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Category: CTF

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Alexandra Jones, Sally McInnes, Sally Sheard, James Strachan, Aruna Verma and Simon Wessely appointed to the ACNRA Board.

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Alexandra Jones, Sally McInnes, Sally Sheard, James Strachan, Aruna Verma and Simon Wessely appointed to the ACNRA Board.

    The Secretary of State has appointed 6 Board Members to the Advisory Council on National Records and Archives for four years from 10 March 2025 to 09 March 2029.

    Alexandra Jones

    Alexandra Jones, the Director of Anti-Money Laundering at the Solicitors Regulation Authority, brings a wealth of experience in governance, compliance, and leadership to her role. At the SRA, Alexandra leads the development and implementation of AML policies, ensuring regulatory compliance across the legal sector. Her career spans diverse sectors, including finance and regulation, providing her with a unique perspective on risk management and ethical considerations.

    Before joining the SRA, Alexandra served as CEO of the Registry Trust, where she gained deep insight into legal and ethical issues related to data access, copyright, and privacy. She also held senior roles at the Financial Ombudsman Service and HSBC Bank, where she managed teams while upholding confidentiality and compliance standards. Her leadership experience is complemented by her commitment to professional development, including studying data ethics at the London School of Economics.

    Alexandra’s career reflects a dedication to promoting transparency and integrity. She is motivated by the vision of safeguarding collective heritage and leveraging it as a resource for education and public engagement.

    Sally McInnes

    Sally McInnes was formerly Head of Unique and Contemporary Content at the National Library of Wales. A professionally trained archivist, she has extensive experience in promoting, preserving and providing access to unique content of national significance, as well as policy development within the Welsh cultural sector.

    Sally has a particular interest in managing digital content, as well as improving professional competence in digital preservation, for which she has earned international recognition. As a former Director of the Digital Preservation Coalition, she worked to raise public and institutional awareness of digital preservation issues in Wales and beyond.

    She has played a leading role in a number of national and international professional networks. In recognition of her contribution to recordkeeping, she was awarded an MBE in 2024 for Services to Documentary History. She is a Fellow of the Archives and Records Association.

    Sally Sheard

    Professor Sally Sheard is Executive Dean of the Institute of Population Health at the University of Liverpool, where she also holds the Andrew Geddes and John Rankin Chair of Modern History. She is a health policy analyst and historian, with a research focus on the interface between expert advisers and policymakers. 

    Sally has extensive experience of using history in public and policy engagement, including working with national and local government organisations and health authorities. She has written for and appeared in numerous television and radio programmes. In 2018 she wrote and presented the twenty-part BBC Radio 4 series National Health Stories, to mark the seventieth anniversary of the NHS. Her books include The Passionate Economist: how Brian Abel-Smith shaped global health and social welfare (Policy Press, 2013); Making Genetics and Genomics Policy in Britain: from Personal to Population Health (co-authored with Philip Begley; Routledge, 2022) and NICE: A Contemporary History of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (co-authored with Paul Atkinson; Routledge, 2025).

    James Strachan

    James is Chief Executive of Eastleigh Borough Council in south Hampshire, and has been a senior leader in Hampshire local government for 16 years.  In addition to overseeing local services such as waste collection, planning, homelessness support and elections, James is ultimately responsible for information governance at the Council.  Prior to moving to Hampshire, James was Director of Public Services and Marketing at The National Archives, and served as Secretary to the official review of the 30-year rule, which was commissioned by Prime Minister Gordon Brown. 

    James has also worked at the Cabinet Office, and had a career in publishing prior to joining the civil service.  He oversaw the online launch of Encyclopaedia Britannica in Europe and was among the first employees of the mobile network ‘3’, negotiating the first ever mobile highlights deal with the Premier League.  James lives in Salisbury and serves as a magistrate on the West Hampshire Bench, based in Southampton.

    Aruna Verma

    Aruna Verma is a distinguished lawyer, associate professor, and Campus Dean at The University of Law, Moorgate. With a strong background in legal education and practice, she has played a pivotal role in shaping the next generation of legal professionals. As an academic leader, she combines her expertise in law with a passion for teaching, ensuring that students gain both theoretical knowledge and practical skills essential for success in the legal profession.

    Her career spans legal practice, academia, and educational leadership, making her a respected figure in the field. At The University of Law, she oversees academic programs, fosters student engagement, and works closely with industry professionals to bridge the gap between law school and legal practice.

    Beyond academia, Aruna is known for her contributions to legal scholarship, mentorship, and commitment to advancing diversity in the legal profession. Her leadership ensures that the Moorgate campus remains a hub for aspiring solicitors and barristers, preparing them for the challenges of the ever-evolving legal Landscape.

    With her wealth of experience and dedication to legal education, Aruna Verma continues to make a lasting impact on both students and the legal community. Aruna also sits as a Chair at The Valuation Tribunal and the Chair of Governors at a local school. Aruna is a trained mediator and online dispute resolution specialist.

    Simon Wessely

    Sir Simon Wessely FRS is the Regius Chair of Psychiatry at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IOPPN), part of King’s College London (KCL), the first such chair in the United Kingdom. He is also a Consultant Liaison Psychiatrist at the Maudsley and King’s College Hospitals.

    After studying medicine and History of Art at Cambridge, he finished his medical training at Oxford. He is an active clinical academic psychiatrist with >1000 publications, a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences and a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS). He is a Past President of the Royal College of Psychiatrists and the Royal Society of Medicine. He was Dean of the IOPPN (2022-23) and is now a Non Executive Director of NHS-England.

    In 2003 he founded the King’s Centre for Military Health Research, which is now ranked 1st globally for publications on military health. He remains the Honorary Consultant Advisor in Psychiatry to the British Army, and works with several charities for Veterans. He was knighted in 2013 for services to military health and psychological medicine. He continues to have a broad interest in how people and populations react to adversity, past present and future.

    He chaired the government’s Independent Review of the Mental Health Act (2017-19), which should receive Royal Assent at Easter. He also was a member of the Judicial Appointments Commission (2017-23). His amateur interests revolve around history, and he is proud of having written some papers in “proper” history journals. Finally, if you are a follower of “Desert Island Discs” you will know his favourite occupation is arguing in Viennese cafes , perhaps reflecting the fact that his father was born in Central Europe, coming over to the UK in 1939.

    Remuneration and Governance Code

    Board Members will be remunerated at a rate of £386 per day. James Strachan requested not to be remunerated for this role. This appointment has been made in accordance with the Cabinet Office’s Governance Code on Public Appointments.

    The appointments process is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. Under the Code, any significant political activity undertaken by an appointee in the last five years must be declared. This is defined as including holding office, public speaking, making a recordable donation, or candidature for election. None of the candidates have declared any significant political activity.

    Updates to this page

    Published 14 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: CMA response to the Independent Water Commission’s call for evidence

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Correspondence

    CMA response to the Independent Water Commission’s call for evidence

    The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has published its response to the Independent Water Commission’s call for evidence, in relation to the water sector in England and Wales.

    Documents

    CMA response to the Independent Water Commission’s call for evidence

    PDF, 197 KB, 8 pages

    Details

    The CMA responded to the Independent Water Commission’s call for evidence.

    Our response focuses on the CMA’s overall role in the water regulatory system, in particular our role in conducting regulatory appeals and redeterminations.

    Updates to this page

    Published 14 May 2025

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    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Council crackdown on underage vape sales in Tunstall

    Source: City of Stoke-on-Trent

    Published: Wednesday, 14th May 2025

    Stoke-on-Trent City Council is stepping up its crackdown on underage and illegal vape sales after seizing more than £21,000 of illegal cigarettes, tobacco, and vapes from a Tunstall shop.

    It follows the sale of an illegal vape to a 17-year-old girl. The legal limit for vapes is 600 puffs, the one sold was three times over the legal limit.

    Trading Standards officers, supported by Staffordshire Police, visited TKT Express on High Street Tunstall on Friday, 9 May. During the operation, they discovered illegal products hidden in a nearby car linked to the shop. Officers seized 22,360 cigarettes, 6.2kg of tobacco and 290 vapes- all illegal – and with a total retail value of £21,600. The shop is now under formal investigation.

    Councillor Amjid Wazir OBE, cabinet member for city pride, enforcement and sustainability for Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said: “Our teams are taking firm action against shops that put young people at risk. I want to thank our Trading Standards for more hard work that protects all residents and upholds the law.

    “We want our city to be a safe place for children and young people, so the fact that this shop sold an illegal vape to somebody underage shows complete disregard for their safety. We will take action against those who put people at risk and undermine the hard work of legitimate businesses.”

    “I encourage any residents to report any suspicious activity related to illegal tobacco, vapes, or underage sales.”

    Anyone who wants to report a similar issue to Trading Standards can call the Trading Standards Hotline 01782 238444 or visit stoke.gov.uk

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Interactive hub opens to provide support during major city centre transformation works

    Source: City of Wolverhampton

    The ‘Urban Room’ will provide drop in sessions at set times, pre-booked meeting opportunities and direct assistance from staff at City of Wolverhampton Council and contractor, Taylor Woodrow.

    It will give businesses, residents and visitors easy access to information about the scheme and dedicated support for any concerns or issues they have as the 2 and a half year programme, which started in January, progresses.

    The first Urban Room sessions will initially take place between 12pm and 1.30pm on Tuesdays, with the plan to increase the number of sessions over time.

    Works on the major £19 million transformation of Wolverhampton city centre are underway on Darlington Street and will move onto Lichfield Street and Queen Square. It follows extensive consultation with businesses, the public and key stakeholders.

    The completed scheme will deliver high quality improvements such as wider, brighter, safer streets; vibrant public events spaces; more trees, greenery and seating; and easy access for buses, cycles and taxis.

    The aim is to stimulate more visitors and spend with businesses and act as a catalyst for further investment, while contributing to creating a pleasant environment to support and encourage healthy city living lifestyles.

    It is the third and final phase of City of Wolverhampton Council’s city centre improvements programme following completed schemes in the Victoria Street and University of Wolverhampton at The Halls areas that have seen regular events staged in the new spaces, increasing city centre footfall and economic spend and attracting new investment such as Superbowl UK, set to open their new venue in the Mander Centre units off Victoria Street on 21 May.

    Councillor Chris Burden, the council’s Cabinet Member for City Development, Jobs and Skills, said: “We want people to enjoy our city centre from the moment they arrive, and these works are the next step in our transformation plans that are delivering positive outcomes.

    “This is a scheme for everyone, and the Urban Room is another way we are connecting with businesses, residents and visitors to ensure they are supported during the works and fully understand it so they can maximise the opportunities it presents to them.

    “Funded totally by external funding, it will create an enhanced walking, cycling and dwell space, as well as infrastructure for events and attractions, and a better environment for city centre living, which will all help boost the local economy.

    “The works will also complement other transformational development schemes already underway or in the pipeline in the city centre, including the £150 million Interchange and commercial district, and thousands of new homes coming at Smithgate and Canalside – all helping to create hundreds of new jobs and further investment opportunities.”

    Stuart Townsend, Taylor Woodrow Operations Manager, said: “We are excited to announce our drop in sessions for businesses and members of the public to address any queries, concerns, or compliments.

    “During these sessions, we will showcase drawings of the scheme, have updates on our social value projects locally, and we will be displaying information, including a video about the scheme.

    “Additionally, we will provide information about our chosen charities, The Way Youth Project Board, and have brochures available for career opportunities. “This is a positive step in keeping stakeholders and the passing public updated on how we Taylor Woodrow and the council are working together to deliver a better city centre.”

    Funding for the scheme consists of £13.5 million from the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS) fund, £3 million from the Towns Fund and £2.6 million from the Active Travel Fund.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Aberdeen Youth Movement member attends United Nations forum in New York

    Source: Scotland – City of Aberdeen

    Aberdeen Youth Movement member, Mariah Ichakpa was honoured to be selected to attend the 2025 United Nations Economic and Social Council Youth Forum in New York last month.

    Mariah was 1 out of 20,000 people who applied to be selected to attend the forum that offered young people a visible platform to meaningfully engage with Member States, have their voices heard and be included in the global dialogue on key issues affecting the world’s population.

    Held at the United Nations headquarters, the forum’s theme of ‘youth at the forefront: leveraging science and social inclusion for sustainable development’, allowed Mariah to make a speech to the forum attendees from across the world and her inspired message was ‘If you want to see a nation’s future, look into the eyes of its youth – we are the mirror and the map’.

