Euro’s share across various indicators of international currency use largely unchanged at around 19%
Emerging challenges include initiatives promoting global use of cryptocurrencies
Upholding rule of law essential for maintaining, and potentially increasing, global trust in the euro
The international role of the euro remained broadly stable in 2024 and the euro held on to its position as the second most important currency globally. The share of the euro across various indicators of international currency use has been largely unchanged since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, standing at around 19%. These are some of the main findings in the annual review of the international role of the euro, published today by the European Central Bank (ECB).
This stability was noteworthy in a year that saw the ECB begin lowering policy rates, following further declines in inflation and amid continuing geopolitical tensions. The share of the euro in global official holdings of foreign exchange reserves held steady at 20% in 2024, broadly unchanged since the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The global appeal of the euro is underpinned by sound policies in the euro area and strong, rules-based institutions. “Upholding the rule of law remains essential for maintaining, and potentially increasing, global trust in the euro,” said President Christine Lagarde.
Although current data indicate no significant changes in the international use of the euro, it is important to remain vigilant. Central banks continued to accumulate gold at a record pace and some countries have been actively exploring alternatives to traditional cross-border payment systems. There is evidence of a link between geopolitical alignments and shifts in invoicing currency patterns in global trade, particularly since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. New challenges to the international role of the euro have also emerged, including initiatives that promote the global use of cryptocurrencies.
This changing landscape underscores the importance for European policymakers of creating the necessary conditions to strengthen the global role of the euro, such as advancing the Savings and Investment Union to fully leverage European financial markets. Eliminating barriers within the European Union would enhance the depth and liquidity of euro funding markets. Moreover, accelerating progress on a digital euro is key for supporting a competitive and resilient European payment system. “The digital euro would contribute to Europe’s economic security and strengthen the international role of the euro,” said Executive Board member Piero Cipollone. The global appeal of the euro is also supported by the ECB’s initiatives to offer solutions for settling wholesale financial transactions recorded on distributed ledger technology platforms in central bank money and to improve cross-border payments between the euro area and other jurisdictions. In addition, the ECB’s euro liquidity lines to non-euro area central banks foster the use of the euro in global financial and commercial transactions.
For media queries, please contactAlessandro Speciale, tel.: +49 172 1670791.
Chart 1
The international role of the euro remained broadly stable in 2024
Composite index of the international role of the euro
(percentages; at current and constant Q4 2024 exchange rates; four-quarter moving averages)
Sources: Bank for International Settlements, International Monetary Fund (IMF), CLS Bank International, Ilzetzki, Reinhart and Rogoff (2019) and ECB staff calculations. Notes: Arithmetic average of the shares of the euro at constant (current) exchange rates in stocks of international bonds, loans by banks outside the euro area to borrowers outside the euro area, deposits with banks outside the euro area from creditors outside the euro area, global foreign exchange settlements, global foreign exchange reserves and global exchange rate regimes. Estimates of the share of the euro in global exchange rate regimes from 2010 onwards are based on IMF data; pre-2010 shares are estimated using data from Ilzetzki, E., Reinhart, C. and Rogoff, K., “Exchange Arrangements Entering the Twenty-First Century: Which Anchor will Hold?”, The Quarterly Journal of Economics, Vol. 134, Issue 2, May 2019, pp. 599-646. The latest observation is for the fourth quarter of 2024.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
The current U.S. administration will cut its military budget for Ukraine next year, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said at a hearing in the House of Representatives on Tuesday.
“It is a reduction in this (upcoming defense) budget,” Hegseth told lawmakers, “This administration takes a very different view of that conflict.”
“We believe that a negotiated peaceful settlement is in the best interest of both parties and our nation’s interests, especially with all the competing interests around the globe,” he said.
The United States has provided Ukraine more than 66 billion U.S. dollars in aid since the conflict between Russia and Ukraine broke out in February 2022, according to U.S. media reports.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Betty McCollum (DFL-Minn)
WASHINGTON — During today’s House Appropriations subcommittee markup of the 2026 Defense funding bill, House Democrats highlighted how the bill undermines democracy at home and abroad and includes harmful policy riders that divide our nation.
For fiscal year 2026, the bill provides $831.5 billion, which is equal to current funding levels and $1.3 billion above the Administration’s fiscal year 2026 request.
Republicans have included language directing the Department of Defense to determine $7.75 billion in cuts to amounts listed in the bill. This jeopardizes every program other than intelligence activities. If made uniformly, it would reduce everything by approximately 1 percent, which would mean cuts of almost $2 billion for troop pay, over $2 billion for troop readiness, $409 million for health programs, $5 million each for Israel and Jordan, and over $2 billion for the procurement and modernization of weapons systems. At a time when the Trump Administration is already illegally stealing from American communities by refusing to spend funds, it is unfathomable that the Appropriations Committee would allow the administration to unilaterally make nearly $8 billion in cuts to defense investments.
The legislation:
Weakens Ukraine and empowers Russia by eliminating support for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative.
Undermines democracy at home and abroad by allowing disinformation and extremist views to flourish.
Limits women’s access to abortion by preventing service personnel from traveling to seek reproductive health care
Harms our military readiness with divisive provisions that undermine morale and fail to support our service personnel, by:
Continuing DOGE and the Administration’s cuts to vital civilian positions;
Attacking the LGBTQ+ community with hateful policies; and
Banning funding for diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.
From Defense Appropriations Subcommittee Ranking Member Betty McCollum’s (D-MN-04) opening remarksas prepared for delivery:
“The Defense Appropriations Act is an incredibly complex piece of legislation that needs to be written the right way: With the president’s budget, and with thoughtful analysis by the Department of Defense. There are consequences to not following this process. We may end up buying too many of one platform, wasting precious taxpayer dollars. We may end up buying too little of another – leaving a gap in our defense capabilities. When we do not see the budget request, we fail to maximize the buying power for the taxpayer. It is unfortunate that President Trump put us in this situation. Our service members and America’s tax paying public deserve better.”
From Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro’s (D-CT-03) opening remarksas prepared for delivery:
“Rather than working with House Democrats to strengthen our national security and prioritize the issues that matter most to our men and women in uniform, House Republicans are abandoning our allies, undermining democracy at home and abroad, and failing to support our servicemembers. Despite broad support in Congress for helping Ukraine defend itself against Russia’s brutal invasion, they empower Vladimir Putin by failing to include $300 million for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative. The majority’s bill holds the door open for disinformation created by America’s enemies rather than allowing the Department of Defense to counter the threat, allowing extremism and propaganda to proliferate across the Internet and media landscape. The bill continues House Republicans’ attacks on the right of women to seek an abortion, and the rights of minorities to be protected from discrimination, while destroying the Department’s efforts to build a more inclusive, effective, and modern military. And the bill weakens the Department by continuing the Administration’s reckless and indiscriminate cuts to vital civilian personnel, and yielding to DOGE and Elon Musk.”
A summary of House Republicans’ 2026 Defense bill is here. A fact sheet of the bill is here. The full text of the bill is here.
In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
May peace, mercy, and blessings of God be upon you,,,
I welcome you all to Doha on the occasion of the seventh edition of the Global Security Forum, under the theme “The Impact of Non-State Actors on Global Security”.
At this time, this forum holds exceptional significance, as it brings us together at a moment when the world—more than ever—requires profound and sincere dialogue, as well as innovative partnerships capable of addressing the challenges of our turbulent world.
Distinguished Attendees,
Our international system is currently undergoing profound transformations that compel us to reassess our concepts of security and stability.
Conflicts are no longer transient events that can be contained; rather, they have evolved into prolonged phenomena that interconnect and overlap, imposing on the world complex crises that feed into one another—from Ukraine to Gaza, passing through the multiple crises in our region.
At the core of this intricate scene, we observe the persistence and expansion of conflicts both temporally and geographically, with no clear prospects for resolution. This is due to the absence of collective political will and the prioritization of narrow interests over the requirements of just and comprehensive peace.
At the core of this intricate scene, we observe the persistence and expansion of conflicts both temporally and geographically, with no clear prospects for resolution. This is due to the absence of collective political will and the prioritization of narrow interests over the requirements of just and comprehensive peace.
This persistence leaves behind entire generations growing up under the shadow of violence, despair, and loss of hope, which is perhaps the most perilous consequence of these conflicts.
Children of Gaza, Syria, Sudan, and Ukraine are not merely statistics in the reports of international organizations; rather, they represent the future of our societies and serve as a reflection of our success or failure in creating a world that is safer and more humane.
And even if wars were to cease tomorrow, we would find ourselves facing the immense challenge of reconstruction—not only to repair the physical destruction but also to rebuild communities on social and psychological levels.
Amid the multiplicity of crises and the decline in international funding, issues such as the reconstruction of Syria or Gaza appear to have become deferred aspirations on the agenda of the international community.
Therefore, our vision for the solution is not limited to ceasefires and ending wars alone; it extends to establishing solid foundations for comprehensive and sustainable recovery, through collective responsibility and genuine international commitment.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Amidst these intertwined challenges, the role of humanitarian organizations, civil society institutions, media entities, and local initiatives has emerged as a pivotal element in the equation of security and peace.
These entities have become the first line of defense in responding to crises, often overcoming bureaucratic and political constraints that hinder official bodies.
However, on the other hand, we face non-state actors who exploit security vacuums and thrive on chaos and suffering, ranging from terrorist groups to organized crime networks.
The rogue actions of certain states, which are met with only a small amount of wisdom and a great deal of weakness and complacency from some governments, serve as a pretext for infiltrating the hearts and minds of people and hijacking the role of the sole defender of their rights.
Amidst this crisis-ridden landscape, the truth is obscured, and blame is scattered: Is the root cause the rogue states themselves, the weak governments failing to fulfill their duties, or the absence of wisdom, which has become a rare commodity in an era where standards are blurred and balances disrupted?
Herein lies the importance of this year’s forum theme— the lines between construction and destruction, between those who seek peace and those who invest in war, must be drawn clearly and precisely.
Addressing these challenges requires a smart approach; one that supports and empowers positive forces while containing and drying up the sources of terrorist and criminal organizations that exploit the suffering of peoples to advance their own agendas.
This can only be achieved through more inclusive global governance and strategic partnerships between governments and civil society.
DistinguishedAttendees,
What has been happening in the Gaza Strip for more than a year and a half offers painful lessons about this dynamic.
Amid unprecedented destruction and a humanitarian disaster that has crossed all red lines, humanitarian organizations and local initiatives play a crucial role in keeping the lifeline flowing, in conveying the suffering of civilians to the world, and even in contributing to mediation and negotiation efforts.
What is most painful, and a stain on the conscience of the entire world, is that food and medicine have become weapons in this war. The death of children from hunger and cold is exploited as a tool to achieve narrow political objectives, while an entire population is besieged and denied the most basic rights to receive aid, without any accountability.
The State of Qatar will continue, in partnership with the Arab Republic of Egypt, the United States of America, and regional partners, its diligent efforts to achieve a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire in Gaza and to ensure the unobstructed flow of humanitarian aid.
We firmly believe that supporting the Palestinian people is not a matter of political negotiation, but a moral and humanitarian duty rooted in our commitment to justice.
Ladies and Gentlemen, Despite the bleakness of the overall situation, positive indicators emerge that must be upheld and strengthened.
In Syria, we observe a nation undergoing reconstruction, with its people striving to shape a new vision for their country, while recognizing the sensitivity of the current phase and the necessity for a comprehensive national discourse.
In Lebanon, the election of a President of the Republic and the formation of the government represent an opportunity to revitalize institutions and strengthen confidence in the state and its future, provided that this is accompanied by substantial reforms and genuine engagement of civil society.
We also observe encouraging positive signs, as recently witnessed here in Doha, through hosting peace talks between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of Rwanda, which resulted in reaching preliminary understandings on a ceasefire, de-escalation, and confidence-building measures.
These models demonstrate how formal processes, when combined with community initiatives, can help create a supportive environment for national reconciliation and regional stability.
The diverse experiences we witness affirm a fundamental truth: sustainable security cannot be achieved solely through top-down decisions, but rather by building cohesive communities capable of resilience, through expanding partnerships and activating the role of all societal components in shaping the future.
Distinguished Attendees,
The State of Qatar has always been committed to the principle of dialogue as a fundamental means of resolving conflicts and building peace.
We believe that constructive engagement with humanitarian organizations, civil society, the private sector, and academic circles constitutes an integral part of any serious effort to achieve sustainable stability.
Based on our extensive experience in mediation and conflict resolution, we have realized that achieving genuine peace requires establishing channels of dialogue with all influential parties, respecting the specificities of each community, acknowledging historical grievances, and addressing them with a spirit of justice and reconciliation.
Despite all the challenges we face, I firmly believe that hope remains our choice.
The ability to bring about positive change is still within our reach, if there is genuine will, if we can rise above narrow interests, and if we place the human being—his dignity, rights, and aspirations—at the heart of every policy and initiative.
In the State of Qatar, we are committed to continuing our role as an active partner in efforts toward peace and development. This includes supporting political solutions to conflicts, humanitarian actions, and building safety nets that protect communities from extremism and violence.
We look forward to this forum serving as a platform for innovative ideas and practical solutions, and as a step towards closer partnerships between governments and communities, for a world that is safer, more just, and more respectful for human dignity.
I wish you fruitful discussions and thank you for listening
May peace, mercy, and blessings of God be upon you,,,
In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
May God’s peace, mercy, and blessings be upon you,
First, I would like to extend a warm welcome to my friend, Mr. David Lammy, the Foreign Secretary of the friendly United Kingdom, in Doha to convene the Second Qatari-UK Strategic Dialogue.
Your Excellency, since the convening of the first Strategic Dialogue, the Qatari-British partnership has witnessed intensive efforts to deepen cooperation across various levels, where the visit of His Highness the Amir of the State to London last December represented a historic milestone in the progress of relations between our two friendly nations, during which we reaffirmed our commitment to strengthening the strong and historic bilateral partnership between the two countries.
The launch of the Second Strategic Dialogue today, under the theme “Partners for the Future”, represents another milestone in advancing the partnership between the State of Qatar and the United Kingdom. It also reaffirms our ongoing commitment to further strengthening cooperation across various sectors, including economy, trade, investment, defense, security, and collaboration in counter-terrorism efforts.
Under the framework of our strategic dialogue, 8 joint working groups are convening today to develop practical steps towards achieving the shared aspirations of both countries.
We are pleased to witness the launch of a working group in the field of technology, science, and innovation, as well as a working group in the field of health, reflecting the prospects available to advance the current cooperation between the State of Qatar and the United Kingdom in the areas of modern technology, artificial intelligence, and future opportunities, including their role in supporting healthcare applications and health data.
The prosperous future is a motto we all stand behind. Undoubtedly, the State of Qatar and the United Kingdom share a vital and thriving economic, trade, and investment partnership, which stands as a landmark we take pride in within our strategic collaboration.
The State of Qatar invests over 40 billion pounds sterling in the British economy, contributing to job creation, fostering growth and prosperity in the United Kingdom, while generating returns for the Qatari sovereign wealth fund to secure the future of upcoming generations in Qatar. The volume of trade exchange between the two countries exceeded 1.6 billion pounds sterling in the year 2024.
The State of Qatar continues to play a pivotal role among major global investors in the United Kingdom, being the primary partner of leading British companies. We regard the United Kingdom as one of our most significant investment partners, with a proven track record of success in key investment areas.
Our investments also contribute to supporting the growth of the British economy and its projects, increasing employment opportunities, fostering innovation, and promoting economic development in our two friendly nations, particularly in the fields of science, technology, sustainability, climate change adaptation, and digital advancement.
Your Excellency, this partnership is a strong testament to the shared commitment to creating prosperity and a bright future for our two friendly peoples.
Despite the distances that separate us, there is undoubtedly something unique about the relationship between our two friendly nations.
Whether it pertains to the thousands of Qatari students who have benefited from education in British schools, colleges, and universities, or the tens of thousands of British citizens in Qatar who work alongside us to achieve our national goals and aspirations, goodwill and dynamism remain at the core of this relationship.
Our joint efforts to expand this cooperation, particularly in the fields of education, culture, heritage, sports, health, research, and innovation—including genomics—have reaffirmed this bond, alongside our well-established traditions of cultural partnerships.
Your Excellency, our partnership has become more significant than ever in light of the major risks and the ongoing and escalating tensions that threaten international security. In strengthening this partnership and within the framework of our strategic dialogue today, we announce the signing of a Letter of Intent for cooperation in the fields of peace, reconciliation, and conflict resolution, which will enhance technical collaboration with a view to developing capacities in this domain, and supporting our international efforts to promote peace.
We also convened the inaugural Qatar-UK Development Taskforce to build upon joint efforts in addressing humanitarian challenges, global health, and fostering joint development initiatives, in light of doubling the Co-Funding Initiative for Financing Development Cooperation to $100 million.
We will work on exploring joint programs in priority areas, including but not limited to: the Gaza Strip, Sudan, Syria, Yemen, Somalia, and Bangladesh.
However, the risks today are higher than ever before. The escalation, aggression, and ongoing Israeli siege on the occupied Palestinian territories and the Gaza Strip, along with the continued politicization of humanitarian aid, targeting of humanitarian workers, and the use of hunger as a tool for collective punishment, place our entire region on the brink of catastrophe.
This represents a challenge to our humanity, and leaving it unaccounted for is an open invitation to those who may be tempted to employ such inhumane methods to impose political will upon any nation striving for its freedom.
We hereby affirm our unwavering commitment to working towards de-escalation of tensions, urging Israel to cease obstructing the entry of humanitarian aid, and tirelessly supporting all efforts aimed at resolving disputes through dialogue and negotiation.
Today, Your Excellency, we witness positive developments in Syria, represented by the reconstruction of a state devastated by war, and opportunities for peace supported by negotiations between the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran mediated by Oman. Furthermore, not to mention the ongoing negotiations concerning peace in Ukraine, alongside other international efforts aimed at realizing humanity’s aspiration for a just and lasting peace for our peoples.
We remain committed to supporting these efforts as we witness other crises with escalating humanitarian repercussions, foremost among them being the sisterly nations of Sudan and Yemen.
Our objective is to realize our shared vision of peace and prosperity for our peoples and to strengthen our future partnership towards progress.
I would like to extend my gratitude to you and the working teams for all the efforts exerted to ensure the success of this Second Strategic Dialogue. We look forward to reviewing these developments during the upcoming strategic dialogue.
In this episode of A View from Afar political scientist and former Pentagon Analyst, Paul G. Buchanan and journalist Selwyn Manning discuss, debate, and assess whether deterrence is still a valid concept in international relations.
Paul and Selwyn assess whether deterrence has failed in Syria, Ukraine, the Middle East, and failed to stop an intensification of threat in the South China Sea.
And they consider the questions:
Is nuclear deterrence dead in the water?
Backgrounder: Overnight, the New York Times released details of a secret new nuclear deterrence plan that has been advanced in secret by the Biden Administration.
Biden’s Nuke Plan is designed to ensure the USA stays ahead of an arms race, and a supposed coordination of nuclear weapons technologies being developed by China, North Korea and Russia.
New questions arise.
Does a new-generation arms race, led by the United States, based on advanced nuclear weaponry, made more fearsome due to a rapid advance of artificial intelligence-assisted decision-making and target-selection, mixed with hybrid warfare, cause aggressive nations to rethink the consequences should they preemptively initiate conflict?
And what about the majority of the world, what about small states, small powers, that seek stability and security via multilateralism or a constellation of like-minded nations – how does deterrence impact on their decision-making?
Do alliances, led by global powers, that rely on deterring adversaries through development of superior weaponry and technology, offer small states more risks than benefits?
Specifically, is it preferable for many small states to focus on de-escalation and cooperative security rather than bind themselves to collective security agreements that are focused on deterring adversaries?
And, the big question: How do we as member states in a world where bipolarity and conflict is intensifying, ensure de-escalation occurs without reaching a tipping-point that we cannot return from?
Is cooperative security, and mutually agreed to weapons and technological controls, the way toward restoring an uneasy peace in the world?
Live Audience: Remember, if you are joining us live via the social media platforms, feel free to comment as we can include your comments and questions in this programme.
The LIVE Recording of A View from Afar podcast will begin today at 12:45pm August 12, 2024 (NZST) which is Sunday evening, 8:45pm (USEDT).
In this episode of A View from Afar political scientist and former Pentagon Analyst, Paul G. Buchanan and journalist Selwyn Manning will discuss, debate, and assess whether deterrence is still a valid concept in international relations.
Paul and Selwyn will assess whether deterrence has failed in Syria, Ukraine, the Middle East, and failed to stop an intensification of threat in the South China Sea.
And they will consider the questions:
Is nuclear deterrence dead in the water?
Or, does a new-generation arms race, based on advanced nuclear weaponry, made more fearsome due to a rapid advance of artificial intelligence-assisted decision-making and target-selection, mixed with hybrid warfare, cause aggressive nations to rethink the consequences should they preemptively initiate conflict?
And what about the majority of the world, what about small states, small powers, that seek stability and security via multilateralism or a constellation of like-minded nations – how does deterrence impact on their decision-making?
Do alliances, led by global powers, that rely on deterring adversaries through development of superior weaponry and technology, offer small states more risks than benefits?
Specifically, is it preferable for many small states to focus on de-escalation and cooperative security rather than bind themselves to collective security agreements that are focused on deterring adversaries?
And, the big question: How do we as member states in a world where bipolarity and conflict is intensifying, ensure de-escalation occurs without reaching a tipping-point that we cannot return from?
Is cooperative security, and mutually agreed to weapons and technological controls, the way toward restoring an uneasy peace in the world?
Live Audience: Remember, if you are joining us live via the social media platforms, feel free to comment as we can include your comments and questions in this programme.
In this episode of A View From Afar political scientist Paul Buchanan and host Selwyn Manning analyse how conflicts are expanding, arguably with warring sides taking an opportunity to take as much territory, while a ‘Lame-Duck Window’ exists in the United States.
For example;
In Syria, opposition-baked forces have taken Aleppo city and other strategic centres in an attempt to remove Syria’s authoritarian leader Assad. Assad’s forces are resisting on the ground while Russian air forces attacked the opposition force’s positions. Israel announced it may strike Syria government munitions sites in a move to ensure opposition forces do not take possession of such weaponry.
Meanwhile, fighting has intensified on the Ukraine-Russia frontlines after:
North Korea deployed a 10,000-strong assistance force to the Kursk region;
Outgoing US President Joe Biden authorised Ukraine to fire ATTACM missiles deep into Russia;
Ukraine indeed fired ATTACMs into the Russian motherland and has increased its drone attacks on military targets in cities once regarded as safe from attack.
Also, and significantly, Russia fired into Dnipro City in Ukraine a hypersonic “experimental” Medium-Range-Ballistic-Missile – and followed up with the biggest barrage of drone and missile strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure since the conflict began.
So-called “red-lines” have been crossed and all sides appear determined to take as much territory as possible before US President-Elect Donald Trump is sworn into office in January.
Paul and Selwyn assess what we can expect to witness in the next two months, how other state actors are being drawn into conflict, and what objectives are driving warring sides at flashpoints around the world.
Live Audience: Remember, we welcome your comments and questions. And also remember to Subscribe. Thank you!
Source: United States Senator for North Carolina Thom Tillis
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), co-chairs of the Senate NATO Observer Group (SNOG), recently introduced bipartisan legislation to establish the Senate NATO Observer Group as a new body within the Senate dedicated to addressing and advising on matters related to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). This initiative underscores the Senators’ commitment to strengthening the vital transatlantic alliance and ensuring robust Congressional oversight and engagement on NATO-related issues.
The Senate NATO Observer Group will serve as a crucial forum for addressing NATO matters that span the jurisdictions of multiple Senate committees. Its core functions will include advising the Senate on issues related to NATO, particularly concerning NATO enlargement. The group will also facilitate close interactions between the executive branch, the Senate, NATO, member countries, and candidate countries during negotiations on NATO enlargement.
“As the global landscape continues to evolve, the importance of NATO to American security and global stability cannot be overstated,” said Senator Tillis. “Establishing the Senate NATO Observer Group will enhance our ability to proactively engage with our allies, address challenges, and ensure that the U.S. remains a strong and reliable partner within the alliance.”
“Now more than ever, it’s imperative that the United States work closely with NATO to respond to global threats, including Russia’s unprovoked war in Ukraine,” said Senator Shaheen. “This legislation to make the Senate NATO Observer Group permanent will enshrine bipartisan focus and support for NATO within the Senate. I am pleased to support this effort and make the Senate NATO Observer Group a permanent convener for conversation between the Senate and NATO Allies to strengthen transatlantic bonds.”
Senators Tillis and Shaheen re-established the Senate NATO Observer Group in 2018 and have led bipartisan efforts in the Senate in support of the transatlantic Alliance. The group aims to monitor various aspects of the NATO alliance, including defense spending, military capabilities, counter-terrorism efforts, enlargement, and the ability to address unconventional warfare threats.
During the 119th Congress, the Senate NATO Observer Group will operate as established by the Majority and Minority Leaders in the Congressional Record. This bipartisan legislation would require that, beginning with the 120th Congress, the Majority and Minority Leaders will each appoint no more than seven Senators to the Group within 60 days of the first session convening. Each leader will also appoint one co-chairperson from their respective appointees.
The bill also authorizes co-chairs and one designated staff member to engage in foreign travel for official purposes, provided such travel is authorized by the other co-chair. The Office of Interparliamentary Services of the Senate will provide administrative support and protocol functions to the Group.
The Senate NATO Observer Group will be required to submit an annual report to the Majority and Minority Leaders of the Senate and the Chairperson and Ranking Member of the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate. This report will detail the Group’s activities during the preceding fiscal year, including travel, legislative efforts, and public diplomacy initiatives.
Read the bill HERE.
Question for written answer E-002163/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Rima Hassan (The Left), Manon Aubry (The Left), Mounir Satouri (Verts/ALE), Carola Rackete (The Left), Abir Al-Sahlani (Renew), Ana Miranda Paz (Verts/ALE), Leila Chaibi (The Left), Marc Botenga (The Left), Irene Montero (The Left), Rudi Kennes (The Left), Özlem Demirel (The Left), Thijs Reuten (S&D), Arash Saeidi (The Left), Damien Carême (The Left), Marina Mesure (The Left), Cecilia Strada (S&D), Hanna Gedin (The Left), Li Andersson (The Left), Maria Walsh (PPE), Diana Riba i Giner (Verts/ALE), Lucia Yar (Renew), Sirpa Pietikäinen (PPE)
On 6 February 2025, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order imposing sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC). The broad and ambiguous scope of these sanctions seriously undermines the ICC’s ability to deliver on its mandate to end impunity for the most serious crimes of international concern. Asset freezes and targeted sanctions against ICC staff have a chilling effect on companies and civil society organisations that might otherwise engage with the ICC.
At a time when victims of international law violations are growing in number – in Ukraine, Palestine, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan – these sanctions obstruct access to justice for all those affected by crimes within the ICC’s jurisdiction. Yet the EU has a legal instrument to counter such extraterritorial measures: the EU Blocking Statute, designed to neutralise the effects of sanctions imposed by non-EU countries.
In its 2024 annual report on human rights and democracy in the world[1], Parliament called on the Commission to ‘urgently activate the Blocking Statute’.
1.What concrete steps has the Commission taken to respond to this request?
2.Has the Commission assessed the impact of these sanctions on the Member States and on European actors cooperating with the ICC?
Question for written answer E-002165/2025 to the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Rule 144 Afroditi Latinopoulou (PfE)
Between 12 and 21 May 2025, Azerbaijani special forces and the ground forces of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) held a joint military exercise called ‘Aras-2025’ in Nagorno-Karabakh, a region from which the Armenian population was forcibly expelled in September 2023.
The IRGC is under European Union sanctions due to serious human rights violations as well as its involvement in supporting the Russian Federation in its aggressive war against Ukraine. According to reports, IRGC units entered Azerbaijani territory through the Bileh Savar border crossing.
This military cooperation between a country designated by the EU as a strategic partner and an organisation subject to sanctions raises serious concerns about the credibility and coherence of the Union’s external activities, including the sanctions regime.
1.How does the High Representative/Vice-President assess the impact of this military cooperation on the effectiveness and credibility of European sanctions policy?
2.Is the European Commission considering a review of the Strategic Partnership with Azerbaijan, including the Memorandum of Understanding in the Field of Energy?
ROME TRIP ANNOUNCEMENT
The Secretary-General landed in Rome a short while ago – after he concluded his program in Nice at the Ocean conference.
Tomorrow, Wednesday 11 June, he will be in Vatican City for an audience with His Holiness Pope Leo XIV. The Secretary-General looks forward to continuing the cooperation between the United Nations and the Holy See, notably on efforts to build a more peaceful, just and sustainable world.
The Secretary-General will return to New York tomorrow.
OCEAN CONFERENCE
During a press event at the Ocean Conference, the Secretary-General told journalists we are in Nice on a mission – to save the ocean to save our future.
He warned that the Ocean is approaching a tipping point, adding that powerful interests are pushing us towards the brink.
We are facing a hard battle with a clear enemy: greed, Guterres told journalists. A greed that sows doubt, that denies science, that distorts truth, that rewards corruption and destroys life for profit.
He added we are in Nice this week to stand in solidarity against those forces and reclaim what belongs to us all.
The Secretary-General said we have a moral duty to ensure future generations inherit oceans swarming with life, and he called for stronger global cooperation, for action on plastic pollution and for the fight against climate change to extend to the seas.
He also encouraged those countries that have yet to sign the Agreement on Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction to do so without delay. With ratifications coming in at a record rate, the treaty’s entry into force is now within sight.
Before leaving Nice, the Secretary-General also held bilateral meetings with Mohamed Al-Menfi, the Head of the Presidential Council of Libya and with Dr. Philip Isdor Mpango, the Vice-President of Tanzania.
OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY
Turning to Gaza, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says that hostilities and hunger continue to fuel desperation among more than two million people who are being denied the basics necessary for their survival, amid reports of ongoing Israeli military operations.
In northern Gaza, Israeli military operations have intensified in recent days, with mass casualties reported. Hungry and displaced people have also reportedly been killed while risking their lives to access food at militarized distribution hubs.
Meanwhile, four new displacement orders have been issued by the Israeli authorities for northern areas of Gaza since 6 June. The last of these was said to be in response to reported Palestinian rocket fire into Israel. Combined, they cover about eight square kilometres but largely overlap with previously issued orders.
OCHA underscores that civilians must be protected, including those fleeing and forced to leave through displacement orders and those who remain despite those orders. Civilians who flee must be allowed to return as soon as circumstances allow. OCHA reiterates that civilians must be able to receive the humanitarian assistance they need, wherever they are. All of this is required by international humanitarian law.
Yesterday, some supplies, mainly flour, were collected from the Kerem Shalom crossing. The aid was bound for Gaza City but was taken directly from the trucks by hungry and desperate people who have now endured months of deprivation.
Separately, there have also been some instances of violent looting and attacks on truck drivers, which are completely unacceptable. OCHA reiterates that Israel, as the occupying power, bears responsibility with regards to public order and safety in Gaza. That should include letting in far more essential supplies through multiple crossings and routes, to meet humanitarian needs and help reduce looting.
Today, additional supplies have been sent to Kerem Shalom, and humanitarian partners continue their efforts to pick up supplies when they are allowed access by the Israeli authorities.
Full Highlights:
https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date%5Bvalue%5D%5Bdate%5D=10%20June%202025
Reiterating that India will not give in to any kind of nuclear blackmail, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar on Tuesday reaffirmed that the country strongly believes in zero tolerance for terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.
“This is not a conflict between two states per se. This is actually a response to the threat and to the practice of terrorism. So, I would urge you to don’t think of it as India-Pakistan, think of it as India and ‘Terroristan’, you would then appreciate,” Jaishankar said while addressing a joint press conference with European Union High Representative and Vice-President of the European Commission Kaja Kallas in Brussels.
Asserting that terrorism is a shared and interconnected challenge for the global community, the EAM mentioned that it is imperative that there must be strong international cooperation and understanding on the matter.
EAM Jaishankar and Kallas were addressing the media after holding the first strategic dialogue between India and the European Union where both sides held an open and productive meeting with discussions focused on defence and security – including maritime, cyber and space.
“Nuclear threats cannot pay off. This is a mutual concern. We see different actors in the world using it. In this global changing world, we need more partners, and therefore we are working to intensify our cooperation regarding security and defence,” Kallas stated.
EAM Jaishankar highlighted that both sides exchanged views on global order, including the situation in Europe, the Ukraine conflict, the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent and Indo-Pacific.
“My visit to Brussels is taking place three months after that of the EU College of Commissioners to India. Even in that time, it was apparent that the world order was in the midst of a profound change. These trends have intensified in many ways. We have entered an era of multipolarity and strategic autonomy, which are two important forces for India and the EU to forge deeper ties. Working towards that goal requires intensified cooperation in many domains,” he stated
“There will be situations when our perspectives will not be entirely identical and which is understandable. But what is important is that we expand common ground and understanding and enhance levels of trust,” he added.
Jaishankar also mentioned that India aims to conclude the ambitious India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) by the end of the year.
“Stabilising and de-risking the international economy today is a strategic priority for us. This has many dimensions, including more resilient and reliable supply chains as well as increasing trust and transparency in digital interactions. Creating stronger economic and technology partnerships between major players acquires greater value. It is with that perspective that we support the goal of concluding an ambitious and balanced India-EU FTA by the end of this year,” the EAM remarked.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09)
WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9) was appointed to the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence today. In his new role, he will be involved in the nation’s approach to a wide variety of threats to national security. In response, he made the following statement:
“I am keenly aware of how important intelligence is during a time of wars in Gaza and Ukraine and ongoing cyber and other threats from Russia, China and around the world. I appreciate Leader Jeffries’ confidence in placing me on this very important committee.”
Congressman Cohen, a senior member of the Judiciary Committee and the Ranking Member of the Helsinki Commission, is the first member of the Intelligence Committee from Memphis. Intelligence Committee appointments are unusual in that the Minority Leader, in this case, makes the decision exclusive of any caucus recommendations.
HENDERSON, Nev., June 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Nika Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (OTCQB:NIKA), based in Colorado, focused on cures for life-threatening diseases, today announced that Dimitar Savov, CEO, will present live at the Life Sciences Virtual Investor Frum hosted by VirtualInvestorConferences.com, on June 11th, 2025
DATE: June 11th TIME: 1:00 PM ET LINK:REGISTER HERE Available for 1×1 meetings: June 12th-17th between 09:00am ET and 11:30am ET
This will be a live, interactive online event where investors are invited to ask the company questions in real-time. If attendees are not able to join the event live on the day of the conference, an archived webcast will also be made available after the event.
It is recommended that online investors pre-register and run the online system check to expedite participation and receive event updates.
On May 19, 2025, NIKA published a market analysis for the countries of Ukraine, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, UAE, where NIKA has exclusive distribution agreements and has estimated a total of around €656 million in potential revenue.
NIKA’s partner company, Nika Europe, has made the second $195,554 payment for the vial production line and is currently finalizing the details of the clean rooms design in order to start construction. The production facility is expected to be completed in H2, 2025.
On April 11, 2025, Nika Pharmaceuticals, Inc. published a report on the therapeutic effect and potential economic impact of ITV-1, which can be found here.
On July 11, 2024 Nika Pharmaceuticals, Inc. signed an exclusive distribution agreement for the Republic of Nigeria. Under the terms, NIKA will receive €1,980 per each set of ITV-1 with two sets necessary for each treatment, which could result in €7.9 billion revenue.
About Nika Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Nika Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NIKA) is a pharmaceutical company, specializing in the treatment of HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis B and C, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Cancer, Diabetes, and all diseases, for which strengthened cell immunity is of vital importance. NIKA’s intellectual property includes six drugs in injection form – two of which have successfully undergone clinical trials with good treatment results – four drugs in tablet form, and eleven dietary supplements. NIKA’s goal is to not only achieve corporate profits, but to provide better and easier access to life-saving medicinal drugs and useful dietary supplements. Find more on www.nikapharmaceuticals.com.
Forward-looking Statement:
This press release contains forward-looking statements. Certain statements, other than purely historical information, including estimates, projections, statements relating to our business plans, objectives, and expected operating results, and the assumptions upon which those statements are based, are “forward- looking statements.” These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words “believes,” “expects,” “anticipates,”” estimates,” “intends,” “strategy,” “plan,” “may,” “will,” “would,” “will be,” “will continue,” “will likely result,” and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties which may cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements. Our ability to predict results or the actual effect of future plans or strategies is inherently uncertain.
About Virtual Investor Conferences® Virtual Investor Conferences (VIC) is the leading proprietary investor conference series that provides an interactive forum for publicly traded companies to seamlessly present directly to investors.
Providing a real-time investor engagement solution, VIC is specifically designed to offer companies more efficient investor access. Replicating the components of an on-site investor conference, VIC offers companies enhanced capabilities to connect with investors, schedule targeted one-on-one meetings and enhance their presentations with dynamic video content. Accelerating the next level of investor engagement, Virtual Investor Conferences delivers leading investor communications to a global network of retail and institutional investors.
CONTACTS: Nika Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Name Clifford P. Redekop Title Corporate Secretary Phone (702) 326-3615 Email cliffredekop@gmail.com
Virtual Investor Conferences John M. Viglotti SVP Corporate Services, Investor Access OTC Markets Group (212) 220-2221 johnv@otcmarkets.com
Question for written answer E-002159/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Dirk Gotink (PPE)
On 13 May 2025, ‘Politico’ reported that the Commission was planning to reintroduce import duties on Ukrainian agricultural products from 6 June 2025[1]. Import duties were suspended following the Russian invasion in 2022, with the aim of keeping Ukraine’s agricultural sector and economy afloat.
1.Can the Commission say what the economic impact for Ukraine of reintroducing import duties is likely to be, in particular on its agricultural exports and fiscal position?
2.Does the Commission consider it advisable to take that decision while Ukraine is actively at war, peace negotiations are ongoing, and economic support and market access are important for reconstruction and stability?
3.Does the Commission agree that the reintroduction of import duties would send a signal that contradicts previous European commitments on economic integration and solidarity with Ukraine?
Russia launched one of its largest air strikes on Kyiv in over three years of war and struck a maternity ward in the southern city of Odesa in attacks that killed at least two people, officials said on Tuesday.
The overnight strikes followed Russia’s biggest drone assault of the war on Ukraine on Monday and were part of intensified bombardments what Moscow says is retaliation for attacks by Ukrainian forces on Russia.
Loud explosions shook Kyiv and blasts and fires lit up the sky in the early hours of Tuesday morning, leaving palls of heavy smoke over the city, Reuters witnesses said.
At least four people were treated in hospital after seven of the capital’s 10 districts were hit, city officials said.
“Today was one of the largest attacks on Kyiv,” President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said. “Russian missile and Shahed (drone) strikes drown out the efforts of the United States and others around the world to force Russia into peace.”
Zelenskiy urged Ukraine’s allies to take steps to force Russia into peace, and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha called for immediate new sanctions and air defence systems.
Although Moscow and Kyiv have held two rounds of direct peace talks in recent weeks, the only tangible progress has been an agreement on exchanges of prisoners of war, and Russia has continued to advance along the front line in eastern Ukraine.
Moscow and Kyiv blame each other for the lack of progress towards ending the war, which has raged since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, and U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed frustration with both sides.
Russia temporarily halted flights overnight at four airports serving Moscow, at St Petersburg’s Pulkovo Airport and at airports in nine other cities after the Defence Ministry said Ukraine had launched more drones at Russia, officials said.
Flights in Moscow and some other cities were later restored but restrictions were still in place in St Petersburg at 0430 GMT. No damage was reported.
‘DIFFICULT NIGHT’
Ukraine’s air force said Russia had fired 315 drones across the country, of which 277 were downed. All seven missiles launched by Russia were also brought down, it said.
Air raid alerts in Kyiv and most Ukrainian regions lasted five hours until around 5 a.m. (0200 GMT), according to information released by the military.
“A difficult night for all of us,” Timur Tkachenko, head of Kyiv’s city military administration, said on Telegram.
Moscow has intensified attacks on Ukraine following Kyiv’s strikes on strategic bombers at air bases inside Russia on June 1. Moscow also blamed Kyiv for bridge explosions on the same day that killed seven and injured scores.
Over the past week, Russia has launched 1,451 drones and 78 missiles to attack the country, according to Ukrainian air force data.
In the southern port of Odesa, an overnight drone attack hit an emergency medical building, a maternity ward and residential buildings, regional governor Oleh Kiper said on Telegram.
Two men were killed in the attack on the city but patients and staff were safely evacuated from the maternity hospital, he said.
Both sides deny targeting civilians but thousands of civilians have been killed in Europe’s worst conflict since World War Two, the vast majority of them Ukrainian.
PM call with Chancellor Merz of Germany: 9 June 2025
The Prime Minister spoke to the German Chancellor, Friedrich Merz ahead of the G7 and NATO summits later this month.
The Prime Minister spoke to the German Chancellor, Friedrich Merz ahead of the G7 and NATO summits later this month.
The leaders began reflecting on the Chancellor’s visit to Washington D.C. last week and welcomed President Trump’s efforts to secure a sustainable peace for Ukraine.
Both leaders also welcomed efforts by NATO Allies to step up defence spending and agreed on the importance of a NATO that was fair, resilient and had the capabilities it needed to face the threats of today.
Discussing proposals to increase focus and funding for national resilience and protecting critical national infrastructure, the leaders welcomed NATO’s suggestions in this space.
Turning to the challenge of tackling illegal migration, the leaders agreed on the importance of working together to intercept migrant routes upstream, and the need to go further together to break the business model of smuggling gangs.
Both looked forward to seeing one another again soon.
Russia launched another prolonged drone attack on Ukraine, killing one person and damaging swathes of Kyiv as well as striking a maternity ward in the southern port of Odesa, regional officials said early on Tuesday.
The overnight strikes followed Russia’s biggest drone assault on Ukraine on Monday – part of stepped-up operations that Moscow said were retaliatory measures for Kyiv’s recent brazen attacks in Russia.
At least four people were hospitalised as a result of the hours-long attacks that hit seven of the city’s 10 districts, city officials said.
“You can’t break Ukrainians with terror,” Andriy Yermak, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s chief of staff, said in a Telegram post after the attacks.
Air raid alerts in Kyiv and most Ukrainian regions lasted five hours until around 5 a.m. (0200 GMT), according to military data.
“A difficult night for all of us,” Timur Tkachenko, head of Kyiv’s military district, said on Telegram. “Throughout the night, the enemy relentlessly terrorized Kyiv with attack drones. They targeted civilian infrastructure and peaceful residents of the city.”
The attack sparked fires in residential and non-residential neighbourhoods and open space areas, city officials said. Reuters’ witnesses heard and saw countless loud explosions shaking the city and lighting the night sky.
Photos and videos posted on Telegram channels showed heavy smoke rising in the darkness in different parts of Kyiv. The scale of the attack was not immediately known.
Moscow has dramatically increased the pace of its attacks on Ukraine following Kyiv’s strikes on strategic bombers at air bases inside Russia on June 1. Moscow also blamed Kyiv for bridge explosions on the same day that killed seven and injured scores.
The attacks come despite pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump on both sides to move towards a resolution on the war. Moscow and Kyiv returned to negotiations for the first time in more than three years, but outside an agreement on the exchange of war prisoners, there has been no tangible progress.
In addition to swarms of drones and missiles launched in recent days, Russia has also been advancing further on the ground along the frontline in eastern Ukraine, claiming on Tuesday to take more territory there.
In the southern port of Odesa, a “massive” overnight drone attack targeted an emergency medical building and a maternity ward, as well as residential buildings, Oleh Kiper, governor of the broader Odesa region, said on Telegram.
A 59-year-old man was killed in the attack on a residential area, and four people were injured, but patients and staff were safely evacuated from the maternity hospital, Kiper said.
He posted photos of broken windows in what looked like a medical facility and of damage to the facade of several buildings.
Both sides deny targeting civilians in the war. But thousands of civilians have been killed in the conflict, the vast majority of them Ukrainian.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Betty McCollum (DFL-Minn)
WASHINGTON — House Appropriations Committee Republicans today released their 2026 Defense funding bill, which will be considered by the Defense subcommittee tomorrow. Instead of working with House Democrats to strengthen our national security and prioritize the quality of life for our servicemembers and their families, the bill undermines democracy at home and abroad and includes harmful and divisive policy riders that would hurt military readiness.
For fiscal year 2026, the bill provides $831.5 billion, which is equal to current funding levels and $1.3 billion above the Administration’s fiscal year 2026 request.
Republicans have included language directing the Department of Defense to determine $7.75 billion in cuts to amounts listed in the bill. This jeopardizes every program other than intelligence activities. If made uniformly, it would reduce everything by approximately 1 percent, which would mean cuts of almost $2 billion for troop pay, over $2 billion for troop readiness, $409 million for health programs, $5 million each for Israel and Jordan, and over $2 billion for the procurement and modernization of weapons systems. At a time when the Trump Administration is already illegally stealing from American communities by refusing to spend funds, it is unfathomable that the Appropriations Committee would allow the administration to unilaterally make nearly $8 billion in cuts to defense investments.
The legislation:
Weakens Ukraine and empowers Russia by eliminating support for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative.
Undermines democracy at home and abroad by allowing disinformation and extremist views to flourish.
Limits women’s access to abortion by preventing service personnel from traveling to seek reproductive health care
Harms our military readiness with divisive provisions that undermine morale and fail to support our service personnel, by:
Continuing DOGE and the Administration’s cuts to vital civilian positions;
Attacking the LGBTQ+ community with hateful policies; and
Banning funding for diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.
“It disappoints me that I’m unable to support this bill as written, and we find ourselves in this position because the Trump administration has failed to get us the information we need in time to produce a complete budget request. The nation’s defense programs require a detailed annual review. But without the President’s budget request, this committee is unable to complete its work in a thoughtful and timely manner,” Defense Appropriations Subcommittee Ranking Member Betty McCollum (D-MN-04) said. “The president proposes, Congress disposes – that’s the way our system works. There are consequences to the taxpayer and to our military’s readiness when this process is not adhered to. It is deeply unfortunate that the Trump administration has put the Committee in this position. I look forward to working with the committee to improve the bill as it goes through the process in the subcommittee, in full committee, on the floor, and in conference. Our national security and strategic defense priorities are too important to risk getting it wrong.”
“Our allies and our adversaries are watching as House Republicans propose a Defense funding bill that will empower Russia, impair our own military readiness and national security, and put politics above our own servicemembers,” Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03) said. “This is not a bill meant to responsibly fund our nation’s defense and promote and protect democracy. Instead, this bill advances and acquiesces to Elon Musk’s and President Trump’s reckless purging of critical civilian personnel, their equivocation on support for Ukraine, and their relentless politicizing of our troops. It is deeply regrettable that the conflicts our military must confront abroad, the issues we must confront within the Department of Defense, and the quality of life for our servicemembers and military families are not priorities of President Trump and House Republicans.”
A summary of House Republicans’ 2026 Defense bill is here. A fact sheet of the bill is here. The full text of the bill ishere.
On October 7 2023, more than 1,000 Hamas militants stormed into southern Israel and went on a killing spree, murdering 1,200 men, women and children and abducting another 250 people to take back to Gaza. It was the deadliest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust.
That day, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the country, “Israel is at war”. The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) immediately began a military campaign to secure the release of the hostages and defeat Hamas. Since that day, more than 54,000 Palestinians have been killed, mostly women and children.
Israel has maintained its response is justified under international law, as every nation has “an inherent right to defend itself”, as Netanyahu stated in early 2024.
Nothing in the present Charter shall impair the inherent right of individual or collective self-defence if an armed attack occurs against a Member of the United Nations[…]
At the start of the war, many nations agreed Israel had a right to defend itself, but how it did so mattered. This would ensure its actions were consistent with international humanitarian law.
However, 20 months after the October 7 attacks, fundamental legal issues have arisen around whether this self-defence justification still holds.
Can Israel exercise self-defence ad infinitum? Or is it now waging a war of aggression against Palestine?
Self-defence in the law
Self-defence has a long history in international law.
The modern principles of self-defence were outlined in diplomatic exchanges over an 1837 incident involving an American ship, The Caroline, after it was destroyed by British forces in Canada. Both sides agreed that an exercise of self-defence would have required the British to demonstrate their conduct was not “unreasonable or excessive”.
The concept of self-defence was also extensively relied on by the Allies in the second world war in response to German and Japanese aggression.
Self-defence was originally framed in the law as a right to respond to a state-based attack. However, this scope has broadened in recent decades to encompass attacks from non-state actors, such as al-Qaeda following the September 11 2001 terror attacks.
Israel is a legitimate, recognised state in the global community and a member of the United Nations. Its right to self-defence will always remain intact when it faces attacks from its neighbours or non-state actors, such as Hamas, Hezbollah or the Houthi rebels in Yemen.
However, the right of self-defence is not unlimited. It is constrained by the principles of necessity and proportionality.
The necessity test was met in the current war due to the extreme violence of the Hamas attack on October 7 and the taking of hostages. These were actions that could not be ignored and demanded a response, due to the threat Israel continued to face.
The proportionality test was also met, initially. Israel’s military operation after the attack was strategic in nature, focused on the return of the hostages and the destruction of Hamas to eliminate the immediate threat the group posed.
The legal question now is whether Israel is still legitimately exercising self-defence in response to the October 7 attacks.
This is a live issue, especially given comments by Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz on May 30 that Hamas would be “annihilated” unless a proposed ceasefire deal was accepted.
These comments and Israel’s ongoing conduct throughout the war raise the question of whether proportionality is still being met.
A test of proportionality
The importance of proportionality in self-defence has been endorsed in recent years by the International Court of Justice.
Under international law, proportionality remains relevant throughout a conflict, not just in the initial response to an attack.
While the law allows a war to continue until an aggressor surrenders, it does not legitimise the complete destruction of the territory where an aggressor is fighting.
The principle of proportionality also provides protections for civilians. Military actions are to be directed at the foreign forces who launched the attack, not civilians.
While Israel has targeted Hamas fighters in its attacks, including those who orchestrated the October 7 attacks, these actions have caused significant collateral deaths of Palestinian civilians.
Therefore, taken overall, the ongoing, 20-month military assault against Hamas, with its high numbers of civilian casualties, credible reports of famine and devastation of Gazan towns and cities, suggests Israel’s exercise of self-defence has become disproportionate.
The principle of proportionality is also part of international humanitarian law. However, Israel’s actions on this front are a separate legal issue that has been the subject of investigation by the International Criminal Court.
My aim here is to solely assess the legal question of proportionality in self-defence and international law.
However, rescuing nationals as an exercise of self-defence is legally controversial. Israel set a precedent in 1976 when the military rescued 103 Jewish hostages from Entebbe, Uganda, after their aircraft had been hijacked.
In current international law, there are very few other examples in which this interpretation of self-defence has been adopted – and no international consensus on its use.
In Gaza, the size, scale and duration of Israel’s war goes far beyond a hostage rescue operation. Its aim is also to eliminate Hamas.
Given this, rescuing hostages as an act of self-defence is arguably not a suitable justification for Israel’s ongoing military operations.
An act of aggression?
If Israel can no longer rely on self-defence to justify its Gaza military campaign, how would its actions be characterised under international law?
Israel could claim it is undertaking a security operation as an occupying power.
While the International Court of Justice said in an advisory opinion last year that Israel was engaged in an illegal occupation of Gaza, the court expressly made clear it was not addressing the circumstances that had evolved since October 7.
Israel is indeed continuing to act as an occupying power, even though it has not physically reoccupied all of Gaza. This is irrelevant given the effective control it exercises over the territory.
However, the scale of the IDF’s operations constitute an armed conflict and well exceed the limited military operations to restore security as an occupying power.
Absent any other legitimate basis for Israel’s current conduct in Gaza, there is a strong argument that what is occurring is an act of aggression. The UN Charter and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court prohibit acts of aggression not otherwise justified under international law.
These include invasions or attacks by the armed forces of a state, military occupations, bombardments and blockades. All of this has occurred – and continues to occur – in Gaza.
The UK government’s strategy for tackling climate change received a major blow in May when Danish developer Ørsted announced that adverse economic developments had halted its 2.4 gigawatt (GW) Hornsea 4 wind farm in the North Sea.
The government aims to generate at least 43GW of offshore wind power (current capacity is 14.7GW) and 95% of all energy from renewable sources by 2030.
These targets are now in jeopardy. The cancellation of Hornsea 4 follows a similar decision by Swedish developer Vattenfall, which stopped work on its 1.4GW Norfolk Boreas wind farm in 2023.
What is forcing renewable energy developers to pull out when they are due to make their final investment decision?
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The offshore wind industry is exposed to fluctuations in the prices of raw materials necessary to meet rising global demand for renewable energy. This vital part of the energy transition, alongside the phaseout of fossil fuels, has been impeded by inflation caused by the pandemic and the war in Ukraine.
Building a wind turbine requires significant amounts of steel, copper and aluminium, all of which doubled or tripled in price between 2020 and 2023. Turbine manufacturers have raised prices in an effort to recover recent losses. This affects the profitability forecasts of wind energy developers like Ørsted and the viability of each of their projects.
Impending national and international net zero targets also mean that developers globally are having to make earlier investments in transmission infrastructure. An exponential increase in demand for scarce high-voltage cabling has already led to high-profile cancellations of offshore wind farms in the US.
Rising demand for rare earth metals used to make magnets in turbine generators has also been snared by geopolitical issues. The mining, processing and refining of these metals is dominated by China, which manufactures over 90% of these magnets.
A shortage of boats
Developers need boats to build offshore wind farms. Here lies another strain on the timescales of developers.
Ørsted ceased work on its 2.2GW Ocean Wind development zone off the coast of New Jersey in 2023, citing a vessel delay in its decision to cancel the project.
According to the advocacy group WindEurope, demand for vessels capable of installing foundations and turbines and laying cables will outstrip availability within the next five years. The gap between the two is forecast to skyrocket between 2028 and 2030. This will make it harder to commission the wind farms that the UK government is relying on to reach its 43GW target by the end of the decade.
Delays caused by these issues can result in a problem known as “contract erosion”. In their contracts, developers have a commissioning window within which turbines have to start generating. If they are not operational within this time, they lose their subsidies on a day-by-day basis.
Rising costs mean that even one of the world’s biggest wind farms, Dogger Bank in the North Sea, will not be profitable for its developer, Equinor. As a prospect for generating financial returns, renewable energy still cannot compete with oil and gas.
This is the key argument of economic geographer Brett Christophers in his recent book The Price is Wrong. Christophers argues that, if national governments continue to rely so heavily on private sector investment to build renewable energy, decarbonisation is unlikely to proceed as fast as it needs to. It is simply not profitable enough.
Misguided planning reform
How might the UK defy difficult global conditions and meet its 43GW target by 2030? So far, the government’s main proposal has been to relax timelines for the planning process of wind farms.
Earlier in 2025 it opened a consultation on reforms to the contracts for difference process, which is how developers bid for long-term energy generation contracts, prior to an auction round in summer 2025.
The main proposed change was to allow developers of fixed-bottom offshore wind projects to bid in the auction before receiving a development consent order, or a DCO. A DCO defines the approved scope of a development, taking into account environmental surveys, land rights and developer proposals.
It can take more than two years for a DCO to be awarded. The government hopes that fast-tracking fixed-bottom developments will result in more contracts being awarded in the latest auction, but will this work?
The government is aware of the risks. Planning permission could be refused after a contract has been awarded, and projects without consent face even greater uncertainty over costs than developments that already have a DCO.
The government might be able to get more projects into the pipeline, but the supply chain is already stretched to its limits. Through the state-owned investment body GB Energy, the government has pledged £300 million to bolster the domestic supply chain for components required for offshore wind, like platforms and cabling.
However, this investment largely focuses on new technologies for floating offshore wind, leaving fixed-bottom projects like Hornsea 4 at the mercy of vessel delays and raw material price rises. If something does not change to mitigate costs and increase returns for developers, the government’s 2030 target is in doubt.
Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Moscow, June 9 /Xinhua/ — Contacts with Ukraine need to continue, but there is no clear understanding yet about a new round of talks, Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov said on Monday.
“Now, depending on how the situation develops, the conversation should, in theory, turn to continuation and the next round of negotiations. There are no precise understandings on this matter yet,” TASS quotes him as saying.
As D. Peskov noted, Russia will continue contacts with Ukraine, despite significant changes in the vision of the essence of Kyiv after the recent attacks on railway tracks in the Bryansk and Kursk regions, which Moscow classified as terrorist attacks.
“We will certainly talk about continuing the conversation,” concluded D. Peskov. –0–
Focus on industry and innovation during Defence Secretary and NATO Secretary General’s Sheffield factory visit
Government delivering on Strategic Defence Review to turbocharge UK defence industry and drive ‘NATO-first’ approach
Innovation and growth through the UK’s world-leading defence industry was the focus of a visit to a Sheffield factory today by the Defence Secretary and NATO Secretary General.
Defence Secretary, John Healey and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte toured Sheffield Forgemasters, which manufactures specialist steel parts used in critical defence programmes, including nuclear-grade steel components for the Royal Navy’s attack submarines.
The factory, which employs 725 skilled staff, is symbolic of the government’s plan to harness defence as an engine for growth and deliver on the Plan for Change, and how investment in the UK’s defence industry not only boosts British jobs but strengthens the defence and deterrence of the NATO alliance.
Sheffield Forgemasters has been manufacturing components for nuclear powered, conventionally armed submarines with more than £200m worth of contracts in place under the AUKUS programme. The Government confirmed plans last week to deliver up to 12 SSN-AUKUS attack submarines, which will further strengthen the UK’s contribution to NATO in addition to creating thousands of jobs across the UK.
It comes the week after the publication of the Government’s Strategic Defence Review (SDR), which saw the government commit billions of pounds in investment for British defence companies, driving innovation and supporting thousands of jobs around the country – delivering on the Government’s Plan for Change.
The NATO Secretary General has welcomed the industry focus of the SDR and highlighted how it will be key to supporting the deterrent effect of the alliance while boosting collective security.
Defence Secretary, John Healey said:
Sheffield Forgemasters sits in one of Britain’s proudest industrial heartlands, and it is at the heart of our drive to shift our sovereign defence industry to warfighting readiness, supporting hundreds of skilled jobs in the process. The work is ensuring this government’s commitment to the defence dividend is met, delivering on the Plan for Change.
It was a pleasure to tour its factory with the NATO Secretary General, where we discussed this government’s plan to put NATO first as we deliver on our landmark Strategic Defence Review.
NATO is critical to UK security and global security, which is why we are stepping up to lead in Europe, investing in powerful new technologies to support growth and boost our national security.
NATO Secretary General, Mark Rutte:
The renewal of the UK’s defence industry will not only enhance Allied security but boost national prosperity as well. It is a vital component in ensuring warfighting readiness.
The United Kingdom has a rich heritage in manufacturing and innovation, and Sheffield Forgemasters is an excellent example of this. Harnessing this legacy will be critical to enabling NATO to effectively deter and defend against future threats.
Sheffield Forgemasters will be crucial to delivering the plans set out in the SDR, as they restart manufacturing for artillery gun barrels, the first time they have been produced by the UK in decades underlining the defence dividend delivered by this government’s spending uplift. This follows the Prime Minister’s historic commitment to increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 and ambition for 3% in the next Parliament.
Their work also supports vital equipment supplied to Ukraine, such as L119 Light Guns and the AS90 self-propelled gun.
It comes after major announcements following the SDR, including: the building of up to a dozen new attack submarines for the Royal Navy; £5bn of confirmed investment in drone and laser weapon technology, up to 7,000 new UK-built long-range weapons to be procured; at least six new munitions and energetics factories in the UK; more than £1.5 billion to improve the state of military housing; and more than £1 billion for pioneering technology to spearhead battlefield engagements.
Sheffield Forgemasters plays a vital role in this National Endeavour as part of the Defence Nuclear Enterprise – the partnership of organisations that operate, maintain, renew, and sustain the UK’s nuclear deterrent.
The nuclear deterrent is the bedrock of the UK’s national security, helping to guarantee the safety of the UK and our NATO allies.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Speech
Prime Minister’s remarks at London Tech Week 2025: Monday 9 June
Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s remarks at London Tech Week 2025.
Thank you so much. It’s really fantastic to stand here and look out and see so many people in this room—to get a real sense of the energy, the commitment, and the professionalism, the entrepreneurial spirit that we have here.
Let me start by thanking you all for being here. We’re going to have a really good Tech Week. We already kicked off yesterday. We’ve got some major announcements to make, some real partnerships to build together, and I’m just so pleased to have this opportunity—this privilege—of opening this morning. It’s a real pleasure for me.
My constituency, the area I represent, is London. I’m a London MP, and that means I understand first hand just how important our sector is as we go forward—whether it’s entrepreneurs or the spirit in London, this is hugely, hugely important.
We have to recognise that for many people, they see AI and tech as transformative—something that’s going to do so much. And every time we say “over five years or ten years,” everybody says to me “it’s going to be more like five years or three years.” We’re going to bring about great change in so many aspects of our lives. Whether that’s in health—where I’ve seen for myself the incredible contribution that tech and AI can make. I was in a hospital up in the Midlands, talking to consultants who deal with strokes. They showed me the equipment and techniques that they are using – using AI to isolate where the clot is in the brain in a micro-second of the time it would have taken otherwise. Brilliantly saving people’s lives. Shortly after that, I had an incident where I was being shown AI and stethoscopes working together to predict any problems someone might have. So whether it’s health or other sectors, it’s hugely transformative what can be done here.
Last Monday, I was in Scotland launching the Strategic Defence Review of the government. This was a review I commissioned soon after we came into power to tell me what are the risks we face as a country in this new era? What are the challenges? What are our capabilities? And how do we make sure that, as we go forward, our capabilities match the risks and challenges we face as a country.
In that, tech and AI were absolutely central. Over the last three years or more, during this awful conflict in Ukraine—I’ve been back to Ukraine on a number of occasions in that period to have in-depth conversations with President Zelensky to make sure our support is in the right place. But I was really struck, on the trip before last—probably about six or seven weeks ago—by the extent to which technology and AI are now having a direct impact in that conflict. In three years of conflict, the way that war is being fought has changed profoundly.
So I wanted that hardwired into our Defence Review—a sense of how AI could be driving change. There are so many examples across government. I’ve set the challenge to all of my teams: show me how they can use AI—not just in the output of government, not just in partnership with yourselves and others in the delivery of services—but also in the very way we do government. How can we transform what we do?
There are certainly examples of that. I spoke to a social worker in Downing Street at one of our receptions. She explained to me, with a smile on her face, just how AI is slashing her paperwork and her caseload. She talked me through how she’s now doing her work. What she said was that this was helping her transform her work—because she could concentrate on the human element of it. She could use AI and tech to help with the parts that could be done more quickly. And from that, I’ve always said: AI and tech make us more human. It may sound like an odd thing to say, but it’s true—and we need to say it. Because, some people out there are sceptical. They worry about AI taking their jobs. But I know from audiences like this, this debate has been had many times. We need to push past it. But people worry: will it make their lives more comfortable? Even for businesses, the pace of change can feel relentless. I know you all get that. But when it comes to harnessing the power of this technology, I believe the way we work through this together is critical. And that means partnership and partnership is at the heart of everything we do in government—working with you. You are the entrepreneurs who will drive this country forward. Our job as partners is to create the best possible conditions for you to succeed. That’s why events like this—and the conversations we have in the margins—are so important. Because we can only create the right conditions if we’re having that conversation. You’re able to put your fingerprints on what we’re doing.
Just look at the raw facts. This industry supports over 2 million jobs. That’s incredible. Or take this statistic: in 2023, our AI sector grew 30 times faster than the rest of the economy. That is incredible. So this is about what we’ve achieved. It’s about who we are as a nation. What signal do we want to send to the rest of the world? The signal I want to send is this: a Britain that, after years of chaos, is a stable partner for investment. A Britain that believes the future should be shaped by our values. And that in this volatile world, is proud, unashamed, open for business.
I think—and hope—you can see that in our approach to trade, in the new deals we’ve done just in the last few months. We’re determined to create new markets—whether that’s in India, the US, or Europe. You can see it in our openness to investment as well. On that front, I’m really pleased to welcome what I see as yet another vote of confidence in Britain today: the announcement that Liquidity will base their European headquarters right here in London. That’s a £1.5 billion investment into our economy. It means better access to finance for entrepreneurs right across the country. It’s a vote of confidence in our AI Opportunities Action Plan as well. We put that plan out at the beginning of the year. We’re really proud of it—50 recommendations, all of them accepted by the government. At the heart of it is partnership in action. It shows our ambition to be the best state partner for tech entrepreneurs anywhere in the world. That’s the bar. That’s the ambition I’ve set.
So I can also announce today that we’re committing an extra £1 billion of funding to scale up our compute power by a factor of 20. You know how important that is— a huge increase in the size of Britain’s AI engine. It means we can be an AI maker, not just an AI taker. More importantly, it means we have the digital infrastructure we need to make sure AI improves our public services. Because we do have a defining mission in that plan—a responsibility, if you like—to harness this unprecedented opportunity and use it to improve the lives of working people. This is a shared mission. We’re a mission-driven government. But this is a shared mission. Because social fear I was talking about a moment ago—trust me, I think that is the challenge for adoption. It’s a far greater challenge than the regulatory barrier, although that can be a challenge too. But it’s an area where government can help—where we can do our bit in this partnership.
Take planning, for example, which is a huge priority for this government. We are going to build more labs, more data centres—and we’re going to do it much, much more quickly. Our Planning and Infrastructure Bill going through Parliament right now is a real game-changer. Each of you in this room knows how important it is to change our rules on planning, infrastructure, and the regulatory environment—and how that can drive growth in building homes – what a difference that could make. Again, the human that sits there with the tech and the AI—because the security of having an affordable home is hugely important. I come from a working-class background, and at times we struggled as a family to make ends meet. But we owned our home, and that gave me a sense of security—a base camp, if you like—on which I could build my life, my opportunities, and my aspirations. I want that to be there for everyone in the country—that base camp. And AI can help on this.
This is how we explain and lead people down this transformative path. And in that way, in pushing forward, we’ve developed a powerful new tool. We’ve done this in-house, and I’m really proud of that—that as a government, we’ve taken on the challenge and developed something in-house, just to prove that governments can innovate. We use that word all the time, and some people don’t associate it with government—but we have. We’ve developed what we call Extract. It’s being trialled in councils in Exeter, Westminster, Nuneaton and Bedworth. It takes old, handwritten planning documents and put them into digital form in seconds. Jobs that would otherwise have taken hours and hours—done in seconds. A hundred planning records per day, and the usual average up till now is five. So, you can see—it’s a huge productivity boost and we want to roll that out. It doesn’t just show that the government can innovate, it also means faster planning decisions, which I think comes as a relief to many people in this room and beyond—both in AI and in British business more broadly. And of course, it’s money-saved for councils, so they can spend their money on other things. It turns into more growth and more opportunity.
But most of all, it speeds up the future that we need. AI innovation making a difference for working people. The same, of course, is true across the public realm. We’re looking at how AI can speed up discharges from hospitals—hugely important. I’ve looked into this in our hospitals. Getting people out the back door more quickly—AI can help with that. Same with the asylum backlog, how can AI and tech help us deal with that? Or teachers—helping them personalise lessons for their pupils. Again, using their time better, making them more human. Giving them that interaction so that every child gets the best possible chance in life. What a difference personalising what they do can make to so many children.
In every case, you can show AI innovation making a difference for working people. But to truly succeed in this mission then one of the biggest parts, and you’ll all have heard this many, many times in the conversation about AI, tech, growth and investment and business. It always comes back to this point: skills. It is one of the key concerns in any business in technology—actually, in any business pretty much across the board—one of the great worries for working people, and the same for any parent, is always: What does this mean for my children? What does it mean for their future? So today, I am really delighted to announce what is a step change in how we train homegrown talent in AI. A partnership with 11 major companies to train 7.5 million workers in AI by 2030.
I would also like to thank NVIDIA for partnering on a new pipeline. Jensen is here with us for the “in conversation” we’re so grateful for that partnership. That allows us to expand their lab in Bristol, and that will make a huge difference to opportunity and jobs in the South West. We’re also going to bring the full powers of government with a new tech-first training programme. That’s up to 1 million young people trained in tech skills—that will be so crucial for their future. That’s a £185 million investment, embedding AI right through our education system, starting in our secondary schools with subjects like computer science. At universities, a new scholarship programme for high-flying students—supporting the best and brightest personally, so they can focus on their research on the next frontier.
So from school all the way through—and on top of that, extra support for small businesses, along with their student leavers, so they can recruit the technology skills they need. And this—trust me—is a package that should make a massive difference to the aspirations of working people.
At the end of the day, that is what this must be about. I want young people in the poorer parts of my constituency—and I’m thinking in particular of a place like Somers Town, between Euston and King’s Cross, where there’s so much of that tech and entrepreneurial AI belief—I want the children in Somers Town to look out of their classroom windows and feel “yes, I can be part of that success. This could belong to me.”
That’s why the work we’re doing in schools, universities and colleges is so important—to make them feel they’ve got a role, they’ve got aspiration, they’ve got a future. They can’t aspire to do something unless they can see it, feel it, and understand what it is. In this country, the technology needs to be built in our brain. Just to give a short example of that—praising tech companies for investing in Somers Town. I’ve thrown this challenge out many, many times: how do we make the children in the poorest part of my constituency aspire to work in your centre? And Google AI opened a campus in Somers Town. They’ve taken up that challenge. It is tremendous. I went there for the opening—it’s right next to the school where I envisage those students who wouldn’t necessarily have seen their future in tech. And now that campus is right next to their school they can see it every day and they can feel it.
That’s a really good example. Thank you to the tech sector for stepping up to that challenge. But now we need to go further. By the end of this Parliament, we should be able to look every parent the eye, in every region in Britain and say – look what technology can deliver for you. We can put money in your pocket; we can create wealth in your community; we can create good jobs and vastly improve our public services and build a better future for your children. That is the opportunity we must seize, that is what my Plan for Change will deliver. And today, I think we’re taking another big step towards it.
So thank you very much for being here and thank you for letting me have the privilege of opening today. Thank you.
Source: State University of Management – Official website of the State –
On June 6, 2025, the final of the federal stage of the competition “Manager of the Year among graduates of the Presidential Program for the Training of Management Personnel for Organizations of the National Economy of the Russian Federation – 2025” was held at the All-Russian Academy of Foreign Trade of the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation.
The expert jury of the competition included representatives of the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation, the Expert Council of the Government Commission for the Organization of Management Training, Russian universities, the business community and the Union of Associations of the Program’s Alumni. The State University of Management was represented in the jury by Vice-Rector Dmitry Bryukhanov.
The competition was held in the format of assessing projects implemented by graduates of the Presidential Program. More than 80 projects were submitted in two nominations: “Business Project” and “Social Project”, of which 12 projects were selected for participation in the in-person stage: 9 in the “Business Project” nomination and 3 in the “Social Project” nomination.
The experts assessed the relevance of the project, the personal contribution of the contestant to its implementation, the measurability of the project results and the possibility of replication, the social effect of the project implementation for the region and the country as a whole, the quality of the presentation material, and answers to additional questions.
It should be noted that the finalists of the Manager of the Year 2025 competition were Russian entrepreneurs who participated in the program for training Russian specialists abroad in accordance with the State Plan for the Training of Managerial Personnel for Organizations of the National Economy of the Russian Federation, implemented by the State Management University in the period from 2022 to 2024.
All finalists of the in-person stage of “Manager of the Year – 2025” presented projects that are significant for the regions of Russia:
The winners of the competition:
Nomination “Business Project”: 1st place – Anatoly Smirnov, “Creation of a new production facility for the AFS Group”, St. Petersburg; 2nd place – Anatoly Tulaev, “Development of 5D printer production with innovative 5D tech technology”, Volgograd Region; 3rd place – Andrey Semizorov, “Import substitution of products from the Electrotyazhmash plant (Ukraine) with modernized analogues from the Vorotynsky Energy Repair Plant (Russia)”, Kaluga Region.
Nomination “Audience Choice Award”: Yulia Kladko, “Organization of entrepreneurial activity in the field of environmental design”, Moscow.
The experts noted the high level of the projects presented, congratulated the contestants and wished them further success in implementing their projects and achieving their professional goals.
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.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press release
Scotland Office: First government trade mission since UK-EU deal
Minister Kirsty McNeill teams up with the Scottish Chambers of Commerce to champion Scotland and the UK in Spain
Boosting trade and investment between Scotland and Spain is top of the agenda as a group of 16 Scottish female entrepreneurs, led by UK Government Minister Kirsty McNeill and the Scottish Chambers of Commerce (SCC), arrive on Spanish soil today (Monday 9th June).
The Scotland Office led trade mission will meet with Spanish entrepreneurs, business leaders and politicians to maximise the benefits of the recent UK-EU deal, tackle the Scottish gender export gap, promote Brand Scotland’s iconic goods and services and encourage Spanish investment into Scotland.
A recent report found that trade in Scotland could increase by more than £10 billion over two years if women-led businesses exported at the same rate as those led by men.
Women from Scotland’s world class food and drink, tech, manufacturing, energy, tourism, travel, legal services, consultancy, marketing and cosmetic sectors are on the trade mission.
UK Government Scotland Office Kirsty McNeill said:
I’m very proud to be teaming up with the Scottish Chambers of Commerce and fantastic Scottish women entrepreneurs on a trailblazing mission to Spain to help kickstart economic growth, create jobs and attract investment to Scotland as part of the UK Government’s Plan for Change.
I want the UK to be a leader in promoting gender diversity in international trade and this is a unique opportunity for our women business leaders to build international connections, explore market opportunities, and connect with other female entrepreneurs in one of Scotland’s and the UK’s largest EU markets.
Through Brand Scotland, we are now giving our country the global platform it deserves.
Chief Executive of the Scottish Chambers of Commerce Dr Liz Cameron CBE said:
This trade mission marks a bold step forward in advancing Scotland’s global trade ambitions. By connecting some of our most dynamic women entrepreneurs and leaders with key players in Barcelona, we are opening new doors of opportunity, innovation, and growth. Scotland’s businesswomen are global in their outlook, ambitious in their vision, and ready to lead the way in forging deeper connections around the world.
The collaboration between the Scottish Chambers of Commerce and Scotland Office is a powerful partnership which will boost business growth, increase exports, and champion Scotland as a world-leading trading nation. This mission expands our market access and ensures the future of our business community is more representative, resilient, and internationally competitive.
This visit marks the first Brand Scotland trade mission since the signing of a partnership agreement between the Scottish Chambers of Commerce and the Scotland Office on Friday (June 6th). The deal, backed by a £100,000 UK Government grant, is focused on showcasing Scottish businesses globally and attracting inward investment.
Spain is the UK’s seventh largest trading partner (2024) and Scotland’s 10th with total trade in goods and services (exports plus imports) being £64.6 billion, while the UK is the number one European destination for Spanish investment (€83 billion stock). Last year Scotland’s goods exports to Spain reached £0.7 billion, with food and drink leading the way at over £212 million. Most recent figures show that Spain was the number six export destination for Scotch whisky, with sales worth £196 million in 2024. Spain is also among the most valuable destinations for Scottish seafood exports, including a top 20 destination for Scottish salmon exports.
The trio of trade deals secured by the Prime Minister in recent weeks offers a huge opportunity for Scotland and the UK’s economy.
The agreement with the EU directly addresses challenges faced by Scottish exporters since 2019, especially in the food and drink sector, as it makes it significantly easier to sell Scottish goods to markets such as Spain (see stakeholder quotes annexed below).
The two day trade mission comes after Minister McNeill hosted a gathering of female business leaders from across Scotland in Edinburgh in May to identify and tackle export challenges they face.
While in Spain the Minister will also participate in cultural initiatives, including a concert for Ukraine, being organised by the British Embassy in Madrid.
Further information
Trade mission, list of delegates:
Dr Liz Cameron CBE, Director & Chief Executive, Scottish Chambers of Commerce
Dr Jeanette Forbes OBE, CEO, PCL Group
Dr Poonam Gupta OBE, CEO & Founder, PG Paper Company Ltd
Arjumand Ara Sheikh, Principal Solicitor and Associate CIPD, Strand Solicitors
Rosalind Wardley-Smith, International & Operations Executive Scottish Chambers of Commerce
Agenda
Today (Monday) the Minister will attend a women in business lunch in Madrid for senior female business leaders. This will be chaired by Sir Alex Ellis, His Majesty’s Ambassador to Spain. She will also meet with the newly appointed CEO of Navantia UK, Donald Martínez, to discuss Navantia’s progress and future plans for their two shipyards in Scotland.
Tomorrow (Tuesday) in Barcelona the Minister and all women trade delegation will meet Spanish women business leaders, Barcelona Chambers of Commerce, the British Chambers of Commerce and Deputy Mayor of Barcelona, Maria Eugènia Gay Rossell. The Minister will also meet the President of Catalonia, Salvador Illa to discuss new opportunities for trade and investment for both the UK and Spain.
Stakeholder quotes
Head of Trade Marketing – Europe at Seafood Scotland Marie-Anne Omnes said:
The timing and geographic focus of this ministerial trade mission are highly relevant. Spain is a key market for Scottish companies and presents significant growth opportunities that initiatives like these can help identify. Spanish consumers are knowledgeable about seafood and Scottish products, with an understanding of the importance of product origin. It is essential to strengthen relationships at both government and corporate levels, especially considering that the new trade agreement could facilitate more direct trade between the two countries.
Director of central Scotland-based MacNeil Shellfish Amber Knight said:
The partnership between the Scottish Chambers of Commerce and the Scotland Office is a game-changer for Scottish exporters. For businesses like ours, anchored in rural communities and operating across European markets, this agreement provides the visibility, credibility, and connections needed to grow with confidence. Our expansion into Spain, with a new distribution hub in North Spain is just the beginning. With this renewed focus on promoting Scotland’s world-class products internationally, we can scale our reach, strengthen our brand, and help put Scotland’s sustainable seafood firmly on the global map.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte will use a speech in London on Monday to say the military alliance needs a 400% increase in air and missile defence, one of the priorities for a summit of members in the Hague later this month.
Rutte is pushing for members to boost defence spending to 3.5% of GDP and commit a further 1.5% to broader security-related spending to meet U.S. President Donald Trump’s demand for a 5% target. Last month, he said he assumed that target would be agreed at the summit on June 24-25.
Rutte will argue in a speech at London’s Chatham House think tank that for NATO to maintain credible deterrence and defence, it needs “a 400% increase in air and missile defence”.
“We see in Ukraine how Russia delivers terror from above, so we will strengthen the shield that protects our skies,” he will say, according to extracts of his speech provided by his office.
“The fact is, we need a quantum leap in our collective defence. The fact is, we must have more forces and capabilities to implement our defence plans in full. The fact is, danger will not disappear even when the war in Ukraine ends.”
With little let up in fighting in Russia’s war against Ukraine despite ceasefire calls, European countries are under pressure to raise defence spending after Trump signalled a shift in policy, pushing for the region to better protect itself.
Several countries say they are doing so, with Britain pledging an increase from 2.3% to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 and 3% of GDP at a later date. Germany has said it will need roughly 50,000 to 60,000 additional active soldiers under new NATO targets.
SHELL PLC FIRST QUARTER 2025 EURO AND GBP EQUIVALENT DIVIDEND PAYMENTS
June 9, 2025
The Board of Shell plc today announced the pounds sterling and euro equivalent dividend payments in respect of the first quarter 2025 interim dividend, which was announced on May 2, 2025 at US$0.358 per ordinary share.
Shareholders have been able to elect to receive their dividends in US dollars, euros or pounds sterling. Holders of ordinary shares who have validly submitted US dollars, euros or pounds sterling currency elections by June 2, 2025 will be entitled to a dividend of US$0.358, €0.3136 or 26.41p per ordinary share, respectively.
Absent any valid election to the contrary, persons holding their ordinary shares through Euroclear Nederland will receive their dividends in euros at the euro rate per ordinary share shown above. Absent any valid election to the contrary, shareholders (both holding in certificated and uncertificated form (CREST members)) and persons holding their shares through the Shell Corporate Nominee will receive their dividends in pounds sterling, at the pound sterling rate per ordinary share shown above.
Euro and pounds sterling dividends payable in cash have been converted from US dollars based on an average of market exchange rates over the three dealing days from June 4 to June 6, 2025. This dividend will be payable on June 23, 2025 to those members whose names were on the Register of Members on May 16, 2025.
Taxation – cash dividend If you are uncertain as to the tax treatment of any dividends you should consult your tax advisor.
Note A different currency election date may apply to shareholders holding shares in a securities account with a bank or financial institution ultimately holding through Euroclear Nederland. This may also apply to other shareholders who do not hold their shares either directly on the Register of Members or in the corporate sponsored nominee arrangement. Shareholders can contact their broker, financial intermediary, bank or financial institution for the election deadline that applies.
Enquiries Media: International +44 (0) 207 934 5550; U.S. and Canada: https://www.shell.us/about-us/news-and-insights/media/submit-an-inquiry.html
CAUTIONARY NOTE
The companies in which Shell plc directly and indirectly owns investments are separate legal entities. In this announcement “Shell”, “Shell Group” and “Group” are sometimes used for convenience to reference Shell plc and its subsidiaries in general. Likewise, the words “we”, “us” and “our” are also used to refer to Shell plc and its subsidiaries in general or to those who work for them. These terms are also used where no useful purpose is served by identifying the particular entity or entities. ‘‘Subsidiaries’’, “Shell subsidiaries” and “Shell companies” as used in this announcement refer to entities over which Shell plc either directly or indirectly has control. The terms “joint venture”, “joint operations”, “joint arrangements”, and “associates” may also be used to refer to a commercial arrangement in which Shell has a direct or indirect ownership interest with one or more parties. The term “Shell interest” is used for convenience to indicate the direct and/or indirect ownership interest held by Shell in an entity or unincorporated joint arrangement, after exclusion of all third-party interest.
Forward-Looking statements This announcement contains forward-looking statements (within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) concerning the financial condition, results of operations and businesses of Shell. All statements other than statements of historical fact are, or may be deemed to be, forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements of future expectations that are based on management’s current expectations and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in these statements. Forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements concerning the potential exposure of Shell to market risks and statements expressing management’s expectations, beliefs, estimates, forecasts, projections and assumptions. These forward-looking statements are identified by their use of terms and phrases such as “aim”; “ambition”; ‘‘anticipate’’; “aspire”; “aspiration”; ‘‘believe’’; “commit”; “commitment”; ‘‘could’’; “desire”; ‘‘estimate’’; ‘‘expect’’; ‘‘goals’’; ‘‘intend’’; ‘‘may’’; “milestones”; ‘‘objectives’’; ‘‘outlook’’; ‘‘plan’’; ‘‘probably’’; ‘‘project’’; ‘‘risks’’; “schedule”; ‘‘seek’’; ‘‘should’’; ‘‘target’’; “vision”; ‘‘will’’; “would” and similar terms and phrases. There are a number of factors that could affect the future operations of Shell and could cause those results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements included in this announcement, including (without limitation): (a) price fluctuations in crude oil and natural gas; (b) changes in demand for Shell’s products; (c) currency fluctuations; (d) drilling and production results; (e) reserves estimates; (f) loss of market share and industry competition; (g) environmental and physical risks, including climate change; (h) risks associated with the identification of suitable potential acquisition properties and targets, and successful negotiation and completion of such transactions; (i) the risk of doing business in developing countries and countries subject to international sanctions; (j) legislative, judicial, fiscal and regulatory developments including tariffs and regulatory measures addressing climate change; (k) economic and financial market conditions in various countries and regions; (l) political risks, including the risks of expropriation and renegotiation of the terms of contracts with governmental entities, delays or advancements in the approval of projects and delays in the reimbursement for shared costs; (m) risks associated with the impact of pandemics, regional conflicts, such as the Russia-Ukraine war and the conflict in the Middle East, and a significant cyber security, data privacy or IT incident; (n) the pace of the energy transition; and (o) changes in trading conditions. No assurance is provided that future dividend payments will match or exceed previous dividend payments. All forward-looking statements contained in this announcement are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements contained or referred to in this section. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Additional risk factors that may affect future results are contained in Shell plc’s Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2024 (available at www.shell.com/investors/news-and-filings/sec-filings.html and www.sec.gov). These risk factors also expressly qualify all forward-looking statements contained in this announcement and should be considered by the reader. Each forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of this announcement, June 9, 2025. Neither Shell plc nor any of its subsidiaries undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or other information. In light of these risks, results could differ materially from those stated, implied or inferred from the forward-looking statements contained in this announcement.
Shell’s net carbon intensity Also, in this announcement we may refer to Shell’s “net carbon intensity” (NCI), which includes Shell’s carbon emissions from the production of our energy products, our suppliers’ carbon emissions in supplying energy for that production and our customers’ carbon emissions associated with their use of the energy products we sell. Shell’s NCI also includes the emissions associated with the production and use of energy products produced by others which Shell purchases for resale. Shell only controls its own emissions. The use of the terms Shell’s “net carbon intensity” or NCI is for convenience only and not intended to suggest these emissions are those of Shell plc or its subsidiaries.
Shell’s net-zero emissions target Shell’s operating plan and outlook are forecasted for a three-year period and ten-year period, respectively, and are updated every year. They reflect the current economic environment and what we can reasonably expect to see over the next three and ten years. Accordingly, the outlook reflects our Scope 1, Scope 2 and NCI targets over the next ten years. However, Shell’s operating plan and outlook cannot reflect our 2050 net-zero emissions target, as this target is outside our planning period. Such future operating plans and outlooks could include changes to our portfolio, efficiency improvements and the use of carbon capture and storage and carbon credits. In the future, as society moves towards net-zero emissions, we expect Shell’s operating plans and outlooks to reflect this movement. However, if society is not net zero in 2050, as of today, there would be significant risk that Shell may not meet this target.
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Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)
WATCH: Padilla Slams Trump Administration for Terrorizing Los Angeles Communities Through ICE Raids, Deploying National Guard
Padilla: California is “the fourth-largest economy in the world, not despite our immigrant population, but because of our immigrant population, who contribute so much as [a] workforce, as consumers, as entrepreneurs. That’s something to be respected, not insulted.”
“Our nation is better than this. Look to California as a way forward.”
Watch the full interview here.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — In case you missed it, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, joined MSNBC’s “The Weekend: Primetime” to condemn the Trump Administration’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids across Los Angeles and President Trump’s ensuing unprecedented deployment of nearly 2,000 members of California’s National Guard to the region.
Senator Padilla slammed President Trump for manufacturing a cruel crisis to scapegoat immigrants and distract from Republicans’ harmful budget bill that will cut critical services that millions of Americans depend on to give tax cuts to the ultra-wealthy. He also blasted the Trump Administration for their hypocrisy in calling the largely peaceful Los Angeles protests an “insurrection” as President Trump and Republicans refuse to use that word to describe the January 6th Capitol insurrection. Padilla encouraged Californians to continue peacefully protesting the Trump Administration’s inhumane immigration enforcement.
Key Excerpts:
On Trump demonizing immigrants to distract from Republicans’ harmful budget bill:
“The Senate Republicans are on the verge of passing what House Republicans just passed in this bill that threatens to cut Medicaid, cut the social safety net for so many, and underwrite tax breaks for billionaires. So to distract from that, it never fails. This is [Trump’s] classic playbook. He’s not brokering peace between Russia and Ukraine. His tariff war has gone horribly wrong. So when all else fails, he demonizes immigrants again.”
“If we were having a serious, substantive policy conversation, I think there is room to discuss increased funding for our immigration system, not just smarter enforcement at the border, utilizing technology, focusing on ports of entry, but also for all the people who have pending cases, whether it’s an asylum case, whether it’s anything else, there is a need for more immigration judges and hearing officers and counsel, those sorts of things. And let’s reduce the backlog. But what the Trump Administration is doing is exactly the opposite, shifting it to complete enforcement and aggressive, extreme, cruel enforcement for that matter, while the backlogs continue to grow because they’ve shifted resources away from those services and those programs.”
“By and large, this supposedly Big Beautiful Bill, which is anything but, is nothing but increasing funding for … immigration enforcement, gutting so many other critical areas of the budget that working families across the country depend on, all to underwrite tax breaks for the most wealthy in America, including somebody like Elon Musk. You know, Donald Trump didn’t like the headlines he was getting because of his fallout with Elon Musk, and so again, what happens? He stages a crisis, manufactures a cruel crisis to try to change the news of the day.”
On Trump’s hypocrisy in his response compared to January 6:
“The other thing he wants is for people to, yes, maybe get out of hand, so that he has the justification to escalate and increase the use of force. Look what happened in his first term. Look what happened on January 6. You’ve got to call out the hypocrisy. He did not once say “insurrectionist” for the people who stormed the Capitol and attacked police officers, but one protester who gets a little bit out of hand in Los Angeles and all of a sudden, he’s going to bring in the Marines? That’s beyond hypocritical.”
“If it’s one thing that the Team Trump does have going for it, is they are masters of misinformation and disinformation. What’s happening in Los Angeles is not an insurrection. What happened on January 6 at the nation’s Capitol was an insurrection. So intellectual dishonesty is nothing new for J.D. Vance, or Donald Trump, or anybody in the White House right now. They should know better.”
On the cruelty of Trump’s ICE raids and the importance of peaceful protests:
“These raids are not new. Obviously, we’ve been seeing them around the country for a few months, but increasingly with extremism and cruelty. And that’s what people in Los Angeles are responding to. Again, as others have said, you want to focus on violent and dangerous criminals? Great, there’s no disagreement there. But when you’re going after kids that are depending on lifesaving treatment, when you’re going after people in the workplace, in houses of worship, children in schools — that’s a whole thing altogether. So in a diverse community like Los Angeles, there’s going to be a lot of people who are passionate about defending fundamental rights and due process and to speak up when they see that not being respected.”
“So for all the people in Los Angeles, I do say protest. Protest peacefully, but protest because Donald Trump wants one of two things. He wants people … to be quiet, to suck it up, and ignore what’s happening, let him do whatever he wants. That’s not in our DNA.”
On immigrants’ integral role in driving California’s economic success:
“We are not just the most populous state in the nation, we’re the most diverse state in the nation, home to more immigrants than any state in the nation, both mostly documented, some undocumented. But remember, folks, this is also the largest economy of any state in the nation, by far. The fourth-largest economy in the world, not despite our immigrant population, but because of our immigrant population, who contribute so much as [a] workforce, as consumers, as entrepreneurs. That’s something to be respected, not insulted.”
On his personal story growing up as the son of immigrants from Mexico and fighting against anti-immigrant actions:
“You can’t help but take this personal because you can relate to the story, because you can relate to the sacrifice, because you can relate to that journey — not just me, my brother, my sister, my parents, and our family, but everybody, frankly, in the community where and how I grew up, which is indicative of millions of families across the country. You know, my parents came in pursuit of the American Dream, as so many have over generations, and my parents found it. My dad as a short order cook for 40 years, my mom cleaning houses. And to think that in one generation, someone like me can grow up in public schools in Los Angeles, go on to college, and one day represent our state in the United States Senate.”
“But there’s a reason why I left my engineering degree behind in 1994. It’s because of the rhetoric I saw back then in California, very different than the California we see today. Governor Pete Wilson, at the time, standing for re-election, down in the polls, turns to anti-immigrant rhetoric to try to seek re-election and divide the people. And it was because of … that Proposition 187 that people like my parents, finally took the steps to become citizens, as opposed to just being long-term permanent residents, but also my generation choosing to get involved in government and politics and change the trajectory of our state. California is very different today, but it is just so heartbreaking and offensive that the rhetoric continues to this day, even more so, because it’s not just coming out of the governor’s office in California back then, not now, but out of the Oval Office. Our nation is better than this. Look to California as a way forward.”
On Trump’s mismanagement of the protests in Los Angeles:
“Law enforcement on the ground knows the community, and the community knows LAPD and the Sheriff’s Department. This is just a reminder that what happens when you don’t know what you’re doing as President United States, when you send in DHS, when you send in the National Guard, and they don’t know the community, they don’t have the rapport and the trust of the community, things get out of hand. And then the federal officials are in the position of having to call in LAPD to help them bring the temperature down in a situation, or the sheriff’s office in parts of the county outside the city of Los Angeles. It’s pointing out the weaknesses and the inability, the inexperience, and irresponsibility, frankly, of the Trump Administration.”
Video of the full interview is available here.
Senator Padilla also joined Los Angeles outlets KTLA and KNX tonight to discuss the fear and chaos the Trump Administration is stoking in Los Angeles and across California. On Friday, Padilla issued a statement condemning the Los Angeles ICE raids.