported this protest performance. But he would probably have denounced the first and unofficial Afrikaans version, Afspraak met Godot, translated by Suseth Brits and performed in 1970 at the Potchefstroom University College (now North-West University) behind closed doors.

    For different reasons, Beckett would also have frowned on the substantial “borrowings” in Afrikaans novelist Willem Anker’s 2014 novel, Buys.

    Domesticating a European classic

    Fully sanctioned by Beckett’s estate and beautifully translated (from the French and English) by now-retired professor of French at the University of the Free State Naòmi Morgan, Ons Wag vir Godot arrives at a different moment altogether.

    The translation retains the gallows humour of the original while adding local flavour. For instance, where Vladimir originally names the Eiffel Tower as a picturesque site to commit suicide, his Afrikaans counterpart nominates Van Stadensbrug, a bridge over a ravine in the Eastern Cape. The slave-like Lucky once entertained his master with European dances: “the farandole, the fling, the brawl, the jig, the fandango”. These now become a South African mix: “volkspele, die riel, die pantsula, selfs die horrelpyp” (folk games, riel dance, pantsula dance, a hiding).

    In translation-speak, Ons Wag vir Godot is therefore fully “domesticated”: the play’s universality comes through even though – and perhaps even more so because – it’s anchored in a particular place and time.

    This struck me when I attended the play’s limited-run production, expertly directed by Dion van Niekerk, at the 2024 Vrystaat Kunstefees (Free State arts festival). Its set managed to thread together subtle South African roadside details: a toppled rubbish bin, pylons on the horizon, a (broken) picnic bench.

    In the text itself, we encounter familiar place names, sayings and cultural clues. Consider how Beckett’s abstract phrase “the essential doesn’t change” is grounded in African mythology: “Jakkals verander van hare, maar nie van streke nie” (The leopard doesn’t change its spots). Then there’s the charming touch of the dog in Vladimir’s song snatching “’n stukkie wors” (a piece of sausage particular to South Africa) rather than a measly “bone”.

    Godot and the Afrikaans canon

    Ons Wag vir Godot achieves its most profound tribute to Beckett and Afrikaans through its intertextual richness. Both the French and English originals are highly allusive texts: they invoke other works of literature to increase their range of meaning and subtlety. Morgan is attuned to this subtlety and to the parallels to be found in Afrikaans literature. There are references to works by canonical Afrikaans writers like Eugène Marais, Totius and C.J. Langenhoven, each adding its own resonance.



    Read more:
    Koos Prinsloo: the cult Afrikaans writer has been translated to English – here’s a review

    Yet the dilemma any translator faces is not so much in bringing in the new, but in striking a balance with the old. Consider the judicious swapping of a line from Percy Bysshe Shelley for a line from C. Louis Leipoldt.

    In the English version, Estragon looks up forlornly at the moon and half-quotes the English Romantic poet: “Pale for weariness … Of climbing heaven and staring on the likes of us.” In the Afrikaans, he gives us a fragment from the wistful poem, Die Moormansgat: “ek kyk na die lig van die volle silwermaan” (I behold the light of the full silver moon). At face value, this lacks the detached, woeful quality of Shelley’s line. But read in the context of Leipoldt’s poem, it is every bit as poignant.

    The virtue of waiting

    “Vladimir would agree,” Morgan concludes in the preface to her translation, “that a century is a decent amount of time to hone a language for the translation of one of the best-known dramas in world literature”.



    Read more:
    Animal Farm has been translated into Shona – why a group of Zimbabwean writers undertook the task

    And indeed, the riches of the Afrikaans language are on display in this sensitive, witty and allusive rendering of Beckett’s European classic. But it’s also true that a certain amount of political baggage had to be shaken off before such a feat could be realised – not just in the right words, but in the right spirit. Of course, if Beckett’s play teaches us anything, it’s the virtue of waiting.

    Rick de Villiers 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. Waiting for Godot has been translated into Afrikaans: what took so long – https://theconversation.com/waiting-for-godot-has-been-translated-into-afrikaans-what-took-so-long-257345

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: China’s support for Mali’s military carries risks: researcher outlines what they are

    Source: The Conversation – Africa (2) – By Paa Kwesi Wolseley Prah, Postdoctoral Fellow, Dublin City University

    Mali, a landlocked Sahelian nation of 25 million people, has faced significant instability since 2012, marked by terrorism, state neglect and armed conflicts.