    Mariah said: “Representing Aberdeen and Scotland was an unforgettable experience. Sharing Scotland’s story and how we became the first part of the UK to incorporate the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) into Scots law was a huge achievement in helping spread awareness.

    “One of the biggest takeaways for me was that impact doesn’t always have to come from the top down. Youth-led initiatives when supported and given a platform can drive real and measurable change.

    “Leaving New York, I felt inspired. But more than that I felt responsible. We have a lot of work to do. And I’m ready to keep showing up and working alongside other passionate youths in Aberdeen Youth Movement (AYM), Scottish Youth Parliament (SYP) and across the world to make a difference.”

    Councillor Martin Greig, Convenor of Aberdeen City Council’s Education and Children’s Services Committee, said: “I was delighted to hear about Mariah’s incredible experience in New York. She spoke eloquently at the UN Youth Forum to represent young people in our city and on behalf of the rest of Scotland.

    “It is a major achievement to promote youth justice from the local perspective on a global stage. I am grateful to Mariah and to all the team who have given support for this important human rights action.”

    Aberdeen Youth Movement is the official voice of young people in Aberdeen, working closely with multiple organisations to improve the representation of young people in the city. The group consists of young people aged between 16 and 25 from different areas and interest groups.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Manchester Libraries – winner of the Library of the Year Award

    Source: City of Manchester

    Manchester Libraries has won the ‘Library of the Year’ Award at the prestigious British Book Awards 2025 held at Grosvenor House London on Monday, 12th May.

    The revival of the Library of the Year award at this year’s British Book Awards event was awarded to Manchester Libraries in recognition of its multi-strand and city-wide Blue Peter Book Club Live programme which made ‘superb’ use of the revered Blue Peter brand to bring children and families into contact with libraries and reading.

    The programme engaged with people who had never or very rarely visited a library, resulting in an 88% visitor increase compared to a typical Saturday, with 60% of these attendees living in an area of high deprivation. Connecting with readers via local schools, the incentive saw children’s library membership increase by 33% during the campaign compared to the same period in 2023, and 12,308 people become new library members during the campaign period.

    It was launched at a special Book Club Live event at Central Library by the Blue Peter presenters and It engaged with people who had never, or very rarely visited the library. The team also created a badge trail to connect 13 cultural venues, distributed 20,000 trail maps and enlisted local partners to act as champions as part of the event programme which spread across the city.

    Describing the levels of engagement as ‘phenomenal’ the judges also commended the library on the committed team who saw the opportunity to work with Blue Peter and run with it grabbing the attention of children and young people who had never been into that library and kept hold of them afterwards.

    Councillor John Hacking, Executive Member for Skills, Employment and Leisure said:

    “This is a truly phenomenal win. For Manchester Libraries to be crowned Library of the Year at the British Book Awards is just fantastic news for our libraries team who worked so hard to make these events a resounding success.  We are privileged in this city not just have the magnificent Manchester Central Library but numerous neighbourhood libraries that serve their communities, providing literary nourishment as well as a huge array of additional benefits to the communities they serve. We took the opportunity to work with Blue Peter and with thanks to them and all our partners, we delivered an exceptional programme of events which has been recognised at the highest levels .”

    Philip Jones, editor of The Bookseller and chair of judges, said:

    ‘In the Library award’s return year, Manchester Libraries is a truly worthy winner, showing how to use resources, access and breadth to change lives through reading. That it did this at scale, should not be off-putting to other libraries, but rather indicates what can happen when a range of partners pull together. We hope this winner provides a template for others to follow, whatever the size.’

    Karen Napier MBE, CEO, The Reading Agency said:

     ‘Congratulations to Manchester Libraries for winning with their city-wide Blue Peter project. The project drove a huge number of children from areas of high deprivation to the library and many for the first time, opening the doors to so much opportunity and the 33% increase in children’s library membership is a remarkable achievement. I do also want to acknowledge every library service that submitted to the award this year, which demonstrated the innovation at the heart of the sector. Libraries are lighthouses for the future, and spaces where knowledge is curated, truth is protected, and communities are strengthened. They are powerful community hubs, places where everyone is equally rich in access to ideas, creativity, and where the transformative power of reading connects us to worlds beyond our own.’

    Jen Cleary, Director North West, Arts Council England said:

    “Many congratulations to Manchester Libraries on their Library of the Year award for the Blue Peter Book Club Live. It is so important for children to discover the joy of reading and this was a fantastic opportunity to do so on their doorstep and in a fun environment. We’re pleased to have supported the project through our National Lottery Project Grants programme and to see how many children were engaged with it. I hope they are all continuing to enjoy discovering new books at their local library.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Work complete on upgrade for pedestrian zone bollards

    Source: City of Leicester

    WORK to upgrade and extend the network of automatic bollards that surround Leicester’s central pedestrian zone is now complete.

    Over the past few months, the city council has been replacing old automatic bollards and installing additional units in new areas as part of a range of measures to improve pedestrian safety and manage vehicle access in the city centre.

    The new bollards will be lowered to allow vehicles into the pedestrian zone during allowable hours for loading and unloading but will prevent unauthorised vehicles from entering the zone at all other times.

    The automatic bollards are designed to rise immediately after a permitted vehicle has entered the pedestrian zone. This is to prevent tailgating and unauthorised entry. Warning signs and red lights are in place to alert drivers of the risk.

    Eligible residents and businesses based within the zone will need to use a new authentication system with PIN code to gain entry through the new bollards outside of allowable hours.

    Letters detailing the changes have been sent to every residential and business address within the pedestrian zone, advising people of the new access requirements and how to register for authorisation.

    One-time use PIN codes can also be issued to those with legitimate reasons for accessing the zone outside of permitted hours.

    Martin Fletcher, Leicester City Council director of highways, said: “Leicester’s pedestrian zone was established back in 2006, and the infrastructure installed at that time needed renewing or replacing to ensure it continued to be fit for purpose.

    “Over the years, we have also extended the zone to include Church Gate, Haymarket, St Martins, Greyfriars and Hotel Street, so this was also a good opportunity to upgrade and extend the systems we have in place to keep the area secure.

    “By upgrading infrastructure and tightening up access for vehicles to the pedestrian zone, we can more effectively clamp down on those who abuse the system and continue to provide an environment for shopping and leisure activities where people can feel safe.”

    As part of the package of measures, the number of locations where automatic bollards are in place has been increased to ten.

    Existing loading and unloading hours will be strictly enforced, with all delivery vehicles expected to be out of the pedestrian zone by 11am from Sunday to Friday, and by 9am on Saturdays.

    Leicester’s pedestrian zone covers an area that’s about the size of seven-and-a-half football pitches and includes the Highcross and Haymarket shopping centres, the streets around the Clock Tower, and the independent shops and cafes in St Martin’s Square and The Lanes.

    More information about the new measures can be found at www.leicester.gov.uk/bollards

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Recent approval of IMO’s net-zero framework for international shipping

    Source: International Marine Contractors Association – IMCA

    Headline: Recent approval of IMO’s net-zero framework for international shipping

    Members of IMCA’s Marine Policy & Regulatory Affairs (MPRA) Committee and Margaret Fitzgerald, IMCA Head of Legal & Regulatory Affairs, participated in recent discussions at the 83rd session of the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 83) aimed at setting shipping on a trajectory to reach net zero by 2050.

    It was a historic moment at the IMO when, on 11 April, MEPC 83 approved the draft legal text for incorporation into annex VI of the MARPOL Convention on its net-zero framework.

    In accordance with its 2023 revised greenhouse gas (GHG) strategy, the package of measures comprises of two elements:

    1. A global fuel intensity standard (GFI) measuring how much greenhouse gas is emitted for each unit of energy used, that ships must reduce over time,
    2. An economic measure, that will require ships operating above GFI thresholds to acquire remedial units to balance their excess emissions, while those using zero or near-zero GHG fuels or technologies will be eligible for financial rewards for their lower emissions profile.

    From 2028, ships with a gross tonnage of 5,000 GT or greater will be required to calculate their GHG fuel intensity (GFI) against a reference value of 93.3 gCO₂eq/MJ (the industry average in 2008), with mandatory reduction targets across two compliance tiers over the coming years.

    In terms of the economic measure, while there was significant support for a simple GHG levy, the compromise is an approach that establishes a two-tier carbon credits system of ‘remedial units’ and ‘surplus units’ that shipowners can trade to achieve compliance.

    The proposed text will now be circulated with an accompanying resolution in anticipation of adoption by an extraordinary session of the MEPC (MEPC ES/2) in October this year. If adopted, shipping will be the first sector to implement a globally agreed GHG pricing mechanism.

    IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez reminded delegates that the package of measures approved at MEPC 83 was only one step on international shipping’s journey to 2050 and much more work is needed to get there.

    MEPC 83 has identified a raft of new guidelines that will need to be developed, as well as a list of existing guidelines that will need to be amended to support the legal text.

    It will take some time to fully unpack what the economic impact of these measures on the offshore marine contacting sector will be, but IMCA’s MPRA Committee will do so over the next few months and will publish relevant guidance for members in due course.

    IMCA’s MPRA Committee will lead a seminar on 12 November 2025 analysing the outcome of October’s extraordinary session of the MEPC – please save the date in your calendars. 

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Detectives name victim of murder in Manor House

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Detectives have now named an 87-year-old man – much loved by his community – as the victim of a murder in Manor House.

    John Mackey sadly died on Thursday, 8 May after being robbed around 17:53hrs on Tuesday, 6 May in Goodchild Road.

    His family continue to be supported by specialist officers.

    Detective Chief Inspector Mark Rogers, who is leading the investigation, said:

    “John was a proud Irishman and an innocent member of the public, and was walking back home after running errands when he was the victim of this tragic incident.

    “His family tell us he was one of 11 children. He was born in Callan, County Kilkenny, Ireland and moved to London in the 1950s. He was uncle to a remarkable 22 nieces and nephews and a brother to his remaining four siblings, they will all miss him.

    “John’s family describe him as funny and charming. He was a life-long Arsenal fan, who was adored by his family and was loved by his local community.

    “His family will join John on one final trip back to Ireland where he’ll be laid to rest.

    “I would like to reassure the local community that a man has been charged and we are not looking for anyone else in connection with John’s death.”

    Peter Augustine, 58 (25.10.1966), of Green Lanes, Hornsey, was charged on Friday, 10 May, with murder and robbery. He is remanded in custody.

    Anyone with information for the investigation team can contact them on 0208 345 3715 quoting 6012/06MAY. If you wish to remain anonymous please contact CrimeStoppers on 0800 555 111.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Remarks by President António Costa at the joint press conference with President of Montenegro Jakov Milatović

    Source: Council of the European Union

    During his visit to the Western Balkans, European Council President António Costa met with the President of Montenegro Jakov Milatović in Podgorica. At the joint press conference, he highlighted that enlargement is crucial for the stability and prosperity of the region, praising Montenegro’s progress towards EU membership. He also stressed the importance of continuing reforms and maintaining good neighborly relations.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Portsmouth Tennis Centre receives national award for inclusive programme

    Source: City of Portsmouth

    Chosen from more than 2,000 nominations across 25 different categories, Portsmouth Tennis Centre was crowned the most inclusive tennis centre in the nation, attaining the prestigious Tennis Opened Up Award.

    Portsmouth Tennis Centre is owned by Portsmouth City Council, and is operated by registered charity and social enterprise BH Live.

    The LTA Tennis Awards recognises the vital work volunteers, coaches, officials, and players contribute to make tennis an enjoyable, safe, and accessible sport for all.

    BH Live’s tennis coaches work closely with the LTA and community partners to deliver an inclusive coaching framework for all.

    Currently more than 400 players attend weekly tennis sessions, including people with head injuries, dementia, Down’s Syndrome and visual impairments. Inclusive sessions are tailored to participants’ individual needs. Adjustments to facilitate play include smaller courts, raised court lines, smaller rackets, foam tennis balls, and games played at a slower pace. The centre is also completely accessible with ramps, automatic electric doors and accessible toilet facilities.

    The team actively encourages more young people to enjoy the game from an early age too. They do this by providing free to attend open days throughout the year for families to have a go at playing games and try out coaching drills. BH Live also funds and delivers coaching sessions to hundreds of school children across the city so they can try out the sport.

