NewzIntel.com

Category: Transport

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Partnering with Ape2o to reduce plastic waste

    Source: City of Birmingham

    ape2o has installed one of its water refill stations in Birmingham Wildlife Conservation Park, in a bid help eliminate single-use plastics in the park.

    This is the first installation of a “Big Ape” with Birmingham Council, underlining ape2o’s significant progress in fighting the war on plastic across the UK and emphasizing Birmingham’s commitment to reducing plastic waste and protecting the environment for its communities.

    “Big Apes” don’t monkey around, they aren’t just any refill station, they are a sophisticated technology that gives people the choice of ultra-filtered chilled still or sparkling at a fraction of the cost of plastic bottled water.  Consumers can just tap, choose, refill and go – encouraging people to use refillable bottles, instead of bottles that destroy the planet.

    Cllr Majid Mahmood, cabinet member for environment and transport at Birmingham City Council, said: “We are really pleased to partner with ape2o to bring their innovative water refill stations to Birmingham Wildlife Conservation Park.

    “This initiative is part of our wider commitment to sustainability, aiming to reduce single-use plastic waste and encourage environmentally friendly practices across the council and city.”

    ape2o is focused on their mission to convert more people to drink water without plastic.

    There is no time to lose: less than 10% of single-use plastic bottles are recycled, the majority ending their journey in our oceans, landfills, or being incinerated, contributing to over a quarter of a million tonnes of CO2e emissions annually.

    ape2o cofounder and CEO, Anthony Newman comments said: “We’re extremely proud to work with Birmingham City Council as our first official government council partnership. And the Birmingham Wildlife Conservation Park is the perfect place to start. ape2o can help consumers across the city refill and ditch the plastic.”

    And ape2o don’t just talk about it, they do it. 10% of all their sales go to ocean, freshwater, and marine life conservation and clean-up projects. The fewer plastic bottles bought, and the more refills done with Big Apes instead, the more these projects receive and the closer we get to a world without single use plastic. ape2o is water that gives back. 

    Partnering with Birmingham City Council is a huge achievement in ape2o’s journey to date, and they hope to install more locations around the city in the future to make it easier for all consumers to ditch the plastic bottle habit.

    For more information, please contact bigapes@ape2o.com.

    Notes to Editors

    ape2o’s vision is to break the habit of single use plastic bottles by creating a more sustainable and affordable system: (1) easy public access to hygienic, trusted pure water refill machines, (2) the means to drink from them and, (3) the motivation to make the change and join the movement. They do this with their “Big Ape” vending network, their “Silverback” and “Turtle” plastic free stainless-steel bottles and their “10% Promise commitment to transparently donate 10% of turnover to ocean, beach and river clean-up and conservation initiatives.

    ape2o is a certified B Corporation and was recognized in 2022 as a Top 5% “Best For The World” B Corp.  This past February ape2o was the winner of the City of London’s Clean City Scheme Awards, 2024 Innovator Award.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: NSU scientists have developed an innovative approach to creating materials for next-generation organic light-emitting diodes

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Novosibirsk State University – Novosibirsk State University –

    An innovative approach to the accelerated creation of materials with thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF), which can lead to a significant improvement in the characteristics of next-generation organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), was developed by researchers at the Laboratory of Low Carbon Chemical Technologies Faculty of Natural Sciences, Novosibirsk State University. The researchers presented a new method for modeling the properties of so-called multiresonant TADF emitters, which are characterized by a narrow spectral band and high luminescence efficiency, in the article “Quantum-Chemical Simulation of Multiresonance Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence Materials Based on B,N-Heteroarenes Using Graph Neural Networks,” published in the international journalThe Journal of Physical Chemistry A“.

    — Organic light-emitting diodes are a modern technology that each of us encounters on a daily basis. For example, even now, reading this text from a smartphone or computer screen. Each pixel of the display is a small “bulb” that glows when an electric current is applied to it. The materials for such miniature “bulbs” are completely organic emitter molecules consisting of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen and sometimes other chemical elements. Due to their organic nature, such materials make it possible to make very light, bright, contrasting and energy-efficient displays for smartphones, laptops, smart watches and many other devices. The world is actively searching for such new effective materials that can be used in OLED technology. Computer modeling allows us to predict many properties with fairly good accuracy and study the properties of molecules in silico before they are synthesized in a flask. Such studies are also conducted in our laboratory, — explained the head of the Laboratory of Low-Carbon Chemical Technologies of the NSU Natural Sciences (ORËL ResearchLab) Evgeny Mostovich.

    The new study, conducted by junior research fellows of the laboratory Daria Tarakanovskaya and Evgeny Mostovich, focuses on the development of materials using advanced modeling methods with the use of graph neural networks. These networks allow for the efficient prediction of optoelectronic properties of molecules, which significantly accelerates the process of developing new molecules. The basis for the creation of new emitters were multiresonant molecules, which, due to the uniqueness of their structure, demonstrate improved fluorescence properties.

    — Modern OLED emitters are a pair of electron donor and electron acceptor groups connected via a bridge. This union of donor and acceptor provides a minimal difference in energy between the two excited states of such a molecule — singlet and triplet — and allows transforming all “dark” (non-emitting) triplet states into singlet states capable of emitting light by TADF. However, such a design has a significant drawback, since the donor and acceptor parts are not rigidly connected to each other, and the geometries of the excited and non-excited states are very different, a lot of energy is spent on this change, leading to a broadening of the emission spectrum of the molecule. The width of the spectrum directly affects the color perception of the pixel, for example, it becomes not blue, but blue-green, — said Daria Tarakanovskaya.

    In their research, the developers of the method used a new type of dyes – multiresonance. In them, the donor and acceptor are presented not as functional groups, but as atoms. For example, nitrogen and boron, linked in a certain way into one carbon skeleton. This creates a very rigid structure, and the alternation of boron and nitrogen atoms leads to the multiresonance effect and allows obtaining effective emitters with a narrow emission band. However, classical quantum-chemical modeling of such dyes requires very resource-intensive computational methods, so the scientists decided to use graph neural networks.

    — We are striving to create materials that could significantly increase the efficiency of OLEDs by taking advantage of the multiresonance effect. The results of our study show that the use of graph neural networks can significantly speed up the design process of new multiresonance TADF emitters, which opens up new opportunities for creating more efficient and durable devices, — explained Evgeny Mostovich.

    An important aspect of the study was the study of the influence of the structure of molecules (specify, molecules of what) on the nature of triplet and singlet states, as well as their energy, which is critical for increasing the speed of TADF. Scientists have found that adding oxygen and sulfur atoms to the structure of such molecules enhances this interaction, and this in turn leads to improved radiation characteristics and an increase in the quantum yield of photoluminescence. Thanks to the developed method, scientists have selected a number of the most promising molecules, and now synthetic chemists, who have already obtained the first result, will take up the matter. The molecule they synthesized has a bright green fluorescence with a very narrow emission band of only 25 nm. Now the goal is blue and red colors, which are so necessary for a full-color OLED display.

    The work was carried out within the framework of a project supported by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation. It opens up new prospects in the field of developing organic light-emitting diodes with high color purity and efficiency. This project has the potential to significantly contribute to the development of lighting technology and electronics, offering more efficient solutions for future display and lighting technologies.

    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 Australia: Serious Crash at Blackwood

    Source: New South Wales – News

    Emergency services are at the scene of a serious crash at Blackwood.

    Just after 3.30pm today (Thursday 22 May), police were called to Shepherds Hill Road after reports of a two-vehicle collision.

    Traffic is being diverted for west bound traffic from the Blackwood roundabout.

    One lane eastbound remains open at reduced speed.

    The roads will be closed for some time and whilst Major Crash assess the scene.

    Please avoid the area and take an alternative route.

    ​

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: A family guide to Woden, Weston Creek and Molonglo

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    Kids of all ages can play the day away at a destination playground.

    • Duffy Primary School.

    These are open to the community outside school hours.

    There are two skate parks in the region:

    There are also mini skate ramps in Rivett and Stirling.

    University of Canberra Stromlo Forest Park

    For the ultimate cycling experience, head to Stromlo. Here you’ll find the ACT’s best network of bike trails, loops and paths.

    There’s a track to suit all riding abilities:

    • a purpose-built pump track
    • designated kids’ learn-to-ride area
    • the Playground, complete with obstacles, see-saws and jumps

    There are also walking and running trails.

    Activities

    The National Arboretum

    The National Arboretum is a must for locals and visitors alike.

    There’s so much to do and learn, from guided forest walks to kite-flying on windy days.

    Kids love running up and down the manicured hills and checking out the bonsai collection.

    There’s a twice-weekly nature playgroup for kids aged between 18 months and five years.

    School holidays are also covered with plenty of workshops and activities.

    You’ll also find:

    • Forest Sculpture Gallery
    • tracks and trails
    • picnic spots

    Stromlo Leisure Centre

    One word: waterslides. The splash park at Stromlo Leisure Centre is a year-round favourite.

    As well as two slides, it features water sprays, geysers and waterfalls.

    There’s a leisure pool, program pool and 50m pool too. Plus, a café for that important after-swim ice-cream.

    Southside Farmers Market

    This smaller market is held at Canberra College in Phillip.

    There’s a strong community feel, with smiling stallholders eager to have a chat.

    Don’t forget to pick up a coffee and something delicious to eat.

    It’s on every Sunday from 7am until 11am.

    National Zoo and Aquarium

    Who can pass up a zoo visit? With a wide variety of native and exotic animals, there’s something for everyone at the National Zoo and Aquarium.

    As well as lions, tigers and bears, there’s also an epic playground with something for all ages.

    Mount Stromlo Observatory

    Treat yourselves to spectacular views over Canberra and the Brindabellas.

    You can take an interactive heritage walk, have a picnic or even a bbq.

    If you have a budding astronomer in the family, why not book a private stargazing session?

    Forest Park Riding School

    Horse-mad kiddos can turn dreams to reality at Forest Park.

    Depending on their age, kids can book in for a one-off pony ride or trail ride.

    Helmets and boots are available to borrow.

    Weston Creek Tennis Club

    What could be more wholesome than a hit of tennis with the family?

    This popular club hires out its synthetic grass courts.

    It also often runs ‘come and try’ days complete with jumping castle, face painting and a bbq.

    Read more like this:

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI: Municipality Finance issues a NOK 500 million social bond tap under its MTN programme

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Municipality Finance Plc
    Stock exchange release
    22 May 2025 at 10:00 am (EEST)

    Municipality Finance issues a NOK 500 million social bond tap under its MTN programme

    On 23 May 2025 Municipality Finance Plc issues a new tranche in an amount of NOK 500 million to an existing social bond issued on 20 February 2024. With the new tranche, the aggregate nominal amount of the social bond is NOK 2.5 billion. The maturity date of the social bond is 20 February 2029. The social bond bears interest at a fixed rate of 4.00 % per annum.

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

    MuniFin has applied for the new tranche to be admitted to trading on the Helsinki Stock Exchange maintained by Nasdaq Helsinki. The public trading is expected to commence on 23 May 2025. The existing notes in the series are admitted to trading on the Helsinki Stock Exchange.

    Nordea Bank Abp acts as the Dealer for the issue of the new tranche.

    MUNICIPALITY FINANCE PLC

    Further information:

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

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

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

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

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

    Important Information

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

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

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: IDEX shares as board remuneration; Primary insider disclosure – 22 May 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    The annual general meeting of IDEX Biometrics ASA on 21 May 2025 resolved that the board members could elect to receive all or part of the board remuneration in the form of shares in IDEX; that the number of shares shall correspond to a value of 133 per cent of the NOK amount of board remuneration taken in shares; that the board member must pay a subscription price per share equal to the par value of the share, being NOK 0.01.

    One board member took part of the board remuneration in shares, and 5,412,932 new shares will be issued when the share capital has been paid in.

    Following the issue of the new shares to the board member, the company’s share capital will be NOK 38,370,439.31 divided into 3,837,043,931 registered shares each with a nominal value of NOK 0.01.

    Primary insider disclosure
    Board member Annika Olsson will acquire 5,412,932 shares against payment of NOK 0.01 per share, instead of NOK 265,600 of the board remuneration.

    Contact
    Kristian Flaten, CFO
    Tel: +47 95092322
    E-mail: ir@idexbiometrics.com

    About IDEX Biometrics 
    IDEX Biometrics ASA (OSE: IDEX) is a global technology leader in fingerprint biometrics, offering authentication solutions across payments, access control, and digital identity. Our solutions bring convenience, security, peace of mind and seamless user experiences to the world. Built on patented and proprietary sensor technologies, integrated circuit designs, and software, our biometric solutions target card-based applications for payments and digital authentication. As an industry-enabler we partner with leading card manufacturers and technology companies to bring our solutions to market.  

    For more information, visit www.idexbiometrics.com 

    About this notice
    This notice was issued by Erling Svela, Vice president of finance, on 22 May 2025 at 09:00 CET on behalf of IDEX Biometrics ASA. The information shall be disclosed according to section 5‑8 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act (STA) and published in accordance with section 5‑12 of the STA. 

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Floods, fires and even terrorist attacks: how ready are our hospitals to cope when disaster strikes?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mitchell Sarkies, Senior Lecturer, Horizon Fellow and NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellow at the Sydney School of Health Sciences, University of Sydney

    Floodwaters have engulfed large parts of New South Wales, with at least one person dead and almost 50,000 evacuated after days of heavy rainfall in a “one-in-500-year” flood event. The scale of the disaster is still unfolding and affected communities will be recovering for some time to come.