    That year a Tuareg rebellion started in northern Mali and President Amadou Toumani Touré was ousted in a military coup. Constitutional rule was suspended. Rebels in northern Mali went on to seize cities like Timbuktu, Gao and Kidal, declaring an independent Islamic State of Azawad and imposing sharia law.

    They also destroyed cultural heritage sites, including 14 of Timbuktu’s 16 Unesco-listed mausoleums. The crisis prompted international intervention, including a UN authorised mission, which retook northern cities within weeks. Islamist rebels retreated into civilian populations and remote areas.

    Despite these efforts, violence against civilians by extremist groups and community militias has continued. By 2023, 8.8 million Malians needed humanitarian assistance. Over 375,500 were internally displaced, primarily women and children.

    Meanwhile, the former French colony had turned to China for military assistance. Between 2012 and 2013, China provided €5 million (about US$5.8 million) in logistical equipment to improve the Malian army’s mobility.



    Read more:
    China’s interests in Africa are being shaped by the race for renewable energy

    In August 2013, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army gave the Malian army military supplies totalling 1.6 billion CFA francs (about US$2.8 million). China made similar donations between 2014 and 2023.

    I am an international security and global governance researcher. My recent research explored the impact of China’s security sector assistance on Mali’s fragility.

    China’s assistance to Mali aims to equip the country to address terrorism and insurgency. But I argue that it may have unintended consequences and cause further damage to the country.

    The heavy reliance on Chinese supply exposes Mali to vulnerabilities, including supply disruptions, diminished bargaining power, and limited strategic flexibility. This could destabilise security even more should China face manufacturing issues or supply chain disruptions leading to delays or shortages in the production of weapons.

    It also raises concerns about the potential influence of China on Mali’s defence policies and decision-making processes. In turn this could entrench the Malian military government’s position. China takes a hands-off approach to the governance structures of the countries it engages with. Hopes of democratisation in the country could be affected.



    Read more:
    US trade wars with China – and how they play out in Africa

    Rich in resources

    Mali has significant natural resources, including 800 tons of gold reserves (it’s Africa’s fourth-largest producer), iron ore, manganese, lithium, and potential uranium and hydrocarbon deposits.

    In 2019, gold production generated US$734 million, or 9.7% of Mali’s GDP, supporting over 10% of the population.

    Chinese firms, such as Ganfeng Lithium and China National Nuclear Corporation, have invested heavily in Mali’s mining sector. They are involved in a US$130 million lithium project and uranium exploration in the Kidal and Falea regions.

    Despite security risks, including attacks on Chinese personnel in 2015 and 2021, China remains committed due to Mali’s resource potential.

    Beyond mining, China has invested in Mali’s infrastructure. A US$2.7 billion railway modernisation project connects Bamako to Dakar, facilitating resource exports like iron ore and bauxite.

    The total of Mali’s external debt to China is not explicitly stated. But the 2014 loan agreement of US$11 billion and the 2016 loan of US$2.7 billion alone suggest Mali’s debt to China could be at least US$13 billion. This is without including loans for projects like the Bamako-Ségou expressway, and bridges in Bamako.

    This has often been criticised as “debt trap diplomacy”, increasing recipient countries’ dependence on Beijing. In Mali, I believe this risks entrenching economic vulnerability and giving China geopolitical leverage.



    Read more:
    China reaps most of the benefits of its relationship with Africa: what’s behind the imbalance

    China’s security sector assistance to Mali

    Historically, Mali relied on France. More recently, it’s used Russia’s expeditionary corps, formerly known as Wagner Group, for security support.

    In 2011, China provided US$11.4 million in grants, US$8.1 million in zero-interest loans, and a US$100.8 million concessional loan to foster bilateral cooperation.

    China’s participation in the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in Mali, starting in 2013 with 395 personnel, marked a shift in its security engagement.

    Chinese peacekeepers, including engineers, medical personnel and security guards, repaired infrastructure, provided medical aid and supported Mali’s 2013 elections.