    Last year, the team welcomed more than 1,200 attendees to its school holiday camps, with half of the places provided through Portsmouth City Council’s HAF Fun Pompey programme, which is funded by the UK government. The programme providing hot meals and activity spaces for children whose families are in receipt of benefits and eligible for free school meals.

    Portsmouth Tennis Centre was also the LTA Tennis Awards 2023 Hampshire & Isle of Wight winner in the ‘Tennis For All Category’ in recognition for bringing tennis to under-represented groups and communities throughout the city.

    Cllr Lee Hunt, Cabinet Member for Community Safety, Leisure & Sport at Portsmouth City Council said:

    “It is wonderful to see the Portsmouth Tennis Centre’s efforts recognised at a national level with this award, which officially now the most inclusive tennis centre in the nation!

    “Encouraging healthy lifestyles in our communities, and promoting positive physical health is priority for us. We are thrilled that we are able to offer these opportunities for anyone in the city who wants to get involved with tennis, thanks to this collaboration with BH Live.”

    On behalf of BH Live, Macca Neaves, Tennis Manager, shared;

    “We’re thrilled to see our inclusive tennis programme and fantastic facilities recognised. But the real highlight is watching more people walk through our doors and give the sport a try. I’m incredibly proud of our team for their dedication, and deeply grateful to our city partners and customers — they’re the true stars for stepping up and embracing tennis. We hope this inspires even more people to come along, pick up a racket, and get involved.”

    More information about Portsmouth Tennis Centre can be found online at bhliveactive.org.uk/tennis-centre.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Health and Social Care Secretary’s speech on men’s health

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 2

    Speech

    Health and Social Care Secretary’s speech on men’s health

    Wes Streeting spoke at the launch of the Centre for Policy Research for Men and Boys (CPRMB) on Tuesday 13 May

    It is a genuine pleasure to be here alongside so many friends, people I don’t yet know, but people we want to work with.

    It’s great to have such a wide range of people and organisations represented around the room, who are creating spaces for men to fight loneliness.

    Encouraging open conversations about masculinity and providing positive role models for boys across our country.

    I want to thank you, Richard, for picking up this agenda and helping to force it into the mainstream.

    Society has been slow to wake up to the fact that a lot of men and boys are really struggling today, and you’re playing a big role in correcting that.

    And as you alluded to in your remarks, making sure that this is a mainstream agenda and not one that is surrendered to the margins and the extremes.

    So, I’m looking forward to working with you and your institute as we begin to develop solutions to the inequalities and injustices that men and boys face in our country today.

    The truth is it can be quite tough to be a young man in today’s society.

    Lots of boys, particularly those from working class backgrounds like mine, are falling behind at school and are worried about their futures.

    The proliferation of toxic influences and content on social media is leading a lot of boys astray.

    A lot of content on social media that provided a real challenge for girls in terms of positive body image and what it meant to be a perfect girl or a woman in our society. Those challenges are now applying to men and boys in similar if sometimes different ways.

    And all of this is contributing to a crisis in masculinity.

    Since taking on the health and social care brief in opposition three and a half years ago, I’ve been very outspoken about the fact that it takes seven and a half years for women to receive a diagnosis for a common condition like endometriosis, or that a universal experience like menopause is still treated as if it’s a rare condition affecting alien species.

    And I feel just as enraged about the inequalities in men’s health, frankly.

    Men are living four years less than women.

    The gap widens if you just look at working class communities.

    Men are disproportionately affected by cancer, cardiovascular disease and type two diabetes.

    The tragedy is that many of these conditions are treatable and even preventable.

    Black men are twice as likely to die from prostate cancer as white men.

    And suicide is the number one killer of men under the age of 50, which was a fact so shocking that I nearly fell off my chair when I first heard it and actually asked for the statistic to be checked. And the fact that it’s now more commonly cited should not make the fact itself less shocking or outrageous.

    Nothing frustrates me more than when men’s health and women’s health are pitted in opposition to each other, as if by focusing on men’s health strategy, we are in any way detracting from the work we’re doing on women’s health.

    This is not an either or.

    It very much has to be on hand, and we will address both.

    And it also does a disservice to lots of women in our society, as if somehow women don’t care about their fathers and grandfathers, their brothers, their sons, their nephews, any less than we care about our mothers or grandmothers, our sisters.

    It’s really serious.

    So I actually think that we are all in this together, and we will succeed as a society if we’re working together to tackle the injustices and inequalities that affect men and women.

    There’s a common problem across the NHS that women’s voices are not heard, and women are not listened to.

    When it comes to men, I think the problem is often we’re more reluctant to speak up in the first place.

    One in three men have never had a conversation with a brother, father or grandfather about their health.

    The same number would prefer to suffer in silence than go to the doctor about their mental health.

    So, I think we’ve got to teach men from a young age that it’s okay to feel, to hurt, and to ask for help.

    Doing so doesn’t make you any less of a man.

    And I think that making sure this generation of young men and boys are aware of that fact is how we make them less likely to channel their emotions into anger, aggression, or depression.

    This is all why we’re doing the first ever Men’s Health Strategy.

    I announced this last year at the Emirates Stadium to coincide with Movember, alongside a large number of men’s groups and organisations, charities and men’s health ambassadors.

    It was a great event, but one of the things that came out of it on the day and since has never ceased to amaze me. And that is just how many people said thank you.

    That’s not just because as a politician, it’s rare for someone to say thank you.

    I mean, to be fair, we’ve got to give people something to be grateful about.

    But, actually, I was saying to people, look, you can thank us when we’ve done something.

    All I’ve done is say we’re going to have a strategy.

    We hadn’t even launched the call for evidence at that point.

    So I said, thank you.

    When we’ve done something, when we’ve had an impact and we’ve started to change those statistics and change things about their lives and futures.

    But actually the pushback I got was, no, actually, we’re genuinely grateful because we’ve been fighting for this for so many years and haven’t had a hearing, let alone someone being prepared to launch a call for evidence that will lead to a strategy.

    And that tells us something about the extent to which men’s health has been overlooked, and particularly men’s mental health.

    So we launched our call for evidence for the Men’s Health Strategy in April, and I was about to say, I want to ask everyone who hasn’t responded yet to do so and spread the word further.

    But actually, we have been really overwhelmed and really struck by just how positive and engaged such a large number of organisations have been.

    So, but nonetheless, we want to make sure we engage as many men, as many organisations and as many different types of men and different parts of the country from different communities as we have.

    Which is right.

    We have to look at the data and we will take an evidence-based approach.

    But as we know, statistics paint a picture to an extent but what we also need to do is understand the story that we want to tell.

    We’re talking about the experience of men and boys today and how we’re going to make it so much better, so we could do with more insight as well as data, especially from those grassroots organisations in this room and beyond, in a range of communities across the country, whether on physical health or mental health, whether we’re talking about white men or Black men, whether we’re talking about class inequality as well, which is at the heart of a lot of mental health. Any serious attempt to address mental health must confront these inequalities head on.

    So, we’ve got our work cut out for us. Doing is a lot more important than talking.

    We’ve done the easy bit, in my view.

    We’ve committed to having a strategy to making a difference and making sure that we’re proud of the impact.

    But in order to be successful, this isn’t just a challenge that government can address.

    This is about government playing its part, but working in partnership with civil society, with businesses, with all of us as citizens to try and tackle what are a wide range of challenges and problems facing men and boys.

    And that’s why this gathering is really important to me, the department and the government, because we need to do this with you rather than to you. A with this level of enthusiasm, this level of energy, we genuinely think we can do something impactful that we’ll be able to look back on for the rest of our lives with pride, knowing that we were prepared to confront the problems and the challenges head on, and make sure that boys growing up in this country today, whoever they are, whatever their background, can achieve their fullest potential and look forward to a life well lived, rather than experience the deep anxiety and despair far too many boys in our country are experiencing today.

    So thank you very much in advance.

    Updates to this page

    Published 14 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Construction of the second stage of the Novosibirsk State University campus has crossed the “equator”

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Novosibirsk State University – Novosibirsk State University –

    Construction readiness of the second stage of the campus on the basis of Novosibirsk State University (NGU) is more than 50%. This was reported by the head of the Directorate for the construction of unique objects of the Unified Customer PPC Natalia Zarubina at a press tour that took place on May 14, 2025.

    The public-law company “Single Customer in the Sphere of Construction” acts as the state customer for the work and is responsible for the implementation of the facility.

    — Unified Customer is implementing the second stage of the project. At the moment, the overall readiness of the facilities is 57%. The builders are working according to the established schedule and in 2026 we plan to put all three buildings with a total area of about 40 thousand square meters into operation. Almost three thousand students will have the opportunity to study in new modern buildings, — noted Natalia Zarubina, Head of the Directorate for the Construction of Unique Facilities of the Unified Customer PPC.

    The construction of the campus opens up broad opportunities for the creation of innovative infrastructure that will promote the development of science, technology and education.

    — The development of modern educational infrastructure, including the construction of world-class campuses, is an important area of work for the Russian Construction Complex. We are currently creating such a campus at Novosibirsk State University. The construction is being carried out by the “Single Customer in the Sphere of Construction”. Three academic buildings will be built here. The largest of them, the building for continuous classrooms, is already ready, and the delivery and installation of technological equipment is underway. The construction of two more buildings — the educational and scientific center of the Institute of Medicine and Medical Technologies and the scientific research center — is ongoing. Here, the installation of facades and roofs, internal walls and partitions, external and internal utility networks, as well as finishing work are underway. I am confident that the creation of modern and comfortable conditions for learning will help students and researchers develop Russian science, — said Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin.

    The building of flow auditoriums was put into operation back in December 2024. Four auditoriums were equipped there, one of which is designed for 400 people, the building houses a scientific library, a student project center, coworking spaces, and a conference hall. In addition, for the convenient movement of students and teachers, an overhead passage with stained glass appeared there. It connects the building with the current educational building of NSU.

    — The cohesive, well-organized work of all specialized structures headed by the regional government yields results: an educational building and a leisure center Specialized educational and scientific center of NSU, as well as the NSU dormitory complex were put into operation.

    The building of flow auditoriums has been put into operation and is preparing to receive students. This is a high-tech multifunctional space. The objects that are located here can be called unique. A scientific library with elements of artificial intelligence and a collection of more than 1 million books. Four flow auditoriums, accommodating about a thousand people, and the auditorium for 400 people will be one of the largest among Novosibirsk universities. The locations in the building will be equipped with technologies of the NSU Artificial Intelligence Center according to the “smart home” principle.

    Construction of two other second-stage campus facilities, the educational and scientific center of the Institute of Medicine and Medical Technologies and the scientific research center of NSU, is continuing at a good pace.

    The project, aimed at creating a scientific and educational environment integrated into the city, will give a completely new dynamic to the development of the university, Akademgorodok and the entire region, commented Deputy Governor of the Novosibirsk Region Irina Manuilova.

    Modern campuses often include not only study spaces, but also recreation areas, coworking spaces, and libraries. According to the university’s rector, Mikhail Fedoruk, the new buildings will have everything necessary for student learning.

    — The building of continuous auditoriums will significantly increase our educational capabilities: about 2 thousand students will be able to study here at the same time. The educational process will begin here in September 2025. The fact that the library will receive a modern building and space is also very important. The total area of the building of continuous auditoriums is about 16 thousand square meters. This is the largest building among the second stage of construction. The commissioning of new buildings will certainly give further impetus to the development of the university in both educational and scientific research, technological terms. Thus, on the basis of the research center, we will develop promising scientific and technological areas. Among them are space instrumentation, new functional materials, platform software solutions in the oil and gas sector, photonics and sensorics, biotechnology and biomedical research, synchrotron-neutron research, advanced areas of applied mathematics (artificial intelligence and big data processing), — emphasized the rector of NSU, academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences Mikhail Fedoruk.

    The campus is being implemented within the framework of the federal project “Creation of a network of modern campuses” and the national project “Youth and Children” on behalf of the President of Russia Vladimir Putin and the Government of the Russian Federation. Currently, three more world-class campuses are being built by the Unified Customer PPC in Yekaterinburg, Kaliningrad and Orel.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI: Orezone Gold Reports First Quarter 2025 Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Orezone Gold Corporation (TSX: ORE, OTCQX: ORZCF) (“Orezone” or “Company”) is pleased to report its operational and financial results for the first quarter of 2025.   All dollar amounts are in USD unless otherwise indicated and abbreviation “M” means million.