    One question worth asking is: how ready are our hospitals to cope when disaster strikes?

    A growing body of research, including our own, has looked at how hospitals might contend with disasters like floods, bushfires, heatwaves, cyclones or even mass injury events such as a stadium collapse. The answer? There’s room for improvement.

    Australia is already prone to natural disasters, which are expected to become more frequent and severe as the climate changes.

    Research around the world shows hospital administrators can better plan for how they’d cope if a disaster or terrorist attack wiped out their hospital’s capacity to function normally.

    When flood strikes, large parts of the hospital stop working

    In March 2022, rapidly rising floodwaters on Australia’s east coast posed an imminent threat to Ballina Hospital, on the NSW far north coast.

    With a few hours’ notice, staff safely evacuated the whole hospital to a nearby high school. This included 55 patients, essential equipment, supplies and medications.

    Our study documented this remarkable achievement via seven interviews with doctors and nurses integral to the evacuation.

    Several key themes emerged:

    • communication was disrupted: there was no mobile phone reception. Field hospital staff requested a satellite phone, but it was sent without any battery charge or a charging device
    • staff shortages: flooded roads prevented doctors and nurses from reaching the hospital. However, they could get to the high school field hospital, which still had road access
    • managing volunteers was tricky: community support was praised. However, there were so many volunteers, security was called to ensure volunteers didn’t get into spaces that would compromise the patient confidentiality, privacy and safety
    • patient tracking was a challenge: it was hard to keep track of vulnerable evacuated patients with cognitive decline or behavioural impairment
    • transport had to be improvised: cars, buses and taxis were used to transport equipment, medication and supplies
    • triage for patient transfers and discharging was crucial: health professionals prioritised less critical patients first, as they often make up the majority. By swiftly addressing their needs, staff could then concentrate on the smaller group of patients requiring intensive care.

    Some workers, dealing with their own personal losses during the evacuation, had to be sent home. One staff member told us:

    There were a couple of nursing staff who also lived within the flood risk area, and they had children at home, so we needed to let them go home.

    Another said:

    We did end up with almost too many people wanting to help, which is lovely, but it becomes a problem because we don’t need this many people.

    A third staff member said:

    Everybody was accounted for. We had a list of patients at one end and then when they got there, they put a new list of who was there and who was coming; that was all written on a big whiteboard.

    Disaster simulation: when a semi-trailer crash causes a stadium collapse

    Natural disasters aren’t the only kind of catastrophe for which hospitals must prepare.

    Our research has also looked at how hospitals might contend with a human-made disaster such as a mass casualty or injury event.

    Our team studied a mass casualty simulation exercise at one of Australia’s largest public hospitals.

    More than 200 hospital staff participated in the three‐hour long exercise, which simulated a semi‐trailer crashing into a stadium grandstand. Some 120 “patients” were taken to the hospital with crush, burn, smoke inhalation and other injuries.

    In the simulation, clinicians had to adapt quickly. New patients were continuously coming via the ambulance ramp and private cars.

    Participants had to make rapid collective decisions on treatment and transfers based on patient conditions and severity.

    During the exercise, additional random disruptive scenarios were introduced to test the clinicians’ ongoing responses. This included the city mayor repeatedly calling the Hospital Emergency Operations Centre for updates.

    Some key challenges included:

    • some of the hypothetical patients died from a lack of critical care equipment
    • an overwhelming number of minor injuries had to be managed
    • clinicians were uncertain about how many casualties were en route to the hospital and how many beds to make available for them
    • a shortage of orderlies to accompany transfers from the emergency department to surgical theatres or for scans
    • difficulties in keeping track of patients and bed allocations.

    We also observed hospital staff adapting to the situation. This included:

    • paediatricians treating adult patients with minor injuries
    • staff fast‐tracking triage
    • staff manually ventilating patients using a specialised resuscitation balloon when mechanical ventilation equipment was unavailable
    • running scans and imaging in batches instead of individually, due to the limited number of orderlies.

    A growing body of research

    Research shows that despite many hospitals having excellent, longstanding hospital disaster management plans, things can still go wrong. After the Fukushima nuclear accident in Japan, nearly half of evacuated stroke and renal failure patients died in vehicles or on arrival to another hospital.

    Learning from hospital responses to disasters can help hospitals prepare for the future.

    Overall, our research shows many Australian hospitals have excellent disaster preparedness planning. However, some areas require improvement well before disaster strikes. Adapting on-the-fly as your hospital is inundated with floodwater or struck by another disaster means things have been left too late.

    Faran Naru is the recipient of a Macquarie University Research Excellence Scholarship (20203593). He works for the Australian government’s National Emergency Management Agency. This article reflects his work as a researcher, not the views of his employer.

    Janet Long, Jeffrey Braithwaite, Kate Churruca, and Mitchell Sarkies 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. Floods, fires and even terrorist attacks: how ready are our hospitals to cope when disaster strikes? – https://theconversation.com/floods-fires-and-even-terrorist-attacks-how-ready-are-our-hospitals-to-cope-when-disaster-strikes-257318

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Algeria officially becomes member country of New Development Bank

    Source: New Development Bank

    Algeria has officially become a new member country of the New Development Bank (NDB).

    On May 19, 2025, Algeria deposited its instrument of accession, in line with the provisions of the Articles of Agreement of the New Development Bank.

    “On behalf of New Development Bank, I truly congratulate Algeria for joining the Bank. Algeria plays an important role not only in the economy of Northern Africa, but also at a global scale, and will definitely contribute to enhancing NDB’s position in the global financial arena,” said H.E. Mrs. Dilma Rousseff, NDB President.

    “Rich in natural resources, with a dynamic economy and strategic geographic position, Algeria has immense potential for growth and development. NDB is fully committed to becoming a reliable and trustworthy partner for Algeria, supporting its sustainable development agenda,” said President Dilma Rousseff.

    “The New Development Bank is a financial institution mobilizing resources for infrastructure and sustainable development projects. It is a platform for collaboration and knowledge sharing among its member countries. Together with Algeria, we will work to finance impactful projects that drive progress, improve lives, and contribute to development,” added President Dilma Rousseff.

    “We are delighted to announce the formalization of Algeria’s membership of the New Development Bank and thus becoming a full member of this prestigious international financial institution,” said H.E. Mr. Abdelkrim Bouzred, Minister of Finance of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria. “This membership is a testament to our belief in this institution’s vital role in financing global development, and its status as a key player capable of providing alternative and innovative solutions to promote the growth and resilience of its member countries’ economies.”

    “I remain convinced that my country’s membership of the NDB will create promising opportunities for collaboration and mutual support,” said Mr. Abdelkrim Bouzred.

    NDB’s membership expansion is in line with the Bank’s strategy to become a leading provider of solutions for infrastructure and sustainable development for emerging market economies and developing countries (EMDCs).

     

    Background information

    Established in 2015 by BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa), the New Development Bank is a multilateral development bank aimed at mobilizing resources for infrastructure and sustainable development projects in BRICS and other EMDCs. Complementing the ongoing efforts of other multilateral and regional financial institutions, NDB aims to contribute to global growth and development by helping address the needs and aspirations of EMDCs.

    Since its establishment in 2015, NDB approved over 120 investment projects totalling USD 40 billion and spanning several key areas, including clean energy and energy efficiency, transport infrastructure, environmental protection, water supply and sanitation, social infrastructure and digital infrastructure.

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • World is surprised seeing development in India, says PM Modi in Bikaner

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated and laid the foundation for several major development projects worth over Rs 26,000 crore in Rajasthan’s Bikaner on Thursday. 
     
    He also inaugurated 102 redeveloped railway stations across 86 districts in 18 states and Union Territories under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme at a cost of approximately Rs 1,100 crore.
     
    These include a mix of major and minor stations spread across Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Puducherry, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal.
     
    Addressing the public rally, PM Modi said, “Today, I came in front of you all after seeking the blessings of Karni Mata. Due to the blessings of Karni Mata, our resolution of Viksit Bharat is strengthening. Just a few minutes back, the inauguration and foundation stone of development projects worth Rs 26,000 crore were laid. I congratulate the people of Rajasthan for this.”
     
    “To make a Viksit Bharat, today, an extensive campaign is ongoing to develop a modernised infrastructure in the country. To modernise the roads, highways, trains and railway stations, work has been done with an unprecedented pace in the last 11 years. Today, the amount spent by the nation on these infrastructural developments is six times what was used before,” he said.
     
    “Today, even the world is surprised seeing the developmental works being carried out by India,” PM Modi said, giving examples of Chenab Bridge, Arunachal Pradesh’s Sela Tunnel, Mumbai’s Atal Setu and Pamban Bridge in South India.
     
    The Prime Minister also said that today, India is “modernising” its train network by introducing trains like Vande Bharat, Amrit Bharat and Namo Bharat trains, which shows the “new pace and progress of the country’s technology.”
     
    Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister also offered prayers at the sacred Karni Mata Temple, followed by a visit to the newly redeveloped Deshnoke railway station.
     
    This station is one of the 103 stations revamped under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme.
     
    PM Modi also flagged off the new Bikaner-Mumbai Express train.
     
    Under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, railway stations across the country are being upgraded to offer enhanced passenger facilities, accessibility for Divyangjan (persons with disabilities), and culturally rich designs.
     
    A total of 103 stations, modernised for Rs 1,100 crore, were inaugurated by the Prime Minister. These include eight stations in Rajasthan — Fatehpur Shekhawati, Deshnok, Bundi, Mandalgarh, Gogamedi, Rajgarh, Govindgarh, and Mandawar-Mahua Road.
     
    The Deshnoke station, in particular, has been designed to reflect local architectural traditions, including temple-style arches and decorative pillars.
     
    As part of this vision, the Prime Minister laid the foundation for the 58 km Churu-Sadulpur rail line and dedicated the electrification of key railway sections, including Suratgarh-Phalodi (336 km), Phulera-Degana (109 km), Udaipur–Himmatnagar (210 km), Phalodi–Jaisalmer (157 km), and Samdari–Barmer (129 km).
     
    In terms of road infrastructure, the Prime Minister launched projects aimed at both enhancing civilian connectivity and strengthening national security.
     
    This includes laying the foundation for three vehicular underpasses on NH-58 in Pushkar, as well as the widening of NH-11 and NH-70.
     
    Additionally, he dedicated seven major national highway projects worth Rs 4,850 crore, which are expected to improve military mobility and boost the regional economy.
     
    The Prime Minister’s visit also emphasised India’s commitment to clean energy. He laid the foundation stone for several solar power initiatives, including a 300 MW ground-mounted solar project by NEEPCO in Bikaner and a 100 MW project by SJVN in Nawa.
     
    Solar projects in Didwana and Kuchaman were also initiated. Transmission systems under Powergrid’s Sirohi and Mewar divisions were launched to enhance grid connectivity.
     
    Furthermore, he inaugurated three key power infrastructure projects — Power Grid Neemuch Transmission System, a power evacuation project in Bikaner, and capacity expansion of the Fatehgarh-II Power Station.
     
    Among other projects, the 500 MW Kalasar and 300 MW Shimbhu Ka Bhurj solar power plants will play a pivotal role in strengthening India’s renewable energy framework, supported by indigenous solar PV modules under the “Make in India” mission.
     
    Strengthening regional connectivity further, the Prime Minister launched the upgradation and maintenance of 12 state highways covering 757 km under the Rajasthan State Highway Development Programme, with a total investment of Rs 3,240 crore.
     
    Prominent routes include Mangaliyawas-Padukalan (State Highway-102), Beawar-Tehla-Alniyawas (SH-59 and SH-104), and Dantiwada-Pipar-Merta City (SH-21).
     
    Plans are in place for the future upgradation of another 900 km of roadways, including the Gotan-Sathin Highway, linking industrial and border areas more efficiently.
     
    To bolster the state’s healthcare infrastructure, the Prime Minister also inaugurated four new nursing colleges in Rajsamand, Pratapgarh, Bhilwara, and Dholpur.
     
    These institutions will help strengthen the healthcare workforce and improve access to quality medical education across Rajasthan.
     
    In addition, two electrical substations — 132 kV GSS Rajpura in Bikaner and 132 kV GSS Sarda in Udaipur — will be inaugurated to improve power distribution in the region.
     
    These upgrades are a vital part of ensuring a stable and reliable energy supply across the state.
     
    –IANS

  • CAQM invokes Stage-I of GRAP in NCR to curb worsening air quality

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has invoked Stage-I of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) across the entire National Capital Region (NCR), as Delhi’s air quality continues to linger in the ‘Poor’ category with no significant signs of improvement.

    According to the daily Air Quality Index (AQI) bulletin by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi’s AQI on May 21 stood at 213—placing it in the ‘Poor’ category. Over the past two days, the AQI has been hovering slightly above the 200 mark, with only marginal improvements predicted by forecasts from the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM).

    The poor air quality has been primarily attributed to variable wind conditions.

    In response, the Sub-Committee met to assess the situation and, based on current data and forecasts, decided to invoke all measures under Stage-I of GRAP across the NCR. The primary aim of this preemptive action is to prevent further deterioration of the region’s air quality and to avoid slipping into more severe air quality categories.