    Their professionalism earned praise from the UN special envoy Albert Gerard Koenders for helping to ensure a smooth election.

    China’s involvement in Mali challenged traditional European approaches to peacekeeping, particularly France’s military-heavy strategy.



    Read more:
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    How China’s assistance contributes to Mali’s fragility

    In spite of the positives, China’s security sector assistance contributes to Mali’s fragility in several ways.

    First, its no-strings-attached nature allows Mali’s military junta to consolidate power without making democratic or governance reforms.

    This lack of accountability enables corrupt military factions to operate unchecked. Governance weaknesses and authoritarianism can continue.

    Second, the heavy reliance on Chinese supply raises concerns about the potential influence of China on Mali’s defence decisions.

    This over-reliance on military solutions risks escalating conflicts and could lead to human rights abuses by security forces, as seen in increased violence against civilians. It doesn’t address root causes of conflict like social cohesion or local governance.

    Third, Mali’s growing dependence on Chinese aid — both military and economic — makes it vulnerable to disruptions from geopolitical tensions, supply chain issues, or changes in China’s foreign policy. This limits Mali’s ability to diversify its military capabilities or respond to evolving threats.

    Finally, China’s infrastructure investments, such as the US$1.48 billion (750 billion CFA francs) Bamako-Dakar railway loan, creates “debt trap diplomacy”.

    This pattern deepens economic dependence and reduces policy autonomy, further weakening state resilience.



    Read more:
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    The way forward

    To mitigate the risks of Chinese security sector assistance and promote sustainable stability, Mali must adopt a multifaceted strategy.

    First, it should collaborate with China to align security sector assistance with civilian-led security approaches.

    Second, Mali should diversify security and economic partnerships with donors like the US, the UK, and the EU.

    Third, transparent guidelines, developed through consultation with stakeholders, should assess the impacts of assistance to avoid deepening dependence.

    Fourth, engaging civil society and publishing regular reports on security sector assistance use and outcomes will foster public trust.

    Finally, promoting regional economic integration and ties with global powers will bolster Mali’s economic resilience.

    Paa Kwesi Wolseley Prah 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. China’s support for Mali’s military carries risks: researcher outlines what they are – https://theconversation.com/chinas-support-for-malis-military-carries-risks-researcher-outlines-what-they-are-257738

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: African prisoners made sound recordings in German camps in WW1: this is what they had to say

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Anette Hoffmann, Senior Researcher at the Institute for African Studies and Egyptology, University of Cologne

    During the first world war (1914-1918) thousands of African men enlisted to fight for France and Britain were captured and held as prisoners in Germany. Their stories and songs were recorded and archived by German linguists, who often didn’t understand a thing they were saying.

    Now a recent book called Knowing by Ear listens to these recordings alongside written sources, photographs and artworks to reveal the lives and political views of these colonised Africans from present-day Senegal, Somalia, Togo and Congo.

    Anette Hoffmann is a historian whose research and curatorial work engages with historical sound archives. We asked her about her book.

    How did these men come to be recorded?

    About 450 recordings with African speakers were made with linguists of the so-called Royal Prussian Phonographic Commission. Their project was opportunistic. They made use of the presence of prisoners of war to further their research.

    In many cases these researchers didn’t understand what was being said. The recordings were archived as language samples, yet most were never used, translated, or even listened to for decades.

    The many wonderful translators I have worked with over the years are often the first listeners who actually understood what was being said by these men a century before.

    What did they talk about?

    The European prisoners the linguists recorded were often asked to tell the same Bible story (the parable of the prodigal son). But because of language barriers, African prisoners were often simply asked to speak, tell a story or sing a song.

    We can hear some men repeating monotonous word lists or counting, but mostly they spoke of the war, of imprisonment and of the families they hadn’t seen for years.

    Abdoulaye Niang from Senegal sings in Wolof.
    Courtesy Lautarchiv, Berlin275 KB (download)

    In the process we hear speakers offer commentary. Senegalese prisoner Abdoulaye Niang, for example, calls Europe’s battlefields an abattoir for the soldiers from Africa. Others sang of the war of the whites, or speak of other forms of colonial exploitation.