    First Quarter 2025 Highlights

    • Gold production of 28,688 oz
    • AISC per oz sold of $1,415
    • Revenue of $82.7M from the sale of 28,943 gold oz at an average realized price of $2,851 per oz
    • Adjusted EBITDA of $44.2M, Adjusted Earnings attributable to Orezone shareholders of $18.7M, and Adjusted Earnings per Share attributable to Orezone shareholders of $0.04
    • Liquidity of $130.9M at March 31, 2025 with cash of $102.0M and undrawn senior debt of $28.9M.
    • Stage 1 of the hard rock expansion reached 45% completion and remains on track for first gold in Q4-2025
    • Advancing work towards a secondary listing on the Australian Securities Exchange (“ASX”) by mid-2025

    Patrick Downey, President and CEO, commented “The first quarter of 2025 marked another consecutive quarter of positive net earnings and free cash flow, driven by our unhedged exposure to rising gold prices. Production and costs were in line with expectations with annual guidance being maintained. Cash reached a record $102 million at March 31, 2025, providing the Company with significant financial flexibility in pursuing its strategy of expanding gold production at our Bomboré Mine.

    Construction of stage 1 of the hard rock expansion made excellent progress in Q1-2025 with project completion hitting 45%. We remain firmly on track for first gold by Q4-2025 which will scale forecasted gold production to over 170,000 oz per year.

    We are also well advanced in our ASX listing application and expect that to be completed later in mid-2025. The recent equity financing was well supported by several key Australian mining funds and by our cornerstone investor, Nioko Resources Corporation, through their pro-rata participation. These financings added over $32 million to the Company’s treasury and have provided us the opportunity to study the merits of fast-tracking stage 2 of the hard rock expansion to increase annual production to over 220,000 oz and to upsize our 2025 discovery-focus drill program. The Company expects to announce a Board-approved final investment decision on stage 2 in the coming months.”

    Highlights for the First Quarter and Significant Subsequent Events

    (All mine site figures on a 100% basis)   Q1-2025 Q1-2024
    Operating Performance      
    Gold production oz 28,688 30,139
    Gold sales oz 28,943 31,229
    Average realized gold price $/oz 2,851 2,066
    Cash costs per gold ounce sold1 $/oz 1,226 1,127
    All-in sustaining costs1 (“AISC”) per gold ounce sold $/oz 1,415 1,324
    Financial Performance      
    Revenue $000’s 82,715 64,685
    Earnings from mine operations $000’s 38,563 26,882
    Net earnings attributable to shareholders of Orezone $000’s 15,979 11,697
    Net earnings per common share attributable to shareholders of Orezone      
    Basic $ 0.03 0.03
    Diluted $ 0.03 0.03
    EBITDA1 $000’s 41,182 30,329
    Adjusted EBITDA1 $000’s 44,194 25,928
    Adjusted earnings attributable to shareholders of Orezone1 $000’s 18,690 7,736
    Adjusted earnings per share attributable to shareholders of Orezone1 $ 0.04 0.02
    Cash and Cash Flow Data      
    Operating cash flow before changes in working capital $000’s 39,986 26,485
    Operating cash flow $000’s 27,704 13,637
    Free cash flow1 $000’s 3,682 2,013
    Cash, end of period $000’s 102,016 15,597

    1 Cash costs, AISC, EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted earnings, Adjusted earnings per share, and Free cash flow are non-IFRS measures. See “Non-IFRS Measures” section below for additional information.

    FIRST QUARTER HIGHLIGHTS

    • Safety Performance: Safety milestone of 20 million hours worked without a lost-time injury at the Bomboré Mine was achieved in March 2025 demonstrating the Company’s strong commitment to worker safety. In Q1-2025, 1.4M hours were worked without a lost-time injury and at a low total recordable injury frequency rate of 0.74 per million man hours. Sadly, an incident resulting in the death of one contractor employee occurred on May 8, 2025 at the hard rock expansion construction site. The Company is conducting a thorough investigation on the causes of the accident in order to further improve safety practices and procedures.
    • Improved Liquidity: Available liquidity rose to $130.9M at March 31, 2025 with $102.0M in cash and XOF 17.5 billion ($28.9M) available for drawdown on the Phase II term loan with Coris Bank International (“Coris Bank”). The Company remains well-funded to execute on its 2025 and future growth plans.   
    • Positive EBITDA, Net Earnings, and Earnings Per Share: Reported EBITDA of $41.2M, net earnings attributable to Orezone shareholders of $16.0M, and net earnings per share attributable to Orezone shareholders of $0.03 per share on a basic and diluted basis as earnings benefitted from the record rise in gold prices and unhedged gold sales in the current quarter. These earnings figures were 36%, 37%, and 5% higher, respectively, when compared against Q1-2024.
    • Free Cash Flow Generation: Generated free cash flow of $3.7M with cash flow from operating activities totalling $40.0M after deducting income taxes of $4.1M but before changes in non-cash working capital. Non-cash working capital increased by $12.3M primarily from the build-up of VAT receivables and long-term ore stockpiles. Cash flow used in investing activities totalled $24.0M reflecting a ramp-up in spending on the stage 1 of the Phase II hard rock expansion currently under construction. Strong operating cash flow funded the Company’s large capital programs and resulted in positive free cash flow for the current quarter.  
    • Stage 1 of Phase II Hard Rock Expansion – Tracking on Schedule and Budget: Project completion reached 45% at the end of Q1-2025 with total project costs at $34.3M after $19.0M was incurred in Q1-2025. The expansion continues to track towards first gold in Q4-2025 at a project budget of $90M – $95M. Once in commercial production, stage 1 of the expansion is expected to boost annual gold production of the Bomboré Mine to between 170,000 to 185,000 oz per year.
    • Debt Reduction of Phase I Financing: Principal repayments totalling XOF 3.0 billion ($4.8M) were made on the Company’s senior debt in Q1-2025. As of March 31, 2025, the principal on senior debt stood at XOF 39.5 billion ($65.2M), of which XOF 22.0 billion ($36.3M) related to Phase I.

    CORPORATE

    • Bought Deal Equity Offering: On March 13, 2025, the Company closed on a bought deal offering pursuant to which the Company issued 42,683,000 common shares at a price of C$0.82 per share for gross proceeds of C$35.0M. On March 19, 2025, the underwriter exercised its over-allotment option resulting in the Company issuing an additional 6,402,450 common shares at a price of C$0.82 per share for gross proceeds of C$5.3M. Gross proceeds from the offering totalled C$40.3M ($28.0M) with net proceeds at C$37.6M ($26.1M) after commission and other transaction costs. The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the offering towards the acceleration of stage 2 of the Phase II hard rock expansion, additional exploration, working capital, and general corporate purposes.
    • Proposed Australian Securities Exchange (“ASX”) Listing: The Company intends to pursue a secondary listing on the ASX by mid-2025, subject to market conditions and the satisfaction of ASX listing requirements as announced in its February 23, 2025 press release. The Company believes an ASX listing will improve its market trading liquidity, offer an opportunity to grow the Company’s shareholder base and research coverage, and provide a pathway for future index inclusion. Work with legal advisors and technical consultants on the ASX listing application continued to progress in Q1-2025.

    SUBSEQUENT EVENTS

    • Private placement with Nioko Resources Corporation (“Nioko”): On April 2, 2025, the Company closed a non-brokered private placement with Nioko for 10,719,659 common shares at a price of C$0.82 per share for gross proceeds of C$8.8M ($6.1M) in order to maintain its pro-rata share ownership in the Company.

    2025 GUIDANCE FOR BOMBORÉ MINE

    Bomboré Mine (100% basis) Unit FY2025 Guidance Q1-2025 Actuals
    Gold production Au oz 115,000 – 130,000 28,688
    All-In Sustaining Costs123 $/oz Au sold $1,400 – $1,500 $1,415
    Sustaining Capital12 $M $9 – $10 $3.2
    Growth capital (excluding Phase II Expansion) 12 $M $44 – $51 $7.7
    Growth capital – Stage 1 of Phase II Expansion12 $M $75 – $80 $19.0
    1. Non-IFRS measure. See “Non-IFRS Measures” section below for additional information.
    2. Foreign exchange rates used to forecast cost metrics include XOF/USD of 600 and CAD/USD of 1.35.
    3. Government royalties included in AISC guidance based on an assumed gold price of $2,600 per oz.

    Growth capital is expected to range between $119M to $131M on four major growth projects:

    No. Growth Capital Description Unit FY2025 Guidance Q1-2025 Actuals
    I Phase II Hardrock Expansion – Stage 1 $M $75 – $80 $19.0
    II Permanent Back-up Diesel Power Plant $M $22 – $24 $4.8
    III TSF Footprint Expansion – Cell 2 $M $11 – $13 $1.3
    IV Resettlement Action Plan (“RAP”) $M $11 – $14 $1.6
      Growth Capital Total $M $119 – $131 $26.7
             
      Phase II Hard Rock Expansion – Stage 2 $M No guidance provided –

    The Company has reserved guidance on 2025 expenditures for stage 2 of the Phase II hard rock expansion until the Company’s Board of Directors has issued a final investment decision to proceed with stage 2 expected later this year. Stage 2 would increase annual gold production to 220,000 – 250,000 oz.

    OPERATING HIGHLIGHTS

    Bomboré Mine, Burkina Faso (100% basis)   Q1-2025   Q1-2024
    Safety      
    Lost-time injuries frequency rate Per 1M hours 0.00   0.00
    Personnel-hours worked 000’s hours 1,357   1,410
    Mining Physicals      
    Ore tonnes mined tonnes 2,114,543   2,402,533
    Waste tonnes mined tonnes 4,018,182   3,123,099
    Total tonnes mined tonnes 6,132,725   5,525,631
    Strip ratio waste:ore 1.90   1.30
    Processing Physicals      
    Ore tonnes milled tonnes 1,511,303   1,355,619
    Head grade milled Au g/t 0.67   0.78
    Recovery rate % 87.9   89.0
    Gold produced Au oz 28,688   30,139
    Unit Cash Cost      
    Mining cost per tonne $/tonne 2.81   3.48
    Mining cost per ore tonne processed $/tonne 8.06   8.02
    Processing cost $/tonne 7.80   9.24
    Site general and admin (“G&A”) cost $/tonne 3.78   3.79
    Cash cost per ore tonne processed $/tonne 19.64   21.05
    Cash Costs and AISC Details      
    Mining cost (net of stockpile movements) $000’s 12,176   10,867
    Processing cost $000’s 11,782   12,520
    Site G&A cost $000’s 5,718   5,134
    Refining and transport cost $000’s 166   117
    Government royalty cost $000’s 6,602   5,132
    Gold inventory movements $000’s (951 ) 1,416
    Cash costs1on a sales basis $000’s 35,493   35,186
    Sustaining capital $000’s 3,199   4,018
    Sustaining leases $000’s 73   73
    Corporate G&A $000’s 2,182   2,069
    All-In Sustaining Costs1on a sales basis $000’s 40,947   41,346
    Gold sold Au oz 28,943   31,229
    Cash costs per gold ounce sold1 $/oz 1,226   1,127
    All-In Sustaining Costs per gold ounce sold1 $/oz 1,415   1,324

    1 Non-IFRS measure. See “Non-IFRS Measures” section below for additional details.

    BOMBORÉ PRODUCTION RESULTS

    Q1-2025 vs Q1-2024

    Gold production in Q1-2025 was 28,688 oz, a decrease of 5% from the 30,139 oz produced in Q1-2024. The lower gold production is attributable to a 14% decrease in head grades and 1% decrease in recovery rates partially offset by a 11% increase in plant throughput.

    Plant throughput of 1.51M tonnes in Q1-2025 continues to exceed nameplate design by 16% and was 11% higher than Q1-2024 as plant operating hours in Q1-2024 were reduced from the commissioning of grid power to site, a ball mill reline, and grid power interruptions. Hourly plant throughput was successfully improved starting in July 2024 by increasing the mill power draw and reducing residence time in the CIL circuit with only a minor loss in recovery. This higher hourly throughput has been maintained into 2025.

    The better head grades in Q1-2024 were from the sequencing of higher-grade pits in earlier periods of the mine plan and the preferential stockpiling of lower-grade ore mined.

    BOMBORÉ OPERATING COSTS

    Q1-2025 vs Q1-2024

    AISC per gold oz sold in Q1-2025 was $1,415, a 7% increase from $1,324 per oz sold in Q1-2024. The higher AISC is primarily the result of: (a) lower head grades and (b) greater per oz royalty costs from a 38% increase in the realized gold price ($2,851/oz vs $2,066/oz). This cost increase was partially offset by a reduction in power costs from the switch to lower-cost grid power in February 2024 and from a 11% increase in plant throughput resulting in economies for fixed costs. Grid utilization in Q1-2025 stood at 76%, a drop from 92% recorded in the second half of 2024, as site experienced higher occurrences of power dips from the national grid in Q1-2025, necessitating the use of back-up diesel gensets for longer periods. To avoid uncontrolled plant stoppages, Bomboré transferred power back to the grid only when stable.

    Cash cost per ore tonne processed in Q1-2025 was $19.64 per tonne, a decrease of 7% from $21.05 per tonne in Q1-2024, mainly as a result of a reduction in processing costs ($7.80/tonne vs $9.24/tonne) from the use of lower-cost grid power throughout Q1-2025 compared with only partial use in Q1-2024 as the connection to the national grid was not energized until February 2024.

    Mining cost per tonne has decreased in Q1-2025 when compared to Q1-2024 ($2.81/tonne vs $3.48/tonne) due to the greater proportion of material coming from the Siga pits which commenced mining in July 2024 resulting in less transition material and lower volume of drill-and-blast prior to excavation as softer oxide ore are mined in the upper benches of these new pits, and a shorter haul profile in comparison to ore mined from the A pits in Q1-2024. Mining unit costs in Q1-2025 also benefitted from less grade control drilling at a lower meterage cost as drilling in Q1-2024 was conducted using rented drills prior to the deployment of two new owner drills in the second half of 2024. However, the 19% decrease in unit mining cost was offset by a 46% jump in the strip ratio (1.90 vs 1.30).

    BOMBORÉ GROWTH CAPITAL PROJECTS

    Phase II Hard Rock Expansion

    First gold remains on schedule and costs are trending in line with budget. The concentrated scope of this expansion when compared to a greenfield project significantly reduces schedule and budget risks with start-up to benefit from the well-established mining, processing, and maintenance teams already on site.

    Construction of stage 1 of the Phase II hard rock expansion was officially approved by the Company’s Board in July 2024. Lycopodium Minerals Canada Ltd. was awarded the engineering and procurement contract and was chosen for their successful track record of designing and constructing numerous gold plants in West Africa, including the Company’s oxide plant which has consistently operated above nameplate design since start-up.

    Progress and milestones achieved in Q1-2025 include:

    • Project completion reached 45%, slightly ahead of schedule.
    • Engineering and drafting progress stood at 85%, ahead of the 73% planned.
    • Procurement is essentially complete with all equipment and materials ordered except for top-ups of remaining bulks such as cabling which will be placed once final quantities are determined. Order deliveries are advancing with CIL tank platework and major SAG mill components already received at site.
    • Concrete volume poured of 2,326 m3 (44% of estimated total) including SAG mill footings and start of jaw crusher wing walls.
    • Mobilization of structural/mechanical/piping (“SMP”) contractor to site including set-up of construction camp.
    • Installation of bottom plates on the 5 CIL tanks with first set of strakes on the first 4 tanks in progress.
    • Operational readiness activities have commenced with safety and recruitment plans under preparation.

    All major site installation contracts (concrete, SMP, electrical and instrumentation, and mill installation) have been signed with awards to the same contractors that successfully delivered on the Phase I oxide construction.

    As of March 31, 2025, the Company has incurred $34.3M in costs to-date against the project budget, of which $19.0M was incurred in Q1-2025.

    Permanent Back-Up Diesel Power Plant

    The installation of the standby power plant remains on track for final commissioning in October 2025. Layouts and drawings are finalized and purchase orders on all key equipment have been placed. At site, civil works are underway including initial concrete pours for the structural footings of the engine hall.

    The 18 Caterpillar diesel gensets have been packed for shipment and is currently awaiting export clearance prior to organizing transport to site.

    As of March 31, 2025, the Company has incurred $4.8M against the project budget.

    RAP Phases II and III

    BV2 resettlement site construction commenced in Q4-2024 and is divided into two distinct communities: BV2 Peuhl and BV2 Mossi. BV2 Peuhl construction and relocation was completed in Q1-2025 allowing for construction activities at BV2 Mossi to commence in the same quarter. Compensation payments to affected residents for loss of land, crops, trees, and private structures commenced in March 2025 with majority of payments expected to be completed in Q2-2025.

    As of March 31, 2025, the Company has incurred $1.6M in RAP costs for 2025.

    TSF Footprint Expansion – Cell 2

    Bush clearing and topsoil relocation of the Cell 2 basin was completed while placement and compaction of mining waste material on the eastern embankments of Cell 2 commenced in Q1-2025.

    As of March 31, 2025, the Company has incurred $1.3M in costs for 2025.

    NON-IFRS MEASURES

    The Company has included certain terms or performance measures commonly used in the mining industry that is not defined under IFRS, including “cash costs”, “AISC”, “EBITDA”, “adjusted EBITDA”, “adjusted earnings”, “adjusted earnings per share”, and “free cash flow”. Non-IFRS measures do not have any standardized meaning prescribed under IFRS, and therefore, they may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other companies. The Company uses such measures to provide additional information and they should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with IFRS. For a complete description of how the Company calculates such measures and reconciliation of certain measures to IFRS terms, refer to “Non-IFRS Measures” in the Management’s Discussion and Analysis for the three months ended March 31, 2025 which is incorporated by reference herein.

    CONFERENCE CALL AND WEBCAST

    The condensed interim consolidated financial statements and Management’s Discussion and Analysis are available at www.orezone.com and on the Company’s profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. Orezone will host a conference call and audio webcast to discuss its first quarter 2025 results on May 14, 2025:

    Webcast
    Date:    Wednesday, May 14, 2025
    Time:    8:00 am Pacific time (11:00 am Eastern time)
    Please register for the webcast here:  Orezone Q1-2025 Conference Call and Webcast

    Conference Call
    Toll-free in U.S. and Canada: 1-800-715-9871
    International callers: +646-307-1963
    Event ID: 3969133

    QUALIFIED PERSONS

    The scientific and technical information in this news release was reviewed and approved by Mr. Rob Henderson, P. Eng, Vice-President of Technical Services and Mr. Dale Tweed, P. Eng., Vice-President of Engineering, both of whom are Qualified Persons as defined under NI 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

    ABOUT OREZONE GOLD CORPORATION

    Orezone Gold Corporation (TSX: ORE OTCQX: ORZCF) is a West African gold producer engaged in mining, developing, and exploring its 90%-owned flagship Bomboré Gold Mine in Burkina Faso. The Bomboré mine achieved commercial production on its oxide operations on December 1, 2022, and is now focussed on its staged hard rock expansion that is expected to materially increase annual and life-of-mine gold production from the processing of hard rock mineral reserves. Orezone is led by an experienced team focused on social responsibility and sustainability with a proven track record in project construction and operations, financings, capital markets, and M&A.  

    The technical report entitled Bomboré Phase II Expansion, Definitive Feasibility Study is available on SEDAR+ and the Company’s website.

    Patrick Downey
    President and Chief Executive Officer

    Kevin MacKenzie
    Vice President, Corporate Development and Investor Relations

    Tel: 1 778 945 8977 / Toll Free: 1 888 673 0663
    info@orezone.com / www.orezone.com

    For further information please contact Orezone at +1 (778) 945-8977 or visit the Company’s website at www.orezone.com.

    The Toronto Stock Exchange neither approves nor disapproves the information contained in this news release.

    Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release contains certain information that constitutes “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable Canadian Securities laws and “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of applicable U.S. securities laws (together, “forward-looking statements”). Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as “plan”, “expect”, “project”, “intend”, “believe”, “anticipate”, “estimate”, “potential”, “possible” and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions “may”, “will”, “could”, or “should” occur, and include, amongst other statements, the Phase II hard rock expansion will increase annual gold production and is expected to pour first gold in Q4-2025.

    All forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements including, but not limited to, terrorist or other violent attacks, the failure of parties to contracts to honour contractual commitments, unexpected changes in laws, rules or regulations, or their enforcement by applicable authorities; social or labour unrest; changes in commodity prices; unexpected failure or inadequacy of infrastructure, the possibility of project cost overruns or unanticipated costs and expenses, accidents and equipment breakdowns, political risk, unanticipated changes in key management personnel, the spread of diseases, epidemics and pandemics diseases, market or business conditions, the failure of exploration programs, including drilling programs, to deliver anticipated results and the failure of ongoing and uncertainties relating to the availability and costs of financing needed in the future, and other factors described in the Company’s most recent annual information form and management’s discussion and analysis filed on SEDAR+ on www.sedarplus.ca. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

    Forward-looking statements are based on the applicable assumptions and factors management considers reasonable as of the date hereof, based on the information available to management at such time. These assumptions and factors include, but are not limited to, assumptions and factors related to the Company’s ability to carry on current and future operations, including: development and exploration activities; the timing, extent, duration and economic viability of such operations, including any mineral resources or reserves identified thereby; the accuracy and reliability of estimates, projections, forecasts, studies and assessments; the Company’s ability to meet or achieve estimates, projections and forecasts; the availability and cost of inputs; the price and market for outputs, including gold; foreign exchange rates; taxation levels; the timely receipt of necessary approvals or permits; the ability to meet current and future obligations; the ability to obtain timely financing on reasonable terms when required; the current and future social, economic and political conditions; and other assumptions and factors generally associated with the mining industry.

    Although the forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based upon what management of the Company believes are reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure investors that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release and are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. Subject to applicable securities laws, the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of this press release.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Red Cat Expands Maritime Domain Capabilities with Battle-Tested Unmanned Surface Vessels

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, May 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Red Cat Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: RCAT) (“Red Cat”), a leading provider of drone technology for military, government, and commercial operations, today announced the expansion of its multi-domain Family of Systems with a new line of Unmanned Surface Vessels (USVs). This strategic move marks Red Cat’s official entry into the rapidly evolving maritime autonomy market and reinforces its position as a provider of comprehensive, interoperable unmanned systems for air, land, and sea operations.

    Meeting the Demands of Modern Conflict

    Red Cat’s entry into the maritime domain builds on existing inroads, including a partnership with Ocean Power Technologies to integrate its aerial drones with autonomous maritime platforms. Red Cat’s own line of kinetic-capable USVs marks a significant step forward. The decision is a direct response to rising geopolitical tensions and a shift in U.S. defense priorities toward re-asserting American maritime dominance globally. Red Cat is well positioned to deliver American-manufactured solutions that address these urgent operational needs of the U.S. and allied naval forces.

    “This is a pivotal moment for Red Cat as we evolve from an aerial-first drone company into a true multi-domain defense provider,” said Jeff Thompson, Red Cat CEO. “This expansion into maritime platforms opens significant opportunities in a fast-growing and urgently needed defense sector. As the U.S. and its allies confront rising maritime threats, particularly in the Indo-Pacific, there’s a clear demand for powerful, proven, and scalable USVs made in America. With these USVs, we’re helping to shape the future of autonomous warfare and strengthening the foundation of U.S. defense manufacturing.”

    Introducing Red Cat’s New Line of USVs

    Red Cat is bringing its line of USVs to market in partnership with a leading global manufacturer of USVs. The system is tested daily in actual combat and designed to operate either autonomously or in manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T) configurations. The technology already has 10,000+ hours of operating time in live combat missions. Moving into production will accelerate Red Cat’s roadmap for USVs that integrate seamlessly with its existing family of ISR and unmanned aerial systems, supporting multi-domain and swarming operations.

    “This system has been used day in and day out in the current conflict, accumulating tens of thousands of hours in real combat operations and achieving dozens of successful kinetic engagements against enemy assets, more than any navy since World War II,” Thompson stated. “By partnering with a company that has extensive proven experience and is well beyond the proof-of-concept stage, we gain a substantial competitive advantage as we enter this market.”

    Red Cat is preparing to start production in Q3 of a seven-meter Expeditionary Multi-Role Craft developed to meet the demands of high-speed, long-range, kinetic maritime operations. It is built for larger payloads, extended endurance, and increased firepower. The version has enhanced range, payload capacity, and mission flexibility making it ideal for deep-strike missions, anti-ship warfare, and coastal interdiction in contested zones.