    Stage-I of GRAP includes a 27-point action plan to be implemented by various agencies including the Pollution Control Boards of the NCR states and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC). These measures primarily focus on controlling dust from construction and demolition (C&D) activities, ensuring proper waste management, intensifying mechanized road cleaning, enforcing emission norms, and promoting cleaner fuels and transportation options.

    Some of the immediate steps include strict enforcement of dust mitigation at C&D sites, regular removal of municipal and industrial waste, increased use of anti-smog guns and water sprinkling on roads, prohibition of open waste burning, and stringent vehicle emission checks. Agencies have also been directed to regulate industrial emissions, ensure use of approved fuels, and penalize violations rigorously.

    To support these efforts, citizens have been urged to comply with the GRAP Stage-I Citizen Charter. This includes maintaining vehicle fitness and pollution control certificates, avoiding the use of outdated vehicles, refraining from open burning or the use of firecrackers, reporting pollution-related activities through mobile applications like 311 App, Green Delhi App, and SAMEER, and adopting eco-friendly habits such as tree plantation and unified commuting.

    Additionally, eateries and restaurants are required to switch to electricity or clean fuel-based appliances, avoiding the use of coal or firewood in tandoors. DISCOMs have been instructed to minimize power outages to reduce reliance on diesel generator sets.

    The CAQM has also called for widespread dissemination of information related to pollution levels, measures being taken, and avenues for public complaints through mobile apps, social media, and bulk SMS campaigns. Agencies have been asked to ensure swift redressal of complaints to bolster public participation in tackling the pollution crisis.

    The Commission emphasized that it would closely monitor the air quality situation and review the implementation of these measures. Depending on the evolving AQI trends and future forecasts, further stages of GRAP could be activated if necessary.

    With the air quality situation in a precarious state, the CAQM has reiterated the urgent need for collective responsibility, both from authorities and citizens, to ensure timely and effective action to safeguard public health and the environment in the National Capital Region.

  • MIL-Evening Report: Too many people with back pain call ambulances or visit the ED. Here’s why that’s a problem

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Simon Vella, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Institute for Musculoskeletal Health, University of Sydney

    Rose Marinelli/Shutterstock

    Around 4 million Australians experience back problems and people are increasingly calling ambulances and presenting to emergency departments to manage back pain.

    Yet most of these cases of back pain don’t require emergency care. Back pain is a symptom rather than a disease. When symptoms last more than 12 weeks it is referred to as chronic back pain. The most common form of back pain is non-specific back pain – this term is given when no tissue or structure can be identified as the cause.

    Non-specific back pain usually best managed in primary care, by GPs and allied health professionals.

    Once people with non-serious back pain contact emergency health services, they are more likely to receive care that isn’t recommended and is considered low-value and, sometimes, harmful.

    This may include unnecessary laboratory investigations, such as blood tests, and imaging, such as x-rays, CT scans or MRIs. One-third of imaging requests for back pain in emergency departments aren’t clinically warranted and are judged as inappropriate.

    However, in some instances it is recommended that people with back pain contact an ambulance or present to the emergency department. This includes when back pain is a result of trauma, when people live alone without access to carers, when people have other complex presentations, and when people show signs of potentially serious conditions.

    Unnecessary hospital admissions are costly to the health system and can cause patients harm. Almost one in four (24%) of those admitted to hospital for back pain acquire infections or experience falls.

    Medications prescribed in hospital can also have negative consequences for the patient. Nearly one in ten patients with back pain are still taking opioids after discharge, with risk of dependency and overdose. One in three patients continue to use opioids one month after their emergency department visit.



    Read more:
    Opioids don’t relieve acute low back or neck pain – and can result in worse pain, new study finds

    The influx of back pain presentations to emergency health services also has ramifications for emergency department overcrowding and ambulance ramping. This means other ambulance patients cannot enter the emergency department and results in longer waiting times.

    Why is this happening?

    In primary health care, the management of back pain is well established in clinical practice guidelines. But emergency health services don’t have guidelines specific to low back pain. This is likely due to the lack of evidence from these settings (though the evidence-base has increased over the past five years).

    The lack of specific guidance means there is a high likelihood of people both missing out on the right care and receiving the wrong care.

    A key challenge for emergency clinicians is discriminating between patients with back pain that require emergency care from those who do not.

    One Australian study found 38% of patients in the emergency department who were initially diagnosed with non-serious back pain were later found to have a specific pathology, such as an infection, during hospital admission. In cases such as these, further diagnostic investigation and emergency care is necessary.

    But nearly half of ambulance and emergency department patients without serious pathology receive unnecessary care. Our recent study found 81% of people who presented to ambulance service with non-traumatic back pain were transferred to the emergency department.

    If you call an ambulance or go to an emergency department for non-specific back pain, you’re more likely to receive unnecessary care.
    Shutterstock

    Once in the emergency department, 46% of ambulance patients received opioids, 59% received imaging and 50% were admitted. However, it’s unclear what proportion actually required emergency department care.

    Clinicians are required to make quick decisions about patient care. For paramedics, limited scope of medications and access to community health services, particularly outside of business hours, ultimately leaves them with no other option but to transport the patient to hospital.

    Emergency department clinicians have to manage people with complex presentations and multiple conditions and address patient expectations about opioids and imaging. This can influence their decisions about care.

    How can emergency back pain care be improved?

    A key area for improvement is reducing the use of opioids. An New South Wales trial reduced opioid use for back pain in emergency departments by 43% by introducing a new model of care. The model involved clinician education, implementation of non-opioid provisions such as heat packs, and timely referrals to outpatient services such as specialist back clinics.

    This approach will now be scaled up to include 44 emergency departments across NSW. If successful, it could be rolled out across the country.

    Virtual hospitals have also been implemented to reduce in-person presentations to emergency departments for back pain, which often means people with back pain can receive care while remaining in their home. However, the effectiveness and safety of this new service has not yet been established, though research is underway.

    The Australian government has promised to open more Urgent Care Clinics, where people with urgent but not life-threatening complaints can be managed by a doctor, nurse, or in some cases, a physiotherapist. The service allows people with back pain to still receive in-person care while diverting them away from the emergency department. But while they seem like a good idea, we have little or no evidence on their value.

    To reduce the burden that back pain places on emergency health services, changes need to be made across all health system-levels. But these changes must be backed by reliable research evidence.

    Better information for patients and clinicians

    The general public needs to be aware when and where to seek appropriate care for back pain. This can be achieved through successful health promotion initiatives.

    For clinicians, specific guidelines for back pain need to be developed and implemented into ambulance and hospital emergency departments to improve decision-making and reduce unnecessary care escalation. Policymakers, health service managers and stakeholders need to revise current policy to align with the most recent evidence.

    Additionally, easy-to-access referral pathways need to be developed between emergency health and community health services to keep people with non-serious back pain out of hospital, to reduce their risk of receiving unnecessary and costly care.

    Simon Vella receives grant funding from HCF Research Foundation, Health Service Research Grant Scheme and the Australian Chiropractors Education Research Foundation. Simon is a board member of Chiropractic Australia Research Foundation.

    Christopher Maher has a research fellowship from National Health and Medical Research Council, grants from National Health and Medical Research Council, Medical Research Future Fund, New South Wales Health, Ramsay Hospital Research Foundation, HCF Research Foundation, ArthritisAustralia, Australian Rheumatology Association, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, and Sao Paulo Research Foundation.

    Gustavo Machado has an investigator grant from the National Health and Medical Research Council. He also holds research grants from the National Health and Medical Research Council, Medical Research Future Fund, and HCF Research Foundation.

    – ref. Too many people with back pain call ambulances or visit the ED. Here’s why that’s a problem – https://theconversation.com/too-many-people-with-back-pain-call-ambulances-or-visit-the-ed-heres-why-thats-a-problem-255776

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • Operation Sindoor: Indian parliamentary team in Tokyo to rally support against terrorism

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    A high-level all-party parliamentary delegation, led by Janata Dal (United) MP Sanjay Kumar Jha, reached Tokyo on Thursday as part of a five-nation diplomatic outreach under ‘Operation Sindoor’. The initiative is aimed at highlighting India’s firm stance against cross-border terrorism following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam.

    “An All-Party Parliamentary Delegation led by Hon’ble MP Sanjay Kumar Jha has arrived in Tokyo and was welcomed by Ambassador Sibi George. India’s unwavering stand against cross-border terrorism, as demonstrated in Operation Sindoor, will be highlighted in all engagements,” the Indian Embassy in Japan said in a post on X.

    The nine-member delegation includes a diverse political representation with BJP MPs Dr. Hemang Joshi, Aparajita Sarangi, Brij Lal, and Pradan Baruah; CPI(M) MP John Brittas; TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee; and Ambassador Mohan Kumar. The tour, which spans Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Republic of Korea, and Singapore, aims to brief international partners about India’s decisive response to terrorism and its broader anti-terror framework.

    The group was briefed at the Indian Embassy, where George provided a detailed overview of Japan’s stance and reaction to the recent terror attack. He noted that Japan was among the first nations to respond to the attack, underscoring Tokyo’s solidarity with India in the fight against terrorism.

    “Our parliamentary delegation is here to strongly present India’s position on cross-border terrorism,” George said. “This engagement is crucial in setting the tone for strong international messaging against terrorism.”

    BJP MP Aparajita Sarangi expressed optimism about the outreach’s effectiveness, saying, “The visit started with an in-depth discussion at the Indian Embassy in Japan. We were briefed by Ambassador Sibi George on Japan’s perspective regarding the Pahalgam attack. This diplomatic outreach, initiated by Prime Minister Modi’s government, is a well-thought-out exercise to communicate India’s united stand to the global community.”

    Jha emphasized the need to expose what he called Pakistan’s state policy of sponsoring terrorism. “Terrorism is a part of Pakistan’s state policy. Operation Sindoor is a reflection of our resolve. We want the world to know that India will not tolerate terrorist activities supported and perpetrated by Pakistan. Enough is enough,” he said before departing from India.

    CPI(M) MP John Brittas, part of the delegation, noted that the initiative demonstrates national consensus on the issue of terrorism. “We are united as a nation in condemning terrorism in all forms. Our delegation’s purpose is to project that unity and resolve globally.”

    The delegation is set to hold discussions with senior Japanese government officials, including the Foreign Minister, and engage with key policymakers and diplomatic figures. Similar high-level meetings are scheduled throughout the other four countries on the tour.

    India launched Operation Sindoor in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, carrying out precision strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoJK). In retaliation to subsequent Pakistani aggression, the Indian Armed Forces targeted Pakistani airbases. Following a call from Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) to his Indian counterpart, both nations have agreed to halt further military actions.

    ANI

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Budget to increase energy hardship

    Source: Green Party

    Budget 2025 delays our transition to a low emissions and low-cost energy network, this will put even more pressure on households, businesses and the climate. 

    “This Budget doesn’t leave enough to keep the lights on, let alone spark the transition towards a low-emissions and low-cost electricity network,” says the Green Party’s Spokesperson for Energy, Scott Willis.

    “Stripping $56 million from the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority comes on top of last year’s vicious cut. This cut is effectively delivering energy hardship to those who are already struggling.

    “Aotearoa can be a country where every home is powered with clean, green affordable energy that lowers our emissions and lowers costs on households. However, this will require action and ambition, something that is completely missing in this Budget. 

    “A meagre $2 million for households to counter energy hardship is a joke when we know there’s some 110,000 households doing it tough.

    “Since the Government has come into power we have seen the preservation of an energy market that prioritises profit and fossil fuels over our communities and the climate. This Budget further cements that direction and opens the door wide open to more fossil fuelled climate disasters. 

    “A Green Government would separate the gentailers that are dominating the energy market and invest $4.8 billion in renewables over four years directly in new renewable energy and storage to benefit both people and planet in the long and short term. We can have cleaner, cheaper, smarter power with the right political will.  

    “Through a mix of grants and interest-free loans, our Green Budget would create a Clean Power Payment to help people cover the upfront cost of zero carbon upgrades and energy efficiency.

    “It’s not inevitable that thousands of people have to choose between heating and eating. Our energy network needs to work for us, instead of serving shareholders. 

    “We can build a more sustainable and affordable energy network that puts people and planet before the profits of our gentailers,” says Scott Willis.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Housing crisis will rage on with Budget 2025

    Source: Green Party

    Budget 2025 makes clear that the Coalition Government has no long-term plan to help communities most in need of public housing.

    “This Budget treats housing like a game of monopoly, where a select few get homes while others are left out in the cold,” says the Green Party’s spokesperson for Housing, Tamatha Paul. 

    “By cutting more money from social and transitional housing, the Māori Housing Programme and emergency housing, this Government for landlords has abandoned all hope of solving the housing crisis. 

    “The callous decision to completely scrap emergency housing is paired with scaling down the long-term solutions of public housing. It’s clear this Government simply doesn’t care about people forced to sleep on the streets.

    “When we hear the Minister talking about housing the ‘right people’ you know the Government is only looking out for a select few. Everybody needs housing – nobody can live a meaningful, fulfilling life without it.

    “We need to ensure everyone has a home, but the Government has pulled the pin on large-scale public housing projects by Kāinga Ora that would have made a big dent in the backlog of people waiting for homes. This includes homeless whānau, people living in tents and those in overcrowded homes. Now families are left prey to the market which has more interest in profit than well-being.

    “Public housing is as vital as public health and public education. It’s a human right – one this Government is denying.

    “Under our Green Budget, we would build 35,000 new public homes in five years to clear the public housing waitlist and ensure everyone can live in a warm, healthy home because we don’t believe anybody should be left on the street.

    “The housing crisis in Aotearoa is spiralling out of control amid rising poverty and homelessness. But instead of fixing it, the Government is making excuses. It’s time to empower Kāinga Ora to build big, and build fast,” says Tamatha Paul.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Minister for the Environment missing in action in Budget 2025

    Source: Green Party

    Budget 2025 makes it crystal clear that this Government has no interest in protecting nature or securing a liveable future for our tamariki.

    Budget 2025 makes it crystal clear that this Government has no interest in protecting nature or securing a liveable future for our tamariki.

    “Our environment is in crisis. This Budget proves the Government simply does not care,” says the Green Party’s spokesperson for Environment, Lan Pham.

    “They have no understanding that their so-called ‘laser-focus’ on the economy makes them blind to the indisputable fact that there is no economy without a functional environment.

    “Not only is there no new funding in Budget 2025 for environmental protection, but they’ve taken cuts further than we even thought possible. They’ve raided the waste levy and initiatives which were designed to provide at least some basic level of protection for te taiao.

    “While our communities are crying out for action, the Minister for the Environment is nowhere to be seen. 

    “We needed bold investment and courageous action today. Instead, we got cut after cut after cut. 

    “It doesn’t have to be this way. Our Green Budget, with our Green Jobs Guarantee and expanded Jobs for Nature package, would provide credible support for green infrastructure, oceans, native forests, conservation, and climate resilience, allowing nature to flourish and thrive. 

    “A better path was possible today. Instead, the Government chose to plunder our whenua and hand it to the highest bidder,” says Lan Pham.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI: RUBIS: Evolutions at the Supervisory Board and its Committees – Communication following the requests received for the inclusion of resolutions to the agenda of the Shareholders’ Meeting of 12 June 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Paris, 22 May 2025, 7:45am

    1.  The Supervisory Board announces the cooptation of Antoine Sautenet and reorganises its specialised Committees following Nils Christian Bergene’s departure

    Following Nils Christian Bergene’s departure on 15 May 2025, the Supervisory Board decided at its meeting on 21 May 2025, upon the Compensation, Appointments and Governance Committee’s recommendation, to coopt Antoine Sautenet, Head of Sustainable Development at Michelin, as independent member of the Supervisory Board.

    Antoine Sautenet joins the Board, effective 21 May 2025 and subject to ratification by the upcoming Shareholders’ Meeting, for the remainder of Nils Christian Bergene’s term of office, i.e., until the end of the Shareholders’ Meeting to be held in 2027 to approve the financial statements for the 2026 fiscal year. Antoine Sautenet’s profile was identified during the appointment process to enrich the work of the Board. He will bring his expertise to the Board, particularly in the areas of corporate social and environmental responsibility (CSR) and climate issues.

    Upon the Supervisory Board’s recommendation, the Managing Partners have included a new resolution to the agenda of the next annual Shareholders’ Meeting scheduled for 12 June 2025 and invites shareholders to ratify this co-optation in accordance with applicable regulations.

    The composition of the Board Committees has also been adjusted to reflect the new composition of the Board, in line with the Board succession plan. Alberto Pedrosa (independent member) has been appointed, with immediate effect, Chairman of the Audit and CSR Committee, which Marc-Olivier Laurent (independent member) joins as ex officio member in his capacity as the new Chairman of the Board. Benoît Luc (independent member) joins the Compensation, Appointments and Governance Committee, replacing Nils Christian Bergene. The Audit and CSR Committee and the Compensation, Appointments and Governance Committee comprise 100% independent members.

    2.  The Supervisory Board issued a positive opinion on the two proposed resolutions submitted by Compagnie Nationale de Navigation (CNN), which the Managing Partners have consequently approved, upon the Supervisory Board’s recommendation

    As indicated in its press release dated 16 May 2025, Rubis received on 15 May 2025, from Compagnie Nationale de Navigation (CNN), a request to add two resolutions to the agenda. These resolutions pertain to the appointment of Patrick Molis and Anne Lauvergeon as members of the Supervisory Board, for a term of three years.

    The Supervisory Board, which met on 21 May 2025, expresses a favourable opinion regarding the appointment of these two candidates. The Board believes that the proposals to appoint Patrick Molis and Anne Lauvergeon, as independent members, do not alter the overall composition of the Supervisory Board and were submitted following discussions between the Company and CNN, a shareholder with a 9.3% stake, demonstrating CNN’s willingness to engage in a constructive dialogue, to which the Supervisory Board, representing shareholders, is sensitive.

    It was also noted that CNN, which has engaged in a constructive manner and has a significant stake in the Company’s share capital, supports all the resolutions proposed by the Managing Partners and endorsed by the Supervisory Board.

    Patrick Molis also expressed his desire to contribute to the ongoing improvement of the functioning of the Supervisory Board following the strengthening of its duties formalised in October 2024 and, in this regard, proposed the appointment of a new independent member, Anne Lauvergeon.

    Finally, committed to complying with the corporate governance rules applicable to the Group, the Supervisory Board emphasised that the members of the Compensation, Appointments and Governance Committee had the opportunity to interview both candidates.

    The Managing Partners added these two draft resolutions to the agenda of the Shareholders’ Meeting of 12 June 2025 and decided to approve these two nominations, following the favourable opinion of the Supervisory Board, on its own composition, which it has always followed. Shareholders are therefore also invited to approve the two draft resolutions submitted to the vote of the Shareholders’ Meeting of 12 June 2025, at the initiative of CNN.

    Consequently, if the resolutions proposed or approved by the Supervisory Board are adopted, the Supervisory Board will be composed, following the Shareholders’ Meeting of 12 June 2025, of 14 members, including 13 independent members (i.e., 93%) and six women (i.e., 43%).

    3.  Request for amendment to the by-laws relating to the methods used to calculate the dividend of the General Partners

    At its meeting on 20 May 2025, the Managing Partners reviewed a request to include a draft resolution submitted by a shareholder1 representing approximately 2.78% of Rubis’ share capital, dated 17 May 2025 and brought to Rubis’ attention on 19 May 2025, aimed at amending Article 56 of Rubis’ by-laws relating to the methods used to calculate the dividend of the General Partners, so as to provide that the Total Shareholder Return (TSR) would now be calculated on the basis of the highest of the average of the opening prices of the last 20 trading days of all the fiscal years preceding the Relevant Fiscal Year, without any time limit.

    Rubis reiterates its strong commitment to ensuring the best possible alignment between the interests of all shareholders and those of the General Partners, and notes that the current Total Shareholder Return formula, calculated by reference to the three financial years preceding the financial year in which a possible dividend payment to General Partners is determined, is the result of an evolution proposed in line with expressed expectations. It was approved with very wide support by shareholders, representing 99.8% of the votes cast at the Extraordinary Shareholders’ Meeting of 9 December 2020.

    This method currently in force ensures a certain stability in the assessment of Rubis’ performance and is consistent with the structural shift in the valuation of European companies operating in the fossil fuel sector. It is moreover recalled that this method did not result in any dividend distributions to General Partners for fiscal years 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023.

    Considering the complexity and sensitivity of each of the parameters on which the formula is based, any new evolution to the General Partners dividend mechanism requires in-depth simulations and analysis to measure its direct and indirect effects, with a view to proposing a formula that protects the interests of shareholders and all other Rubis stakeholders.

    Acknowledging in particular the absence of approval by the General Partners for this proposed amendment to the by-laws, which therefore could not be implemented in accordance with the provisions of the French Commercial Code, the Managing Partners had no option but to conclude that the proposed resolution should not be included on the agenda of the Shareholders’ Meeting scheduled to be held on 12 June 2025.

    However, following discussions with this shareholder as part of its shareholder engagement, to which it pays close attention, Rubis will conduct an in-depth analysis of a possible evolution to the methods for calculating the dividend of the General Partners, which could be submitted, as appropriate, upon completion of this analysis and under an appropriate corporate governance framework, at the annual Shareholders’ Meeting to be held in 2026.

    The resolution proposals submitted by CNN, along with their statements of reasons and the opinions of the Supervisory Board and the Managing Partners, are covered in an Addendum that complements the main Notice of Meeting for the Shareholders’ Meeting. This Addendum is available on Rubis’ website: https://www.rubis.fr/en/investors/shareholders-meetings/.

    BIOGRAPHY OF ANTOINE SAUTENET

    With a PhD in international law and a master’s degree in economics from the École normale supérieure in Rennes, Antoine Sautenet is currently Michelin Group’s Director of Sustainable Development. He is responsible for orchestrating the social and environmental aspects of the Group’s CSR performance.

    Within the Michelin Group, Antoine Sautenet previously held various positions in charge of public affairs and international trade in North America (Michelin representative in Canada) (2019 to 2022), Asia (Thailand) (2016 to 2019) and Europe (Paris) (2013 to 2016). He was also a project officer at the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a research associate at the Asia Centre of the French Institute for International Relations (IFRI).

    BIOGRAPHY OF PATRICK MOLIS

    Patrick Molis is the Chairman of CNN, a successor to Navale Worms, a historical branch of the Worms Group founded in the 19th century and specialising in shipping and logistics, particularly oil.

    CNN was acquired in 1999 by Patrick Molis, and has developed in land-based oil logistics (Compagnie Industrielle Maritime, TRAPIL), specialised shipping on ro-ro vessels for the benefit of Arianespace, Airbus, the French Armed Forces, air transport with Héli-Union, a company operating helicopters for transport to oil and gas platforms and maintenance in operational conditions of helicopters for the benefit of the French Armies.

    The historical operations have been gradually sold and CNN has focused on acquiring stakes in the industrial, maritime, logistics, energy, aeronautics and defense sectors.

    Patrick Molis, through CNN, also participated in the refinancing and takeover of the Arc Group, the world’s leading glassmaker, concluded in April 2025.

    He is an Officer of the French National Order of Merit and a Knight of the Légion d’honneur.

    BIOGRAPHY OF ANNE LAUVERGEON

    Anne Lauvergeon has led the French nuclear industry for a decade, as Chairwoman and Chief Executive Officer of Areva NC from June 1999 to July 2011, then Chairwoman of the Management Board (Directoire) of Areva from July 2001 to June 2011.

    From 1997 to 1999, she was a member of the Executive Committee of Alcatel, in charge of international and industrial investments; from 1995 to 1997, Managing Partner of Lazard Frères & Cie. In 1990, she was assigned as a special advisor for international economy and foreign trade at the French Presidency, then from 1991 to 1995, Deputy Secretary General and sherpa to the French President for the organisation of international summits (G7/G8).

    She was ranked twice by Time Magazine among the 100 most influential people in the world. She also has more than 30 years of experience on Boards of Directors and co-chairs the Medef State Simplification and Reform Commission.

    She is an Officer of the French National Order of Merit and an Officer of the Légion d’honneur.

    Media Relations Contact
    RUBIS – Communication RUBIS – Clémence Mignot-Dupeyrot, Head of IR
    Tel. : + 33 (0)1 44 17 95 95

    presse@rubis.fr

    		 Tel. : + 33 (0)1 45 01 87 44

    investors@rubis.fr

    1 The funds Tweedy, Browne International Value Fund, Tweedy, Browne Value Fund, Tweedy, Browne Worldwide High Dividend Yield Value Fund et Tweedy, Browne International Value Fund II – Currency Unhedged.

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: TOMORROW: Governor Newsom, Attorney General Bonta respond to planned U.S. Senate vote on state’s clean air policies

    Source: US State of California Governor

    May 21, 2025

    SACRAMENTO COUNTY – Tomorrow, Governor Gavin Newsom, Attorney General Rob Bonta and supporters of California’s clean air efforts will respond to an anticipated vote in the U.S. Senate to illegally revoke key aspects of the state’s clean cars and trucks program. 

    WHEN: Thursday, May 22 at approximately 11 a.m.

    LIVESTREAM: Governor’s Twitter page, Governor’s Facebook page, and the Governor’s YouTube page. This event will also be available to TV stations on the LiveU Matrix under “California Governor.”

    **NOTE: This in-person press event will be open to credentialed media only. Media interested in attending must RSVP by clicking here no later than 9 a.m., May 22. Location information will be provided upon confirmation.

    Media advisories, Recent news

    Recent news

    May 21, 2025

    News SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:Armen Meyer, of San Francisco, has been appointed Senior Deputy Commissioner for the Division of Consumer Financial Protection at the California Department of Financial Protection and…

    May 20, 2025

    News SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:Matthew Read, of Sacramento, has been appointed Chief Counsel at the Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation. Read has been Acting Chief Counsel at the Governor’s Office of…

    May 20, 2025

    News What you need to know: Governor Newsom issued a statement today after U.S. Senate Republicans announced plans for an illegal vote this week that would undo California’s clean cars and trucks program. SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today issued a statement on…

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Euronext launches an offering of bonds due 2032 convertible into new shares and/or exchangeable for existing shares (“OCEANEs”) for a nominal amount of €425 million

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Euronext launches an offering of bonds due 2032 convertible into new shares and/or exchangeable for existing shares (“OCEANEs”) for a nominal amount of €425 million

    Amsterdam, Brussels, Dublin, Lisbon, Milan, Oslo and Paris – 22 May 2025 – Euronext (ISIN Code: NL0006294274) (the “Company”), the leading European capital market infrastructure, announces today the launch of an offering of senior unsecured bonds due 2032 convertible into new shares and/or exchangeable for existing shares of the Company (“OCEANEs”) (the “Bonds”), by way of a placement to qualified investors only (within the meaning of Article 2(e) of the Prospectus Regulation (as defined below)), for a nominal amount of €425 million (the “Offering”).

    On 17 April 2025, the Company entered into a bridge loan facility with, among others, affiliates of the joint bookrunners appointed in the context of the Offering, to finance the acquisition of Admincontrol. The net proceeds from the Offering will be used by the Company for the repayment of a portion of such bridge financing and general corporate purposes.

    Main terms of the Bonds

    The Bonds will be issued with a denomination of €100,000 each (the “Principal Amount”), will be convertible and/or exchangeable into new and/or existing shares of Euronext (the “Shares”) and are expected to pay a fixed coupon at a rate between 1.5% and 2.0% per annum, payable semi-annually in arrear on 30 May and 30 November of each year (or on the following business day if this date is not a business day), and for the first time on 30 November 2025.

    The initial conversion price of the Bonds will be set between 30% and 35% above the Company’s reference share price on the regulated market of Euronext in Paris (“Euronext Paris”)1. The final terms and conditions of the Bonds are expected to be determined following the completion of the bookbuilding process later today, and settlement and delivery of the Bonds is expected to take place on 30 May 2025 (the “Issue Date”).

    Unless previously converted, exchanged, redeemed or purchased and cancelled, the Bonds will be redeemed at par on 30 May 2032 (or on the following business day if such date is not a business day) (the “Maturity Date”).

    The Bonds may be redeemed prior to the Maturity Date at the option of the Company, under certain conditions.

    In particular, the Bonds may be fully redeemed early at par plus any accrued interest at the Company’s option, subject to a prior notice of at least 30 (but not more than 60) calendar days, (i) at any time from 20 June 2030 (inclusive), if the arithmetic average, calculated over a period of 10 consecutive trading days chosen by the Company from among the 20 consecutive trading days preceding the day of the publication of the early redemption notice, of the daily products on each of such 10 consecutive trading days of the volume weighted average price of the Shares on Euronext Paris over the applicable conversion price on each such trading day, exceeds 130%; or (ii) at any time if 80% or more in principal amount of the Bonds issued (which shall, for the avoidance of doubt, include any tap issues of the Bonds) have been converted/exchanged and/or redeemed and/or purchased by the Company and cancelled.

    Bondholders will be granted the right to convert or exchange the Bonds into new and/or existing Shares (the “Conversion/Exchange Right”) which they may exercise at any time from the 41st day (inclusive) following the Issue Date up to the 7th business day (inclusive) preceding the Maturity Date or, as the case may be, the relevant early redemption date.

    The conversion ratio of the Bonds will be set at the Principal Amount divided by the prevailing initial conversion price, subject to standard adjustments, including anti-dilution and dividend protections, as described in the terms and conditions of the Bonds. Upon exercise of their Conversion/Exchange Right, holders of the Bonds will receive at the option of the Company new and/or existing Shares, carrying in all cases all rights attached to existing Shares as from the date of delivery.

    Application will be made for the admission of the Bonds to trading on Euronext AccessTM in Paris to occur within 30 calendar days from the Issue Date.

    Legal framework of the Offering and placement

    The Bonds will be issued by way of a placement to qualified investors only (within the meaning of Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 (as amended, the “Prospectus Regulation”)) (excluding the United States of America, Australia, Japan, Canada or South Africa), pursuant to the authorization granted by the Company’s annual general meeting held on 15 May 2025 (15th and 16th resolution), without an offer to the public (other than to qualified investors) in any country.

    Existing shareholders of the Company shall have no preferential subscription rights, and there will be no priority subscription period in connection with the issuance of the Bonds or any underlying new Shares to be issued upon conversion.

    Intentions of existing shareholders

    The Company is not aware of the intention of any of its main shareholders to participate in the Offering.

    Lock-up undertaking

    In the context of the Offering, the Company will agree to a lock-up undertaking with respect to its Shares and securities giving access to share capital of the Company for a period starting from the announcement of the final terms of the Bonds and ending 90 calendar days after the Issue Date, subject to certain customary exceptions or waiver from the joint global coordinators appointed in the context of the Offering.

    Dilution

    For illustrative purposes, considering a nominal amount of €425 million, a reference share price of €145.02 and a 32.5% conversion premium corresponding to the mid-point of the marketing range, the potential dilution would represent approximately 2.1% of the Company’s outstanding share capital, if the Conversion/Exchange Right was exercised for all the Bonds and the Company decided to deliver new Shares only upon exercise of the Conversion/Exchange Right.

    Available information
            
    Neither the offering of the Bonds, nor the admission of the Bonds to trading on Euronext AccessTM is subject to a prospectus approved by the Stichting Autoriteit Financiële Markten (AFM) in Netherlands or the Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF) in France. No key information document required by the PRIIPs Regulation or the UK PRIIPs Regulation (as defined below) has been or will be prepared. Detailed information about Company, including its business, results, prospects and the risk factors to which the Company is exposed are described in the Company’s universal registration document for the financial year ended 31 December 2024, filed with the AFM on 28 March 2025 and the Company’s first quarter 2025 results press release which includes the unaudited financial statements of the Company as at and for the three months ended 31 March 2025, which are all available on the Company’s website (https://www.euronext.com/en/investor-relations).

    Important information

    This press release does not constitute or form part of any offer or solicitation to purchase or subscribe for or to sell securities to any U.S. person or to any person in the United States, Australia, Japan, Canada or South Africa or in any jurisdiction to whom or in which such offer is unlawful, and the Offering of the Bonds is not an offer to the public in any jurisdiction (other than to qualified investors within the meaning of Article 2(e) of the Prospectus Regulation) or an offer to retail investors as such term is defined below.

    CONTACTS  

    ANALYSTS & INVESTORS – ir@euronext.com

    Investor Relations        Aurélie Cohen                 

            Judith Stein        +33 6 15 23 91 97          

    MEDIA – mediateam@euronext.com 

    Europe        Aurélie Cohen         +33 1 70 48 24 45   

            Andrea Monzani         +39 02 72 42 62 13 

    Belgium        Marianne Aalders         +32 26 20 15 01                 

    France, Corporate        Flavio Bornancin-Tomasella        +33 1 70 48 24 45                 

    Ireland        Catalina Augspach        +33 6 82 09 99 70                

    Italy         Ester Russom         +39 02 72 42 67 56                 

    The Netherlands        Marianne Aalders         +31 20 721 41 33                 

    Norway         Cathrine Lorvik Segerlund        +47 41 69 59 10                 

    Portugal         Sandra Machado        +351 91 777 68 97                                 

    About Euronext  

    Euronext is the leading European capital market infrastructure, covering the entire capital markets value chain, from listing, trading, clearing, settlement and custody, to solutions for issuers and investors. Euronext runs MTS, one of Europe’s leading electronic fixed income trading markets, and Nord Pool, the European power market. Euronext also provides clearing and settlement services through Euronext Clearing and its Euronext Securities CSDs in Denmark, Italy, Norway and Portugal.

    As of March 2025, Euronext’s regulated exchanges in Belgium, France, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway and Portugal host nearly 1,800 listed issuers with €6.3 trillion in market capitalisation, a strong blue-chip franchise and the largest global centre for debt and fund listings. With a diverse domestic and international client base, Euronext handles 25% of European lit equity trading. Its products include equities, FX, ETFs, bonds, derivatives, commodities and indices.

    For the latest news, go to euronext.com or follow us on X and LinkedIn.

    Disclaimer

    This press release is for information purposes only: it is not a recommendation to engage in investment activities and is provided “as is”, without representation or warranty of any kind. While all reasonable care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the content, Euronext does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness. Euronext will not be held liable for any loss or damages of any nature ensuing from using, trusting or acting on information provided. No information set out or referred to in this publication may be regarded as creating any right or obligation. The creation of rights and obligations in respect of financial products that are traded on the exchanges operated by Euronext’s subsidiaries shall depend solely on the applicable rules of the market operator. All proprietary rights and interest in or connected with this publication shall vest in Euronext. This press release speaks only as of this date. Euronext refers to Euronext N.V. and its affiliates. Information regarding trademarks and intellectual property rights of Euronext is available at www.euronext.com/terms-use.

    © 2025, Euronext N.V. – All rights reserved. 

    The Euronext Group processes your personal data in order to provide you with information about Euronext (the “Purpose”). With regard to the processing of this personal data, Euronext will comply with its obligations under Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and Council of 27 April 2016 (General Data Protection Regulation, “GDPR”), and any applicable national laws, rules and regulations implementing the GDPR, as provided in its privacy statement available at: www.euronext.com/privacy-policy. In accordance with the applicable legislation you have rights with regard to the processing of your personal data: for more information on your rights, please refer to: www.euronext.com/data_subjects_rights_request_information. To make a request regarding the processing of your data or to unsubscribe from this press release service, please use our data subject request form at connect2.euronext.com/form/data-subjects-rights-request or email our Data Protection Officer at dpo@euronext.com.

    Disclaimer

    The contents of this announcement have been prepared by and are the sole responsibility of the Company.

    The information contained in this announcement is for information purposes only and does not purport to be full or complete. No reliance may be placed by any person for any purpose on the information contained in this announcement or its accuracy, fairness or completeness.

    This announcement is not for publication or distribution, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States. The distribution of this announcement may be restricted by law in certain jurisdictions and persons into whose possession any document or other information referred to herein comes should inform themselves about and observe any such restriction. Any failure to comply with these restrictions may constitute a violation of the securities laws of any such jurisdiction.

    This announcement is an advertisement and not a prospectus within the meaning of Prospectus Regulation.

    This announcement does not contain or constitute an offer of, or the solicitation of an offer to buy, Bonds to any U.S. person or to any person in the United States, Australia, Canada, South Africa or Japan or in any jurisdiction to whom or in which such offer or solicitation is unlawful. The Bonds and the Shares, if any, to be issued upon exercise of the Conversion/Exercise Right (together, the “Securities”) referred to herein may not be offered or sold in the United States, or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons unless registered under the US Securities Act of 1933 (the “Securities Act”) or offered in a transaction exempt from, or not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act.

    In addition, until 40 days after the commencement of the Offering, an offer or sale of Bonds within the United States by a dealer (whether or not it is participating in the Offering) may violate the registration requirements of the Securities Act.

    The offer and sale of Securities referred to herein has not been and will not be registered under the Securities Act or under the applicable securities laws of Australia, Canada, South Africa or Japan. Subject to certain exceptions, the Bonds referred to herein may not be offered or sold in Australia, Canada, South Africa or Japan or to, or for the account or benefit of, any national, resident or citizen of Australia, Canada, South Africa or Japan. There will be no public offer of the Securities in the United States, Australia, Canada, South Africa or Japan or elsewhere.

    In member states of the European Economic Area (the “EEA”), this announcement and any offer is directed exclusively at persons who are “qualified investors” within the meaning of Article 2(e) of the Prospectus Regulation (“Qualified Investors”). In the United Kingdom this announcement and any offer is directed exclusively at persons who are “qualified investors” within the meaning of Article 2(e) of the Prospectus Regulation as it forms part of UK domestic law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (“EUWA”) (i) who have professional experience in matters relating to investments falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005, as amended (the “Order”), (ii) who fall within Article 49(2)(A) to (D) of the Order, or (iii) to whom it may otherwise lawfully be communicated (all such persons together with Qualified Investors in the EEA being referred to herein as “Relevant Persons”). This document is directed only at Relevant Persons and must not be acted on or relied on by persons who are not Relevant Persons. Any investment or investment activity to which this document relates is available only to Relevant Persons and will be engaged in only with Relevant Persons.

    This announcement may include statements that are, or may be deemed to be, “forward-looking statements”. These forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, including the terms “believes”, “estimates”, “plans”, “projects”, “anticipates”, “expects”, “intends”, “may”, “will” or “should” or, in each case, their negative or other variations or comparable terminology, or by discussions of strategy, plans, objectives, goals, future events or intentions. Forward-looking statements may and often do differ materially from actual results. Any forward-looking statements reflect the Company’s current view with respect to future events and are subject to risks relating to future events and other risks, uncertainties and assumptions relating to the Company’s and its group’s business, results of operations, financial position, liquidity, prospects, growth or strategies. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made.

    Each of the Company, the joint bookrunners appointed in the context of the Offering and their respective affiliates expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to update, review or revise any forward-looking statement contained in this announcement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.

    Each of the joint bookrunners appointed in the context of the Offering is acting exclusively for the Company and no-one else in connection with the Offering. They will not regard any other person as their respective client in relation to the Offering and will not be responsible to anyone other than the Company for providing the protections afforded to their respective clients, nor for providing advice in relation to the Offering, the contents of this announcement or any transaction, arrangement or other matter referred to herein.