    When I began working on colonial-era sound archives about 20 years ago, I was stunned by what I heard from African speakers, especially the critique and the alternative versions of colonial history. Often aired during times of duress, such accounts seldom surface in written sources.

    Joseph Ntwanumbi from South Africa chants in isiXhosa.
    Courtesy Lautarchiv, Berlin673 KB (download)

    Clearly, many speakers felt safe to say things because they knew that researchers couldn’t understand them. The words and songs have travelled decades through time yet still sound fresh and provocative.

    Can you highlight some of their stories?

    The book is arranged around the speakers. Many of them fought in the French army in Europe after being conscripted or recruited in former French colonies, like Abdoulaye Niang. Other African men got caught up in the war and were interned as civilian prisoners, like Mohamed Nur from Somalia, who had lived in Germany from 1911. Joseph Ntwanumbi from South Africa was a stoker on a ship that had docked in Hamburg soon after the war started.

    In chapter one Niang sings a song about the French army’s recruitment campaign in Dakar and also informs the linguists that the inmates of the camp in Wünsdorf, near Berlin, do not wish to be deported to another camp.

    An archive search reveals he was later deported and also that Austrian anthropologists measured his body for racial studies.

    His recorded voice speaking in Wolof travelled back home in 2024, as a sound installation I created for the Théodore Monod African Art Museum in Dakar.

    Chapter two listens to Mohamed Nur from Somalia. In 1910 he went to Germany to work as a teacher to the children of performers in a so-called Völkerschau (an ethnic show; sometimes called a human zoo, where “primitive” cultures were displayed).

    After refusing to perform on stage, he found himself stranded in Germany without a passport or money. He worked as a model for a German artist and later as a teacher of Somali at the University of Hamburg. Nur left a rich audio-visual trace in Germany, which speaks of the exploitation of men of colour in German academia as well as by artists. One of his songs comments on the poor treatment of travellers and gives a plea for more hospitality to strangers.

    Stephan Bischoff, who grew up in a German mission station in Togo and was working in a shoe shop in Berlin when the war began, appears in the third chapter. His recordings criticise the practices of the Christian colonial evangelising mission. He recalls the destruction of an indigenous shrine in Ghana by German military in 1913.

    Also in chapter three is Albert Kudjabo, who fought in the Belgian army before he was imprisoned in Germany. He mainly recorded drum language, a drummed code based on a tonal language from the Democratic Republic of Congo that German linguists were keen to study. He speaks of the massive socio-cultural changes that mining brought to his home region, which may have caused him to migrate.

    Together these songs, stories and accounts speak of a practice of extracting knowledge in prisoner of war camps. But they offer insights and commentary far beyond the “example sentences” that the recordings were meant to be.

    Why do these sound archives matter?

    As sources of colonial history, the majority of the collections in European sound archives are still untapped, despite the growing scholarly and artistic interest in them in the last decade. This interest is led by decolonial approaches to archives and knowledge production.

    Sound collections diversify what’s available as historical texts, they increase the variety of languages and genres that speak of the histories of colonisation. They present alternative accounts and interpretations of history to offer a more balanced view of the past.

    Anette Hoffmann 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. African prisoners made sound recordings in German camps in WW1: this is what they had to say – https://theconversation.com/african-prisoners-made-sound-recordings-in-german-camps-in-ww1-this-is-what-they-had-to-say-254127

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: How Macau’s second world war experience shaped the territory

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Helena F. S. Lopes, Lecturer in Modern Asian History, Cardiff University

    Macau’s giant casinos and malls have earned the territory its nickname: the ‘Las Vegas of the east’. Sanga Park / Shutterstock

    This year marks the 80th anniversary of the end of the second world war, a conflict that left few corners of the globe untouched. In east Asia, the small Portuguese-administrated territory of Macau in southern China stood out as a rare neutral territory. But, despite its neutrality, Macau could not escape the war’s far-reaching impact.

    In fact, Macau saw its population treble in the period between 1937 and the end of the second world war, reaching around half a million people. The newcomers, most of whom had fled the Japanese occupation of China, exceeded the existing residents and influenced all facets of life in Macau.

    Some went on to shape the territory well beyond the end of the second world war, helping Macau earn its later status as one of the leading gambling hubs in the world. These people included the late Stanley Ho, the “casino tycoon” in Macau and one of the key architects of its post-war economy.

    In his testimony for the 1999 book, Macao Remembers, Ho noted how Macau’s wartime atmosphere had inspired him. “Macao was tiny, and yet a bit like Casablanca – all the secret intelligence, the murders, the gambling – it was a very exciting place”, he said.

    Ho was referring to the fictional version of the French-controlled wartime city of Casablanca in the 1942 Hollywood film, also called Casablanca. As a neutral enclave, Macau was a site of multinational refuge, smuggling of goods and people, espionage, danger and opportunities.

    Macau is located on the south coast of China, across the Pearl River estuary from Hong Kong.
    Sémhur / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-NC-ND

    Site of refuge

    Japan’s invasion of China began in the 1930s. As Japanese forces took control of most of the eastern coast from 1937 onward, the Chinese nationalist government moved inland to resist from its relocated capitals, first Wuhan and then Chongqing. By the end of 1940, the most important political, economic, educational and cultural urban centres in China had been occupied.

    Surrounded by occupied areas, territories under foreign rule in China such as the Shanghai foreign concessions, Macau and Hong Kong became “lone islands”. Their neutral status attracted many thousands of refugees, resistance activists and relocated businesses. Lone islands became supply lifelines for the Chinese resistance and propaganda battlegrounds for opposing sides.

    They experienced periods of economic boom fuelled by the influx of refugees. And they were prime locations for the transfer of information and funds, as well as intelligence collection. Lone islands were also sites of humanitarian relief, connected to diaspora networks and organisations designed to support the Chinese war effort.

    By the end of 1941, these spaces of neutrality were disappearing. The Shanghai foreign concessions were taken over by Japan and later handed over to a Chinese collaborationist administration, and the British colony of Hong Kong was occupied and placed under Japanese military rule. French-ruled Guangzhouwan, also in south China, was under de facto Japanese control by 1943.

    Macau, which remained neutral throughout the war, stood as the last lone island – if always subject to Japanese influence. Macau’s neutrality drew many from opposing camps.

    In the late 1930s, most refugees to Macau had come from Shanghai and Guangdong province. The occupation of Hong Kong in late 1941 then brought another wave of displaced persons to Macau.

    Stanley Ho was among the refugees who arrived in Macau from the neighbouring British colony. He joined his uncle Robert Ho Tung, a renowned businessman who also relocated to Macau during the occupation of Hong Kong.

    According to Ho’s own accounts, his wartime activities were the foundation of a fortune. Several other figures who would become important economic players in Macau’s post-war economy, such as businessman Ho Yin, also cut their teeth during the second world war’s climate of contingency and opportunity.

    Working for the Macau Co-operative Company, established by the Japanese to manage trade between Japan and the government in Macau, Ho was involved in bartering materials in exchange for food supplies with Japanese interlocutors. He also had an English-Japanese language exchange with the Japanese intelligence chief in Macau, Colonel Sawa.

    Through these activities, Ho made important contacts among the different communities who found themselves in Macau during the war. This included powerful intermediaries such as Pedro José Lobo, the head of the economic services in Macau. These connections exposed Ho to the popularity of gambling in Macau and the potential to take it to a different level.

    Gambling had been legal in Macau since the mid-19th century. But it was during the war that we would see the origins of the casino-hotel model that is now prevalent in the territory.

    The leading hotels of 1940s Macau, such as Hotel Central and Grande Hotel Kuoc Chai, offered employment to refugee musicians and dancers and were sites of entertainment for those with funds to spend.

    Hotel Central, one of the leading hotels in 1940s Macau.
    stefangde / Shutterstock

    After the end of the second world war, Ho set up a company called Sociedade de Turismo e Diversões de Macau (STDM) with partners including Henry Fok, Teddy Yip and Yip Hon. These were businessmen with links to Hong Kong, mainland China and Indonesia.

    In 1962, the same year STDM was founded, it earned the exclusive licence to run casinos in Macau, replacing pre-existing magnates who were more prominent during the second world war.

    One of the key innovations brought by their company’s casinos was the popularisation of western-style games. They were also involved in philanthropic activities, much like the wartime gambling tycoons had been, with Macau again seeing the arrival of many destitute displaced persons during the cold war.