    Leaders in Ship Building and Marine Innovation

    Red Cat has assembled an elite team of master boatbuilders, drawing from industry leaders with centuries of collective experience. Renowned for pioneering advanced jet propulsion systems and crafting superior, American-made hulls, our team brings unmatched expertise to every vessel. Boatbuilding at scale demands profound knowledge and precision—qualities our proven professionals deliver with decades of hands-on experience, ensuring excellence in every detail.

    For more information about Red Cat’s mission and its line of Unmanned Surface Vessels visit www.redcat.red/USV.

    About Red Cat Holdings, Inc.

    Red Cat (Nasdaq: RCAT) is a drone technology company integrating robotic hardware and software for military, government, and commercial operations. Through two wholly owned subsidiaries, Teal Drones and FlightWave Aerospace, Red Cat has developed a leading-edge Family of Systems. This includes the flagship Black Widow™, a small unmanned ISR system that was awarded the U.S. Army’s Short Range Reconnaissance (SRR) Program of Record contract. The Family of Systems also includes TRICHON™, a fixed wing VTOL for extended endurance and range, and FANG™, the industry’s first line of NDAA compliant FPV drones optimized for military operations with precision strike capabilities. Learn more at www.redcat.red.

    Forward Looking Statements

    This press release contains “forward-looking statements” that are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, contained in this press release are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release may be identified by the use of words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “contemplate,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “seek,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “target,” “aim,” “should,” “will” “would,” or the negative of these words or other similar expressions, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. Forward-looking statements are based on Red Cat Holdings, Inc.’s current expectations and are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Further, certain forward-looking statements are based on assumptions as to future events that may not prove to be accurate. These and other risks and uncertainties are described more fully in the section titled “Risk Factors” in the Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 27, 2023. Forward-looking statements contained in this announcement are made as of this date, and Red Cat Holdings, Inc. undertakes no duty to update such information except as required under applicable law.

    Contact:

    INVESTORS:

    E-mail: Investors@redcat.red

    NEWS MEDIA:

    Phone: (347) 880-2895
    Email: peter@indicatemedia.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Descartes’ Annual Ecommerce Study Shows Younger Consumers Driving Online Buying Growth – but 79% Have Experienced Delivery Problems

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LONDON and ATLANTA, May 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Descartes Systems Group (Nasdaq:DSGX) (TSX:DSG), the global leader in uniting logistics-intensive businesses in commerce, released findings from How Smarter Home Delivery Wins Younger Consumers as Online Buying Slows, its fourth annual consumer sentiment study of ecommerce home delivery. The study shows that, in a slower growing ecommerce market, consumers aged 18-35 (“under 35s”) are the biggest contributor to online growth, increasing both the volume and frequency of their purchases over the last 12 months compared to the prior year. While 18% of overall consumers surveyed cut back on purchases during this period, 43% of under 35s increased their spending year-on-year compared to just 32% of over 65s (see Figure 1).

    Figure 1. Changes in online purchasing behavior

    In addition, this year’s survey found that 44% of under 35s made online purchases at least every two weeks—a significant jump over last year’s 33%. For the younger demographic, however, their levels of dissatisfaction with home delivery remain high with a significant 79% reportedly experiencing delivery problems compared to 66% of overall consumers surveyed.

    Moreover, for each delivery problem detailed in the survey, under 35s reported a higher percentage of negative experiences than overall respondents (see Figure 2). Conversely, over 65s reported a lower percentage of negative experiences than all respondents. Not only is the younger demographic the cohort driving growth in online purchasing, it also appears to be the group with the highest expectations for positive delivery experiences.

    Figure 2. Issues with home deliveries

    “The bottom-line impact of negative delivery experiences remains a pressing concern for retailers and their delivery partners, especially with the pace of ecommerce growth steadying post-pandemic,” said Mavi Silveira, SVP Global Marketing at Descartes. “While small improvements in home delivery performance have been made over the past few years, they’re not currently reflecting the quality experience consumers are demanding, especially the valuable under 35 cohort, as poor delivery experiences risks the potential lifetime customer value of this demographic.”

    Descartes and SAPIO Research surveyed 8,000 consumers in Europe and North America on their ecommerce buying behavior during the first three months of 2025. The goal was to gain a comprehensive view of the state of ecommerce and home delivery performance by understanding, for example, the reasons for increases or decreases in ecommerce purchases, the different types of goods purchased, the frequency of purchases, delivery preferences, delivery experiences and the impact of delivery failures on retailers and their delivery agents. The study also examines how consumer behaviors and perceptions vary across demographics. For the full report, read How Smarter Home Delivery Wins Younger Consumers as Online Buying Slows.

    Learn more about Descartes’ Home Delivery Solutions and its Ecommerce Shipping & Fulfillment Solutions.

    About Descartes

    Descartes (Nasdaq:DSGX) (TSX:DSG) is the global leader in providing on-demand, software-as-a-service solutions focused on improving the productivity, security and sustainability of logistics-intensive businesses. Customers use our modular, software-as-a-service solutions to route, track and help improve the safety, performance and compliance of delivery resources; plan, allocate and execute shipments; rate, audit and pay transportation invoices; access global trade data; file customs and security documents for imports and exports; and complete numerous other logistics processes by participating in the world’s largest, collaborative multimodal logistics community. Our headquarters are in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada and we have offices and partners around the world. Learn more at www.descartes.com, and connect with us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

    Global Media Contact
    Cara Strohack                                                                     
    Tel: 226-750-8050                                 
    cstrohack@descartes.com  

    Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

    This release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws (“forward-looking statements”) that relate to Descartes’ home delivery solution offerings and potential benefits derived therefrom; and other matters. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements or developments expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to, the factors and assumptions discussed in the section entitled, “Certain Factors That May Affect Future Results” in documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Ontario Securities Commission and other securities commissions across Canada including Descartes’ most recently filed management’s discussion and analysis. If any such risks actually occur, they could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations. In that case, the trading price of our common shares could decline, perhaps materially. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. Forward-looking statements are provided for the purposes of providing information about management’s current expectations and plans relating to the future. Readers are cautioned that such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. We do not undertake or accept any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect any change in our expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based, except as required by law.

    Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/77f81b2d-ddd8-48b8-974d-26698f3133a0

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/60a47827-611b-41e9-b7c0-eba8ee5e3956

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Calian Acquires Advanced Medical Solutions to Expand and Improve Healthcare in Canada’s North

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    OTTAWA, Ontario, May 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Calian Group Ltd. (TSX: CGY), a trusted provider of mission-critical solutions for defence, space and healthcare announced today it has acquired Advanced Medical Solutions (AMS), a leading provider of remote and emergency healthcare services in Northern Canada. The acquisition is effective immediately.

    About AMS

    Headquartered in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories (NWT), AMS is a Canadian-owned company that specializes in the delivery of 24/7/365 operational and medical support across Canada’s northern regions, including the NWT, Yukon, Nunavut and parts of Canada’s northern provinces. Founded in 1995, the company employs over 300 frontline medical personnel who deliver well-rounded, full-spectrum healthcare services through six distinct divisions and in partnership with over fifteen indigenous populations. In addition, AMS is the exclusive provider of air ambulance, emergency medical evacuation and repatriation flights throughout the NWT for patients and high-risk industrial worksites conducting over 2,000 air and ground missions annually.

    “AMS is a deeply rooted, well-respected and critical provider of healthcare in Canada’s northern communities, with a dedicated team and strong relationships in the communities they serve,” said Kevin Ford, CEO of Calian. “By bringing together two complementary healthcare companies, we will combine our expertise, reach, innovation and passion for delivering high-quality healthcare. Together, we are stronger and better positioned to address Canada’s northern healthcare access challenges while aligning with our country’s strategy and upcoming federal investments in the Arctic region.”

    The Partnership and Strengthening Northern Healthcare

    As the pioneer of northern industrial medicine, AMS brings a strong foundation of industrial customers across mining, energy and emergency services. The acquisition enhances Calian’s ability to deliver integrated healthcare solutions across a broader geography, increase its service offerings and diversify Calian’s customer base. AMS also brings long-standing partnerships with Indigenous communities—an area where Calian remains committed to building deeper engagement, trust and culturally respectful care.

    “This partnership will support the expansion and continuity of care in some of Canada’s most resilient and underserved communities,” said Derek Clark, President, Health, Calian. “We recognize that Canada’s North faces unique challenges, and with this acquisition, we can combine AMS’s paramedical and industrial expertise with Calian’s extensive capabilities in health service delivery and digital health, enabling improved operational performance and a full continuum of care – from first response to ongoing care management.”

    Like Calian, AMS has been built on strong values, community and prioritizing a workplace that fosters growth, development and impact to make a difference in the communities it serves.

    “We are excited to join a Canadian company that shares our commitment to excellence, people and community,” said Sean Ivens, President and CEO, AMS. “Through this transition we will continue to deliver the high-quality care our partners and communities expect, while gaining additional resources and capabilities to innovate and grow for the future of northern healthcare.”

    Next Steps in the Integration

    AMS will operate as Advanced Medical Solutions, a Calian Company, during an initial transition period. The legal entity will transition to Calian Advanced Medical Solutions Ltd. within twelve months. Calian is committed to ensuring continuity of services and strengthening existing community partnerships and supporting AMS employees through a thoughtful integration process.

    “We are committed to working closely with Indigenous partners and communities, healthcare agencies and Northern governments to ensure a respectful transition that benefits all,” added Clark. “This is a long-term investment in the people, services and health system of Canada’s North.”

    The acquisition aligns with Calian’s broader strategic growth priorities and the direction of the Canadian government. In 2022, the government announced a commitment of over $38 billion to modernize NORAD and in 2024 built on this commitment with their plan, Our North, Strong and Free: A Renewed Vision for Canada’s Defence. Calian’s strengthened presence in the North positions the company to support national priorities while expanding opportunities across multiple sectors including space and defence.

    About Calian

    www.calian.com

    We keep the world moving forward. Calian® helps people communicate, innovate, learn and lead safe and healthy lives. Every day, our employees live our values of customer commitment, integrity, innovation, respect and teamwork to engineer reliable solutions that solve complex challenges. That’s Confidence. Engineered. A stable and growing 40-year company, we are headquartered in Ottawa with offices and projects spanning North American, European and international markets. Visit calian.com to learn about innovative healthcare, communications, learning and cybersecurity solutions.

    Product or service names mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

    Media inquiries:

    media@calian.com

    613-599-8600

    Investor Relations inquiries:

    ir@calian.com

    DISCLAIMER

    Certain information included in this press release is forward-looking and is subject to important risks and uncertainties. The results or events predicted in these statements may differ materially from actual results or events. Such statements are generally accompanied by words such as “intend”, “anticipate”, “believe”, “estimate”, “expect” or similar statements. Factors which could cause results or events to differ from current expectations include, among other things: the impact of price competition; scarce number of qualified professionals; the impact of rapid technological and market change; loss of business or credit risk with major customers; technical risks on fixed price projects; general industry and market conditions and growth rates; international growth and global economic conditions, and including currency exchange rate fluctuations; and the impact of consolidations in the business services industry. For additional information with respect to certain of these and other factors, please see the Company’s most recent annual report and other reports filed by Calian with the Ontario Securities Commission. Calian disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. No assurance can be given that actual results, performance or achievement expressed in, or implied by, forward-looking statements within this disclosure will occur, or if they do, that any benefits may be derived from them.

    Calian · Head Office · 770 Palladium Drive · Ottawa · Ontario · Canada · K2V 1C8
    Tel: 613.599.8600 · Fax: 613-592-3664 · General info email: info@calian.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Quinvexcaptial.com: BaFin warns consumers about Quinvex Capital

    Source: Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht – In English

    The financial supervisory authority BaFin warns offers from Quinvex Capital. According to Their findings, the company, which also operates under the name Quinvex Capital GmbH, offers share recommendations and so-called day trading via various WhatsApp groups using alleged institutional accounts in an app. The unknown operators maintain another website at www.quinvexcapital.net. Contrary to its own claims, Quinvex Capital is not supervised by BaFin. According to the current status of the investigation, there is also no connection with Quinvex Capital, Denver, Colorado, USA.

    Anyone providing financial or investment services in Germany may do so only with authorisation from BaFin. However, some companies offer these services without the necessary authorisation.

    The information provided by BaFin is based on section 37 (4) of the German Banking Act (Kreditwesengesetz – KWG).

    Please be aware:

    BaFin urges caution against stock recommendations in WhatsApp groups.