    In connection with the Offering, the joint bookrunners appointed in the context of the Offering and any of their affiliates may take up a portion of the Bonds in the Offering as a principal position and in that capacity may retain, purchase, sell, offer to sell for their own accounts such Bonds and other securities of the Company or related investments in connection with the Offering or otherwise. Accordingly, references to the Bonds being issued, offered, subscribed, acquired, placed or otherwise dealt in should be read as including any issue or offer to, or subscription, acquisition, placing or dealing by, the joint bookrunners appointed in the context of the Offering and any of their affiliates acting in such capacity. In addition, the joint bookrunners appointed in the context of the Offering and any of their affiliates may enter into financing arrangements (including swaps, warrants or contracts for differences) with investors in connection with which the joint bookrunners appointed in the context of the Offering and any of their affiliates may from time to time acquire, hold or dispose of Bonds and/or Shares. The joint bookrunners appointed in the context of the Offering do not intend to disclose the extent of any such investment or transactions otherwise than in accordance with any legal or regulatory obligations to do so.

    None of the joint bookrunners appointed in the context of the Offering or any of their respective directors, officers, employees, advisers or agents accepts any responsibility or liability whatsoever for or makes any representation or warranty, express or implied, as to the truth, accuracy or completeness of the information in this announcement (or whether any information has been omitted from the announcement) or any other information relating to the Company, its subsidiaries or associated companies, whether written, oral or in a visual or electronic form, and howsoever transmitted or made available, or for any loss howsoever arising from any use of this announcement or its contents or otherwise arising in connection therewith.

    Information to Distributors: Solely for the purposes of the product governance requirements of Directive 2014/65/EU on markets in financial instruments, as amended and supplemented (“MiFID II”) and local implementing measures (together, the “Product Governance Requirements”), and disclaiming all and any liability, whether arising in tort, contract or otherwise, which any “manufacturer” (for the purposes of the Product Governance Requirements) may otherwise have with respect thereto, the Bonds have been subject to a product approval process, which has determined that: (i) the target market for the Bonds is eligible counterparties and professional clients only, each as defined in MiFID II; and (ii) all channels for distribution of the Bonds to eligible counterparties and professional clients are appropriate. Any person subsequently offering, selling or recommending the Bonds (a “distributor”) should take into consideration the manufacturers’ target market assessment; however, a distributor (for the purposes of the Product Governance Requirements) is responsible for undertaking its own target market assessment in respect of the Bonds (by either adopting or refining the manufacturers’ target market assessment) and determining appropriate distribution channels.

    The target market assessment is without prejudice to the requirements of any contractual or legal selling restrictions in relation to any offering of the Bonds.

    For the avoidance of doubt, the target market assessment does not constitute: (a) an assessment of suitability or appropriateness for the purposes of MiFID II; or (b) a recommendation to any investor or group of investors to invest in, or purchase, or take any other action whatsoever with respect to the Bonds.

    PRIIPs Regulation / Prospectus Regulation / Prohibition of sales to EEA and UK retail investors – The Bonds are not intended to be offered, sold or otherwise made available to and should not be offered, sold or otherwise made available to any retail investor in the EEA or the UK. For these purposes, a “retail investor” means (a) in the EEA, a person who is one (or more) of: (i) a retail client as defined in point (11) of Article 4(1) of MiFID II; or (ii) a customer within the meaning of Directive (EU) 2016/97 as amended or superseded (the “Insurance Distribution Directive”), where that customer would not qualify as a professional client as defined in point (10) of Article 4(1) of MiFID II; or (iii) not a Qualified Investor as defined in Article 2(e) of the Prospectus Regulation and (b) in the UK, a person who is one (or more) of (i) a retail client within the meaning of Regulation (EU) No. 2017/565 as it forms part of UK domestic law by virtue of the EUWA or (ii) a customer within the meaning of the provisions of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 of the UK (the “FSMA”) and any rules or regulations made under the FSMA to implement Directive (EU) 2016/97, where that customer would not qualify as a professional client, as defined in point (8) of Article 2(1) of Regulation (EU) No. 600/2014 as it forms part of UK domestic law by virtue of the EUWA or (iii) not a Qualified Investor as defined in Article 2(e) of the Prospectus Regulation as it forms part of UK domestic law by virtue of the EUWA. Consequently, no key information document required by Regulation (EU) No 1286/2014 (as amended, the “EU PRIIPs Regulation”) or the EU PRIIPS Regulation as it forms part of UK domestic law by virtue of the EUWA (the “UK PRIIPS Regulation”) for offering or selling the Bonds or otherwise making them available to retail investors in the EEA or UK has been prepared and therefore offering or selling the Bonds or otherwise making them available to any retail investor in the EEA or the UK may be unlawful under the EU PRIIPs Regulation and/or the UK PRIIPs Regulation.

    1 The reference share price will be equal to the volume-weighted average price (VWAP) of the Shares recorded on Euronext Paris from the launch of the Offering today until the determination of the final terms (pricing) of the Bonds on the same day.
    2 i.e. Euronext’s share price on Euronext Paris, at close of trading on 21 May 2025

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-Evening Report: As the Million Paws Walk takes its last lap, other charity fundraising events face serious challenges

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Matthew Wade, Lecturer in Social Inquiry, La Trobe University

    The RSPCA has announced this Sunday’s Million Paws Walk will be their last. The event has been celebrated across Australia since 1994, with more than 765,000 people and their 410,000 dogs having “laced up and leashed up” to raise money for animal welfare.

    Participation and fundraising have declined in recent years, with the RSPCA conceding

    The community fundraising landscape has changed dramatically since 2020, with rising costs and current cost of living pressures making it increasingly hard to sustain the event.

    They aren’t alone. A number of charitable events – and for-profit events such as music festivals – have been struggling to stay afloat.

    Regional charity events have been particularly impacted. For example, the Cancer Council’s popular Relay for Life was once a mainstay of regional towns. But while there were 194 Relay for Life events across Australia in 2015, this year there will only be 44.

    Unfortunately, our research indicates many events haven’t recovered from the triple whammy of COVID disruptions, rising costs and falling returns.

    Savvy strategy amid mounting challenges

    Contrary to any hasty assumptions about “wasteful” charities, our interviews with leaders from across 16 Australian charities suggest these organisations are relentlessly pragmatic.

    While advocacy and community engagement are important, almost all our participants made clear that fundraising is the top priority, with success measured “purely in dollars”.

    This single-minded focus is necessary to serve a charity’s core purpose.

    According to one charity event operations manager, their most impactful mental health programs “won’t run unless we’re providing that money for them”. Any unsuccessful event is thus quickly overhauled or jettisoned entirely.

    Charities also try to “gamify” fundraising to make it more exciting for participants. Public leaderboards, virtual badges and physical rewards can incentivise participants to fundraise. However, adopting these strategies can present technical and logistical hurdles, especially for smaller charities.

    Increasing burnout and trouble reaching youth

    Mass participation fundraising events are facing compounding challenges that ingenuity can’t resolve. The proportion of Australians donating to charities has steadily declined since 2011.

    And although overall numbers are gradually recovering, there are still fewer people formally volunteering today than at the peak in 2018.

    One charity CEO told us staff and volunteers were facing “a lot of burnout, because progress is slow, getting money in the door is hard”.

    Adding to these woes are difficulties in recruiting younger people as participants and volunteers. Even reaching them can be tricky. While many charities rely on Facebook, younger people are gravitating to platforms such as TikTok. Resource-limited charities can struggle to make the leap to build new audiences.

    While expressing immense gratitude, a fundraising manager at one of Australia’s biggest charities noted their volunteers “tend to skew quite older”.

    A CEO of a health-based charity likewise observed difficulty in finding long-term volunteers for future event planning, as people “aren’t necessarily wanting to give that high level of commitment”.

    Volunteer support is essential in making mass participation fundraisers feasible. One event fundraising coordinator told us, “There would be a lot more that would be going ahead if we had the volunteers to run them.”

    Some charities partner with schools to get young people more involved. Well-known examples include the Heart Foundation’s Jump Rope for Heart and World Vision’s 40 Hour Famine. Others, such as Kids in Philanthropy, are wholly dedicated to giving children the opportunity to perform acts of service.

    Rising costs and compliance hurdles

    While far from begrudging small businesses, our interviewees said key suppliers, such as food vendors and stage hire, are declining, raising prices, and sometimes proving less reliable. Only occasionally do charities receive “special treatment” via discounts or other favours.

    One event manager said, “Every year we have to make sacrifices and cuts.” This can impact participants’ experience, and therefore fundraising outcomes.

    Our respondents spoke mostly favourably about their relationships with local councils. But some lamented councils were less willing to provide small grants or in-kind support, such as waiving permit fees, compared to the past. And unpredictable concessions can make it hard to budget and plan for the long term.

    A number of interviewees highlighted traffic-related costs as a major and volatile drain on event budgets.

    An event manager from a youth-focused charity bemoaned that, due to regulation changes, their traffic control quote “went from $30,000 to $45,000 a month before the event”.

    Such fees can prevent events from growing to accommodate more participants, as moving locations and routes can drastically increase compliance costs.

    Similarly, one respondent noted how the cost of first aid “went through the roof post-COVID”.

    Another suggested popular fundraisers should be categorised as “hallmark” events in which state governments partially cover risk-management costs, such as police and ambulance services.

    Of course, participants’ wellbeing is non-negotiable for charities, and any reputational damage can have severe long-term consequences.

    This can even mean cancelling entire events due to risky weather conditions, with devastating impacts on fundraising outcomes.

    What will we lose if events disappear?

    The end of the iconic Million Paws Walk rings alarm bells for mass participation fundraising. The loss of these joyous occasions doesn’t just impact charities.

    These events offer social benefits, health benefits, and a profound therapeutic effect for participants directly affected by the cause.

    They are also an entry point for people to support charitable causes. For the time-poor and cash-strapped, a fun run is often more manageable than regular donations or volunteering commitments.

    The Million Paws Walk will be sorely missed, but let’s hope it isn’t the first of many. Events such as the Mother’s Day Classic, MS Australia’s Gong Ride, the Mito Foundation’s Bloody Long Walk and Neuroblastoma Australia’s Run2Cure, among others, serve vital fundraising and advocacy purposes.

    Catherine Palmer receives funding from the Australian Research Council.

    Kevin Filo, Matthew Wade, and Nicholas Hookway 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. As the Million Paws Walk takes its last lap, other charity fundraising events face serious challenges – https://theconversation.com/as-the-million-paws-walk-takes-its-last-lap-other-charity-fundraising-events-face-serious-challenges-257125

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Could cold sores increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease? A new study is no cause for panic

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joyce Siette, Associate Professor | Deputy Director, The MARCS Institute for Brain, Behaviour, and Development, Western Sydney University

    And-One/Shutterstock

    A new study has found the herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), which causes cold sores, may be linked to the development of Alzheimer’s disease.

    This idea is not entirely new. Previous research has suggested there may be an association between HSV-1 and Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia.

    So what can we make of these new findings? And how strong is this link? Let’s take a look at the evidence.

    First, what is HSV-1?

    HSV-1 is a neurotropic virus, meaning it can infect nerve cells, which send and receive messages to and from the brain. It’s an extremely common virus. The World Health Organization estimates nearly two-thirds of the global population aged under 50 carries this virus, often unknowingly.

    An initial infection can cause mild to severe symptoms including fever, headache and muscle aches, and may manifest as blisters and ulcers around the mouth or lips.

    After this, HSV-1 typically lies dormant in the body’s nervous system, sometimes reactivating due to stress or illness. During reactivation, it can cause symptoms such as cold sores, although in many people it doesn’t cause any symptoms.

    What did the new research look at?

    In a study published this week in BMJ Open, researchers analysed data from hundreds of thousands of people drawn from a large United States health insurance dataset.

    They conducted a matched “case-control” analysis involving more than 340,000 adults aged 50 and older diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease between 2006 and 2021. Each Alzheimer’s disease patient (a “case”) was matched to a control without a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease based on factors such as age, sex and geographic region, a method designed to reduce statistical bias.

    The team then examined how many of these people had a prior diagnosis of HSV-1 and whether they had been prescribed antiviral treatment for the infection.

    Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia.
    Nadino/Shutterstock

    Among people with Alzheimer’s disease, 0.44% had a previous HSV-1 diagnosis, compared to 0.24% of controls. This translates to an 80% increased relative risk of Alzheimer’s disease in those diagnosed with HSV-1, however the absolute numbers are small.

    The researchers also found people who received antiviral treatment for HSV-1 had roughly a 17% lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease compared to those who were untreated.

    Not a new hypothesis

    This isn’t the first time researchers have speculated about a viral role in Alzheimer’s disease. Earlier studies have detected HSV-1 DNA in postmortem brain tissues from people who had Alzheimer’s disease.

    Laboratory research has also shown HSV-1 can trigger amyloid-beta plaque accumulation in nerve cells and mouse brains. Amyloid-beta plaques are one of the defining features of Alzheimer’s disease pathology, so this has led to speculation that reactivation of the virus may contribute to brain inflammation or damage.

    But importantly, previous research and the current study show associations, not proof HSV-1 causes Alzheimer’s disease. These links do not confirm the virus initiates or drives disease progression.

    Some other important caveats

    The study relied on insurance claim data, which may not always reflect accurate or timely clinical diagnoses. HSV-1 is also frequently underdiagnosed, especially when symptoms are mild or absent. These points could explain why both the Alzheimer’s group and the control group saw such low rates of HSV-1, when population rates of this virus are estimated to be far higher.

    This means many carriers of HSV-1 in the study may have gone unrecorded and therefore makes the link harder to interpret clearly. The dataset also doesn’t capture how often people had recurring symptoms, or the severity or duration of infections – conditions which might influence risk more directly.

    Another complicating factor is people with HSV-1 might differ in other ways from those without it. Differences in health-care access, the health of a person’s immune system, lifestyle, genetics, or even education – could all influence Alzheimer’s disease risk.

    A variety of factors can influence a person’s risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
    sfam_photo/Shutterstock

    So should you be concerned if you have cold sores?

    The short answer is no – at least not based on current evidence. Most people with HSV-1 will never develop Alzheimer’s disease. The vast majority live with the virus without any serious neurological issues.

    The “herpes hypothesis” of Alzheimer’s disease is an interesting area for further research, but far from settled science. This study adds weight to the conversation but doesn’t offer a definitive answer.

    Alzheimer’s disease is a complex condition with multiple risk factors, including age, genetics, heart health, education, lifestyle and environmental exposures.

    Infections such as HSV-1 may be one part of a larger, interconnected puzzle, but they are highly unlikely to be the sole cause.

    With this in mind, the best thing to do is to focus on what we already know can help keep your brain healthy as you age. Regular physical activity, good quality sleep, social engagement, a balanced diet and managing stress can all support long-term brain health.

    Joyce Siette receives funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council on a Targeted Call for Research on cultural, ethnic and linguistic diversity in dementia research.

    – ref. Could cold sores increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease? A new study is no cause for panic – https://theconversation.com/could-cold-sores-increase-the-risk-of-alzheimers-disease-a-new-study-is-no-cause-for-panic-257140

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Frozen products were delivered from Russia to China for the first time through the Tongjiang checkpoint

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    BEIJING, May 22 (Xinhua) — Frozen food was shipped from Russia to China via the Tongjiang Port recently for the first time, marking progress in the development of the local cold chain logistics sector, the Yangguang news portal of China Media Corp. reported Wednesday.

    A ton of Russian ice cream worth 100,000 yuan was transported through the border point and, after customs clearance, was placed in a 20,000 square meter cold chain bonded warehouse.

    Tongjiang City in Heilongjiang Province in northeastern China borders the Jewish Autonomous Region of Russia. With the completion of the Tongjiang-Nizhneleninskoye railway bridge across the Heilongjiang River /Amur/ in 2022, Tongjiang has become a new railway checkpoint on the border between China and Russia. Water, road and rail traffic has now opened through it.

    The project to build a frozen food warehouse in Tongjiang City was approved in July last year. Its commissioning will further expand the range of agricultural products imported from Russia and optimize the cross-border cold chain logistics system. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Exclusive: Systematic development of relations between Georgia and China in political and economic spheres leads to deepening of bilateral strategic cooperation – Georgian expert

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    Tbilisi, May 22 /Xinhua/ — At the present stage, relations between Tbilisi and Beijing are systematically developing both in the political and economic planes, which naturally leads to the deepening of bilateral strategic cooperation, Elbrus Mamedov, director of the Georgian “Center for Expert Analysis – the Great Silk Road”, said in an exclusive interview with Xinhua the other day.

    In his opinion, the signing of a joint statement on the establishment of strategic partnership relations between Georgia and China in 2023 was an example of sustainable growth of trust and cooperation.

    “This step was a logical continuation of the dynamic expansion of trade and economic ties, the implementation of joint infrastructure projects and the strengthening of political dialogue,” noted E. Mamedov.

    An important event for Georgian-Chinese relations, according to the expert, is the beginning of the implementation of plans to develop strategic partnership between Georgia and China. It is within the framework of these relations that the parties confirmed their interest in developing comprehensive cooperation, he added.

    “The strategic partnership between the parties reflects the desire of Tbilisi and Beijing to strengthen their relations based on the principles of mutual benefit, respect for sovereignty and sustainable development,” the Georgian expert believes.

    E. Mamedov also stated that Georgia, as a key link in the Middle Corridor and a country with ties to the European Union, plays an important role in China’s Belt and Road Initiative. According to him, in the context of a complex international and regional situation, the development of strategic partnership between Georgia and China is of particular importance, opening up new opportunities for long-term and stable cooperation.

    According to the Georgian expert, being a reliable and predictable partner, Georgia is actively participating in the development of this initiative, strengthening its role as a transit hub connecting the East and the West.

    E. Mamedov noted that within the framework of the deepening strategic partnership, Tbilisi attaches particular importance to expanding business ties with China, increasing the volume of cargo transportation and promoting tourism exchange between the two countries.

    “The development of transport infrastructure, the modernization of ports and railways, as well as active participation in multilateral logistics and investment projects open up new opportunities for Georgia as a bridge between China and the European market,” he concluded. –0–

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  • MIL-OSI Russia: China’s first offshore carbon dioxide capture, storage and disposal project comes online

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    SHENZHEN, May 22 (Xinhua) — China’s first offshore carbon dioxide capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) project was put into operation on Thursday in the Pearl River Estuary Basin in southern China, according to China National Offshore Oil Corp (CNOOC), the country’s largest offshore oil and gas producer.

    The project, located on the Enping 15-1 platform, is designed to capture associated carbon dioxide generated during oil field development, then purify and inject it into a supercritical state. The treated carbon dioxide is then injected into underground oil reservoirs. Such technologies can increase oil production and capture carbon at the same time. This innovative approach has created a new model for the utilization of marine energy.

    The Enping 15-1 platform is currently Asia’s largest offshore oil production platform, located approximately 200 km southwest of Shenzhen and operating at depths of approximately 90 m. Peak oil production from the group of fields operating in the area exceeds 7,500 tons per day.

    CCUS is a new technology for low-carbon, highly efficient development of fossil fuels. There are currently 65 commercial CCUS projects operating worldwide. Most are onshore, with only a small number operating offshore. -0-

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  • MIL-OSI Russia: Yuri Trutnev invited Chinese partners to take part in festive events in Shumshu

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Deputy Prime Minister and Presidential Plenipotentiary Representative in the Far Eastern Federal District Yuri Trutnev invited Deputy Chairman of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China Zhang Guoqing and Chinese colleagues to visit the Kuril Island of Shumshu in September and take part in the festive events to mark the 80th anniversary of the Victory over militaristic Japan.

    “On the instructions of the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, we are creating a memorial complex on Shumshu Island dedicated to the Kuril landing operation. Shumshu is one of the islands of the Kuril chain. In fact, World War II ended on this island. The Kwantung army was routed. Our soldiers routed superior enemy forces, demonstrated mass heroism, landed in the water with full equipment and attacked tanks for a long time up to the heights where the firing points were located. If you are interested in the event related to the opening of the memorial complex, we are ready to synchronize our actions with your embassy,” said Yuri Trutnev.

    On the instructions of Deputy Prime Minister – Presidential Plenipotentiary Representative in the Far Eastern Federal District Yuri Trutnev, in mid-May the working group visited the Kuril Island of Shumshu to monitor the implementation of the instructions of the President of Russia on holding events dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the Victory over militarist Japan and the end of World War II. The working group included representatives of the Presidential Administration, the Plenipotentiary Representative of the Far East, the Ministry for the Development of the Russian Far East, and the Ministry of Culture of Russia. The delegation assessed the readiness of the sites to organize a summer expedition, as well as to create an open-air memorial.

    The first stage of the military-historical memorial complex is dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory and the victory over militarist Japan. The complex, dedicated to the Kuril landing operation, is being created on the instructions of Russian President Vladimir Putin. The work is being carried out under the supervision of Deputy Prime Minister and Plenipotentiary Representative Yuri Trutnev. The working group for the implementation of the instructions of the head of state is headed by Sakhalin Region Governor Valery Limarenko and Head of the Presidential Directorate for Public Projects Sergei Novikov.

    “The team of the Center for Contemporary History, together with the Russian Military Historical Society, is preparing for the work that will take place this summer on the restoration and preservation of the military equipment present on Shumshu. We believe it is fundamentally important to preserve the tanks in the form in which they are now. We are talking about preserving the current position of the tanks. We will be as careful as possible about how they look now. In addition, we have engineering tasks that concern topographic work, aerial photography of the island, and historical study of materials. We plan to make an interactive map of the island by August based on the materials that will be found in archives and historical sources and obtained here as a result of field work,” said Ivan Anokhin, director of the Center for Contemporary History and geodetic engineer.

    The events on Shumshu will take place during the summer of 2025 and will be dedicated to the Kuril landing operation. A search expedition, a solemn funeral ceremony for the burial of the remains of Soviet soldiers discovered during the search operations, an all-Russian physical culture event “Extreme cross-triathlon “Height 171” (swimming, cycling and running), hiking trips for the youth movement “More than a Journey”, a reconstruction of “Storming Shumshu Island”, as well as a concert program, including in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, are planned.

    The key events of the opening of the memorial complex and the funeral ceremony of the soldiers’ remains will take place on August 18. A military-historical reconstruction will also take place then. About 150 people from two dozen regions of Russia and friendly countries will take part in it.

    “The Russian Military Historical Society received a task from the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, within the framework of the Presidential Decree on the creation of a memorial complex here, to carry out work on organizing all events related to the Ministry of Culture in 2025, and to formulate a concept for the development of the island up to 2030. Several strategic issues related to the objects that we will restore this year need to be resolved. The Nevsky Batalist company is making an entrance area that will symbolize the Kuril landing operation itself. We are currently looking for a place where this structure could be installed. Our task is to improve all cultural heritage sites that are located on the island today. These are graves, a mass grave, a grave of two Heroes of the Soviet Union, and a pillbox. Another of our main tasks is to work with the military equipment that remained here since the Great Patriotic War. We plan to connect military facilities with a road and path network. An important task is to reorganize the museum dedicated to the Severokurilsk landing operation in Severokurilsk,” said Elena Sinitsina, executive director of the Museum of Military History of the Russian Military Historical Society.

    During the working visit, an inspection of the sites of the military-historical memorial complex dedicated to perpetuating the memory of the soldiers of the Kuril landing operation was conducted, as well as the placement of a thematic installation and captured tanks in the open air. The placement of a modular structure for the display of artifacts found during the search operations and the burial of the remains of Red Army and Navy soldiers found during the search operations were discussed. The readiness of the sites for organizing the placement of summer camps for the participants of the search expedition, museum workers, employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, doctors, and youth tourist groups was assessed. The issues of creating a road and path network between the island’s sites and cultural and educational routes were considered.

    The transport scheme for delivering cargo and equipment to Shumshu was developed by the Sakhalin Region government together with the Kamchatka Region government and the Russian Ministry of Defense. It provides for the delivery of property to Severo-Kurilsk by sea vessels. Rolling barges will be used for further transportation of cargo to Shumshu, where there are no hydraulic structures. A total of 30 units of equipment have been delivered to the island since the end of March.

    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.

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  • MIL-OSI Russia: Briefing by Yuri Trutnev and Alexey Chekunkov following the Government Hour in the State Duma

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Following the government hour devoted to current issues of socio-economic and infrastructural development of the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation, which took place within the framework of the State Duma session, Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation – Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of the Russian Federation in the Far Eastern Federal District Yuri Trutnev and Minister of the Russian Federation for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic Alexey Chekunkov answered questions from media representatives.

    Summing up the results of the government hour

    Yu.P. Trutnev: Today, today everything was connected with a report on the results of the work. For me, this is always a slightly difficult topic, because it can always be evaluated from two sides. As in the old fable, the glass is half full or half empty. When you summarize the results of the work, and we summed up the results of the ministry in several years, the first question that I ask myself is related to whether the right path is chosen and how we are moving. I will answer right away – correct. It is impossible to develop the territory based on how much money they will give from the federal budget, they must be earned. Hundreds of billions of new investments, hundreds of new enterprises, an increase in the almost two -time budget of the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation – this suggests that the economy of the Arctic is growing and its growth creates conditions for improving people’s lives, to ensure their jobs, to ensure normal wages, for the construction of new facilities, and this is right. At the same time, it seems to me that this would be a very bad story if we approached the estimates of our work only in terms of what we managed. It seems to me that it is also important to find courage in order to answer the question of what failed. I do not agree with all the comments that were heard today. For example, when colleagues say: “Let’s allocate more time to relocation.” The question immediately arises: do we want people to live in the Arctic or to leave? If we want to give more money for relocation, then they will leave. This is probably not the best solution. At the same time, a number of questions sounded, which was noted in speeches, which concerns the lives of people. We must think about these people. We must make decisions that will improve the lives of people who will answer all the questions that are facing them. Actually, we work for this.

    About climate change

    Yu. P. Trutnev: Today, unfortunately, global cooperation in the field of climate conservation has been destroyed. No one talks about emissions, carbohydrate balance, and so on. I want to emphasize that Russia meticulously fulfills its obligations to the world community. Not a single enterprise in our country can do without a state environmental assessment, without discussions with people. This simply does not happen. But doing this alone is of little use. We read there what is happening. A huge ice floe fell and not on our territory at all, it itself has already changed the conditions. Other processes are also underway in nature. And these issues cannot be addressed alone. To be honest, I hope that humanity will come to its senses, will begin to understand that we all live together on one planet, that we have certain neighborly responsibilities, and that if we do not pay attention to them, then everyone will have problems. Therefore, yes, of course, we need plans to prepare territories for climate change. But, I repeat once again, not all general trends can be overcome only by the efforts of the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation. It won’t work like that.

    A.O. Chekunkov: Today, many issues related to climate change, the influence of climate on the melting of permafrost. It is important that this issue is actively discussed. The movement in the form of the creation of a background monitoring system has already begun on it. A large monitoring system for all 5 million square kilometers is already being created. These are 140 monitoring stations created by the Ministry of Natural Resources. There are presidential instructions related to the creation of geotechnical monitoring systems – already directly in relation to buildings. As part of the preparation of master plans of the supporting settlements of the Arctic, on behalf of the President, a register of the best practices of life and management in the north has been formed. One of the components is just technologies related to work, with life at many years of permafrost. Business, our largest companies successfully operate industrial enterprises, trunk gas -reflees, build ports on these complex soils. Our task now is to tighten the social sphere, to ensure the safety of life and work of people. There are such technologies. For example, there are technologies using chemical reagents in closed pipe systems, that is, not energy -intensive, allowing you to freeze soils for a long time. They are actively used in Norilsk and Salekhard under objects of large companies. The general plan for adaptation to permafrost will be formed before the end of the year. An important evidence that this problem is really priority is that today it was discussed not only with the relevant ministry or with some one ministry. In fact, today most of the government members kept a joint answer. These were representatives of many fouvas. Under the leadership of Yuri Petrovich Trutnev and the Ministry of Natural Resources, the Ministry of Construction, and the Ministry of Defense, and, of course, we will solve this problem along with all the regions of the Arctic.

    Number of vessels along the Northern Sea Route

    Yu.P. Trutnev: There is a problem of shortage of ships, especially cargo ships. About 50 ships are not yet provided with construction capacity. This problem should be solved together with the Ministry of Industry.

    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.

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  • MIL-OSI Russia: Yuri Trutnev delivered a report to the State Duma during government hour

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    “Government Hour” in the State Duma, dedicated to current issues of socio-economic and infrastructural development of the Arctic zone of Russia

    May 21, 2025

    Yuri Trutnev delivered a report to the State Duma during government hour

    May 21, 2025

    Yuri Trutnev delivered a report to the State Duma during government hour

    May 21, 2025

    “Government Hour” in the State Duma, dedicated to current issues of socio-economic and infrastructural development of the Arctic zone of Russia

    May 21, 2025

    Previous news Next news

    “Government Hour” in the State Duma, dedicated to current issues of socio-economic and infrastructural development of the Arctic zone of Russia

    Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation – Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of the Russian Federation in the Far Eastern Federal District Yuri Trutnev delivered a report at a meeting of the State Duma as part of the “government hour” dedicated to current issues of socio-economic and infrastructural development of the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation.

    “Today we are discussing the development of the Arctic – a territory that the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin has defined as a geostrategic territory, and the future of not only our country, but the entire world depends on its development. We have already talked about the richest mineral reserves of the Arctic, the Northern Sea Route, and the military-strategic potential. Today, on Polar Explorer Day, we must remember those people thanks to whom the Arctic was opened to Russia and Russia has grown with Arctic territories. For more than 500 years, Russia has been the world’s leading Arctic power. Russian explorers and pioneers – from Dmitry Gerasimov and Semyon Chelyuskin to Ivan Papanin and Artur Chilingarov – ensured the exploration and development of the Arctic.

    Today, in the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation, complex mining projects are being implemented, high-tech enterprises and liquefied natural gas plants are being built, modern research stations and floating nuclear power plants are being created, and new nuclear icebreakers are being laid down at shipyards.

    All this is the result of great work of people. Those people who live in Murmansk and Arkhangelsk, Norilsk and Naryan-Mar, Anadyr and Salekhard.

    What has the Russian Government done to develop the Arctic zone?

    The foundation was the work on attracting investments. I will say again, I am sure that this is the right start, because without earning money, but only asking for it from the budget, we are unlikely to achieve any success. The largest special economic zone in the world has been created. In creating it, we relied on the experience of the Far East. The Arctic zone of the Russian Federation is better assembled than the preferential zones of the Far East. We already had experience, and what could be done better, what could be differentiated, for example, by the direction of investments, has already been done in the Arctic.

    The region has begun implementing more than a thousand investment projects with a total investment volume of more than 2 trillion rubles. 800 billion of them have already been invested in the economy. 293 new enterprises have started operating in the territory of the Arctic Zone of the Russian Federation.

    I consider it very important that the income of the subjects of the Russian Federation has begun to grow. This is precisely the money that can be spent on medicine, roads, schools and other needs of the people. The total volume of income received by the consolidated budgets of the subjects of the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation has grown by almost 70%.

    Over the past 5 years, within the framework of the implementation of national projects and a single presidential subsidy, more than 60 new hospitals and clinics, 48 schools and kindergartens, 17 sports centers have been built in the Arctic. Decisions have been made to create new university campuses in Murmansk and Arkhangelsk.

    3.4 million square meters of new housing were built, which made it possible to provide 57 thousand families with new comfortable apartments and houses. Thanks to the mechanism of preferential Arctic mortgages, the extension of which the President supported, 13 thousand families in the Arctic Zone of the Russian Federation improved their housing conditions. 9 thousand people received a plot of land under the Arctic Hectare program.

    As part of the ZATO renovation program, 161 apartment buildings, 37 educational institutions, more than 21 km of roads, 4 housing and communal services facilities were renovated, 14 youth centers were opened, and more than 40 courtyards and public areas were improved.

    The economic axis of the Arctic development is the Northern Sea Route. The Russian government has approved a plan for the development of the NSR until 2035. It provides for the construction of 10 icebreakers, 14 seaports and terminals, 3 railway lines, 46 emergency rescue vessels, and 4 emergency rescue centers.

    I would like to emphasize that the work on developing the NSR creates conditions for the implementation of production plans for companies such as NOVATEK, Gazprom, Norilsk Nickel, and Lukoil. The taxes paid by these companies alone will ensure the creation of a new tax base in the amount of 13 trillion rubles by 2035. This is the foundation on which we will continue to develop.

    A new challenge for us is the implementation of master plans for 16 Arctic core settlements. The master plans provide for the creation and reconstruction of more than 600 infrastructure facilities – roads, airports, housing and communal services, healthcare, culture, sports and leisure facilities – at a total cost of 3.7 trillion rubles, including 850 billion rubles from the federal budget.

    All master plans have been prepared and reported to the President at the International Arctic Forum. In accordance with the instructions of the head of state, sections with master plan activities have been created in new national projects of Russia, which has already provided financing for plans in the amount of 106 billion rubles, and taking into account the money that will come from writing off 2/3 of the debt to the subjects on budget loans and treasury infrastructure loans, the amount of co-financing already amounts to 172 billion rubles.

    I would like to say right away that this is not enough for us. On the one hand, never before has money come to the Arctic in such a volume. On the other hand, regarding the plans that we must implement, it is not enough. In this regard, I would like to emphasize that two days ago we received letters from some ministries stating that they cannot provide these funds in their area of responsibility. We will not agree with these answers, and we will strive to ensure that the President’s order is implemented in full. Especially since the insufficient funds for the Arctic were announced by the very departments that are the most complained about.

    In conclusion, I would like to say that we understand very well that not everything has been done. A lot needs to be done for the Arctic to develop, for the Far East to develop. I am confident that together we will solve all the tasks set.”

    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.

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  • MIL-OSI Russia: Marat Khusnullin: The start of the second tunnel excavation during the construction of the Avtozavodskaya metro line has been given in Nizhny Novgorod

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    In Nizhny Novgorod, a tunnel boring machine has started working in the second tunnel for the construction of the Avtozavodskaya metro line

    In Nizhny Novgorod, a tunnel boring machine has started working in the second tunnel for the construction of the Avtozavodskaya metro line on the section from the Sennaya station to the Ploshchad Svobody station. This was reported by Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin.

    “The metro is one of the most convenient and reliable types of public transport for large modern cities. The metro not only relieves the streets of traffic jams, but also radically changes the quality of the urban environment – it makes travel fast and comfortable for millions of people, stimulates the development of new districts, and increases the investment attractiveness of territories. In Russia, the metro is developing in different regions. For example, in Nizhny Novgorod, two new stations are being built using infrastructure budget loans to extend the Avtozavodskaya metro line. It is predicted that they will be used by about 12.5 million people per year. Metro builders have already completed the right tunnel from the Sennaya station to the Ploshchad Svobody station and have begun the left one. It is extremely important now not to slow down and complete this significant transport project for residents and visitors of the city,” said Marat Khusnullin.

    The Deputy Prime Minister added that at Freedom Square the exits from the vestibules will be located near the opera house and the park where the monument to the heroes and victims of the 1905 revolution is located. The exits from the metro at Sennaya are planned near the cable car, onto Sechenov, Bolshaya Pecherskaya, Rodionov streets and to the G.I. Petrovsky Plant.

    Nizhny Novgorod Region Governor Gleb Nikitin noted that the metro builders have currently picked up the required pace of mining operations. “Over the past month, we have completed a large range of works – from dismantling equipment from the finished right tunnel to fully assembling the shield at Sennaya for the new tunnel. Extending the metro to the historical part of Nizhny Novgorod is a strategic step in terms of improving the transport infrastructure of the million-plus city. An infrastructure cluster with a transport hub will be created at Sennaya Square. The current temporary inconveniences will ensure comfort for residents and visitors of the city in the future and for a long time,” said Gleb Nikitin.

    “The start of the second tunnel boring in the Nizhny Novgorod metro is a landmark event for the development of the region’s transport infrastructure. This confirms the effectiveness of the chosen strategy for the development of urban infrastructure. The Government of the Russian Federation pays special attention to the modernization of the regional transport system, and infrastructure budget loans have become the very unique instrument that allows for the implementation of such large-scale projects as the construction of the metro. It is important to note that this is not an isolated case. IBCs are successfully used for the construction of the metro in other regions, providing a modern transport system,” said First Deputy Minister of Construction and Housing and Public Utilities Alexander Lomakin.

    The first transfer tunnel was completed in February of this year. The 80-meter tunnel boring machine was dismantled in the dismantling chamber and transported back to the starting pit at Sennaya. At a depth of 13 to 25 m, 1,500 m must be passed, laying 1,072 rings of high-precision lining, in difficult soil conditions.

    The work is being carried out by the Mosproekt-3 group of companies. Until the completion of the work, tunneling will be carried out according to schedule around the clock.

    In addition to the Avtozavodskaya line in Nizhny Novgorod, a project to extend the Sormovsko-Meshcherskaya metro line – the construction of a new station “Sormovskaya” – is also being implemented under the IBC program, operated by the Territorial Development Fund.

    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.

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  • MIL-OSI Russia: Financial News: Digital Ruble Enters Anti-Money Laundering Legislation

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Central Bank of Russia –

    Anti-money laundering control over transactions with digital rubles will be carried out by both commercial banks and the Bank of Russia, the operator of the digital ruble platform. Control is divided depending on how users will transmit instructions on transactions with digital rubles to the platform – through a bank or directly to the operator. Such a hybrid format is envisaged by law, approved by the Federation Council.

    At the same time, banks will continue to identify clients when opening a digital ruble account, identify clients whose access to the platform should be restricted, and perform other anti-money laundering functions that they currently have.

    When creating the digital ruble platform, the Bank of Russia paid special attention to the convenience of the customer journey. Citizens and companies will pay in digital rubles using familiar mobile applications of banks and other remote banking systems. This will allow clients and banks to interact in the usual way.

    Let us remind you: digital ruble— a digital form of the national currency. Currently, its piloting is ongoing with the participation of 15 banks, about 2 thousand citizens and more than 50 companies. The number of participants and available transactions is gradually growing. The Bank of Russia will additionally announce the date of the mass launch.

    Preview photo: Gorodenkoff / Shutterstock / Fotodom

    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: //VVV.KBR.ru/Press/Event/? ID = 24612

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  • MIL-OSI Australia: Transferring your business to family members

    Source: New places to play in Gungahlin

    Transferring control of your business or wealth to family members may involve restructuring your business operations, such as:

    • changes to share structure
    • changes to the trustee and appointor of a trust or changes to beneficiaries
    • changes to partnership structures, or
    • transferring assets to family members via the creation of trusts or other new entities.

    All these events have legal and tax implications that you need to carefully consider.

    You should fully document any significant changes to your business structures or operations (including any asset disposals), along with their tax impact. Ensure you properly document information on your assets, such as acquisition date and cost base, improvements and any valuations. This will also ensure that any subsequent disposals of the assets can be treated correctly for tax purposes.

    For example, when you dispose of or transfer your business assets there will likely be capital gains tax (CGT) consequences. The sale of a business can also trigger liabilities for GST.

    Where a pre-CGT asset is involved, you should also understand and document whether the asset has retained its pre-CGT status. Issues for consideration include whether changes in beneficial interest impact the pre-CGT status of the assets or shares.

    Example: transferring your business to a family member

    As the owner of a successful family business, you prepared a basic succession plan many years ago. Since then, your business has expanded and your children have grown up. Your son now works with you in the business. You would like to see him take over when you retire.

    You discuss with your adviser how best to transfer the business to your son and transition to retirement. They explain the tax consequences of the transfer. They also alert you to other options and tax considerations.

    You decide to restructure your business as a family trust. Then you can still have some control of the business while reducing your involvement in the day-to-day operations.

    As you have decided on your current strategy, you update your succession plan and document the tax consequences. Once the business is transferred, you retain documentation evidencing the transactions that have tax impacts. You can now ensure you reflect this correctly in your tax returns.

    End of example

    For more information, see Changing, selling or closing your business.

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