    Gambling has been liberalised in Macau since the early 2000s, and the territory has now surpassed Las Vegas to become the largest casino market in the world.

    Helena F. S. Lopes received doctoral and postdoctoral research funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Council, the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology and the Leverhulme Trust for projects relating to Macau during the Second World War and the post-war period.

    – ref. How Macau’s second world war experience shaped the territory – https://theconversation.com/how-macaus-second-world-war-experience-shaped-the-territory-246650

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Killer dolls and Brexit zombies – what to watch and do this week

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Anna Walker, Senior Arts + Culture Editor

    Part of the appeal of the 2023 horror flick, M3gan, was that its titular antagonist managed to be two of the scariest villains of the genre in one – a killer robot, and a child’s doll come to life.

    After nine-year-old Cady (Violet McGraw) tragically lost her parents, her roboticist aunt Gemma (Allison Williams of Get Out fame) brought M3gan home to help her niece with the traumatic transition. M3gan was to be Cady’s teacher, playmate and above all, protector. In classic horror style, she soon embarked on a murderous rampage in the name of “protecting” her ward.

    The film was an instant cult hit, dubbed a “camp classic” thanks to M3gan’s TikTok dance moves and determination to destroy the nuclear family.

    In M3gan 2, in cinemas from today, the filmmakers have leaned into that campiness even more. But, as horror expert Adam Daniel explains that doesn’t completely neutralise the terror. Instead, it reformulates it, offering a cathartic release that makes the subject matter more digestible.



    Read more:
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    The trailer for M3gan 2.0.

    If you’re looking for more traditional jump scares, 28 Years Later has you covered. Danny Boyle has returned to the franchise with this instant-classic of the zombie genre, which muses on both post-Brexit Britain and our collective experiences of the COVID pandemic. In this film, Europe has contained a “rage virus” to Britain. There are French boats on quarantine patrols, Swedish soldiers mocking remaining mainlanders and St George’s flags burning.

    For COVID storytelling expert Lucyl Harrison: “The film ushers in a new age of ‘Vi-Fi’” (that’s virus fiction) “without succumbing to pulpy pandemic storytelling”. Ralph Fiennes offers a typically strong performance as the “mad” Dr Kelson, the only person determined to commemorate the virus’s ever-mounting dead.



    Read more:
    The spectacular frenzy of 28 Years Later offers a new breed of pandemic storytelling

    The trailer for 28 Years Later.

    I confess, I’m a bit of a baby when it comes to horror. So, I’ll need to follow up any zombie fare with something a little more comforting. My choice for this week is The Ballad of Wallis Island, which romcom giant Richard Curtis has dubbed “one of the great British films of all time”.

    It takes place on the fictional Wallis Island, home to millionaire Charles (Tim Key), an almost obsessive fan of former folk-rock duo played by Tom Basden and Carey Mulligan. Invited to the island to play a private gig, they must face their musical and romantic past, all under the gaze of an ecstatic Charles.

    The film was made in just 18 days on a tight budget in a typical Welsh summer – a doctor was on hand to stop the actors getting hypothermia when they filmed in the sea. It reminded our reviewer of another British comedy classic, Victoria Wood’s sitcom Dinnerladies, with its breadcrumb trail of slipped in details that provide laughter in the moment but which return to make the audience think twice.



    Read more:
    The Ballad of Wallis Island is a masterpiece of the extraordinary made ordinary

    The trailer for The Ballad of Wallis Island.

    When Poor Things won the Golden Globe for best picture last year, director Yorgos Lanthimos thanked everybody, from the cast and crew to his hero Bruce Springsteen. But one person who didn’t get a mention was Alasdair Gray, the Scottish artist and writer who wrote the novel the film was based on.

    Now Gray is rightly being celebrated at Glasgow’s Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum. The unseen paintings in the new show Alasdair Gray: Works from the Morag McAlpine Bequest come from a donation of works he made after the death of his wife in 2014.

    Highlights of the show include his original artwork for his novel Poor Things and the streetscape Gray called “my best big oil painting”, depicting Cowcaddens in Glasgow.



    Read more:
    Alasdair Gray: unseen artworks offer insight into a profoundly creative and original artist

    Pride month is coming to an end, but you can enjoy the movies in our Hidden Gems of Queer Cinema series year round. These articles highlight brilliant films that should be more widely known and firmly part of the canon of queer cinema. I’d particularly recommend Saving Face (2004), complicated romcom that tenderly depicts the experiences of queer Asian people.



    Read more:
    Hidden gems of LGBTQ+ cinema: Saving Face is a complicated romcom that tenderly depicts the experiences of queer Asians

    Looking for something good? Cut through the noise with a carefully curated selection of the latest releases, live events and exhibitions, straight to your inbox every fortnight, on Fridays. Sign up here.

    – ref. Killer dolls and Brexit zombies – what to watch and do this week – https://theconversation.com/killer-dolls-and-brexit-zombies-what-to-watch-and-do-this-week-259923

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UN Human Rights Council 59: Joint Statement on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights in the Context of Climate Change

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    World news story

    UN Human Rights Council 59: Joint Statement on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights in the Context of Climate Change

    Joint Statement for the Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights in the Context of Climate Change. Delivered at the 59th HRC in Geneva.

    Thank you Mr President.

    Austria, Canada, Colombia, Cyprus, Finland, France, Germany, the Marshall Islands, the Netherlands, Panama, and the United Kingdom thank the Special Rapporteur for her report.

    Climate change and environmental degradation pose a risk to the lives and wellbeing of individuals and communities across the world, especially the most marginalised. This is compounded by the impacts of the fossil fuel life cycle.

    3.5 billion people now live in contexts highly vulnerable to climate change. Rapid and enduring action must be taken to safeguard the full enjoyment of human rights for individuals both now and in the future.

    As per the first Global Stocktake of the Paris Agreement adopted at COP28, advancing the transition away from fossil fuels is crucial.

    It deserves mention in this session’s human rights and climate change resolution. 

    We will continue to demonstrate leadership, including through the Global Clean Power Alliance Initiative, and our ambitious and credible 2035 NDC targets. 

    Environmental defenders and Indigenous Peoples are vital stewards of nature. We support their meaningful participation and leadership in climate action.

    Special Rapporteur, what more can states do to build global consensus and advance the transition away from fossil fuels? 

    Thank you.

    Updates to this page

    Published 30 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • Wildfires burn in Turkey and France as early heatwave hits

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Firefighters battled wildfires in Turkey and France on Monday as an early heatwave hit the region.

    In Turkey, the wildfires raged for a second day in the western province of Izmir, fanned by strong winds, Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yumakli said, forcing the evacuation of four villages and two neighbourhoods.

    Media footage showed teams using tractors with water trailers and helicopters carrying water, as smoke billowed over hills marked with charred trees.

    Turkey’s coastal regions have in recent years been ravaged by wildfires, as summers have become hotter and drier, which scientists say is a result of human-induced climate change.

    In France, where temperatures are expected to peak on Tuesday and Wednesday, wildfires broke out on Sunday in the southwestern Aude department, where temperatures topped 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit), burning 400 hectares and forcing the evacuation of a campsite and an abbey, authorities and local media said.

    The fires were under control but not yet extinguished, authorities said on Monday.

    Weather service Meteo France put a record 84 of the country’s 101 departments on an orange heatwave alert from Monday until midweek. About 200 schools will be at least partially shut over the next three days because of the heat, the Education Ministry said.

    HEATWAVE IMPACTS RHINE SHIPPING

    The heatwave has lowered water levels on Germany’s Rhine River, hampering shipping and raising freight costs for cargo owners, commodity traders said.

    The Rhine is an important shipping route for commodities such as grains, minerals and oil products. Forecasters said temperatures as high as 40 C are possible in Cologne.

    In Seville, southern Spain, where global leaders were gathering for a United Nations conference, temperatures were expected to hit 42 C.

    Tourists were trying to deal with the heat. “Really hard currently,” Mehrzad Joussefi, from the Netherlands, said.

    Spain is on course for its hottest June on record, the national meteorological service AEMET said.

    Most of the country remains under alert for heat, with AEMET forecasting the peak of the heatwave on Monday.

    “Over the next few days, at least until Thursday, intense heat will continue in much of Spain,” said Ruben del Campo, a spokesperson for the weather agency.

    Italy’s Health Ministry issued heatwave red alerts for 21 cities, including Rome and Milan. Weather forecast website IlMeteo.it said temperatures on Monday would go as high as 41 C in Florence, 38 C in Bologna and 37 C in Perugia.

    The Lombardy region, part of Italy’s northern industrial heartland, is planning to ban open-air work in the hottest times of the day, heeding a request from trade unions, its president said on Monday.

    Heat can affect health in various ways, and experts are most concerned about older people and babies, as well as outdoor labourers and people struggling economically.

    Globally, extreme heat kills up to 480,000 people annually, surpassing the combined toll from floods, earthquakes and hurricanes, and poses growing risks to infrastructure, the economy and healthcare systems, Swiss Re said earlier this month.

    Global surface temperatures last month averaged 1.4 C higher than in the 1850-1900 pre-industrial period, when humans began burning fossil fuels on an industrial scale, the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) said earlier this month.

    Scientists say the main cause of climate change is greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels. Last year was the planet’s hottest on record.

    (Reuters)

  • Wildfires burn in Turkey and France as early heatwave hits

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Firefighters battled wildfires in Turkey and France on Monday as an early heatwave hit the region.

    In Turkey, the wildfires raged for a second day in the western province of Izmir, fanned by strong winds, Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yumakli said, forcing the evacuation of four villages and two neighbourhoods.

    Media footage showed teams using tractors with water trailers and helicopters carrying water, as smoke billowed over hills marked with charred trees.

    Turkey’s coastal regions have in recent years been ravaged by wildfires, as summers have become hotter and drier, which scientists say is a result of human-induced climate change.

    In France, where temperatures are expected to peak on Tuesday and Wednesday, wildfires broke out on Sunday in the southwestern Aude department, where temperatures topped 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit), burning 400 hectares and forcing the evacuation of a campsite and an abbey, authorities and local media said.

    The fires were under control but not yet extinguished, authorities said on Monday.

    Weather service Meteo France put a record 84 of the country’s 101 departments on an orange heatwave alert from Monday until midweek. About 200 schools will be at least partially shut over the next three days because of the heat, the Education Ministry said.

    HEATWAVE IMPACTS RHINE SHIPPING

    The heatwave has lowered water levels on Germany’s Rhine River, hampering shipping and raising freight costs for cargo owners, commodity traders said.

    The Rhine is an important shipping route for commodities such as grains, minerals and oil products. Forecasters said temperatures as high as 40 C are possible in Cologne.

    In Seville, southern Spain, where global leaders were gathering for a United Nations conference, temperatures were expected to hit 42 C.

    Tourists were trying to deal with the heat. “Really hard currently,” Mehrzad Joussefi, from the Netherlands, said.

    Spain is on course for its hottest June on record, the national meteorological service AEMET said.

    Most of the country remains under alert for heat, with AEMET forecasting the peak of the heatwave on Monday.

    “Over the next few days, at least until Thursday, intense heat will continue in much of Spain,” said Ruben del Campo, a spokesperson for the weather agency.

    Italy’s Health Ministry issued heatwave red alerts for 21 cities, including Rome and Milan. Weather forecast website IlMeteo.it said temperatures on Monday would go as high as 41 C in Florence, 38 C in Bologna and 37 C in Perugia.

    The Lombardy region, part of Italy’s northern industrial heartland, is planning to ban open-air work in the hottest times of the day, heeding a request from trade unions, its president said on Monday.

    Heat can affect health in various ways, and experts are most concerned about older people and babies, as well as outdoor labourers and people struggling economically.

    Globally, extreme heat kills up to 480,000 people annually, surpassing the combined toll from floods, earthquakes and hurricanes, and poses growing risks to infrastructure, the economy and healthcare systems, Swiss Re said earlier this month.

    Global surface temperatures last month averaged 1.4 C higher than in the 1850-1900 pre-industrial period, when humans began burning fossil fuels on an industrial scale, the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) said earlier this month.

    Scientists say the main cause of climate change is greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels. Last year was the planet’s hottest on record.

    (Reuters)