    In the ‘Recognising financial fraud’ section, you will find the latest warnings from BaFin about unauthorised companies and find out how you can protect yourself from further scams on the financial market.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Trahan Brings Haverhill Voice to the Fight for Medicaid during Energy and Commerce Reconciliation Markup

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Lori Trahan (D-MA-03)

    WASHINGTON, DC – During today’s House Energy and Commerce Committee markup on reconciliation legislation, Congresswoman Lori Trahan (MA-03) forcefully opposed proposed House Republicans’ Medicaid cuts by highlighting the devastating impact they would have on people with disabilities. She shared the story of Philip, a Haverhill resident whose independence and daily care depend on Medicaid-funded programs.
    “Philip and millions of Americans across our country like him are not fat to be trimmed or waste to be rooted out by politicians in Washington. They’re hardworking Americans trying to live their lives with dignity and make their communities better,” said Congresswoman Trahan. “They’re our constituents. They need you to vote no on this bill. They need you to stand up to Donald Trump and protect Medicaid. Protect the independence of Americans with disabilities. And if you can’t do that – at least have the courage to look at the American people, people like Philip, in the eyes while you take it all away.”
    CLICK HERE or the image below to view Trahan’s remarks during the Committee’s consideration of reconciliation legislation. A transcript is embedded below.

    “For individuals like my son Philip, Medicaid is a lifeline. If funding is cut, it will devastate his life and the lives of many others who depend on these essential services. Medicaid funds the programs that allow Philip to engage in meaningful activities, such as volunteering with Meals on Wheels, helping to train service dogs, or caring for guinea pigs at the Guinea Pig Sanctuary. These programs give him the chance to contribute to society in ways that are vital for his sense of purpose and independence. Without Medicaid, these programs could disappear, and Philip would lose the opportunity to continue making a difference,” said Philip’s mother, Anne. “If Medicaid cuts happen, it won’t just impact Philip. Organizations like The Arc, which offer vital extracurricular activities such as dances, bowling, and other community events, would face significant cuts. These programs are essential for people with disabilities, providing opportunities for social interaction, independence, and personal growth – opportunities they could lose if Medicaid funding is reduced. I urge you not to dismiss this as a non-issue, because no one can guarantee that the disability community will be unaffected by Medicaid cuts. The reality is that these cuts will harm people with disabilities – including my son.”
    The House Energy and Commerce Committee is currently marking up House Republicans’ reconciliation package that, according to the Congressional Budget Office, would cut $715 billion from Medicaid and eliminate health coverage for at least 13.7 million Americans. The bill would also implement burdensome paperwork requirements that jeopardize Medicaid coverage for 954,000 Massachusetts residents, nearly half of all MassHealth enrollees in the Commonwealth, and impact another 392,790 individuals who receive coverage thanks to the expansion of the Affordable Care Act.
    ——————————————–
    Congresswoman Lori Trahan
    Remarks As Delivered
    House Energy and Commerce Committee Reconciliation Markup
    May 13, 2025
    It may be easy to sit here in Washington without having to face the people who will feel the impact of a bill that will strip millions of Americans of their health coverage – easy because you don’t have to look them in the eyes or hear their stories.
    Let’s open the doors and allow the American people who have stood in line fill the open seats, first and foremost. In the meantime, let me share just one story from my district. 
    This is a photo of Philip, a resident of Haverhill, Massachusetts. Philip has a disability, but that hasn’t stopped him from giving back – whether volunteering with Meals on Wheels, training service dogs, or caring for animals at a sanctuary. He does all this because of Medicaid. 
    Medicaid funds the programs that help Philip gain skills, stay engaged, and remain independent. Medicaid isn’t just a health care program – it’s a foundation for independence for people with disabilities like Philip, who want to live their lives with dignity.
    In Philip’s case, Medicaid funds Opportunity Works and Community Works, a program that helps folks build job skills, engage in volunteer work, and participate meaningfully in society. These initiatives don’t just keep Philip busy – they give him purpose. They help him grow, contribute to, and connect with his community.
    But here’s why I’m telling Philip’s story. This bill – this “big, beautiful bill” as Donald Trump has described it – will slash the federal Medicaid funding that Philip’s program depends on.
    And I know my Republican colleagues will say that states should make up for it – but they know that’s not possible. They know that when funds are cut, it’s initiatives like these that are always first on the chopping block.
    So what then happens to Philip? He loses a lot more than a routine. He loses access to his community, his sense of contribution, his independence.
    Mr. Chairman, Philip and millions of Americans across our country like him are not fat to be trimmed or waste to be rooted out by disingenuous politicians in Washington. They’re hardworking Americans trying to live their lives with dignity and make their communities better. They’re our constituents. They need you to vote no on this bill. They need you to protect Medicaid.
    Protect the independence of Americans with disabilities. And if you can’t do that – at least have the courage to look at the American people, people like Philip, in the eyes while you take it all away.
    I yield back.
    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Trahan Demands Release of Federal Funds for LowelFolk Festival & Merrimack Repertory Theatre

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Lori Trahan (D-MA-03)

    LOWELL, MA – Today, Congresswoman Lori Trahan (MA-03) requested the immediate reversal of the National Endowment for the Arts’ (NEA) decision to revoke federal grant funding for the Lowell Festival Foundation, which organizes the Lowell Folk Festival, and the Merrimack Repertory Theatre (MRT).
    “Together, the Lowell Folk Festival and MRT represent the heart of the arts in the Third District. They showcase local musicians, actors, and artists while providing residents with meaningful opportunities to engage with culture and creativity. Their loss would be a profound setback for our community,” said Congresswoman Trahan.
    Last week, the NEA notified local arts and culture organizations across the nation that their federal grants had been withdrawn. The Lowell Folk Foundation and MRT were both impacted, losing $20,000 in federal grant funding each. In her letter sent to Mary Anne Carter, who currently serves as Senior Advisor and was recently nominated by President Donald Trump to fill the vacant Chair position, Trahan pointed to the importance of both the festival and the theatre to local residents, the art community, and the region’s economy.
    “The Lowell Folk Festival, organized by the Lowell Festival Foundation, is the longest-running and second largest free folk festival in the nation. For more than 40 years, with the exception of a pause during the COVID- 19 pandemic, it has been a cornerstone of the region’s cultural and economic vitality. Drawing over 150,000 attendees annually from across the country, the festival generates approximately $7 million in local economic activity each year, boosting patronage at restaurants, hotels, and institutions such as the Lowell National Historical Park,” Congresswoman Trahan wrote in the letter.
    “The Merrimack Repertory Theatre (MRT) is equally essential to the cultural fabric of the Merrimack Valley. Over the past four decades, MRT has served more than two million residents, producing seven plays annually – many of them original or world premieres. Beyond its artistic achievements, MRT is a champion for arts education, providing thousands of young people with access to theater, whether through discounted matinees or immersive youth productions with professional-level staging,” Congresswoman Trahan continued.
    Trahan has long been a supporter of both the festival and MRT. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she secured $416,949 for the Lowell Festival Foundation and $544,686 for MRT to ensure they were able to resume operations. The funding came from the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG) program, which was created when Trahan voted to pass the Economic Aid to Hard-Hit Small Businesses, Nonprofits, and Venues Act, and supplemented later by the American Rescue Plan Act.
    A copy of the letter sent today can be accessed HERE.
    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Trahan, Fitzpatrick Unveil Bipartisan Caring for Our Seniors Act to Expand Affordable Assisted Living and Rebuild the Long-Term Care Workforce

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Lori Trahan (D-MA-03)

    WASHINGTON, DC — Today, U.S. Representatives Lori Trahan (MA-03) and Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01) introduced the Caring for Our Seniors Act, bipartisan legislation designed to tackle two urgent challenges: the skyrocketing cost of senior care and the growing shortage of long-term care workers.
    “For millions of seniors, assisted living isn’t a luxury – it’s a lifeline. But rising costs are putting that care out of reach, leaving families with nowhere to turn and caregivers stretched to their limits,” said Congresswoman Trahan. “The bipartisan Caring for Our Seniors Act will help keep these doors open, protect access to care, and ensure our seniors can age with the dignity they deserve.”
    America’s senior population is on track to outnumber children within the next decade—but our long-term care system is dangerously out of sync with that reality. The cost of assisted living is rising beyond reach, the care workforce is shrinking, and families across the country are being left with fewer and fewer options.
    The Caring for Our Seniors Act offers a responsible, bipartisan solution—fully funded by reallocating unspent and recovered federal COVID-era relief dollars. It creates no new burden on taxpayers and adds nothing to the national debt, while delivering targeted, lasting reforms to strengthen care for our aging population.
    The Caring for Our Seniors Act takes a two-pronged approach:
    •           Establishes a Senior Care Cost Reduction Program that provides eligible low-income seniors with a monthly $1,000 benefit to help cover assisted living expenses—an affordable, community-based alternative to nursing homes.
    •           Expands federal workforce training programs through the Departments of Labor and Health and Human Services to recruit, train, and retain the next generation of direct care professionals.
    By lowering costs, strengthening the workforce, and easing long-term pressure on Medicaid, the Caring for Our Seniors Act delivers a sustainable path forward for aging in America.
    “Caring for our seniors is one of our most fundamental responsibilities—and right now, we’re falling short,” said Rep Fitzpatrick. “Families are struggling to afford care, providers are facing a historic workforce shortage, and the current system is putting unsustainable pressure on taxpayers. The Caring for Our Seniors Act delivers real, practical solutions: lowering out-of-pocket costs for families, investing in training programs to grow our care workforce, and supporting more affordable care models that reduce the long-term burden on Medicaid and taxpayers. This is how we protect our seniors and build a smarter, more sustainable system for the future.”
    “The Caring for Seniors Act represents a critical step forward in addressing the workforce challenges facing assisted living communities while expanding access to care for older adults in Massachusetts and beyond,” said Brian Doherty, President and CEO of the Massachusetts Assisted Living Association. “By investing in innovative and dedicated workforce training as well as affordability and accessibility measures, this legislation strengthens our ability to meet the needs of an aging population with dignity, independence, and choice. We thank Congresswoman Trahan for her continued leadership and urge the timely passage of this bill.”
    “The Caring for Seniors Act is a two-fold answer to our nation’s long-term care challenges. It both makes critical investments in our workforce and also helps to make care more affordable to more Americans,” said Maggie Elehwany, Argentum Senior Vice President of Public Affairs. “Our nation faces a steep task to recruit and retain more than 20 million workers by the year 2040. Every effort must be made to meet this need, and the Caring for Seniors Act advances common-sense and no-cost solutions to meet this objective. And as our nation grows older and more seniors will need care, the cost-reduction program will help to make access to care that much more achievable. We applaud Representatives Trahan and Fitzpatrick for their bipartisan leadership in introducing the Caring for Seniors Act and look forward to working with lawmakers from both sides of the aisle to advance this important bill this year.”
    “We are incredibly grateful to Congressman Fitzpatrick for his leadership in introducing the bipartisan Caring for Seniors Act alongside Congresswoman Trahan,” said Susan Saxinger, Executive Director, Pennsylvania Assisted Living Association (PALA). “This important legislation recognizes the urgent need to make assisted living more affordable for seniors and to invest in the workforce that supports them. By expanding access to care and strengthening workforce training, this bill is a meaningful step forward for our aging population and the providers who serve them.”
    Key Findings Driving the Legislation:
    •           Nearly 80% of older Americans cannot afford four years in assisted living or two years in a nursing home.
    •           Assisted living—offering 24/7 personal care, disease management, and housing—costs half as much as skilled nursing and a third the cost of round-the-clock home care.
    •           The senior living industry must fill over 20 million jobs by 2040 to meet demand.
    Trahan and Fitzpatrick—both long-standing advocates for bipartisan health and aging policy—are calling on Congress to unite behind this effort to protect seniors, support caregivers, and build a long-term care system that’s ready for the future.
    Read full bill text HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Registration for LCSD’s ICH Highlight Tours starts on May 16 (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Registration for LCSD’s ICH Highlight Tours starts on May 16  
    There will be a total of 15 field trips for the ICH Highlight Tours, which will visit Yau Tsim Mong, Tsuen Wan, Tai Po, Sha Tin, Eastern District, and Islands District respectively. With 20 participants per tour, the tour, conducted in Cantonese, will run for approximately two hours. Members of the public can register through the ICHO website (www.icho.hk/en/web/icho/hk_ich_month_2025_tours.html 
    The dates and relevant ICH items of the field trips include:
     
    Islands District – Tai O (May 31, two tours in total)
    Salted Fish Making Technique, Shrimp Paste Blocks and Shrimp Paste Making Technique and Fishing Net Plaiting Technique, etc, and enjoying Tai O Dragon Boat Water Parade.
     
    Tai Po District (June 1 and 7, three tours in total)
    Soybean Product Making Technique, Cha Kwo (Steamed Sticky Rice Dumpling) Making Technique and Noodles Making Technique, etc.
     
    Yau Tsim Mong District (June 7 and 8, three tours in total)
    Steamer Making Technique, Wood Carving Technique and Mahjong Tile Making Technique, etc.
     
    Tsuen Wan District (June 15, two tours in total)
    Unicorn Dance, Traditional Architectuer Presrvation Technique and Melon Seed Making Technique, etc.
     
    Sha Tin District (June 21, two tours in total)
    Lion Dance, Patterned Band Weaving Technique and Paper Crafting Technique, etc.
     
    Eastern District (June 28 and 29, three tours in total)
    Wooden Boat Building Technique, Noodles Making Technique and Hung Gar Kuen Style, etc.
     
         Moreover, the ICHO collaborates with the Hong Kong Tourism Board in organising ICH Highlight Tours at Yau Tsim Mong District for tourists. Details will be announced later.
     
    Hong Kong ICH Month 2025 is presented by the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau and organised by the ICHO of the LCSD, with ICH June as a strategic partner. Highlight activates also include carnivals or fun days in various districts across Hong Kong on several weekends and Sundays in June, an exhibition, a seminar, talks and workshops, which welcome members of the public and tourists to join. For details of the programmes, please visit the website     www.icho.hk/en/web/icho/hk_ich_month_2025.htmlIssued at HKT 18:45

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Driverless cars expected in 2 years

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    Secretary for Transport & Logistics Mable Chan today said she would expect the application of autonomous vehicles (AV) in selected communities within the next one to two years based on the current progress of testing.

    Ms Chan told lawmakers that since a new regulatory regime allowing wider and more flexible trials of AVs on the road was rolled out last year, the testing and application of AVs in Hong Kong are enhancing speed and efficiency.

    She said the Transport Department has issued two pilot licences to allow 12 AVs to be tested in North Lantau and the West Kowloon Cultural District (WKCD) respectively.

    The transport chief noted that significant progress has been made in the trial in North Lantau since its commencement from the end of last year and various breakthroughs have been achieved.

    These include the scale of the trial being expanded from a single vehicle to 10 vehicles operating simultaneously in order to collect the data of multiple vehicles running in parallel; carrying passengers on specified routes after a safety assessment; conducting a trial on more complex roads; expanding current trial routes at Airport Island with plans to conduct a trial in Tung Chung in the future simultaneously; and allowing the speed limit to be increased to 50km per hour in accordance with the trial route’s maximum speed limit. 

    The project applicant also plans to expand the trial to Cyberport, Ms Chan added.

    Another project, located at the WKCD, will trial autonomous light buses equipped with an autonomous driving system that follows Hong Kong’s left-handed traffic rule.

    Ms Chan noted that upon completion of the entire system development and when the system has been proven safe to operate, trials with passengers will be carried out on public roads in the WKCD.

    Looking forward, the Government will consolidate the experience gained from various projects, refine technical standards and share research outcomes with the industry to promote the development of AVs with safety as its guiding principle. 

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Change of His Majesty’s Ambassador to Kuwait: Qudsi Rasheed

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Press release

    Change of His Majesty’s Ambassador to Kuwait: Qudsi Rasheed

    Mr Qudsi Rasheed OBE has been appointed His Majesty’s Ambassador to The State of Kuwait.

    Mr Qudsi Rasheed OBE has been appointed His Majesty’s Ambassador to The State of Kuwait in succession to Ms Belinda Lewis who will be transferring to another Diplomatic Service appointment.  Mr Rasheed will take up his appointment during September 2025.

    Curriculum vitae

    Full Name: Qudsi Rasheed

    Year Role
    2021 to 2024 Cairo, Deputy Head of Mission
    2020 to 2021    Full Time Language Training (Arabic), FCDO four months as Deputy Director Covid Task Force
    2018 to 2020   FCO later FCDO, Deputy Director Multilateral Policy and Head of Sanctions Unit
    2017 to 2018  Beirut, Head of UK Syria Office
    2014 to 2017 UKRep Brussels, External Relations (Relex) Counsellor
    2011 to 2014   FCO, Legal Adviser, Legal Directorate
    2011 Joined FCO
    2008 to 2011  Barrister (called to the Bar of England and Wales)
    2007 to 2009   UCL and King’s College London, Visiting Lecturer

    Updates to this page

    Published 14 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Uzbekistan to host first meeting of Termez Dialogue on connectivity between Central and South Asia

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    Tashkent, May 14 (Xinhua) — The first meeting of the Termez Dialogue on Central and South Asian Interconnection on the theme “Building a Common Space of Peace, Friendship and Prosperity” will be held in Termez, Uzbekistan, on May 19-21, the Narodnoye Slovo newspaper reported on its website on Wednesday.

    The organizers are reportedly the Institute for Strategic and Interregional Studies under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

    “The main goal of the dialogue is to form a multilateral discussion platform for the practical promotion of the special resolution of the UN General Assembly “Strengthening the Connectivity between Central and South Asia”, adopted in 2022 on the initiative of the President of the Republic Shavkat Mirziyoyev,” the statement said.

    The forum participants will reportedly discuss the current state and prospects of interregional cooperation between Central and South Asia. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Delegation of the interim government of Afghanistan left Kabul for Russia

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    KABUL, May 14 (Xinhua) — A high-ranking delegation of the Afghan interim government led by Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar Akhund left Kabul for Russia on Wednesday to attend the 16th International Economic Forum in Kazan, the National Radio and Television of Afghanistan (RTA) reported.

    The current forum is dedicated to strengthening relations and economic cooperation and development, especially in the areas of trade, investment and regional cooperation, RTA said, adding that the Afghan delegation will hold meetings with officials from different countries on the sidelines of the forum. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • Pakistan repatriates BSF constable Purnam Kumar Shaw detained since April 23

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    A Border Security Force (BSF) constable who had been in Pakistani custody since April 23 was returned to India on Wednesday. Constable Purnam Kumar Shaw had inadvertently crossed the International Border while on duty in Punjab’s Ferozepur sector and was subsequently detained by Pakistan Rangers.

    According to a BSF statement, Shaw was handed over to Indian authorities at the Attari-Wagah border at 10:30 am. “Constable Purnam Kumar Shaw had inadvertently entered Pakistani territory around 11:50 am on April 23 while on operational duty in the Ferozepur sector. He was detained by the Pakistan Rangers. Due to continuous efforts by BSF, including regular flag meetings and communication through established channels, his repatriation was made possible,” the statement said.

    The development follows a ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan on May 10, days after India launched ‘Operation Sindoor’, targeting terror bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

    Earlier, on May 5, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had expressed concern over the incident. “This is an extremely unfortunate situation. His name is Shaw. Our party’s Kalyan Banerjee is in touch with the family. We want him to be brought back at the earliest. We have clearly stated that our party stands with the government on matters of internal and external security. This is not an issue for political division,” she had said.

    Following Shaw’s detention, the BSF issued a strict advisory to its personnel, calling for heightened vigilance during patrols along the sensitive border.

    The BSF is tasked with guarding the 3,323-kilometre-long India-Pakistan border, which spans Jammu and Kashmir (including parts of the Line of Control), Punjab, Rajasthan, and Gujarat.

    (With inputs from ANI)

  • India’s defence exports surge 34-fold over a decade: Rajnath Singh

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    India’s defence exports have reached an all-time high, witnessing a remarkable 34-fold increase over the past decade, according to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

    “India exported defence goods worth Rs. 23,622 crore in 2024–25, compared to just Rs. 686 crore in 2013–14,” his office stated in a post on X. The Minister emphasized that the dramatic rise underscores the growing strength of India’s defence sector, fuelled by the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India).

    Driven by the Make in India initiative and strategic policy interventions such as Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes, the government has sought to enhance the global competitiveness of Indian manufacturers, boost exports, attract foreign investments, and reduce dependency on imports.

    The results are now evident: Defence production has soared, delivering substantial returns for investors in public sector undertakings (PSUs) engaged in defence manufacturing.

    India’s defence and aerospace ecosystem is also expanding rapidly, with the establishment of multiple defence hubs and increased collaboration with global players, many of whom have already shared or expressed willingness to share critical technologies with Indian counterparts.

    In FY 2024–25, India exported a wide array of defence items—including ammunition, weapons, systems/subsystems, and components—to nearly 80 countries, according to data from the Ministry of Defence.

    The government has now set an ambitious target of achieving annual defence exports of Rs.50,000 crore by 2029, aiming to bolster India’s footprint in the global defence market.

    Market sentiment around the defence sector has also been buoyant. The Nifty India Defence Index has surged by over 30% in the past three months, reflecting rising investor confidence. The recent escalation in tensions with Pakistan, coupled with the effective performance of indigenously developed defence systems, has further reinforced the strategic and commercial value of self-reliance in defence manufacturing.

    (With ANI inputs)

  • President Murmu briefed on Operation Sindoor, lauds armed forces for counter-terror success

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan, along with the three service chiefs — Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi, Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh, and Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi — called on President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Wednesday to brief her on ‘Operation Sindoor’.

    As the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, the President was apprised of the details and outcomes of the operation, which was launched in response to the brutal killing of 26 people by terrorists in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on April 22.

    “General Anil Chauhan, Chief of Defence Staff, along with General Upendra Dwivedi, Chief of the Army Staff, Air Chief Marshal A. P. Singh, Chief of the Air Staff, and Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi, Chief of the Naval Staff, called on President Droupadi Murmu and briefed her about Operation Sindoor. The President commended the valour and the dedication of the Armed Forces that made India’s response to terrorism a sterling success,” Rashtrapati Bhavan posted on X.

    President Murmu lauded the courage and efforts of the armed forces and described the operation as a “matter of national pride.”

    The President was given a comprehensive account of these developments during the briefing.

    The strikes were conducted in response to the Pahalgam terror attack; however, in a quick response, the Indian government suspended the Indus Water Treaty signed in the year 1960 between both countries following the CCS (Cabinet Committee on Security) meeting a day after the attack.

    Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while addressing brave air warriors and soldiers at the Adampur Air Base on Tuesday, praised the Indian Armed Forces for their valour and precision during Operation Sindoor.

    PM Modi said India paused military action only after Pakistan’s request and warned of strong retaliation if terrorism recurs. He praised the Armed Forces for their precision strikes, restraint, and coordination, calling it a reflection of India’s growing military and technological strength.

    (With agencies inputs)

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: DH continues to follow up on suspected closure of private healthcare facilities

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    DH continues to follow up on suspected closure of private healthcare facilities 
    As announced on May 2, the Government set up an inter-departmental dedicated team to follow up on the incident. The team comprises representatives from the Security Bureau, the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau, the Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department, the Hong Kong Police Force, the DH and the Consumer Council.
     
    The DH has set up a telephone hotline, email and a WhatsApp account since May 3 for public enquiries on related issues. As at 5pm today, a total of 149 enquiries were received. Most of the enquiries were related to vaccines for children or other age groups. One enquiry about laboratory services has been received.

    Laboratory reports
    ——————— 
    For the sake of prudence, the DH is also reaching out to local registered professionals operating medical laboratories and radiological imaging services, inviting them to contact the DH for assistance if they are unable to deliver any laboratory reports to referring doctors from the private healthcare facilities in question.
     
    Anyone who has received laboratory or diagnostic radiological imaging services through the private healthcare facilities in question and has not yet been able to obtain the report from their doctor may call the DH hotline (2125 1188), which operates from 9am to 5pm daily, or send an email to dhhelpdesk_2501@dh.gov.hk 
    Childhood immunisation
    —————————
    Public enquiries
    —————— 
    The DH has compiled a series of Frequently Asked Questions from recently received enquiries and uploaded them to the DH’s     website 
    The DH will continue to join hands with other members of the inter-departmental dedicated team to follow up on the incident and take appropriate actions, with a view to handling all cases as soon as possible and provide assistance to those affected by the incident.
    Issued at HKT 18:25

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –