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Category: Eurozone

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Extension of internal-border checks by the Netherlands’ Government – P-001856/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Priority question for written answer  P-001856/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Raquel García Hermida-Van Der Walle (Renew)

    On 25 April, the Netherlands’ Government decided to extend the internal-border checks introduced on 9 December 2024 until 9 December 2025. That decision was taken without any consultation of border municipalities and regions in spite of the Government’s earlier undertaking to involve them in an appraisal of internal-border checks.

    According to the Government, the pressure on reception facilities because of irregular migration remains so great that border checks have to be extended.[1]

    • 1.What is the Commission’s assessment of the factual accuracy of the Netherlands’ Government’s assurances regarding the checks carried out, i.e. on the basis of risk assessment and random selection of persons to be checked?
    • 2.Does the Commission take the view that the border checks are strictly necessary and proportionate?
    • 3.If not, what action will the Commission take to ensure that Dutch citizens and firms can fully exercise the right to free movement?

    Submitted: 8.5.2025

    • [1] https://www.tweedekamer.nl/kamerstukken/brieven_regering/detail?id=2025Z08478&did=2025D19333
    Last updated: 19 May 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Letter from the minister of foreign affairs of the Netherlands urging for a review of Article 2 of the EU-Israel Association Agreement – P-001865/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Priority question for written answer  P-001865/2025
    to the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
    Rule 144
    Tineke Strik (Verts/ALE), Thijs Reuten (S&D), Catarina Vieira (Verts/ALE)

    On 6 May 2025, the minister of foreign affairs of the Netherlands addressed a letter[1] to the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (VP/HR) in which he withheld the support of the Netherlands for the extension of the EU-Israel action plan, urging for a review of Article 2 of the EU-Israel Association Agreement. According to the minister, such a review is warranted on the basis of, among other things, Israel’s continued blockade of humanitarian aid and electricity supplies to the Gaza Strip and the expansion of its military operations, as well as the worsening situation in the West Bank.

    The minister cites two notes from the EU Special Representative (EUSR) for Human Rights, presenting his assessment regarding international human rights law and international humanitarian law.

    • 1.What are the consequences of the Dutch veto on the extension of the EU-Israel action plan?
    • 2.Does the VP/HR share the assessment of the Dutch minister of foreign affairs that the current situation warrants a review of Israel’s compliance with its obligations stemming from Article 2 of the Association Agreement, and the will the VP/HR adhere to the minister’s request?
    • 3.Does the VP/HR commit to sharing with the co-legislators the outcome of the assessment and the two EUSR notes mentioned in the minister’s letter?

    Submitted: 8.5.2025

    • [1] https://www.tweedekamer.nl/kamerstukken/brieven_regering/detail?id=2025Z08773&did=2025D20161
    Last updated: 19 May 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Attack on a civil Freedom Flotilla vessel in international waters – E-001867/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-001867/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Mimmo Lucano (The Left)

    On 1 May 2025, a Freedom Flotilla Coalition vessel bound for Gaza, with approximately 30 activists and humanitarian aid on board, was attacked by a drone while it was in international waters, close to Malta’s exclusive economic zone, according to consistent sources.

    The attack caused a fire on board and the crew put out an SOS. Although it was the closest coastal state, Malta did not provide immediate relief – a unit from Cyprus intervened later. The vessel, which was sailing under the flag of Palau, was carrying civilian goods for the Palestinian population.

    This episode raises serious concerns about compliance with the international law of the sea, the duty to render assistance at sea and the protection of civilian missions in the context of conflict.

    In the light of the above:

    • 1.Has the Commission been officially informed of the attack and has it discussed the matter with the Maltese and Cypriot authorities?
    • 2.Will it call for an independent investigation to clarify what actually happened and who was responsible?
    • 3.Taking account of EU standards and international conventions, what practical steps will the Commission take to ensure that European civilian humanitarian missions are protected in international waters?

    Submitted: 8.5.2025

    Last updated: 19 May 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Compliance of Slovenia’s Hospitality Act (ZGos-1) with European law and notification to the Commission – E-001802/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-001802/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Matej Tonin (PPE), Romana Tomc (PPE), Milan Zver (PPE), Zala Tomašič (PPE), Branko Grims (PPE)

    On 14 March 2025, the Slovenian Government tabled a draft Hospitality Act (ZGos-1), which introduces excessively restrictive measures for providers of short-term rental accommodation nationwide. A number of stakeholders and academics have already expressed serious concerns to the Slovenian Government about whether the measures are proportional, justified and non-discriminatory, as well as about a possible interference with the freedom to provide services in the EU.

    I would therefore be grateful if the following points could be clarified:

    • 1.Notification to the Commission: Have the Slovenian authorities complied with their obligation to notify the draft Hospitality Act to the Commission as required by EU law (TRIS notification procedure), and what would be the consequences of the Slovenian authorities failing to notify the draft law to the Commission?
    • 2.Compliance with European law: Are the measures on short-term letting proposed in the Hospitality Act in line with the provisions of the Services Directive, in particular with regard to the principles of proportionality, non-discrimination and necessity? Has the Commission already carried out an assessment of whether the proposed restrictions are justified and appropriate for achieving public interest objectives such as accessibility of housing and restricting excessive tourism, without unduly affecting providers of short-term rentals?

    These questions are key to ensuring and implementing EU law, respecting fundamental freedoms within the EU and to the functioning of the Slovenian state in accordance with the applicable EU legal framework. Thank you for a timely reply and for any clarifications that may be provided on this matter.

    Submitted: 5.5.2025

    Last updated: 19 May 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Ethiopia Unveils Strategic Initiative to Green Its Financial System and Drive Sustainable Investment

    Source: European Investment Bank

    EIB

    • EIB Greening Financial Systems Programme to work with the National Bank of Ethiopia and Commercial banks to enhance technical understanding of climate risks, enhance climate finance and develop Ethiopian green taxonomy 
    • Ethiopia latest country to join pioneering climate resilience initiative backed by Germany

    The Greening Financial Systems Programme was officially launched in Ethiopia today by Ethiopian and international partners at the Ethiopia Finance Forum.

    This transformative initiative aims to strengthen the resilience of Ethiopia’s financial sector to climate change by embedding climate risk into regulatory frameworks, advancing climate-related disclosures, and supporting the financing of sustainable projects across the country.

    The National Bank of Ethiopia: Driving the green finance agenda

    At the heart of this initiative is the National Bank of Ethiopia (NBE), which is spearheading efforts to integrate climate considerations into the core of the financial sector. Recognizing the growing risks climate change poses to financial stability, the NBE is undertaking a strategic reform to align Ethiopia’s financial system with national climate objectives and international sustainability standards.

    Demonstrating its strong institutional commitment, the NBE has established a high-level internal oversight and coordination team to guide the implementation, monitor progress, and ensure effective follow-up of the GFS Programme. This team brings together senior experts from across the Bank to oversee integration of climate risk considerations into supervisory frameworks and to coordinate with stakeholders on the development of green finance tools.

    The GFS Programme will support the NBE in:

    • Integrating climate-related financial risks into its supervisory and regulatory frameworks.
    • Enhancing climate risk management capabilities across the financial sector.
    • Developing a climate risk disclosure and reporting framework aligned with international best practices.
    • Strengthening institutional capacity through tailored training programs and technical support.
    • Coordinating the development of a National Green Taxonomy that will guide financial institutions and investors on what constitutes environmentally sustainable economic activities.

    “The financial sector has a critical role to play in mobilising the significant finance required for Ethiopia’s transition to a climate-resilient, green economy. The Greening Financial Systems initiative will enhance our capacity to guide the sector in adapting to a changing climate and unlocking green investment opportunities,” said H.E. Mamo E. Mihretu, Governor of the National Bank of Ethiopia.

    The technical assistance agreements were signed during the forum by Mr. Solomon Desta, Vice Governor for Financial Institutions at the National Bank of Ethiopia, and Ms. Leyla Traoré, Head of the EIB Representation to Ethiopia and the African Union. The event was attended by the German Ambassador to Ethiopia and the African Union, the EU Ambassador to Ethiopia, and representatives from the Ministry of Finance of Ethiopia.

    The EIB is delighted to welcome Ethiopia to the Greening Financial Systems Programme. By supporting the National Bank of Ethiopia, we are building an enabling environment that will unlock vital climate action and green investments, contributing to Ethiopia’s ambitious climate goals,” said Ambroise Fayolle, Vice President of the European Investment Bank.

    Funded by Germany through the International Climate Initiative (IKI), and implemented by the EIB, the GFS Programme in Ethiopia forms part of a broader international initiative that also includes Albania, Armenia, Georgia, Kenya, Nigeria, North Macedonia, and Rwanda.

    Strengthening financial institutions for climate resilience

    Beyond regulatory enhancements, the programme also supports Ethiopian commercial banks and financial institutions to build green finance capabilities. This includes:

    • Developing green lending portfolios.
    • Improving internal climate risk assessments.
    • Introducing climate-sensitive credit evaluation frameworks.
    • Facilitating access to green finance instruments and capacity-building workshops.

    By complementing the regulatory improvements led by the NBE, this support aims to mobilize private finance for environmentally sustainable investments, helping banks identify viable green projects and reduce exposure to climate-related risks.

    Laying the foundation for a national green taxonomy

    A key priority under the NBE’s leadership is the development of Ethiopia’s first National Green Taxonomy, a classification system that will define which economic activities and investments are considered sustainable and climate aligned. The taxonomy will:

    • Provide clarity and consistency in green investment classification.
    • Serve as a reference for financial institutions, regulators, and investors.
    • Support the alignment of domestic practices with international ESG and sustainability standards.

    This process will be accompanied by consultations with stakeholders and the preparation of reporting guidelines for the taxonomy’s application across the financial sector.

    Ethiopia is among the countries most vulnerable to climate change, with growing risks from extreme weather, drought, and food insecurity. These risks pose serious threats to the economy and the stability of the financial system.

    The National Bank of Ethiopia’s proactive leadership and institutional commitment—in collaboration with the EIB and international partners—underscores a bold national effort to build climate resilience. Through the GFS Programme, Ethiopia is positioning its financial system to not only manage risks but also seize green investment opportunities that contribute to long-term, sustainable economic growth.

    “Germany is proud to support Ethiopia’s efforts to green its financial system through the International Climate Initiative. The IKI Fund is one of the key instruments of the German Federal Government for international climate action to support strategies for countries that seek to achieve the green transformation. Strengthening financial resilience and unlocking green investment is crucial for Ethiopia’s sustainable future.” said H.E. Jens Hanefeld, German Ambassador to Ethiopia.

    This programme underscores the close partnership between the European Union and Ethiopia in addressing the urgent challenge of climate change. By strengthening the financial sector’s capacity to manage climate risks and finance green projects, we are jointly advancing sustainable development and building resilience,” added H.E. Mrs. Sofie From-Emmesberger, EU Ambassador to Ethiopia.

    Background information

    About EIB Global

    The European Investment Bank (ElB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union, owned by its Member States. It finances investments that contribute to EU policy objectives.

    EIB Global is the EIB Group’s specialised arm devoted to increasing the impact of international partnerships and development finance, and a key partner of Global Gateway. We aim to support €100 billion of investment by the end of 2027 — around one-third of the overall target of this EU initiative. Within Team Europe, EIB Global fosters strong, focused partnerships alongside fellow development finance institutions and civil society. EIB Global brings the EIB Group closer to people, companies and institutions through our offices across the world. High-quality, up-to-date photos of our headquarters for media use are available here.

    http://twitter.com/EIB

    https://www.linkedin.com/company/eib-global/

    More information about the Greening Financial Systems (GFS) technical assistance programme is here.

    Ethiopia Unveils Strategic Initiative to Green Its Financial System and Drive Sustainable Investment
    Ethiopia Unveils Strategic Initiative to Green Its Financial System and Drive Sustainable Investment
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    Ethiopia Unveils Strategic Initiative to Green Its Financial System and Drive Sustainable Investment
    Ethiopia Unveils Strategic Initiative to Green Its Financial System and Drive Sustainable Investment
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    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Briefing – Alcohol labelling: State of play – 19-05-2025

    Source: European Parliament

    The European Union (EU) is the heaviest-drinking area in the world. In 2019, the average total per-capita consumption among adults in the EU was 11 litres of pure alcohol, roughly double the global average of 5.5 litres. Experts maintain that clearly visible, compulsory, standardised health warning labels on alcoholic beverages are essential to help tackle irresponsible drinking behaviour and excessive energy intake from alcohol. Under EU food labelling legislation, producers are required to provide a list of ingredients and a nutrition declaration for drinks, except for alcoholic beverages containing more than 1.2 % by volume of alcohol. In the absence of EU-wide harmonised rules on alcohol labelling, France, Germany, Ireland and Lithuania have implemented legislation on health information (e.g. warnings about drinking while pregnant, driving, or underage, or general warnings about the health risks posed by drinking). Nine EU countries have some form of legislation on ingredient listing, and only one – Ireland – requires producers to disclose the drink’s energy value. A 2017 European Commission report on the mandatory labelling of the ingredients in alcoholic beverages and their nutritional value concluded that there were no valid reasons to justify the absence of this information and invited the industry to propose self-regulatory measures. In 2019, the representatives of the spirits industry committed to including the energy value on the label and providing a list of ingredients and full nutritional values by digital means. According to the latest spiritsEUROPE implementation report on self-regulatory commitments, by the end of 2024 over 70 % of spirits in the total EU market included on-label energy information. With growing consumer demand for non-alcoholic wines, the Commission proposed in March 2025 to harmonise some labelling requirements. However, a cancer health warning that the Commission had planned to introduce during its previous mandate is still missing from the proposal.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: The impact of climate change is felt long before adulthood The key to understanding how climate change affects the local biodiversity might lie with the youth, scientists have recently discovered.

    Source: University of Aberdeen

    Close-up of an adult dragonfly, the Brown Hawker (Aeshna grandis), one of the European species featured in the new study. Researchers found that the traits developed during the dragonfly’s juvenile aquatic stage play a major role in shaping biodiversity patterns observed in the adults across Europe. Photo credit: Erland Refling NielsenThe key to understanding how climate change affects the local biodiversity might lie with the youth, scientists have recently discovered.
    A new study from the University of Aberdeen and McGill University Canada, and published in Global Ecology and Biogeography, has found that the impact of climate change on adult animals is strongly affected by the impact they experienced as juveniles.
    The scientists studied dragonflies, and found that, across Europe, the conditions in lakes, streams, and wetlands that shape the morphological diversity of aquatic juveniles (nymphs) are more important in explaining the diversity of terrestrial adults than conditions on land. These findings challenge conventional biodiversity models that focus only on the adult stage and provide a new framework for understanding the cascading effects of climate and habitat changes across life stages.
    Study author Dr Lesley Lancaster from the University of Aberdeen’s School of Biological Sciences said: “This is a really important study, as many predictions for how climate might impact diversity are based on observations of adult stages, because these tend to be more active, visible, and larger. However, we find that the observed climate impacts are actually largely indirect consequences of processes impacting juveniles – but we did find that direct impacts of climate on adults becomes more important at higher latitudes.

    This is a really important study, as many predictions for how climate might impact diversity are based on observations of adult stages, because these tend to be more active, visible, and larger.” Dr Lesley Lancaster

    Lead author Dr. Lars L. Iversen, from McGill University, added: “This is really useful going forward, as the results will provide a new general rule to guide how biodiversity scientists forecast climate responses – depending on juvenile or adult characteristics. The results can also help members of the public to understand how life stage is important in driving climate responses.
    “Finally, scientists and policy makers will be able use the data to determine whether they should target juveniles or adults for active climate adaptation and mitigation practices.”
    The study was funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (Germany), and the Leibniz Association.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Major investment partnership worth £24 billion to transform key growth sectors and deliver affordable housing across UK

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3

    Press release

    Major investment partnership worth £24 billion to transform key growth sectors and deliver affordable housing across UK

    A major new partnership between the Crown Estate and Lendlease has been agreed which will unlock housing and science innovation hubs across the UK worth £24 billion.

    • Joint venture between The Crown Estate and Lendlease will unlock housing and science innovation hubs across the UK worth £24 billion.

    • Major investment pipeline includes land portfolio with the potential to build 26,000 new homes, with around one-third allocated to affordable housing – supporting the government’s aim to build 1.5 million new homes by 2029. 

    • Pipeline also includes plans to build vast new office space and labs, creating 100,000 new jobs across the country, boosting economic growth and delivering on the Plan for Change. 

    Major new partnership from the Crown Estate and Lendlease with a Gross Development Value (GDV) of £24 billion will develop housing and science and innovation hubs and help create 100,000 new jobs and 26,000 new homes, backing the Government’s Plan for Change.  

    The joint venture allows The Crown Estate to invest in Lendlease’s undeveloped UK land and land management portfolio, providing support on existing projects, helping to transform the UK’s science, tech and innovation sectors and deliver new housing. 

    The projects have the potential to deliver around 10 million square feet of workspace and labs, and deliver vital investment in digital and technologies and the life sciences sectors – two of the key growth sectors in the government’s upcoming modern Industrial Strategy. 

    The pipeline is also hoped to deliver over 26,000 new homes for people across the country – of which a third are expected to be affordable housing – backing this Government’s plans to build 1.5 million new homes and get Britain building again as part of the Plan for Change.

    In support of the partnership, the Chancellor and Minister for Investment met with Lendlease’s Group CEO Tony Lombardo and Dan Labbad, CEO of The Crown Estate in Downing Street

    Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said:

    We are pulling every lever to grow our economy so we can put more money in people’s pockets, boost home ownership and make Britain a global hub for life sciences through our Plan for Change.

    This includes creating the right environment for organisations like The Crown Estate and Lendlease to partner, helping us to unlock capital to get Britain building and get Britain growing.

    Minister for Investment Baroness Gustafsson CBE said:

    This is yet another strong endorsement of the UK’s investment environment and our thriving real estate sector as this government has committed to get Britain building again, a crucial part of delivering our Plan for Change.  

    This pipeline and the creation of additional research labs across the UK, will be a massive boost for our world-leading science, innovation and technology sectors, all key growth sectors in our upcoming modern Industrial Strategy.” 

    The government’s upcoming modern Industrial Strategy will make doing business quicker, easier and more profitable than ever before. Its 10-year plan will provide business with the certainty they need to invest and innovate in the growth-driving sectors that will shape the UK’s economy, drive regional development, enhance living standards and create high quality jobs.

    Businesses have identified that inadequate infrastructure has impacted the growth of UK firms, with the UK suffering from a chronic lack of lab space compared to other leading global hubs, but this pipeline will ensure high-growth sectors have the lab space, transport and housing they need. 

    If the life sciences real estate markets of Cambridge, Oxford and London were to match their US counterparts by 2035, it could mean 67,000 more high-skilled, high-wage jobs and £4bn a year in additional GVA. 

    Areas poised for office and housing development include around Euston Station, Silvertown and Thamesmead Waterfront in London, as well as Smithfield in Birmingham.   

    The joint venture will provide a substantial boost to the UK’s thriving tech ecosystem, which is the third biggest in the world and worth more than £1 trillion.

    Group CEO of Lendlease Tony Lombardo said:

    This landmark partnership between our two organisations will combine our shared expertise in delivering city shaping precincts and creating long-term benefits for communities.

    As master developer, we look forward to working with The Crown Estate to unlock value within our UK development portfolio, for partners, government clients and our securityholders.

    Dan Labbad, Chief Executive of The Crown Estate, said:

    With strong support from local and national government, we look forward to working with Lendlease and others to realise the potential of these projects to create jobs, stimulate growth and positively impact lives, while also generating income for the UK. 

    As a country, we face challenges to unlocking growth. To support this, we need to spark investment in sectors like science, technology, and housing, alongside deep collaboration across communities, government, and the private sector. This joint venture is an example of how The Crown Estate is harnessing its mandate to act in the UK’s long-term national interest, supported by new investment powers, and stepping up its ambition to support inclusive growth for the nation.” 

    Since entering office, the government has been focused on restoring economic stability – the foundation of growth – to give businesses the confidence to invest and expand in the UK. Today’s announcement demonstrates how confidence in the UK’s investment environment translates to real jobs and growth for local communities.    

    This major announcement comes due to the Crown Estate Act 2025 which increased The Crown Estate’s powers to unlock further investment, kickstarting growth and generating greater returns for the public purse whilst benefitting public services across the UK.

    Notes to editors:

    • The Crown Estate has a diverse £16 billion portfolio that includes urban centres and development opportunities; one of the largest rural holdings in the country; Regent Street and St James’s in London’s West End; and Windsor Great Park. They also manage the seabed and much of the coastline around England, Wales and Northern Ireland, playing a major role in the UK’s world leading offshore wind sector. 

    • Lendlease is an integrated real estate group. Headquartered in Sydney, Australia, it is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange. Its core capabilities are reflected in the operating segments of investments, development and construction, and providing a sustainable competitive advantage in delivering innovative integrated solutions for its customers.

    Updates to this page

    Published 19 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Eucharistic Celebration for the Beginning of the Petrine Ministry of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV

    Source: Government of Italy (English)

    18 Maggio 2025

    The President of the Council of Ministers, Giorgia Meloni, attended the Eucharistic Celebration for the beginning of the Petrine Ministry of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, held on the parvis of Saint Peter’s Basilica.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Ireland Launches ‘Silicon Island’: A National Semiconductor Strategy

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

    19th May 2025

    Minister Burke launches first-of-its kind, key strategy setting out Ireland’s position in global industry

    Ireland’s new Semiconductor Strategy, Silicon Island has been officially launched by Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Peter Burke at a special industry event. This major new initiative is designed to strengthen Ireland’s role in the global semiconductor industry and fulfil a key Programme for Government commitment.

    Aligned with the European Chips Act the EU Digital Decade, Silicon Island: A National Semiconductor Strategy sets out a clear roadmap to grow Ireland’s semiconductor sector by creating high-value jobs, attracting major investment and deepening the country’s leadership in cutting-edge technology as a key player in Europe’s semiconductor future.

    Speaking at the launch, Minister Burke said:

    “We’re setting our sights on the next frontier: semiconductors. Ireland already has a strong semiconductor base, with over 130 indigenous and multinational companies, 20,000 jobs and €13.5 billion in annual exports.  But with the right support, I believe we could do far more. By 2040, Ireland could support up to 34,500 new semiconductor roles.”

    Developed through public consultation with industry, academia, government and research partners, Silicon Island focuses on expanding the sector’s ecosystem, building a future-ready talent pipeline and seizing emerging opportunities across advanced manufacturing, design, and R&D.  The strategy recognises the semiconductor industry as a crucial enabler of innovation and digital growth.  Key objectives include:

    1. securing major industrial investments, including a leading-edge fabrication facility in a regional location,
    2. supporting start-ups and spinouts through access to finance and commercialisation pathways, 
    3. strengthening research capacity and promoting Ireland internationally as a hub of semiconductor excellence. 

    Minister Burke noted the strategic importance of Silicon Island, saying:

    “From AI to quantum computing and the green transition, semiconductors are at the core of global innovation. This strategy is Ireland’s commitment to helping deliver on the European Chips Act and to becoming a global leader in this vital sector. Ireland is turning to chips as the next big opportunity.”

    “Much of the work to achieve our ambitions is already under way. We have already earmarked over €70 million in national and EU funding for Tyndall’s participation in three EU Pilot Lines. We have established I-C3 – a national competence centre under the European Chips Act – and joined forces with Analog Devices and 14 EU Member States in the IPCEI on Microelectronics.

    “The work does not end here. The deliverables set out in this Strategy will be guided by a dedicated industry-led Semiconductor Advisory Council.

    “While we are in a position of strength, we must go further. This Strategy aims to put Ireland firmly at the forefront of the global semiconductor industry, and marks the start of a journey towards Ireland and Irish companies becoming world leaders in this this vital technology.  We’re ready to lead”. 

    Professor William Scanlon, CEO, Tyndall National Institute said: 

    “I welcome the publication of the strategy and the Government’s support and ambition for the semiconductor industry and ecosystem in Ireland. As the national institute for semiconductors, Tyndall is proud to play our part in the delivery of the strategy through collaborative research and innovation and the development of talent and skills.”

    Notes to editor

    Silicon Island: A National Semiconductor Strategy contains a suite of deliverables which include:

    1. Securing major industrial investments, including one Leading Edge Fabrication Facility in a regional location, two Trailing-Edge Foundries, and one Advanced Packaging Facility.
    2. Developing next generation sites with the infrastructure needed to support large-scale manufacturing.
    3. Supporting start-ups and spin-outs with commercialisation support, access to finance, and scaling pathways to ensure that Irish innovation can compete and thrive on the global stage.
    4. Enhance R&D capacity, supporting both indigenous innovation and multinational collaboration and fostering an open ecosystem based on collaboration.
    5. Promoting Ireland internationally as a hub of excellence in semiconductor design, manufacturing, and research.
    6. Commissioning a skills study by the Expert Future Skills Needs to ensure the Strategy’s ambitions for the industry can be supported by a robust talent pipeline.

    The deliverables will be guided by an industry-led Advisory Council on the Semiconductor Sector, consisting of key stakeholders, bringing together industry, academia and the enterprise agencies to deliver on the priorities set out in this Strategy and, more importantly, identify new opportunities in this important sector.

    ENDS

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    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI: Gate Introduces Brand New Domain Gate.com and Brand Logo, Advancing Toward the “Next-Generation Crypto Exchange”

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    PANAMA CITY, May 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Gate, a global leading cryptocurrency trading platform, has officially adopted the new international domain Gate.com and unveiled a redesigned brand logo, marking a significant milestone in the platform’s evolution. This strategic move aims to unify brand identity, strengthen global presence, and enhance user trust, heralding a new chapter in Gate’s development. The upgrade follows Gate’s 12th anniversary celebrations and aligns closely with the platform’s newly articulated vision, unveiled at its global event in Dubai, to become the “next-generation crypto exchange”. It signifies a transformative leap from industry leadership to innovation leadership, and from technical excellence to global strategic expansion.

    Previously, Gate also adopted a new Chinese name “Damen” ( 大门, meaning “The Gate”), symbolizing an open gateway to the future of crypto for users worldwide. The unified refresh of domain and logo reflects the platform’s commitment to inclusivity and signals the beginning of a new chapter in building a trusted, globally connected crypto ecosystem.

    Brand Refresh: From Visual Upgrade to Strategic Evolution

    As a pioneer in the crypto industry, Gate has focused on building a secure, compliant, and innovative digital asset trading ecosystem since its founding in 2013. Today, the platform serves over 23 million users worldwide, supports trading in over 3,800 cryptocurrencies across spot, futures, leverage, and financial products, ranking Top 3 globally by comprehensive strength. It was also among the first exchanges to implement zero-knowledge proof (ZKP) technology to verify reserve transparency, ensuring 100% verifiability of platform assets. According to its latest proof-of-reserves report, Gate’s total reserves exceed $10.865 billion, with a reserve ratio of 128.57%.

    This brand overhaul not only elevates Gate’s visual identity but also marks a critical step in its global outreach strategy. The new domain Gate.com is concise, highly recognizable, and globally intuitive, enhancing user perception of the platform’s professionalism and credibility. The newly designed logo adopts a modern, minimalist aesthetic that encapsulates Gate’s core principles of “trust as the foundation”, “technological innovation”, and “continuous evolution”, representing a comprehensive upgrade in technology, ecosystem, and compliance.

    In addition, Gate Group’s global platform Gate, along with all its locally licensed entities, Gate Japan, Gate Dubai, and Gate Europe, will adopt the unified brand name “Gate”. The brand upgrade presents a cohesive global identity and further strengthens Gate’s professional image and international influence as a leading global exchange.

    Strategic Leap: Building the “Next-Generation Crypto Exchange”

    Beneath the surface of this brand transformation lies a bolder strategic ambition. On April 30, at Gate’s 12th Anniversary Global Celebration in Dubai, Founder and CEO Dr. Han introduced the vision to build the “next-generation crypto exchange”. This strategy emphasizes transformative growth across three core pillars:

    • Technology-Driven Innovation: Continuously upgrading the trading experience through iterative product development and breakthroughs in underlying technologies.
    • Global Compliance: Establishing a robust global compliance network backed by licenses and regulatory approvals in multiple jurisdictions, strengthening industry credibility.
    • Ecosystem Integration: Expanding from trading to encompass Web3, infrastructure, and investment services, building a closed-loop digital economy.

    Gate’s mission is to continuously enhance its offerings with a professional, secure, and open approach, aiming to become a foundational infrastructure for the global digital economy and to provide future-ready, trustworthy digital asset services to users worldwide.

    Global Compliance Footprint: Expanding with Purpose

    Gate Group places strong emphasis on a “compliance-first” strategy, steadily advancing its global regulatory presence. In recent years, its various entities have obtained or completed regulatory registrations, licences, authorizations, or approvals across various jurisdictions, such as Lithuania, Argentina, Malta, Italy, Bahamas, Gibraltar, and Hong Kong.

    In 2024, Gate Group’s entity completed the acquisition of Japan-licensed exchange Coin Master, further consolidating its compliance footprint in the Asia-Pacific region. Most recently, Gate Technology FZE (“Gate Dubai”), an entity of Gate Group, recently received a full operational license from Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority (VARA) in Dubai. The license authorizes Gate Dubai to offer crypto asset trading services to institutional investors, qualified investors, and retail users, marking a major milestone in its expansion into the MENA region and global markets. It is a testament to its long-standing commitment to security, transparency, and user protection.

    With parallel advancements in technology innovation, user experience, ecosystem expansion, and global compliance, Gate is evolving from a top-tier trading platform into a trusted global digital finance ecosystem. The launch of the Gate.com domain and refreshed logo represents more than a brand update—it is a declaration of Gate’s long-term commitment and vision for the global user community. Looking ahead, Gate remains firmly committed to its development principles of user-first, technological innovation, and global compliance, and will continue to work alongside users, developers, and partners worldwide to shape a safe, open, and sustainable crypto future.

    Media Contact:
    Elaine Wang at elaine.w@gate.io

    Disclaimer:
    The content herein does not constitute any offer, solicitation, or recommendation. You should always seek independent professional advice before making any investment decisions. Please be noted that Gate may restrict or prohibit the use of all or a portion of the Services from Restricted Locations. For more information, please read the User Agreement via https://www.gate.io/legal/user-agreement.

    Disclaimer : This is a paid post and is provided by Gate. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform or its publisher. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. We do not guarantee any claims, statements, or promises made in this article. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or trading advice.Investing in crypto and mining-related opportunities involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital. It is possible to lose all your capital. These products may not be suitable for everyone, and you should ensure that you understand the risks involved. Seek independent advice if necessary. Speculate only with funds that you can afford to lose. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. However, due to the inherently speculative nature of the blockchain sector—including cryptocurrency, NFTs, and mining—complete accuracy cannot always be guaranteed.

    Neither the media platform nor the publisher shall be held responsible for any fraudulent activities, misrepresentations, or financial losses arising from the content of this press release. In the event of any legal claims or charges against this article, we accept no liability or responsibility. Globenewswire does not endorse any content on this page.

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

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3cbdb202-bb7b-4591-9a4b-38ccd1e83c12

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Legal News – Former NZ Associate Minister Of Foreign Affairs Calls On NZ Government To Uphold International Law Over US Designation of Cuba

    Source: Hon Matthew Robson

    Former NZ Associate Minister Of Foreign Affairs, Hon Matt Robson, has called on the New Zealand Government to uphold International Law.

    “New Zealand prides itself on being in the forefront of countries supporting the international rule of law and not the international rule of might ”, said former Associate Foreign Minister in the Helen Clark government, the Hon Matt Robson.

    “To uphold this principled position Foreign Minister, the Hon Winston Peters, must strongly condemn the US action of placing Cuba on its “List of Non-Cooperative Terrorism countries.

    “This illegal act is a further breach of international law alongside the ever-tightening unilateral sanctions on Cuba, in place since 1960, which have been condemned as illegal by an overwhelming vote in the UN General Assembly, including that of New Zealand vote” said the Hon Matt Robson.

    “Cuba is recognised by the UN for its commitment to anti-terrorism measures. The irony is that it has been the United States that has supported terrorism against Cuba from the attempted assassination of its leaders, military invasions ,economic sabotage to the bombing of a Cuban airliner and protection in the US of the culprits.”

    “Cuba is renowned not for terrorism but for sending medical professionals to the poorest countries of the world since 1960, training doctors in Cuba from those countries, including many from Pacific nations, and during Covid providing specialist health personnel, including to developed Italy , to world acclaim”.

    “The Hon Winston Peters should place New Zealand on the side of the vast majority of countries supporting international law and condemn the United States for its illegal persecution of a developing country,” Hon Matt Robson said.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: NATO Integrated Air and Missile Defence experts meet in Latvia

    Source: NATO

    The fourth annual NATO Integrated Air and Missile Defence (IAMD) Conference took place on 6 – 9 May 2025 in Riga, Latvia. The event provided a forum for high-level policy discussions on the current state of and potential adaptions to NATO IAMD.

    The conference, which focuses on political and strategic-level themes, engaged NATO delegates, senior decision-makers in capitals, and stakeholders from across the Alliance.

    The Secretary General opened the conference with keynote remarks highlighting the critical role of IAMD for NATO’s deterrence and defence. Mr Rutte underscored the need for Allies to invest more in defence and increase overall defence industrial production in light of global security challenges.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Republic of Iceland launches cash tender offer

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    19 May 2025. The Republic of Iceland (the “Offeror”) announces today an invitation (such invitation, the “Offer“) to holders of its €500,000,000 0.625 per cent. Notes due 3 June 2026 (ISIN: XS2015295814) (of which €500,000,000 in aggregate nominal amount is outstanding as at the date hereof) (the “Notes“) to tender their Notes for purchase by the Offeror for cash.

    The Offer is being made on the terms and subject to the conditions contained in the tender offer memorandum dated 19 May 2025 (the “Tender Offer Memorandum“) prepared by the Offeror in connection with the Offer, and is subject to the offer and distribution restrictions set out below and as more fully described in the Tender Offer Memorandum.  Noteholders are advised to read carefully the Tender Offer Memorandum for full details of, and information on the procedures for participating in, the Offer.

    Copies of the Tender Offer Memorandum are (subject to distribution restrictions) available from the Tender Agent as set out below.  Capitalised terms used but not otherwise defined in this announcement shall have the meaning given to them in the Tender Offer Memorandum.

    A summary of certain terms of the Offer appears below:

    Description
    of the Notes    		 ISIN /
    Common Code    		 Outstanding
    nominal amount    		 Reference Rate Fixed Spread Amount Amount subject
    to the Offer
    €500,000,000 0.625 per cent. Notes due 3 June 2026 XS2182399274/ 218239927 €500,000,000 1 Year Euro Mid-Swap Rate -15 basis points Any and all

    Rationale for the Offer

    The Offeror intends to issue the New Notes. Part of the proceeds from the New Notes will be used for purchasing the Notes. The rationale of the Offer is thus to proactively manage upcoming debt repayments and to extend the average debt maturity profile of the Offeror.

    Purchase Price and Accrued Interest

    The Offeror will pay for any Notes validly tendered and accepted for purchase by the Offeror pursuant to the Offer a purchase price to be determined in the manner described in the Tender Offer Memorandum by reference to a yield which is equal to the sum of the fixed spread of -15 basis points (the “Fixed Spread Amount“) and the 1 Year Euro Mid-Swap Rate at or around the Pricing Time, expressed as a percentage and rounded to the third decimal place (with 0.0005 being rounded upwards) (the “Purchase Price“).  Specifically, the Purchase Price will equal (a) the value of all remaining payment of principal and interest on the Notes, up to and including the scheduled maturity date of the Notes, discounted to the Tender Offer Settlement Date at a discount rate equal to the yield, minus (b) the Accrued Interest.

    The Offeror will also pay, on the Tender Offer Settlement Date, Accrued Interest in respect of any Notes accepted for purchase pursuant to the Offer.

    New Financing Condition

    On 19 May 2025, the Offeror announced that it intends to issue euro-denominated fixed-rate notes (the “New Notes“) under its U.S.$5,000,000,000 Euro Medium Term Note Programme (the “Programme“). 

    The Offeror is not under any obligation to accept for purchase any Notes tendered pursuant to the Offer.  The acceptance for purchase by the Offeror of Notes tendered pursuant to the Offer is at the sole discretion of the Offeror and tenders may be rejected by the Offeror for any reason.  The purchase of any Notes by the Offeror pursuant to the Offer is also subject, without limitation, to (i) the pricing of the issue of the New Notes, (ii) the signing by the Offeror and the relevant managers of a subscription agreement in respect of the subscription for the New Notes and (iii) such subscription agreement remaining in full force and effect as at the Tender Offer Settlement Date (the “New Financing Condition“). 

    The Offeror reserves the right at any time to waive any or all of the conditions of the Offer (including the New Financing Condition) as set out in the Tender Offer Memorandum.

    Priority in Allocation of New Notes

    A Noteholder that wishes to subscribe for New Notes in addition to tendering Notes for purchase pursuant to the Offer will receive priority (the “New Notes Priority“) in the allocation of the New Notes, subject to the completion of the Offer, the issue of the New Notes and such Noteholder making a separate application for the purchase of such New Notes to one of the Dealer Managers (in its capacity as a Joint Lead Manager (as defined herein) of the issue of the New Notes) in accordance with the standard new issue procedures of such Joint Lead Manager. 

    A key factor in the allocation of the New Notes will be whether Noteholders have indicated they have validly tendered or indicated their firm intention to the Offeror or the Dealer Managers to tender their Notes. When considering allocation of the New Notes, the Offeror intends to give preference to those Noteholders who, prior to such allocation, have validly tendered or indicated their firm intention to the Offeror or any of the Dealer Managers to tender the Notes and subscribe for New Notes. However, the Offeror is not obliged to allocate the New Notes to a Noteholder who has validly tendered or indicated a firm intention to tender the Notes pursuant to the Offer and any amount allocated may be more, equal to, or less than the aggregate principal amount of Notes validly tendered or in respect of which a firm intention to tender has been indicated by such Noteholder. Any allocation of the New Notes, while being considered by the Offeror as set out above, will be made in accordance with customary new issue allocation processes and procedures.

    The aggregate principal amount of New Notes, if any, for which priority will be given to any Noteholder will be subject to the sole and absolute discretion of the Offeror and may be less than, equal to or greater than the aggregate principal amount of Notes validly tendered by such Noteholder in the Offer and accepted for purchase by the Offeror.

    Noteholders should note that the pricing and allocation of the New Notes are expected to take place prior to the Expiration Deadline for the Offer and any Noteholder that wishes to subscribe for New Notes in addition to tendering existing Notes for purchase pursuant to the Offer should therefore provide, as soon as practicable, to any Dealer Manager any indications of a firm intention to tender Notes for purchase pursuant to the Offer and the quantum of Notes that it intends to tender in order for this to be taken into account as part of the New Notes allocation process.

    If any Noteholder wishes to subscribe for New Notes in addition to its New Notes Priority it must make a separate application to subscribe for such additional New Notes to a Joint Lead Manager in accordance with the standard new issue procedures of such Joint Lead Manager.

    To contact the Dealer Managers, Noteholders should use the contact details on the last page of the Tender Offer Memorandum. 

    Any investment decision to purchase any New Notes should be made solely on the basis of the information contained in the information memorandum (to be dated on or around the date hereof) prepared in connection with the Programme (the “Programme Information Memorandum“) and the pricing supplement to be prepared in connection with the issue and the listing of the New Notes, and no reliance is to be placed on any representations other than those contained in the Programme Information Memorandum.  Subject to compliance with all applicable securities laws and regulations, the Programme Information Memorandum is available from the Dealer Managers on request.

    The New Notes are not being, and will not be, offered or sold in the United States. Nothing in the Tender Offer Memorandum constitutes an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the New Notes in the United States or any other jurisdiction. Securities may not be offered, sold or delivered in the United States absent registration under, or an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act. The New Notes have not been, and will not be, registered under the Securities Act or the securities laws of any state or other jurisdiction of the United States and may not be offered, sold or delivered, directly or indirectly, within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons (as defined in Regulation S under the Securities Act).

    The target market for the New Notes is eligible counterparties and professional clients only, each as defined in Directive 2014/65/EU (as amended, “MiFID II“) and the New Notes are not intended to be offered, sold or otherwise made available to and should not be offered, sold or otherwise made available to any retail investor in the European Economic Area. For these purposes, a retail investor means a person who is one (or more) of: (i) a retail client as defined in point (11) of MiFID II; (ii) a customer within the meaning of Directive 2002/92/EC (as amended or superseded), where that customer would not qualify as a professional client as defined in point (10) of Article 4(1) of MiFID II; or (iii) not a qualified investor as defined in Directive 2003/71/EC (as amended or superseded)

    No action has been or will be taken in any jurisdiction in relation to the New Notes to permit a public offering of securities.

    Acceptance and no scaling

    If the Offeror decides to accept valid tenders of Notes pursuant to the Offer, the Offeror will (subject to satisfaction (or waiver) of the New Financing Condition on or prior to the Tender Offer Settlement Date) accept for purchase all of the Notes that are validly tendered in full, with no pro rata scaling.

    Tender Instruction

    In order to participate in the Offer, Noteholders must validly tender their Notes for purchase by delivering, or arranging to have delivered on their behalf, a valid Tender Instruction that is received by the Tender Agent by 5.00 p.m. (CEST) on 23 May 2025 (the “Expiration Deadline“).

    Tender Instructions will be irrevocable except in the limited circumstances described in the Tender Offer Memorandum.

    Tender Instructions must be submitted in respect of a minimum nominal amount of no less than €100,000, being the minimum denomination of the Notes, and may be submitted in integral multiples of €1,000 thereafter. In addition, the New Notes Priority requested must be for an amount which is at least €100,000 in aggregate nominal amount of the New Notes for the relevant Noteholder to be eligible to receive priority in the allocation of the New Notes.

    Tender Instructions which relate to a nominal amount of Notes of less than €100,000 will be rejected.

    Indicative Timetable for the Offer

    Events   Times and Dates
    Commencement of the Offer   Monday, 19 May 2025
    Expiration Deadline   5.00 p.m. (CEST) on Friday, 23 May 2025
    Determination of the 1 Year Euro Mid-Swap Rate   Expected to be on or around 11.00 a.m. (CEST) (the “Pricing Time“) on Tuesday, 27 May 2025
    Announcement of Results and Pricing   As soon as reasonably practicable following the Pricing Time on Tuesday, 27 May 2025
    Tender Offer Settlement Date   Expected to be Wednesday, 28 May 2025

    The Offeror may, in its sole discretion, extend, re-open, amend, waive any condition of or terminate the Offer at any time (subject to applicable law and as provided in the Tender Offer Memorandum) and the above times and dates are subject to the right of the Offeror to extend, re-open, amend, waive any condition of and/or terminate the Offer.

    Noteholders are advised to check with any bank, broker or other intermediary through which they hold Notes by when such intermediary would need to receive instructions from a Noteholder in order for that Noteholder to be able to participate in, or (in the limited circumstances in which revocation is permitted) revoke their instruction to participate in, the Offer by the deadlines set out above.  The deadlines set by any such intermediary and each Clearing System for the submission and withdrawal of Tender Instructions will be earlier than the relevant deadlines above.

    Unless stated otherwise, announcements in connection with the Offer will be made (i) by publication through RNS and (ii) by the delivery of notices to the Clearing Systems for communication to Direct Participants.  Such announcements may also be made on the relevant Reuters Insider Screen and/or by the issue of a press release to a Notifying News Service. Copies of all such announcements, press releases and notices can also be obtained upon request from the Tender Agent, the contact details for which are set out below.  Significant delays may be experienced where notices are delivered to the Clearing Systems and Noteholders are urged to contact the Tender Agent for the relevant announcements during the course of the Offer.  In addition, Noteholders may contact the Dealer Managers for information using the contact details set out below.

    Noteholders are advised to read carefully the Tender Offer Memorandum for full details of, and information on the procedures for, participating in the Offer.

    Barclays Bank Ireland PLC, Citigroup Global Markets Europe AG and J.P. Morgan SE are acting as Dealer Managers for the Offer and Citibank, N.A., London Branch is acting as Tender Agent.

    Questions and requests for assistance in connection with the Offer may be directed to the Dealer Managers.

    THE DEALER MANAGERS

    Barclays Bank Ireland PLC
     One Molesworth Street
    Dublin 2
    D02 RF29
    Ireland

    Attention: Liability Management Group
    Email: eu.lm@barclays.com

    		 Citigroup Global Markets Europe AG
     Börsenplatz 9
    60313 Frankfurt am Main
    Germany

    Attention: Liability Management Group
    Telephone: +44 20 7986 8969
    Email: liabilitymanagement.europe@citi.com
    J.P. Morgan SE
     Taunustor 1 (TaunusTurm)
    60310 Frankfurt am Main
    Germany

    Telephone: +44 20 7134 2468
    Attention: EMEA Liability Management Group
    Email: liability_management_emea@jpmorgan.com

    Questions and requests for assistance in connection with the delivery of Tender Instructions may be directed to the Tender Agent.

    THE TENDER AGENT

    Citibank, N.A., London Branch

    Citigroup Centre
    Canada Square
    Canary Wharf
    London E14 5LB
    United Kingdom

    Telephone: +44 20 7508 3867
    Attention: Exchange Team
    Email: citiexchanges@citi.com

    DISCLAIMER

    This announcement must be read in conjunction with the Tender Offer Memorandum.  This announcement and the Tender Offer Memorandum contain important information which should be read carefully before any decision is made with respect to the Offer.  If any Noteholder is in any doubt as to the action it should take, it is recommended to seek its own financial and legal advice, including as to any tax consequences, from its broker, bank manager, solicitor, accountant or other independent financial adviser.  Any individual or company whose Notes are held on its behalf by a broker, dealer, bank, custodian, trust company or other nominee must contact such entity if it wishes to tender such Notes for purchase pursuant to the Offer.  Each of the Dealer Managers is acting exclusively for the Offeror and no one else in connection with the arrangements described in this announcement and the Tender Offer Memorandum and will not be responsible to anyone other than the Offeror for providing the protections afforded to customers of the Dealer Managers or for advising any other person in connection with the Offer.  None of the Offeror, the Dealer Managers and the Tender Agent, nor any of their respective directors, employees or affiliates, makes any recommendation as to whether Noteholders should tender Notes for purchase pursuant to the Offer.

    OFFER AND DISTRIBUTION RESTRICTIONS

    Italy

    None of the Offer, this announcement, the Tender Offer Memorandum or any other document or materials relating to the Offer have been submitted to the clearance procedures of the Commissione Nazionale per le Società e la Borsa (“CONSOB“) pursuant to Italian laws and regulations.  The Offer is being carried out in Italy as exempted Offer pursuant to article 101-bis, paragraph 3-bis of the Legislative Decree No. 58 of 24 February 1998, as amended (the “Financial Services Act“) and article 35-bis, paragraph 4 of CONSOB Regulation No. 11971 of 14 May 1999, as amended.  Accordingly, Noteholders or beneficial owners of the Notes that are located in Italy can tender Notes for purchase pursuant to the Offer through authorised persons (such as investment firms, banks or financial intermediaries permitted to conduct such activities in the Italy in accordance with the Financial Services Act, CONSOB Regulation No. 20307 of 15 February 2018, as amended from time to time, and Legislative Decree No. 385 of 1 September 1993, as amended) and in compliance with applicable laws and regulations or with requirements imposed by CONSOB or any other Italian authority.

    Each intermediary must comply with the applicable laws and regulations concerning information duties vis-à-vis its clients in connection with the Notes or the Offer.

    United Kingdom

    The communication of this announcement, the Tender Offer Memorandum and any other documents or materials relating to the Offer is not being made and such documents and/or materials have not been approved by an authorised person for the purposes of section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000.  Accordingly, such documents and/or materials are not being distributed to, and must not be passed on to, the general public in the United Kingdom.  The communication of such documents and/or materials may be exempt from the restriction on financial promotion under section 21 of the FSMA pursuant to Article 34 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (“Financial Promotion Order“) or on the basis that any such communication is only directed at and may only be communicated to persons to whom these documents and/or materials may lawfully be communicated in accordance with the Financial Promotion Order.

    France

    This announcement, the Tender Offer Memorandum and any other offering material relating to the Offer may be distributed in France only to qualified investors (investisseurs qualifiés) as defined in Article 2(e) of Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 (the “Prospectus Regulation“). Neither this announcement, the Tender Offer Memorandum, nor any other such offering material has not been and will not be submitted for clearance to, nor approved by the Autorité des Marchés Financiers.

    General

    Nothing in this announcement or the Tender Offer Memorandum or the electronic transmission thereof constitutes an offer to buy or the solicitation of an offer to sell Notes (and tenders of Notes for purchase pursuant to the Offer will not be accepted from any Noteholder) in any circumstances in which such offer or solicitation is unlawful.  In any jurisdiction where the securities, blue sky or other laws require the Offer to be made by a licensed broker or dealer and either of the Dealer Managers or any of their respective affiliates is such a licensed broker or dealer in such jurisdiction, the Offer shall be deemed to be made by such Dealer Manager or affiliate, as the case may be, on behalf of the Offeror in such jurisdiction.

    Each holder of Notes participating in the Offer will be deemed to give certain representations in respect of the jurisdictions referred to above and generally as set out in the Tender Offer Memorandum. Any tender of Notes for purchase pursuant to the Offer from a Noteholder that is unable to make these representations will not be accepted. Each of the Offeror, the Dealer Managers and the Tender Agent reserves the right, in its absolute discretion, to investigate, in relation to any tender of Notes for purchase pursuant to the Offer, whether any such representation given by a Noteholder is correct and, if such investigation is undertaken and as a result the Offeror determines (for any reason) that such representation is not correct, such tender may be rejected.

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Climate scientists are trusted globally, just not as much as other scientists – here’s why

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Omid Ghasemi, Research Associate in Behavioural Science at the Institute for Climate Risk & Response, UNSW Sydney

    I. Noyan Yilmaz, Shutterstock

    Societies increasingly rely on scientists to guide decisions in times of uncertainty, from pandemic outbreaks to the rise of artificial intelligence.

    Addressing climate change is no different. For governments wanting to introduce ambitious climate policies, public trust in climate scientists is pivotal, because it can determine whether voters support or resist those efforts.

    So do people trust climate scientists, and what affects levels of trust? Our new study shows climate scientists are less trusted than other types of scientists globally. But there are profound variations in this trust gap between countries, and within them.

    Finding ways to increase trust in climate scientists is crucial if the world is to implement effective policies to avert dangerous global warming.

    Low trust in climate scientists may hinder effective climate science communication and reduce public engagement with climate solutions.
    Mozgova, Shutterstock.

    Examining trust in science

    We collaborated with an international team of researchers to analyse data from one of the largest cross-national surveys of public attitudes toward science. The dataset includes responses from nearly 70,000 people across 68 countries. It offers a rare global snapshot of how people perceive scientists in general, and climate scientists in particular.

    Each of these people rated their trust in climate scientists on a five-point scale, with a five indicating very high trust and a one being not trusted at all.

    Trust in scientists more generally was assessed using a 12-item questionnaire that measured perceptions of expertise, integrity, benevolence and openness. The responses were averaged to create a composite trust score. Higher scores reflected higher levels of trust.

    We found trust in scientists was moderately strong worldwide, as it was above the midpoint of the scale (averaging 3.6 out of 5). But trust in climate scientists was slightly lower (averaging 3.5). The difference between the two scores is what we call the “trust gap”.

    In 43 of the 68 countries, the trust gap was statistically significant, with people reporting lower trust in climate scientists than in scientists in general.

    The size of the trust gap varied between countries. In Europe, Oceania (including Australia and New Zealand) and North America the gap tended to be smaller. Larger gaps emerged in parts of Latin America and Africa.

    The Democratic Republic of the Congo had the widest gap, with climate scientists trusted less than in any other country. This may reflect local concerns that global climate agendas — often supported by international scientists — prioritise resource extraction for foreign renewable energy demands over local interests. Such feelings may be particularly acute in regions where mining has brought limited community benefit.

    Six countries bucked the trend. Climate scientists were more trusted than scientists overall in China, Taiwan, South Korea, Egypt, Israel and Germany.

    In China and Germany, this may reflect strong investment in green energy, high levels of public support for climate action, and the visible role climate scientists play in shaping policy.

    What’s going on here?

    Not surprisingly, people with more positive views of science tended to express higher trust in scientists and even more so, climate scientists. But people with dim views of scientists were less trusting of climate scientists.

    Age also played a role. Older people tended to trust scientists more than younger people. But younger people were more likely to trust climate scientists.

    Climate scientists were generally less trusted than scientists regardless of gender. While men reported slightly lower trust in scientists than women did, the difference was not statistically significant.

    Among all the variables we examined, political orientation emerged as one of the strongest factors associated with trust in climate scientists. People with right-leaning or conservative views reported lower trust in climate scientists compared with those with more left-leaning or liberal views.

    However, the meaning of terms such as “liberal” and “conservative” can vary considerably between countries. For example, in Australia, the Liberal Party is politically right-leaning. But in the United States, “liberal” typically refers to left-leaning or progressive views. This variation makes cross-national comparisons complex and requires careful interpretation of results.

    As a particular person’s political orientation shifted further to the right, the trust gap between climate scientists and scientists widened.

    In 28 countries across the Americas, Europe and Oceania, right-leaning orientation was associated not only with lower trust in climate scientists than people who leaned to the left, but also with a larger gap between trust for scientists generally and trust for climate scientists.

    In a smaller subset of countries, particularly in parts of Asia, Africa and Eastern Europe, the pattern reversed – right-leaning individuals expressed greater trust in climate scientists than their left-leaning counterparts.

    These findings suggest it is not political orientation alone that drives public trust, but how climate issues are framed in political discourse. In many Western countries, public messaging around climate change — particularly from conservative parties and media — has cast doubt on the credibility of climate science. This politicisation, often amplified by vested interests such as fossil fuel lobbies, may help explain the erosion of trust among some conservative groups.

    Closing the trust gap

    Trust alone will not solve the climate crisis, but it plays a crucial role in shaping how societies respond to scientific guidance.

    Ambitious, evidence-based policies require public support to succeed. A persistent trust gap — no matter how small — can undermine that support and help explain why many governments continue to fall short of their climate targets.

    Closing the trust gap through transparent communication, inclusive public engagement, and consistent political leadership is essential for turning awareness into action.

    Omid Ghasemi receives funding from the Australian Academy of Science.

    Ben Newell receives funding from The Australian Research Council.

    – ref. Climate scientists are trusted globally, just not as much as other scientists – here’s why – https://theconversation.com/climate-scientists-are-trusted-globally-just-not-as-much-as-other-scientists-heres-why-256441

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Interview with Kieran Gilbert, Sky News

    Source: Australian Attorney General’s Agencies

    Kieran Gilbert, Host: Joining me live in the studio is the Minister for Trade and Tourism, Don Farrell. Thanks for your time. A lot to talk about. I will ask you about that issue that the Deputy Prime Minister finished on there in terms of productivity and the superannuation, but let’s start on trade. Will you get the deal done with the EU? We’re hearing that the talks will resume soon.

    Trade Minister, Don Farrell: Yes. In fact, I’m going to be talking to my counterpart tomorrow. So, you might recall in the middle of the election, I had a conversation with Trade Minister Maroš. He’s from Slovakia. We hit it off pretty well, I think, in our first discussion. He sent me a very kind and warm message on election night when it was clear that we had won the election. I’ve subsequently had a meeting with the EU Ambassador and reaffirmed our commitment and heard from him his commitment.

    Gilbert: Sounding good?

    Trade Minister: Sounding good, yeah, yep. And as I said, I’ve got a conversation with him tomorrow. And of course, in the meantime, the Prime Minister has met President von der Leyen.

    Gilbert: The sticking point was on the geographical indicators and also on agriculture. Is that right?

    Trade Minister: Yeah.

    GILBERT: So, will there be compromise there from the EU?

    Trade Minister: Look, what – the politics have changed in two years. I think both Australia and Europe now realise that there’s a priority and an imperative to get a free trade agreement. If other countries don’t want to trade with you, well that’s fine, that’s their decision. But if there are countries such as Europe who do want to do trade with you, well then you’ve got to go that extra mile to get an agreement over the line.

    Gilbert: And the things that changed, we know, Donald Trump.

    Trade Minister: Yeah, yeah, well look, look. A whole lot of things have changed since we last had a conversation. But I think we share the same values as Europe. So, those geographical indicators are hard issues. On the one hand, the Europeans say, well look, you’re using all of our names. On the other hand, what I say to them is, look, after World War II, a whole lot of Europeans came to Australia. They bought their families, they bought their culture, more importantly, they bought their food and wine.

    Gilbert: They sure did.

    Trade Minister: Yeah. And for them, the link with Europe is not an economic link, it’s a way that they keep in contact with their European roots.

    Gilbert: Would you like to see then, that trade deal, you know, if you are successful in landing that, also expand into a security relationship? Because that’s what von der Leyen has raised with the Prime Minister overnight, that we talk not just in trade terms, but security terms, like Japan and Korea have.

    Trade Minister: Yeah, look, look. My space is trade. I’m going to be focused on the trade agenda. We’ve gone a long way down that path. We need to complete that process. What happens with defence and all of those other issues? The Prime Minister has addressed that today. He said, look, we’re happy to look at these things, but our immediate priority with the Europeans is all about trade.

    Gilbert: When the PM went to the inauguration of Pope Leo XIV, why was it important in your view to be there? Is it something that, you know, a Prime Minister necessarily has to be at, the inauguration of a new Pope?

    Trade Minister: Look, I think it was very important that the Prime Minister was there. As you know, he sent me to the funeral a couple of weeks ago. That was obviously, you know, a very solemn event. This was a very joyous event for Australia’s 5 million Catholics, of which the Prime Minister and myself are both adherents to the Catholic faith. I think it was very important that Australia be represented there and represented at the highest level.

    Gilbert: Do you think it’s also important in a more secular world that the leadership does show respect to people of faith? Is this something, you know, in simple terms, that people of other faiths will respect?

    Trade Minister: Well, look, I think that’s part of it. But this new pope, Pope Leo XIV, has come out very strongly on the issue of peace. That’s very important for Australia. We’ve been calling for peace in Ukraine. We want the Russians to withdraw from Ukraine. And we also want peace in the Middle East. So, I think we’re on board with the agenda for this new Pope to start talking about a more peaceful world. That’s good for Australia and it’s good for the world.

    Gilbert: Ok. On some other issues, my colleague Andrew Clennell reported yesterday that state MPs and officials won’t be hit by the government’s super tax on funds upwards of $3 million. Is that viable? You’ve been around politics a long time. Do you think you can still sell that as a policy when people start to realise that some premiers and officials won’t have to pay it?

    Trade Minister: Well, look, this tax applies to very, very few people. Less than 0.5 per cent of the population are going to be affected. And of course, it only applies to people on very, very high balances. There are some constitutional issues that relate to how superannuation is dealt with by state governments. But rest assured that the people who are going to be making this decision will themselves be covered by this tax, if they get to that high level of superannuation.

    Gilbert: The $3 million fund, I mean, as you touched on, we did go to the election recently, but do you think people, when the details start to emerge about taxing unrealised gains and so on, that that’s going to be a bit complex to try and navigate for the government?

    Trade Minister: Look, I hope not. We nailed our colours to the mast in respect to this tax. We tried to get it through the last Parliament, it wasn’t successful. We took it to the last election. So, nobody was in any doubt about what our policy was in respect of this tax. And we’ve received an overwhelming endorsement from the Australian people. So, I think in terms of honesty, if we didn’t proceed with this, then I think people would say, well, what’s going on? You said you were going to do this. We’ve built the savings from this new super tax into our future budgets. So, I think now, we’ve got the endorsement for the Australian people. It’s a very, very minor tax in the scheme of things, and I think the Australian people would now expect us to proceed with it.

    Gilbert: And do you think the Treasurer can make it work just with all of those other complications?

    Trade Minister: Well, he’s a very, very good Treasurer and I think-

    Gilbert: There are those that say it’s just too complex in terms of tax structures and people’s superannuation. You might have an impact on productivity because people will pull out of the workforce before they hit that threshold.

    Trade Minister: I think people are barking up the wrong tree. I doubt whether the relatively small impact of this tax is going to result in any of those sorts of things. But we’ve got a very good salesman in Jim Chalmers and of course, now he’s being assisted by Daniel Mulino, who’s a very good friend of mine. He’s got a, I think it’s a Master of Economics from Yale, very smart fellow, and I think that combination will be very successful.

    Gilbert: I know you’ve got to go. Just quickly, what else is on your agenda? You’ve got that, the talks tomorrow with the EU.

    Trade Minister: Yes, yes, and India.

    Gilbert: What’s at the top of your agenda here?

    Trade Minister: We were very close to a free trade agreement with India before the election was called. I’m now confident that we’ll get another agreement with them. And of course, in a few weeks’ time, the United Arab Emirates Free Trade Agreement comes into operation. The United Arab Emirates is like the Woollies warehouse of the Middle East. If you can get your product in there. And all of our products are going into the UAE tariff free. It’s a really good, really good agreement.

    Gilbert: 93 seats for Labor, you must have said some pretty strong prayers when you were over in the Vatican. They seem like they’ve worked.

    Trade Minister: I did. Look, we were the last people, I think, to touch the Pope’s coffin before we went out for the Mass. And I did say a little prayer for the Prime Minister and the Labor Party.

    Gilbert: Certainly strengthened your favour. Don Farrell, thanks for your time. Appreciate it.

    Trade Minister: Thanks, Kieran.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Climate scientists are trusted globally, just not as much as other scientists – here’s why

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Omid Ghasemi, Research Associate in Behavioural Science at the Institute for Climate Risk & Response, UNSW Sydney

    I. Noyan Yilmaz, Shutterstock

    Societies increasingly rely on scientists to guide decisions in times of uncertainty, from pandemic outbreaks to the rise of artificial intelligence.

    Addressing climate change is no different. For governments wanting to introduce ambitious climate policies, public trust in climate scientists is pivotal, because it can determine whether voters support or resist those efforts.

