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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: India Showcases Creative and Technological Might at WAVES 2025

    Source: Government of India

    India Showcases Creative and Technological Might at WAVES 2025

    Discussions at WAVES on AI, Social Media and Advertising reflect India’s expanding footprint in the Digital Media sector

    Posted On: 01 MAY 2025 9:24PM by PIB Mumbai

    Mumbai, 1 May 2025

    The inaugural session of WAVES 2025 was graced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who officially opened the summit at the Jio World Centre in Mumbai. In his keynote address, PM Modi emphasized India’s rich storytelling heritage and its potential to become a global hub for content creation. He highlighted the convergence of content, creativity, and culture as the pillars of the ‘Orange Economy,’ urging creators worldwide to “Create in India, Create for the World.” The Prime Minister also paid tribute to Indian cinema legends by releasing commemorative postage stamps. He called upon global creators to explore India’s diverse narratives, stating that every street, mountain, and river in India carries a story waiting to be told. The session was attended by dignitaries from over 100 countries, industry leaders, and renowned artists, marking a significant step in India’s journey to becoming a creative superpower.

    https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2125725

    AI and Creativity: Adobe and NVIDIA Chart the Future

    Shantanu Narayen, CEO of Adobe, highlighted India’s emergence as a global hub of creativity powered by digital tools and generative AI. With over 100 million content creators and 500 million OTT consumers, Narayen described India as “the world’s next creative superpower.” He showcased Adobe’s Firefly AI models and stressed ethical AI, content authenticity, and creator attribution as vital for sustainable growth.

    In a fireside chat, Richard Kerris and Vishal Dhupar of NVIDIA explored how AI is revolutionizing the creative pipeline—allowing content to be generated, localized, and personalized at scale. “India has long exported talent. Now it can export culture,” Kerris declared, emphasizing AI’s ability to amplify regional voices and transform India into a storytelling giant.

    https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2125947

    YouTube to offer more support to boost the Creator Economy

    YouTube CEO Neal Mohan announced a ₹850 crore investment to accelerate India’s creator economy, citing over 15,000 Indian channels with more than 1 million subscribers. Joined by global creators Mark Rober and Gautami Kawale (Slayy Point), Mohan underlined YouTube’s role in taking Indian stories global. “India isn’t just leading in music and film—it’s now a Creator Nation,” he said. Kawale shared how regional Indian content, when rooted in culture, has universal appeal, while Rober spoke about the power of STEM content crossing borders through AI-enabled dubbing and localization.

    WPP and the Advertising Renaissance

    Mark Read, CEO of WPP, described the advertising industry’s $1 trillion global footprint and its shift towards AI-led storytelling. He unveiled WPP’s open video production platform and shared a campaign featuring Shah Rukh Khan to demonstrate hyper-personalized content creation using motion AI. “AI is not replacing creativity—it is expanding it,” Read said, outlining the role of MSMEs and digital tools in democratizing access to quality advertising.

     

    Global Collaboration: UK-India Cultural Pact

    In a keynote that blended diplomacy and personal heritage, Lisa Nandy, UK Secretary of State for DCMS, emphasized the cultural bridge between India and the UK. She announced a Bilateral Cultural Federation Agreement to strengthen ties across cinema, museums, and performing arts. “From Manchester to Mumbai, we must empower the next generation of storytellers,” she urged, citing the legacy of figures like Sophia Duleep Singh and modern UK-Indian creatives.

    Panel Highlights: AI, Culture, and Influence; Two panel discussions deepened the discourse:

    “India M&E @100: The Future of Media and Entertainment” featured leaders from Eros Now, Jetsynthesys, and GroupM. They emphasized that India is in the fourth wave of disruption, where AI-led IP creation and Gen Z consumption patterns are reshaping the industry.

    https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2125886

    “The Business of Influence”, moderated by YouTube’s Gautam Anand, showcased creators like Chef Ranveer Brar, ChessTalk’s Jeetendra Advani, and Japanese YouTuber Mayo Murasaki. From chess to agriculture, they demonstrated how digital platforms are taking Indian knowledge global while preserving cultural authenticity.

    https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2125889

     

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    TEAM PIB WAVES 2025: Rajith/LekshmiPriya/CShekhar|137

    (Release ID: 2125960) Visitor Counter : 76

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Special traffic arrangements for Tam Kung Festival

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Special traffic arrangements for Tam Kung Festival————- Shau Kei Wan Main Street East between Factory Street and Tung Hei Road, except for trams;
    – Tam Kung Temple Road;
    – A Kung Ngam Village Road between Tung Hei Road and A Kung Ngam Road;
    – Westbound Tung Hei Road between its eastern junction with A Kung Ngam Village Road and Mong Lung Street;
    – Eastbound Tung Hei Road between Oi Lai Street and its eastern junction with A Kung Ngam Village Road;
    – Eastbound Oi Lai Street between Oi Yin Street and Tung Hei Road;
    – Wang Wa Street;
    – Factory Street between Shau Kei Wan Main Street East and Wang Wa Street;
    – Eastbound Factory Street between Mong Lung Street and Shau Kei Wan Main Street East;
    – Kam Wa Street between Mong Lung Street and Wang Wa Street;
    – Basel Road; and
    – Miu Tung Street.——————- Traffic along westbound Island Eastern Corridor and Tung Hei Road heading for Shau Kei Wan will be diverted via A Kung Ngam Village Road.—————————– Metered parking spaces on Shau Kei Wan Main Street East;
    – Metered parking spaces on Wang Wa Street; and
    – Metered parking spaces and disabled parking spaces on Kam Wa Street.Issued at HKT 11:16

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: AFCD urges public to think carefully before releasing animals

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    AFCD urges public to think carefully before releasing animals 
         ​A spokesman for the AFCD said, “In recent years, some members of the public have conducted mercy release activities in an improper manner, including releasing animals into unsuitable habitats, which may affect their survival. Moreover, releasing non-native species or species incompatible with the local ecology may have adverse impacts on the natural environment. As such, the Government does not encourage the public to release animals.”
     
         ​The AFCD will deploy staff to conduct timely inspections at locations where animal releasing activities are likely to take place and will carry out publicity and education work.
     
         ​Under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Ordinance (Cap. 169), it is an offence to cause unnecessary suffering to animals by releasing them not in a proper manner. Offenders are liable to a maximum fine of $200,000 and imprisonment for three years upon conviction.
     
         ​The spokesman stressed that to safeguard animal welfare, members of the public must think carefully before participating in animal release activities. They may also consider participating in other charitable activities, such as planting trees or joining volunteer services with animal welfare groups and environmental organisations.
    Issued at HKT 11:00

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Appointment of members of Equal Opportunities Commission

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         The Government announced today (May 2) that the Chief Executive has appointed five new members and reappointed nine incumbent members to the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) for a term of two years with effect from May 20, 2025.

    The newly appointed members are:

    Dr Eliza Chan Ching-har
    Ms Aruna Gurung
    Revd Canon Peter Douglas Koon Ho-ming
    Dr Lui Wai-cheung
    Mr Symon Wong Yu-wing

    The reappointed members are:

    Ms Queenie Chan Lai-kwan
    Ms Choi Yi-tak
    Miss Lily Chow
    Dr Theresa Cunanan
    Mr James Mathew Fong
    Mr Vishal Melwani
    Miss Shirley To Shuk-yi
    Ms Linda Tsang Chi-man
    Dr Kitty Wu Kit-ying

         “The membership of the EOC represents a variety of expertise and sectors, including women; persons with disabilities; ethnic minorities; members from the employment, social services, legal, accounting, academic and education sectors; and the community at large. Their experience and expertise are instrumental to the work of the EOC in promoting equal opportunities,” said a Government spokesperson.

         “We would like to take the opportunity to thank Mr Vincent Cheng Wing-shun, Dr Henry Shie Wai-hung, Ms Anna Thompson, Dr Rizwan Ullah, and Mr Gary Wong Chi-him, who will be stepping down from the EOC, for their staunch support for the work of the Commission over the years.”

         “We look forward to the continuous concerted efforts of the Chairperson of the EOC as well as its members in constructing a more harmonious, inclusive and caring Hong Kong,” the spokesperson added.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Christodoulos Patsalides: The economy of Cyprus – developments and outlook

    Source: Bank for International Settlements

    Intoduction

    Your Excellency, the President of the Republic of Cyprus, distinguished guests, esteemed colleagues, and friends,

    It is a great pleasure to address the 3rd Capital Link Cyprus Business Forum here in New York, a city that has long served as a global hub for business, finance, and innovation. I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to the organizers for bringing us together today to exchange insights on the economic trajectory of Cyprus. Events like this are crucial in fostering dialogue and reinforcing the strong economic ties between Cyprus and the international business community.

    Key metrics of the Cypriot Economy

    The Cypriot economy and its banking sector have continued to demonstrate remarkable resilience, despite an increasingly volatile global environment marked by geopolitical uncertainty and rising trade tensions. In 2024, Cyprus achieved robust economic growth, significantly outpacing the euro area average and primarily driven by foreign investment, robust tourism, and rapid expansion in Information and Communication Technologies. At the same time, unemployment declined notably, falling well below the euro area average and approaching conditions of full employment, while inflation declined significantly and remains well on track. Fiscal performance also strengthened considerably, with public debt reduced to levels well below the euro area average, highlighting the country’s improved fiscal discipline.

    Meanwhile, key indicators of banking sector strength remained solid. Capital adequacy levels, as measured by the Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1) ratio, are significantly above the EU average, and profitability, as measured by Return on Equity, reached one of the highest levels across the Union. Cypriot banks also continue to maintain some of the strongest liquidity positions in the EU, further reinforcing the sector’s soundness and resilience.

    The remarkable economic performance of Cyprus was recently acknowledged by the International Monetary Fund. As mentioned in its Concluding Statement of its recent Article IV Mission:

     “Cyprus has demonstrated impressive resilience to successive shocks. Growth has remained among the highest in the euro area, mainly supported by foreign investment, strong tourism, and a boom in the ICT sector.”

    All major credit rating agencies have also recognized the notable progress of the economy, upgrading Cyprus’s credit rating to the ‘A’ category. This progress not only reflects solid economic performance but also acts as a safeguard against global uncertainty and constitutes key factor for sustaining strong growth potential.

    Domestic Economy

    Growth Outlook

    Having outlined the broader context of the Cyprus economy, I will now turn to the growth outlook in more detail. In 2024, GDP growth reached 3.4% compared to 0.9% in the euro area. Domestic demand, and most specifically, private consumption has been a key driver of growth, complemented by a positive contribution from net exports, particularly export of services. Investments also registered an increase in 2024, across both housing and other private investments, such as ongoing implementation of major infrastructure projects with foreign financing as well as projects under the Recovery and Resilience Facility. Despite geopolitical challenges, tourism arrivals and revenue reached record levels in 2024, exceeding four million tourists for the first time. On the production side, the services sectors of the economy were the key drivers for economic activity. Specifically, the sectors of trade, transportation (particularly shipping), hotels and restaurants gave the greatest support to GDP growth. The information and communication sector as well as financial and professional services were also important contributors to growth. Finally, healthcare and education, real estate management activities, construction and manufacturing sectors also fueled economic activity.

    I would like to highlight at this point that the steps taken to diversify our economy-both across sectors, including services, tourism, and non-tourism-related industries, as well as across different markets-have played a key role in strengthening our resilience. These efforts have significantly enhanced our ability to withstand external shocks, particularly in times of geopolitical turmoil.

    Looking ahead, based on March 2025 projections of the Central Bank of Cyprus, GDP is expected to continue to grow robustly at around 3% per year over 2025-2027. This continued expansion is anticipated to largely stem from domestic demand, with external demand playing, to a lesser extent, a supporting role. Investments are also expected to remain strong. Nevertheless, persistent geopolitical tensions may introduce downside risks to the speed of external recovery.

    Fiscal Developments and Public Debt Reduction

    On the fiscal side, Cyprus has made significant strides in reinforcing fiscal stability, a cornerstone of sustainable economic progress. Notably, public debt declined substantially from 113.6% of GDP in 2020 to 65.4% in 2024. As of January 2025, the debt-to-GDP ratio had fallen further to 61.9%, reflecting disciplined fiscal policies and sound economic management. It should be noted that in the euro area, public debt stood at 88.2% at the end of the third quarter of 2024.

    Looking forward, the Ministry of Finance projects that this downward trajectory will persist, with public debt expected to fall below 50% of GDP by 2028. This fiscal consolidation not only strengthens Cyprus’ financial resilience but also enhances investor confidence, reinforcing the country’s attractiveness for foreign direct investment and securing long-term economic stability.

    Inflation Trends

    Turning to inflation, price stability remains a key focus. Inflationary pressures have eased significantly, with the headline inflation significantly declining to 2.3% in 2024 from 3.9% in 2023. This reduction has been largely driven by the correction of external supply-side shocks, particularly in energy markets, as well as the European Central Bank’s monetary policy tightening.

    Over the period 2025-2027, inflation is projected to sustainably stabilize around 2%. This is in line with the medium-term target we set at the Governing Council of the ECB. Although certain services sectors continue to experience relatively elevated price growth, overall inflationary pressures remain well-contained, ensuring a stable environment for households and businesses alike. However, we must remain vigilant, as exceptionally high uncertainty continues to pose upside risks to inflation, alongside climate-related factors.

    The Cyprus Banking Sector

    The banking sector in Cyprus has demonstrated remarkable progress and resilience over the past years. Our financial institutions have not only navigated a challenging global environment but have also shown notable strides in strengthening their foundations. A primary indicator of this resilience is the enhancement of the solvency capacity, with the Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1) ratio increasing to 24.5% in December 2024. This increase places Cyprus at the top of the EU spectrum, well above the EU average of 16.1%.

    Despite the ongoing challenges from successive crises, Cyprus has experienced no clear signs of a decline in credit quality. On the contrary, the Non-Performing Loans (NPL) ratio has continued to show improvement. As of December 2024, it has decreased to 6.2%. Even though this is a positive trend, we must acknowledge that more work is needed, especially considering the EU’s average NPL ratio of 1.9% as of the same period.

    Profitability has remained strong and persistent, with the Return on Equity (RoE) reaching 20.0% in December 2024, significantly higher than the EU average of 10.5% in the same period. Operational efficiency has also seen progress, as the cost-to-income ratio decreased to 37% in December 2024, a considerable improvement compared to previous years and lower than the EU’s 54% average in the same period.

    Cypriot banks maintain some of the highest liquidity levels within the EU. This strong liquidity position enhances their capacity to navigate potential market disruptions and to continue supporting economic stability. As of December 2024, the Liquidity Coverage Ratio (LCR), which reflects a bank’s ability to withstand significant liquidity outflows during stressful periods, stands at 333%, well above the EU average of 163% as of the same period and the minimum requirement of 100%. Similarly, the Net Stable Funding Ratio (NSFR), which measures the stability of a bank’s funding sources, is at 188% in December 2024, exceeding both the EU average of 127% recorded in the same period and the required 100%.

    Looking ahead, the banking industry must navigate several challenges, including integrating AI, managing cyber risks, responding to geopolitical instability, shifting towards a more sustainable economy, addressing the growing need for substantial investments in technology, and adapting to heightened competition from the non-banking sector, particularly in the area of payment services. Addressing these key issues is crucial for maintaining the sector’s positive growth and will continue to be a primary focus of our oversight efforts.

    Conclusion

    Cyprus has demonstrated resilience and strong economic performance against a backdrop of global uncertainties. Despite elevated international risk and the increasing geopolitical fragmentation, it is my belief that Cyprus will continue to prosper thanks to its commitment on prudent, yet business-friendly policies.

    Let me bring my speech to a close by quoting Warren Buffett’s renowned advice: “Risk comes from not knowing what you’re doing.” This obviously highlights the necessity for informed decision-making. I therefore urge you to examine the country’s track record and to assess the ingredients of its pursued policies. I am confident that Cyprus will stand out as a compelling and reliable destination for investment.

    Thank you.

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI: Best Email Service For Business (2025): Klaviyo Awarded Top Email Marketing Software by Software Experts

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK CITY, May 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Software Experts has named Klaviyo one of the top email marketing platforms of the year. Klaviyo’s AI-powered automation, real-time customer data integration, and multi-channel marketing capabilities position it as a primary choice for businesses who want to enhance customer engagement and maximize revenue.

    Top Email Marketing Software

    • Klaviyo – an AI-powered email marketing platform that leverages real-time customer data and automation to drive engagement and sales

    This article is sponsored by Klaviyo. All opinions expressed are those of Software Experts. Software Experts offers news and reviews on consumer products and services and may earn commissions from purchases made through featured links.

    Email marketing remains a critical channel for businesses aiming to foster customer relationships, increase brand awareness, and generate sales. However, the effectiveness of email campaigns depends on personalization, automation, and data-driven decision-making. Klaviyo distinguishes itself by leveraging advanced AI and machine learning algorithms to optimize email content, segmentation, and automation flows in real time.

    Key Features

    Software Experts highlighted several core capabilities that contributed to Klaviyo’s recognition as a leading email marketing software:

    Real-Time Data and Segmentation: Klaviyo collects and processes customer data in real time, allowing businesses to create highly targeted audience segments. This ensures that marketing messages reach the right customers at the right time to help increase engagement and conversions.

    Automation Flows for Scalable Engagement: Klaviyo offers pre-built automation workflows for welcome emails, cart abandonment reminders, shipping updates, and post-purchase follow-ups. These automated sequences help businesses maintain continuous communication with their customers while reducing manual effort.

    Multi-Channel Marketing Integration: Beyond email, Klaviyo integrates SMS, push notifications, and e-commerce platforms to ensure a consistent and synchronized marketing approach across multiple channels. This is particularly valuable for businesses using platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce, and Magento.

    AI-Powered Content and Personalization: Klaviyo’s AI marketing tools enable hyper-precise personalization, from dynamic product recommendations to predictive analytics that forecast customer behavior. Businesses can tailor emails based on past purchases, browsing activity, and engagement patterns.

    User-Friendly Template Editor: With an intuitive drag-and-drop editor, Klaviyo makes it easy for both beginners and experienced marketers to create high-converting emails without needing advanced design skills.

    Data-Driven Reporting and Benchmarking: Klaviyo provides AI-generated insights that help businesses measure campaign effectiveness, track revenue impact, and compare performance against industry benchmarks.

    Revenue Impact and Business Growth

    One of the key reasons Klaviyo earned recognition from Software Experts is its ability to drive measurable results. Businesses using Klaviyo’s automated email campaigns consistently report higher revenue per recipient compared to those relying on manual email marketing efforts.

    “AI-driven automation is no longer just a trend—it’s a necessity for modern businesses,” Drew Thomas, Software Experts spokesperson, added. “Klaviyo’s ability to translate data into revenue-generating marketing strategies gives it a distinct advantage in competitive email marketing.”

    Scalable Pricing for Businesses of All Sizes

    Klaviyo’s pricing model is based on active profiles (customers that can be emailed) to make sure that businesses only pay for the contacts they actively engage with. Pricing starts at $60 per month, with a free tier available that allows up to 500 emails per month. This flexibility makes Klaviyo accessible to startups, small businesses, and large enterprises alike.

    Additionally, Klaviyo offers built-in compliance and deliverability tools This helps marketing emails reach inboxes effectively while adhering to industry regulations.

    A Leading B2C CRM for Customer Engagement

    Beyond email marketing, Klaviyo is positioning itself as a B2C CRM, enabling businesses to build deeper customer connections and drive lifetime value. With over 350 pre-built integrations, Klaviyo seamlessly connects with e-commerce platforms, customer data tools, and marketing automation systems, making it a central hub for customer engagement.

    Recognition Among Industry Leaders

    Software Experts’ ranking of top email marketing software is based on an evaluation of innovation, usability, performance, scalability, and ROI impact. Klaviyo’s commitment to AI-driven marketing, customer data utilization, and automation efficiency solidified its position as a top choice for businesses looking to scale their marketing operations.

    For businesses seeking an AI-powered, data-driven email marketing solution, Software Experts recognizes Klaviyo as an industry leader that delivers measurable growth, enhances customer engagement, and simplifies marketing automation.

    Click here for more details on Klaviyo’s features and capabilities. For a more in-depth review, please visit the Software Expert website.

    About Klaviyo

    Klaviyo is a B2C CRM designed to help consumer brands unify marketing, analytics, and customer interactions through AI-driven automation and real-time data insights. Founded in 2012 by Andrew Bialecki and Ed Hallen, Klaviyo has evolved from a customer database into a platform used by over 167,000 brands worldwide, enabling businesses to personalize messaging, automate engagement, and build lifelong customer relationships. Its key milestones include launching email marketing (2013), marketing attribution (2018), SMS marketing (2020), customer reviews (2022), a customer data platform (2023), and its full B2C CRM (2025). Headquartered in Boston with offices in Denver, San Francisco, London, Dublin, and Sydney, Klaviyo’s name—derived from clavija (Spanish for mountaineering pitons)—reflects its mission to support brands as they scale and grow.

    About Software Experts: Software Experts provides news and reviews of consumer products and services. As an affiliate, Software Experts may earn commissions from sales generated using links provided.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How state agents target journalists while governments claim to protect them – stark warnings from Mexico and Honduras

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Tamsin S. Mitchell, Visiting Researcher, Centre for Freedom of the Media, University of Sheffield

    Humberto Padgett was reporting on the effects of drought in Cuitzeo, a rural area of central Mexico, when his car was intercepted by armed men on September 13 2024. They threatened him and stole the car, his identity papers and work equipment, including two bullet-proof jackets.

    Padgett, a Mexican investigative journalist and author, was reporting on Mexico’s growing environmental worries for national talk radio station Radio Fórmula. It proved to be his last assignment for the station. Two days later, he tweeted:

    Today I’m leaving journalism indefinitely. The losses I’ve suffered, the harassment and threats my family and I have endured, and the neglect I’ve faced have forced me to give up after 26 years of work. Thank you and good luck.

    Padgett made this decision despite the fact he, like many other journalists in Mexico, has been enrolled in a government protection scheme for years – the Protection Mechanism for Journalists and Human Rights Defenders, set up in 2012. Several other Latin American countries have similar protection programmes, including Honduras since 2015.

    These programmes offer journalists measures such as panic buttons and emergency phone alerts, police or private security patrols, and security cameras and alarm systems for their homes and offices. Some are provided with bodyguards – at times, Padgett has received 24-hour protection.

    In Honduras, reporter Wendy Funes, founder of the online news site RI, was given a police bodyguard after being threatened while covering an extortion trial that linked the Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13), an international criminal gang, with the Honduran government of former president Juan Orlando Hernández, who is now serving a 45-year prison sentence in the US for drug trafficking and arms offences.

    Yet even once journalists are enrolled in these government protection schemes, the attacks and threats continue. Shockingly, many come from state employees who, in both Mexico and Honduras, are thought to be responsible for almost half of all attacks on journalists. But the prospect of punishment is remote: at least 90% of attacks on journalists go unprosecuted and unpunished, meaning there is little deterrent for committing these crimes.

    Both Mexico and Honduras currently have leftwing governments which have promised to protect journalists, following a long history of crimes against media professionals in both countries. Yet the risk to journalists posed by the state has worsened in recent years amid increasing use of spyware, online smear campaigns, and rising levels of anti-media rhetoric.

    Journalists perceived as critical of the leadership are regularly accused of being corrupt, in the pay of foreign governments, and putting out fake news. Donald Trump’s vocal criticism of mainstream media since returning to power in the US is likely to have encouraged this anti-media hostility in Mexico and Honduras, as elsewhere in the world.

    Many journalists there have developed strategies for self-protection, including setting up NGOs that support colleagues at risk. But while they are doing journalism in ways that make reporting safer, their work has been further threatened by the abrupt suspension of USAID and other US grants, which is heightening the dangers faced by journalists in Latin America and around the world.

    Threats from the state

    When I tell people about my research into how journalists in Latin America deal with the relentless violence and impunity, their first question is usually: “Oh, you mean drug cartels?” And indeed, both Padgett and Funes have received death threats for their investigations into cartels and other organised crime groups.

    Padgett was once sent an unsolicited photo of a dismembered body in a morgue. He was beaten and kicked in the head by armed men who threatened to kill him and his family while he was reporting on drug dealing on a university campus in Mexico City in 2017. He wears a bullet-proof jacket – or did until it was stolen – and keeps his home address a closely guarded secret.

    But cartels and gangs are only part of the story when it comes to anti-press violence and impunity in these countries. In many ways, the bigger story is the threat from the state. This has been a constant despite changes in government, whether right or left wing.

    The Insights section is committed to high-quality longform journalism. Our editors work with academics from many different backgrounds who are tackling a wide range of societal and scientific challenges.

    My research project and resulting book were inspired by my work providing advocacy, practical and moral support for journalists at risk in Latin America for an international NGO between 2007 and 2016. The extent of the risk posed by state agents – acting alone or in cahoots with organised crime groups – is clear from the many journalists I’ve spoken to in both Mexico and Honduras.

    I first interviewed these reporters, and the organisations that assist them, in 2018, then again in 2022-23 (89 interviews in total), to chart how journalists struggle for protection and justice from the state in the face of growing challenges at both domestic and international level.

    For both Padgett and Funes, the intimidation, threats and attacks from organised crime groups often followed them reporting on state agents and their alleged links with such groups. Organised crime groups have deeply infiltrated the fabric of society in many parts of Mexico and Honduras – including politics, state institutions, justice and law enforcement, particularly at a local level.

    In Padgett’s case, the suspected cartel threats came after he published a book and investigation into links between state governments and drug cartels, including drug money for political campaigns in Tamaulipas and a surge in cartel-related violence in Morelos under a certain local administration.

    Padgett had first joined the federal protection mechanism after he was attacked by police when filming a raid in central Mexico City in 2016. The police confiscated his phone and arrested him.

    He was later assigned an around-the-clock bodyguard after the Mexico City prosecutor’s office made available his contact details and his risk assessment and protection plan – produced by the state programme that was supposed to safeguard him – for inclusion in the court file on the 2017 attack on him at the university. This meant the criminals behind the attack had full access to this information.

    Being part of this protection programme did not stop the threats by state employees. In April 2024, while trying to report from the scene of the murder of a local mayoral candidate in Guanajuato state, Padgett was punched in the face by a police officer from the state prosecutor’s office, who also smashed his glasses and deleted his photos.

    Years earlier, he had been subjected to a protracted legal battle by former Mexico state governor and presidential candidate Eruviel Ávila Villegas, who sued Padgett for “moral damages” to the tune of more than half a million US dollars. His offence? A 2017 profile which mentioned that the politician had attended parties where a bishop had sexually abused male minors.

    Padgett eventually won the case – but only on appeal, thanks to a pro bono legal team, after 18 months of stress and travelling to attend the hearings. This is a part of a growing trend of “strategic lawsuits against public participation” (Slapps) in Mexico and Latin America, aimed at silencing journalists and other critical voices.

    As Padgett put it: “[Even] once we manage to win, there are no consequences for the politicians who call us to a trial without merit – no consequences at all. Eruviel Ávila is still a senator for the PRI [Institutional Revolutionary Party]” – and he was not even liable for costs.

    Mexico’s federal government and army have also carried out illegal surveillance of the mobile phones of journalists and human rights defenders investigating federal government corruption and serious human rights violations on multiple occasions, including by using Pegasus spyware.

    In Honduras, Funes is no stranger to state harassment either. In 2011, she was among around 100 journalists, many of them women, who were teargassed and beaten with truncheons by officers of the presidential guard and the national police during a peaceful protest against journalist murders.

    In recent years, according to Funes, she and her team at RI have been targeted by cyberattacks and orchestrated smear campaigns on social media that have sought to tar them as being corrupt or associated with criminal gangs. She suspects the army is behind some of these attacks since RI has written in favour of demilitarising the police. Several RI team members have been stopped at army checkpoints; when they have denounced this on TikTok or Facebook, they have been flooded by negative comments.

    Profile of investigative journalist Wendy Funes, winner of the 2018 Index on Censorship Freedom of Expression journalism award.

    RI has also been attacked by government supporters unhappy with its critical coverage of the Honduras president Xiomara Castro’s leftwing administration. In August 2024, Funes was threatened with prosecution by the governor of Choluteca, southern Honduras, over RI’s investigation into alleged involvement by local government officials in migrant trafficking. And earlier in 2025, Funes and a human rights activist were subjected to misogynistic and sexist diatribes and threats by the head of customs for the same regional department, for demanding justice for a murdered environmental defender.

    Almost half of all attacks on journalists in Mexico and Honduras are attributable to state agents, particularly at the local level. In Mexico, the NGO Article 19 has attributed 46% of all such assaults over the last decade to state agents including officials, civil servants and the armed forces.

    In Honduras, according to the Committee for Free Expression (C-Libre), 45% of attacks on journalists in the first quarter of 2024 were attributed to state agents, up from 41% in 2021. These include the national police, the Military Public Order Police, officials and members of the government.

    Impunity is a fact of life

    One key reason for the failure of the journalist protection schemes in Mexico and Honduras is they lack the power to investigate, prosecute and punish those responsible for the attacks that caused the journalists to enter the programmes in the first place.

    Padgett is yet to see justice, either for the attack on him by drug dealers at the university campus almost eight years ago or the results of the official investigation into the Mexico City prosecutor office’s apparent leaking of his contact details to the assailants. When he asked the prosecutor’s office for an update on its investigation in June 2024, he was told it had been closed two years earlier. His request for a copy of the file was denied.

    When he went to the office to ask why, he was detained by police officers. “This is justice in Mexico City,” he said in a video he filmed during his arrest, adding:

    Drug dealing is allowed. My personal data is leaked to the organised crime [group] that threatened to kill me and my family. Then the matter is shelved. I come to ask for my file and instead of giving it to me, they take me to court. That is the reality today.

    News report by Al Jazeera English (February 2023)

    Padgett lodged a complaint and, following “a tortuous judicial process”, eventually managed to get the investigation re-opened. But he says he has lost hope in the process and the justice system in general. Even something as simple as filing a report on the theft of his bullet-proof jacket during the armed attack in September 2024 has proved beyond the official responsible for the task, so the protection programme has not replaced it.

    Funes says she reported one of the cyber-attacks on RI to the special prosecutor established by Honduras in 2018 to investigate crimes against journalists and human rights defenders. Funes provided the name and mobile phone number used by the hacker. However, she said the case was later closed for “lack of merit”.

    Previously, the official investigation into the 2011 attack on her and other women journalists had also been quietly shelved after the evidence was “lost”. Funes says this put her off reporting subsequent incidents to the authorities:

    What for? I just want them to protect me … why waste my time? Really, you get used to impunity, you normalise it.

    There have been a few important advances in Mexico in recent years, including the successful prosecution of some of those behind the 2017 murder of two high-profile journalists, Javier Valdez and Miroslava Breach, but such cases remain the exception. Around 90% of attacks on journalists still go unprosecuted and unpunished by the state in both Mexico and Honduras, meaning there is little deterrent against these crimes.

    Safer, better ways of working

    Many of the journalists I have interviewed prioritise covering under-reported issues relating to human rights and democracy, corruption, violence and impunity. They use in-depth, investigative journalism to try to reveal the truth about what is happening in their countries – which is often obscured by the failings and corruption of the justice system and rule of law.

    Many are developing safer, better ways of working, with three strategies having grown noticeably in recent years: building collaborations, seeking international support, and professionalising their ways of working.

    Journalists from different media outlets often overcome professional rivalries to collaborate on sensitive and dangerous stories. In Mexico, members of some journalists’ collectives and networks alert each other of security risks on the ground, share and corroborate information, and monitor their members during risky assignments. Others travel as a group – when investigating the mass graves used by drug cartels, for example.

    In Mexico and increasingly in Honduras, they publish controversial stories, such as on serious human rights violations involving the state, in more than one outlet simultaneously to reduce the chance of individual journalists being targeted in reprisal. Such collaborations build trust, solidarity and mutual support among reporters and editors – something that has traditionally been lacking in both countries.

    Increasingly, international media partners also play an important role regarding the safety of Mexican and Honduran journalists and amplifying public awareness of the issues they report on – encouraging the mainstream media in their own countries to take notice and increasing pressure on their governments to act.

    According to Jennifer Ávila, director of the Honduran investigative journalism platform ContraCorriente, transnational collaborations are a “super-important protection mechanism” because they give journalists access to external editors and legal assistance – as well as help leaving the country if necessary.



    Read more:
    As Mexico’s new president takes office, a renewed battle to contain cartel violence begins

    International partners also bring increased resources. In Mexico and Honduras, as in other Latin American countries, the main source of funding is government advertising and other state financial incentives. But these come with expectations about influence over editorial policies and content, so are not an option for most independent outlets. Private advertising is also challenging for these and other reasons. So, most independent media outlets and journalistic projects are heavily dependent on US and European donors such as the National Endowment for Democracy (Ned), Ford Foundation and Open Society Foundations.

    Much of Latin America has high levels of media concentration, with the mainstream media typically being owned by a handful of wealthy individuals or families with wider business interests – and close economic and political links to politicians and the state. Combined with the strings of government advertising, this often results in “soft” censorship of the content that these outlets publish. Some journalists are escaping this either by setting up their own media digital outlets, like Funes, or by going freelance – as Padgett has decided to do following the attack on him in Cuitzeo in 2024.

    At the same time, there has been a widespread raising of standards through increased training in techniques such as journalistic ethics, making freedom of information requests, digital and investigative journalism, and covering elections. This all helps to promote “journalistic security” – using information as a “shield in such a way that no one can deny what you’re saying”, according to Daniela Pastrana of the NGO Journalists on the Ground (PdP). It also helps counter the perception – and in some cases, reality – of longstanding corruption in parts of the profession.

    Hostile environment puts progress at risk

    Despite the promise of transforming journalism through increasing collaboration, professionalisation and international support, the current outlook for journalists in Mexico and Honduras – and other countries in Latin America – is not encouraging. Hostile government rhetoric against independent reporters and media outlets is on the rise, despite the presidents of both Mexico and Honduras having pledged to protect journalists and freedom of expression.

    In Honduras, the hostile rhetoric towards journalists is growing in the run-up to the presidential elections in November. According to Funes: “There is a violent public discourse from the government which is repeated by officials [and] prepares the ground for worse attacks on the press … This is dangerous.”

    In both countries, such attitudes at the top are often replicated by local politicians and citizens, including online, with the threat of violent discourse leading to physical violence. This hostility appears likely to grow given the example of Donald Trump’s aggressive and litigious attitude towards journalists and the media in the United States.

    Indeed, the policies of the second Trump administration are already jeopardising progress made in terms of transforming journalism in Mexico and Honduras. In late January 2025, the US government suspended international aid and shuttered USAID, amid unsubstantiated accusations of fraud and corruption.

    According to the press freedom group Reporters Without Borders, the USAID freeze included more than US$268m (£216m) that had been allocated to support “independent media and the free flow of information” in 2025.

    USAID has been a key funder of organisations such as the nonprofits Internews and Freedom House, which in turn have been vital to the development of independent and investigative journalism in Latin America through their support of new media outlets, journalistic projects and media freedom groups. Another important donor, Ned – a bipartisan nonprofit organisation largely funded by the US Congress – has had its funding frozen.

    Ned’s chair, Peter Roskam, explains its legal action against the Trump funding cuts.

    Uncertainty about future funding has led to the immediate suspension of operations and layoffs by many nonprofit media organisations in Mexico, Honduras and across the region. While this seismic shift in the Latin American media landscape reinforces the urgent need to diversify its sources of funding, there is no doubt that in the short and even medium term, it has dealt a serious blow to the development of free and independent journalism and the safety of all journalists.

    In a region of increasingly authoritarian leaders, it is now a lot harder to hold them accountable for corruption, human rights violations, impunity and other abuses.

    International impotence

    Anti-press violence and impunity are global problems, with more than 1,700 journalists killed worldwide between 2006 and 2024 – around 85% of which went unpunished, according to Unesco.

    Although international organisations, protection mechanisms and pressure can be important tools in the fight against anti-press violence and impunity, they are ultimately limited in impact due to their reliance on the state to comply. Some journalists in Mexico and Honduras suggest the impact of such international attention can even be counter-productive, due to their governments’ increasing hostility toward any criticism by international organisations, journalists and other perceived opponents.

    Twenty years ago, Lydia Cacho, a renowned journalist and women’s rights activist, was arbitrarily detained and tortured in Puebla state, east-central Mexico, after publishing a book exposing a corruption and child sexual exploitation network involving authorities and well-known businessmen. Unable to get redress for her torture through the Mexican justice system, Cacho eventually took her case to the United Nations.

    Finally, in 2018, the UN Human Rights Committee ruled that her rights had been violated and ordered the Mexican state to re-open the investigation into the attack, and to give her adequate compensation. This judgment has led to several arrests of state agents in Puebla, including a former governor and chief of the judicial police and several police officers, as well as a public apology from the federal government.

    Journalist Lydia Cacho speaking at the 2020 Camden Conference.

    But cases like Cacho’s are the exception. Securing rulings from international bodies requires resources and energy, the help of NGOs or lawyers – and can take years. What’s more, enforcement of international decisions relies on the state to comply.

    While international pressure was key to persuading the Mexican and Honduran states to set up their government protection schemes for journalists and specialised prosecutors to investigate attacks against them, these institutions have generally proved ineffective.

    Resourcing is always an issue: typically, protection mechanisms and prosecutors’ offices are underfunded and the staff are poorly trained. Some bodies have limited mandates, such as protection mechanisms that lack the power to investigate attacks on journalists. Sometimes, these failings are believed to be deliberate. According to Padgett, the Mexican journalist protection scheme has “political biases against those whom officials consider to be hostile to the regime”.

    Indeed, many journalists and support groups suspect the Mexican and Honduran governments don’t really want these institutions to work. As the pro-democracy judge Guillermo López Lone commented about the repeated failure to secure convictions for crimes against journalists and human rights defenders in Honduras: “These are international commitments [made] due to pressure, but there is no political will.”

    López Lone, who was illegally removed from his position after the 2009 coup in Honduras and only reinstated as a judge after a years-long struggle, including a ruling by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, alleged that these institutions “play a merely formal role” in Honduras, because they have been “captured by the political interests of the current rulers, and by criminal networks”.

    Similarly, according to Sara Mendiola, director of Mexico City-based NGO Propuesta Cívica, it’s not enough to talk about a lack of resources or training: “Even if you doubled the [state] prosecutors’ offices’ budgets, you’d still have the same impunity because the structures [that generate impunity] remain.”

    Activism is a risky business

    It’s clear that in both Mexico and Honduras, despite the governments’ stated commitment to freedom of expression, there is a deep-seated ambivalence about how important or desirable it is to protect journalists and media freedom.

    The heart of this issue is the contradiction of the state as both protector and perpetrator – a state that does not want to, or is incapable of, constraining or investigating itself and its allies. This in turn is linked to longstanding structural problems of corruption, impunity and human rights violations, and a legacy of controlling the media dating to pre-democracy days.

    Activism by journalists against this situation – another form of self-protection – takes various forms, including public protests and advocacy, and working for and setting up NGOs that support colleagues at risk. Increasingly, activism also involves the coming together of those who are the victims of violence.

    In Mexico City, groups of journalists displaced from their homes by threats and attacks, many of whom end up without a job or income, have formed collectives and networks to provide mutual support and assist colleagues in similar circumstances. In Veracruz state, the Network in Memory of and Struggle for Killed and Disappeared Journalists was formed by the relatives of the many such journalists in 2022.

    But activism is a risky business in Mexico and Honduras, opening journalists and their loved ones up to further repression and attacks by the state – and sometimes raising questions about their impartiality and credibility. While many journalists have taken part in activism out of necessity or desperation, in both countries their main source of optimism in the face of violence and impunity is journalism itself.

    Journalism as the solution

    Fortunately, journalists like Padgett don’t give up easily. After an eight-month hiatus following the attack in Cuitzeo and its aftermath, he now feels ready to go back to reporting.

    Although he succeeded in getting the shelved investigation into the 2017 attack on him and subsequent data leak reopened, the lack of any action since means he’s decided to draw a line under this labyrinthine process. He is now looking for “alternative means of justice to compensate for the impunity”.

    As a part of the reparations, he has been promised a formal apology from the Mexico City Prosecutor’s Office (similar to the apology received by Cacho). Such a ceremony is not justice and may largely be symbolic, but Padgett feels it will allow him to move on and focus on journalism again – this time as a freelancer. He is keen to make the point that Mexico remains “an extraordinary place to be a reporter”.

    Despite the lack of state protection and all the other challenges, journalists like Padgett and Funes are determined to keep going – investigating their countries’ ills, probing the root causes, transforming their profession. Their commitment offers a ray of hope for the emergence of a truly free and independent media in Mexico, Honduras and beyond.

    For you: more from our Insights series:

    To hear about new Insights articles, join the hundreds of thousands of people who value The Conversation’s evidence-based news. Subscribe to our newsletter.

    This article draws on research which was funded by the UK Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). Tamsin Mitchell’s new book, Human Rights, Impunity and Anti-Press Violence: How Journalists Survive and Resist, is published by Routledge.

    – ref. How state agents target journalists while governments claim to protect them – stark warnings from Mexico and Honduras – https://theconversation.com/how-state-agents-target-journalists-while-governments-claim-to-protect-them-stark-warnings-from-mexico-and-honduras-255549

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Primož Dolenc: Green finance and investment

    Source: Bank for International Settlements

    Ladies and gentlemen, distinguished guests,

    I am delighted to welcome you to today’s conference organized jointly by Banka Slovenije and the European Investment Bank.

    The event builds on the discussions from our 2023 conference, once again placing green finance and investment at the center of our debate.

    This underscores the recognition that risks linked to climate and environmental change are among the most pressing global challenges of our time.

    Confronting these challenges calls for collective action and a shared responsibility towards future generations.

    Achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 requires significant investments across the EU, alongside other measures.

    According to Mr Draghi’s report and other studies, the EU will have to allocate additional green investments amounting to around two percent of GDP annually by 2030.

    Despite the funds available at the EU level and the reformed EU fiscal governance framework, we can expect a public funding gap for green investments in the years to come.

    As public finances are increasingly strained due to security concerns and an ageing population, Europe needs a strong framework to also attract and efficiently deploy private capital.

    The recently launched Savings and Investment Union strategy, which builds on the Capital Markets Union and Banking Union projects, is an important element to support the massive green investment needs.

    A more integrated and deeper EU financial system – complemented by advances in financial literacy and, ideally, a positive shift in mindset – would enable a more efficient allocation of savings from businesses and citizens.

    While Europe remains committed to ambitious climate goals, the strategies and processes guiding the green transition continue to evolve.

    A perspective that has gained traction over the last year is how Europe can reconcile the complexities of global competition and environmental imperatives and balance ambitious climate goals with economic vitality.

    In February this year, the European Commission unveiled its proposal for a Clean Industrial Deal, outlining strategies to unlock investments in clean energy and decarbonize and revitalize Europe’s industry.

    Another important initiative is the Omnibus Simplification Package, introduced by the Commission in February.

    By simplifying the business environment and reducing administrative burdens, Europe would enhance its global competitiveness and ultimately spur investments, including those supporting the green transition.

    However, this drive for simplification is not without its critics and concerns that easing regulations could undermine corporate accountability and stall progress towards our climate objectives.

    When introducing adjustments, policymakers must ensure that the underlying strategies are both ambitious and pragmatic. 

    At Banka Slovenije and within the Eurosystem, we are committed to play our part by:

    • increasingly incorporating climate-related issues into our analyses;

    • decarbonizing our monetary policy-related corporate bond holdings and implementing climate-related measures in our collateral framework;

    • greening our non-monetary portfolio;

    • and, as supervisors, encouraging and directing banks to identify, measure and manage climate-related risks in a timely and comprehensive manner, ensuring they remain well positioned to support the economy and the green transition.

    Before we move on to the discussion, let me first give the floor to the Head of the European Investment Bank Group Office in Slovenia, Mr Simon Savšek.

    Thank you.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Progress in clearing longest waits

    Source: Scottish Government

    More than 105,500 procedures delivered last year with additional funding.

    More than 105,500 appointments and procedures were delivered by health boards last year through an additional £30 million of targeted investment – exceeding a pledge to carry out 64,000 appointments by the end of March 2025.

    The funding was targeted at the longest waits and, as seen in latest published data, there have been reductions in waiting lists across a number of specialities. Between March 2024 and December 2024 there has been:

    • a 71% decrease in waits for Scopes at NHS Ayrshire & Arran
    • a 52% decrease in Imaging waits at NHS Fife
    • a 28% decrease in Ophthalmology waits at NHS Lothian
    • a 23% decrease in Urology waits at NHS Lanarkshire
    • a 10% decrease in Orthopaedic waits at NHS Highland.

    Latest published statistics also show improved waiting times performance with diagnostic waits at their lowest since October 2021.

    In April 2024 the Scottish Government funded NHS boards to deliver 64,000 procedures (40,000 diagnostic procedures, 12,000 surgeries and 12,000 new outpatient appointments) by the end of the year. By March 2025, 10,700 surgeries and 15,800 outpatients appointments were delivered. Almost 79,000 diagnostic procedures took place – delivering almost double the original pledge of 40,000.

    Health Secretary Neil Gray said:

    “We have delivered on our promise, exceeding our original target of 64,000 by more than 41,000 procedures – we have carried out nearly double the amount of diagnostic procedures originally pledged, with diagnostic waits now at the their lowest since October 2021. This is testament to hard work and dedication of our NHS staff and I thank them for their outstanding efforts.

    “This is welcome progress and shows we are moving in the right direction.  But we know many people are still waiting too long and we are determined do more. That is why we are investing record amounts in our health service, targeting waiting list backlogs and delivering 150,000 additional appointments.   

    “This government is focussed on taking the action needed to cut waiting lists and make it easier for patients to get access to the treatment they need.  Next week the First Minister will publish our Programme for Government, setting out how we will build on recent progress and further reduce patient waits in the year ahead.”

    Background

    This is an update on progress previously reported in February this year – Pledge on waiting times exceeded – gov.scot

    Written question and answer: S6W-37418 | Scottish Parliament Website

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Would be street racers warned of consequences of breaching ban

    Source: City of Wolverhampton

    It comes after another individual admitted being in contempt of court following an incident of street racing, also known as car cruising, in Bearwood, Smethwick in late March.

    Qamar Hussain, of William Road, Smethwick, appeared before the High Court in Birmingham on Thursday 25 April and admitted racing against another vehicle along the Hagley Road between Wolverhampton Road and Bearwood Road. He received a 21 day custodial sentence, suspended for 12 months, and ordered to pay £2,950.30 in costs.

    The High Court injunction, led by the City of Wolverhampton Council on behalf of Dudley Council, Sandwell Council and Walsall Council and supported by West Midlands Police, prohibits people from participating in, as a driver, rider or passenger, street racing; from promoting, organising or publicising gatherings; or from participating as a spectator.

    The injunction covers the whole of the boroughs of Wolverhampton, Dudley, Sandwell and Walsall and anyone found to be breaching it will be in contempt of court and may be imprisoned, fined or have their assets seized. They may also be ordered to pay the council’s legal costs of any hearing.

    Councillor Obaida Ahmed, the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Cabinet Member for Digital and Community, said: “The existence of the street racing injunction is widely known across the Black Country, but we are still seeing occasional incidents such as the one which occurred in Smethwick in March.

    “As we have seen once again, the court will not hesitate to take tough action against anyone who breaches the injunction.

    “We know that street racing activity typically increases with the lighter nights and warmer weather of spring and summer, and anyone who is thinking of taking part in this wholly anti social activity should recognise the severe consequences that they will face.”

    Councillor Suzanne Hartwell, Sandwell Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods and Community, added: “Street racing puts people’s lives at risk and can lead to tragedies on our roads.

    “This is the 10th person we have taken to court for breaching the injunction by racing on Sandwell’s roads, and we will continue to work in partnership with the police and other Black Country councils to respond to people’s concerns and protect our communities.”

    For more information about the street racing injunction, including copies of the latest documentation and court orders, including very recent orders made on 29 and 30 April, please visit the street racing pages of the applicants – Wolverhampton, Walsall, Sandwell, or Dudley – which are in the process of being updated.

    Incidents of street racing in Wolverhampton should be reported via asbu@wolverhamptonhomes.org.uk and in Sandwell at Report anti social behaviour, or to West Midlands Police on 101. In an emergency, always dial 999.

    Police are also inviting members of the public to submit dash cam or mobile phone footage of street racing events or dangerous driving via its Op Snap website.

    The High Court originally granted the full and final injunction in February 2024 with the injunction and power of arrest remaining in force until at least 2027 subject to annual review, the next of which is scheduled to take place on 26 February, 2026 at the High Court of Justice, King’s Bench Division, Birmingham District Registry at Birmingham Civil and Family Justice Centre, The Priory Courts, 33 Bull Street, Birmingham, B4 6DS.

    Any existing defendants who wish to file any evidence in respect of the review hearing should do so no later than 14 days before the hearing by writing to FAO: Black Country Car Cruise, Legal Services, City of Wolverhampton Council, Civic Centre, St Peter’s Square, Wolverhampton WV1 1RG, emailing litigation@wolverhampton.gov.uk or calling 01902 556556.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Rapist who posed as professional photographer has sentence increased

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Press release

    Rapist who posed as professional photographer has sentence increased

    A sexual predator who posed as a photographer to lure women to his home before sexually abusing them has sentence increased after Solicitor General intervenes.

    Anthony Williams (40), from Gloucester, has had his eight-year sentence increased to 12 years by the Court of Appeal after the Solicitor General referred his case under the Unduly Lenient Sentence (ULS) scheme.

    The court heard that Williams pretended to be a professional photographer, approaching women online and luring them to his makeshift studio at his home.

    During the photoshoot, Williams encouraged the women to undress before he sexually abused them.

    He carried out 17 attacks over the course of nine photoshoots between July 2021 and December 2021.

    In victim impact statements several women spoke about how much Williams had impacted their mental health. One victim said: “I find myself feeling like a mere shadow of my former self.”

    The Solicitor General Lucy Rigby KC MP said:

    Williams exploited and manipulated women into thinking they were taking part in professional photo shoots but this was just part of a grim scheme to brutally assault them for his own sexual gratification.

    Protecting women and girls is an absolute priority for this government and I would like to offer my sympathies to the victims. I welcome the court’s increase to this sentence.

    Anthony Williams was sentenced to eight years’ imprisonment on 22 January 2025 after a jury at Gloucester Crown Court found him guilty of 14 counts of sexual assault, two counts of assault by penetration and one count of rape. The court also imposed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for life.

    On 15 April 2025 at the Court of Appeal, Anthony Williams had his sentence increased to 12 years.

    Updates to this page

    Published 2 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: Municipality Finance issues a EUR 50 million tap under its MTN programme

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Municipality Finance Plc
    Stock exchange release
    2 May 2025 at 11:00 am (EEST)

    Municipality Finance issues a EUR 50 million tap under its MTN programme

    On 5 May 2025 Municipality Finance Plc issues a new tranche in an amount of EUR 50 million to an existing benchmark issued on 29 August 2024. With the new tranche, the aggregate nominal amount of the benchmark is EUR 1.150 billion. The maturity date of the benchmark is 29 August 2029. The benchmark bears interest at a fixed rate of 2.500 % per annum.

    The new tranche is issued under MuniFin’s EUR 50 billion programme for the issuance of debt instruments. The offering circular, the supplemental offering circular and final terms of the notes are available in English on the company’s website at https://www.kuntarahoitus.fi/en/for-investors.

    MuniFin has applied for the new tranche to be admitted to trading on the Helsinki Stock Exchange maintained by Nasdaq Helsinki. The public trading is expected to commence on 5 May 2025. The existing notes in the series are admitted to trading on the Helsinki Stock Exchange.

    NatWest Markets N.V acts as the Dealer for the issue of the new tranche.

    MUNICIPALITY FINANCE PLC

    Further information:

    Joakim Holmström
    Executive Vice President, Capital Markets and Sustainability
    tel. +358 50 444 3638

    MuniFin (Municipality Finance Plc) is one of Finland’s largest credit institutions. The owners of the company include Finnish municipalities, the public sector pension fund Keva and the State of Finland. The Group’s balance sheet is over EUR 53 billion.

    MuniFin builds a better and more sustainable future with its customers. Our customers include municipalities, joint municipal authorities, wellbeing services counties, joint county authorities, corporate entities under the control of the above-mentioned organisations, and affordable social housing. Lending is used for environmentally and socially responsible investment targets such as public transportation, sustainable buildings, hospitals and healthcare centres, schools and day care centres, and homes for people with special needs.

    MuniFin’s customers are domestic but the company operates in a completely global business environment. The company is an active Finnish bond issuer in international capital markets and the first Finnish green and social bond issuer. The funding is exclusively guaranteed by the Municipal Guarantee Board.

    Read more: https://www.kuntarahoitus.fi/en/

    Important Information

    The information contained herein is not for release, publication or distribution, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, in or into any such country or jurisdiction or otherwise in such circumstances in which the release, publication or distribution would be unlawful. The information contained herein does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of, any securities or other financial instruments in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration, exemption from registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction.

    This communication does not constitute an offer of securities for sale in the United States. The notes have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) or under the applicable securities laws of any state of the United States and may not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons except pursuant to an applicable exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Darryl Chan: Global outlook – unlocking market potential through financial connectivity

    Source: Bank for International Settlements

    Mr Peng Yang (CEO, Ant International), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen:

    Good morning.  To those of you who have travelled from far and wide, a very warm welcome to Hong Kong!

    It gives me great pleasure to join you today for MO·MENTS 2025 organised by Ant International.  This is a great gathering of forward-looking, innovative people who bring and share remarkable expertise, experience and ideas to shape the future of payments.  Indeed, payments is shaping the future of finance by unlocking the many possibilities and immense potential. 

    The theme of this event is global connectivity.  In my discussion today, I will share with you the exciting journey Hong Kong is going through to promote connectivity in the payments space, both locally and globally.  Our objective is to achieve cheaper, faster, more transparent, and more accessible payment services.  Before going global, we started with local.  There were two starting points: stored value facilities (or SVF in short) and faster payment system, or FPS.

    In 2015, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) introduced a regime to regulate SVF operators who take the form of e-wallets or prepaid cards.  Today we have a robust SVF ecosystem of 15 operators.  These operators serve a wide range of institutional and retail customers from mass market to more niched segments.  In less than a decade, the number of SVF accounts have doubled, from around 40 million in end 2016 to 80 million in end 2024; and the total number of transactions has grown by almost 60%, from around 15 million per day in Q4 2016 to 24 million in Q4 2024.   

    The FPS is another success story.  Launched in 2018, it is a platform that supports full connectivity among banks and SVFs.  It provides real-time, 24×7 interbank transfers with just a few clicks on mobile devices.  Since its launch, FPS has experienced phenomenal growth.  It now has 16.4 million registrations in total, on the back of a local population of 7.5 million.  

    The SVF and FPS, working individually or in combination, provide a powerful tool that facilitates cheaper, faster payments and enhances user experience.  They promote not just financial inclusion but also the growth of e-commerce.  

    The use of SVF and FPS goes beyond Hong Kong.  For example, Hong Kong e-wallets can now be used at over 30 million merchants in Mainland China.  Between 2021 and 2024, the number of cross-border transactions in the Mainland has grown by almost 50 times.  

    In the case of FPS, in 2023 the HKMA joined hands with the Bank of Thailand to link up FPS and Thailand’s PromptPay, enabling cross-border QR payments between the two jurisdictions.  Meanwhile, we are working closely with the People’s Bank of China to connect FPS with the Mainland’s Internet Banking Payment System.  Our plan is to formally roll out the link by the middle of this year.  Looking ahead, we are also exploring the possibility of further expanding the linkage of FPS with other fast payment systems in the region. 

    There is enough to keep us busy just by enhancing the interoperability and connectivity of the existing payment systems and networks.  Yet we are keenly aware of the need to keep taps on developments that bring new dimensions to the form and functioning of money.  Here I am referring to the emergence of central bank digital currency or CBDC, tokenised bank deposits, and stablecoins. 

    In terms of CBDC, our flagship project mBridge achieved the minimum viable product stage in 2024.  It is a seamless cross-border wholesale CBDC platform co-founded by the HKMA and several other central banks.  Supported by a comprehensive legal framework and a fit-for-purpose governance structure, the platform seeks to address the typical pain points in cross-border payments by enhancing efficiency and reducing costs through central bank digital money.  Going forward, the project will continue to expand the participation of public and private institutions with a view to achieving greater network effect.

    We also leverage on our CBDC research to support the development of the tokenisation market.  Last year, the HKMA initiated Project Ensemble and established an Architecture Community to develop common industry standards that support interoperability between CBDC, tokenised money and tokenised assets.  In August, we launched the Ensemble Sandbox, working with our securities regulator and the private sector to explore and experiment with tokenisation of financial assets and real-world assets.  Currently, the use cases cover liquidity management, supply chain finance, green finance, and investment funds. We are pleased that Ant Group is an active participant of the Sandbox.  Project Ensemble also goes beyond Hong Kong.  We are partnering with other central banks including Thailand, Brazil and France to explore cross-border tokenisation use cases. 

    On stablecoin, we are in the final stage of passing the law that empowers the HKMA to license and supervise stablecoin issuers in Hong Kong.  Together with other regulatory efforts governing the exchange, trading and custody of crypto assets, the stablecoin licensing regime is an important element to nurture a responsible and sustainable crypto ecosystem in Hong Kong.

    Running in parallel to the legislative process, a stablecoin sandbox was set up last year to provide a controlled environment for potential issuers to test the various features and controls of their proposed schemes, as well as their use cases that cover supply chain, capital market activities, cross-border payments, and Web3.0 applications.  The sandbox also enables the HKMA team to gain insights that inform the formulation of specific regulatory requirements and ensure they are fit-for-purpose.

    Ladies and gentlemen, the payments industry has seen exponential growth in recent years and we should expect the momentum to sustain-if we do the right things.  On this, I don’t think people in this room need to be convinced.  Let me share some thoughts on how to capture those opportunities.

    First is to make good use of technology.  Technology is the key driver in this growth story and it keeps pushing the possibility frontier.  Just imagine the potential of combining the ever growing computing power, artificial intelligence (A.I.), machine learning and big data. 

    What technology can deliver is amazing:

    • in terms of making payment so much easier through one-click payment or voice-automated payments;
    • in terms of capturing new customer demands such as buy-now-pay later or subscription payments; and
    • in terms of tailoring payment service to the needs of individual customers.

    What we need is to stretch our imagination and be innovative.

    In the process, one thing we always need to bear in mind is the fundamental value proposition of payment services-how payments can be made easier, faster, cheaper, and equally important, more accessible.  It is therefore heartening that we have a session today dedicated to inclusive growth. 

    Technology is a double-edged sword.  One increasingly troubling aspect related to banking and payments is the prevalence of fraud and scams.  In Hong Kong, more than 44,000 deception cases were reported last year, an increase of close to 12% year-on-year.  In a way we are victim of our own success by making payments much faster and more convenient.  This has now become one of the top challenges facing financial regulators across jurisdictions.  If unchecked, it will seriously undermine public confidence in the safety of the banking and payments sector, not to mention the issue of how to apportion the loss.

    The HKMA and the banking and payments industries have therefore been in close collaboration with law enforcement agencies to raise public awareness, share intelligence and good practices, and use Scameter data to alert potentially at-risk customers.  This is a never ending battle, and technology can help address the risk.  We look forward to payments operators leveraging A.I. and machine learning in fraud detection and prevention of money laundering.  We at the HKMA stand ready to work with the industry in testing and deploying such technology.

    My second point is about collaboration.  Deglobalisation, reglobalisation, fragmentation-it may take on different names or different forms, but one thing is for sure, the global economy is entering uncharted waters, in search of the more stable state when the dust gets a little settled. 

    For an industry like payments that thrives on interoperability and connectivity, this is not good news.  But the reshaping of the global economic order and the realignment of global supply chain can also mean new business opportunities for the payments sector:

    • think about the possible shifts, within a relatively short timeframe, in trade patterns and trade flows;
    • think about new relationships to be established between buyers and suppliers; and
    • think about the new payment corridors across countries and regions that may involve more local currencies. 

    These changes call for more timely, in-depth collaboration between different players in the payments space to better support customers.  And as long as payments remains a regulated space, we also need cross-border collaboration in the official sector, either through system linkage or policy coordination, to make this happen. 

    If I may quickly turn to my third point, which is the significance of operational resilience.  With increased connectivity and collaboration, system outage or cyber incidents will have much pronounced consequences.  It is crucial therefore, that operational resilience is a core objective and KPI.  And always have a contingency plan ready should anything untoward happen. 

    Ladies and gentlemen, as we look to the future, we need to be resilient, be agile, embrace technology, and, most importantly, remain customer-centric.  This should be the winning formula to unlock market potentials and promote a more efficient and inclusive financial ecosystem.

    With that, I wish the event a great success.  Thank you very much.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Denis Beau: Our payment system at a time of geopolitical risks

    Source: Bank for International Settlements

    Slides accompanying the speech

    [Slide 1 Cover slide]

    The payments sector has undergone significant changes in recent decades, driven by digitalisation and the rise of new technologies. While the latter provide opportunities, they also bring risks, particularly in terms of financial stability and sovereignty. These risks have been amplified since the inauguration of the new US administration and the upheavals to the international order that its challenges to multilateralism and its deregulatory and protectionist policies could cause. 

    Against this backdrop of great uncertainty and the major shocks to the financial system since the start of the month, the financial authorities have an important role to play in fostering stability and trust among the players in the French and European economy and financial system. Accordingly, in addition to ensuring price stability, the objective of the Banque de France, in keeping with its monetary and financial stability mandates, is to help maintain stable access to financial services, particularly credit, and to encourage innovation and diversification. It also strives to ensure the smooth functioning of our economy and the infrastructures on which it relies, and especially our payment system.

    In my presentation this morning, I would first like to review the main trends and challenges facing the European payments ecosystem, and then present the levers we are using at the Banque de France to ensure its efficient operation and the security of payment systems and payment means, and to help strengthen Europe’s sovereignty over its payment system. 

    [Slide 2 – I. Trends and challenges for payments in France and Europe]

    I. The digitalisation of payments and its implications    

    A. Progress in technology is leading to the rapid digitalisation of the payments ecosystem

    [Slide 3: A rapid payment digitalisation process]

    For a little over a decade now, we have been witnessing a strong move towards digitalisation and the increasing use of electronic payment solutions, with an attendant decrease in the use of cash. Payment cards are now the most commonly used means of payment at the points of sale, accounting for more than 48% of transactions in France in 2024. Conversely, cash payments are gradually decreasing, falling to 43% of point-of-sale transactions in France in 2024, whereas they stood at 50% in 2022, and as high as 68% in 2016.

    This trend accelerated even further with the rise of online shopping and the Covid pandemic. The share of e-commerce in the number of transactions thus doubled between 2019 and 2024 to reach a quarter of all transactions in France. At the same time, contactless payments and mobile payments have developed rapidly, with the aim of making payments increasingly seamless and almost invisible to consumers. This trend has been facilitated by the development of new technologies that have modernised payments, such as near-field communication (NFC) and QR codes, which have enabled the roll-out of contactless payments. 

    Against this backdrop, new players in payments have emerged, whose value added stems from technological innovation. These new players are now competing with traditional financial institutions such as banks. They include not only FinTechs but also “non-financial” players, namely telecom operators, technical service providers (specialising, for example, in the tokenisation of payment card data), and BigTechs, in particular the American GAFAMs – ApplePay, GooglePay – which dominate the mobile payments market. They also include Chinese and Korean platforms such as AliPay and WeChatPay.

    The growth in the tokenisation of financial instruments, driven by the use of distributed ledger technologies (DLT) such as blockchain, represents a significant opportunity for our markets. Significant benefits are expected: faster exchanges, lower operating costs and greater transparency of transactions. However, this trend is now going hand in hand with a plethora of uncoordinated DLT initiatives, giving rise to the emergence of new private settlement assets, most notably stablecoins. These initiatives are largely controlled by non-European players and mechanisms, whose reference currency is the dollar. 

    B. The challenges raised by changes in the payments landscape

    [Slide 4: Issues and challenges posed by the digitalisation of the European payments system]

    While the digitalisation of payment means has delivered many benefits, in particular by enabling simpler, faster, more convenient and more secure payments, it also poses challenges.

    The decline in the use of cash raises questions about the sustainability of some of its characteristics, particularly confidentiality, universal acceptance and accessibility, which are not currently available in the digital sphere. Furthermore, the increase in the use of digital payments raises questions about the role of central bank money, as opposed to commercial money used for card payments, even though central bank money plays a key role in anchoring confidence in our monetary system. 

    Furthermore, expanding the use of digital solutions has steadily upped our reliance on non-European entities (particularly from the United States and China), which already leverage significant network effects, thanks notably to their ability to harness extensive datasets and customer bases. They also control a number of widely used proprietary standards (Visa, Mastercard). Beyond the question of operational resilience, this situation raises concerns over competition, strategic autonomy and data protection. With the emergence of these international players, European payment solutions appear highly fragmented and their market share has been eroding.1

    The growing digitalisation of payments also represents a challenge to maintain a high level of payment security. Fraud schemes are becoming increasingly complex, involving the manipulation of payers and the circumvention of the strong authentication mechanisms put in place to ensure the security of digital payments in Europe. In particular, artificial intelligence (AI) is a double-edged sword. 

    AI amplifies cyber risk and, in payments, it can considerably facilitate payment scams, for example through deepfakes. But this technology can also become an invaluable ally in the fight against fraud, by enabling fraud schemes to be more rapidly and effectively identified. Against this backdrop, integrating AI into anti-fraud models could help to improve the security of the digital payment means available to the public.

    It should also be noted that digitalisation could extend to financial assets, through tokenisation, although at present there are no suitable and really secure payment solutions available for these financial transactions. Therefore, without a central bank money-based payment solution for these “wholesale” transactions, private non-European solutions could become dominant, in particular stablecoins. However, almost all stablecoins are currently pegged to the dollar, and their issuance in the United States is not currently subject to any protective federal regulatory framework. If the tokenisation of financial assets were to gather pace, the lack of a central bank money payment solution in euro might therefore threaten the role of central bank money as the anchor of the euro area’s monetary architecture, with concrete adverse consequences: an increase in counterparty and liquidity risks, increased fragmentation of settlement, and ultimately a loss of sovereignty and a weakening of financial stability.

    In this context, the recent positions adopted by the new US administration, and in particular the adoption on 23 January of an Executive order, are likely to amplify these risks as this Executive Order (i) prohibits all work related to the development of a new form of central bank money compatible with technological changes, (ii) promotes the development of dollar-backed stablecoins, and (iii) encourages citizens and businesses to use public blockchains. This new political direction reinforces the need for Europe to preserve its monetary sovereignty, which means developing its payment sovereignty.

    II. To meet these challenges, the Banque de France is using several additional levers for action

    [Slide 5: Transition – Two additional responses: regulation/support and innovation.]

    A. Adapting regulatory frameworks and supporting innovation within a framework of trust

    [Slide 6: Adapting regulatory frameworks at national and international level]

    First and foremost, the Banque de France promotes clear, standardised and balanced regulatory frameworks that allow innovation to flourish within a framework of trust conducive to their sustainable deployment. It therefore supports and contributes to the development of frameworks that aim to:

    • Maintain a level playing field between players. For example, this has made it possible for operators other than Apple to have access to NFC antennae on iPhones at the European level to promote better competition.
       
    • Adapt to technological progress to support the development of new players, while ensuring they are adequately regulated, based on the principle of “same activity, same risk, same regulation”. This approach has guided the deployment of the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation, which standardises the rules applicable to crypto-asset service providers, enabling them to develop their business while ensuring that risks to users and the financial system are properly managed. 
       
    • Protect consumers. This was, for example, the aim of the second European Payment Services Directive (PSD2), which introduced “strong customer authentication” (SCA) for more secure payments. The Instant Payment Regulation (IPR) follows the same logic, requiring payment service providers (PSPs) to deploy fraud protection measures (e.g. checking the name of the beneficiary against the IBAN) to ensure the orderly development of instant payments.

    [Slide 7: Strengthening the security of means of payment]

    As part of its statutory mission, which includes ensuring the security of means of payment, the Banque de France supports innovation by ensuring that it does not jeopardise the security of payment methods. The following tasks are performed within the framework of the Observatory for the Security of Payment Means (OSMP).

    • Communication campaigns targeting the general public, such as “never give out your data”, carried by various audio-visual media and radio, and aiming to raise awareness of the personal nature of passwords in particular,
    • Initiatives aimed at boosting cooperation with data protection, cybersecurity and telecommunications authorities to limit fraud as much as possible.

    [Slide 8: Promoting innovation by supporting private initiatives]

    Support for innovation also seeks to ensure that private initiatives help to strengthen European sovereignty over the euro payment system:

    • At the national level, this support aims to consolidate the position of high-performance French payment solutions, such as the Groupement carte bancaire (CB bank card group), which has been allocated specific support within the framework of the new national retail payments strategy for 2025-30, implemented by the National Payments Committee (CNMP) last October.
       
    • At the European level, pan-European solutions, such as the European Payments Initiative (EPI), are strongly supported. EPI launched the ‘Wero’ digital payment wallet for consumers last autumn, providing instant payments across five European countries (Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg and the Netherlands). This initiative with pan-European ambition aims to promote competition and strengthen Europe’s strategic autonomy in retail payments.

    B. The provision of new central bank money services to preserve the key role of central bank money in a digitalised world

    Alongside regulating and supporting private initiatives, the Banque de France is making a strong and decisive contribution to the Eurosystem’s work on developing its services through the creation of a central bank digital currency for both retail and wholesale transactions. This work has become more strategically important in terms of ensuring European sovereignty over its payment system since the policy shift initiated by the new US administration that I referred to a few minutes ago.

    [Slide 9: Innovating with the digital euro: a European payment solution] 

    1. The digital euro

    Given the strong dependence on American payment solutions and networks, the Banque de France thus supports and participates fully in the digital euro project spearheaded by the Eurosystem, which will constitute a public alternative, preserving the freedom to choose means of payment, sovereignty and competition in the euro area. 

    The digital euro aims to provide everyone with the possibility to use a ‘digital banknote’ in the digital payments sphere that incorporates the main features of a ‘physical’ banknote. Its off-line mechanism will provide a cash-like level of privacy and will be a guarantee of resilience. It will be free of charge for individuals. Its characteristics will foster digital financial inclusion, including for people without bank accounts or smartphones. It will also be a new form of public money, which will safeguard the anchoring role of central bank money and trust in our single currency.

    The digital euro also aims to strengthen European integration and strategic autonomy in payments thanks to the legal tender status it would be given, making it usable anywhere and in any circumstances within the euro area. It will also be based on open and harmonised standards, which private payment solutions such as Wero will be able to use to expand their reach. In this way, the digital euro aims to foster the development of private solutions under European governance, which can be used across the euro area, whereas most solutions are currently restricted to certain countries or use cases.

    The Eurosystem is currently in a preparation phase that will last until the end of 2025. At the same time, a democratic debate is taking place at the European level to define, by means of legislation, the conditions in which the digital euro may be used. A decision on issuance can be taken once this legislation has been approved by the European Parliament and the Council.

     [Slide 10: From Wholesale CBDC to a shared European ledger]

    2. Wholesale central bank digital currency

    With the development of tokenised assets, the Banque de France is also firmly committed to providing a payment solution in central bank money that includes making it available in tokenised form, in other words, a “wholesale CBDC”. 

    The Banque de France has been resolutely committed to this solution since 2020, playing a pioneering role at the European level in an experimental programme conducted between 2020 and 2022, in partnership with various private and institutional sector players. This work, which allowed the Banque de France to develop and test its own blockchain (DL3S), was followed by that of the Eurosystem in 2024. This was used to test three solutions for settling tokenised assets in central bank currency through around 40 or so experiments.

    Drawing on the lessons learned from these experiments and their confirmation of a demand for adapting central bank money services, in February 2025, the ECB Governing Council decided to quickly make available a settlement service in CB money adapted for tokenised assets, which will include money in token form, i.e. a “wholesale” CB digital currency. 

    This decision also paves the way for discussions on building a European shared ledger that could be used to adapt European payment infrastructures to the digital era to ensure sovereignty. By providing a credible alternative to non-European solutions, based on a standardised legal and regulatory framework, a European shared ledger could support financial integration within the EU and help strengthen the resilience and attractiveness of our financial market. 

    Conclusion : As a central bank tasked with safeguarding monetary and financial stability, and notably the security and efficiency of payment systems and means of payment for the euro, the Banque de France is fully committed to monitoring, understanding and supporting the major transformations currently taking place in the payments landscape. These transformations have recently assumed major strategic importance for the monetary sovereignty of euro area countries, necessitating the mobilisation of all the European players concerned to respond in an appropriate and adequate manner. This involves developing secure, efficient public and private pan-European payment solutions that contribute to European sovereignty over its payment system. As both supervisor and provider of central bank money services, we are determined to play our part.

    [Slide 11: Thank you for your attention]

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Prime Minister hails game changing UK-made RAF drones

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Press release

    Prime Minister hails game changing UK-made RAF drones

    Hundreds of highly skilled jobs are being supported by the RAF’s new cutting-edge UK made drones.

    • New British-made ‘StormShroud’ drones are at the cutting edge of defence combat air, taking advantage of learnings from countering Putin’s illegal war in Ukraine
    • Brand new tech supports hundreds of jobs and shows investment in UK defence is driving economic growth, making communities better off, and bolstering national security by delivering on the Plan for Change
    • Getting from the factory to the frontline at an unprecedented pace, the drones will fly alongside crewed aircraft as part of crucial RAF frontline missions, to knock out enemy air defences
    • Tekever, who manufacture the drones, announce a further £400 million investment in the UK

    Hundreds of highly skilled jobs are being supported by the RAF’s new cutting-edge UK made drones, known as ‘StormShroud’, which come into operation today (Friday 2 May), as the Prime Minister further bolsters UK national security. 

    It is the latest boost to the UK’s defence capabilities as the armed forces reap the benefits from Ukraine’s battlefield experience, and comes as the UK continues to play a leading role in peace negotiations, including building momentum in talks between leaders in Rome last weekend. The UK is also driving forward Coalition of the Willing planning as well as accelerating UK-Ukrainian defence industrial cooperation.

    The StormShroud drone is a groundbreaking first-of-its-kind drone that will make the RAF’s world-class combat aircraft more survivable and more lethal. The drones offer a step change in capability by using a high-tech BriteStorm signal jammer to disrupt enemy radar at long ranges, protecting our aircraft and pilots. In revolutionary new tactics, the drones support aircraft like Typhoon and F35 Lightning, by confusing enemy radars and allowing combat aircraft to attack targets unseen. This means for the first time, the RAF will benefit from high-end electronic warfare without needing crew to man it, freeing them up for other vital frontline missions.  

    The RAF is investing an initial £19 million into the cutting-edge drones, which are made in the UK and directly support 200 highly skilled engineering jobs at multiple UK locations already from West Wales to Somerset, with further opportunities expected in future. StormShroud is just the first of a family of next-generation drones – known as Autonomous Collaborative Platforms (ACPs) – being delivered to the RAF.

    The Tekever AR3 and AR5 have had extensive use on the frontline fighting Putin’s illegal war, racking up more than 10,000 hours of flight for Ukraine’s forces. The RAF is taking the next step by integrating best-in-class signal scrambling technology into the drones to boost the UK’s defences at home, as the Prime Minister steps up UK defence capabilities to counter complex threats in the face of global instability. 

    In a further vote of confidence in Britain’s defence industry, British-Portuguese tech company Tekever, who manufacture the drones in the UK, plan to invest a further £400 million over the next 5 years across the UK and create up to 1,000 more highly skilled jobs. 

    The Prime Minister will visit to a Leonardo UK site in the South East today to see first-hand the expertise that goes into manufacturing the drones, and meeting the staff involved in delivering it, including many engineering apprentices representing the next generation of British defence industry excellence.

    As well as stepping up to protect our interests on the world stage, this government’s commitment to increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 means more secure, well-paid jobs for a generation that’s proud to keep our country safe. 

    Just last week, the Carrier Strike Group launched its eight-month deployment and will join exercises, operations and visits with 30 countries across the Mediterranean, Middle East, south-east Asia, Japan and Australia – led by the Royal Navy’s largest and most powerful aircraft carrier, HMS Prince of Wales. The deployment sends a powerful message that the UK and its allies stand ready to protect vital trade routes in the Indo-Pacific region.

    Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: 

    Investment in our defence is an investment in this country’s future.  Putting money behind our Armed Forces and defence industry is safeguarding our economic and national security by putting money back in the pockets of hard-working British people and protecting them for generations to come.

    Together with our allies, this government is taking the bold action needed to stand up to Putin and ruthlessly protect UK and European security, which is vital for us to deliver our Plan for Change and improve lives of working people up and down the country. 

    It is a privilege to meet and learn from the young minds driving innovation in defence technology, and we will continue to invest in the industries of the future to deliver security and opportunity for the British people through our Plan for Change.

    Updates to this page

    Published 2 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Sweden procures new tactical transport aircraft

    Source: Government of Sweden

    Sweden is investing billions in the procurement of four new tactical transport aircraft. Together with the Netherlands and Austria, Sweden is purchasing C-390 aircraft from Brazilian manufacturer Embraer. As Sweden is joining an existing contract, delivery times will be shortened.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Public Statement concerning the imposition of a civil penalty on RL360

    Source: Isle of Man

    RL360 Insurance Company Limited and RL360 Life Insurance Company Limited (together referred to as “RL360”)

    1.  Action

    1.1 The Isle of Man Financial Services Authority (the “Authority”) makes this public statement in accordance with powers conferred upon it under each of section 35 of the Insurance Act 2008 (the “IA08”) and regulation 5(7) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (Civil Penalties) Regulations 2019 (the “Regulations”).

    1.2 The making of such public statement supports the Authority’s regulatory objectives of, among other things, securing an appropriate degree of protection for customers of persons carrying on a regulated activity, reducing financial crime and maintaining confidence in the Isle of Man’s financial services industry.

    1.3 Following an inspection of RL360 by the Authority under section 36 of the IA08 (the “Inspection”), which identified a number of contraventions by RL360 in relation to the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Code 2019 (the “Code”), the Authority has deemed it reasonable, appropriate and proportionate, in all the circumstances, that RL360 be required to pay a civil penalty imposed under the Regulations in the sum of £2,785,714, which is discounted by 30% to £1,950,000 (the “Civil Penalty”).

    1.4 RL360 has proactively brought about operational changes across its business to address the issues identified and it has already taken substantial steps to remediate matters. Further, the Authority acknowledges the constructive and pragmatic dialogue between RL360 and the Authority and gives credit for the engagement in this regard.

    1.5 The level of the Civil Penalty reflects the level of co-operation with the Authority and that a settlement was agreed at an early stage as well as RL360’s proactive implementation of operational enhancements to address the issues identified. As with all discretionary civil penalties issued by the Authority, the level of the Civil Penalty is calculated as a percentage of RL360’s relevant income at the time that the contraventions noted within this public statement were identified. The absolute amount of the Civil Penalty relative to other civil penalties that have been issued by the Authority previously is not necessarily indicative of the seriousness of the contraventions and is determined each time on the facts of a particular matter. The level of a civil penalty is determined each time on the facts of a particular matter and regard is had by the Authority to the level and the percentage of civil penalties imposed in other matters. In determining the Civil Penalty, the Authority considered mitigating factors specific to the circumstances of this case.     

    2. Background

    2.1 RL360 at all material times has been authorised with the Authority as an authorised insurer pursuant to Section 8 of the IA08.

    2.2 The Authority conducted the Inspection in February 2023 and identified a number of contraventions of the Code by RL360 (the “Contraventions”).

    2.3 RL360 has engaged positively with the Authority throughout this matter in a timely and constructive manner.

    2.4 RL360 undertook an extensive remediation programme to address the shortcomings identified and continues to enhance its related internal processes and procedures.

    2.5 The RL360 remediation programme has not resulted in the risk profile of the business changing materially.

    3. Key Findings from inspection report

    Contraventions of the Code identified by the Inspection included:

    • The Business Risk Assessment (the “BRA”) did not independently assess Money Laundering/Terrorist Financing (“ML/TF”) risks specific to each entity and failed to adequately incorporate customer risk assessments and relevant risk factors into RL360’s broader risk management framework. (Paragraph 5 of the Code)
    • The Customer Risk Assessment (“CRA”) process lacked sufficient detail, clarity, and a clear methodology. In some instances, high-risk customers were incorrectly classified, or their assessments failed to incorporate all relevant risk factors, including jurisdiction and product risk. (Paragraph 6 of the Code)
    • In some instances, RL360 could not evidence obtaining adequate documentation and sufficient due diligence collected at the point of onboarding. (Paragraph 8 of the Code)
    • RL360 conducted insufficient ongoing monitoring for high-risk customers, and trigger event reviews were often not carried out or were insufficient. This includes neglecting to reassess customer risk profiles when changes occurred. (Paragraph 13 of the Code)
    • For some matters, Customer Due Diligence (“CDD”) and Enhanced Customer Due Diligence (“ECDD”) records were insufficient, especially for high-risk customers such as PEPs. Missing or incomplete information, and a failure to evidence proactive assessment of customers’ source of funds and wealth, resulted in non-compliance with AML obligations. (Paragraph 14 & 15 of the Code)
    • In some instances, RL360 failed to adhere to internal policies, such as annual reviews of high-risk customers, and did not fully follow procedures for ensuring that required CDD/ECDD was obtained, resulting in significant compliance gaps. (Paragraph 4 of the Code)
    • Business relationships with certain high-risk jurisdictions were not properly documented or factored into the CRA process. This impacted RL360’s ability to appropriately risk-rate customers and properly assess and manage risk. (Paragraph 30 of the code)

    4. Key Learning Points for Industry

    4.1 Compliance with the Code is a legal requirement; all firms undertaking business in the regulated sector have an obligation to conduct their affairs in a manner that adequately mitigates the risks faced by it in order to ensure that the Isle of Man retains its reputation as a responsible, and well regulated, international financial centre.

    4.2 It is imperative that firms conduct a comprehensive, independent, and detailed risk assessment for each entity within their group. The CRA must be based on accurate data, consider all relevant risk factors (including customer geography, product type, and business activities), and be updated regularly to reflect any changes. The results of the CRA should directly inform the BRA to ensure that identified risks are fully integrated into the firm’s broader risk management framework (particularly when dealing with higher risk jurisdictions which should be noted in the CRA with appropriate senior management approval). A failure to properly assess and address the specific risks posed by customers will lead to regulatory breaches and inadequate AML controls.

    4.3 Higher risk customers must be subject to ongoing monitoring, with periodic reviews conducted as per the risk rating assigned during onboarding. Ongoing monitoring cannot be neglected or limited to PEPs and sanction-listed individuals; any customer with higher risk indicators must undergo enhanced scrutiny, and trigger event reviews must be conducted in a timely, thorough, and consistent manner. A failure to adequately monitor higher risk customers exposes the firm to significant compliance risk. Sector specific guidance can be found on the Authority’s website that recommends how this ongoing monitoring can occur.

    4.4 Firms are required to take a proactive approach to updating and maintaining accurate and complete customer information, not deferring CDD/ECDD updates until a trigger event occurs. Promptly obtaining and verifying missing or updated information where required ensures that customer profiles remain accurate and compliant with the AML Code[1].

    4.5 If Internal policies, such as conducting annual reassessments of high-risk customers, are in place they must be rigorously followed. Non-compliance with these policies not only breaches internal standards but also undermines the firm’s ability to manage its AML risks effectively. Failing to follow documented procedures, particularly in relation to high-risk customers or jurisdictions, can lead to serious regulatory and reputational consequences.

    [1] ‘Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Code 2019’ Para 10 Page 19 & Para 13 Page 23.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI: EXA Infrastructure selects Nokia to expand international connectivity network capabilities

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Press Release
    EXA Infrastructure selects Nokia to expand international connectivity network capabilities

    • EXA Infrastructure’s modernized network will support data center connectivity with significantly lower cost and power per bit to keep up with demand in the AI era.
    • Network capacity will increase by as much as 15% while reducing power and cost per bit by as much as 50%.
    • The upgrade with Nokia’s 1830 Global Express (GX) platform and ICE7 coherent optics enables EXA Infrastructure to better deliver high-speed connectivity services to its customers.

    2 May 2025
    Espoo, Finland – Nokia today announced that EXA Infrastructure has selected Nokia’s optical transport solution to expand its network capabilities to support customers’ demand for cost-effective connectivity, including between major data centers. The modernized 1.2T-per-channel network will offer enhanced high-capacity and low-latency data center connectivity services across EXA Infrastructure’s international network.

    EXA Infrastructure, based in London, provides critical modern infrastructure that serves as the backbone for digital and economic growth. This includes mission-critical networks for governments and enterprises, hyperscale infrastructure, and ultra-low latency, high-bandwidth networks for data centers. EXA Infrastructure owns 155,000 km of fiber network across 37 countries, including six transatlantic cables and the lowest-latency link between Europe and North America.

    Following the success of an industry-first trial of the Nokia ICE7 solution in Europe, EXA Infrastructure selected the high-performance 1.2T coherent optical transport solution to upgrade its terrestrial network and deliver high-capacity services for its customers at the lowest cost and power per bit.

    “Nokia’s 1830 GX solution with ICE7 coherent optics ensures a smooth transition from our existing ICE6-based infrastructure. The advanced performance of ICE7 will significantly enhance connectivity, empowering EXA Infrastructure’s global network to deliver robust services that keep pace with increasing bandwidth demands,” said Ciaran Delaney, Chief Operating Officer at EXA Infrastructure.

    “Driving down power consumption per bit is not just important from a sustainability point of view, but is also essential if providers are to meet spiraling connectivity needs, because power requirements are a potential limiting factor to data center growth. Nokia’s industry-leading solutions ensure networks are not just keeping pace but staying ahead in the race to meet surging bandwidth demands,” said James Watt, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Optical Networks at Nokia.

    Multimedia, technical information and related news
    Product Page: ICE7 1.2Tb/s high-performance coherent optics

    About Nokia
    At Nokia, we create technology that helps the world act together.

    As a B2B technology innovation leader, we are pioneering networks that sense, think and act by leveraging our work across mobile, fixed and cloud networks. In addition, we create value with intellectual property and long-term research, led by the award-winning Nokia Bell Labs, which is celebrating 100 years of innovation.

    With truly open architectures that seamlessly integrate into any ecosystem, our high-performance networks create new opportunities for monetization and scale. Service providers, enterprises and partners worldwide trust Nokia to deliver secure, reliable and sustainable networks today – and work with us to create the digital services and applications of the future.

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    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Defiance ETFs Unveils $MST: The First Leveraged MicroStrategy ETF that Seeks to Pay Income Weekly

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MIAMI, May 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Defiance ETFs has launched the Defiance Leveraged Long + Income MSTR ETF (MST), an innovative exchange-traded fund (ETF) that combines leveraged exposure to MicroStrategy Incorporated (NASDAQ: MSTR) aiming for a unique weekly income payout feature. This ETF is the first of its kind, designed to offer retail investors both amplified growth potential and consistent cash flow through an options-driven strategy.

    Sylvia Jablonski, CEO of Defiance ETFs, stated: “Retail investors want the thrill of leverage and the comfort of income. $MST combines leveraged exposure to MicroStrategy’s momentum with weekly payouts to balance the journey. It’s a bold, tactical option for today’s market.”

    What Makes $MST Stand Out?

    • Leveraged Exposure: $MST aims to deliver approximately 150% to 200% of MicroStrategy’s daily price performance, capitalizing on its volatility and growth potential.
    • Seeks Weekly Income: By utilizing a credit call spreads strategy, the ETF generates high income, which is distributed to investors every week, providing regular cash flow1 and a potential buffer against declines.
    • Bitcoin Exposure: Through MicroStrategy—a company known for its significant Bitcoin holdings—$MST offers indirect access to Bitcoin’s market trends without the need to own cryptocurrency directly.

    Investment Objective
    The Defiance Leveraged Long + Income MSTR ETF (the “Fund”) seeks long-term capital appreciation, with a secondary objective to seek current income. The Income Generation Strategy complements the Leveraged Strategy by utilizing credit call spreads to seek to generate premium income and manage risk associated with the Fund’s leveraged exposure.

    The Fund may not achieve daily investment results, before fees and expenses, that correspond to 150% to 200% the performance of the Underlying Security, and may return substantially less during such periods. During such periods, the Fund’s actual leverage levels may differ substantially from its intended leverage target range, both intraday and at the close of trading, potentially resulting in significantly lower returns.

    Why MicroStrategy?
    MicroStrategy has seen remarkable growth, rising over 4,000% since its December 2022 low, fueled by its Bitcoin-focused strategy and leadership in data analytics. Building on the success of Defiance’s earlier MSTR-based ETFs, which have surpassed $1 billion in combined assets, $MST takes this a step further with leverage and income generation.

    About Defiance
    Founded in 2018, Defiance is at the forefront of ETF innovation. Defiance is a leading ETF issuer specializing in thematic, income, and leveraged ETFs. Our first-mover leveraged single-stock ETFs empower investors to take amplified positions in high-growth companies, providing precise leverage exposure without the need to open a margin account.

    1Cash flow refers to the regular, tangible payouts (income distributions) made by the ETF to its shareholders.

    Important Disclosures

    The Funds’ investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses must be considered carefully before investing. The prospectus and summary prospectus contains this and other important information about the investment company. Please read carefully before investing. A hard copy of the prospectuses can be requested by calling 833.333.9383.

    Defiance ETFs LLC is the ETF sponsor. The Fund’s investment adviser is Tidal Investments, LLC (“Tidal” or the “Adviser”).

    Investing involves risk. Principal loss is possible.

    There is no guarantee that the Fund’s investment strategy will be properly implemented, and an investor may lose some or all of its investment.

    MSTR Risks. The Fund invests in swap contracts and options that are based on the share price of MSTR. This subjects the Fund to the risk that MSTR’s share price decreases. If the share price of MSTR decreases, the Fund will likely lose value and, as a result, the Fund may suffer significant losses. Therefore, as a result of the Fund’s exposure to the value of MSTR, the Fund may also be subject to the following risks:

    Indirect Investment in MSTR Risk. MSTR is not affiliated with the Trust, the Fund, the Adviser or their respective affiliates and is not involved with this offering in any way and has no obligation to consider your Shares in taking any corporate actions that might affect the value of Shares. Investors in the Fund will not have voting rights and will not be able to influence management of MSTR but will be exposed to the performance of MSTR (the underlying stock).

    MSTR Trading Risk. The trading price of MSTR may be highly volatile and could continue to be subject to wide fluctuations in response to various factors.

    MSTR Performance Risk. MSTR may fail to meet its publicly announced guidelines or other expectations about its business, which could cause the price of MSTR to decline.

    Software Industry Risk. The software industry can be significantly affected by intense competition, aggressive pricing, technological innovations, and product obsolescence.

    Bitcoin Risk. While the Fund will not directly invest in digital assets, it will be subject to the risks associated with bitcoin by virtue of its investments in options contracts that reference MSTR.

    Blockchain Risk. Companies involved in the crypto asset industry are subject to the risks associated with blockchain technology, the occurrence of which could negatively impact the value of such companies.

    Derivatives Risks. The Fund’s derivative investments carry risks such as an imperfect match between the derivative’s performance and its underlying assets or index, and the potential for loss of principal, which can exceed the initial investment.

    Swap Agreements. The use of swap transactions is a highly specialized activity, which involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions.

    Options Contracts. The use of options contracts involves investment strategies and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions.

    Leverage Risk: As part of the Fund’s principal investment strategy, the Fund will make investments in swap contracts and options. These derivative instruments provide the economic effect of financial leverage by creating additional investment exposure to the Underlying Securities, as well as the potential for greater loss. If the Fund uses leverage through purchasing derivative instruments, the Fund has the risk that losses may exceed the net assets of the Fund.

    Compounding and Market Volatility Risk. To achieve its objective, the Fund seeks to generate daily returns of approximately 150% to 200% of the performance of MSTR, before fees and expenses. However, due to the effects of compounding, the Fund’s performance over periods longer than a single trading day is likely to differ from this targeted range. Compounding impacts all investments, but the effects are more pronounced for funds that seek leveraged daily returns and rebalance daily.

    High Portfolio Turnover Risk. A high portfolio turnover rate increases transaction costs, which may increase the Fund’s expenses and reduce performance. Frequent trading may also cause adverse tax consequences for investors in the Fund due to an increase in short-term capital gains.

    Non-Diversification Risk. Because the Fund is non-diversified, it may invest a greater percentage of its assets in the securities of a single issuer or a smaller number of issuers than if it was a diversified fund.

    New Fund Risk: As a newly formed fund, it has no operating history, providing limited basis for investors to assess performance or management.

    Brokerage Commissions may be charged on trades.

    Distributed by Foreside Fund Services, LLC.

    David Hanono
    info@defianceetfs.com
    833.333.9383

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/57de3272-466f-49db-a2eb-40c39ff90d7b

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Adnan Zaylani Mohamad Zahid: Next-generation fintech ecosystem – harnessing the full potential of innovation

    Source: Bank for International Settlements

    It is a privilege to be here at Money 20/20 Asia, joining these conversations and discussing the evolving roles of fintech and financial innovation in redefining the future of finance. It also gives me the opportunity to share some perspectives from Malaysia as well as what we gathered from ASEAN meetings that took place in recent weeks. We have only just come out of a series of ASEAN Finance Ministers’ and Central Bank Governors’ meetings held in Kuala Lumpur that focused much on sustainability, climate, and inclusion or well-being, certainly areas of great interest for fintech and financial innovation.

    Indeed, if we look at the past decade, the financial sector has experienced significant advancements in this space, and at the same time, the ASEAN region has emerged as a key player. Propelled by the digital revolution and evolving consumer expectations, technology has rapidly transformed financial services, unlocking new opportunities for inclusion, resilience and efficiency. Today, ASEAN stands as one of the world’s most dynamic regions with a GDP size of US$3.8 trillion1 and a population of more than 650 million. It is also becoming a vibrant fintech landscape that fuels economic activity with improving financial access for millions. The region’s fintech sector has demonstrated remarkable resilience in the face of uneven global funding trends, achieving a more than tenfold increase in fintech funding over the last decade.2 This surge in fintech activity has not only spurred growth in sectors like payments and alternative lending, enhancing financial inclusion, but also played a pivotal role in facilitating regional trade and investment across ASEAN.

    Progress does not come by chance. As a region, ASEAN has come together under the ASEAN Economic Community, aimed at fostering economic and financial advancements. Under Malaysia’s chairmanship this year, for example, we have committed focus towards catalysing financing for climate resilient and a just transition, accelerating growth of our regional capital markets and fostering inclusive instant payment connectivity in ASEAN. We have also committed to greater collaboration and strengthening integration, as a key strategy and mitigation in dealing with rising geopolitical and economic uncertainties.

    Looking ahead, the financial sector will need to play a critical role in supporting ASEAN’s continued economic integration and social advancement. The region is projected to need over USD3 trillion in infrastructure investment by 20403 to sustain growth and improve living standards. Meeting these demands – while also addressing climate goals, demographic shifts, and the digital economy – would require ASEAN’s financial ecosystem to be adaptive and future-ready. This means building a progressive financial sector that is not only resilient and inclusive, but also capable of harnessing the full potential of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), cloud, blockchain, and quantum computing, while managing attendant risks.

    So, the question before us today is: how can we shape our financial ecosystem to further expand the frontiers of financing and meet our future needs as a region? Specifically, I believe this means strengthening the foundation for a collaborative environment that includes:

    1. First, facilitative regulatory frameworks;
    2. Second, fit-for-purpose ecosystem enablers; and
    3. Third, responsible innovation by ecosystem players.

    Allow me to share my reflections on these three aspects.

    Regulators play a vital role in enabling innovation through safeguarding market integrity and public trust. A credible and trusted regulatory framework goes some way in supporting confidence in something new. And as technology rapidly evolves, regulatory approaches must be agile, forward-looking, and anchored on clear principles. To fully harness innovation, a balanced ecosystem with a blend of future-proof technologies, inclusive innovation pathways, and a thriving mix of players is essential. This will go beyond updating rules and regulations. It may even require more principle-based frameworks that can offer clarity and confidence to investors and consumers, a direction increasingly embraced by regulators across ASEAN.

    In Malaysia, our regulatory philosophy is grounded by three key principles:

    1. Parity, to ensure a level playing field for all market participants;
    2. Proportionality, to calibrate regulatory rigour with the level of risk; and
    3. Neutrality, to prioritise desirable outcomes while remaining agnostic to different technologies, systems and approaches.

    This approach allows us to foster a regulatory environment that encourages responsible experimentation and healthy competition. At the same time, we remain alert to new and emerging risks – such as cyber threats, digital fraud, and data privacy concerns – which must be managed to ensure long-term resilience in the financial sector.

    To support innovation while managing the associated risks, an effective tool that has been widely adopted by regulators globally and regionally is the Regulatory Sandbox. The Sandbox model helps innovators refine their solutions while regulators assess its potential risks. Malaysia was among the early adopters of the Regulatory Sandbox globally. Since its inception in 2016, the Sandbox has played a pivotal role in shaping Malaysia’s fintech ecosystem by facilitating innovations such as fully digital account openings, digital insurance and takaful models as well as cross-border remittance solutions. These experiments have informed the development of new frameworks, including the newly launched licensing application for Digital Insurers and Takaful Operators (DITO) aimed at promoting greater inclusion, competition, and efficiency in the insurance and takaful sectors.

    Recognising the growing diversity of innovation, we recently refreshed the Sandbox initiative to introduce two distinct tracks:

    1. A Standard Sandbox with a simplified eligibility assessment process to encourage broader participation; and
    2. A Green Lane with an accelerated pathway for financial institutions with strong risk management capabilities, allowing them to test innovations more swiftly.

    This was followed by a significant increase in the volume and diversity of innovations submitted, with a total of 11 Standard Sandbox and three Green Lane applications received in 2024. Certainly, affirming our perspective that regulators and regulations also need to be agile.

    Looking ahead, we must also be prepared for transformative technologies on the horizon. These include not only AI and digital assets, but also more recent developments such as quantum computing. While at various stages of maturity, these technologies have the potential to further reshape the financial landscape and may require proportionate and appropriate regulatory responses that keep evolving alongside them.

    But none of us can do this alone. The pervasive reach and global nature of these transformative technologies necessitate cross-border approaches. For example, further exploration of joint innovation use cases through cross-border sandboxes can facilitate collaborative experimentation and mutual learning, while a coordinated approach to supervisory oversight is important to ensure a more holistic understanding of risk and collective resilience across economies.

    At the same time, the role of regulators needs to keep evolving. While mandates may remain, the delivery of such mandates in many cases now require whole-of-ecosystem approach, as regulators may need to collaborate more closely with other sectoral regulators or consider expanding the remit of its regulation when other parts in the supply chain can affect the performance of the mandates. A strong collaboration between regulators, industry players, and key stakeholders is also vital to fostering an ecosystem that is innovative and robust. By working together, we can build financial systems that not only embrace technology well but can channel it towards strengthening economic resilience and promoting long-term financial well-being.

    The second pillar underpinning a future-ready financial system is the digital infrastructure. As digital finance becomes increasingly embedded in our everyday life, we must ensure that the right foundational enablers are in place. These include robust digital identity systems that facilitate secured access to financial services, interoperable payment networks that expand inclusion and reduce costs, and real-time fraud prevention capabilities that sustain public trust. Together, I believe these elements lay the foundation for innovative growth.

    Across the globe, countries are at varying stages of developing capabilities for digital financial infrastructure. ASEAN is an active voice and proponent on this pursuit. In 2024, the region made notable strides in strengthening its digital financial infrastructure, focusing particularly on the payments sector. Efforts to enhance cross-border payments connectivity have gained significant momentum across the region, with many countries exploring real-time linkages and multi-currency settlements. Malaysia has been a contributor to this progress, establishing real-time QR payment linkages with Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore and Cambodia, alongside peer-to-peer (P2P) fund transfer capabilities with Singapore and Cambodia. Through these linkages, alongside other bilateral linkages within ASEAN and Asia, customers and businesses benefit from faster, cheaper and more seamless cross-border payments. Looking ahead, Project Nexus – a collaboration with the BIS Innovation Hub and central banks from Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, and India, aims to create a multi-country instant payment network. This will allow users to send cross-border payments using proxies such as mobile phone numbers, reducing costs and promoting regional financial and economic integration.

    The adoption of digital payments – particularly QR-based payments – has also grown significantly in ASEAN. With over 80 e-wallets in ASEAN linking 205 million users and 25 million merchants4, the region is experiencing a transformative shift towards a more digital economy. Malaysia is no exception. Our interoperable QR payment standard, DuitNow QR, has seen widespread adoption, with a 30% increase of QR acceptance points across Malaysia that has contributed to more than two-fold increase in QR transactions in 2024. This success reflects a concerted effort to build an open and efficient payment ecosystem. At the same time, safeguarding public trust remains a top priority. The launch of the National Fraud Portal – a collaboration between Bank Negara Malaysia and Payments Network Malaysia (PayNet), the country’s retail payment system operator – has equipped financial institutions with tools to detect, trace, and freeze suspicious transactions instantaneously. Such initiatives have empowered financial institutions, including our Islamic finance players, to develop more digital and innovative solutions, ensuring the financial sector remains secure.

    Digital transformation is also unlocking unique opportunities to advance innovation in Islamic finance through value-based solutions. Globally, impact-driven finance is gaining traction as investors and institutions seek to better align financial activities with social and environmental outcomes. Islamic finance plays a crucial role in this shift, offering ethical and inclusive financial solutions grounded in principles of sustainability and social responsibility. In Southeast Asia, Islamic finance assets reached USD 859 billion or 17% of the global market in 2023, a growth of 11% from the previous year.5 Building on this momentum and leveraging on the Value-Based Intermediation (VBI) framework, Malaysia continues to support financial intermediation that promotes long-term positive impact. Since its inception in 2017, VBI-aligned initiatives have mobilised nearly RM650 billion (or USD140 billion) through various channels including social finance, impact-based lending, and sustainability-focused sukuk.

    Complementing these efforts, the Islamic fintech sector in ASEAN has experienced rapid growth in recent years, driven by strong demand for Shariah-compliant financial solutions. As of 2024, Southeast Asia is home to 145 Islamic fintech startups, with Malaysia and Indonesia emerging as key hubs. The region accounted for approximately 13.7% of the global Islamic fintech market size in 2024. This growth is now evolving with the entry and expansion of full-fledged Islamic digital banks. In Malaysia, an Islamic digital bank launched its operations last year and another has been approved to commence operations earlier this year, offering Shariah-compliant savings, financing, and lifestyle services entirely via mobile. Similarly in Indonesia, digital Islamic banking is featured to serve the underserved and promote financial inclusion. This trend signals a broader transformation of the Islamic finance landscape in ASEAN – blending tradition with innovation to meet the evolving needs of Muslim consumers.

    Ultimately, stronger regional integration will be a key to unlocking future growth, particularly within the ASEAN region. A well-developed financial ecosystem – comprising both conventional and Islamic finance, supported by digital readiness and progressive regulations – provides fertile ground for competition and innovation. Malaysia’s experience highlights how the right infrastructure and policy environment can empower institutions to build solutions that are not only technologically advanced but also socially meaningful. As we look to the future, the priority for regulators and industry alike is clear: to create a dynamic and inclusive financial sector – one that leverages innovation to strengthen resilience, promote prosperity, and leaves no one behind.

    Innovation flourishes in a collaborative environment where creativity is encouraged, risks are well-managed, and failures are seen as learning opportunities. While regulators establish the foundation for a stable and well-functioning financial system, industry players – including incumbent financial institutions, technology firms, and agile startups – are the true driving force behind financial innovation. Across ASEAN, several financial providers have successfully expanded into areas such as digital payments, micro-lending, and insurance, leveraging their extensive customer networks to enhance financial access for the unserved and underserved such as gig economy workers and small businesses.

    At the same time, growing collaborations between traditional financial institutions and fintech startups have led to innovative product offerings that blend conventional risk management expertise with the speed and adaptability of startups. However, as financial services evolve, these advancements have also introduced new challenges that must be carefully managed to ensure responsible and sustainable innovation.

    Responsible innovation, the third aspect in strengthening our foundations, requires strong governance, sound risk management, and an unwavering commitment to market integrity. Industry leaders must ensure that technological advancements are supported by robust safeguards while continuously strengthening talent and technological capabilities. By doing so, we can welcome new ideas responsibly, challenge the status quo, and continuously seek better ways to serve our customers and communities.

    One key area of focus is Open Finance, which aims to empower consumers by giving them greater control over their personal financial data in an increasingly interconnected financial ecosystem. The success of Open Finance relies on industry leadership in developing safe, responsible, and innovative products that maximise the benefits of data sharing while safeguarding consumer interests. By proactively shaping secure standards and building public confidence in an open ecosystem, financial players can unlock new opportunities for financial inclusion, efficiency and competition.

    Beyond Open Finance, emerging technologies such as alternative credit scoring models and AI-driven lending solutions present significant potential to address longstanding challenges, particularly in bridging financing and protection gaps for underserved communities. Thoughtful product design, strategic partnerships, and improved accessibility will be key to ensuring that these innovations reach those who need them most while maintaining financial system integrity.

    Ultimately, innovation should drive meaningful impact by fostering efficiency, financial inclusion, and economic resilience. However, success depends on two fundamental factors: accessibility and trust. It is crucial to bridge geographical, economic, and digital divides by integrating financial literacy into digital solutions to bring about real, positive change. While regulators will continue to promote financial literacy initiatives, it is equally important for innovators to embed educational elements into everyday financial interactions. Leveraging digital platforms, AI-driven advisory tools, and personalised financial solutions can empower individuals and businesses to navigate an increasingly digital economy – ensuring that innovation remains a force for good, benefiting society as a whole.

    Let me conclude. As we navigate this era of rapid technological transformation, innovation must be both inclusive and purposeful. The advancements we witness today – whether in AI, digital assets, or payments – underscore the importance of a collective commitment to shaping a fintech ecosystem that is dynamic, resilient, and responsive to the real needs of businesses and communities.

    At Bank Negara Malaysia, we believe that responsible innovation is best achieved through collaboration and co-creation – where key stakeholders are brought to the table early to jointly navigate trade-offs and shape practical solutions. Platforms such as the Regulatory Sandbox provide space for innovators to engage with regulators, test emerging technologies, and develop solutions that improve financial access and efficiency. On this, we actively support the exploration of innovative solutions that expand the frontiers of traditional finance in our Sandbox, including in the areas of AI, asset tokenisation, digital insurance, electronic Know-Your-Customer solutions and advanced income estimation models.

    Key global gatherings such as this demonstrate the promise of collaboration in driving progress and innovation. Similarly, throughout this year, events across ASEAN will serve as important platforms for effective dialogue and partnership. In Malaysia, we seek to contribute to this exchange at the MyFintech Week 2025, happening on 4–7 August in Kuala Lumpur. This event, which we organise alongside other regulators and industry players, will bring together thought leaders, innovators, and policymakers in conversation to collectively shape the future of finance.

    We will also have the 9th edition of the Global Islamic Finance Forum and the 2nd Impact Challenge Prize on 6–8 October 2025, aimed to sustain the momentum in advancing financial inclusion and impact-driven solutions by showcasing how Islamic finance can drive business progression while empowering societies. By blending ethical foundations with cutting-edge advancements, the event provides insight into the pathways to sustainable growth, fostering inclusivity, innovation and resilience.

    Finally, as the ASEAN chairman this year, Malaysia looks forward to further advancing ASEAN’s aspirations in deepening regional financial integration and advancing a more connected, sustainable, and inclusive ASEAN financial ecosystem. We all here today have an invaluable role to play in seizing these opportunities, embracing partnerships and ensuring that innovation is grounded in trust, security, and inclusivity.

    Together, we can shape a financial future that is progressive, resilient and forward-looking. Thank you.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: School road safety operation results

    Source: New South Wales – News

    South Australia Police detected multiple speeding, licence and drug offences during a state-wide operation focussed on road safety around school zones.

    Operation Return to School was conducted from Monday 28 to Tuesday 29 April around pick up and drop off times. It focussed on the safety of children and pedestrians around schools at the commencement of a school term.

    Police detected:

    • 37 speeding offences
    • 28 other offences including parking and stopping offences
    • 13 licence and vehicle registration offences
    • Two drug driving offences.

    Police also defected four vehicles.

    Officer in Charge, Traffic Services Branch Superintendent Shane Johnson said police will not tolerate drivers putting vulnerable school children at risk.

    “Drivers are reminded that the speed around school zones is 25 kilometres per hour when children are present and this is for everyone’s safety,” Superintendent Johnson said.

    “During school hours there will be increased traffic in these areas and the lower speed limit provides drivers with more time to react and stop if they need to.

    “Reduced speed limits apply regardless of whether children are on the road, footpath, median strip or on a bicycle.

    “The 25 kilometres per hour speed limit also applies when school crossing lights are flashing and when passing a school bus that has stopped to pick up or drop off children.

    “Speeding drivers are reminded that they not only risk a fine but could cause a serious injury or death.”

    An incident of note involved a 40-year-old woman of Taperoo who tested positive for drug driving within the vicinity of a school zone.

    Drivers can revise speed limits on the My Licence SA website here.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: New Abortion Pill Research Questions Health NZ Advice

    Source: Family First

    MEDIA RELEASE – 2 May 2025
    Family First is calling on the Ministry of Health, Health New Zealand and Medsafe to respond to significant new research coming out of the United States that shows that almost one in nine women have serious adverse events after taking the abortion pill, mifepristone.

    “The sheer scale of adverse events impacting women needs a response from New Zealand health officials, most importantly to let women know there are serious risks with the taking of these drugs” said Bob McCoskrie, Chief Executive of Family First.

    The Ethics and Public Policy Center – a Washington DC-based institute – has released a report entitled “The Abortion Pill Harms Women: Insurance Data Reveals One in Ten Patients Experiences a Serious Adverse Event.”

    The report analysed the all-payer insurance claims database which included 865,727 prescribed mifepristone-induced abortions from 2017 to 2023. Over this period of time, the researchers discovered that 10.93 percent of women experienced sepsis, infection, haemorrhaging, or other serious adverse events within 45 days following the use of the abortion drug, mifepristone.

    “That mifepristone is regularly used and promoted here in New Zealand means the Ministry of Health, Health NZ, and Medsafe have a duty of care to inform women of the real risks of using the drug. Those importing the drug for use must also take responsibility for the real harms this research has uncovered. To continue saying the drug’s use is harmless is demonstrably false and putting women at risk of significant harm” said Mr McCoskrie.

    While pro-abortion advocates will try and point to a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clinical trials study which indicated a 0.5% likelihood of adverse events, this FDA study is now well out of date; based only on clinical trials; and involving only a fraction of the number of people this new research has studied.

    Family First is calling for New Zealand health officials to respond by prioritising women’s health, ensuring the risks of taking mifepristone are clearly spelt out, and that access to the drug is only under a physician’s supervision – not the current situation where the drugs can be obtained over the counter at pharmacies or even via home delivery where there may be very little supervision or after-care.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: ASIA/CAMBODIA – Mercy and fraternity: Pope Francis’ legacy in Cambodia

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Vicariato Apostolico Phnom Penh

    Phnom Penh ( Fides Agency) – Being “apostles of mercy and of the heart of Christ”; being and living the Church “as a space of reconciliation for all.” These are some of the evangelical seeds planted by Pope Francis in the fertile soil of Cambodia, a small country in Southeast Asia, predominantly Buddhist, where the Catholic community numbers about 30,000 faithful out of the country’s 17 million inhabitants, divided into three ecclesiastical districts: one apostolic vicariate and two apostolic prefectures.“We have welcomed more than fifty delegations here in our church in Phnom Penh who wanted to show us their affection and closeness after the Pope’s death: members of the royal government of Cambodia, ambassadors, Buddhist religious leaders,” Bishop Olivier Schmitthaeusler, Apostolic Vicar of Phnom Penh, told Fides. ”They all came to pay their last respects to a pope they had never met, but whose image as a pastor had left a deep impression on them. Of course, the members of our Catholic community prayed and continue to pray unceasingly. The people of God in Cambodia join the universal Church in thanking Pope Francis for his work and continue to pray for him, as he himself often asked.”“His motto ‘miserando atque eligendo’ (Latin for ‘chosen out of mercy’), meaning chosen because he was a forgiven sinner, is certainly the key to understanding his pontificate,” said the Apostolic Vicar. ”And today, it must keep us alert, as he often used to tell us. To young people, he would say: Don’t stay on the couch, don’t retire early. He reminds us all and the world of the painful issues of war, exclusion, the culture of waste, indifference towards the little ones. We have accepted his invitation to see the Church as a ‘field hospital,’” he notes.Regarding the legacy left by Pope Francis in Cambodia, the bishop said: “We appreciate the mission of being apostles of mercy and the heart of Christ. We experienced this during the Year of Mercy, but also now, in the Holy Year of Hope: the Church is a place of reconciliation for all.” He also recalls that “the call to be disciples and missionaries of the joy of the Gospel for all people, as written in Evangelii gaudium, the first text of the pontificate, echoes within us.” In Cambodia, where Catholics are a small flock in a Buddhist country, the approach of “making ourselves brothers and sisters to all, especially the poorest, without forgetting our mother earth, the care for our common home, is particularly important. The encyclicals Laudato si’ and Fratelli tutti have given us valuable guidelines,” he notes. Cambodian believers have also ”greatly appreciated the invitation to be artisans of peace, beginning with their lives at home, in their families, in their villages, in the nation, and throughout the world, by opening the door of mercy in the heart of each person.”Finally, Bishop Schmitthaeusler said, “I would like to remind you of the call to sharpen our gaze in order to recognize the ‘saints next door,’ as stated in the Apostolic Exhortation Gaudete et Exsultate. And here, his appeal at the very beginning of his pontificate greatly encouraged us, when he recalled the martyrs of Cambodia and praised the faith, courage, and perseverance of our shepherds and predecessors.”The Apostolic Vicar quotes a passage from the Acts of the Apostles: “I have no silver or gold, but what I have I give you: in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, stand up and walk!” (Acts 3:6). And he concludes: “Are not these words of Peter to the paralytic the heart of the message of the 266th successor of Peter? Today, during this Easter season, we feel that these words of the Gospel are addressed precisely to us, the small Church of Cambodia, which is called to live communion, participation, and mission in a synodal spirit, so that we may all journey together toward the hope that is the risen Jesus Christ. And we now ask Pope Francis to pray for us.”(PA) ( Fides Agency 1/5/2025)
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    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI: Shell Plc 1st Quarter 2025 Unaudited Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

                                 
    SHELL PLC
    1st QUARTER 2025 UNAUDITED RESULTS    		        
                                             
     
    SUMMARY OF UNAUDITED RESULTS
    Quarters $ million    
    Q1 2025 Q4 2024 Q1 2024 %¹   Reference      
    4,780    928    7,358    +415 Income/(loss) attributable to Shell plc shareholders        
    5,577    3,661    7,734    +52 Adjusted Earnings A      
    15,250    14,281    18,711    +7 Adjusted EBITDA A      
    9,281    13,162    13,330    -29 Cash flow from operating activities        
    (3,959)   (4,431)   (3,528)     Cash flow from investing activities        
    5,322    8,731    9,802      Free cash flow G      
    4,175    6,924    4,493      Cash capital expenditure C      
    8,575    9,401    8,997    -9 Operating expenses F      
    8,453    9,138    9,054    -7 Underlying operating expenses F      
    10.4% 11.3% 12.0%   ROACE D      
    76,511    77,078    79,931      Total debt E      
    41,521    38,809    40,513      Net debt E      
    18.7% 17.7% 17.7%   Gearing E      
    2,838    2,815    2,911    +1 Oil and gas production available for sale (thousand boe/d)        
    0.79    0.15    1.14 +427 Basic earnings per share ($)        
    0.92    0.60    1.20    +53 Adjusted Earnings per share ($) B      
    0.3580    0.3580    0.3440    — Dividend per share ($)        

    1.Q1 on Q4 change

    Quarter Analysis1

    Income attributable to Shell plc shareholders, compared with the fourth quarter 2024, reflected lower exploration well write-offs, lower operating expenses and higher Products margins.

    First quarter 2025 income attributable to Shell plc shareholders also included a charge of $0.5 billion related to the UK Energy Profits Levy and impairment charges. These items are included in identified items amounting to a net loss of $0.8 billion in the quarter. This compares with identified items in the fourth quarter 2024 which amounted to a net loss of $2.8 billion.

    Adjusted Earnings and Adjusted EBITDA2 were driven by the same factors as income attributable to Shell plc shareholders and adjusted for the above identified items.

    Cash flow from operating activities for the first quarter 2025 was $9.3 billion and primarily driven by Adjusted EBITDA, partly offset by tax payments of $2.9 billion and working capital outflows of $2.7 billion. The working capital outflows mainly reflected accounts receivable and payable movements.

    Cash flow from investing activities for the first quarter 2025 was an outflow of $4.0 billion, and included cash capital expenditure of $4.2 billion, and net other investing cash outflows of $0.9 billion which included the drawdowns on loan facilities provided at completion of the sale of The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC) in Nigeria, partly offset by divestment proceeds of $0.6 billion.

    Net debt and Gearing: At the end of the first quarter 2025, net debt was $41.5 billion, compared with $38.8 billion at the end of the fourth quarter 2024. This reflects free cash flow of $5.3 billion, which included working capital outflows of $2.7 billion, more than offset by share buybacks of $3.3 billion, cash dividends paid to Shell plc shareholders of $2.2 billion, lease additions of $1.3 billion including those related to the Pavilion Energy Pte. Ltd. acquisition and interest payments of $0.8 billion. Gearing was 18.7% at the end of the first quarter 2025, compared with 17.7% at the end of the fourth quarter 2024, mainly driven by higher net debt.

    SHELL PLC
    1st QUARTER 2025 UNAUDITED RESULTS

    Shareholder distributions

    Total shareholder distributions in the quarter amounted to $5.5 billion comprising repurchases of shares of $3.3 billion and cash dividends paid to Shell plc shareholders of $2.2 billion. Dividends declared to Shell plc shareholders for the first quarter 2025 amount to $0.3580 per share. Shell has now completed $3.5 billion of share buybacks announced in the fourth quarter 2024 results announcement. Today, Shell announces a share buyback programme of $3.5 billion which is expected to be completed by the second quarter 2025 results announcement.

    This Unaudited Condensed Interim Financial Report, together with supplementary financial and operational disclosure for this quarter, is available at www.shell.com/investors 3.

    1.All earnings amounts are shown post-tax, unless stated otherwise.

    2.Adjusted EBITDA is without interest, taxation, exploration well write-offs and depreciation, depletion and amortisation (DD&A) expenses.

    3.Not incorporated by reference.

    PORTFOLIO DEVELOPMENTS

    Integrated Gas

    In March 2025, we completed the previously announced acquisition of 100% of the shares in Pavilion Energy Pte. Ltd. (Pavilion Energy). Pavilion Energy, headquartered in Singapore, operates a global LNG trading business with contracted supply volume of approximately 6.5 million tonnes per annum (mtpa).

    Upstream

    In January 2025, we announced the start of production at the Shell-operated Whale floating production facility in the Gulf of America. The Whale development is owned by Shell (60%, operator) and Chevron U.S.A. Inc. (40%).

    In February 2025, we announced production restart at the Penguins field in the UK North Sea with a modern floating, production, storage and offloading (FPSO) facility (Shell 50%, operator; NEO Energy 50%). The previous export route for this field was via the Brent Charlie platform, which ceased production in 2021 and is being decommissioned.

    In February 2025, we signed an agreement to acquire a 15.96% working interest from ConocoPhillips Company in the Shell-operated Ursa platform in the Gulf of America. The transaction completed on May 1, 2025 which increases Shell’s working interest in the Ursa platform from 45.3884% to 61.3484%.

    In March 2025, we completed the sale of SPDC to Renaissance, as announced in January 2024.

    In March 2025, we announced the Final Investment Decision (FID) for Gato do Mato, a deep-water project in the pre-salt area of the Santos Basin, offshore Brazil. The Gato do Mato Consortium includes Shell (operator, 50%), Ecopetrol (30%), TotalEnergies (20%) and Pré-Sal Petróleo S.A. (PPSA) acting as the manager of the production sharing contract (PSC).

    Chemicals and Products

    In January 2025, CNOOC and Shell Petrochemicals Company Limited (CSPC), a 50:50 joint venture between Shell and CNOOC Petrochemicals Investment Ltd, took an FID to expand its petrochemical complex in Daya Bay, Huizhou, south China.

    In April 2025, we completed the previously announced sale of our Energy and Chemicals Park in Singapore to CAPGC Pte. Ltd. (CAPGC), a joint venture between Chandra Asri Capital Pte. Ltd. and Glencore Asian Holdings Pte. Ltd.

    In April 2025, we agreed to sell our 16.125% interest in Colonial Enterprises, Inc. (“Colonial”) to Colossus AcquireCo LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Brookfield Infrastructure Partners L.P. and its institutional partners (collectively, “Brookfield”), for $1.45 billion. The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2025.

    Renewables and Energy Solutions

    In January 2025, we completed the previously announced acquisition of a 100% equity stake in RISEC Holdings, LLC, which owns a 609-megawatt (MW) two-unit combined-cycle gas turbine power plant in Rhode Island, USA.

             Page 2

    SHELL PLC
    1st QUARTER 2025 UNAUDITED RESULTS

    PERFORMANCE BY SEGMENT

                                             
                       
    INTEGRATED GAS        
    Quarters $ million                
    Q1 2025 Q4 2024 Q1 2024 %¹   Reference      
    2,789    1,744    2,761    +60 Income/(loss) for the period        
    306    (421)   (919)     Of which: Identified items A      
    2,483    2,165    3,680    +15 Adjusted Earnings A      
    4,735    4,568    6,136    +4 Adjusted EBITDA A      
    3,463    4,391    4,712    -21 Cash flow from operating activities A      
    1,116    1,337    1,041      Cash capital expenditure C      
    126    116    137    +9 Liquids production available for sale (thousand b/d)        
    4,644    4,574    4,954    +2 Natural gas production available for sale (million scf/d)        
    927    905    992    +2 Total production available for sale (thousand boe/d)        
    6.60    7.06    7.58    -6 LNG liquefaction volumes (million tonnes)        
    16.49    15.50    16.87    +6 LNG sales volumes (million tonnes)        

    1.Q1 on Q4 change

    Integrated Gas includes liquefied natural gas (LNG), conversion of natural gas into gas-to-liquids (GTL) fuels and other products. It includes natural gas and liquids exploration and extraction, and the operation of the upstream and midstream infrastructure necessary to deliver these to market. Integrated Gas also includes the marketing, trading and optimisation of LNG.

    Quarter Analysis1

    Income/(loss) for the period was driven by the same factors as Adjusted Earnings and includes identified items.

    Adjusted Earnings, compared with the fourth quarter 2024, reflected lower exploration well write-offs ($277 million), partly offset by lower LNG liquefaction volumes (decrease of $68 million). The net effect of contributions from trading and optimisation and realised prices was in line with the fourth quarter 2024 despite higher unfavourable (non-cash) impact of expiring hedging contracts.

    Identified items in the first quarter 2025 included favourable movements of $362 million due to the fair value accounting of commodity derivatives, that as part of Shell’s normal business are entered into as hedges for mitigation of economic exposures on future purchases, sales and inventory. These favourable movements compare with the fourth quarter 2024 which included impairment charges of $339 million and a loss of $96 million related to sale of assets, partly offset by favourable movements of $109 million due to the fair value accounting of commodity derivatives.

    Adjusted EBITDA2 was driven by the same factors as Adjusted Earnings.

    Cash flow from operating activities for the quarter was primarily driven by Adjusted EBITDA, and net cash inflows related to derivatives of $542 million, partly offset by tax payments of $773 million and working capital outflows of $687 million.

    Total oil and gas production, compared with the fourth quarter 2024, increased by 2% mainly due to lower planned maintenance in Pearl GTL (Qatar), partly offset by unplanned maintenance and weather constraints in Australia. LNG liquefaction volumes decreased by 6% mainly due to unplanned maintenance and weather constraints in Australia.

    1.All earnings amounts are shown post-tax, unless stated otherwise.

    2.Adjusted EBITDA is without interest, taxation, exploration well write-offs and DD&A expenses.

             Page 3

    SHELL PLC
    1st QUARTER 2025 UNAUDITED RESULTS

                                             
                       
    UPSTREAM          
    Quarters $ million                
    Q1 2025 Q4 2024 Q1 2024 %¹   Reference      
    2,080    1,031    2,272    +102 Income/(loss) for the period        
    (257)   (651)   339      Of which: Identified items A      
    2,337    1,682    1,933    +39 Adjusted Earnings A      
    7,387    7,676    7,888    -4 Adjusted EBITDA A      
    3,945    4,509    5,727    -13 Cash flow from operating activities A      
    1,923    2,076    2,010      Cash capital expenditure C      
    1,335    1,332    1,331    — Liquids production available for sale (thousand b/d)        
    3,020    3,056    3,136    -1 Natural gas production available for sale (million scf/d)        
    1,855    1,859    1,872    — Total production available for sale (thousand boe/d)        

    1.Q1 on Q4 change

    The Upstream segment includes exploration and extraction of crude oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids. It also markets and transports oil and gas, and operates the infrastructure necessary to deliver them to the market.

    Quarter Analysis1

    Income/(loss) for the period was driven by the same factors as Adjusted Earnings and includes identified items.

    Adjusted Earnings, compared with the fourth quarter 2024, reflected lower exploration well write-offs ($346 million), lower depreciation, depletion and amortisation expenses (decrease of $330 million), lower operating expenses ($194 million) and comparative favourable tax movements ($179 million), partly offset by lower volumes (decrease of $359 million).

    Identified items in the first quarter 2025 included a charge of $509 million related to the UK Energy Profits Levy, partly offset by gains of $159 million from disposal of assets and gains of $95 million related to the impact of the strengthening Brazilian real on a deferred tax position. These charges and favourable movements compare with the fourth quarter 2024 which included a loss of $161 million related to the impact of the weakening Brazilian real on a deferred tax position, and impairment charges of $152 million.

    Adjusted EBITDA2 was driven by the same factors as Adjusted Earnings.

    Cash flow from operating activities for the first quarter 2025 was primarily driven by Adjusted EBITDA, partly offset by tax payments of $1,999 million and working capital outflows of $913 million.

    Total production, compared with the fourth quarter 2024, decreased mainly due to the SPDC divestment, largely offset by new oil production.

    1.All earnings amounts are shown post-tax, unless stated otherwise.

    2.Adjusted EBITDA is without interest, taxation, exploration well write-offs and DD&A expenses.

             Page 4

    SHELL PLC
    1st QUARTER 2025 UNAUDITED RESULTS

                                             
                       
    MARKETING        
    Quarters $ million                
    Q1 2025 Q4 2024 Q1 2024 %¹   Reference      
    814    103    896    +688 Income/(loss) for the period        
    (49)   (736)   (7)     Of which: Identified items A      
    900    839    781    +7 Adjusted Earnings A      
    1,869    1,709    1,686    +9 Adjusted EBITDA A      
    1,907    1,363    1,319    +40 Cash flow from operating activities A      
    256    811    465      Cash capital expenditure C      
    2,674    2,795    2,763    -4 Marketing sales volumes (thousand b/d)        

    1.Q1 on Q4 change

    The Marketing segment comprises the Mobility, Lubricants, and Sectors and Decarbonisation businesses. The Mobility business operates Shell’s retail network including electric vehicle charging services and the Wholesale commercial fuels business which provides fuels for transport, industry and heating. The Lubricants business produces, markets and sells lubricants for road transport, and machinery used in manufacturing, mining, power generation, agriculture and construction. The Sectors and Decarbonisation business sells fuels, speciality products and services including low-carbon energy solutions to a broad range of commercial customers including the aviation, marine, and agricultural sectors.

    Quarter Analysis1

    Income/(loss) for the period was driven by the same factors as Adjusted Earnings and includes identified items.

    Adjusted Earnings, compared with the fourth quarter 2024, reflected lower operating expenses (decrease of $69 million), and higher Marketing margins (increase of $54 million) mainly due to higher Lubricants unit margins and seasonal impact of higher volumes partly offset by lower Mobility margins due to seasonal impact of lower volumes and lower Sectors and Decarbonisation margins. These net gains were partly offset by unfavourable tax movements ($109 million).

    Identified items in the first quarter 2025 included net losses of $61 million related to sale of assets. These losses compare with the fourth quarter 2024 which included impairment charges of $458 million, and net losses of $247 million related to sale of assets.

    Adjusted EBITDA2 was driven by the same factors as Adjusted Earnings.

    Cash flow from operating activities for the first quarter 2025 was primarily driven by Adjusted EBITDA, inflows relating to the timing impact of payments related to emission certificates and biofuel programmes of $540 million, and dividends (net of profits) from joint ventures and associates of $203 million. These inflows were partly offset by working capital outflows of $344 million and tax payments of $174 million.

    Marketing sales volumes (comprising hydrocarbon sales), compared with the fourth quarter 2024, decreased mainly due to seasonality.

    1.All earnings amounts are shown post-tax, unless stated otherwise.

    2.Adjusted EBITDA is without interest, taxation, exploration well write-offs and DD&A expenses.

             Page 5

    SHELL PLC
    1st QUARTER 2025 UNAUDITED RESULTS

                                             
                       
    CHEMICALS AND PRODUCTS        
    Quarters $ million                
    Q1 2025 Q4 2024 Q1 2024 %¹   Reference      
    (77)   (276)   1,311    +72 Income/(loss) for the period        
    (581)   (99)   (458)     Of which: Identified items A      
    449    (229)   1,615    +296 Adjusted Earnings A      
    1,410    475    2,826    +197 Adjusted EBITDA A      
    130    2,032    (349)   -94 Cash flow from operating activities A      
    458    1,392    500      Cash capital expenditure C      
    1,362    1,215    1,430    +12 Refinery processing intake (thousand b/d)        
    2,813    2,926    2,883    -4 Chemicals sales volumes (thousand tonnes)        

    1.Q1 on Q4 change

    The Chemicals and Products segment includes chemicals manufacturing plants with their own marketing network, and refineries which turn crude oil and other feedstocks into a range of oil products which are moved and marketed around the world for domestic, industrial and transport use. The segment also includes the pipeline business, trading and optimisation of crude oil, oil products and petrochemicals, and Oil Sands activities (the extraction of bitumen from mined oil sands and its conversion into synthetic crude oil).

    Quarter Analysis1

    Income/(loss) for the period was driven by the same factors as Adjusted Earnings and includes identified items.

    Adjusted Earnings, compared with the fourth quarter 2024, reflected higher Products margins (increase of $546 million) mainly driven by higher margins from trading and optimisation and higher refining margins. Adjusted Earnings also reflected higher Chemicals margins (increase of $115 million). In addition, the first quarter 2025 reflected lower operating expenses (decrease of $134 million). These net gains were partly offset by comparative unfavourable tax movements ($96 million).

    In the first quarter 2025, Chemicals had negative Adjusted Earnings of $137 million and Products had positive Adjusted Earnings of $586 million.

    Identified items in the first quarter 2025 included impairment charges of $277 million, and unfavourable movements of $202 million due to the fair value accounting of commodity derivatives, that as part of Shell’s normal business are entered into as hedges for mitigation of economic exposures on future purchases, sales and inventory. These charges and unfavourable movements compare with the fourth quarter 2024 which included impairment charges of $224 million, partly offset by favourable deferred tax movements of $114 million..

    Adjusted EBITDA2 was driven by the same factors as Adjusted Earnings.

    Cash flow from operating activities for the first quarter 2025 was primarily driven by Adjusted EBITDA, and inflows relating to the timing impact of payments relating to emission certificates and biofuel programmes of $125 million. These inflows were partly offset by working capital outflows of $1,081 million, and net cash outflows relating to commodity derivatives of $508 million.

    Chemicals manufacturing plant utilisation was 81% compared with 75% in the fourth quarter 2024, mainly due to lower planned and unplanned maintenance.

    Refinery utilisation was 85% compared with 76% in the fourth quarter 2024, mainly due to lower planned maintenance.

    1.All earnings amounts are shown post-tax, unless stated otherwise.

    2.Adjusted EBITDA is without interest, taxation, exploration well write-offs and DD&A expenses.

             Page 6

    SHELL PLC
    1st QUARTER 2025 UNAUDITED RESULTS

                                             
                       
    RENEWABLES AND ENERGY SOLUTIONS        
    Quarters $ million                
    Q1 2025 Q4 2024 Q1 2024 %¹   Reference      
    (247)   (1,226)   553    +80 Income/(loss) for the period        
    (205)   (914)   390      Of which: Identified items A      
    (42)   (311)   163    +87 Adjusted Earnings A      
    111    (123)   267    +190 Adjusted EBITDA A      
    367    850    2,466    -57 Cash flow from operating activities A      
    403    1,277    438      Cash capital expenditure C      
    76    76    77    +1 External power sales (terawatt hours)2        
    184    165    190    +12 Sales of pipeline gas to end-use customers (terawatt hours)3        

    1.Q1 on Q4 change

    2.Physical power sales to third parties; excluding financial trades and physical trade with brokers, investors, financial institutions, trading platforms, and wholesale traders.

    3.Physical natural gas sales to third parties; excluding financial trades and physical trade with brokers, investors, financial institutions, trading platforms, and wholesale traders. Excluding sales of natural gas by other segments and LNG sales.

    Renewables and Energy Solutions includes activities such as renewable power generation, the marketing and trading and optimisation of power and pipeline gas, as well as carbon credits, and digitally enabled customer solutions. It also includes the production and marketing of hydrogen, development of commercial carbon capture and storage hubs, investment in nature-based projects that avoid or reduce carbon emissions, and Shell Ventures, which invests in companies that work to accelerate the energy and mobility transformation.

    Quarter Analysis1

    Income/(loss) for the period was driven by the same factors as Adjusted Earnings and includes identified items.

    Adjusted Earnings, compared with the fourth quarter 2024, reflected higher margins (increase of $99 million) mainly due to higher trading and optimisation in the Americas as a result of higher seasonal demand and volatility, lower operating expenses (decrease of $90 million) and comparative favourable tax movements ($89 million). Most Renewables and Energy Solutions activities were loss-making in the first quarter 2025, which was partly offset by positive Adjusted Earnings from trading and optimisation.

    Identified items in the first quarter 2025 included a charge of $143 million related to the disposal of assets. These charges compare with the fourth quarter 2024 which included impairment charges of $996 million mainly relating to renewable generation assets in North America, partly offset by favourable movements of $50 million due to the fair value accounting of commodity derivatives, that as part of Shell’s normal business are entered into as hedges for mitigation of economic exposures on future purchases, sales and inventory.

    Adjusted EBITDA2 was driven by the same factors as Adjusted Earnings.

    Cash flow from operating activities for the first quarter 2025 was primarily driven by net cash inflows relating to working capital of $380 million and Adjusted EBITDA, partially offset by outflows related to derivatives of $169 million.

    1.All earnings amounts are shown post-tax, unless stated otherwise.

    2.Adjusted EBITDA is without interest, taxation, exploration well write-offs and DD&A expenses.

    Additional Growth Measures

                                             
    Quarters      
    Q1 2025 Q4 2024 Q1 2024 %¹          
            Renewable power generation capacity (gigawatt):        
    3.5    3.4    3.2    +4 – In operation2        
    4.0    4.0    3.5    -1 – Under construction and/or committed for sale3        

    1.Q1 on Q4 change

    2.Shell’s equity share of renewable generation capacity post commercial operation date. It excludes Shell’s equity share of associates where information cannot be obtained.

    3.Shell’s equity share of renewable generation capacity under construction and/or committed for sale under long-term offtake agreements (PPA). It excludes Shell’s equity share of associates where information cannot be obtained.

             Page 7

    SHELL PLC
    1st QUARTER 2025 UNAUDITED RESULTS

                                     
                 
    CORPORATE      
    Quarters $ million          
    Q1 2025 Q4 2024 Q1 2024   Reference    
    (483)   (335)   (354)   Income/(loss) for the period      
    (26)   45    14    Of which: Identified items A    
    (457)   (380)   (368)   Adjusted Earnings A    
    (261)   (24)   (92)   Adjusted EBITDA A    
    (531)   16    (545)   Cash flow from operating activities A    

    The Corporate segment covers the non-operating activities supporting Shell. It comprises Shell’s holdings and treasury organisation, headquarters and central functions, self-insurance activities and centrally managed longer-term innovation portfolio. All finance expense, income and related taxes are included in Corporate Adjusted Earnings rather than in the earnings of business segments.

    Quarter Analysis1

    Income/(loss) for the period was driven by the same factors as Adjusted Earnings and includes identified items.

    Adjusted Earnings, compared with the fourth quarter 2024, reflected unfavourable currency exchange rate effects, partly offset by lower operating expenses.

    Adjusted EBITDA2 was driven by the same factors as Adjusted Earnings.

    1.All earnings amounts are shown post-tax, unless stated otherwise.

    2.Adjusted EBITDA is without interest, taxation, exploration well write-offs and DD&A expenses.

             Page 8

    SHELL PLC
    1st QUARTER 2025 UNAUDITED RESULTS

    OUTLOOK FOR THE SECOND QUARTER 2025

    Full year 2024 cash capital expenditure was $21 billion. Our cash capital expenditure range for the full year 2025 is expected to be within $20 – $22 billion.

    Integrated Gas production is expected to be approximately 890 – 950 thousand boe/d. LNG liquefaction volumes are expected to be approximately 6.3 – 6.9 million tonnes. Second quarter 2025 outlook reflects scheduled maintenance across the portfolio.

    Upstream production is expected to be approximately 1,560 – 1,760 thousand boe/d. Production outlook reflects the SPDC divestment in March 2025 and the scheduled maintenance across the portfolio.

    Marketing sales volumes are expected to be approximately 2,600 – 3,100 thousand b/d.

    Refinery utilisation is expected to be approximately 87% – 95%. Chemicals manufacturing plant utilisation is expected to be approximately 74% – 82%. Second quarter 2025 utilisation outlook reflects the sale of the Energy and Chemicals Park in Singapore which was completed in April 2025.

    Corporate Adjusted Earnings1 were a net expense of $457 million for the first quarter 2025. Corporate Adjusted Earnings are expected to be a net expense of approximately $400 – $600 million in the second quarter 2025.

    1.For the definition of Adjusted Earnings and the most comparable GAAP measure see reference A.

    FORTHCOMING EVENTS

               
     
    Date Event
    May 20, 2025 Annual General Meeting
    July 31, 2025 Second quarter 2025 results and dividends
    October 30, 2025 Third quarter 2025 results and dividends

             Page 9

    SHELL PLC
    1st QUARTER 2025 UNAUDITED RESULTS

    UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED INTERIM FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

                               
     
    CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF INCOME    
    Quarters $ million  
    Q1 2025 Q4 2024 Q1 2024      
    69,234    66,281    72,478    Revenue1    
    615    (156)   1,318    Share of profit/(loss) of joint ventures and associates    
    302    683    907    Interest and other income/(expenses)2    
    70,152    66,807    74,703    Total revenue and other income/(expenses)    
    45,849    43,610    46,867    Purchases    
    5,549    5,839    5,810    Production and manufacturing expenses    
    2,840    3,231    2,975    Selling, distribution and administrative expenses    
    185    331    212    Research and development    
    210    861    750    Exploration    
    5,441    7,520    5,881    Depreciation, depletion and amortisation2    
    1,120    1,213    1,164    Interest expense    
    61,194    62,605    63,659    Total expenditure    
    8,959    4,205    11,044    Income/(loss) before taxation    
    4,083    3,164    3,604    Taxation charge/(credit)2    
    4,875    1,041    7,439    Income/(loss) for the period    
    95    113    82    Income/(loss) attributable to non-controlling interest    
    4,780    928    7,358    Income/(loss) attributable to Shell plc shareholders    
    0.79    0.15    1.14    Basic earnings per share ($)3    
    0.79    0.15    1.13    Diluted earnings per share ($)3    

    1.See Note 2 “Segment information”.

    2.See Note 7 “Other notes to the unaudited Condensed Consolidated Interim Financial Statements”.

    3.See Note 3 “Earnings per share”.

                               
                 
    CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME    
    Quarters $ million        
    Q1 2025 Q4 2024 Q1 2024      
    4,875    1,041    7,439    Income/(loss) for the period    
          Other comprehensive income/(loss) net of tax:    
          Items that may be reclassified to income in later periods:    
    1,711    (4,899)   (1,995)   – Currency translation differences1    
    6    (11)   (6)   – Debt instruments remeasurements    
    (25)   224    53    – Cash flow hedging gains/(losses)    
    (42)   (50)   (14)   – Deferred cost of hedging    
    74    (91)   (12)   – Share of other comprehensive income/(loss) of joint ventures and associates    
    1,723    (4,827)   (1,974)   Total    
          Items that are not reclassified to income in later periods:    
    306    239    439    – Retirement benefits remeasurements    
    (16)   (50)   78    – Equity instruments remeasurements    
    (36)   46    10    – Share of other comprehensive income/(loss) of joint ventures and associates    
    254    235    528    Total    
    1,977    (4,592)   (1,445)   Other comprehensive income/(loss) for the period    
    6,852    (3,552)   5,994    Comprehensive income/(loss) for the period    
    105    50    56    Comprehensive income/(loss) attributable to non-controlling interest    
    6,748    (3,602)   5,937    Comprehensive income/(loss) attributable to Shell plc shareholders    

    1.See Note 7 “Other notes to the unaudited Condensed Consolidated Interim Financial Statements”.

             Page 10

    SHELL PLC
    1st QUARTER 2025 UNAUDITED RESULTS

                     
     
    CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET
    $ million    
      March 31, 2025 December 31, 2024
    Assets    
    Non-current assets    
    Goodwill 16,072    16,032   
    Other intangible assets1 11,365    9,480   
    Property, plant and equipment 183,712    185,219   
    Joint ventures and associates 24,236    23,445   
    Investments in securities 2,284    2,255   
    Deferred tax 6,989    6,857   
    Retirement benefits 10,266    10,003   
    Trade and other receivables 7,269    6,018   
    Derivative financial instruments² 400    374   
      262,593    259,683   
    Current assets    
    Inventories 22,984    23,426   
    Trade and other receivables 48,247    45,860   
    Derivative financial instruments² 8,941    9,673   
    Cash and cash equivalents 35,601    39,110   
      115,773    118,069   
    Assets classified as held for sale1 10,881    9,857   
      126,654    127,926   
    Total assets 389,248    387,609   
    Liabilities    
    Non-current liabilities    
    Debt 65,120    65,448   
    Trade and other payables 5,487    3,290   
    Derivative financial instruments² 1,565    2,185   
    Deferred tax 13,257    13,505   
    Retirement benefits 6,756    6,752   
    Decommissioning and other provisions 20,313    21,227   
      112,498    112,407   
    Current liabilities    
    Debt 11,391    11,630   
    Trade and other payables 60,870    60,693   
    Derivative financial instruments² 6,371    7,391   
    Income taxes payable 4,343    4,648   
    Decommissioning and other provisions 5,104    4,469   
      88,079    88,831   
    Liabilities directly associated with assets classified as held for sale1 8,001    6,203   
      96,080    95,034   
    Total liabilities 208,578    207,441   
    Equity attributable to Shell plc shareholders 178,813    178,307   
    Non-controlling interest 1,856    1,861   
    Total equity 180,670    180,168   
    Total liabilities and equity 389,248    387,609   

    1.    See Note 7 “Other notes to the unaudited Condensed Consolidated Interim Financial Statements”.

    2.    See Note 6 “Derivative financial instruments and debt excluding lease liabilities”.

             Page 11

    SHELL PLC
    1st QUARTER 2025 UNAUDITED RESULTS

                                                         
     
    CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN EQUITY
      Equity attributable to Shell plc shareholders      
    $ million Share capital1 Shares held in trust Other reserves² Retained earnings Total Non-controlling interest   Total equity
    At January 1, 2025 510    (803)   19,766    158,834    178,307    1,861      180,168   
    Comprehensive income/(loss) for the period —    —    1,967    4,780    6,748    105      6,852   
    Transfer from other comprehensive income —    —    11    (11)   —    —      —   
    Dividends³ —    —    —    (2,179)   (2,179)   (86)     (2,265)  
    Repurchases of shares4 (8)   —    8    (3,513)   (3,513)   —      (3,513)  
    Share-based compensation —    500    (663)   (405)   (567)   —      (567)  
    Other changes —    —    —    23    22    (24)     (2)  
    At March 31, 2025 502    (304)   21,090    157,527    178,813    1,856      180,670   
    At January 1, 2024 544    (997)   21,145    165,915    186,607    1,755      188,362   
    Comprehensive income/(loss) for the period —    —    (1,420)   7,358    5,937    56      5,994   
    Transfer from other comprehensive income —    —    138    (138)   —    —      —   
    Dividends3 —    —    —    (2,210)   (2,210)   (68)     (2,278)  
    Repurchases of shares4 (7)   —    7    (3,502)   (3,502)   —      (3,502)  
    Share-based compensation —    543    (426)   (392)   (275)   —      (275)  
    Other changes —    —    —    8    8    (4)     4   
    At March 31, 2024 537    (455)   19,445    167,038    186,565    1,739      188,304   

    1.    See Note 4 “Share capital”.

    2.    See Note 5 “Other reserves”.

    3.    The amount charged to retained earnings is based on prevailing exchange rates on payment date.

    4.     Includes shares committed to repurchase under an irrevocable contract and repurchases subject to settlement at the end of the quarter.

             Page 12

    SHELL PLC
    1st QUARTER 2025 UNAUDITED RESULTS

                                     
     
    CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS    
    Quarters $ million  
    Q1 2025   Q4 2024 Q1 2024      
    8,959      4,205    11,044    Income before taxation for the period    
            Adjustment for:    
    636      665    576    – Interest expense (net)    
    5,441      7,520    5,881    – Depreciation, depletion and amortisation1    
    28      649    554    – Exploration well write-offs    
    127      288    (10)   – Net (gains)/losses on sale and revaluation of non-current assets and businesses    
    (615)     156    (1,318)   – Share of (profit)/loss of joint ventures and associates    
    523      1,241    738    – Dividends received from joint ventures and associates    
    854      131    (608)   – (Increase)/decrease in inventories    
    (2,610)     751    (195)   – (Increase)/decrease in current receivables    
    (907)     1,524    (1,949)   – Increase/(decrease) in current payables    
    (244)     111    1,386    – Derivative financial instruments    
    (100)     (58)   (61)   – Retirement benefits    
    (480)     (256)   (600)   – Decommissioning and other provisions    
    570      (856)   509    – Other1    
    (2,900)     (2,910)   (2,616)   Tax paid    
    9,281      13,162    13,330    Cash flow from operating activities    
    (3,748)     (6,486)   (3,980)      Capital expenditure    
    (413)     (421)   (500)      Investments in joint ventures and associates    
    (15)     (17)   (13)      Investments in equity securities    
    (4,175)     (6,924)   (4,493)   Cash capital expenditure    
    559      493    323    Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment and businesses    
    33      305    133    Proceeds from joint ventures and associates from sale, capital reduction and repayment of long-term loans    
    5      6    569    Proceeds from sale of equity securities    
    508      581    577    Interest received    
    506      1,762    857    Other investing cash inflows    
    (1,394)     (655)   (1,494)   Other investing cash outflows1    
    (3,959)     (4,431)   (3,528)   Cash flow from investing activities    
    80      65    (107)   Net increase/(decrease) in debt with maturity period within three months    
            Other debt:    
    139      (13)   167    – New borrowings    
    (2,514)     (2,664)   (1,532)   – Repayments    
    (846)     (1,379)   (911)   Interest paid    
    326      (833)   (297)   Derivative financial instruments    
    (25)     (10)   (4)   Change in non-controlling interest    
            Cash dividends paid to:    
    (2,179)     (2,114)   (2,210)   – Shell plc shareholders    
    (86)     (53)   (68)   – Non-controlling interest    
    (3,311)     (3,579)   (2,824)   Repurchases of shares    
    (768)     (309)   (462)   Shares held in trust: net sales/(purchases) and dividends received    
    (9,183)     (10,889)   (8,248)   Cash flow from financing activities    
    353      (985)   (379)   Effects of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents    
    (3,509)     (3,142)   1,175    Increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents    
    39,110      42,252    38,774    Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period    
    35,601      39,110    39,949    Cash and cash equivalents at end of period    

    1.See Note 7 “Other notes to the unaudited Condensed Consolidated Interim Financial Statements”.

             Page 13

    SHELL PLC
    1st QUARTER 2025 UNAUDITED RESULTS

    NOTES TO THE UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED INTERIM FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

    1. Basis of preparation

    These unaudited Condensed Consolidated Interim Financial Statements of Shell plc (“the Company”) and its subsidiaries (collectively referred to as “Shell”) have been prepared in accordance with IAS 34 Interim Financial Reporting as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board (“IASB”) and adopted by the UK, and on the basis of the same accounting principles as those used in the Company’s Annual Report and Accounts (pages 240 to 312) for the year ended December 31, 2024, as filed with the Registrar of Companies for England and Wales and as filed with the Autoriteit Financiële Markten (the Netherlands) and Form 20-F (pages 223 to 296) for the year ended December 31, 2024, as filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, and should be read in conjunction with these filings.

    The financial information presented in the unaudited Condensed Consolidated Interim Financial Statements does not constitute statutory accounts within the meaning of section 434(3) of the Companies Act 2006 (“the Act”). Statutory accounts for the year ended December 31, 2024, were published in Shell’s Annual Report and Accounts, a copy of which was delivered to the Registrar of Companies for England and Wales. The auditor’s report on those accounts was unqualified, did not include a reference to any matters to which the auditor drew attention by way of emphasis without qualifying the report and did not contain a statement under sections 498(2) or 498(3) of the Act.

    Key accounting considerations, significant judgements and estimates

    Future commodity price assumptions and management’s view on the future development of refining and chemicals margins represent a significant estimate and were subject to change in 2024. These assumptions continue to apply for impairment testing purposes in the first quarter 2025. As per the normal process outlined in the 2024 Annual Report and Accounts and Form 20-F, these assumptions are subject to review later this year.

    The discount rates applied for impairment testing and the discount rate applied to provisions are reviewed on a regular basis. Both discount rates applied in the first quarter 2025 remain unchanged compared with 2024.

    2. Segment information

    With effect from January 1, 2025, segment earnings are presented on an Adjusted Earnings basis (Adjusted Earnings), which is the earnings measure used by the Chief Executive Officer, who serves as the Chief Operating Decision Maker, for the purposes of making decisions about allocating resources and assessing performance. This aligns with Shell’s focus on performance, discipline and simplification.

    The Adjusted Earnings measure is presented on a current cost of supplies (CCS) basis and aims to facilitate a comparative understanding of Shell’s financial performance from period to period by removing the effects of oil price changes on inventory carrying amounts and removing the effects of identified items. Identified items are in some cases driven by external factors and may, either individually or collectively, hinder the comparative understanding of Shell’s financial results from period to period.

    The segment earnings measure used until December 31, 2024 was CCS earnings. The difference between CCS earnings and Adjusted Earnings are the identified items. Comparative periods are presented below on an Adjusted Earnings basis.

             Page 14

    SHELL PLC
    1st QUARTER 2025 UNAUDITED RESULTS

                               
     
    REVENUE AND ADJUSTED EARNINGS BY SEGMENT    
    Quarters $ million  
    Q1 2025 Q4 2024 Q1 2024      
          Third-party revenue    
    9,602    9,294    9,195    Integrated Gas    
    1,510    1,652    1,759    Upstream    
    27,083    27,524    30,041    Marketing    
    21,610    19,992    23,735    Chemicals and Products    
    9,417    7,808    7,737    Renewables and Energy Solutions    
    12    10    11    Corporate    
    69,234    66,281    72,478    Total third-party revenue1    
          Inter-segment revenue    
    2,675    2,024    2,404    Integrated Gas    
    9,854    9,931    10,287    Upstream    
    1,849    984    1,355    Marketing    
    8,255    8,656    10,312    Chemicals and Products    
    1,164    1,879    1,005    Renewables and Energy Solutions    
    —    —    —    Corporate    
          Adjusted Earnings    
    2,483    2,165    3,680    Integrated Gas    
    2,337    1,682    1,933    Upstream    
    900    839    781    Marketing    
    449    (229)   1,615    Chemicals and Products    
    (42)   (311)   163    Renewables and Energy Solutions    
    (457)   (380)   (368)   Corporate    
    5,670    3,766    7,804    Total Adjusted Earnings2    
    5,577    3,661    7,734    Adjusted Earnings attributable to Shell plc shareholders    
    94    106    70    Adjusted Earnings attributable to non-controlling interest    

    1.Includes revenue from sources other than from contracts with customers, which mainly comprises the impact of fair value accounting of commodity derivatives.

    2.See Reconciliation of income for the period to Adjusted Earnings below.

             Page 15

    SHELL PLC
    1st QUARTER 2025 UNAUDITED RESULTS

    Cash capital expenditure is a measure used by the Chief Executive Officer for the purposes of making decisions about allocating resources and assessing performance.

                               
     
    CASH CAPITAL EXPENDITURE BY SEGMENT
    Quarters $ million  
    Q1 2025 Q4 2024 Q1 2024      
          Capital expenditure    
    943    1,123    858    Integrated Gas    
    1,727    2,205    1,766    Upstream    
    252    798    427    Marketing    
    451    1,121    474    Chemicals and Products    
    358    1,214    421    Renewables and Energy Solutions    
    17    25    34    Corporate    
    3,748    6,486    3,980    Total capital expenditure    
          Add: Investments in joint ventures and associates    
    174    214    184    Integrated Gas    
    197    (117)   244    Upstream    
    4    13    38    Marketing    
    7    271    26    Chemicals and Products    
    30    36    8    Renewables and Energy Solutions    
    1    4    —    Corporate    
    413    421    500    Total investments in joint ventures and associates    
          Add: Investments in equity securities    
    —    —    —    Integrated Gas    
    —    (11)   —    Upstream    
    —    —    —    Marketing    
    —    —    —    Chemicals and Products    
    14    28    10    Renewables and Energy Solutions    
    —    —    3    Corporate    
    15    17    13    Total investments in equity securities    
          Cash capital expenditure    
    1,116    1,337    1,041    Integrated Gas    
    1,923    2,076    2,010    Upstream    
    256    811    465    Marketing    
    458    1,392    500    Chemicals and Products    
    403    1,277    438    Renewables and Energy Solutions    
    19    30    37    Corporate    
    4,175    6,924    4,493    Total Cash capital expenditure    

             Page 16

    SHELL PLC
    1st QUARTER 2025 UNAUDITED RESULTS

                               
                 
    RECONCILIATION OF INCOME FOR THE PERIOD TO ADJUSTED EARNINGS    
    Quarters $ million        
    Q1 2025 Q4 2024 Q1 2024      
    4,780    928    7,358    Income/(loss) attributable to Shell plc shareholders    
    95    113    82    Income/(loss) attributable to non-controlling interest    
    4,875    1,041    7,439    Income/(loss) for the period    
    (15)   (75)   (360)   Add: Current cost of supplies adjustment before taxation    
    (2)   23    84    Add: Tax on current cost of supplies adjustment    
    (510) (3,008) (1,244) Less: Identified items adjustment before taxation    
    301 (230) (604) Add: Tax on identified items adjustment    
    5,670    3,766    7,804    Adjusted Earnings    
    5,577    3,661    7,734    Adjusted Earnings attributable to Shell plc shareholders    
    94    106    70    Adjusted Earnings attributable to non-controlling interest    

    Identified items

    The objective of identified items is to remove material impacts on net income/loss arising from transactions which are generally uncontrollable and unusual (infrequent or non-recurring) in nature or giving rise to a mismatch between accounting and economic results, or certain transactions that are generally excluded from underlying results in the industry.

    Identified items comprise: divestment gains and losses, impairments and impairment reversals, redundancy and restructuring, fair value accounting of commodity derivatives and certain gas contracts that gives rise to a mismatch between accounting and economic results, the impact of exchange rate movements and inflationary adjustments on certain deferred tax balances, and other items.

                                                   
     
    Q1 2025 $ million
      Total Integrated Gas Upstream Marketing Chemicals and Products Renewables and Energy Solutions Corporate
    Identified items included in Income/(loss) before taxation              
    Divestment gains/(losses) (106) (1) 154 (57) (15) (187) —
    Impairment reversals/(impairments) (341) — (21) 10 (293) (38) —
    Redundancy and restructuring (44) (1) (15) (9) (13) (9) 4
    Fair value accounting of commodity derivatives and certain gas contracts1 194 420 (1) 12 (258) 20 —
    Other2 (212) (70) 4 — (101) (46) —
    Total identified items included in Income/(loss) before taxation (510) 348 121 (44) (679) (260) 4
    Less: Total identified items included in Taxation charge/(credit) 301 43 378 4 (99) (54) 29
    Identified items included in Income/(loss) for the period              
    Divestment gains/(losses) (208) — 8 (61) (12) (143) —
    Impairment reversals/(impairments) (317) — (15) 6 (277) (31) —
    Redundancy and restructuring (24) (1) (5) (1) (12) (7) 2
    Fair value accounting of commodity derivatives and certain gas contracts1 187 362 — 7 (202) 20 —
    Impact of exchange rate movements and inflationary adjustments on tax balances3 108 4 132 — — — (28)
    Other2 (558) (59) (377) — (77) (45) —
    Impact on Adjusted Earnings (811) 306 (257) (49) (581) (205) (26)
    Impact on Adjusted Earnings attributable to non-controlling interest — — — — — — —
    Impact on Adjusted Earnings attributable to Shell plc shareholders (811) 306 (257) (49) (581) (205) (26)

    1.Fair value accounting of commodity derivatives and certain gas contracts: In the ordinary course of business, Shell enters into contracts to supply or purchase oil and gas products, as well as power and environmental products. Shell also enters into contracts for tolling, pipeline and storage capacity. Derivative contracts are entered into for mitigation of resulting economic exposures (generally price exposure) and these derivative contracts are carried at period-end

             Page 17

    SHELL PLC
    1st QUARTER 2025 UNAUDITED RESULTS

    market price (fair value), with movements in fair value recognised in income for the period. Supply and purchase contracts entered into for operational purposes, as well as contracts for tolling, pipeline and storage capacity, are, by contrast, recognised when the transaction occurs; furthermore, inventory is carried at historical cost or net realisable value, whichever is lower. As a consequence, accounting mismatches occur because: (a) the supply or purchase transaction is recognised in a different period; or (b) the inventory is measured on a different basis. In addition, certain contracts are, due to pricing or delivery conditions, deemed to contain embedded derivatives or written options and are also required to be carried at fair value even though they are entered into for operational purposes. The accounting impacts are reported as identified items.

    2.Other identified items represent other credits or charges that based on Shell management’s assessment hinder the comparative understanding of Shell’s financial results from period to period.

    3.Impact of exchange rate movements and inflationary adjustments on tax balances represents the impact on tax balances of exchange rate movements and inflationary adjustments arising on: (a) the conversion to dollars of the local currency tax base of non-monetary assets and liabilities, as well as recognised tax losses (this primarily impacts the Integrated Gas and Upstream segments); and (b) the conversion of dollar-denominated inter-segment loans to local currency, leading to taxable exchange rate gains or losses (this primarily impacts the Corporate segment).

                                                   
     
    Q4 2024 $ million
      Total Integrated Gas Upstream Marketing Chemicals and Products Renewables and Energy Solutions Corporate
    Identified items included in Income/(loss) before taxation              
    Divestment gains/(losses) (288) (99) (66) (216) 42 51 —
    Impairment reversals/(impairments) (2,554) (523) (183) (493) (288) (1,065) (1)
    Redundancy and restructuring (175) (27) (62) (70) (5) (11) (1)
    Fair value accounting of commodity derivatives and certain gas contracts1 209 136 (14) 58 (38) 67 —
    Other1 (200) — (165) (33) (2) — —
    Total identified items included in Income/(loss) before taxation (3,008) (514) (491) (753) (291) (958) (2)
    Less: Total identified items included in Taxation charge/(credit) (230) (92) 160 (17) (191) (43) (47)
    Identified items included in Income/(loss) for the period              
    Divestment gains/(losses) (321) (96) (51) (247) 33 40 —
    Impairment reversals/(impairments) (2,170) (339) (152) (458) (224) (996) (1)
    Redundancy and restructuring (115) (16) (34) (52) (3) (8) (1)
    Fair value accounting of commodity derivatives and certain gas contracts1 184 109 (4) 46 (17) 50 —
    Impact of exchange rate movements and inflationary adjustments on tax balances1 (210) (57) (199) — — — 46
    Other1 (147) (22) (212) (25) 113 — —
    Impact on Adjusted Earnings (2,778) (421) (651) (736) (99) (914) 45
    Impact on Adjusted Earnings attributable to non-controlling interest — — — — — — —
    Impact on Adjusted Earnings attributable to Shell plc shareholders (2,778) (421) (651) (736) (99) (914) 45

    1.For a detailed description, see the corresponding footnotes to the Q1 2025 identified items table above.

             Page 18

    SHELL PLC
    1st QUARTER 2025 UNAUDITED RESULTS

                                                   
     
    Q1 2024 $ million
      Total Integrated Gas Upstream Marketing Chemicals and Products Renewables and Energy Solutions Corporate
    Identified items included in Income/(loss) before taxation              
    Divestment gains/(losses) 10 (3) 27 (15) (9) 10 —
    Impairment reversals/(impairments) (227) (8) (96) (4) (178) 59 —
    Redundancy and restructuring (74) (1) (13) (20) (18) (15) (6)
    Fair value accounting of commodity derivatives and certain gas contracts1 (1,079) (1,068) (2) 6 (416) 400 —
    Other1 126 4 38 23 45 16 —
    Total identified items included in Income/(loss) before taxation (1,244) (1,075) (46) (11) (575) 469 (6)
    Less: Total identified items included in Taxation charge/(credit) (604) (157) (385) (4) (118) 80 (20)
    Identified items included in Income/(loss) for the period              
    Divestment gains/(losses) (4) (2) 10 (11) (7) 6 —
    Impairment reversals/(impairments) (186) (5) (102) (3) (152) 77 —
    Redundancy and restructuring (53) (1) (9) (15) (14) (11) (4)
    Fair value accounting of commodity derivatives and certain gas contracts1 (896) (887) — 5 (319) 306 —
    Impact of exchange rate movements and inflationary adjustments on tax balances1 403 (27) 412 — — — 18
    Other1 95 3 28 17 34 12 —
    Impact on Adjusted Earnings (641) (919) 339 (7) (458) 390 14
    Impact on Adjusted Earnings attributable to non-controlling interest — — — — — — —
    Impact on Adjusted Earnings attributable to Shell plc shareholders (641) (919) 339 (7) (458) 390 14

    1.For a detailed description, see the corresponding footnotes to the Q1 2025 identified items table above.

    The identified items categories above may include after-tax impacts of identified items of joint ventures and associates which are fully reported within “Share of profit/(loss) of joint ventures and associates” in the Consolidated Statement of Income, and fully reported as identified items included in Income/(loss) before taxation in the table above. Identified items related to subsidiaries are consolidated and reported across appropriate lines of the Consolidated Statement of Income.

    3. Earnings per share

                               
     
    EARNINGS PER SHARE
    Quarters    
    Q1 2025 Q4 2024 Q1 2024      
    4,780    928    7,358    Income/(loss) attributable to Shell plc shareholders ($ million)    
               
          Weighted average number of shares used as the basis for determining:    
    6,033.5    6,148.4    6,440.1    Basic earnings per share (million)    
    6,087.8    6,213.9    6,504.3    Diluted earnings per share (million)    

             Page 19

    SHELL PLC
    1st QUARTER 2025 UNAUDITED RESULTS

    4. Share capital

                             
     
    ISSUED AND FULLY PAID ORDINARY SHARES OF €0.07 EACH
      Number of shares   Nominal value
    ($ million)
    At January 1, 2025 6,115,031,158      510     
    Repurchases of shares (98,948,766)     (8)    
    At March 31, 2025 6,016,082,392      502     
    At January 1, 2024 6,524,109,049      544     
    Repurchases of shares (88,893,999)     (7)    
    At March 31, 2024 6,435,215,050      537     

    At Shell plc’s Annual General Meeting on May 21, 2024, the Board was authorised to allot ordinary shares in Shell plc, and to grant rights to subscribe for, or to convert, any security into ordinary shares in Shell plc, up to an aggregate nominal amount of approximately €150 million (representing approximately 2,147 million ordinary shares of €0.07 each), and to list such shares or rights on any stock exchange. This authority expires at the earlier of the close of business on August 20, 2025, or the end of the Annual General Meeting to be held in 2025, unless previously renewed, revoked or varied by Shell plc in a general meeting.

    5. Other reserves

                                             
     
    OTHER RESERVES
    $ million Merger reserve Share premium reserve Capital redemption reserve Share plan reserve Accumulated other comprehensive income Total
    At January 1, 2025 37,298    154    270    1,417    (19,373)   19,766   
    Other comprehensive income/(loss) attributable to Shell plc shareholders —    —    —    —    1,967    1,967   
    Transfer from other comprehensive income —    —    —    —    11    11   
    Repurchases of shares —    —    8    —    —    8   
    Share-based compensation —    —    —    (663)   —    (663)  
    At March 31, 2025 37,298    154    279    754    (17,394)   21,090   
    At January 1, 2024 37,298    154    236    1,308    (17,851)   21,145   
    Other comprehensive income/(loss) attributable to Shell plc shareholders —    —    —    —    (1,420)   (1,420)  
    Transfer from other comprehensive income —    —    —    —    138    138   
    Repurchases of shares —    —    7    —    —    7   
    Share-based compensation —    —    —    (426)   —    (426)  
    At March 31, 2024 37,298    154    244    882    (19,132)   19,445   

    The merger reserve and share premium reserve were established as a consequence of Shell plc (formerly Royal Dutch Shell plc) becoming the single parent company of Royal Dutch Petroleum Company and The “Shell” Transport and Trading Company, p.l.c., now The Shell Transport and Trading Company Limited, in 2005. The merger reserve increased in 2016 following the issuance of shares for the acquisition of BG Group plc. The capital redemption reserve was established in connection with repurchases of shares of Shell plc. The share plan reserve is in respect of equity-settled share-based compensation plans.

    6. Derivative financial instruments and debt excluding lease liabilities

    As disclosed in the Consolidated Financial Statements for the year ended December 31, 2024, presented in the Annual Report and Accounts and Form 20-F for that year, Shell is exposed to the risks of changes in fair value of its financial assets and liabilities. The fair values of the financial assets and liabilities are defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. Methods and assumptions used to estimate the fair values at March 31, 2025, are consistent with those used in the year ended December 31, 2024, though the carrying amounts of derivative financial instruments have changed since that date.

             Page 20

    SHELL PLC
    1st QUARTER 2025 UNAUDITED RESULTS

    The movement of the derivative financial instruments between December 31, 2024 and March 31, 2025 is a decrease of $732 million for the current assets and a decrease of $1,020 million for the current liabilities.

    The table below provides the comparison of the fair value with the carrying amount of debt excluding lease liabilities, disclosed in accordance with IFRS 7 Financial Instruments: Disclosures.

                     
     
    DEBT EXCLUDING LEASE LIABILITIES
    $ million March 31, 2025 December 31, 2024
    Carrying amount1 48,023    48,376   
    Fair value2 44,240    44,119   

    1.    Shell issued no debt under the US shelf or under the Euro medium-term note programmes during the first quarter 2025.

    2.     Mainly determined from the prices quoted for these securities.

    7. Other notes to the unaudited Condensed Consolidated Interim Financial Statements

    Consolidated Statement of Income

    Interest and other income

                               
     
    Quarters $ million  
    Q1 2025 Q4 2024 Q1 2024      
    302    683    907    Interest and other income/(expenses)    
          Of which:    
    481    548    588    Interest income    
    1    25    23    Dividend income (from investments in equity securities)    
    (127)   (288)   10    Net gains/(losses) on sales and revaluation of non-current assets and businesses    
    (137)   267    66    Net foreign exchange gains/(losses) on financing activities    
    85    131    219    Other    

    Depreciation, depletion and amortisation

                               
     
    Quarters $ million  
    Q1 2025 Q4 2024 Q1 2024      
    5,441    7,520    5,881    Depreciation, depletion and amortisation    
          Of which:    
    5,130 5,829 5,654 Depreciation    
    311 1,797 382 Impairments    
    (1) (106) (154) Impairment reversals    

    Impairments recognised in the first quarter 2025 of $311 million pre-tax ($287 million post-tax) principally relate to Chemicals and Products.

    Impairments recognised in the fourth quarter 2024 of $2,659 million pre-tax ($2,245 million post-tax), of which $1,797 million recognised in depreciation, depletion and amortisation and $863 million recognised in share of profit of joint ventures and associates, mainly relate to Renewables and Energy Solutions ($1,068 million pre-tax; $1,000 million post-tax), Integrated Gas ($532 million pre-tax; $345 million post-tax), Marketing ($495 million pre-tax; $459 million post-tax), Chemicals and Products ($315 million pre-tax; $247 million post-tax) and Upstream ($248 million pre-tax; $194 million post-tax).

    Impairments recognised in the first quarter 2024 of $382 million pre-tax ($332 million post-tax) include smaller

    impairments in various segments.

             Page 21

    SHELL PLC
    1st QUARTER 2025 UNAUDITED RESULTS

    Taxation charge/credit

                               
     
    Quarters $ million  
    Q1 2025 Q4 2024 Q1 2024      
    4,083    3,164    3,604    Taxation charge/(credit)    
          Of which:    
    4,024 3,125 3,525 Income tax excluding Pillar Two income tax    
    59 39 79 Income tax related to Pillar Two income tax    

    As required by IAS 12 Income Taxes, Shell has applied the exception to recognising and disclosing information about deferred tax assets and liabilities related to Pillar Two income taxes.

    Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income

    Currency translation differences

                               
     
    Quarters $ million  
    Q1 2025 Q4 2024 Q1 2024      
    1,711    (4,899)   (1,995)   Currency translation differences    
          Of which:    
    1,618 (5,028) (1,983) Recognised in Other comprehensive income    
    92 129 (12) (Gain)/loss reclassified to profit or loss    

    Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet

    Other intangible assets

                       
       
    $ million      
      March 31, 2025 December 31, 2024  
    Other intangible assets 11,365    9,480     
           

    The increase in other intangible assets as at March 31, 2025 compared with December 31, 2024 is mainly related to initial recognition at fair value of favourable LNG, gas offtake and sales contracts. These were recognised following completion of the acquisition of Pavilion Energy Pte. Ltd. during the first quarter 2025. The fair value of unfavourable LNG, gas offtake and sales contracts acquired was recognised under trade and other payables.

    Assets classified as held for sale

                       
       
    $ million      
      March 31, 2025 December 31, 2024  
    Assets classified as held for sale 10,881    9,857     
    Liabilities directly associated with assets classified as held for sale 8,001    6,203     

    Assets classified as held for sale and associated liabilities at March 31, 2025 principally relate to Shell’s UK offshore oil and gas assets in Upstream, mining interests in Canada and an energy and chemicals park in Singapore, both in Chemicals and Products. Upon completion of the sale, Shell’s UK offshore assets will be derecognised in exchange for a 50% interest in a newly formed joint venture.

    The major classes of assets and liabilities classified as held for sale at March 31, 2025, are Property, plant and equipment ($8,866 million; December 31, 2024: $8,283 million), Inventories ($1,003 million; December 31, 2024: $1,180 million), Decommissioning and other provisions ($3,228 million; December 31, 2024: $3,053 million), deferred tax liabilities ($2,823 million; December 31, 2024: $2,042 million), Trade and other payables ($1,000 million; December 31, 2024: $484 million) and Debt ($839 million; December 31, 2024: $624 million).

             Page 22

    SHELL PLC
    1st QUARTER 2025 UNAUDITED RESULTS

    Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows

    Cash flow from operating activities – Other

                               
     
    Quarters $ million  
    Q1 2025 Q4 2024 Q1 2024      
    570    (856)   509    Other    

    ‘Cash flow from operating activities – Other’ for the first quarter 2025 includes $652 million of net inflows (fourth quarter 2024: $1,447 million net outflows; first quarter 2024: $188 million net inflows) due to the timing of payments relating to emission certificates and biofuel programmes in Europe and North America and $255 million in relation to reversal of currency exchange gains on Cash and cash equivalents (fourth quarter 2024: $672 million losses; first quarter 2024: $253 million losses).

    Cash flow from investing activities – Other investing cash outflows

                               
     
    Quarters $ million  
    Q1 2025 Q4 2024 Q1 2024      
    (1,394)   (655)   (1,494)   Other investing cash outflows    

    ‘Cash flow from investing activities – Other investing cash outflows’ for the first quarter 2025 includes $818 million secured term loans provided to The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC) upon completion of the sale of SPDC. The first quarter 2024 includes $645 million of debt securities acquired in the Corporate segment.

    8. Reconciliation of Operating expenses and Total Debt

                               
     
    RECONCILIATION OF OPERATING EXPENSES    
    Quarters $ million  
    Q1 2025 Q4 2024 Q1 2024      
    5,549    5,839    5,810    Production and manufacturing expenses    
    2,840    3,231    2,975    Selling, distribution and administrative expenses    
    185    331    212    Research and development    
    8,575    9,401    8,997    Operating expenses    
                               
                 
    RECONCILIATION OF TOTAL DEBT    
    March 31, 2025 December 31, 2024 March 31, 2024 $ million    
    11,391    11,630    11,046    Current debt    
    65,120    65,448    68,886    Non-current debt    
    76,511    77,078    79,931    Total debt    

             Page 23

    SHELL PLC
    1st QUARTER 2025 UNAUDITED RESULTS

    ALTERNATIVE PERFORMANCE (NON-GAAP) MEASURES

    A.Adjusted Earnings, Adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (“Adjusted EBITDA”) and Cash flow from operating activities

    The “Adjusted Earnings” measure aims to facilitate a comparative understanding of Shell’s financial performance from period to period by removing the effects of oil price changes on inventory carrying amounts and removing the effects of identified items. These items are in some cases driven by external factors and may, either individually or collectively, hinder the comparative understanding of Shell’s financial results from period to period. This measure excludes earnings attributable to non-controlling interest when presenting the total Shell Group result but includes these items when presenting individual segment Adjusted Earnings as set out in the table below.

    We define “Adjusted EBITDA” as “Income/(loss) for the period” adjusted for current cost of supplies; identified items; tax charge/(credit); depreciation, amortisation and depletion; exploration well write-offs and net interest expense. All items include the non-controlling interest component. Management uses this measure to evaluate Shell’s performance in the period and over time.

                                                   
     
    Q1 2025 $ million
      Total Integrated Gas Upstream Marketing Chemicals and Products Renewables and Energy Solutions Corporate
    Income/(loss) for the period 4,875 2,789 2,080 814 (77) (247) (483)
    Add: Current cost of supplies adjustment before taxation (15)     52 (67)    
    Add: Tax on current cost of supplies adjustment (2)     (14) 12    
    Less: Identified items (811) 306 (257) (49) (581) (205) (26)
    Less: Income/(loss) attributable to non-controlling interest 95            
    Less: Current cost of supplies adjustment attributable to non-controlling interest (1)            
    Add: Identified items attributable to non-controlling interest —            
    Adjusted Earnings 5,577            
    Add: Non-controlling interest 94            
    Adjusted Earnings plus non-controlling interest 5,670 2,483 2,337 900 449 (42) (457)
    Add: Taxation charge/(credit) excluding tax impact of identified items 3,784 803 2,619 391 99 63 (191)
    Add: Depreciation, depletion and amortisation excluding impairments 5,130 1,404 2,213 566 852 90 6
    Add: Exploration well write-offs 28 — 29        
    Add: Interest expense excluding identified items 1,119 51 200 12 14 2 841
    Less: Interest income 481 4 11 — 4 2 461
    Adjusted EBITDA 15,250 4,735 7,387 1,869 1,410 111 (261)
    Less: Current cost of supplies adjustment before taxation (15)     52 (67)    
    Joint ventures and associates (dividends received less profit) (178) (286) (159) 203 54 10 —
    Derivative financial instruments (38) 542 14 10 (508) (169) 73
    Taxation paid (2,900) (773) (1,999) (174) 63 52 (68)
    Other (206) (68) (386) 396 125 (17) (257)
    (Increase)/decrease in working capital (2,663) (687) (913) (344) (1,081) 380 (19)
    Cash flow from operating activities 9,281 3,463 3,945 1,907 130 367 (531)

             Page 24

    SHELL PLC
    1st QUARTER 2025 UNAUDITED RESULTS

                                                   
     
    Q4 2024 $ million
      Total Integrated Gas Upstream Marketing Chemicals and Products Renewables and Energy Solutions Corporate
    Income/(loss) for the period 1,041 1,744 1,031 103 (276) (1,226) (335)
    Add: Current cost of supplies adjustment before taxation (75)     (2) (73)    
    Add: Tax on current cost of supplies adjustment 23     2 21    
    Less: Identified items (2,778) (421) (651) (736) (99) (914) 45
    Less: Income/(loss) attributable to non-controlling interest 113            
    Less: Current cost of supplies adjustment attributable to non-controlling interest (7)            
    Add: Identified items attributable to non-controlling interest —            
    Adjusted Earnings 3,661            
    Add: Non-controlling interest 106            
    Adjusted Earnings plus non-controlling interest 3,766 2,165 1,682 839 (229) (311) (380)
    Add: Taxation charge/(credit) excluding tax impact of identified items 3,371 635 2,618 266 (198) 97 (46)
    Add: Depreciation, depletion and amortisation excluding impairments 5,829 1,440 2,803 587 896 96 8
    Add: Exploration well write-offs 649 277 372 — — — —
    Add: Interest expense excluding identified items 1,213 54 201 17 16 2 923
    Less: Interest income 548 3 — — 10 7 529
    Adjusted EBITDA 14,281 4,568 7,676 1,709 475 (123) (24)
    Less: Current cost of supplies adjustment before taxation (75)     (2) (73)    
    Joint ventures and associates (dividends received less profit) 451 110 (22) 172 139 51 —
    Derivative financial instruments 319 120 (28) (8) 230 533 (527)
    Taxation paid (2,910) (635) (2,019) (130) 36 (41) (120)
    Other (1,461) 114 (486) (1,227) (313) 77 375
    (Increase)/decrease in working capital 2,407 114 (611) 845 1,394 353 312
    Cash flow from operating activities 13,162 4,391 4,509 1,363 2,032 850 16
                                                   
     
    Q1 2024 $ million
      Total Integrated Gas Upstream Marketing Chemicals and Products Renewables and Energy Solutions Corporate
    Income/(loss) for the period 7,439 2,761 2,272 896 1,311 553 (354)
    Add: Current cost of supplies adjustment before taxation (360)     (153) (207)    
    Add: Tax on current cost of supplies adjustment 84     30 54    
    Less: Identified items (641) (919) 339 (7) (458) 390 14
    Less: Income/(loss) attributable to non-controlling interest 82            
    Less: Current cost of supplies adjustment attributable to non-controlling interest (12)            
    Add: Identified items attributable to non-controlling interest —            
    Adjusted Earnings 7,734            
    Add: Non-controlling interest 70            
    Adjusted Earnings plus non-controlling interest 7,804 3,680 1,933 781 1,615 163 (368)
    Add: Taxation charge/(credit) excluding tax impact of identified items 4,124 996 2,522 358 338 — (91)
    Add: Depreciation, depletion and amortisation excluding impairments 5,654 1,410 2,727 535 870 106 6
    Add: Exploration well write-offs 554 8 546 — — — —
    Add: Interest expense excluding identified items 1,163 42 169 12 17 1 922
    Less: Interest income 588 — 10 — 14 4 560
    Adjusted EBITDA 18,711 6,136 7,888 1,686 2,826 267 (92)
    Less: Current cost of supplies adjustment before taxation (360)     (153) (207)    
    Joint ventures and associates (dividends received less profit) (582) (197) (546) 93 56 13 —
    Derivative financial instruments 306 (1,080) (3) (39) (402) 1,978 (149)
    Taxation paid (2,616) (467) (1,802) (175) (19) (244) 91
    Other (97) 45 (231) 393 (378) (30) 104
    (Increase)/decrease in working capital (2,752) 275 421 (792) (2,639) 481 (499)
    Cash flow from operating activities 13,330 4,712 5,727 1,319 (349) 2,466 (545)

    Identified items

    The objective of identified items is to remove material impacts on net income/loss arising from transactions which are generally uncontrollable and unusual (infrequent or non-recurring) in nature or giving rise to a mismatch between accounting and economic results, or certain transactions that are generally excluded from underlying results in the industry.

             Page 25

    SHELL PLC
    1st QUARTER 2025 UNAUDITED RESULTS

    Identified items comprise: divestment gains and losses, impairments and impairment reversals, redundancy and restructuring, fair value accounting of commodity derivatives and certain gas contracts that gives rise to a mismatch between accounting and economic results, the impact of exchange rate movements and inflationary adjustments on certain deferred tax balances, and other items.

    See Note 2 “Segment information” for details.

    B.    Adjusted Earnings per share

    Adjusted Earnings per share is calculated as Adjusted Earnings (see Reference A), divided by the weighted average number of shares used as the basis for basic earnings per share (see Note 3).

    C.    Cash capital expenditure

    Cash capital expenditure represents cash spent on maintaining and developing assets as well as on investments in the period. Management regularly monitors this measure as a key lever to delivering sustainable cash flows. Cash capital expenditure is the sum of the following lines from the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows: Capital expenditure, Investments in joint ventures and associates and Investments in equity securities.

    See Note 2 “Segment information” for the reconciliation of cash capital expenditure.

    D.    Capital employed and Return on average capital employed

    Return on average capital employed (“ROACE”) measures the efficiency of Shell’s utilisation of the capital that it employs.

    The measure refers to Capital employed which consists of total equity, current debt, and non-current debt reduced by cash and cash equivalents.

    In this calculation, the sum of Adjusted Earnings (see Reference A) plus non-controlling interest (NCI) excluding identified items for the current and previous three quarters, adjusted for after-tax interest expense and after-tax interest income, is expressed as a percentage of the average capital employed excluding cash and cash equivalents for the same period.

                           
     
    $ million Quarters
      Q1 2025 Q4 2024 Q1 2024
    Current debt 11,046 9,931 9,044
    Non-current debt 68,886 71,610 76,098
    Total equity 188,304 188,362 195,530
    Less: Cash and cash equivalents (39,949) (38,774) (42,074)
    Capital employed – opening 228,286 231,128 238,598
    Current debt 11,391 11,630 11,046
    Non-current debt 65,120 65,448 68,886
    Total equity 180,670 180,168 188,304
    Less: Cash and cash equivalents (35,601) (39,110) (39,949)
    Capital employed – closing 221,580 218,134 228,286
    Capital employed – average 224,933 224,630 233,442

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    SHELL PLC
    1st QUARTER 2025 UNAUDITED RESULTS

                           
     
    $ million Quarters
      Q1 2025 Q4 2024 Q1 2024
    Adjusted Earnings – current and previous three quarters (Reference A) 21,558 23,716 26,338
    Add: Income/(loss) attributable to NCI – current and previous three quarters 441 427 295
    Add: Current cost of supplies adjustment attributable to NCI – current and previous three quarters 25 14 (24)
    Less: Identified items attributable to NCI (Reference A) – current and previous three quarters 18 18 (11)
    Adjusted Earnings plus NCI excluding identified items – current and previous three quarters 22,005 24,139 26,620
    Add: Interest expense after tax – current and previous three quarters 2,639 2,701 2,718
    Less: Interest income after tax on cash and cash equivalents – current and previous three quarters 1,329 1,389 1,368
    Adjusted Earnings plus NCI excluding identified items before interest expense and interest income – current and previous three quarters 23,315 25,452 27,971
    Capital employed – average 224,933 224,630 233,442
    ROACE on an Adjusted Earnings plus NCI basis 10.4% 11.3% 12.0%

    E.    Net debt and gearing

    Net debt is defined as the sum of current and non-current debt, less cash and cash equivalents, adjusted for the fair value of derivative financial instruments used to hedge foreign exchange and interest rate risk relating to debt, and associated collateral balances. Management considers this adjustment useful because it reduces the volatility of net debt caused by fluctuations in foreign exchange and interest rates, and eliminates the potential impact of related collateral payments or receipts. Debt-related derivative financial instruments are a subset of the derivative financial instrument assets and liabilities presented on the balance sheet. Collateral balances are reported under “Trade and other receivables” or “Trade and other payables” as appropriate.

    Gearing is a measure of Shell’s capital structure and is defined as net debt (total debt less cash and cash equivalents) as a percentage of total capital (net debt plus total equity).

                           
     
    $ million  
      March 31, 2025 December 31, 2024 March 31, 2024
    Current debt 11,391    11,630    11,046   
    Non-current debt 65,120    65,448    68,886   
    Total debt 76,511    77,078    79,931   
    Of which: Lease liabilities 28,488    28,702    26,885   
    Add: Debt-related derivative financial instruments: net liability/(asset) 1,905    2,469    1,888   
    Add: Collateral on debt-related derivatives: net liability/(asset) (1,295)   (1,628)   (1,357)  
    Less: Cash and cash equivalents (35,601)   (39,110)   (39,949)  
    Net debt 41,521    38,809    40,513   
    Total equity 180,670    180,168    188,304   
    Total capital 222,190    218,974    228,817   
    Gearing 18.7  % 17.7  % 17.7  %

    F.    Operating expenses and Underlying operating expenses

    Operating expenses

    Operating expenses is a measure of Shell’s cost management performance, comprising the following items from the Consolidated Statement of Income: production and manufacturing expenses; selling, distribution and administrative expenses; and research and development expenses.

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    SHELL PLC
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    Q1 2025 $ million
      Total Integrated Gas Upstream Marketing Chemicals and Products Renewables and Energy Solutions Corporate
    Production and manufacturing expenses 5,549 947 2,139 349 1,621 486 8
    Selling, distribution and administrative expenses 2,840 38 42 2,053 442 153 111
    Research and development 185 22 32 42 25 21 43
    Operating expenses 8,575 1,006 2,213 2,444 2,088 661 162
                                                   
     
    Q4 2024 $ million
      Total Integrated Gas Upstream Marketing Chemicals and Products Renewables and Energy Solutions Corporate
    Production and manufacturing expenses 5,839 982 2,470 270 1,632 480 5
    Selling, distribution and administrative expenses 3,231 39 96 2,258 471 241 126
    Research and development 331 40 69 73 46 37 66
    Operating expenses 9,401 1,061 2,635 2,602 2,149 757 196
                                                   
     
    Q1 2024 $ million
      Total Integrated Gas Upstream Marketing Chemicals and Products Renewables and Energy Solutions Corporate
    Production and manufacturing expenses 5,810 956 2,269 366 1,634 579 5
    Selling, distribution and administrative expenses 2,975 62 58 2,188 420 158 89
    Research and development 212 26 58 34 34 12 49
    Operating expenses 8,997 1,044 2,385 2,587 2,088 749 144

    Underlying operating expenses

    Underlying operating expenses is a measure aimed at facilitating a comparative understanding of performance from period to period by removing the effects of identified items, which, either individually or collectively, can cause volatility, in some cases driven by external factors.

                               
         
    Quarters $ million  
    Q1 2025 Q4 2024 Q1 2024      
    8,575    9,401    8,997    Operating expenses    
    (44)   (174)   (73)   Redundancy and restructuring (charges)/reversal    
    (101)   (88)   —    (Provisions)/reversal    
    23    —    130    Other    
    (121)   (262)   57    Total identified items    
    8,453    9,138    9,054    Underlying operating expenses    

    G.    Free cash flow and Organic free cash flow

    Free cash flow is used to evaluate cash available for financing activities, including dividend payments and debt servicing, after investment in maintaining and growing the business. It is defined as the sum of “Cash flow from operating activities” and “Cash flow from investing activities”.

    Cash flows from acquisition and divestment activities are removed from Free cash flow to arrive at the Organic free cash flow, a measure used by management to evaluate the generation of free cash flow without these activities.

             Page 28

    SHELL PLC
    1st QUARTER 2025 UNAUDITED RESULTS

                               
     
    Quarters $ million  
    Q1 2025 Q4 2024 Q1 2024      
    9,281    13,162    13,330    Cash flow from operating activities    
    (3,959)   (4,431)   (3,528)   Cash flow from investing activities    
    5,322    8,731    9,802    Free cash flow    
    597    805    1,025    Less: Divestment proceeds (Reference I)    
    45    1    —    Add: Tax paid on divestments (reported under “Other investing cash outflows”)    
    130    525    62    Add: Cash outflows related to inorganic capital expenditure1    
    4,899    8,453    8,839    Organic free cash flow2    

    1.Cash outflows related to inorganic capital expenditure includes portfolio actions which expand Shell’s activities through acquisitions and restructuring activities as reported in capital expenditure lines in the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows.

    2.Free cash flow less divestment proceeds, adding back outflows related to inorganic expenditure.

    H.    Cash flow from operating activities excluding working capital movements

    Working capital movements are defined as the sum of the following items in the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows: (i) (increase)/decrease in inventories, (ii) (increase)/decrease in current receivables, and (iii) increase/(decrease) in current payables.

    Cash flow from operating activities excluding working capital movements is a measure used by Shell to analyse its operating cash generation over time excluding the timing effects of changes in inventories and operating receivables and payables from period to period.

                               
     
    Quarters $ million  
    Q1 2025 Q4 2024 Q1 2024      
    9,281    13,162    13,330    Cash flow from operating activities    
    854    131    (608)   (Increase)/decrease in inventories    
    (2,610)   751    (195)   (Increase)/decrease in current receivables    
    (907)   1,524    (1,949)   Increase/(decrease) in current payables    
    (2,663)   2,407    (2,752)   (Increase)/decrease in working capital    
    11,944    10,755    16,082    Cash flow from operating activities excluding working capital movements    

    I.    Divestment proceeds

    Divestment proceeds represent cash received from divestment activities in the period. Management regularly monitors this measure as a key lever to deliver free cash flow.

                               
     
    Quarters $ million  
    Q1 2025 Q4 2024 Q1 2024      
    559    493 323 Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment and businesses    
    33    305 133 Proceeds from joint ventures and associates from sale, capital reduction and repayment of long-term loans    
    5    6 569 Proceeds from sale of equity securities    
    597    805 1,025 Divestment proceeds    

             Page 29

    SHELL PLC
    1st QUARTER 2025 UNAUDITED RESULTS

    CAUTIONARY STATEMENT

    All amounts shown throughout this Unaudited Condensed Interim Financial Report are unaudited. All peak production figures in Portfolio Developments are quoted at 100% expected production. The numbers presented throughout this Unaudited Condensed Interim Financial Report may not sum precisely to the totals provided and percentages may not precisely reflect the absolute figures, due to rounding.

    The companies in which Shell plc directly and indirectly owns investments are separate legal entities. In this Unaudited Condensed Interim Financial Report, “Shell”, “Shell Group” and “Group” are sometimes used for convenience to reference Shell plc and its subsidiaries in general. Likewise, the words “we”, “us” and “our” are also used to refer to Shell plc and its subsidiaries in general or to those who work for them. These terms are also used where no useful purpose is served by identifying the particular entity or entities. ‘‘Subsidiaries’’, “Shell subsidiaries” and “Shell companies” as used in this Unaudited Condensed Interim Financial Report, refer to entities over which Shell plc either directly or indirectly has control. The terms “joint venture”, “joint operations”, “joint arrangements”, and “associates” may also be used to refer to a commercial arrangement in which Shell has a direct or indirect ownership interest with one or more parties. The term “Shell interest” is used for convenience to indicate the direct and/or indirect ownership interest held by Shell in an entity or unincorporated joint arrangement, after exclusion of all third-party interest.

    Forward-Looking statements

    This Unaudited Condensed Interim Financial Report contains forward-looking statements (within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) concerning the financial condition, results of operations and businesses of Shell. All statements other than statements of historical fact are, or may be deemed to be, forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements of future expectations that are based on management’s current expectations and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in these statements. Forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements concerning the potential exposure of Shell to market risks and statements expressing management’s expectations, beliefs, estimates, forecasts, projections and assumptions. These forward-looking statements are identified by their use of terms and phrases such as “aim”; “ambition”; ‘‘anticipate’’; “aspire”, “aspiration”, ‘‘believe’’; “commit”; “commitment”; ‘‘could’’; “desire”; ‘‘estimate’’; ‘‘expect’’; ‘‘goals’’; ‘‘intend’’; ‘‘may’’; “milestones”; ‘‘objectives’’; ‘‘outlook’’; ‘‘plan’’; ‘‘probably’’; ‘‘project’’; ‘‘risks’’; “schedule”; ‘‘seek’’; ‘‘should’’; ‘‘target’’; “vision”; ‘‘will’’; “would” and similar terms and phrases. There are a number of factors that could affect the future operations of Shell and could cause those results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements included in this Unaudited Condensed Interim Financial Report, including (without limitation): (a) price fluctuations in crude oil and natural gas; (b) changes in demand for Shell’s products; (c) currency fluctuations; (d) drilling and production results; (e) reserves estimates; (f) loss of market share and industry competition; (g) environmental and physical risks, including climate change; (h) risks associated with the identification of suitable potential acquisition properties and targets, and successful negotiation and completion of such transactions; (i) the risk of doing business in developing countries and countries subject to international sanctions; (j) legislative, judicial, fiscal and regulatory developments including tariffs and regulatory measures addressing climate change; (k) economic and financial market conditions in various countries and regions; (l) political risks, including the risks of expropriation and renegotiation of the terms of contracts with governmental entities, delays or advancements in the approval of projects and delays in the reimbursement for shared costs; (m) risks associated with the impact of pandemics, regional conflicts, such as the Russia-Ukraine war and the conflict in the Middle East, and a significant cyber security, data privacy or IT incident; (n) the pace of the energy transition; and (o) changes in trading conditions. No assurance is provided that future dividend payments will match or exceed previous dividend payments. All forward-looking statements contained in this Unaudited Condensed Interim Financial Report are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements contained or referred to in this section. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Additional risk factors that may affect future results are contained in Shell plc’s Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2024 (available at www.shell.com/investors/news-and-filings/sec-filings.html and www.sec.gov). These risk factors also expressly qualify all forward-looking statements contained in this Unaudited Condensed Interim Financial Report and should be considered by the reader. Each forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of this Unaudited Condensed Interim Financial Report, May 2, 2025. Neither Shell plc nor any of its subsidiaries undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or other information. In light of these risks, results could differ materially from those stated, implied or inferred from the forward-looking statements contained in this Unaudited Condensed Interim Financial Report.

    Shell’s net carbon intensity

    Also, in this Unaudited Condensed Interim Financial Report we may refer to Shell’s “net carbon intensity” (NCI), which includes Shell’s carbon emissions from the production of our energy products, our suppliers’ carbon emissions in supplying energy for that production and our customers’ carbon emissions associated with their use of the energy products we sell. Shell’s NCI also includes the emissions associated with the production and use of energy products produced by others which Shell purchases for resale. Shell only controls its own emissions. The use of the terms Shell’s “net carbon intensity” or NCI is for convenience only and not intended to suggest these emissions are those of Shell plc or its subsidiaries.

    Shell’s net-zero emissions target

    Shell’s operating plan and outlook are forecasted for a three-year period and ten-year period, respectively, and are updated every year. They reflect the current economic environment and what we can reasonably expect to see over the next three and ten years. Accordingly, the outlook reflects our Scope 1, Scope 2 and NCI targets over the next ten years. However, Shell’s operating plan and outlook cannot reflect our 2050 net-zero emissions target, as this target is outside our planning period. Such future operating plans and outlooks could include changes to our portfolio, efficiency improvements and the use of carbon capture and storage and carbon credits. In the future, as society moves towards net-zero emissions, we expect Shell’s operating plans and outlooks to reflect this movement. However, if society is not net zero in 2050, as of today, there would be significant risk that Shell may not meet this target.

    Forward-Looking non-GAAP measures

    This Unaudited Condensed Interim Financial Report may contain certain forward-looking non-GAAP measures such as cash capital expenditure and Adjusted Earnings. We are unable to provide a reconciliation of these forward-looking non-GAAP measures to the most comparable GAAP financial measures because certain information needed to reconcile those non-GAAP measures to the most comparable GAAP financial measures is dependent on future events some of which are outside the control of Shell, such as oil and gas prices, interest rates and exchange rates. Moreover, estimating such GAAP measures with the required precision necessary to provide a meaningful reconciliation is extremely difficult and could not be accomplished without unreasonable effort. Non-GAAP measures in respect of future periods which cannot be reconciled to the most comparable GAAP financial measure are calculated in a manner which is consistent with the accounting policies applied in Shell plc’s consolidated financial statements.

    The contents of websites referred to in this Unaudited Condensed Interim Financial Report do not form part of this Unaudited Condensed Interim Financial Report.

    We may have used certain terms, such as resources, in this Unaudited Condensed Interim Financial Report that the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) strictly prohibits us from including in our filings with the SEC. Investors are urged to consider closely the disclosure in our Form 20-F, File No 1-32575, available on the SEC website www.sec.gov.

             Page 30

    SHELL PLC
    1st QUARTER 2025 UNAUDITED RESULTS

    This announcement contains inside information.

    May 2, 2025

         
    The information in this Unaudited Condensed Interim Financial Report reflects the unaudited consolidated financial position and results of Shell plc. Company No. 4366849, Registered Office: Shell Centre, London, SE1 7NA, England, UK.

    Contacts:

    – Sean Ashley, Company Secretary

    – Media: International +44 (0) 207 934 5550; U.S. and Canada: https://www.shell.us/about-us/news-and-insights/media/submit-an-inquiry.html

    LEI number of Shell plc: 21380068P1DRHMJ8KU70

    Classification: Inside Information

             Page 31

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Middlefield Canadian Income PCC – Proposed Rollover into UCITS ETF

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    THIS ANNOUNCEMENT AND THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN IT ARE NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN OR INTO, THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (INCLUDING ITS TERRITORIES AND POSSESSIONS, ANY STATE OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA), AUSTRALIA, CANADA, JAPAN, NEW ZEALAND, THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA, IN ANY MEMBER STATE OF THE EEA OR IN ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH THE SAME WOULD BE UNLAWFUL.

    This announcement is not an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to acquire, securities in the United States or in any other jurisdiction in which the same would be unlawful. Neither this announcement nor any part of it shall form the basis of or be relied on in connection with or act as an inducement to enter into any contract or commitment whatsoever.

    The information contained within this announcement is deemed by the Company to constitute inside information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) No. 596/2014 which forms part of domestic law in the United Kingdom pursuant to The European Union Withdrawal Act 2018, as amended by The Market Abuse (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019.

    Middlefield Canadian Income PCC (the “Company”)
    Including Middlefield Canadian Income – GBP PC (the “Fund”), a cell of the Company
    Registered No:  93546 Legal Entity Identifier: 2138007ENW3JEJXC8658

                    
    2 May 2025

    Proposed Rollover into UCITS ETF

    Middlefield Canadian Income PCC (the “Company”) and Middlefield Canadian Income – GBP PC (the “Fund”) today announce their intention to propose a transaction whereby shareholders in the Fund (the “Shareholders”) would have the option to receive shares in a newly established, actively managed, listed and London Stock Exchange traded fund in the form of an authorised UCITS (Undertakings for Collective Investment in Transferable Securities) (the “ETF”) in exchange for their shareholding in the Fund (the “Transaction”). It is envisaged that the Transaction would involve the voluntary winding up of the Company and the Fund. The ETF would be managed by Middlefield Limited, the Company’s investment manager (“Middlefield”) and would offer continued exposure to the Company’s existing investment objective and policy. Advisory work on the structure of the Transaction is ongoing, and the Company will release an announcement with further details in due course.

    Under the proposed terms of the Transaction, Shareholders who do not wish to continue their exposure to the Company’s existing investment objective and policy via the ETF (whether with respect to their entire shareholding, or part thereof) would be able to participate in an uncapped cash exit at close to the Company’s net asset value (“NAV”) per share, or elect to receive a combination of both shares in the ETF and cash.

    As previously announced on 13 February 2025, the Company received a requisition notice from Saba Capital Management, L.P. (“Saba”) proposing that Shareholders be asked to consider, and, if thought fit, approve, the taking by the Company of all necessary steps to implement a scheme or process by which Shareholders would have the option of becoming shareholders of a UK-listed open-ended investment vehicle with a substantially similar strategy as that of the Company and managed by the Company’s existing manager (the “Requisition Notice”).

    Following receipt of the Requisition Notice, the board of the Company (the “Board”) consulted with a number of the Company’s largest Shareholders, including Saba. Following constructive discussions, Saba agreed to withdraw the Requisition Notice for a period of 60 days to enable the Company and its advisers to formulate proposals that would best serve the interests of all Shareholders.

    Further to the feedback received, the Board has concluded that the interests of Shareholders would be best served by proposing the Transaction and an alternative investment vehicle which would address the issue of limited liquidity in the Company’s shares and the discount to NAV at which the shares have been trading, whilst enabling those Shareholders who wish to retain exposure to high quality, Canadian and US large capitalisation businesses focusing on high levels of stable and increasing income, the option to do so. Further to ongoing discussions with the Company’s legal, tax and financial advisers and Middlefield, and having considered other potential closed-end fund rollover options, the Board has concluded that the ETF represents the most suitable rollover option for Shareholders.

    The intention in proposing the ETF as an alternative investment option for Shareholders would be to create a cost-effective vehicle which is positioned to grow and which should benefit from a tight bid-offer spread, a total expense ratio (“TER”) lower than the Company’s current TER and a share price that trades close to or at the NAV per share of the ETF, whilst offering continued exposure to the Company’s existing investment objective and policy. ETFs trade at prices close to or at NAV due to the in-kind creation and redemption mechanism which underpins their structure and which is utilised by authorised participants to address any material surplus or deficit of ETF shares in the market.

    The Company notes that over the last ten years, Middlefield has successfully rolled several of its Canadian closed-end funds into exchange traded funds listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange. For the year ended 31 December 2024, three of the exchange traded funds managed by Middlefield were ranked among the Top 10 Best-Performing Canadian ETFs, as recognised by Morningstar*.

    Saba has publicly expressed its support for enhanced liquidity options and, consistent with its earlier requisition, has indicated that it would vote in favour of the Transaction at any general meeting of Shareholders to be convened in due course to approve the Transaction.

    The ETF

    It is proposed that shares in the ETF would be admitted to trading on the London Stock Exchange’s main market for listed securities. In due course, the ETF may also seek listings on additional European exchanges to broaden investor access. The ETF would adopt the Company’s current investment objective and policy, maintaining a focus on delivering a high level of income and long-term capital growth through investment in a portfolio of larger capitalisation, high-yielding Canadian equities, with a focus on companies that consistently pay and grow their dividends. The ETF is expected to pay quarterly distributions at a level similar to the current dividends paid by the Company and to operate with a lower TER, targeted to be below 1 per cent. The Company uses short term borrowings to support its dividend policy. It is intended that the ETF may seek to use financial derivative instruments, such as total return equity swaps, to support its dividend policy with a similar effect to that provided by the use of borrowings by the Company.

    Middlefield has appointed HANetf, a leading white-label provider of exchange traded products, to advise on the structuring and establishment of the ETF. HANetf has extensive experience in structuring, distributing and marketing exchange traded funds and will provide ongoing operational, administrative and marketing support to Middlefield in its capacity as the manager of the ETF. The set-up costs of the ETF will be borne by Middlefield.

    Expected timetable

    Subject to the satisfactory completion of ongoing advisory work, the ETF is expected to be established and a circular relating to the Transaction sent to Shareholders by August 2025. The Transaction would be subject to usual regulatory and tax approvals.

    Michael Phair, the Chair of the Company and Fund, commented:

    “The Board continues to have strong conviction in the Company’s investment proposition and its ability to deliver a high level of income and long-term capital growth. However, the Board has listened to feedback from Shareholders and recognises that the constrained liquidity and persistent discount to NAV remain impediments to new and further investment.

    Accordingly, the Board is actively working on the terms of the Transaction, which, if approved, would provide Shareholders with an opportunity to continue their investment in the existing strategy through the ETF option, or the realisation of their investment at close to NAV, or a combination of both.”

    For further information, please contact:

    Middlefield Canadian Income – GBP PC                                via Investec Bank plc
    Michael Phair (Chairman)

    Investec Bank plc
    Corporate Broker
    Helen Goldsmith/David Yovichic/Denis Flanagan
    Tel: 020 7597 4000

    JTC Fund Solutions (Jersey) Limited
    Secretary
    Matt Tostevin/Hilary Jones/Jade Livesey
    Tel: 01534 700 000

    Burson Buchanan
    PR Advisers
    Charles Ryland/Henry Wilson
    Tel: 020 7466 5000

    * Middlefield Innovation Dividend ETF (Global Equity): over 5 years; Middlefield Sustainable Global Dividend ETF (Global Dividend & Income Equity): over 3, 5 and 10 years; Middlefield U.S. Equity Dividend ETF (US Dividend & Income Equity): over 5 years (source: Morningstar, Inc.) All rights reserved. The information contained herein: (1) is proprietary to Morningstar and/or its content providers; (2) may not be copied or distributed; and (3) is not warranted to be accurate, complete, or timely. Neither Morningstar nor its content providers are responsible for any damages or losses arising from any use of this information.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Shell plc publishes first quarter 2025 press release

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    London, May 2, 2025

    “Shell delivered another solid set of results in the first quarter of 2025. We further strengthened our leading LNG business by completing the acquisition of Pavilion Energy, and high-graded our portfolio with the completion of the Nigeria onshore and the Singapore Energy and Chemicals Park divestments.

    Our strong performance and resilient balance sheet give us the confidence to commence another $3.5 billion of buybacks for the next three months, consistent with the strategic direction we set out at our Capital Markets Day in March.”

    Shell plc Chief Executive Officer, Wael Sawan


     

    SOLID RESULTS; RESILIENT BALANCE SHEET; CONSISTENT DISTRIBUTIONS

    • Q1 2025 Adjusted Earnings1 of $5.6 billion reflect strong performance across the business. CFFO excluding working capital was $11.9 billion for the quarter. Working capital outflow was $2.7 billion in Q1 2025.
    • Strengthened LNG trading and optimisation capabilities with the Pavilion Energy acquisition and high-graded the portfolio with the completion of the divestments of the Singapore Energy and Chemicals Park2, and SPDC3 in Nigeria.
    • Disciplined capital allocation, with 2025 cash capex outlook of $20 – 22 billion.
    • Commencing another $3.5 billion share buyback programme for the next 3 months, making this the 14th consecutive quarter of at least $3 billion in buybacks. Total shareholder distributions paid over the last 4 quarters were 45% of CFFO, consistent with the 40 – 50% of CFFO through the cycle distribution target announced at Capital Markets Day 2025.
    • Resilient balance sheet with gearing (including leases) of 19%.
    $ million1 Adj. Earnings Adj. EBITDA CFFO Cash capex
    Integrated Gas 2,483 4,735 3,463 1,116
    Upstream 2,337 7,387 3,945 1,923
    Marketing 900 1,869 1,907 256
    Chemicals & Products4 449 1,410 130 458
    Renewables & Energy Solutions (42) 111 367 403
    Corporate (457) (261) (531) 19
    Less: Non-controlling interest (NCI) 94      
    Shell Q1 2025 5,577 15,250 9,281 4,175
    Q4 2024 3,661 14,281 13,162 6,924

    1Income/(loss) attributable to shareholders for Q1 2025 is $4.8 billion. Reconciliation of non-GAAP measures can be found in the unaudited results, available at www.shell.com/investors.
    2 Completed on April 1, 2025.
    3The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited.
    4Chemicals & Products Adjusted Earnings at a subsegment level are as follows: Chemicals $(0.1) billion and Products $0.6 billion.


     

    • CFFO excluding working capital is $11.9 billion in Q1 2025 and reflects tax payments of $2.9 billion. Working capital outflow is $2.7 billion, consistent with outflows as we have seen in the first quarters of recent years.
    • Net debt of $41.5 billion includes the lease additions related to the Pavilion Energy acquisition as well as a drawdown on the loan facilities provided at the completion of the sale of SPDC in Nigeria.
    $ billion1 Q1 2024 Q2 2024 Q3 2024 Q4 2024 Q1 2025
    Working capital (2.8) (0.3) 2.7 2.4 (2.7)
    Divestment proceeds 1.0 0.8 0.2 0.8 0.6
    Free cash flow 9.8 10.2 10.8 8.7 5.3
    Net debt 40.5 38.3 35.2 38.8 41.5

    1 Reconciliation of non-GAAP measures can be found in the unaudited results, available at www.shell.com/investors.


     

    Q1 2025 FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE DRIVERS

    INTEGRATED GAS

    Key data Q4 2024 Q1 2025 Q2 2025 outlook
    Realised liquids price ($/bbl) 63 64 —
    Realised gas price ($/thousand scf) 8.1 7.4 —
    Production (kboe/d) 905 927 890 – 950
    LNG liquefaction volumes (MT) 7.1 6.6 6.3 – 6.9
    LNG sales volumes (MT) 15.5 16.5 —
    • Adjusted Earnings were higher than in Q4 2024, reflecting lower exploration well write-offs. Trading and optimisation results were in line with Q4 2024, despite higher unfavourable (non-cash) impact from expiring hedging contracts.
    • Q2 2025 production and liquefaction outlook reflects higher scheduled maintenance across the portfolio.

    UPSTREAM

    Key data Q4 2024 Q1 2025 Q2 2025 outlook
    Realised liquids price ($/bbl) 71 71 —
    Realised gas price ($/thousand scf) 7.0 7.4 —
    Liquids production (kboe/d) 1,332 1,335 —
    Gas production (million scf/d) 3,056 3,020 —
    Total production (kboe/d) 1,859 1,855 1,560 – 1,760
    • Adjusted Earnings were higher than in Q4 2024, reflecting lower depreciation following year-end reserves updates and lower well write-offs, partially offset by lower sales volumes.
    • Q2 2025 production outlook reflects scheduled maintenance and the completed sale of SPDC in March 2025.

    MARKETING

    Key data Q4 2024 Q1 2025 Q2 2025 outlook
    Marketing sales volumes (kb/d) 2,795 2,674 2,600 – 3,100
    Mobility (kb/d) 2,041 1,964 —
    Lubricants (kb/d) 77 87 —
    Sectors & Decarbonisation (kb/d) 678 623 —
    • Adjusted Earnings were higher than in Q4 2024, supported by seasonally stronger margins in Lubricants.

    CHEMICALS & PRODUCTS

    Key data Q4 2024 Q1 2025 Q2 2025 outlook1
    Refinery processing intake (kb/d) 1,215 1,362 —
    Chemicals sales volumes (kT) 2,926 2,813 —
    Refinery utilisation (%) 76 85 87 – 95
    Chemicals manufacturing plant utilisation (%) 75 81 74 – 82
    Global indicative refining margin ($/bbl) 5.5 6.2 —
    Global indicative chemical margin ($/t) 138 126 —

    1Following the Singapore Energy and Chemicals Park divestment, IRM, ICM and associated sensitivities have been updated for Q2 2025; see the guidance tab of the Quarterly Databook, available at www.shell.com/investors.

    • Trading and optimisation results were significantly higher than in Q4 2024 and in line with contributions in Q2 and Q3 of 2024, while the Chemicals results continued to be impacted by a weak margin environment.
    • Q2 2025 outlook reflects the completed sale of the Energy and Chemicals Park in Singapore.

    RENEWABLES & ENERGY SOLUTIONS

    Key data Q4 2024 Q1 2025
    External power sales (TWh) 76 76
    Sales of pipeline gas to end-use customers (TWh) 165 184
    Renewables power generation capacity (GW)* 7.4 7.5
    • in operation (GW)
    		 3.4 3.5
    • under construction and/or committed for sale (GW)
    		 4.0 4.0

    *Excludes Shell’s equity share of associates where information cannot be obtained.

    • Adjusted Earnings were higher than in Q4 2024, with higher seasonal demand and volatility driving higher trading and optimisation, particularly in the Americas.

    Renewables and Energy Solutions includes activities such as renewable power generation, the marketing and trading and optimisation of power and pipeline gas, as well as carbon credits, and digitally enabled customer solutions. It also includes the production and marketing of hydrogen, development of commercial carbon capture and storage hubs, investment in nature-based projects that avoid or reduce carbon emissions, and Shell Ventures, which invests in companies that work to accelerate the energy and mobility transformation.

    CORPORATE

    Key data Q4 2024 Q1 2025 Q2 2025 outlook
    Adjusted Earnings ($ billion) (0.4) (0.5) (0.6) – (0.4)

    UPCOMING INVESTOR EVENTS

    May 20, 2025 Annual General Meeting
    July 31, 2025 Second quarter 2025 results and dividends
    October 30, 2025 Third quarter 2025 results and dividends


     

    USEFUL LINKS

    Results materials Q1 2025
    Quarterly Databook Q1 2025
    Webcast registration Q1 2025
    Dividend announcement Q1 2025
    Capital Markets Day 2025 materials


     

    ALTERNATIVE PERFORMANCE (NON-GAAP) MEASURES
    This announcement includes certain measures that are calculated and presented on the basis of methodologies other than in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) such as IFRS, including Adjusted Earnings, Adjusted EBITDA, CFFO excluding working capital movements, free cash flow, Divestment proceeds and Net debt. This information, along with comparable GAAP measures, is useful to investors because it provides a basis for measuring Shell plc’s operating performance and ability to retire debt and invest in new business opportunities. Shell plc’s management uses these financial measures, along with the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures, in evaluating the business performance.

    This announcement may contain certain forward-looking non-GAAP measures such as Adjusted Earnings and divestments. We are unable to provide a reconciliation of these forward-looking non-GAAP measures to the most comparable GAAP financial measures because certain information needed to reconcile the non-GAAP measures to the most comparable GAAP financial measures is dependent on future events some of which are outside the control of the company, such as oil and gas prices, interest rates and exchange rates. Moreover, estimating such GAAP measures with the required precision necessary to provide a meaningful reconciliation is extremely difficult and could not be accomplished without unreasonable effort. Non-GAAP measures in respect of future periods which cannot be reconciled to the most comparable GAAP financial measure are estimated in a manner which is consistent with the accounting policies applied in Shell plc’s consolidated financial statements.

    CAUTIONARY STATEMENT
    The companies in which Shell plc directly and indirectly owns investments are separate legal entities. In this announcement, “Shell”, “Shell Group” and “Group” are sometimes used for convenience to reference Shell plc and its subsidiaries in general. Likewise, the words “we”, “us” and “our” are also used to refer to Shell plc and its subsidiaries in general or to those who work for them. These terms are also used where no useful purpose is served by identifying the particular entity or entities. “Subsidiaries”, “Shell subsidiaries” and “Shell companies” as used in this announcement refer to entities over which Shell plc either directly or indirectly has control. The terms “joint venture”, “joint operations”, “joint arrangements”, and “associates” may also be used to refer to a commercial arrangement in which Shell has a direct or indirect ownership interest with one or more parties. The term “Shell interest” is used for convenience to indicate the direct and/or indirect ownership interest held by Shell in an entity or unincorporated joint arrangement, after exclusion of all third-party interest.

    This announcement contains forward-looking statements (within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) concerning the financial condition, results of operations and businesses of Shell. All statements other than statements of historical fact are, or may be deemed to be, forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements of future expectations that are based on management’s current expectations and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in these statements. Forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements concerning the potential exposure of Shell to market risks and statements expressing management’s expectations, beliefs, estimates, forecasts, projections and assumptions. These forward-looking statements are identified by their use of terms and phrases such as “aim”; “ambition”; “anticipate”; “aspire”; “aspiration”; ‘‘believe’’; “commit”; “commitment”; ‘‘could’’; “desire”; ‘‘estimate’’; ‘‘expect’’; ‘‘goals’’; ‘‘intend’’; ‘‘may’’; “milestones”; ‘‘objectives’’; ‘‘outlook’’; ‘‘plan’’; ‘‘probably’’; ‘‘project’’; ‘‘risks’’; “schedule”; ‘‘seek’’; ‘‘should’’; ‘‘target’’; “vision”; ‘‘will’’; “would” and similar terms and phrases. There are a number of factors that could affect the future operations of Shell and could cause those results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements included in this announcement, including (without limitation): (a) price fluctuations in crude oil and natural gas; (b) changes in demand for Shell’s products; (c) currency fluctuations; (d) drilling and production results; (e) reserves estimates; (f) loss of market share and industry competition; (g) environmental and physical risks, including climate change; (h) risks associated with the identification of suitable potential acquisition properties and targets, and successful negotiation and completion of such transactions; (i) the risk of doing business in developing countries and countries subject to international sanctions; (j) legislative, judicial, fiscal and regulatory developments including tariffs and regulatory measures addressing climate change; (k) economic and financial market conditions in various countries and regions; (l) political risks, including the risks of expropriation and renegotiation of the terms of contracts with governmental entities, delays or advancements in the approval of projects and delays in the reimbursement for shared costs; (m) risks associated with the impact of pandemics, regional conflicts, such as the Russia-Ukraine war and the conflict in the Middle East, and a significant cyber security, data privacy or IT incident; (n) the pace of the energy transition; and (o) changes in trading conditions. No assurance is provided that future dividend payments will match or exceed previous dividend payments. All forward-looking statements contained in this announcement are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements contained or referred to in this section. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Additional risk factors that may affect future results are contained in Shell plc’s Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2024 (available at www.shell.com/investors/news-and-filings/sec-filings.html and www.sec.gov). These risk factors also expressly qualify all forward-looking statements contained in this announcement and should be considered by the reader. Each forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of this announcement, May 2, 2025. Neither Shell plc nor any of its subsidiaries undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or other information. In light of these risks, results could differ materially from those stated, implied or inferred from the forward-looking statements contained in this announcement.
    All amounts shown throughout this announcement are unaudited. The numbers presented throughout this announcement may not sum precisely to the totals provided and percentages may not precisely reflect the absolute figures, due to rounding.
    Shell’s Net Carbon Intensity
    Also, in this  announcement, we may refer to Shell’s “net carbon intensity” (NCI), which includes Shell’s carbon emissions from the production of our energy products, our suppliers’ carbon emissions in supplying energy for that production and our customers’ carbon emissions associated with their use of the energy products we sell. Shell’s NCI also includes the emissions associated with the production and use of energy products produced by others which Shell purchases for resale. Shell only controls its own emissions. The use of the terms Shell’s “net carbon intensity” or NCI is for convenience only and not intended to suggest these emissions are those of Shell plc or its subsidiaries.

    Shell’s Net-Zero Emissions Target
    Shell’s operating plan and outlook are forecasted for a three-year period and ten-year period, respectively, and are updated every year. They reflect the current economic environment and what we can reasonably expect to see over the next three and ten years. Accordingly, the outlook reflects our Scope 1, Scope 2 and NCI targets over the next ten years. However, Shell’s operating plan and outlook cannot reflect our 2050 net-zero emissions target, as this target is outside our planning period. Such future operating plans and outlooks could include changes to our portfolio, efficiency improvements and the use of carbon capture and storage and carbon credits. In the future, as society moves towards net-zero emissions, we expect Shell’s operating plans and outlooks to reflect this movement. However, if society is not net zero in 2050, as of today, there would be significant risk that Shell may not meet this target.

    The content of websites referred to in this announcement does not form part of this announcement.

    We may have used certain terms, such as resources, in this announcement that the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) strictly prohibits us from including in our filings with the SEC. Investors are urged to consider closely the disclosure in our Form 20-F, File No 1-32575, available on the SEC website www.sec.gov.

    The financial information presented in this announcement does not constitute statutory accounts within the meaning of section 434(3) of the Companies Act 2006 (“the Act”). Statutory accounts for the year ended December 31, 2024 were published in Shell’s Annual Report and Accounts, a copy of which was delivered to the Registrar of Companies for England and Wales. The auditor’s report on those accounts was unqualified, did not include a reference to any matters to which the auditor drew attention by way of emphasis without qualifying the report and did not contain a statement under sections 498(2) or 498(3) of the Act.

    The information in this announcement does not constitute the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements which are contained in Shell’s first quarter 2025 unaudited results available on www.shell.com/investors.

    CONTACTS

    • Media: International +44 207 934 5550; U.S. and Canada: Contact form

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Shell plc First Quarter 2025 Interim Dividend

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    London, May 2, 2025 − The Board of Shell plc (the “Company”) (XLON: SHEL, XNYS: SHEL, XAMS: SHELL) today announced an interim dividend in respect of the first quarter of 2025 of US$ 0.358 per ordinary share.

    Details relating to the first quarter 2025 interim dividend

    Per ordinary share
    (GB00BP6MXD84)    		 Q1 2025
    Shell Shares (US$) 0.358

    Shareholders will be able to elect to receive their dividends in US dollars, euros or pounds sterling.

    An alternative ‘Electronic Election Entitlement’ (‘EEE’) process is available in CREST for dividends with options elections.

    Absent any valid election to the contrary, persons holding their ordinary shares through Euroclear Nederland will receive their dividends in euros.

    Absent any valid election to the contrary, shareholders (both holding in certificated and uncertificated form (CREST members)) and persons holding their shares through the Shell Corporate Nominee will receive their dividends in pounds sterling.

    The pound sterling and euro equivalent dividend payments will be announced on June 9, 2025.

    Per ADS
    (US7802593050)    		 Q1 2025
    Shell ADSs (US$) 0.716

    Cash dividends on American Depositary Shares (“ADSs”) will be paid, by default, in US dollars.

    Each ADS represents two ordinary shares. ADSs are evidenced by an American Depositary Receipt (“ADR”) certificate. In many cases the terms ADR and ADS are used interchangeably.

    Dividend timetable for the first quarter 2025 interim dividend

    Event Date
    Announcement date May 2, 2025
    Ex- Dividend Date for ADSs May 16, 2025
    Ex- Dividend Date for ordinary shares May 15, 2025
    Record date May 16, 2025
    Closing of currency election date (see Note below) June 2, 2025
    Pound sterling and euro equivalents announcement date June 9, 2025
    Payment date June 23, 2025

    Note

    A different currency election date may apply to shareholders holding shares in a securities account with a bank or financial institution ultimately holding through Euroclear Nederland. This may also apply to other shareholders who do not hold their shares either directly on the Register of Members or in the corporate sponsored nominee arrangement. Shareholders can contact their broker, financial intermediary, bank or financial institution for the election deadline that applies.

    Taxation – cash dividends

    If you are uncertain as to the tax treatment of any dividends you should consult your tax advisor.

    Dividend Reinvestment Programmes (“DRIP”)

    The following organisations offer Dividend Reinvestment Plans (“DRIPs”) which enable the Company’s shareholders to elect to have their dividend payments used to purchase the Company’s shares:

    • Equiniti Financial Services Limited (“EFSL”), for those holding shares (a) directly on the register as certificate holder or as CREST Member and (b) via the Shell Corporate Nominee;
    • ABN-AMRO NV (“ABN”) for Financial Intermediaries holding shares via Euroclear Nederland;
    • JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (“JPM”) for holders of ADSs; and
    • Other DRIPs may also be available from the intermediary through which investors hold their shares and ADSs.

    These DRIP offerors provide their DRIPs fully on their account and not on behalf of the Company. Interested parties should contact the relevant DRIP offeror directly.

    More information can be found at https://www.shell.com/drip

    To be eligible to participate in the DRIPs for the next dividend, shareholders must make a valid dividend reinvestment election before the published date for the close of elections. 

    Enquiries
    Media: International +44 (0) 207 934 5550; U.S. and Canada: https://www.shell.us/about-us/news-and-insights/media/submit-an-inquiry.html

    Cautionary Note

    The companies in which Shell plc directly and indirectly owns investments are separate legal entities. In this announcement “Shell”, “Shell Group” and “Group” are sometimes used for convenience to reference Shell plc and its subsidiaries in general. Likewise, the words “we”, “us” and “our” are also used to refer to Shell plc and its subsidiaries in general or to those who work for them. These terms are also used where no useful purpose is served by identifying the particular entity or entities. ‘‘Subsidiaries’’, “Shell subsidiaries” and “Shell companies” as used in this announcement refer to entities over which Shell plc either directly or indirectly has control. The terms “joint venture”, “joint operations”, “joint arrangements”, and “associates” may also be used to refer to a commercial arrangement in which Shell has a direct or indirect ownership interest with one or more parties.  The term “Shell interest” is used for convenience to indicate the direct and/or indirect ownership interest held by Shell in an entity or unincorporated joint arrangement, after exclusion of all third-party interest.

    Forward-Looking statements

    This announcement contains forward-looking statements (within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) concerning the financial condition, results of operations and businesses of Shell. All statements other than statements of historical fact are, or may be deemed to be, forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements of future expectations that are based on management’s current expectations and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in these statements. Forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements concerning the potential exposure of Shell to market risks and statements expressing management’s expectations, beliefs, estimates, forecasts, projections and assumptions. These forward-looking statements are identified by their use of terms and phrases such as “aim”; “ambition”; ‘‘anticipate’’;  “aspire”; “aspiration”; ‘‘believe’’; “commit”; “commitment”; ‘‘could’’; “desire”; ‘‘estimate’’; ‘‘expect’’; ‘‘goals’’; ‘‘intend’’; ‘‘may’’; “milestones”; ‘‘objectives’’; ‘‘outlook’’; ‘‘plan’’; ‘‘probably’’; ‘‘project’’; ‘‘risks’’; “schedule”; ‘‘seek’’; ‘‘should’’; ‘‘target’’; “vision”; ‘‘will’’; “would” and similar terms and phrases. There are a number of factors that could affect the future operations of Shell and could cause those results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements included in this announcement, including (without limitation): (a) price fluctuations in crude oil and natural gas; (b) changes in demand for Shell’s products; (c) currency fluctuations; (d) drilling and production results; (e) reserves estimates; (f) loss of market share and industry competition; (g) environmental and physical risks, including climate change; (h) risks associated with the identification of suitable potential acquisition properties and targets, and successful negotiation and completion of such transactions; (i) the risk of doing business in developing countries and countries subject to international sanctions; (j) legislative, judicial, fiscal and regulatory developments including tariffs and regulatory measures addressing climate change; (k) economic and financial market conditions in various countries and regions; (l) political risks, including the risks of expropriation and renegotiation of the terms of contracts with governmental entities, delays or advancements in the approval of projects and delays in the reimbursement for shared costs; (m) risks associated with the impact of pandemics, regional conflicts, such as the Russia-Ukraine war and the conflict in the Middle East, and a significant cyber security, data privacy or IT incident; (n) the pace of the energy transition; and (o) changes in trading conditions. No assurance is provided that future dividend payments will match or exceed previous dividend payments. All forward-looking statements contained in this announcement are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements contained or referred to in this section. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Additional risk factors that may affect future results are contained in Shell plc’s Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2024 (available at www.shell.com/investors/news-and-filings/sec-filings.html and www.sec.gov). These risk factors also expressly qualify all forward-looking statements contained in this announcement and should be considered by the reader.  Each forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of this announcement, May 2, 2025. Neither Shell plc nor any of its subsidiaries undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or other information. In light of these risks, results could differ materially from those stated, implied or inferred from the forward-looking statements contained in this announcement.

    Shell’s net carbon intensity

    Also, in this announcement we may refer to Shell’s “net carbon intensity” (NCI), which includes Shell’s carbon emissions from the production of our energy products, our suppliers’ carbon emissions in supplying energy for that production and our customers’ carbon emissions associated with their use of the energy products we sell. Shell’s NCI also includes the emissions associated with the production and use of energy products produced by others which Shell purchases for resale. Shell only controls its own emissions. The use of the terms Shell’s “net carbon intensity” or NCI is for convenience only and not intended to suggest these emissions are those of Shell plc or its subsidiaries.

    Shell’s net-zero emissions target

    Shell’s operating plan and outlook are forecasted for a three-year period and ten-year period, respectively, and are updated every year. They reflect the current economic environment and what we can reasonably expect to see over the next three and ten years. Accordingly, the outlook reflects our Scope 1, Scope 2 and NCI targets over the next ten years. However, Shell’s operating plan and outlook cannot reflect our 2050 net-zero emissions target, as this target is outside our planning period. Such future operating plans and outlooks could include changes to our portfolio, efficiency improvements and the use of carbon capture and storage and carbon credits. In the future, as society moves towards net-zero emissions, we expect Shell’s operating plans and outlooks to reflect this movement. However, if society is not net zero in 2050, as of today, there would be significant risk that Shell may not meet this target.

    Forward-Looking non-GAAP measures

    This announcement may contain certain forward-looking non-GAAP measures such as adjusted earnings and divestments. We are unable to provide a reconciliation of these forward-looking non-GAAP measures to the most comparable GAAP financial measures because certain information needed to reconcile those non-GAAP measures to the most comparable GAAP financial measures is dependent on future events some of which are outside the control of Shell, such as oil and gas prices, interest rates and exchange rates. Moreover, estimating such GAAP measures with the required precision necessary to provide a meaningful reconciliation is extremely difficult and could not be accomplished without unreasonable effort. Non-GAAP measures in respect of future periods which cannot be reconciled to the most comparable GAAP financial measure are calculated in a manner which is consistent with the accounting policies applied in Shell plc’s consolidated financial statements.

    The contents of websites referred to in this announcement do not form part of this announcement.

    We may have used certain terms, such as resources, in this announcement that the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) strictly prohibits us from including in our filings with the SEC.  Investors are urged to consider closely the disclosure in our Form 20-F, File No 1-32575, available on the SEC website www.sec.gov.

    LEI number of Shell plc: 21380068P1DRHMJ8KU70
    Classification: Additional regulated information required to be disclosed under the laws of the United Kingdom

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Increase of Share Capital in Connection with the Exercise of the Options Programme and Subscription Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    The Supervisory Board of AS LHV Group has decided to increase the share capital of the LHV Group by EUR 366,721.30. The increase was triggered by the need to issue new shares to staff members participating in the share options programme approved by the resolution of the general meeting on 13 March 2020, and amended by the resolution of the general meeting on 26 March 2025. A total of 163 current and former employees participated in the subscription of LHV Group shares, subscribing in total for 3,667,213 options for an aggregate amount of EUR 8,001,858.77. Unsubscribed options in the total amount of 19,977 will be cancelled.

    Decisions of the Supervisory Board of LHV Group:

    • LHV Group’s share capital will be increased by increased by EUR 366,721.30, from EUR 32,418,893.30 to EUR 32,785,614.60.
    • In connection with the increase, LHV Group will issue 3,667,213 new ordinary shares with a nominal value of EUR 0.1 per share. The shares will be issued with a share premium. The issue price is EUR 2.182 per share, with the nominal value of the share amounting to EUR 0.1 and the share premium to EUR 2.082.
    • Pursuant to the resolution of the general meeting of 13 March 2020, which approved the LHV Group’s share options programme and its basic conditions, and pursuant to the resolution of the general meeting of 26 March 2025, which approved the amendments to the LHV Group’s share option programme, the management and equivalent staff as well as key employees of the companies incorporated within the LHV consolidation group, as determined by the Supervisory Board and with whom LHV Group has concluded the relevant option agreements (option beneficiaries), have the pre-emptive right to subscribe the new shares.
    • LHV Group’s shareholders who are not beneficiaries of the share options programme did not have a pre-emptive right to subscribe for shares in connection with the share capital increase.
    • The share capital increase and payment for the new shares have been fully effected through monetary contributions. The deadline for exercising the pre-emptive subscription right and subscribing for shares was 30 April 2025 at 5:00 p.m. The subscription period was not extended. The option beneficiaries who intended to participate submitted their subscription applications and paid for the subscribed options on time; four option beneficiaries did not submit subscription applications, and one subscribed only partially for the options granted under the option agreement. The unsubscribed options, in the total amount of 19,977, will be cancelled.
    • The share capital increase in the amount subscribed by the option beneficiaries will be registered in the Estonian Central Register of Securities (Nasdaq CSD) and in the Commercial Register.
    • The increase of the share capital does not involve any specification or special rights attached to LHV Group’s ordinary shares. The newly issued shares will grant the right to receive dividends starting from the financial year 2025.

    All new shares issued by LHV Group will be listed on the Nasdaq Tallinn Stock Exchange on the day following the day on which the Estonian Central Register of Securities (Nasdaq CSD) ranks the additionally issued shares (initially carrying a temporary ISIN-code) pari passu with the existing shares (carrying the main ISIN-code).

    LHV Group is the largest domestic financial group and capital provider in Estonia. LHV Group’s key subsidiaries are LHV Pank, LHV Varahaldus, LHV Kindlustus, and LHV Bank Limited. The Group employs over 1,160 people. As at the end of March, LHV’s banking services are being used by 465,000 clients, the pension funds managed by LHV have 113,000 active customers, and LHV Kindlustus is protecting a total of 174,000 clients. LHV Bank Limited, a subsidiary of the Group, holds a banking licence in the United Kingdom and provides banking services to international financial technology companies, as well as loans to small and medium-sized enterprises.

    Priit Rum
    Communications Manager
    Phone: +372 502 0786
    Email: priit.rum@lhv.ee

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Golar entered into 20-year agreements for 5.95mtpa nameplate capacity in Argentina – one of the world’s largest FLNG development projects.

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Golar LNG Limited (“GLNG”, “Golar” or “the Company”) is pleased to announce the Final Investment Decision (“FID”) and fulfilment of all conditions precedent for the 20-year re-deployment charter of the FLNG Hilli Episeyo (“FLNG Hilli” or “Hilli”), first announced on July 5, 2024. The vessel will be chartered to Southern Energy S.A. (“SESA”), offshore Argentina. In addition, Golar and SESA have signed definitive agreements for a 20-year charter for the MKII FLNG, currently under conversion at CIMC Raffles shipyard in Yantai, China. The MKII FLNG charter remains subject to FID and the same regulatory approvals as granted to the FLNG Hilli project, expected within 2025.

    Key commercial terms for the respective 20-year charter agreements include:

    • FLNG Hilli (nameplate capacity of 2.45 MTPA): Expected contract start-up in 2027, net charter hire to Golar of US$ 285 million per year, plus a commodity linked tariff component of 25% of Free on Board (“FOB”) prices in excess of US$ 8/mmbtu.
    • MKII FLNG (nameplate capacity of 3.5 MTPA): Expected contract start-up in 2028, net charter hire to Golar of US$ 400 million per year, plus a commodity linked tariff component of 25% of FOB prices in excess of US$ 8/mmbtu.

    The two FLNG agreements are expected to add US$ 13.7 billion in earnings backlog to Golar over 20 years, before adjustments (based on US-CPI) to the charter hire and before commodity linked tariff upside. For every US$ 1/mmbtu above the US$ 8/mmbtu, the total upside for Golar will be approximately US$ 100 million when both FLNGs are in operation. Subject to a 3-year notice and payment of a fee, SESA may reduce the term of the agreement to 12 years for the FLNG Hilli and to 15 years for the MKII FLNG.

    The commodity linked tariff component is upside oriented. Golar will make 25% of realized FOB prices above a threshold of US$ 8/mmbtu, with no cap to the upside for gas prices. Golar has also agreed to a mechanism where the charter hire can be partially reduced for FOB prices below US$ 7.5/mmbtu down to a floor of US$ 6/mmbtu. Under this mechanism, the maximum accumulated discount over the life of both contracts has a cap of US$ 210 million, and any outstanding discounted charter hire amounts will be repaid through an additional upside sharing if FOB prices return to levels above US$ 7.5/mmbtu. Golar is not exposed to further downside in the commodity linked FLNG charter mechanism.

    SESA is a company formed to enable LNG exports from Argentina. SESA is owned by a consortium of leading Argentinian gas producers including Pan American Energy (30%), YPF (25%), Pampa Energia (20%) and Harbour Energy (15%), as well as Golar (10%). The gas producers have committed to supply their pro-rata share of natural gas to the FLNGs under Gas Sales Agreements (“GSA”) at a fixed price per mmbtu before adjustments (based on US-CPI). Golar’s 10% shareholding in SESA provides additional commodity exposure.

    The project has received the full support of the National and Provincial Governments in Argentina that granted all necessary approvals including (i) the first ever unrestricted 30-year LNG export authorization in Argentina; (ii) qualification for the Incentive Regime for Large Investments (“RIGI”); and (iii) provincial approval by the province of Río Negro for the offshore and onshore Environmental Impact Assessments for FLNG Hilli.

    The FLNGs will be located in close proximity of each other, offshore in the Gulf of San Matias Gulf in the province of Rio Negro, Argentina. The vessels will monetize gas from the Vaca Muerta formation, the world’s second largest shale gas resource, located onshore in the province of Neuquen, Argentina. FLNG Hilli will initially utilize spare volumes from the existing pipeline network. SESA intends to facilitate for a dedicated pipeline to be constructed from Vaca Muerta to the Gulf of San Matias to serve gas supply to the FLNGs. The project expects to benefit from significant operational efficiencies and synergies from two FLNGs in the same area.

    Golar’s CEO, Karl Fredrik Staubo commented: “Golar is excited to partner with the leading gas producers in Argentina in establishing the country as an LNG exporter. The vast resources of the Vaca Muerta formation will provide the LNG market with a reliable long-term source of attractive LNG supplies, and a significant contribution to Argentina. For Golar, the project adds robust earnings backlog, attractive commodity upside potential in the FLNG tariff and strong partner alignment through our shareholding in SESA.”

    About SESA:
    Southern Energy S.A. is a company founded in 2024 for the purpose of LNG exports of Argentinian natural gas. SESA’s shareholders comprise Pan American Energy (30%), YPF (25%), Pampa Energia (20%), Harbour Energy (15%) and Golar LNG Ltd. (10%). SESA will be responsible for procuring natural gas from the domestic market, and facilitating the necessary infrastructure to bring the natural gas to the flange of the FLNGs in the Gulf of San Matias. SESA will also be responsible for the operations of the FLNGs with support from Golar, and for the marketing and sale of the LNG produced. 

    About Golar LNG Ltd:
    Golar LNG Limited (“GLNG”) is a NASDAQ listed maritime LNG infrastructure company. Through its 79-year history, the company has pioneered maritime LNG infrastructure including the world’s first Floating LNG liquefaction terminal (FLNG) and Floating Storage and Regasification Unit (FSRU) projects based on the conversion of existing LNG carriers. Today Golar is a leading pure play FLNG company, and the only proven provider of FLNG as a service.

    FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS
    This press release contains forward-looking statements (as defined in Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) which reflect management’s current expectations, estimates and projections about its operations. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, that address activities and events that will, should, could or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. Words such as “may,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “forecast,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “propose,” “potential,” “continue,” “subject to” or the negative of these terms and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements.

    These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond our control and are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed or forecasted in such forward-looking statements. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. Golar LNG Limited undertakes no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless required by applicable law.

    Hamilton, Bermuda
    2 May 2025

    Investor Questions: +44 207 063 7900
    Karl Fredrik Staubo – CEO
    Eduardo Maranhão – CFO
    Stuart Buchanan – Head of Investor Relations

    This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to Section 5-12 the Norwegian Securities Trading Act

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Greens respond to Runcorn and Helsby by-election

    Source: Green Party of England and Wales

    / by Paul Corry

    Green Party co-leader Adrian Ramsay MP said:

    “This Labour government and Prime Minister Keir Starmer need to do nothing short of a complete reset.

    “Tonight’s results, not just in Runcorn, show that rather than pandering to Reform, they need to address the genuine concerns of working people by taxing wealth to ensure they can rebuild our health service and provide decent social housing.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –