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Category: Transport

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Liverpool City Council cracking down on illegally dumped waste 

    Source: City of Liverpool

    Liverpool City Council will step up its efforts to counter fly-tipping, dog-fouling and littering across the City by inviting applications for an external partner to provide additional enforcement. 

    Feedback from residents’ surveys, which found that fly-tipping and littering were priority issues, has played a significant part in the move to work alongside specialists with the aim of eradicating illegal waste in Liverpool. 

    The Council interviewed potential suppliers in December 2024 ensuring that an open-market procurement process would attract a range of partners. The award of a contract to the successful bidder is due to take place in March, with the chosen supplier beginning work early this summer. 

    Combatting fly-tipping, which is the illegal dumping of waste, was highlighted in a series of recommendations to help drive up environmental standards across the City were agreed by Cabinet last year.

    As part of these recommendations, the Council is also revising the cost of Fixed Penalty Notices for anyone who is found to be fly-tipping or littering.

    Each year, clearing fly-tipping costs approximately £1m, which could be used to improve services elsewhere within Liverpool. Nine out of 10 reports are responded to and cleared in five working days, but the issue is one that could be avoided entirely.

    Last summer, the Council appointed a new Environmental Enforcement Team to identify and take action against offenders. The team patrol the streets every day of the week to educate local communities on correct waste management and investigate environmental crimes.  

    Working closely with Merseyside Police, the team also check waste carriers to make sure they are disposing of waste correctly and carry the right licence to be able to do so. 

    Since June last year, the team has spoken to over 450 residential properties and businesses about fly-tipping, issuing almost 100 written warnings. This team is set to double in size in the coming months, providing more capacity to work with residents and businesses to prevent future fly-tipping.

    The incoming external partner will work closely with the taskforce to increase awareness of correct waste disposal and clamp down on illegal dumping, littering and dog-fouling. 

    The Council offers a free bulky item collection for anyone looking to get rid of items that are too big to place in household waste. Up to five items, including fridges, wardrobes, and sofas, can be collected at one time. Once taken away, these items will then be safely recycled. Alternatively, excess waste can be taken to a nearby Household Waste Recycling Centre.

    Councillor Laura Robertson-Collins, Liverpool City Council’s Cabinet Member for Communities, Neighbourhoods and Streetscene said: “Fly-tipping is an ugly and hazardous act. Liverpool is a fantastic city that we should all be proud to live in, but it’s clear that a small minority has no respect for our streets. 

    “In the past year, we’ve cleared over 20,000 instances of illegally dumped waste, many of which have been reported by concerned residents.

    “We know that fly-tipping is unsightly and can harm the environment, so a lot of time and resources are committed to cleaning it up quickly. The time and money we’ve spent on doing this could have been used on improving our City rather than having to fix a problem that selfish people have created. 

    “Residents have said to us that this is a major issue, and we agree. We’ve already taken significant steps internally by hiring more enforcement officers and the next step is to expand our operations through an external partner.

    “Our procurement strategy is focused on finding the best possible partner to achieve our aims of tackling fly-tipping, littering and dog-fouling across Liverpool.” 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Russian Science Day in Moscow: where the most interesting events will take place

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    Dozens of excursions, exhibitions, as well as thematic quizzes, special projects and acquaintance with the latest developments of scientists await city residents in early February. All these events are dedicated to the celebration Day of Russian Science, which is celebrated on February 8. This is a great opportunity not only to remember the legendary scientists of the past, but also to turn to their modern colleagues, and to find out what discoveries are changing the world right now.

    Cosmonautics, biotechnology and the power of words at VDNKh

    The country’s main exhibition invites everyone to special programs and free excursions. They will be dedicated to various types of science and will be organized in museums and pavilions of VDNKh. To participate in most events, you only need to pre-register; for some, you need to buy a ticket.

    Thus, on February 8, thematic events will be held at the Atom Museum. You can follow the schedule and buy tickets on the official website of the museum.

    On February 8 from 11:00 to 20:00 in the museum lobby you will be offered to play engineering games and assemble Spills cards of Russia. The Spills map is an innovative development, which is a set of magnetic game elements made in the form of territorial units of states and regions. It will be interesting for both adults and schoolchildren from 12 years old (children come accompanied by adults). Wooden puzzle maps will help you remember the geography of Russia. Guests will learn how much energy each region consumes, what is the average annual temperature in them. In the museum from 13:00 to 14:30 visitors will also be able to work at engineering tables and even conduct own scientific experiments.

    Master classes in physics have been prepared for children aged six and over “Snow Atom” And “Winter Journey with Atomarenko”, board game “Nuclear Power Plant Engineer”. A quiz awaits teenagers and adults “Through experience”, master class “VR in your pocket”, quiz “Physicists and Lyricists” and public talk “How Russians believed in physics”. The Center for Modern Biotechnology “Biotech Museum” has prepared a special program for all guests for the Day of Russian Science. Starting from February 8, there will be a new master class dedicated to microorganisms, – “Art in a Petri Dish”. In addition, on February 8 and 9 at 16:00 there will be open screenings of documentaries about mathematics and bionics. Admission by museum tickets.

    Free excursions will be held at VDNKh on February 8. At 17:00 in Pavilion No. 1 “Central” you can take a guided tour exposition of the Tretyakov Gallery. Guests will be introduced to the works of Alexander Deineka, Evgeny Vuchetich, Vera Mukhina, Alexander Vinogradov, Vladimir Dubossarsky and many other artists. There you can also admire the monumental canvases created especially for the opening of the pavilion in 1954, examine the legendary high relief of Evgeny Vuchetich, considered lost for more than half a century, and learn the details of the creation of the monument “Worker and Kolkhoz Woman”.

    At 17:00 and 18:30 the Cosmonautics and Aviation Center invites you to thematic excursions “Chemistry and Space”. And at 19:00 in the museum of Slavic writing “Word” there will be an excursion “Studying the word…”. It will talk about Slavic writing and its researchers.

    About science for schoolchildren and youth

    A number of events dedicated to Russian scientists, the secrets of physics, chemistry, cybernetics and high technology will be held by the capital’s palaces of creativity. Children and teenagers will enjoy exciting quizzes, quizzes, master classes and much more. They can be visited for free, but some events require preliminary online registration.

    On February 6, the Sviblovo Children’s Creativity Center will host a festive quiz called “Young Researchers.” Through the interactive format of the event, combining play and learning, young participants will be able to receive basic knowledge about the world of science.

    On the same day, the Victoria Children’s and Youth Center will hold an educational program where you can learn about the important achievements of Russian and Soviet science and great discoveries. in this area.

    For all those interested, on February 8, the Moscow Palace of Pioneers on Vorobyovy Gory will host Moscow Science Festival. Guests will enjoy intellectual games, lectures and master classes. Visitors will get acquainted with modern developments and learn how to build a career as a researcher. Lectures on physics and space, thematic master classes, scientific battles and board games are planned. Schoolchildren will be told how to conduct their first research, how to prepare for university and become a scientific volunteer. You can register for the events Here.

    The Palace of Children and Youth Creativity “Undiscovered Islands” will hold a special master class “The Invisible World and Fascinating Experiments” on February 8. Participants will learn about the history of Russian Science Day and will also get acquainted with various interesting experiments. And in the Palace of Children and Youth Creativity “Khoroshevo” until February 10 there will be a whole a series of master classes and quizzes for young seekers of knowledge.

    Journeys into the World of Scientific Moscow

    A digital weekend will help you organize a real scientific weekend tourist service Russpass. Three new walking routes around the city were published there. They are dedicated to places in Moscow associated with famous scientists and their main discoveries. The routes will be interesting for the whole family, and you can walk along them at any convenient time. The descriptions are supplemented with historical information about places and objects and photographs of all the sights that you will encounter along the way.

    Route “Fascinating Biology: A Curious Walk for the Whole Family” will introduce city travelers to the Main Botanical Garden named after N.V. Tsitsin of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS), Timiryazevsky Park and the florarium in Zaryadye Park.

    On a walk “Visiting the animals, the moon and the past in one day” young science lovers and their parents will learn interesting facts about the scientific world of Russia. The route includes a visit to the Moscow Zoo, Presnensky Park, Moscow Planetarium and the Museum of the History of the Telephone. Children and adults will be able to listen to lectures about the stars and animals of Russia, learn about the first means of communication, and play on the scientific playground. The exciting journey can be completed at the skating rink on Patriarch’s Ponds.

    Walk “Scientific Moscow: Founders, Researchers and Pioneers” will allow you to see the houses where famous scientists lived and worked. This is the longest route, which can be explored gradually. To visit all its points, you will need four days. This is a great opportunity to get acquainted with the monuments to discoverers in the fields of medicine, chemistry, biology, and space exploration. Among the points of the route are the estate of A. I. Konshina, which now houses the Central House of Scientists of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Memorial Museum-Apartment of K. A. Timiryazev, the main building of the Moscow State University named after M. V. Lomonosov, and monuments on the Cosmonauts’ Alley at VDNKh.

    Russian Science Day in Libraries, Cinemas and More

    The capital’s cultural venues also invite you to celebrate Russian Science Day. You can attend events in museums, cinemas, libraries and cultural centers starting February 6. To participate in some events, you will need to register in advance or buy a ticket.

    Thus, on February 6 and 7, free screenings of the Russian popular science film “The Chip Inside Me” will be held in the Moskino chain of cinemas. The film will tell about how chipping helps to restore health, and the film will also touch upon ethical issues. The screenings will be held in eight Moskino chain cinemas: “Cosmos”, “Sputnik”, “Iskra”, “Zhukovsky”, “Tula”, “Saturn”, “Vympel”, and “Angara”. Registration — by link.

    An exhibition will be open at the Meridian Cultural Center from February 6 to 27 “The History of the Magnetic Needle”. Guests will see pocket compasses produced in Russia from the mid-19th to the mid-20th century. These are exhibits from the collection of magnetic compass collector Mikhail Ivanov, which includes more than 800 devices from various countries and eras. The exhibition will also feature mining compasses from the collection of Gennady Avdonin, chief specialist of the N.M. Fedorovsky All-Russian Research Institute of Mineral Resources.

    The Central City Children’s Library named after A.P. Gaidar invites schoolchildren to the thematic program “Experiments”. It will last until February 28. Visitors will enjoy physical and chemical experiments with liquids, gases and solids, optical illusions and puzzle solving. Lectures on scientific laws will also be organized for young scientists and they will be told how to independently conduct a scientific experiment at home, taking into account all safety rules. Entrance to the event is free for organized groups (kindergarten groups and school classes from six years old). You can find out more and sign up for the program by calling the library: 7 499 242-57-23.

    Children will be able to try their hand at solving puzzles, conduct interesting experiments, and learn about the contribution of Russian researchers to world science at the Central Children’s Library No. 14. There, on February 6 at 4:00 p.m., a quiz called “Day of Russian Science” will be held.

    On February 7 at 15:00, the A.S. Neverov Library No. 90 will host a discussion entitled “Ruthless Science with Meaning.” Guests will be told about interesting facts from the biographies of famous scientists such as N.I. Vavilov, D.I. Mendeleyev, V.I. Vernadsky, I.P. Pavlov, N.I. Lobachevsky, and others. Participants will also be introduced to the works of these researchers.

    And in Library No. 82 on February 6 at 11:15 and February 7 at 11:00 there will be interactive classes “Treasures of the Earth” and “Green Energy”, dedicated to the topic of clean energy.

    On the festive day, February 8, the N. F. Fedorov Library No. 180 will host an exhibition of the St. Petersburg photo artist Maria Kovalevskaya. It is dedicated to women scientists working at the I. P. Pavlov Institute of Physiology of the Russian Academy of Sciences. At the exhibition, you can learn about their work and hobbies, such as sailing, fishing and fencing, and also immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the first science town in Russia. It was built in the 1930s with the participation of Academician I. P. Pavlov.

    The Darwin Museum will hold the Science Day. Vanished Worlds event. On February 8, from 10:00 to 18:00, guests will enjoy games, interactive activities, master classes, and lectures. At the events, visitors will get acquainted not only with the most famous ancient animals — dinosaurs, but also with their relatives and contemporaries, as well as with other extinct inhabitants of the Earth. Entrance — by tickets.

    A special program will be held at the Timiryazev State Biological Museum from 12:00 to 16:00 on February 8. It will be dedicated to various areas of biology, its history, and the work of scientists. The events are planned at two venues: in pavilion No. 31 “Geology” at VDNKh and in the museum building on Malaya Gruzinskaya Street. Admission is by ticket. You can buy a ticket for the event in the Geology pavilion at this link, and to the event at the museum on Malaya Gruzinskaya – on this.

    Russian Science Day has been officially celebrated since 1999. The reason for its appearance was the events that took place more than 300 years ago – on January 28 (February 8, new style) 1724, Emperor Peter I founded the Russian Academy of Sciences.

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

    Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is account to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect the Position of Mil-Sosi or Its Clients.

    https: //vv.mos.ru/nevs/ite/149524073/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Rosneft recognized as the leader of the Russian oil and gas industry in the field of rational water use

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Rosneft – Rosneft – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Rosneft has been recognized as a leader in the field of rational use of water resources based on the results of a 2024 study by the RAEX rating agency. The assessment examined the water use indicators of 144 companies from Russia, Kazakhstan and Mongolia.

    Rosneft became the only Russian oil and gas company to be included in the top 10 participants in the rating with the highest level of assessment of indicators of rational water consumption, as well as the quality of corporate policies and programs related to water use.

    Preserving the environment for future generations is an integral part of the corporate culture and one of the key principles of Rosneft. The company follows the principles of responsible business of the UN Global Compact and annually confirms its commitment to 17 UN goals in the field of sustainable development. Rosneft intends to remain a reliable manufacturer, while reducing its impact on the climate and the environment.

    Rosneft’s activities are related to the use of water resources, so issues of rational water use are given great attention. The company constantly reduces the total volume of water withdrawn through measures to reduce water consumption and the volume of water withdrawal from natural sources. The share of recycled and reused water in 2023 amounted to almost 93% of the total volume of water used for production needs. This figure has consistently exceeded 90% for 10 years.

    In addition, Rosneft is implementing and using advanced wastewater treatment technologies that have already proven their effectiveness. Thus, the biological treatment facilities (BTF) of the Ufa group of oil refineries processed 134 million m3 of wastewater. BTF services the Bashneft oil refineries and treats wastewater from 66 enterprises in the northern industrial zone of Ufa and storm water. The treatment facilities provide the highest level of treatment of industrial, storm and domestic wastewater, which increases the volume of reused water in technological processes by 2.5 times.

    At the same time, Rosneft enterprises also carry out activities to reproduce aquatic biological resources. In 2023, about 50 million fry were released by subsidiaries into the river systems of Russia.

    The company assesses the level of water supply in the regions of its presence. In 2023, with the support of RN-Uvatneftegaz, scientists calculated changes in the area of water bodies that have occurred over the past half century and formulated recommendations for carrying out restoration and preventive measures to prevent a decrease in the area of the water surface of lakes and their bloom. Regardless of the region’s water supply, when implementing projects, the Company carries out a set of measures aimed at rational water use.

    Rosneft also works to increase employee involvement in compliance with environmental requirements, conduct voluntary environmental campaigns, and develop a culture of rational and responsible consumption of natural resources. The Company’s volunteers regularly clean the coastal areas of large water bodies, improve coastal areas, install garbage containers, and place information stands for tourists about the value of lake ecosystems.

    The company ensures strict compliance of production processes and industrial facilities with the requirements of Russian environmental legislation and maintains high standards of environmental safety in the field of water resource management.

    Department of Information and Advertising of PJSC NK Rosneft February 5, 2025

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Landing obligation exemption changes in English waters

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Marine Management Organisation is advising fishers of forthcoming changes to a number of exemptions to the Landing Obligation in English waters following a scientific review and public consultation.

    Fishing boat at sea.

    The Sea Fisheries (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2025 no.92 were laid before parliament at the end of January and will come in to force on February 28 2025.

    The changes mean that from the end of February a number of exemptions to the Landing Obligation will be removed so fishers will be legally required to land the species that these exemptions covered. All other exemptions remain in place.

    The changes have been made following a review of Landing Obligations exemptions by experts at the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture (Cefas) and a public consultation.

    Four exemptions are set to be disapplied, three fully and one partially.

    The details are:

    • The high survivability exemption for turbot caught in English waters of ICES subarea 4 with beam trawls with a cod-end larger than 80mm will be disapplied. This is due to insufficient evidence to support this exemption. The exemption remains in place within Scottish waters of ICES subarea 4.
    • The de minimis exemption for mackerel, horse mackerel, herring and whiting caught in the pelagic fishery carried out by pelagic trawlers up to 25 metres in length overall, using mid-water trawls, and targeting mackerel, horse mackerel and herring in ICES divisions 4b and 4c south of 54 degrees north will be disapplied. This is due to insufficient evidence to support this exemption.
    • The de minimis exemption for mackerel, horse mackerel, herring and whiting caught in the fishery carried out with pelagic trawlers up to 25 meters in length overall, using mid-water trawls, and targeting mackerel, horse mackerel and herring in ICES division 7d will be disapplied. This is due to insufficient evidence to support this exemption. 
    • The cod element of a de minimis exemption for cod and whiting below the minimum conservation reference size caught in the mixed demersal fisheries by vessels using bottom trawls or seines with a mesh size of 70-99 mm in ICES division 4c will be disapplied. This is due to concerns about the Northern shelf cod stock, in particular in the Southern North Sea, and insufficient evidence to support this exemption. It provides a consistent approach across ICES subarea 4. The whiting element of this exemption will be retained.

    Under the Landing Obligation, all fish caught must be landed and not discarded if there is no exemption in place.

    For more information, see Technical Conservation and Landing Obligation rules and regulations 2025 – GOV.UK  or read general landing obligation collection page.

    Updates to this page

    Published 5 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: More than 30 terminal stations for buses and electric buses were built and reconstructed in two years

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    Over the past two years, more than 30 terminal stations for buses and electric buses have been built and reconstructed in the capital. This was reported by the Deputy Mayor of Moscow for Transport and Industry Maxim Liksutov.

    “In two years, we have built 11 new comfortable buildings at the terminal stations. Security systems operate here, there are rooms where drivers can eat and rest between trips. We are increasing the efficiency of urban transport on the instructions of Sergei Sobyanin,” said Maxim Liksutov.

    Thanks to the new terminal stations, public transport routes start immediately in the required areas, closer to passengers. This reduces waiting time at stops.

    The fenced turnaround area provides enough space to make a maneuver and get back on the line. Now bus and electric bus drivers do not have to waste extra time to get to the starting point of the route or return to the depot to park.

    Comfortable working conditions have been created for the workers, since the safety of passengers depends on their well-being. In the new buildings, the staff can have lunch and prepare for the route. There are separate rooms for drivers to rest – both women and men, rooms for eating, showers and toilets, as well as first-aid stations. For security purposes, the stations are equipped with video surveillance and access control systems.

    In accordance with the objectives of the national project “Infrastructure for life” In Moscow, much attention is paid to the modernization of social and municipal infrastructure, including increasing the number of convenient public transport routes and updating rolling stock. In addition, within the framework of the national project, Moscow has begun developing the Central Transport Hub. It will become a single circuit with predictable suburban rail transport for more than 30 million residents of 11 regions of Russia.

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

    Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is account to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect the Position of Mil-Sosi or Its Clients.

    https: //vv.mos.ru/nevs/ite/149642073/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Statement from Minister McPhee on World Cancer Day

    Statement from Minister McPhee on World Cancer Day
    jlutz

    Minister of Health and Social Services Tracy-Anne McPhee has issued the following statement:

    “Today on World Cancer Day, we come together to honour and support everyone affected by cancer and reaffirm our shared commitment to cancer prevention, treatment and care. This year’s theme, United by Unique, highlights the importance of placing people at the centre of care. This theme aligns with our ongoing efforts in the Yukon to deliver personalized and equitable health care services.

    “The latest Yukon Health Status Report shows that new cancer diagnosis, including site-specific cancers such as breast, colorectal and lung, have been steadily declining in the Yukon since 2018. While this progress is encouraging, cancer remains one of the leading causes of death in Canada, affecting many individuals and their families and friends. The most common cancers in our territory include breast, lung, colorectal and prostate cancer. This reality highlights the urgent need for robust prevention strategies and accessible health care.

    “Over the past year, we have made significant strides in improving cancer care within the territory. More than $500,000 was allocated in the 2024–25 budget to support cancer-related initiatives. We remain committed to building on these efforts and continuing to prioritize resources and initiatives that support Yukoners facing cancer.

    “To anyone facing cancer, know that you are not alone. Comprehensive cancer care support is available through the Department of Health and Social Services and the Yukon Hospital Corporation’s Cancer Care Coordinator. Assistance is available at 867-393-8853 or by emailing cancercare@wgh.yk.ca. No referral is needed.

    “By standing together, we can make a meaningful difference in the fight against cancer.”

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Statement by President Meloni to mark National STEM Week (4-11 February 2025)

    Source: Government of Italy (English)

    According to the World Bank, 80% of the most advanced nations’ wealth is represented by knowledge. In this context, STEM subjects are taking on an increasingly crucial role, offering great opportunities and prospects. Unfortunately, in Italy, the indicators show a misalignment between supply and demand. According to ISTAT, only a quarter of Italian graduates aged between 25 and 34 studied STEM subjects, and Italian companies say they have difficulty in finding professionals with training in these disciplines.

    The Government is determined to reverse this trend, and has already taken the first steps in this direction. I am referring, for example, to the technical-vocational education and training reform to create a stable and structural link between technical and vocational education pathways, higher technical institutes (‘ITS’) and production chains; the establishment of the ‘Made in Italy’ high school, which encompasses both humanities and STEM subjects; the incentives for companies to hire researchers and research contract holders; the funding allocated for career guidance and the ‘scientific degree plan’. There is still a lot of work to be done, but we are convinced that the path we have taken is the right one.

    Overcoming the skills challenge is essential to building an increasingly competitive nation that is at the forefront of the great transformations of our time. We can only achieve this goal if we are able to work together as a team, involving families, schools, universities, companies, professional associations, cultural institutions and the media in this mission. Believing in Italy’s future also means working to shape the professions and the professionals of tomorrow, thus helping to reawaken that courage and daring that are innate in our people and that have allowed our nation to become what it is today.

    [Courtesy translation]

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: More than a quarter of a million local businesses benefit from Mayor of London’s new support service

    Source: Mayor of London

    • Grow London Local is a one-stop-shop to support small businesses across the capital, launched with £8.7m of Mayoral funding and delivered by London & Partners
    • The programme has surpassed targets in its first year, reaching 250,000 entrepreneurs and supporting 16,000 businesses – with 88% of those helped coming from communities that face additional barriers
    • Friday 7 February will see special events for London’s small businesses to help them thrive

    More than 250,000 of the capital’s entrepreneurs and small businesses have accessed a dedicated support service set up by the Mayor Sadiq Khan to help them grow and thrive.

    Grow London Local provides in-person and online support for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) through the capital’s business growth agency London & Partners. Business Support Managers work in communities to help entrepreneurs overcome barriers through skills training, expert guidance, and connecting with other business leaders to foster peer learning.

    There are estimated to be more than a million SMEs in London (defined as employing up to 249 people), with one in four currently facing financial vulnerability  [1]. Grow London Local helps firms to access the right support at the right time, so that entrepreneurs can become financially resilient and their businesses can thrive.

    Since the Mayor invested £8.7m to launch the service in January 2024, Grow London Local has reached more than a quarter of a million entrepreneurs and helped more than 16,000 – almost double the initial targets of 132,580 and 12,484 respectively. While beneficiaries span every London borough, 88 per cent of entrepreneurs supported come from communities who face additional barriers to finding help.

    Grow London Local delivers on the Mayor’s 2021 manifesto pledge to create a ‘single front door’ for small businesses, uniting various schemes and resources under one banner, enhanced by the expertise of London & Partners. 

    The Mayor has been clear that SMEs have a vital part to play in London’s economy, and in how it can help national growth. Ensuring people and businesses across the capital have the skills they need will be a focus of his new London Growth Plan, which he will soon publish alongside London Councils and London & Partners. The Plan will outline measures to improve the lives of all Londoners, drive the capital’s green transition, boost the economy and support prosperity in London and beyond.

    The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “The capital’s one million small businesses are the backbone of our economy, delivering services and products we take for granted in our daily lives – but all too often they don’t get the help they need or are entitled to. I’m proud to see Grow London Local helping the capital’s entrepreneurs to not just survive but really thrive. As London’s most pro-business mayor, supporting our fantastic small businesses is a key component of my work to build a better and more prosperous London for everyone.”    

    Grow London Local’s Managing Director, Michelle Cuomo-Boorer, commented: “Reaching 250,000 entrepreneurs in our first year is a remarkable milestone – and it’s just the beginning. We’re incredibly proud of the impact we’ve made in supporting London’s dynamic and diverse small business community, and excited to build on this success by empowering more businesses to help them thrive.” 

    Andrea Pickard, a London-based career coach who supports people with dyslexia, said: “Grow London Local has been a game-changer, boosting my confidence and supporting my growth as a new business owner. Their coffee mornings connected me to other entrepreneurs, providing invaluable advice, and a NatWest Bank dinner was an incredible opportunity. As someone with dyslexia, it’s empowering to feel recognised and supported. Their impact has been transformative for both me and my business.” 

    Mrinal Madin, whose Kingston-based business The Entertainment Sports Agency has also benefited from Grow London Local services, added: “Learning about the digital skills needed and what to focus on was useful. There is still a long way to go to implement all the actions, but having systems and processes is going to be key to our growth.” 

    Paul Wight, Programme Manager for Allia’s Hackney Impact project – one of 374 providers who have partnered with Grow London Local to deliver support – noted: “Our partnership with Grow London Local has been pivotal in connecting us to nearly 400 Hackney businesses. As an active partner in the SME and social enterprise ecosystem, Grow London Local helps ensure we remain integrated in a broader network of support, which empowers businesses to thrive and contributes to sustainable economic growth across Hackney.” 

    To celebrate its first birthday, Grow London Local will host four free coffee mornings across the capital on Friday 7 February, where small business leaders can make connections and access support. Events will take place from 10am at Bobo Social in Ealing, Blooming Scent Café in Tottenham, SoLo Craft Fair in Southwark and Unit Six Café in Newham.

    Find out more and get involved at  www.growlondonlocal.london.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Polytechnic University and Severstal: Successful Cooperation for Future Engineers

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University – Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University –

    For SPbPU students, cooperation with leading employers in Russia is an opportunity to develop in the largest Russian and international companies and build a successful career. One of such partners is PAO Severstal, with which the university is implementing several educational and scientific projects.

    The Polytechnic University has the Severstal-Polytechnic Research and Education Center, whose specialists solve key industrial problems by working on joint R&D. More than 20 students study at SPbPU under a target agreement with the company. Twice a year, Severstal representatives participate in the Youth Career Forum, offering jobs to Polytechnic students. Dozens of students annually undergo internships at Severstal and its subsidiaries.

    In the educational programs “Organization and Management of Digital Science-Intensive Production”, “Digital Technologies in Metallurgy” and “Engineering of Metallurgical and Foundry Technologies and Materials”, Severstal representatives act as experts in lectures, provide places for practical training, topics for final qualification works, and invite students to production.

    As a partner of the course “Fundamentals of Project Activity”, Severstal offers second-year students project topics.

    “Our cooperation with Severstal has been going on for several decades,” says Pavel Kovalev, Deputy Director of IMMiT for Educational Activities. “Many of our graduates successfully work for the company, such as Evgeny Nikolaevich Vinogradov, a 2002 graduate of the metallurgical faculty, who currently holds the position of General Director of the Severstal Russian Steel and Resource Assets Division. With the participation of our strategic partner, we have developed a draft of a new educational standard and a corporate educational track for bachelors in the Metallurgy field. We received software for 26 VR simulators simulating various technological operations of steelmaking and rolling processing from Severstal free of charge, which will be used this academic year. We also plan to launch a pilot educational program in 2025 to train engineers with a variable training period (4 or 5 years).”

    By the way, the recruiting platform hh.ru recently presented the results of the Russian employer rating for 2024. It included more than 1,700 companies from all over the country.

    Among them, Severstal demonstrated significant progress, rising from 24th to 11th place in the overall list of successful industrial enterprises.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Youth Justice Board publishes knife crime insights pack

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    The Youth Justice Board (YJB) is sharing its Knife Crime Insights Pack to add context to the YJB’s Annual Statistics which include data on knife crime and offensive weapons.

    Evidence and insights

    The YJB Annual Statistics highlight:

    • In the year ending March 2024, there were just over 3,200 knife or offensive weapon offences committed by children resulting in a caution or sentence, which is 6% fewer than the previous year but 20% greater than 10 years ago. This is the sixth consecutive year-on-year decrease.
    • In the latest year, the vast majority (99.7%) of knife or offensive weapon offences committed by children were possession offences and the remaining 0.1% were threatening with a knife or offensive weapon offences.
    • Out-of-court disposals are a method of resolving an investigation outside of court. In the year ending March 2024, 61% of disposals given to children for a knife or offensive weapon offence were a community sentence. This proportion is broadly stable over the last 10 years.
    • The proportion of children sentenced to immediate custody was 7% in the last year, which is the same level it has been for the last three years.

    Included within the Knife Crime Insights Pack (PDF, 417 KB, 16 pages) are a number of evidence-based insights into what works and what doesn’t. There are also a number of recommendations informed by these insights, which are:

    1. The YJB supports attempts to reduce knife supply.
    2. The YJB supports individualised decisions on outcomes.
    3. The YJB supports local strategies to address the conditions that sustain violence.
    4. The YJB supports local partnerships working together to ensure that adults meet the needs of children.

    Chief Executive, Stephanie Roberts-Bibby, said:

    Any incidence of violence involving knives and weapons is one too many. This type of violence, specifically involving children, should not happen and when it does, it is an emotionally charged time for all involved, not least for the victims, their families and the communities who are so greatly impacted. My heart goes out to those affected.

    Our Annual Statistics which we published last week show a worrying number of children still involved in offences involving weapons. While the overall picture is improving, it is important to consider the broader context, which is so often missed when we speak of individual tragedies. 

    To address knife crime adequately, it is vital that we understand the context in which children live their lives – so publicly and with an increasing use of social media and technology. This is exacerbated by the pandemic which will have affected maturation and development. It is essential that children have access to early intervention and the right support at the critical stages of their lives. Evidence shows this work is crucial in preventing further harm, reducing the number of victims and creating safer communities through steering children away from carrying weapons.

    We cannot underestimate the importance of attendance in inclusive education as a protective factor in preventing children offending. Equally important is support from health services when appropriate. We will continue to do all we can to provide evidence-based advice to ministers and all partners responsible for preventing children offending, including local authorities, children’s social care, education, health, probation and police.

    The pack is a comprehensive report which informs the basis of cross-sector discussions hosted by the YJB. The pack provides context to the landscape of knife crime by summarising facts, and insights gathered from experts who work with children in the youth justice system. It also provides recommendations based on the evidence. These insights draw attention to the significant role that early intervention, targeted prevention and diversion programs play in reducing knife crime by children.

    Chair of the Youth Justice Board, Keith Fraser, commented:

    Understanding the landscape of knife crime is essential to reducing the number of victims affected by it, which is why this insights pack was developed. It is also why senior experts and decision makers are routinely invited to discuss the insights and refine the recommendations.

    We hear a lot in the press that “knife crime is an epidemic”. In actual fact, the statistics show that knife crime has been decreasing since 2019 and we want to continue this trend by highlighting what works based on the evidence.

    There is very weak evidence to support that ‘scared straight’ initiatives, weapons amnesties, increased stop and search or mandatory sentencing have any sustained impact on knife crime in communities. Initiatives that do work are social skills training, mentoring and tailored support with education, housing and employment.

    For more information access the full Knife Crime Insights Pack on the Youth Justice Resource Hub

    ENDS

    Youth Justice Board media enquiries

    Youth Justice Board for England and Wales
    Clive House
    70 Petty France
    London
    SW1H 9EX

    Email comms@yjb.gov.uk

    For out-of-hours press queries 020 3334 3536

    Updates to this page

    Published 5 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Far North Cameroon: IOM Provides Shelter And Essential Household Items For Flood Victims

    Source: International Organization for Migration (IOM)

    Maroua, October 10th, 2024 – “After the floods on the Dougmo site not far from Tildé, where we have been living for 3 years, my house was completely destroyed by the waters and I moved to this new site, not far from Tildé”. Such is the statement made by Alhadji Alifa, 68, a victim of the floods in Cameroon’s Far North region on the night of 09th to October 10th, 2024. Like him, some 459,000 other people in the departments of Mayo-Danay and Logone et Chari were flood victims, according to OCHA, (OCHA Cameroon Far North Situation Report #49 Oct 2024). In order to save their lives, they had to move in search of a flood-sheltered site. As a result, they settled in various neighboring localities least affected by the floods in the departments of Mayo Danay and Logone et Chari.

    As part of its response to the urgent needs of these flood victims, the Mission of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Cameroon has granted 300 emergency shelters and 330 kits of essential household items to flood-affected people and vulnerable host communities. The handover activity was carried out as part of the project “Supporting displaced and crisis-affected populations in the Far North, Northwest and SouthWest regions of Cameroon, for the restoration and strengthening of resilience within the framework of NEXUS, Humanitarian, Development and Peace”. This project is part of the “NEXUS, Humanitarian, Development and Peace” program, funded by the Japanese people through the Embassy of Japan in Cameroon, and the “Vital assistance to displaced populations in the Far North and South West regions of Cameroon in the form of shelter, non-food items

    (NFI) and rent money” project, funded by the Central Emergency Respond Fund (CERF), with operational support from the Association des “Animateurs et Encadreurs pour le Développement Communautaire (AAEDC) and the Association de Serbowel Facilitateur pour les Humanitaires (ASFH)”.

    A total of 300 households, including 2015 individuals, benefited from this assistance. A salutary action much appreciated by the beneficiaries. “When we first arrived, we were living in straw shelters that we had built ourselves. But we were still not protected from bad weather, and every time it rained, our huts were flooded with water. But thank God IOM came and built us shelters out of tarpaulin and wood. Today we have a place to sleep”, says Alhadji Alifa.

    For her part, Falmata Alifa – a 75-year-old widow also affected by the disaster – was delighted to have received

    “With which she was “able to build the shelter in which she and her family are currently staying”. Falmata Alifa is also pleased to have received “buckets, cans, mats, pots and pans, blankets, mosquito nets and soap”. “All this came at a time when I needed it most, as all the belongings I had before this situation were destroyed along with my house in the devastating flood,” she added. This activity is in line with objectives 1 and 2 of IOM’s Strategy 2024 – 2028, namely “Saving lives and protecting migrants” and “Finding solutions to displacement”.

    ****

    For further information, please contact: 

    • Pierre Aristide NKENGUE, OIM Cameroun, Tél. : +237 694 81 49 88, E-mail : pnkengue@iom.int
    • Gisèle MASSINA, OIM Cameroun, Tél. : +237 6 99 07 21 64, gmassina@iom.int

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: South Africa’s food poisoning crisis: the government’s response isn’t dealing with the real issues

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Mamokete Modiba, Researcher, Gauteng City-Region Observatory

    The South African government declared a national disaster towards the end of 2024 in response to an outbreak of food-borne illnesses. The outbreak had led to the tragic deaths of over 20 children and hospitalisation of hundreds.

    Investigations by the National Institute for Communicable Diseases attributed the outbreak to hazardous pesticides such as Terbufos and Aldicarb. The pesticides, used in agriculture, have infiltrated the informal market as unregulated “street pesticides” for rat control, resulting in food contamination.

    In response, the government announced several measures. One was that all food handling outlets, including informal retailers known as spaza shops, had to register with their respective municipalities. It also introduced widespread inspection of these outlets for compliance with regulations and health standards.

    The measures are a step in the right direction. However, based on our research work at the Gauteng City-Region Observatory (GCRO) over the past decades, they fall short of what is required. In addition, certain aspects, such as mandatory registration and mass inspection of food outlets, may prove difficult to implement effectively.

    The Gauteng City Region is a cluster of cities, towns and urban nodes that make up the economic heartland of South Africa. The Gauteng City-Region Observatory is a partnership between the Gauteng provincial government, the University of the Witwatersrand, the University of Johannesburg and Gauteng South African Local Government Association. It has been researching the development dynamics of the region since 2008, providing data-driven insights and strategic guidance to support sustainable development.

    The government response to the outbreak of food-borne illnesses addresses the immediate crisis but does not address underlying factors affecting low-income settlements.

    Research by GCRO has identified the underlying factors as poor infrastructure and services. Rat infestations stem from poor waste management. This is caused by inadequate public services, failing infrastructure and irregular waste collection.

    Dumping, littering and burning waste worsen the public health and environmental risks, including disease transmission and pest infestations.

    Based on this evidence, we conclude that the government’s response does not adequately address some of the root causes of the outbreak, due to insufficient understanding of the context. Addressing these systemic failures is not just a public health matter. It also highlights the challenges faced by these communities and emphasises the importance of supporting local economies.

    Survey findings

    The GCRO’s flagship Quality of Life Survey, conducted every two years since 2009, is one of South Africa’s largest social surveys. It measures various aspects such as Gauteng residents’ socio-economic dynamics, service delivery experiences, and satisfaction with government. It provides longitudinally comparable data to inform decision-making.

    The survey covers various topics that have a bearing on the food-borne illnesses outbreak, like basic services, income sources and food security. According to the latest survey (2023/24), access to refuse removal and satisfaction with service delivery has declined in Gauteng.

    In the 2023/24 survey, 74% of respondents reported weekly refuse removal, down from 83% in the 2020/21 period. Satisfaction with services dropped from 75% to 64% over the same period – a worrying trend since 2017/18. The survey also shows that over half (57%) of businesses in Gauteng are informal.

    Household hunger has increased across ten years of the survey. More than one in ten households experience severe food insecurity: hunger, poor access to food and insufficient spending on nutritious food.

    Measures to address the crisis

    We now turn to the three government interventions:

    Registration of spaza shops

    All food handling outlets, including spaza shops, are required to register with their municipalities between November 2024 and February 2025. This is a step in the right direction, towards regulatory compliance and monitoring of the safety of goods being sold to the public. However, it might not be achievable, especially within the specified period.

    There are minimum requirements for the registration of spaza shops. These include (re)zoning certificates or consent use, certificates of acceptability (health standards), approved building plans, registration with the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission, and tax clearance. However, many of these businesses operate informally and therefore lack the required documentation.

    Any spaza shop that fails to register in time will be closed. This will affect livelihoods and food security, especially in low-income communities where these shops play a vital role.

    Spaza shops are a way for many people to make an income, and they supply essential food items to local communities. Households buy from them for a variety of reasons: they are nearby and affordable, open for long hours and offer credit.

    Inspection of food outlets

    A campaign to inspect all food handling outlets, focusing on spaza shops and informal traders, is underway. Law enforcement is important to remove contaminated food from the market and prevent future outbreaks. But municipalities have limited capacity to conduct such widespread inspections and ensure compliance with health regulations and standards.

    The outbreak was partly a result of municipalities’ inability to enforce the rules. If inspections had been regular and thorough, food contamination issues would have been picked up before the current crisis.

    The focus on punitive measures, such as closing businesses and prosecuting owners, does not help them to register, reopen and comply. It might harm the informal economy, reflecting a broader trend of criminalising the poor.

    Joint fund to support township and rural businesses

    Government has set aside R500 million (US$26 million) to support township and rural enterprises, including spaza shops. The fund is intended to improve business infrastructure and build capacity.

    But in our view, its eligibility criteria require reconsideration. To qualify, a business owner must be a South African citizen, their business must be registered in the municipality and they must have have valid tax registration. The majority of businesses in these settlements are informal and would not meet the requirements, so the criteria exclude many that need support.

    Next steps

    The government’s response to the food-borne illness outbreak focuses on the immediate crisis and related symptoms. It overlooks underlying structural factors. The formalisation and compliance of informal businesses may contribute to the solution but will not tackle the root causes.

    These include essential infrastructure and services such as water, sanitation and waste management facilities.

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

    – ref. South Africa’s food poisoning crisis: the government’s response isn’t dealing with the real issues – https://theconversation.com/south-africas-food-poisoning-crisis-the-governments-response-isnt-dealing-with-the-real-issues-245951

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: South Africa’s food poisoning crisis: the government’s response isn’t dealing with the real issues

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Mamokete Modiba, Researcher, Gauteng City-Region Observatory

    The South African government declared a national disaster towards the end of 2024 in response to an outbreak of food-borne illnesses. The outbreak had led to the tragic deaths of over 20 children and hospitalisation of hundreds.

    Investigations by the National Institute for Communicable Diseases attributed the outbreak to hazardous pesticides such as Terbufos and Aldicarb. The pesticides, used in agriculture, have infiltrated the informal market as unregulated “street pesticides” for rat control, resulting in food contamination.

    In response, the government announced several measures. One was that all food handling outlets, including informal retailers known as spaza shops, had to register with their respective municipalities. It also introduced widespread inspection of these outlets for compliance with regulations and health standards.

    The measures are a step in the right direction. However, based on our research work at the Gauteng City-Region Observatory (GCRO) over the past decades, they fall short of what is required. In addition, certain aspects, such as mandatory registration and mass inspection of food outlets, may prove difficult to implement effectively.

    The Gauteng City Region is a cluster of cities, towns and urban nodes that make up the economic heartland of South Africa. The Gauteng City-Region Observatory is a partnership between the Gauteng provincial government, the University of the Witwatersrand, the University of Johannesburg and Gauteng South African Local Government Association. It has been researching the development dynamics of the region since 2008, providing data-driven insights and strategic guidance to support sustainable development.

    The government response to the outbreak of food-borne illnesses addresses the immediate crisis but does not address underlying factors affecting low-income settlements.

    Research by GCRO has identified the underlying factors as poor infrastructure and services. Rat infestations stem from poor waste management. This is caused by inadequate public services, failing infrastructure and irregular waste collection.

    Dumping, littering and burning waste worsen the public health and environmental risks, including disease transmission and pest infestations.

    Based on this evidence, we conclude that the government’s response does not adequately address some of the root causes of the outbreak, due to insufficient understanding of the context. Addressing these systemic failures is not just a public health matter. It also highlights the challenges faced by these communities and emphasises the importance of supporting local economies.

    Survey findings

    The GCRO’s flagship Quality of Life Survey, conducted every two years since 2009, is one of South Africa’s largest social surveys. It measures various aspects such as Gauteng residents’ socio-economic dynamics, service delivery experiences, and satisfaction with government. It provides longitudinally comparable data to inform decision-making.

    The survey covers various topics that have a bearing on the food-borne illnesses outbreak, like basic services, income sources and food security. According to the latest survey (2023/24), access to refuse removal and satisfaction with service delivery has declined in Gauteng.

    In the 2023/24 survey, 74% of respondents reported weekly refuse removal, down from 83% in the 2020/21 period. Satisfaction with services dropped from 75% to 64% over the same period – a worrying trend since 2017/18. The survey also shows that over half (57%) of businesses in Gauteng are informal.

    Household hunger has increased across ten years of the survey. More than one in ten households experience severe food insecurity: hunger, poor access to food and insufficient spending on nutritious food.

    Measures to address the crisis

    We now turn to the three government interventions:

    Registration of spaza shops

    All food handling outlets, including spaza shops, are required to register with their municipalities between November 2024 and February 2025. This is a step in the right direction, towards regulatory compliance and monitoring of the safety of goods being sold to the public. However, it might not be achievable, especially within the specified period.

    There are minimum requirements for the registration of spaza shops. These include (re)zoning certificates or consent use, certificates of acceptability (health standards), approved building plans, registration with the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission, and tax clearance. However, many of these businesses operate informally and therefore lack the required documentation.

    Any spaza shop that fails to register in time will be closed. This will affect livelihoods and food security, especially in low-income communities where these shops play a vital role.

    Spaza shops are a way for many people to make an income, and they supply essential food items to local communities. Households buy from them for a variety of reasons: they are nearby and affordable, open for long hours and offer credit.

    Inspection of food outlets

    A campaign to inspect all food handling outlets, focusing on spaza shops and informal traders, is underway. Law enforcement is important to remove contaminated food from the market and prevent future outbreaks. But municipalities have limited capacity to conduct such widespread inspections and ensure compliance with health regulations and standards.

    The outbreak was partly a result of municipalities’ inability to enforce the rules. If inspections had been regular and thorough, food contamination issues would have been picked up before the current crisis.

    The focus on punitive measures, such as closing businesses and prosecuting owners, does not help them to register, reopen and comply. It might harm the informal economy, reflecting a broader trend of criminalising the poor.

    Joint fund to support township and rural businesses

    Government has set aside R500 million (US$26 million) to support township and rural enterprises, including spaza shops. The fund is intended to improve business infrastructure and build capacity.

    But in our view, its eligibility criteria require reconsideration. To qualify, a business owner must be a South African citizen, their business must be registered in the municipality and they must have have valid tax registration. The majority of businesses in these settlements are informal and would not meet the requirements, so the criteria exclude many that need support.

    Next steps

    The government’s response to the food-borne illness outbreak focuses on the immediate crisis and related symptoms. It overlooks underlying structural factors. The formalisation and compliance of informal businesses may contribute to the solution but will not tackle the root causes.

    These include essential infrastructure and services such as water, sanitation and waste management facilities.

    – South Africa’s food poisoning crisis: the government’s response isn’t dealing with the real issues
    – https://theconversation.com/south-africas-food-poisoning-crisis-the-governments-response-isnt-dealing-with-the-real-issues-245951

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: expert reaction to study looking at shipping aerosol emissions, ocean surface temperatures and rate of global warming

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    A study published in Environment: Science and Policy for Sustainable Development looks at shipping aerosol emissions and the rate of global warming.

    Dr Karsten Haustein, Climate Scientist, Leipzig University, said:

    “Jim Hansen and colleagues have revisited the topic of aerosol-induced warming due to reduced shipping emissions (due to regulatory changes in 2020).  It’s a more credible attempt than their last – rather disappointing – effort, but there is still much speculation involved.  They estimate the global aerosol forcing from reduced shipping aerosols might be as high as 0.5 W/m2, which is far higher than the current estimates of 0.05-0.15 W/m2.  They argue that Earth’s radiative imbalance as well as high levels absorbed solar radiation justify such assumption.  Accordingly, they argue that Climate Sensitivity (temperature response after CO2 doubling in the atmosphere) might be as high as 4.5 W/m2.

    “Given that Earth’s radiative imbalance has considerably come down in the 2nd half of 2024 (notwithstanding the uncertainties related to measuring the global radiative imbalance), I continue to remain skeptical of their claims.  This is particularly true, as some of the extra warming could be traced to other internal factors that have not been discussed.  The so-called ‘hiatus’ discussion in the 2010s should be an example of a cautionary tale.  This is true all the more as we know with some certainty that CO2 and methane (CH4) forcing has continued to accelerate slightly, such that additional aerosol forcing increase is not necessarily required to explain what has happened in 2023 and 2024.

    “They are correct in one aspect though: 2025 will prove whether there is more to the warming story than we thought.”

    Prof Richard Allan, Professor of Climate Science, University of Reading, said:

    “Multiple lines of evidence are showing that human caused climate change is gathering pace.  Heat is continuing to flood into the climate system as atmospheric greenhouse gases continue to rise and the reflective haze of aerosol particle pollution diminishes in some regions following clean air policies.  This is causing the warming of the oceans to increase at ever greater rates.

    “The comprehensive, extensive and wide-ranging new report argues that masking of global warming by particle pollution has been underestimated and future climate change may be even worse than anticipated.  Cleaning up dirty air may be having a larger than expected effect on increasing how much sunlight reaches the ground, which is adding to a more potent greenhouse effect from continued fossil fuel emissions.  The arguments presented are not new and although reasonable they appear overly bleak compared to the growing body of scientific research.  However, the magnitude of increases in Earth’s heating rate and ocean surface warming, as well as record January global temperatures despite an expected cooling from La Niña, mean that scientists are carefully scrutinising and puzzling over the unfolding changes to Earth’s climate.  And the new report emphasises the urgent need to cut greenhouse gas emissions and to properly account for the full economic cost of our actions on the planet and people.”

    Prof William Collins, Professor of Climate Processes, University of Reading, said:

    “This paper suggests that the cooling effects of aerosols has been underestimated and hence this has hidden more of the warming effect of greenhouse gases than has previously been assessed.  This would make the climate sensitivity to carbon dioxide larger than has been assessed.  If this is the case then cleaning up aerosol pollution (as has happened with shipping since 2020) will uncover more of the underlying warming from greenhouse gases.  Aerosol pollution peaked in the 1980s, when studies have increased the cooling effect of aerosols their calculations give cooler temperatures in the 1980s than we observed.  So this paper sits outside most previous assessments of the strength of aerosol cooling.

    “There have been several assessments of the recent decline in shipping aerosols.  These range from a negligible effect on the record-breaking 2023 temperatures to a small contribution.  It will require detailed comparisons with these previous studies to determine why the shipping contribution in this paper is so much more significant.”

    ‘Global Warming Has Accelerated: Are the United Nations and the Public Well-Informed?’ by James E. Hansen et al. was published in Environment: Science and Policy for Sustainable Development at 14:00 UK time on Tuesday 4 February 2025.

    DOI: 10.1080/00139157.2025.2434494

    Declared interests

    Dr Karsten Haustein: “No conflict of interests.”

    Prof Richard Allan: “No competing interests.”

    Prof William Collins: “No conflicts.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: expert reaction to observational study of cholesterol and glaucoma

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    An observational study published in British Journal of Ophthalmology looks at the association between cholesterol levels and glaucoma. 

    Rachel Richardson, Manager at the Methods Support Unit at Cochrane, said:

    “Although this is an well-conducted study, the usual caveats for observational research apply. The authors have controlled for several factors that may also influence lipid levels and the development of glaucoma, including age and sex. However, there are other factors, such as diet, that have not been accounted for.

    “It’s also important to consider the sample on which the study is based. The authors have used data from the UK Biobank Study, which is not fully representative of the UK population. The press release acknowledges that participants are predominantly of European ancestry, but there is also a ‘healthy volunteer’ bias. Participants in the UK Biobank Study tend to be healthier than average, so findings may not be applicable to the whole UK population. The authors were only able to use data from hospital inpatient records to ascertain who developed glaucoma, and this potentially misses people who developed glaucoma, but were not admitted to hospital. For example, records from opticians and GP practices were not used.

    “Finally, it’s important to not only consider the effect estimate, but also the margins of error (confidence intervals). The authors state that people who had the highest level of HDL cholesterol were 10% more likely to develop glaucoma than those with the lowest level. However the lower confidence level for this estimate is 2%, and this could mean that there is a much smaller difference. Likewise, the authors state that people with the highest levels of LDL cholesterol were 8% less likely to develop glaucoma, but the upper confidence level for this estimate is 1%, which could again mean that there is a much smaller difference.

    “The impact of all these limitations means that further research is needed to investigate these associations and look at the effects in more representative populations. This should be carried out before any changes are made to advice on lipid management.”

    ‘Associations between serum lipids and glaucoma: a cohort study of 400 229 UK Biobank participants’ by Yiyuan Ma et al. was published in British Journal of Ophthalmology at 23:30 UK time on 4th February.

    DOI: 10.1136/bjo-2024-326062

    Declared interests

    Rachel Richardson: I have no conflicts of interest to declare

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: OLD WILLUNGA HILL ROAD, WILLUNGA (Grass Fire)

    Source: Country Fire Service – South Australia

    Homes that have been built to withstand a bushfire, and are prepared to the highest level, may provide safety.

    You may lose power, water, phone and data connections.

    Fire crews are responding but you should not expect a firefighter at your door.

    What you should do

    • Check and follow your Bushfire Survival Plan.
    • Protect yourself from the fire’s heat – put on protective clothing.
    • Tell family or friends of your plans.

    If you are leaving

    • Leave now, don’t delay.
    • Roads may become blocked or access may change. Smoke will reduce visibility.
    • Secure your pets for travel.
    • If you become stuck in your car, park away from bushes, cover yourself, get onto the floor as the windows may break from the intense heat.

    If you are not leaving – prepare to defend

    • Identify a safe place inside, with more than one exit, before the fire arrives. Keep moving away from the heat of the fire.
    • Bring pets inside and restrain them.
    • Move flammable materials such as doormats, wheelie bins and outdoor furniture away from your house.
    • Close doors and windows to keep smoke out.
    • If you have sprinklers, turn them on to wet the areas.
    • If the building catches fire, go to an area already burnt. Check around you for anything burning.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI: Nokia and Orange France extend long-term partnership with new 5G deal 

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Press Release
    Nokia and Orange France extend long-term partnership with new 5G deal 

    • New 5G contract extends companies’ long-standing partnership with upgraded network boosting performance and customer experience.
    • Nokia’s energy-efficiency AirScale equipment portfolio to support Orange France’s sustainability ambitions.
    • Orange France to trial Nokia’s Cloud RAN solutions.

    5 February 2025
    Espoo, Finland – Nokia today announced that it signed a four-year contract extension with Orange France to upgrade its 5G radio infrastructure with Nokia’s energy-efficient AirScale portfolio. The new deal will deliver an enhanced customer experience with best-in-class speeds, capacity, and performance across Orange’s footprint in Southeastern and Western France. Orange will also trial Nokia’s 5G Cloud RAN solutions to assess the transition of its network towards Cloud RAN technology

    Under the deal, Nokia will supply equipment from its industry-leading O-RAN-compliant 5G AirScale portfolio. This includes Nokia’s next-generation industry-leading, high-capacity AirScale baseband solutions, lightweight, and high-output Massive MIMO Habrok radios, and Nokia’s Pandion portfolio of FDD multiband remote radio heads to cover all use cases and deployment scenarios. These are all powered by its energy-efficient ReefShark System-on-Chip technology and combine to provide superior coverage and capacity. Nokia will also supply its AI-powered radio network management solution, MantaRay NM, which supports all radio and mobile core technologies.

    Orange will also trial Nokia’s 5G Cloud RAN solutions. Nokia is helping its global customers to seamlessly transition to Cloud RAN technology with future-proof solutions that drive innovation for CSPs and enterprises. Nokia’s comprehensive anyRAN approach provides the best choice of strategic options for their RAN evolution with purpose-built, hybrid, or Cloud RAN solutions, enabling customers to evolve their networks and continue to deliver maximum field performance.

    Emmanuel Lugagne Delpon, CTO at Orange France, commented: “This new contract extension with Nokia and their industry-leading equipment portfolio will support our pioneering efforts to drive superior customer experience further, reduce our environmental footprint, and make our network as energy efficient as possible.”

    Tommi Uitto, President of Mobile Networks at Nokia, said: “We are excited to continue our long-standing partnership with Orange France and contribute positively towards their network performance, sustainability goals, and commitment to net carbon neutrality. Our industry-leading, energy-efficient AirScale portfolio and AI-powered MantaRay network management solution will enhance Orange’s network performance and deliver premium connectivity experiences to Orange customers.”

    Resources
    Webpage: Nokia Cloud RAN
    Product page: Nokia anyRAN
    Product page: Nokia AirScale Baseband
    Product page: MantaRay NM

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

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    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: A Glass Act: Fighting plastic pollution one bottle at a time

    Source: Greenpeace Statement –

    Photo from: Hospitality Innovations by Quorate’s Facebook page

    In the hospitality and food and beverage (F&B) sector, plastic pollution has long been a problem. From disposable cutlery to single-use plastic bottles, the industry’s convenience-driven operations often come at a heavy cost to the environment, generating 289,700 tons of waste annually.

    But Hospitality Innovations by Quorate Inc. (HIQ), one of Greenpeace’s Champions of Change, is proving that real, sustainable solutions are not just possible–they are transformative.

    “We have been helping hotels and restaurants particularly to eliminate single-use plastics,” said Rob Boreham, Managing Director of HIQ. Their work is both practical and pioneering. For example, hotels wanting to transition away from plastic water bottles can now replace them with glass bottles. HIQ provides the bottles and the equipment necessary to make the shift seamless.

    Photo from: Hospitality Innovations by Quorate’s Facebook page

    This seemingly small change has a ripple effect. Imagine the sheer volume of plastic bottles discarded daily in hotels alone. By switching to glass, hotels reduce their environmental footprint, set an example for sustainability in the industry, and provide guests with a guilt-free, eco-conscious experience. To quote their Facebook slogan, “Sustainability starts by removing plastic bottles.” 

    HIQ takes sustainability further by advocating for systemic change and supporting a strong Global Plastics Treaty. They recognize that plastic pollution isn’t just a waste management issue, it’s a supply chain problem.

    Rob said, “With the Global Plastics Treaty, it’s looking at the end-to-end supply chain for plastics. It’s not just looking at waste management. It’s looking at the producers and options to reduce the demand from the supply side.” This view aligns with the vision of an ambitious Global Plastics Treaty, emphasizing the need for upstream solutions to curb plastic pollution before it even begins.

    Accountability in action

    Being part of Greenpaece’s Champion of Change initiative isn’t just a badge of honor for HIQ, it’s a responsibility. Rob said, “We’re very proud to be part of Champions of Change. It represents what we’ve been trying to achieve. It gives us accountability as well. Push for the reduction of plastics and removal of plastics.”

    Photo by: Rico Ibarra / Greenpeace

    Plastic pollution is worsening each day. The hospitality and F&B sector has a unique opportunity to lead by example, and pioneers like HIQ show that progress is possible as long as there’s vision, will, and action.

    But for solutions like these to flourish, we need systemic change. The Global Plastics Treaty is our once-in-a-lifetime chance to finally turn off the plastic tap by providing a framework to reduce plastic production, transition to a slow, circular, reuse-based economy, and hold corporations accountable.

    Just like HIQ, you too can become Champions of Change! Urge the Philippine government to support a strong Global Plastics Treaty by signing the petition: act.gp/plasticstreatynow 

    ###

    Champions of Change is a growing global collective of forward-thinking businesses committed to transitioning towards a plastic-free future.

    Support a strong Plastics Treaty!

    Help build a plastic-free future.

    SIGN THE PETITION

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Energy Sector – Equinor fourth quarter and full year 2024 results

    Source: Equinor

    05 FEBRUARY 2025 – Equinor delivered adjusted operating income* of USD 7.90 billion and USD 2.29 billion after tax in the fourth quarter of 2024. Net operating income was USD 8.74 billion and net income was USD 2.00 billion, leading to adjusted earnings per share* of USD 0.63.

    The fourth quarter and full year results were characterised by:

    Solid financial performance and 21% return on average capital employed* in 2024
    Strong operational performance with stable oil and gas production
    Continued industrial progress and value driven transactions

    Capital distribution

    Proposed fourth quarter cash dividend of USD 0.37 per share
    Announced share buy-back of up to USD 5 billion for 2025
    Expected total capital distribution for 2025 of up to USD 9 billion
    Stronger expected free cash flow*, supporting sustained competitive capital distribution

    Equinor is well positioned for stronger cash flow and growth:

    • Strategy to deliver competitive shareholder returns. Consistent value driven execution – expecting above 15% return on average capital employed* towards 2030
    • Strengthening free cash flow*, expecting USD 23 billion for 2025-2027 by reducing capex and addressing costs
    • Increasing oil and gas production, expecting more than 10% growth from 2024-2027
    • Reducing investments to renewables and low carbon solutions to around USD 5 billion in total after project financing for 2025-2027
    • Lowering expected capacity in renewables to 10-12 gigawatt by 2030

    Anders Opedal, President and CEO of Equinor ASA:

    “Equinor is well positioned for further growth and competitive shareholder returns. We expect to deliver industry-leading return on average capital employed, above 15% all the way to 2030. Our oil and gas production outlook is increased to more than 10% growth from 2024 to 2027. We strengthen our expected free cash flow significantly compared to last year’s outlook. We do this by high-grading the portfolio, reducing the investment outlook for renewables and low carbon solutions and improving cost across our organisation.”

    “Today we announce total capital distribution of up to USD 9 billion for 2025. Supported by stronger free cash flow, we expect to continue to grow the quarterly cash dividend and use share buy backs to ensure a competitive capital distribution also going forward.”

    “We have a consistent growth strategy and our strategic direction remains the same. We continue to reduce emissions from our production and build profitable business in renewables and low carbon solutions towards our net zero ambition in 2050. By adapting to market situation and opportunities, we are set to create shareholder value for decades to come.”

    “In 2024 we delivered solid financial results and high production through strong operational performance. We now expect the 2025 Johan Sverdrup production to be close to the level of the last two years. This shows how we work systematically to improve our producing assets to remain a safe and reliable provider of energy.”

    Strong operational performance

    Equinor had strong operational performance and stable production levels in the fourth quarter. The total equity production was 2,072 mboe per day, down from 2,197 mboe in the same quarter last year.

    On the Norwegian continental shelf (NCS), production levels were sustained by the ramp-up of Breidablikk and the addition of new gas wells. However, the production levels are lower compared to the same period last year, due to natural decline, outage at Sleipner B and planned maintenance. For the full year, Equinor sustained high production level at the NCS, with record high production from the Troll and Johan Sverdrup fields.

    The production at the Johan Sverdrup field is expected to continue to be close to 2023 and 2024 levels in 2025. The recovery rate ambition has been increased from 65% in the plan for development and operations to 75% now, including Johan Sverdrup phase 3. Effective turnarounds and lower unplanned losses contributed to the slight increase in production from the NCS in 2024 compared to 2023.

    Internationally, the upstream business delivered lower production for the fourth quarter compared to the same period in 2023. The divestments in Azerbaijan and Nigeria, natural decline, higher turnaround activities and curtailments in the US contributed to the decline also for the full year. The decline was partially offset by the ramp up of new wells on stream and volumes from the Buzzard field in the UK.

    In the quarter, Equinor completed 10 offshore exploration wells with 4 commercial discoveries. The Himalia and Cappahayden wells were expensed during the quarter.

    The addition of onshore power plants in Brazil and Poland during 2023, along with the start-up of the Mendubim solar projects in 2024, contributed to a 19% increase in renewables power generation in the quarter and a 51% increase for the full year compared to the same periods in 2023.

    Solid financial results in the fourth quarter

    Equinor delivered adjusted operating income* of USD 7.90 billion. and USD 2.29 billion after tax* in the fourth quarter of 2024.

    In the quarter, Equinor recognised net impairments of USD 280 million, primarily related to acquired early phase project rights within onshore markets in renewables.

    Equinor realised a European gas price of USD 13.5 per mmbtu and realised liquids prices were USD 68.5 per bbl in the fourth quarter.

    The Marketing, Midstream and Processing segment delivered solid results through equity and third-party LNG trading. These results were further supported by physical and financial trading of LPG.

    A strong operational performance generated a cash flow from operating activities, before taxes paid and working capital items, of USD 9.81 billion for the fourth quarter. Cash flow from operations after taxes paid* ended at USD 3.91 billion for the fourth quarter, bringing the cash flow from operations after taxes paid* to USD 17.9 billion for the year.

    Equinor paid two NCS tax instalments of a total of USD 5.78 billion in the quarter.

    Organic capital expenditure* was USD 3.37 billion for the quarter, and USD 12.1 billion for the full year. Total capital expenditure was USD 5.41 billion for the fourth quarter and USD 16.7 billion for 2024.

    After taxes, capital distribution to shareholders and investments, net cash flow* ended at negative USD 4.57 billion for the fourth quarter and at negative USD 12.2 billion for the full year. Equinor retains a strong financial position with net debt to capital employed adjusted ratio* at 11.9% by the end of the fourth quarter, compared to negative 2.0% at the end of the third quarter of 2024. The ratio is impacted by the Ørsted acquisitions and working capital effects over year-end to take advantage of commodity market situations.

    Strategic progress

    Equinor continues to develop the portfolio and deliver on its strategy in the quarter.

    On the NCS, Equinor increased ownership to 69.5% in the Halten East Unit in The Norwegian Sea, an important project in a core area with strong profitability and low emissions. A discovery was made near the Fram field in the North Sea. The activity level on the NCS is high with 19 ongoing projects towards 2027.

    The international portfolio will be strengthened by the agreement to establish UK’s largest independent oil and gas company with Shell. The new company is expected to produce over 140,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day in 2025 and play a crucial role in securing UK’s energy supply. Equinor increased its stake in the Northern Marcellus asset in the US and exited the upstream businesses in Azerbaijan and Nigeria.

    A major milestone in the carbon capture and storage portfolio was realised with the final investment decision and financial close on two of UK’s first carbon capture and storage infrastructure projects.

    The acquisition of a 10% stake in Ørsted was completed in the quarter giving Equinor exposure to premium offshore wind assets in operation and a solid project pipeline.

    In 2024 Equinor added proved reserves mainly through estimate revisions, transactions and improved recovery projects. The reserve replacement ratio (RRR) in 2024 was 151%.

    Absolute scope 1+2 GHG emissions for Equinor’s operated production, on a 100% basis, were 11.0 million tonnes CO₂e in 2024. This represents a decrease of 0.60 million tonnes CO₂e compared to last year.

    The twelve-month average serious incident frequency (SIF) for the period was 0.3, a decrease from 2023. The 2024 result represents the lowest frequency on record.

    Competitive capital distribution

    The board of directors proposes to the annual general meeting an ordinary cash dividend of USD 0.37 per share for the fourth quarter 2024, an increase of USD 0.02 per share from the third quarter of 2024, in line with previously announced ambition. The Equinor share will trade ex-dividend on Oslo Børs from and including 15 May and New York Stock Exchange from and including 16 May 2025.

    The interim cash dividends for the first, second and third quarter of 2025, are to be decided by the board of directors on a quarterly basis and in line with the company’s dividend policy, subject to existing and renewed authorisation from the annual general meeting, and are expected to be at the same level as for the fourth quarter of 2024.

    The fourth tranche of the share buy-back programme for 2024 was completed on 14 January 2025 with a total value of USD 1.6 billion. Following this, the total share buy-backs under the share buy-back programme for 2024 amounts to USD 6 billion.

    The board of directors has decided to announce share buy-back for 2025 of up to USD 5 billion in total to conclude the two-year programme for 2024–2025. The 2025 share buy-back programme will be subject to market outlook and balance sheet strength. The first tranche of up to USD 1.2 billion of the 2025 share buy-back programme will commence on 6 February and end no later than 2 April 2025. Commencement of new share buy-back tranches after the first tranche will be decided by the board of directors on a quarterly basis in line with the company’s dividend policy and will be subject to existing and new board authorisations for share buy-back from the company’s annual general meeting and agreement with the Norwegian State regarding share buy-back.

    All share buy-back amounts include shares to be redeemed by the Norwegian state.

    Capital markets update: Firm strategic direction – stronger free cash flow* and growth

    Equinor maintains a firm strategic direction and has taken action to strengthen free cash flow* and returns1. With a profitable project portfolio and strict capital discipline, Equinor expects to deliver high-value production growth in selected markets creating value for shareholders.

    Key messages:

    • Firm strategy – high returns
    • Remaining value driven in the execution. Expecting return on average capital employed* above 15% to 2030
    • Strengthening free cash flow*
    • Expecting strengthened free cash flow* to USD 23 billion for 2025 – 2027 by reducing capex and addressing costs
    • Increasing production growth
    • Expecting above 10% oil and gas production growth driven by developing an attractive project portfolio and value adding transactions, increasing expected 2030 production from 2 to 2.2 million boe per day
    • Building resilient business for the future
    • Lowering investment outlook for renewables and low-carbon solutions to adapt to market conditions and further strengthen value creation for shareholders. Lowering 2030 renewable capacity ambition to 10-12 gigawatt including financial investments, and introducing range for ambition for net carbon intensity reduction. Maintaining strategic direction towards net zero.

    Growth in free cash flow*

    Equinor has significantly increased the free cash flow* outlook by reducing investments and addressing costs. Expected organic capital expenditure* of USD 13 billion for 2025 and on average for the period 2025–2027. After project financing of Empire Wind I, organic capital expenditure* is expected at USD 11 billion for 2025 and on average USD 12.5 billion for 2026–2027.

    Stronger free cash flow provides capacity for Equinor to continue to deliver competitive capital distribution.

    Equinor also strengthens its resilience and can be cash flow neutral after all investments at an oil price around 50 dollars per barrel.

    Oil and gas – delivering long term value

    Equinor expects an oil and gas production growth of above 10% from 2024 to 2027. In 2030 expected production is around 2.2 million boe per day, up from previous expectation of around 2 million. For the NCS, production is expected to maintain at a high level of around 1.2 million boe per day all the way to 2035.

    Equinor will continue to develop existing fields and an attractive project portfolio both on the NCS and internationally. Driving increased recovery and exploration near infrastructure is expected to bring high value volumes with short lead time, low cost and low emissions.

    From the international upstream portfolio, Equinor expects the annual free cash flow* to grow to more than USD 5 billion in 2030.

    A CO2 intensity* around 6 kg per boe is expected by 2030 and the company is on track to deliver on the 2030 ambition of net 50 percent reduction in operated scope 1 and 2 CO2 emissions.

    Renewables and low carbon – adjusting ambitions to realities

    Equinor has high-graded the project portfolios in renewables and low carbon solutions, and reduced cost and early phase spend to improve the value creation for shareholders. The portfolio is expected to deliver more than 10% life-cycle equity returns. For renewables, the ambition for installed capacity is reduced to 10-12 gigawatt by 2030, including the Ørsted and Scatec ownership positions.

    Equinor demonstrates a leading position in carbon capture and storage and has projects with a storage capacity of 2.3 million tonnes CO2 installed or under development. The ambition to store 30-50 million tonnes of CO2 per annum by 2035 is maintained, and Equinor has secured licenses with capacity to store more than 60 million tonnes annually.

    To underline that value creation is at the core of decision making, the ambition to allocate 50% of gross capital expenditures to renewables and low carbon solutions by 2030 is retired.

    Updated Energy transition plan

    The Energy transition plan describes how Equinor creates value, cuts emissions and develops new energy solutions to reach net zero by 2050. The ambition for cutting scope 1 and 2 emissions by 50% within 2030 is upheld.

    The pace of transition depends on frame conditions and market opportunities to create value. Adjusting to the market situation and opportunity set, the range for the net carbon intensity (NCI) ambition will be 15-20% in 2030 and 30-40% in 2035.

    Updated outlook for 2025:

    Organic capex expenditures* are estimated at USD 13 billion for 20252.
    Oil & gas production for 2025 is estimated to grow 4% compared to 2024 level.

    This press release contains Forward Looking Statements. Please see the Forward Looking Statement disclaimer published on our webpages: ( https://www.equinor.com/investors/cmu-2025-forward-looking-statements )

    * For items marked with an asterisk throughout this report, see Use and reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures in the Supplementary disclosures.
    1 All forward looking financial numbers are based on Brent blend 70 USD/bbl, Henry Hub 3.5 USD/MMBtu and European gas price 2025: 13 USD/MMBtu, 2026: 11 USD/MMBtu and thereafter: 9 USD/MMBtu
    2 USD/NOK exchange rate assumption of 11

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Bacteria in your mouth may hold clues to your brain health and dementia risk – new study

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Joanna L’Heureux, Postdoctoral Researcher, Public Health and Sport Sciences, University of Exeter

    Could the bacteria in your mouth predict whether you are at risk of dementia? Emerging research suggests that the bacteria living on your tongue and gums may affect how the brain works and how it changes as we age. In turn, this could affect whether someone ages normally or develops dementia.

    Scientists are uncovering surprising connections between the oral microbiome, which is the bustling ecosystem of bacteria in our mouths, and brain health. A new study my colleagues and I conducted suggests that certain bacteria may help memory and thinking skills, while others could be early warning signs of a decline in brain function.

    This raises the possibility that diet and treatments that change our oral bacteria could one day play a role in helping to preserve brain health as we age.

    For our investigation, we analysed saliva samples from 115 adults over 50 years old. Among these people, 52% had healthy brain function, and the other 48% had early signs of decline in memory and other brain functions.

    We examined the bacteria in these samples and showed that people who had large numbers of two groups of bacteria called Neisseria and Haemophilus performed better in brain health tests. In particular, people with these bacteria had better memory, and better ability to pay attention and perform complex tasks.

    These people also had higher levels of the ion nitrite in their mouths. Nitrite is made by bacteria when they break down nitrate, which is a natural part of a vegetable-rich diet.

    Bacteria can also break down nitrite to produce nitric oxide, which improves circulation, including blood flow to the brain. This suggests that eating lots of nitrate-rich vegetables, such as leafy green spinach and rocket, could boost levels of healthy bacteria and help improve brain health, which might be especially important as people age.

    We are now investigating whether nitrate-rich beetroot juice can improve brain function in older adults by hijacking bacteria in the mouth.

    On the other hand, a different group of bacteria may be causing more harm than good. Our study found two groups of bacteria that are potentially linked to worse brain health.

    One group called Porphyromonas, which is often associated with gum disease, was more common in people with memory problems than people who were healthy.

    A second group called Prevotella was linked to low nitrite, which in turn could mean poorer brain health. Prevotella was also more common in people who carry the gene APOE4, which is associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer’s.

    These findings suggest that some bacteria might play a detrimental role in changes in brain health as people age. It also raises the question of whether routine tests to measure levels of these bacteria could be used to detect very early signs of declining brain health as part of dental checkups in the future.

    Profound implications

    The implications of this research are profound. If certain bacteria support brain health while others contribute to decline, then treatments to change the balance of bacteria in the mouth could be part of a solution to prevent dementia.

    Encouraging the growth of nitrite-producing bacteria like Neisseria, while reducing Prevotella and Porphyromonas, could help maintain brain function as we age. This could be achieved through dietary changes, probiotics, oral hygiene routines, or even targeted treatments that reshape the microbiome.

    While we’re still in the early stages of understanding the intricate links between the mouth bacteria and the brain, our findings provide a strong rationale for further research.

    If future studies confirm that the oral microbiome plays a role in maintaining a healthy brain, then by paying closer attention to the bacteria in our mouths we may unlock new possibilities for detecting and potentially delaying dementia.

    In the meantime, the best advice is to keep your teeth clean, see the dentist regularly and eat food with lots of nitrate, like leafy green vegetables, to keep feeding the good bacteria in your mouth.

    Dr L’Heureux’s PhD scholarship was supported by the Wellcome Trust’s Institutional Strategic Support Fund.

    This paper represents independent research part-funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research Exeter
    Biomedical Research Centre, UK. The views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NIHR
    (UK) or the Department of Health and Social Care, UK. It was also supported by the NIHR Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care South-West Peninsula, UK. Genotyping was performed at deCODE Genetics. This work was funded in part through the MRC Proximity to Discovery: Industry Engagement Fund (External Collaboration, Innovation and Entrepreneurism: Translational Medicine in Exeter 2 (EXCITEME2, ref. MC_PC_17189) awarded to Dr Creese. This project utilized equipment funded by the Wellcome Trust Institutional Strategic Support Fund (WT097835MF), Wellcome Trust Multi User Equipment Award (WT101650MA) and BBSRC LOLA award (BB/K003240/1).

    – ref. Bacteria in your mouth may hold clues to your brain health and dementia risk – new study – https://theconversation.com/bacteria-in-your-mouth-may-hold-clues-to-your-brain-health-and-dementia-risk-new-study-248625

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Production complex to be built in Lublin with city support

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    As part of the implementation of a large-scale investment project (MaIP), construction of an industrial complex has begun in the Lyublino district of the South-Eastern Administrative District. This was reported by the Deputy Mayor of Moscow for Urban Development Policy and Construction Vladimir Efimov.

    “The industrial park will appear in the largest industrial cluster of the city, which is distinguished by its developed infrastructure and convenient transport logistics. In the production complex with a total area of more than 13 thousand square meters, enterprises of the electronic, pulp and paper, construction and light industries will be able to operate. Private investments in the implementation of this large-scale investment project will exceed one billion rubles,” Vladimir Efimov noted.

    Large-scale investment projects are one of the key measures to support industry in the capital.

    “Moscow is a city that rationally places manufacturing enterprises. On behalf of Sergei Sobyanin, we are providing investors with land on special terms for the construction of modern industrial infrastructure in exchange for localizing production and creating new jobs. For example, 260 people will be able to work in the manufacturing complex in the Lyublino district,” said the Deputy Mayor of Moscow for Transport and Industry

    Maxim Liksutov.

    The facility will be located at the address: Stavropolskaya Street, Buildings 37–41. The largest wholesale and retail trading platforms working with customers from all over Russia are located in the immediate vicinity.

    According to the Minister of the Moscow Government, Head of the Department of City Property Maxim Gaman, for the implementation of this large-scale investment project, the city provided the development company with 0.9 hectares of land at a preferential rate of one ruble per year. The complex includes 23 production boxes, the size of which can be adjusted – combined both horizontally and vertically. The territory will also accommodate a parking lot for 44 cars.

    The status of MAIP can be obtained by investors who plan to build important facilities for the city. These can be technology parks, sports, educational and multifunctional complexes. For the construction of production facilities, by decision of the Mayor of Moscow, special conditions have been in effect since March 2022 – preferential land lease at a rate of one ruble per year. This is one of the key measures to support the capital’s business.

    On the instructions of Sergei Sobyanin, the city is paying special attention to the quality of industrial infrastructure facilities.

    Chairman of the Committee for State Construction Supervision (Mosgosstroynadzor) of the city of Moscow Anton Slobodchikov emphasized that the construction of the production complex, consisting of two- and four-story blocks, will be supervised by the department at all stages. The developer has already sent a notice to Mosgosstroynadzor about the start of work on the site, and inspectors have drawn up a program of on-site inspections. As part of the supervisory activities, the structures and materials used will be assessed for compliance with the approved design solutions.

    Previously Mayor of Moscow told, that since 2022 the city has provided entrepreneurs with about 700 hectares of land without bidding for the implementation of large-scale investment projects.

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

    Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect

    https: //vv.mos.ru/nevs/ite/149704073/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Free buses made over three thousand trips to the Moskino cinema park

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    Free shuttle buses to the Moskino cinema park have already made more than three thousand trips, the Deputy Mayor of Moscow for Transport and Industry reported Maxim Liksutov.

    “In early autumn 2024, Vladimir Putin and Sergei Sobyanin opened

    first of all “Moskino” cinema park in the Krasnopakhorsky district of the capital. For the convenience of visitors, in December we launched free shuttle routes to the cinema park. During this time, 12 modern buses have already made more than three thousand trips. Transport runs on the days the cinema park is open and departs from the final points every 25 minutes,” said Maxim Liksutov.

    Two free routes start from the nearest metro stations: MK1 from Teply Stan and MK2 from Salaryevo. They are served by 12 modern large-class buses. The schedule was compiled taking into account the operating hours of the cinema park.

    “In six months, the Moskino Cinema Park has become not only an interesting filming location, but also a popular cultural and recreational spot for Muscovites and guests of the capital. The launch of shuttles jointly with the Department of Transport and Development of Road Transport Infrastructure has largely helped us solve the problem of transport accessibility of the cinema park. Now visiting the new site has become not only interesting, but also comfortable,” said the Minister of the Moscow Government, head of the capital’s Department of Culture

    Alexey Fursin.

    There are also buses to the cinema park. express routes, effective from summer 2024. You can check the schedule atunified transport portal, and quickly learn about current changes – intelegram channel.

    In accordance with the objectives of the national project “Infrastructure for life” In Moscow, much attention is paid to the modernization of social and municipal infrastructure, including increasing the number of convenient public transport routes and updating rolling stock. In addition, within the framework of the national project, Moscow has begun developing the Central Transport Hub. It will become a single circuit with predictable suburban rail transport for more than 30 million residents of 11 regions of Russia.

    The Moskino Cinema Park is part of Sergei Sobyanin’s Moscow — City of Cinema project and an object of the Moscow film cluster. The first stage of development has already been completed: 18 natural sites, four pavilions and six infrastructure facilities have been built, including the sets of Moscow Center, Moscow of the 1940s, Vitebsk Station, Yurovo Airport, Moscow Cathedral Square, Deaf Village, Partisan Village, County Town, Cowboy Town, St. Petersburg Bar and other sites.

    The Moscow Film Cluster is an infrastructure facility, services and facilities for filmmakers, which are being developed by the Moscow Government within the framework of the Moscow — City of Cinema project. Its structure includes the Moskino film park, the Gorky Film Studio (sites on Sergei Eisenstein Street and Valdaisky Proyezd), the Moskino film factory, the Moskino cinema chain, the film commission and the Moskino film platform.

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

    Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect

    https: //vv.mos.ru/nevs/ite/149721073/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: DIT of Moscow: you can now pay for travel on the M-12 highway and the Central Ring Road on the mos.ru portal

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    In the capital, car owners can now pay for travel on toll sections of the M-12 “Vostok” highway (Moscow – Kazan) and the Central Ring Road (TsKAD) in the “My Payments” service on the mos.ru portal. In the capital Department of Information Technology told how to use it and save time when searching and paying travel bills.

    “We continue to expand the functionality of the My Payments service so that city residents can solve even more everyday tasks online on mos.ru. In 2023, portal users were able to pay for travel on Bagration Avenue and the Moscow High-Speed Diameter (MSD), as well as top up their transponder account in their familiar interface. Now you can also pay for travel on the M-12 Vostok and Central Ring Road highways on mos.ru. This is especially convenient for those who often use the My Payments service to pay for other city services,” said Vladimir Novikov, Director of the Department for Support of Citywide Payment Systems of the Moscow Department of Information Technology.

    How to find and pay a toll road bill on mos.ru

    In order to pay for travel on the M-12 Vostok highway, the Central Ring Road and Bagration Avenue, you don’t have to look for the bill: on the day of the trip, it will automatically appear in the My Payments service if the user has indicated the vehicle registration number in their personal account on the mos.ru portal. In addition, you can find the bill using the Vehicle Registration Certificate widget. In the window that opens, you must indicate the state registration number of the vehicle, as well as the series and number of the vehicle registration certificate (STS). After that, the user will see all unpaid bills. Information about the vehicle can be saved in the profile so that you don’t have to enter it again in the future. In addition, it is suggested set up a subscription to receive notifications about new accounts. To do this, in your personal account on mos.ru, select the “Profile” section and go to the “Subscription settings” tab. In the required categories, check the convenient form for receiving notifications – by email or via push notifications.

    You can also pay your bills for travel on the Moscow High-Speed Diameter in the My Payments service. More information about travel on the Moscow High-Speed Diameter — on the websiteYou can also pay for travel through mobile applications “Parkings of Russia”, “Main Road” and on the website “Avtodor – toll roads”.

    How to top up your transponder account for automatic fare payment

    On mos.ru in the service “My payments” you can top up your personal account of the transponder. This is a small electronic device that is placed on the windshield of the car and allows you to write off funds for travel on toll sections of roads automatically.

    The transponder account number is automatically displayed in the My Payments service if the user has specified the same phone number in their profile on the mos.ru portal and in the contract with the toll road operator. If the numbers do not match, you can add the transponder yourself. To do this, in the Documents and Data section, go to the Transport tab, click Add Transponder and fill out the form. The service will automatically generate a payment template, which will be displayed along with the personal account balance in the corresponding section.

    Thanks to this, you will not need to enter the transponder data and other information manually each time, just click the “Top up” button. If several transponders from different operators are used, the service will create a template for each of them, where the balance and recommended amount for topping up will be displayed.

    Drivers can now top up the transponders of two toll road operators on mos.ru — JSC New Quality Roads and LLC United Toll Collection Systems. They allow paying for travel on any Russian toll roads and road sections. You can find out more about all the options for paying bills for travel on toll roads in the My Payments service in the instructions.

    In addition, in the My Payments service on mos.ru, the Moscow State Services and My Moscow applications, car owners can pay fines and bills for the towing of vehicles. They are automatically displayed in the Bills for Payment section if the driver’s license and STS data are specified in the personal account. You can also find the required bill using the Vehicle Certificate widget in the My Payments service.

    The My Payments service on the mos.ru portal and in the Moscow State Services and My Moscow mobile applications is one of the most popular ways to pay bills for services among residents, legal entities and entrepreneurs of the capital. It allows you to pay for about nine thousand different state and commercial city services. Over the seven years of operation, Muscovites paid with its help over 107 million accounts. More information about all the possibilities of the service “My payments” can be found in the instructions.

    The creation, development and operation of the e-government infrastructure, including the provision of mass socially significant services, as well as other services in electronic form, corresponds to the objectives of the national project “Data Economy and Digital Transformation of the State” and the regional project of the city of Moscow “Digital Public Administration”.

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

    Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is account to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect the Position of Mil-Sosi or Its Clients.

    https: //vv.mos.ru/nevs/ite/149638073/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI: Crédit Agricole Assurances : Record activity driven by all our business lines – Strong growth of result

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Press release                                                                         Paris, February 5, 2025

    Record activity driven by all our business lines
    Strong growth of result

    2024 KEY FIGURES:

    • Premium income1at a record high of 43.6 billion euros, up +17.2%2
    • Net inflows of +6.6 billion euros, including +2.2 billion euros on the General Account
    • Net income Group share of 1,959 million euros3, up +11,5%2
    • Solvency II prudential ratio above 200%

            
    « In 2024, in a context of increased protection needs in the face of uncertainties in our environment, Crédit Agricole Assurances enjoyed very buoyant activity in all our business lines, in France and internationally. This development momentum, which is fully reflected in our published results and in the increase in our satisfaction and recommendation rates, demonstrates that we are fully focused on the delivery of our missions: planning and repairing. Finally, as a witness of the vulnerabilities of the regions and a partner in their transformation, we have continued our societal commitment, like the recent launch of a new debt fund, intended to finance French and European companies deploying projects contributing to a less carbon-intensive economy. I would like to thank all our colleagues and partner banks for their commitment, as well as our clients for their continued trust ».

    Nicolas Denis, Chief Executive Officer of Crédit Agricole Assurances

    ACTING IN THE INTERESTS OF OUR CLIENTS AND SOCIETY

    Customer satisfaction at the heart of our purpose

    Customer satisfaction rates of 97% in savings/retirement4 and 91% in property and casualty insurance5 testify from Crédit Agricole Assurances’ quality of the customer relationship, the management of contracts, benefits and claims, which are a priority.

    In 2024, Crédit Agricole Assurances further redesigned its digital customer journeys. For example, customers can now make voluntary payments on their savings contracts autonomously using Ma Banque mobile app6; in property and casualty insurance, home, car and health insurance solutions are now fully available in self-care on the Ma Banque6 and LCL Mes Comptes apps.

    A strong commitment to environmental responsibility

    As a committed player in the circular economy, Crédit Agricole Assurances launched in June 2024, via Pacifica, its property and casualty insurance subsidiary in France, a new home insurance offer, accessible to all, focussing on the repair or refurbished household appliances and IT after a claim. This new offer can be underwritten autonomously via the online customer page, the banking application or directly at Crédit Agricole Group branches.

    Crédit Agricole Assurances, as a player mobilised to finance the ecological transition, created in June 2024 via its subsidiary Spirica, the “Fonds Euro Objectif Climat”. As the first General Account fund under Article 9 of the SFDR regulation in the market, this innovation is in line with Crédit Agricole Assurances’ societal and environmental commitment and meets the concerns of its customers.

    In addition, by strengthening its targets for reducing the carbon footprint7 of investment portfolios8 by the end of 2029 (-50% compared to the end of 2019), and by putting in place a new sector policy on the oil and gas sector, Crédit Agricole Assurances, a leading institutional investor in renewable energies, reaffirms its active contribution to the transition to a low-carbon economy. In this context, in September 2024, Crédit Agricole Assurances signed a lease before completion for a 20,000 m² office building in Paris with EssilorLuxottica, a world leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of ophthalmic lenses, frames and sunglasses. This service sector property complex, which will be delivered at the end of 2027, will aim for the highest environmental certifications on the market; HQE level Excellent, BREEAM level Excellent, Ready to Osmoz, BBCA (Low Carbon Renovation), BBC (Low-Consumption Building) and WiredScore level Gold.

    EXCELLENT PERFORMANCE CONFIRMING OUR POSITION AS A LEADING PLAYER

    Over the full year 2024, Crédit Agricole Assurances generated premium income1 of €43.6 billion, at the highest level in history, up +17.2%2 compared to the end of December 2023. The level of activity is high both in France (+13.1%) and internationally (+44.0%2), in all business lines, mainly in savings and retirement thanks to the success of commercial campaigns in France (+15.9%) and the reshaping of international product offering (+54.3%).

    In savings and retirement, premium income1 reached €32.1 billion at end-December 2024, up +21.5% year-on-year, fuelled by the keen interest on payment bonus campaigns on the General Account and digital journeys in France, as well as the recovery of international activity. Combined with the acquisition of a significant group retirement contract, these factors contributed to a high level of gross inflows9 on the General Account, at €20.7 billion (+44.6%). Unit-linked gross inflows9 totalled €11.4 billion, down -6.2% year-on-year, following less favourable market conditions, notably a lower attractiveness of unit-linked bond products. As a result, the share of unit-linked within gross inflows9 fell to 35.5% (-10.4 points year-on-year).

    Net inflows9 amounted to +€6.6 billion, up +€6.9 billion over one year. By product, net inflows amounted to +€4.4 billion on unit-linked and +€2.2 billion on the General Account, back in positive territory for the last three quarters (+€8.6 billion over one year on the General Account).

    Life insurance outstandings10 reached €347.3 billion at the end of December 2024, up +5.1% over one year, thanks to a positive market effect and net inflows. Unit-linked outstandings amounted to €104.1 billion (+9.1% since January 1, 2024). General Account outstandings have risen by +3.5% since January 1, 2024 to reach a total of €243.2 billion. Unit-linked represented 30.0% of total life insurance outstandings at the end of December 2024 (+1.1 points year-on-year).

    In a dynamic competitive environment, Crédit Agricole Assurances pursues its objective of supporting its customers in building up their wealth by offering attractive returns on their savings. Accordingly, Crédit Agricole Assurances, through its subsidiary Predica, offers a stable General Account profit-sharing rate life insurance contracts, which can reach up to 3.85%. This is made possible in particular by the mobilisation of the policyholder participation reserve (PPE), which amounted to €7.5 billion at the end of 2024, representing 3.3%11 of General Account outstandings.

    In property and casualty12, the business continued its momentum, with gross written premiums1 up +8.2% compared to the end of December 2023, reaching €6.2 billion thanks to gains in market share in value and volume. By including CATU, a Polish non-life insurance subsidiary, the portfolio grew by +5.3% to nearly 16.7 million contracts, representing a net addition of more than 563,000 policies over the year; in addition to the price increases induced by climate change and inflation of repair costs, the average premium is boosted by changes in the product mix.

    Equipment rates within the Crédit Agricole Group’s banking networks kept growing year-on-year, at the Regional Banks (43.9%13, up +0,8 point), LCL (27.9%13, up +0.4 point) and CA Italia (20.0%14, up +1.2 points).

    In personal protection (death and disability/creditor/group insurance15), gross written premiums1 were up +4.6% compared to the end of December 2023, at €5.3 billion, mainly thanks to group insurance (+21.8%) and individual death and disability (+6.6%).
    One of the successes of 2024 in group insurance is the signing of an agreement with the Industries Electriques et Gazières (IEG) to insure and manage supplementary health coverage for statutory employees, as of July 1, 2025. This new scheme covers a total of 310,000 beneficiaries for €70 million in annual premiums.

    EARNINGS GROWTH DRIVEN BY BUSINESS GROWTH

    Crédit Agricole Assurances’ net income Group share amounted to €1,959 million, up +11.5%2 year-on-year, reflecting in particular a very good performance in property and casualty, a good increase in life insurance outstandings10 and dynamic activity in the other business lines.

    The combined ratio16 stood at 94.4%, an improvement of -2.7 points year-on-year due to (i) relatively favourable claims in 2024, whereas 2023 was marked by significant climate claims in the last quarter, (ii) partly mitigated by a lesser impact of the discounting effect (+1.6 points). The all years discounted claims ratio net of reinsurance amounted to 70.2%, down -2.2 points year-on-year. It included 1.1% of natural catastrophes17, down -0,5 point compared to 2023.
    The net combined ratio excluding discounting stood at 96.4%, down -4.3 points over the year.

    The Contractual Service Margin18 amounted to €25.2 billion at the end of December 2024, up +5.8% year-on-year. It includes a stock revaluation effect – excluding new business – of +€1.1 billion, notably in relation to technical assumptions review. The contribution from new business of +€2.4 billion, driven by revenue growth, was higher than the release to P&L (-€2.1 billion).
    The contractual service margin allocation factor stood at 7.7%19 for 2024.

    SOLVENCY

    At the end of December 2024, Crédit Agricole Assurances once again demonstrated its strength, with a Solvency II prudential ratio above 200%.

    RATINGS

    Rating agency Date of last review Main operating subsidiaries Crédit Agricole Assurances Outlook Subordinated debt
    S&P Global Ratings October 3, 2024 A+ A Stable BBB+

    KEY EVENTS SINCE THE LAST PUBLICATION

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

    Press contacts

    Nicolas Leviaux +33 (0)1 57 72 09 50 / +33 (0)6 19 60 48 53

    Julien Badé +33 (0)1 57 72 93 40 / +33 (0)7 85 18 68 05

    service.presse@ca-assurances.fr

    		 Investor relations contacts

    Yael Beer-Gabel +33 (0)1 57 72 66 84

    Gaël Hoyer +33 (0)1 57 72 62 22

    Sophie Santourian +33 (0)1 57 72 43 42

    Cécile Roy +33 (0)1 57 72 61 86

    relations.investisseurs@ca-assurances.fr

    Appendix – Activity analysis by geographic area

    Geographic area 2024 revenues1
    In billion euros    		 2023 revenues1
    In billion euros    		 Change over 1 year
    At constant scope
    France 36.6 32.4 +13.1%
    Italy 4.8 3.6 +32.2%
    Rest of the world 2.2 1.3 +75.6%

    1 Non-GAAP revenues
    2 Excluding the 1stconsolidation of CATU (Crédit Agricole Towaraystow Ubezpieczeń, property and casualty insurance subsidiary in Poland) on 30 June 2024 with retroactive effect from 1 January 2024, changes are: +17.1% for total premium income, +43.6% for international premium income and +11.5% for the net income Group share
    3 The contribution to the net income Group share of Crédit Agricole S.A. amounted to €1,884 million. The difference with Crédit Agricole Assurances’ net income Group share was mainly due to consolidation restatements, including subordinated (RT1) debt coupons for €45 million.
    4 Survey conducted among 3,896 individual customers, holders of life insurance or individual retirement savings plans, of the 39 Regional Banks and LCL from February to November 2024, following a recent event on their contract. Result: 97% of satisfied customers of which 23% extremely satisfied.
    5 Survey conducted among 4,506 Pacifica individual customers who had a property and casualty claim between 1 October 2023 and 30 September 2024
    6 Banking application of the Crédit Agricole Regional Banks
    7 In tonnes of CO2equivalent per million euros invested
    8 Investment portfolios listed in equities and corporate and real estate bonds held directly
    9 In local GAAP
    10 Savings, retirement, death and disability (funeral)
    11 France life scope
    12 At constant scope: +7.8% growth in non-life gross written premiums, +3,2% increase in the portfolio, net addition of more than 509,000 policies; at end-December 2024, CATU’s portfolio comprised more than 335,000 policies, including net addition of more than 54,000 policies over the year
    13 Percentage of Regional banks and LCL customers with at least one motor, home, health, legal, mobile/portable or personal accident insurance policy marketed by Pacifica, French Crédit Agricole Assurances’ non-life insurance subsidiary
    14 Percentage of CA Italia network customers with at least one policy marketed by CA Assicurazioni, Italian Crédit Agricole Assurances’ non-life insurance subsidiary
    15 Excluding savings/retirement
    16 P&C combined ratio in France (Pacifica) including discounting and excluding undiscounting, net of reinsurance: (claims + operating expenses + commissions) to gross earned premiums
    17 Impact of undiscounted Cat Nat claims in France (Pacifica), all years, net of reinsurance, as a percentage of gross earned premiums
    18 CSM or Contractual Service Margin: corresponds to the expected profits by the insurer on the insurance activity, over the duration of the contract, for profitable contracts, for Savings, Retirement, Death and Disability and Creditor products
    19 Annualised CSM allocation factor = CSM release to P&L / (opening CSM stock + revaluation of stock + new business)

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI China: Xi Jinping and his four-decade bond with Iowan friends

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

    BEIJING, Feb. 5 — China and the United States, sharing extensive common interests and broad space for cooperation, can become partners and friends.

    This goodwill message, along with Chinese New Year greetings, was sent by Chinese President Xi Jinping to his friends in the U.S. state of Iowa ahead of this year’s Spring Festival.

    He was replying to 58 Iowans who sent him a greeting card and recalled in it the Chinese leader’s first visit to Iowa in 1985. Among them are Xi’s longtime friends Luca Berrone, Gary Dvorchak and Sarah Lande.

    Nearly four decades ago, Xi traveled to the United States for the first time. During that visit, he met these ordinary Americans. Since then, a special bond has been formed that lasts to this day.

    CURIOUS YOUNG MAN

    In the spring of 1985, Xi, then an official of Zhengding County, Hebei Province, led a five-member delegation to Iowa, known as “the world’s food capital,” to learn about crop production and livestock farming.

    During the visit, he spent three days in Muscatine, a city in rural eastern Iowa along the Mississippi River, where he stayed with local hosts Thomas and Eleanor Dvorchak. The homestay left a lasting impression.

    Recalling the trip decades later, Xi said he still remembered where he stayed: 2911 Bonnie Drive. “That was my first face-to-face contact with the Americans,” Xi said. “The days I spent with them are unforgettable.”

    Xi and his delegation were warmly received in Muscatine. “On our first night, our hostess asked what time we would wake up the next morning and what we would like to eat,” recalled Xia Wenyi, the delegation’s translator.

    Xi responded that he was happy to eat whatever the family typically had. According to Xia’s recollection, Xi said, “We want to experience and understand the daily life of an everyday American family.”

    Hostess Eleanor prepared a big breakfast with coffee and tea every day during Xi’s stay. Xi slept in the Star Trek-themed bedroom belonging to the Dvorchaks’ son, Gary, who was then away at university.

    “Everything, no matter what, was very acceptable to him — he was humble,” Eleanor recounted.

    Xi’s visit came after China and the United States had spent years working to restore relations in the late 1970s. In 1983, then Iowa Governor Terry Branstad signed a sister-state agreement with Hebei and led a 50-member delegation to the provincial capital of Shijiazhuang in 1984, which, as he recalled, led to Xi’s trip in 1985.

    “We wanted to treat them as we were treated in Hebei. So we went all out,” recalled Branstad, who served as U.S. ambassador to China from 2017 to 2020.

    Xi’s itinerary in Muscatine included tours to farms and food processing plants, interviews with local media, a “Welcome to Muscatine” luncheon and a boat excursion on the Mississippi River.

    It was Xi’s first sighting of the Mississippi River. “When I was young, I had read the novels of Mark Twain, and I had long wanted to see for myself the picturesque scenery of the Mississippi,” Xi said when he revisited Iowa back in 2012.

    “He was curious about everything and asked questions about everything,” recalled Sarah Lande, one of the Muscatine tour coordinators. Local newspaper Muscatine Journal also reported on how Xi engaged with residents, answering “a variety of questions about China and its people.” Xi was also given a key to the city.

    In 2023, reminiscing about this experience, Xi said, “I have found that although our two countries are different in history, culture and social system and have embarked on different development paths, our two peoples are both kind, friendly, hardworking and down-to-earth.”

    LASTING CONNECTIONS

    Xi has said on several occasions that the foundation of China-U.S. relations was laid by the people of both sides. Xi has stayed in touch with old friends in Iowa through reunions, letters and shared memories.

    In 2012, Xi visited Iowa once again as China’s vice president. He made sure to add Muscatine to his jam-packed itinerary so he could reunite with the old friends. They chatted over tea at Lande’s home, gathering around a couch in the living room. Their hour-long meeting was filled with laughter.

    Thomas and Eleanor Dvorchak, who had moved to Florida, made a special trip back. Xi recognized the couple the moment he saw them and shared his memories of his stay at the Dvorchaks.

    “You were the first group of Americans I came into contact with,” Xi told his Iowa friends. “To me, you are America.”

    Lande compiled their stories into a memoir titled Old Friends: The Xi Jinping-Iowa Story, which was published in 2018. Upon learning about Lande’s book project, Xi sent some of his own photos.

    Another reunion of these old friends occurred in 2023 when Xi visited San Francisco for the APEC leaders’ meeting. When Xi saw Gary, son of the Dvorchaks, he said, “I stayed in your room and remember the sweatshirts and ball gear there.”

    “There was genuine happiness, so you could see the smile on his face. He was really enjoying it,” Gary said of the reunion.

    Gary first met Xi in person in 2015 when the Chinese president hosted the Dvorchak family for a private dinner in Beijing. During the gathering, Gary’s parents presented Xi with a photo album titled “Commemorating 30 Years of Friendship,” featuring photos from 1985 and 2012.

    When Gary’s father, Thomas Dvorchak, passed away in 2024, Xi conveyed his condolences, expressing that he had always valued the genuine friendship.

    The Dvorchaks’ Iowa home, where Xi once stayed, has been turned into a museum and renamed the Sino-U.S. Friendship House. Gary noted that visitors can appreciate how much the friendship has grown over the years.

    “For America and China to be friends as countries, it is important for people to understand each other,” he said.

    THE YOUTH AND TOMORROW

    For the Chinese leader, the future of China-U.S. relations depends on the youth. For years, Xi has worked to foster friendly exchanges between young people in China and the United States.

    During his 2023 visit to San Francisco, Xi announced an initiative to invite 50,000 young Americans to China for exchange and study programs over a five-year span.

    Shortly after, Lande, who maintained correspondence with Xi, wrote to him, expressing hope that Muscatine High School students could join the program.

    With Xi’s support, over 20 Muscatine students visited Beijing, Shanghai, Hebei and other places in China in January 2024, becoming the first group of American students to participate in the program.

    After their visit, the students, delighted by their experiences, wrote a letter to Xi. In a reply, Xi told them he felt happy for them. He encouraged more young Americans to visit China to get a first-hand experience of the real China and foster genuine friendships with their Chinese counterparts.

    In April, another group of Muscatine students arrived in Hebei. They made a special trip to Zhengding County to visit the place where Xi once worked.

    Lucas Berrone, board of directors of Iowa Sister States, escorted the students on the trip. Berrone met Xi in 1985. He mapped out a two-week itinerary for Xi’s first Iowa tour and spent hours driving the delegation to farms and plants. Their friendship has endured over the decades.

    Berrone sees these exchange trips as an opportunity to introduce a new generation to the friendship between China and the United States. He is hopeful about “passing the torch” to the younger generation.

    Joseph McNeely, a student from Muscatine who traveled to China thanks to the exchange program, expressed his gratitude to Berrone: “Thank you for continuing the friendship between you and President Xi and for helping this trip come to light.”

    McNeely made some Chinese friends from Shijiazhuang Foreign Language School during the trip. As a symbol of friendship, they planted a tree in Hebei.

    This year, during the Chinese Spring Festival, Berrone hosted Chinese students from Shijiazhuang Foreign Language School in Iowa. The students were on vacation, touring the United States and making new friends in Muscatine.

    As he had many times before, Berrone shared his story of hosting Xi and other Chinese delegates in Iowa 40 years ago. “Their stay, even though brief, made the connection with the families opening up their homes and their hearts.”

    “That connection was the first building brick of a relationship that has lasted 40 years and continues to grow as a wonderful friendship and an inspiring story for relations between China and the United States,” Berrone added.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI: Annual Report 2024 of Spar Nord

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Company announcement no. 02
     

    Net profit of DKK 2,222 million and return on equity after tax of 16.6%

    Spar Nord achieved a profit after tax of DKK 2,222 million in 2024, which corresponds to a return on equity after tax of 16.6%. The result was the second-best in the Bank’s 200-year history and is considered highly satisfactory.

    The total business volume amounted to DKK 379 billion at 31 December 2024, which was DKK 21 billion higher than at end-2023. The increase in the business volume was broadly based but supported especially by strong increases in assets under management and bank and leasing loans, which rose by 16% and 7%, respectively, compared with the year earlier.

    In terms of financial performance, the persistently high market and policy rates resulted in satisfactory returns on the Bank’s substantial excess liquidity, which contributed to net interest income in 2024 on a par with the year before. At the same time, the Bank’s net fee income rose by 4%, with the increase primarily driven by growing net fee income related to assets under management and payment services, cards, insurance and pension. Lower market value adjustments and rise in costs had the opposite effect, resulting in a profit for the year before impairment of DKK 2,881 million, which was 7% lower than last year.

    Finally, the net profit for the year was favorably impacted by loan impairment charges, which represented an income of DKK 25 million.

    In light of the conditions of Nykredit’s takeover offer, Spar Nord’s Board of Directors has decided not to recommend the distribution of dividends for 2024, says Lasse Nyby, CEO.


    Please direct any questions regarding this release to Lasse Nyby, Chief Executive Officer, on tel. +45 9634 4011, or Rune Brandt Børglum,     Chief Financial Officer, on tel. + 45 9634 4236.

    Rune Brandt Børglum
    Chief Financial Officer

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Albanese Government introduces legislation to guarantee 3 days of early education and care

    Source: Australian Executive Government Ministers

    The Albanese Labor Government has today introduced legislation to deliver an early education 3 Day Guarantee and replace the Liberal’s Activity Test.

    Every child has the right to go to school – and governments have a responsibility to make that possible. 

    We believe every child has the right to go to early education, to help make sure they don’t start school behind – and our Labor Government is going to make this possible. 

    This legislation introduced today guarantees three days a week of subsidised early education for children who need it from January 2026.

    Families earning between $50,000 to $100,000 who will be better off under the 3 Day Guarantee are expected to save on average $1,460 per year. 

    This provides cost-of-living relief to families and helps ensure that children can access the benefits of high-quality early education and care.

    This is good for families and good for children. 

    Under this reform, more than 100,000 families will be entitled to more hours of subsidised care. 

    A re-elected Albanese Labor Government will also establish a $1 billion Building Early Education Fund, which is the next step in creating universal child care system in Australia. 

    More centres will be built and expanded in areas of need, including in the outer suburbs and regional Australia. 

    The Building Early Education Fund will deliver grants to providers and the Government will also explore options for the Commonwealth to invest in owning and leasing out services. 

    It will include a focus on co-locating services on school sites and on supporting the growth of high-quality not-for-profit providers. 

    This is a key part of ensuring more Australian families can access quality early education and care. 

    Comment attributable to Minister for Education, Jason Clare: 

    “We have made child care cheaper for more than 1 million families. 

    “We are delivering a 15 per cent pay rise to build the early education workforce.

    “The 3 Day Guarantee is the next step.

    “It means more children will be able to access early education and care and more likely to start school ready to learn.

    “This is a key part of our plans to build a universal early education system and make sure that every child gets a great start in life.”

    Comment attributable to Minister for Early Childhood Education, Dr Anne Aly:

    “The activity test locks out the children who can most benefit from early childhood education and care. 

    “The 3 Day Guarantee is about making sure that every child no matter their background and no matter where they live, has access to the transformative benefits of early childhood education and care. 

    “We’re laying the foundation for a truly universal early childhood education system through improving affordability, boosting supply, increasing accessibilty and securing the vital workfroce families rely on.” 

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI: Directorate change

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    OSB GROUP PLC

    LEI: 213800ZBKL9BHSL2K459

    5 February 2025

    Appointment of Sally Jones-Evans and resignation of Sarah Hedger as Non-Executive Director

    OSB GROUP PLC (“OSBG” or the “Group”) today announces the appointment of Sally Jones-Evans as a Non-Executive Director, with effect from 1 April 2025. The Group further announces that Sarah Hedger, who has served on the group’s Board for six years, has indicated that she does not intend to stand for re-election to the Board at the Annual General Meeting, which is scheduled to be held on 8 May 2025.

    Sally will join the Group Remuneration and People Committee and the Group Nomination and Governance Committee. Subject to regulatory approval, she will also become Chair of the Group Remuneration and People Committee.

    Until April 2024, Sally was the Chair of the Principality Building Society, where she oversaw a complete strategy refresh to 2030 and management of a major IT project. She brings extensive non-executive board experience, having served as a board member and chaired audit, risk and remuneration committees. Prior to this, her 30-year executive career was at Lloyds Banking Group in a variety of leadership roles across customer-facing parts of the business, culminating in her position as HR & Integration Director of Group Operations.

    Sally Jones-Evans said, “I am thrilled to join the Board of OSBG and look forward to collaborating with the Board and senior leadership. OSBG has earned an outstanding reputation as a top specialist lender, and I am eager to contribute to its ongoing success.”

    David Weymouth, Chair of OSBG, said: “We are pleased to welcome Sally to the Board. Her extensive expertise in the financial services industry will be a tremendous asset, and I, along with the entire Board and executive team, look forward to collaborating with her. At the same time, we extend our sincere thanks to Sarah for her valuable contributions and dedication during her time on the Board.”

    There are no matters to disclose under Listing Rule 6.4.8R.

    Note

    The person responsible for arranging the release of this announcement on behalf of OSBG is Jason Elphick, Group General Counsel and Company Secretary. All enquiries should be directed to Investor Relations or Brunswick Group, contact details below.

    Enquiries:

    OSB GROUP PLC

    Investor relations

    Alastair Pate                                                 t: 01634 838 973

    Group Head of Investor Relations                         Email: osbrelations@osb.co.uk

    Brunswick Group
    Robin Wrench/Simone Selzer                                 t:  020 7404 5959

    Notes to Editors

    About OSB GROUP PLC

    OneSavings Bank plc (OSB) began trading as a bank on 1 February 2011 and was admitted to the main market of the London Stock Exchange in June 2014 (OSB.L). OSB joined the FTSE 250 index in June 2015. On 4 October 2019, OSB acquired Charter Court Financial Services Group plc (CCFS) and its subsidiary businesses. On 30 November 2020, OSB GROUP PLC became the listed entity and holding company for the OSB Group. The Group provides specialist lending and retail savings and is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority, part of the Bank of England, and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and Prudential Regulation Authority. The Group reports under two segments, OneSavings Bank and Charter Court Financial Services.

    OneSavings Bank (OSB)

    OSB primarily targets market sub-sectors that offer high growth potential and attractive risk-adjusted returns in which it can take a leading position and where it has established expertise, platforms and capabilities. These include private rented sector Buy-to-Let, commercial and semi-commercial mortgages, residential development finance, bespoke and specialist residential lending, secured funding lines and asset finance.

    OSB originates mortgages organically via specialist brokers and independent financial advisers through its specialist brands including Kent Reliance for Intermediaries and InterBay Commercial. It is differentiated through its use of highly skilled, bespoke underwriting and efficient operating model.

    OSB is predominantly funded by retail savings originated through the long-established Kent Reliance name, which includes online and postal channels as well as a network of branches in the South East of England. Diversification of funding is currently provided by securitisation programmes and the Bank of England’s Term Funding Scheme with additional incentives for SMEs.

    Charter Court Financial Services Group (CCFS)

    CCFS focuses on providing Buy-to-Let and specialist residential mortgages, mortgage servicing, administration and retail savings products. It operates through its brands: Precise Mortgages and Charter Savings Bank.

    It is differentiated through risk management expertise and best-of-breed automated technology and systems, ensuring efficient processing, strong credit and collateral risk control and speed of product development and innovation. These factors have enabled strong balance sheet growth whilst maintaining high credit quality mortgage assets.

    CCFS is predominantly funded by retail savings originated through its Charter Savings Bank brand. Diversification of funding is currently provided by securitisation programmes and the Bank of England’s Term Funding Scheme with additional incentives for SMEs.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: City fountains have begun to prepare for the new season

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    Specialists from the city’s municipal services complex have begun preparing the capital’s fountains for the new season. This was reported by the Deputy Mayor of Moscow for Housing and Public Utilities and Improvement Petr Biryukov.

    “Fountains are rightfully considered the calling card and decoration of the capital, there are both traditional structures, and dry, floating, musical and light-dynamic. We usually launch fountains at the end of April, so we have already begun to carry out preparatory activities in full,” noted Petr Biryukov.

    The specialists checked the structures that are underground and in the collectors of the structures. Now the experts are carrying out scheduled repairs of electromechanical equipment and underwater lighting, control systems and automation of all communications. Attention is also paid to hydraulic diagnostics. Pumping equipment, filters and jet-forming elements are put in order, ventilation and heating systems of the premises of pumping stations are checked.

    When the weather in the capital is stable above zero, the fountains will be unpreserved, washed with a special shampoo, the nozzles will be adjusted and the external lighting lamps will be checked. If necessary, the facing of the bowls and parapets will be put in order.

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

    Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect

    https: //vv.mos.ru/nevs/ite/149725073/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI: Ringkjøbing Landbobank’s annual report for 2024

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Nasdaq Copenhagen
    London Stock Exchange
    Euronext Dublin
    Other stakeholders

    5 February 2025

    Ringkjøbing Landbobank’s annual report for 2024

    The bank’s board of directors and general management today approved the annual report for 2024.

    For 2024, a net profit at the top of the announced expectations for the year is realized with DKK 2,301 million, corresponding to an increase of 7% compared to 2023. The bank is very satisfied with this development.

    Core earnings

    (DKK million) 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020
    Total core income 4,068 3,828 2,862 2,433 2,179
    Total expenses and depreciation 1,044 963 891 817 788
    Core earnings before impairment charges for loans 3,024 2,865 1,971 1,616 1,391
    Impairment charges for loans etc. +3 -1 -2 -68 -223
    Core earnings 3,027 2,864 1,969 1,548 1,168
    Result for the portfolio etc. +62 -7 -69 +7 -9
    Special costs 20 20 20 17 15
    Profit before tax 3,069 2,837 1,880 1,538 1,144
    Profit after tax 2,301 2,155 1,495 1,229 920

    2024 – highlights

    • Net profit for the year increases by 7% to DKK 2,301 million, equivalent to a 21% return on equity
    • Earnings per share (EPS) increase by 12%
    • Core income increases by 6% to DKK 4,068 million
    • Costs increase by 8%, and the cost/income ratio is 25.7%
    • Continued strong credit quality means that impairment charges of DKK 3 million were carried to income
    • Highly satisfactory increase in customer numbers and growth of 10% in loans, 8% in deposits and 9% in custody account holdings
    • The best-ranking image in several independent surveys is promising for a continued increase in new customers
    • Expectations for net profit for 2025 in the range DKK 1.8 – 2.2 billion

    Yours faithfully

    Ringkjøbing Landbobank

    John Fisker
    CEO

    Attachments

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