    So do people trust climate scientists, and what affects levels of trust? Our new study shows climate scientists are less trusted than other types of scientists globally. But there are profound variations in this trust gap between countries, and within them.

    Finding ways to increase trust in climate scientists is crucial if the world is to implement effective policies to avert dangerous global warming.

    Low trust in climate scientists may hinder effective climate science communication and reduce public engagement with climate solutions.
    Mozgova, Shutterstock.

    Examining trust in science

    We collaborated with an international team of researchers to analyse data from one of the largest cross-national surveys of public attitudes toward science. The dataset includes responses from nearly 70,000 people across 68 countries. It offers a rare global snapshot of how people perceive scientists in general, and climate scientists in particular.

    Each of these people rated their trust in climate scientists on a five-point scale, with a five indicating very high trust and a one being not trusted at all.

    Trust in scientists more generally was assessed using a 12-item questionnaire that measured perceptions of expertise, integrity, benevolence and openness. The responses were averaged to create a composite trust score. Higher scores reflected higher levels of trust.

    We found trust in scientists was moderately strong worldwide, as it was above the midpoint of the scale (averaging 3.6 out of 5). But trust in climate scientists was slightly lower (averaging 3.5). The difference between the two scores is what we call the “trust gap”.

    In 43 of the 68 countries, the trust gap was statistically significant, with people reporting lower trust in climate scientists than in scientists in general.

    The size of the trust gap varied between countries. In Europe, Oceania (including Australia and New Zealand) and North America the gap tended to be smaller. Larger gaps emerged in parts of Latin America and Africa.

    The Democratic Republic of the Congo had the widest gap, with climate scientists trusted less than in any other country. This may reflect local concerns that global climate agendas — often supported by international scientists — prioritise resource extraction for foreign renewable energy demands over local interests. Such feelings may be particularly acute in regions where mining has brought limited community benefit.

    Six countries bucked the trend. Climate scientists were more trusted than scientists overall in China, Taiwan, South Korea, Egypt, Israel and Germany.

    In China and Germany, this may reflect strong investment in green energy, high levels of public support for climate action, and the visible role climate scientists play in shaping policy.

    What’s going on here?

    Not surprisingly, people with more positive views of science tended to express higher trust in scientists and even more so, climate scientists. But people with dim views of scientists were less trusting of climate scientists.

    Age also played a role. Older people tended to trust scientists more than younger people. But younger people were more likely to trust climate scientists.

    Climate scientists were generally less trusted than scientists regardless of gender. While men reported slightly lower trust in scientists than women did, the difference was not statistically significant.

    Among all the variables we examined, political orientation emerged as one of the strongest factors associated with trust in climate scientists. People with right-leaning or conservative views reported lower trust in climate scientists compared with those with more left-leaning or liberal views.

    However, the meaning of terms such as “liberal” and “conservative” can vary considerably between countries. For example, in Australia, the Liberal Party is politically right-leaning. But in the United States, “liberal” typically refers to left-leaning or progressive views. This variation makes cross-national comparisons complex and requires careful interpretation of results.

    As a particular person’s political orientation shifted further to the right, the trust gap between climate scientists and scientists widened.

    In 28 countries across the Americas, Europe and Oceania, right-leaning orientation was associated not only with lower trust in climate scientists than people who leaned to the left, but also with a larger gap between trust for scientists generally and trust for climate scientists.

    In a smaller subset of countries, particularly in parts of Asia, Africa and Eastern Europe, the pattern reversed – right-leaning individuals expressed greater trust in climate scientists than their left-leaning counterparts.

    These findings suggest it is not political orientation alone that drives public trust, but how climate issues are framed in political discourse. In many Western countries, public messaging around climate change — particularly from conservative parties and media — has cast doubt on the credibility of climate science. This politicisation, often amplified by vested interests such as fossil fuel lobbies, may help explain the erosion of trust among some conservative groups.

    Closing the trust gap

    Trust alone will not solve the climate crisis, but it plays a crucial role in shaping how societies respond to scientific guidance.

    Ambitious, evidence-based policies require public support to succeed. A persistent trust gap — no matter how small — can undermine that support and help explain why many governments continue to fall short of their climate targets.

    Closing the trust gap through transparent communication, inclusive public engagement, and consistent political leadership is essential for turning awareness into action.

    Omid Ghasemi receives funding from the Australian Academy of Science.

    Ben Newell receives funding from The Australian Research Council.

    – ref. Climate scientists are trusted globally, just not as much as other scientists – here’s why – https://theconversation.com/climate-scientists-are-trusted-globally-just-not-as-much-as-other-scientists-heres-why-256441

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: 19 May 2025 Departmental update World No Tobacco Day 2025 Awards – meet the winners

    Source: World Health Organisation

    Each year, WHO honours individuals and organizations from each of the six WHO regions for their outstanding contributions to tobacco control. These accolades include the WHO Director-General’s Special Recognition Awards, the World No Tobacco Day Awards, and, in 2025, one WHO Director-General’s Special Recognition Certificate.

    The recipients of the 2025 awards are:

    WHO Director-General Special awards:

    • Dr Mohamed Muizzu, President, Republic of Maldives
    • The Ministry of Health and Wellness, Republic of Mauritius

    WHO Director-General’s Special Recognition certificate:

    • Global Center for Good Governance in Tobacco Control (GGTC)

    African Region

    • Programme National de Lutte contre le Tabagisme, l’Alcoolisme, la Toxicomanie et les autres Addictions (PNLTA), Republic of Côte d’Ivoire
    • Dr Brou Dieudonne Koffi, Secretary, Organization of the Network of NGOs Engaged in Tobacco Control (ROCTACI), Republic of Côte d’Ivoire
    • Labram Massawudu Musah, Vision for Accelerated Sustainable Development, Republic of Ghana
    • Elvina Majiwa, Student, United States International University-Africa, Republic of Kenya
    • Charity Aienobe-Asekharen, Health Promotion, Education and Community Development Initiative (HPECDI), Federal Republic of Nigeria

    Region of the Americas

    • Agência Nacional de Vigilância Sanitária (ANVISA), Federative Republic of Brazil
    • Lisa Lu, CEO, International Youth Tobacco Control, United States of America

    Shared award:

    • Ministry of Finance, Federative Republic of Brazil
    • Ministry of Health, Federative Republic of Brazil

    Shared award:

    • Denis Choinière, Retired Director, Tobacco Products Regulatory Office, Health Canada
    • Clifton Curtis (in memoriam), Environmental Lawyer, United States of America

    Shared award:

    • Colectivo Todas y Todos por la Vida, Republic of Ecuador
    • Acción Jurídica Popular, Republic of Ecuador

    Shared award:

    • Asociación de Periodismo con Lupa, Republic of Peru
    • Cooperativa de Trabajo Sudestada, Eastern Republic of Uruguay
    • Proyecto sobre Organización, Desarrollo, Educación e Investigación (PODER), United Mexican States

    Eastern Mediterranean Region

    • Dr Seyed Morteza Khatami, Deputy for Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Islamic Republic of Iran
    • Mr Lhassane Hallou, Director of Studies and International Cooperation, Administration of Customs and Indirect Taxes, Kingdom of Morocco
    • Hamad Medical Corporation Tobacco Control Centre, WHO Collaborating Centre, State of Qatar

    European Region

    • Dr Lena Nanushyan, First Deputy Minister of Health, Republic of Armenia
    • Dr Franz Pietsch, Head of Directorate, Federal Ministry of Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection, Republic of Austria
    • Mr Frank Vandenbroucke, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Social Affairs and Public Health, Kingdom of Belgium
    • Professor Constantine Vardavas, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece
    • Dr Shukhrat Shukurov, Chief Specialist, Institute of Health and Strategic Development, Republic of Uzbekistan

    South-East Asia Region

    • National Board of Revenue, People’s Republic of Bangladesh
    •  State Tobacco Control Cell, Department of Health and Family Welfare, Government of Karnataka, Republic of India
    •  Ministry of Health and Population, Nepal
    •  Mr Chadchart Sittipunt, Governor of Bangkok, Chairman of Bangkok Tobacco Products Control Committee, Kingdom of Thailand

    Western Pacific Region

    • Professor Emily Banks AM, Professor of Epidemiology and Public Health, Senior Principal Research Fellow, National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Australian National University, Australia
    • Te Marae Ora, Ministry of Health, Cook Islands
    • Philippine College of Chest Physicians, Republic of the Philippines
    • Ms Dao Hong Lan, Minister of Health, Socialist Republic of Viet Nam

    Shared award:

    • YB Datuk Seri Dr Haji Dzulkefly bin Ahmad, Minister of Health, Malaysia
    • Dr Noraryana Binti Hassan, Disease Control Division, Ministry of Health, Malaysia
    • Dr Murallitharan Munisamy, Malaysian Council for Tobacco Control, Malaysia

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Support for Taiwan’s meaningful engagement with the WHO in 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    World news story

    Support for Taiwan’s meaningful engagement with the WHO in 2025

    Joint press release: Support for Taiwan’s meaningful engagement with the World Health Organization and participation as an observer in the World Health Assembly

    Logos of all the co-signed offices

    We, the British Office Taipei; the Australian Office Taipei; the Canadian Trade Office in Taipei; the Czech Economic and Cultural Office; French Office in Taipei; the German Institute Taipei; the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association;  and the Lithuanian Trade Representative Office wish to reaffirm our support for Taiwan’s meaningful participation in the work of the World Health Organization and Taiwan’s participation as an observer in the World Health Assembly.

    As this year’s 78th session of the World Health Assembly commences in Geneva, Taiwan remains largely excluded from the world’s international health system. As COVID-19 and continued public health crises make plain, infectious diseases and health hazards do not respect borders. Global cooperation is required to keep the whole world safe.

    Taiwan has shown itself to be a highly capable, engaged, and responsible member of the global health community and was invited to participate as an observer in WHA meetings from 2009 to 2016.  Taiwan’s distinct capabilities and methods – including its significant public health expertise, democratic governance, and advanced technology – bring considerable value that would inform the WHA’s deliberations. Taiwan’s isolation from the WHA, the preeminent global health forum, is entirely unjustified. This undermines inclusive global public health cooperation and security, which the world demands, and which is enshrined in the founding documents of the WHO. 

    Taiwan’s meaningful participation in the fora and technical committees of the World Health Organization would bring benefits not just to people in Taiwan, but also around the world. Only by including Taiwan as an observer would the WHO be able to fully exemplify the Health Assembly’s commitment to “One World for Health.”

    Updates to this page

    Published 19 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • Trump to speak to Putin on end to war in Ukraine as Europeans demand ceasefire

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    U.S. President Donald Trump is set to speak to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday about peace in Ukraine as European leaders demanded that the Kremlin accept an immediate ceasefire to halt the region’s deadliest conflict since World War Two.

    Putin sent thousands of troops into Ukraine in February 2022, triggering the gravest confrontation between Russia and the West since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis.

    Trump, who says he wants to be remembered as a peacemaker, has repeatedly called for an end to the “bloodbath” of Ukraine, which his administration casts as a proxy war between the United States and Russia.

    Under pressure from Trump, delegates from the warring countries met last week in Istanbul for the first time since March 2022, after Putin proposed direct talks and Europeans and Ukraine demanded an immediate ceasefire.

    “The subjects of the call will be stopping the ‘bloodbath’ that is killing, on average, more than 5,000 Russian and Ukrainian soldiers a week, and trade,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social website.

    “Hopefully it will be a productive day, a ceasefire will take place, and this very violent war, a war that should have never happened, will end.”

    Trump, who said that progress on peace was unlikely until he and Putin get together, said he would speak to Putin at 10 a.m. Eastern Time (1400 GMT) on Monday. The Kremlin said preparations for a call were underway.

    Trump, whose administration has made clear that Russia could face additional sanctions if it does not take peace talks seriously, said he would also speak to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and various members of NATO.

    Putin, whose forces control a fifth of Ukraine and are advancing, has stood firm on his conditions for ending the war, despite public and private pressure from Trump and repeated warnings from European powers.

    On Sunday, Russia launched its largest drone attack on Ukraine since the start of the war.

    Ukraine’s intelligence service said it also believed Moscow intended to fire an intercontinental ballistic missile on Sunday, though there was no confirmation from Russia.

    In June 2024, Putin said Ukraine must officially drop its NATO ambitions and withdraw its troops from the entire territory of the four Ukrainian regions Russia claims.

    On Sunday, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer discussed Russia’s war against Ukraine with leaders of the United States, Italy, France and Germany, a Downing Street spokesperson said.

    “Tomorrow, President Putin must show he wants peace by accepting the 30-day unconditional ceasefire proposed by President Trump and backed by Ukraine and Europe,” French President Emmanuel Macron said on X after Sunday’s call.

    Putin is wary of a ceasefire and says fighting cannot be paused until a number of crucial conditions are worked out or clarified.

    European leaders say Putin is not serious about peace, though they fear Trump and he may force a punitive peace deal that will leave Ukraine essentially shorn of a fifth of its territory and lacking a strong security guarantee against possible future attack from Russia.

    Former U.S. President Joe Biden, Western European leaders and Ukraine cast the invasion as an imperial-style land grab and repeatedly vowed to defeat Russian forces which they say could one day attack NATO, a claim denied by Moscow.

    Putin casts the war as a watershed moment in Moscow’s relations with the West, which he says humiliated Russia after the 1991 fall of the Soviet Union by enlarging NATO and encroaching on what he considers Moscow’s sphere of influence, including Ukraine.

    (Reuters)

  • Russia launches war’s largest drone attack ahead of Putin-Trump call

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Russia launched on Sunday its largest drone attack on Ukraine since the start of the war, destroying homes and killing at least one woman a day before U.S. President Donald Trump is due to discuss a proposed ceasefire with Russia’s Vladimir Putin.

    Ukraine’s intelligence service said it also believed Moscow intended to fire an intercontinental ballistic missile later on Sunday as an attempt to intimidate the West. There was no immediate response from Moscow to the accusation.

    President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, straining to restore ties with Washington after a disastrous February White House visit, met Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Rome on Sunday on the sidelines of Pope Leo’s inauguration.

    Zelenskiy said the meeting was “good” and released pictures of Ukrainian and U.S. officials sitting outside at a round table and smiling. Ukrainian media said the meeting lasted 40 minutes.

    “I reaffirmed that Ukraine is ready to be engaged in real diplomacy and underscored the importance of a full and unconditional ceasefire as soon as possible,” said Zelenskiy, who also met the new pope.

    Ukraine and Russia held their first face-to-face talks in more than three years on Friday, under pressure from Trump to agree to a ceasefire in a war he has pledged to bring to a quick end. The foes agreed to swap 1,000 prisoners each but failed to agree a truce, after Moscow presented conditions that a member of Ukraine’s delegation called “non-starters”.

    The leaders of Britain, France, Germany and Poland planned to speak to Trump before the U.S. and Russian presidents speak on Monday, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said. The four European leaders jointly visited Kyiv last week and have been calling for Trump to back new sanctions on Russia.

    Asked if it was time to impose tougher sanctions on Russia, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that was up to Trump.

    “I think we will see what happens when both sides get to the table,” he told NBC News’ “Meet the Press” programme.

    “President Trump has made it very clear, that if President Putin does not negotiate in good faith, that the United States will not hesitate to up the Russia sanctions along with our European partners.”

    After a night of air alerts, Ukraine’s air force said that as of 8 a.m. on Sunday Russia had launched 273 drones at Ukrainian cities, more than the previous record Moscow had set in February on the war’s third anniversary.

    ‘I COULD HEAR THE DRONE’

    In the ruins of her family home in the Obukhiv region west of Kyiv, Natalia Piven, 44, recounted how she squeezed into a cellar with her son after an air raid warning, just in time to survive a first wave of drones.

    They then ran out to a bomb shelter at a kindergarten, before another wave of drones bore down on the village. Their house was completely destroyed. A 28-year-old woman who lived next door was killed. Ukrainian authorities said three other people were injured, including a four-year-old child.

    “I cannot get over it. I simply cannot. I could clearly hear the drone flying right towards my house,” Piven told Reuters.

    Trump has shifted U.S. rhetoric from supporting Ukraine towards accepting some of Moscow’s narrative about the war that Putin launched in 2022. But Kyiv and its European allies are working hard to persuade Trump that it is Moscow that is holding up a truce now.

    Zelenskiy has said he would accept Trump’s proposal for an immediate ceasefire of at least 30 days with no conditions. Moscow says it would consider a ceasefire but only if conditions are met, including a halt in arms supplies to Kyiv.

    It also says any peace talks must address the “root causes” of the conflict, including its demands that Ukraine cede territory, be disarmed and accept neutral status. Kyiv says that would amount to capitulation and leave it defenceless.

    (Reuters)

  • MIL-OSI: CREDIT AGRICOLE S.A. announces redemption of USD 1,500,000,000 Senior Non-Preferred Callable Fixed-to-Floating Rate Notes issued on June 2020 and due June 2026 (ISIN: Rule 144A: US22535WAG24 and Regulation S: US22536PAG63)

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Montrouge, May 19, 2025

    CREDIT AGRICOLE S.A. ANNOUNCES REDEMPTION OF

    USD 1,500,000,000  Senior Non-Preferred Callable Fixed-to-Floating Rate Notes issued on June 16, 2020 (ISIN: Rule 144A: US22535WAG24 and Regulation S: US22536PAG63)*

    Crédit Agricole S.A. (the “Issuer”) announces today the redemption (the “Redemption”) with effect on June 16, 2025 (the “Redemption Date”) of all of its outstanding USD 1,500,000,000 Senior Non-Preferred Callable Fixed-to-Floating Rate Notes issued on June 16, 2020 (ISIN: Rule 144A: US22535WAG24 and Regulation S: US22536PAG63) (the “Notes”) pursuant to Condition 9(a) (Redemption at the Option of the Issuer) of the terms and conditions of the Notes included in the base offering memorandum dated April 8, 2020, as supplemented by the pricing term sheet dated June 9, 2020 (together, the “Terms and Conditions”), at the outstanding nominal amount thereof, together with any accrued interest thereon (the “Redemption Amount”).

    On the Redemption Date, the Redemption Amount shall become due and payable and, unless the Redemption Amount is improperly withheld or refused, each Note shall cease to bear interest on the Redemption Date.

    The holders of the Notes will receive formal notice of the Redemption in accordance with the Terms and Conditions.

    For further information on Crédit Agricole S.A., please see Crédit Agricole S.A.’s website: https://www.credit-agricole.com/en/finance

    DISCLAIMER

    This press release does not constitute an offer to buy or the solicitation of an offer to sell the Notes in the United States of America, Canada, Australia or Japan or in any other jurisdiction. The distribution of this press release in certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law. Persons into whose possession this announcement comes are required to inform themselves about, and to observe, any such restrictions.

    No communication or information relating to the redemption of the Notes may be distributed to the public in a country where a registration obligation or an approval is required. No action has been or will be taken in any country where such action would be required. The redemption of the Notes may be subject to specific legal and regulatory restrictions in certain jurisdictions; Crédit Agricole S.A. accepts no liability in connection with a breach by any person of such restrictions.

    This press release is an advertisement; and none of this press release, any notice or any other document or material made public and/or delivered, or which may be made public and/or delivered to the holders of the Notes in connection with the redemption of the Notes is or is intended to be a prospectus for the purposes of Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 of the European Parliament and of the Council dated 14 June 2017 (as amended, the “Prospectus Regulation”). No prospectus will be published in connection with the redemption of the Notes for the purposes of the Prospectus Regulation.

    This press release does not, and shall not, in any circumstances, constitute an offer to the public of Notes by Crédit Agricole S.A. nor an invitation to the public in connection with any offer in any jurisdiction, including France.

    * The ISIN number is included solely for the convenience of the holders of the Notes. No representation is being made as to the correctness or accuracy of the ISIN number either as printed on the Notes or as contained herein and the holder may rely only on the identification numbers printed on its Note.

    CRÉDIT AGRICOLE S.A. PRESS CONTACT

    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

    Find our press release on: www.credit-agricole.com – www.creditagricole.info

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: President Meloni’s telephone conversation with President Trump, Prime Minister Starmer, President Macron and Chancellor Merz

    Source: Government of Italy (English)

    The President of the Council of Ministers, Giorgia Meloni, had a telephone conversation late yesterday evening with the President of the United States of America, Donald J. Trump, together with the leaders of the United Kingdom, Keir Starmer, of France, Emmanuel Macron, and of Germany, Friedrich Merz, for consultations prior to the announced call that President Trump will have today with President Putin.

    President Meloni first of all reiterated Italy’s support, together with European and Western partners, for President Trump’s efforts for a just and lasting peace in Ukraine, stressing the importance of an immediate and unconditional ceasefire.

    Lastly, President Meloni expressed her appreciation for the willingness Ukraine has once again shown with regard to dialogue, and reaffirmed the hope that Moscow will seriously engage, through direct leader-to-leader contact, in negotiations that can lead to peace.

    MIL OSI Europe News –