NewzIntel.com

Category: Europe

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Practice without restrictions: new opportunities for students with disabilities

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: State University of Management – Official website of the State –

    Recruitment is open for the additional professional education program “Interaction between a curator of practical training (educational and/or industrial practice) from among representatives of employers with a disabled student.”

    The program is aimed at developing and improving the competencies necessary for effective interaction with trainee students with disabilities when organizing and conducting educational and industrial practice, including the use of distance technologies.

    Representatives of employers who act as curators of educational and industrial practice, who have higher or secondary vocational education, as well as representatives of partner universities who act as curators of practice, who have higher education and are studying in higher education programs, can undergo training.

    Students are issued a certificate of advanced training after receiving the relevant educational document.

    The program is designed for 72 academic hours, includes studying modules and completing a final assignment, and will be conducted in a correspondence format using distance learning technologies.

    Registration for the program is open until April 21, 2025. Training will take place from May 12 to June 15, 2025.

    Subscribe to the TG channel “Our GUU” Date of publication: 04/03/2025

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Join Us on 4/24 for a Foreign and Comparative Law Webinar: The More the Merrier: The Form and Function of Coalition Governments Around the World

    Source: US Global Legal Monitor

    Join us on Thursday, April 24, 2025, at 2:00 pm EDT for our next foreign, comparative, and international law webinar, “The More the Merrier: The Form and Function of Coalition Governments Around the World.”

    Within the last two years, several jurisdictions have formed or are in the process of forming new coalition governments, including Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, France, South Africa, and New Zealand. In some instances, these new governments have occurred due to snap elections; taken a great deal of time to form; led to new parties coming into power or certain parties being excluded from power; indicated a change in national political practice; or a shift from one side of the political spectrum to the other. With these changes, we can observe how coalitions form, operate, and collapse in different global locations.

    In our April entry of our Foreign and Comparative Law Webinar Series, we will look at coalition governments, focusing on how they are formed, how they function, and how they are dissolved. We will use examples from various jurisdictions around the world to illustrate different means of creating and ending coalition governments, as well as the contrasting functions of those governments.

    Please register here.

    This webinar will be presented by Heather Casey, a writer-editor in the Global Legal Research Directorate of the Law Library of Congress. Heather has a J.D. from William & Mary Law School, an M.L.I.S. from Drexel University, and a B.A. from the University of Cincinnati.

    Subscribe to In Custodia Legis – it’s free! – to receive interesting posts drawn from the Law Library of Congress’s vast collections and our staff’s expertise in U.S., foreign, and international law.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: “The Question of Food Security Is One of National Security”

    Source: Universities – Science Po in English

    Students in front of the entrance at 1 St-Thomas (credits: Pierre Morel)

    Virtual Undergraduate Open House day 2025

    Come meet our teams and students at our campuses.

    Sign-up

    Virtual Graduate Open House day 2025

    Meet faculty members, students and representatives and learn more about our 30 Master’s programmes.

    Sign-up

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: 124th Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism meeting takes place in Ergneti

    Source: Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe – OSCE

    Headline: 124th Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism meeting takes place in Ergneti

    ERGNETI, 3 April 2025 – The 124th Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) convened in Ergneti today, co-facilitated by the Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for the South Caucasus, Christoph Späti, and the Head of the EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia (EUMM), Bettina Patricia Boughani.
    The OSCE and EUMM co-facilitators welcomed the participants’ dedication to the IPRM format. They encouraged a pragmatic approach to finding mutually acceptable solutions that effectively address the human security needs of both women and men residing on either side of the administrative boundary line (ABL).
    The co-facilitators advocated for the lifting of freedom of movement restrictions during the upcoming Orthodox Easter holiday period, emphasising the importance of allowing local communities on both sides of the ABL to participate in religious traditions, in particular visiting cemeteries. At the same time, they reiterated their call for the full re-opening of crossing points, highlighting the positive impact such measures have on the daily lives of the conflict-affected populations.
    The EUMM and OSCE also called on participants to discontinue the practice of detentions and urged a humanitarian approach towards the resolution of existing detention cases.
    The participants commended the constructive technical meeting on irrigation that took place on 31 March in anticipation of the upcoming irrigation season. The EUMM confirmed its commitment to facilitating the exchange of information regarding irrigation through the EUMM-managed Hotline and to measuring water levels, recognising the crucial role of timely and accurate information in resolving related issues.
    The participants agreed to convene the next regular IPRM meeting on 11 June 2025.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Tunisia’s rap revolution: 5 women who are redefining hip-hop

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Jyhene Kebsi, Director of Learning & Teaching (Gender Studies), Macquarie University

    Women rappers were not really a feature of Tunisia’s typically masculine and chauvinist hip-hop scene until the revolution that overthrew Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali in 2011.

    Now there are several politically conscious female voices rising in the rap scene. Gender studies scholar Jyhene Kebsi has published a research paper on how their lyrics highlight the multiple inequalities that women in Tunisia – and the world – must overcome.

    How have male Tunisian rappers generally treated women in their songs and videos?

    The gender politics of Tunisian men’s rap is complex, but we can talk about one of its tendencies. Although there are men who’ve supported their female colleagues and collaborated with them on songs, their portrayals tend to lump women into one of two groups: virtuous or promiscuous; madonnas or whores.

    Read more: Senegal’s female rappers aren’t letting obstacles get in their way – who the rising voices are

    This is clear in their use of obscene words that aim to degrade the “fallen” women they rap about. Their sexual references can be seen as a way to debase the “easy girls and immoral women” who challenge patriarchal norms.

    This is in sharp contrast to the love and indebtedness they express towards their mothers and sisters. In contrast to western rap, the mother figure is central in Tunisian rap.

    The sacredness of the mother in Tunisian Muslim culture is seen in songs full of gratitude towards those who brought them into the world.

    Their reliance on this male-centred division between “respectable” and “unrespectable” women spreads a toxic masculinity that supports harmful gender stereotypes.

    This strengthens men’s social dominance and their policing of women’s bodies. Having said that, it is very important to highlight that sexism is not limited to the Arab rap scene. As I explain in my paper, many western male rappers objectify, humiliate and degrade women in their songs too.

    Who are the four female rappers you discuss?

    The four Tunisian women rappers I analyse are Sabrina, Medusa, Queen Nesrine and Tuny Girl.

    There’s a common perception that Medusa was Tunisia’s first female rapper. In reality, Sabrina began performing rap in 2007 and Tunisia’s other female artists joined the rap scene after the 2011 revolution.

    Medusa is Tunisia’s most famous female rapper in the west – her migration to France boosted her international profile. Although Tuny Girl and Queen Nesrine have not gained the fame of Medusa or Sabrina, they’ve released powerful feminist songs that criticise the status quo in post-revolutionary Tunisia.

    These artists have mainly relied on digital media to share their songs with the public through social platforms like YouTube and Facebook. Unfortunately, all four of them have faced opposition because they’re women.

    Rap is considered a masculine musical genre. Tunisian women’s initial entry into this male-dominated world was not easily accepted. Attitudes towards female rappers have evolved thanks to women’s gradual success in attracting a larger fan base.

    But these four artists share a strong resistance to sexism. Most importantly, while being aware of patriarchal pressures, they’re conscious of the many different forms of oppression that intersect to keep women less equal than men.

    This is evident in their songs, which reflect a strong awareness of intersectionality.

    What is intersesectionality?

    The black US feminist Kimberle Crenshaw coined the term “intersectionality” in 1989 to describe the double discrimination of sexism and racism faced by black women. So, she used the term to discuss the multiple forms of inequality that compound themselves and create interlocking obstacles that shape black women’s experiences of discrimination.

    Intersectionality highlights the experiences of multiple forms of discrimination when these categories of social identity interact with and shape one another.

    We see an understanding of intersectionality in a song like Hold On, where Medusa raps about illiteracy, political struggle and motherhood:

    I am watching the floating misery / Illiteracy has spread and made us go from one extreme to the other / Where is the freedom for which activists struggled? / I am the free Tunisian who exposed their chest to bullets / I am the mother, the mother of the martyr who has not gotten his revenge.

    Or, in her song Arahdli, Sabrina raps about a range of social ills:

    Leave me alone / The police catch you and harm you / Don’t believe the corrupt state / Unemployment and poverty will not make you happy.

    I found that what Medusa, Sabrina, Queen Nesrine and Tuny Girl have in common is their rejection of, as Crenshaw puts it, the “single-axis framework”. The one-sided narrative that reduces women’s problems solely to men and patriarchy.

    Instead, these artists highlight the damaging impact – for women – of the intersection of gender inequality, political corruption, unjust laws, ineffective local policies, the collapse of Tunisia’s economy and the country’s weak position in the global geopolitical landscape.

    Their songs are united in their recognition that Tunisian women’s lives are shaped by all these overlapping power structures, exposing them to marginalisation and discrimination.

    So, their songs identify hidden, interrelated structural barriers to their freedom. Misogyny is just one element that needs to be considered alongside other local and global issues when we discuss gender politics in Tunisia.

    What other new trends are female rappers ushering in?

    Women are at the forefront of innovation in Tunisian rap. Take Lully Snake. She’s a Tunisian-Algerian rapper based in Tunisia. This 24-year-old artist was previously a breakdancer. Her passion for hip-hop culture and her love for US artists like Tupac, Kool G Rap, Queen Latifah and Foxy Brown led her to start rapping.

    Like all Tunisian women rappers, she considers her entry into rap to have been a long and difficult journey. Starting in 2019, her first song was only released in 2024.

    Lully Snake first uploaded her debut song Zabatna Kida on Instagram. Its uniqueness lies in its combination of rap and mahraganat, an Egyptian street music that emerged in Cairo’s ghettos. Its success encouraged her to carry on rapping in both Tunisian and Egyptian, alongside other western languages and Maghrebi dialects.

    Lully Snake’s experimentation proves that female rappers are innovating while spreading messages that empower women. This has ultimately enriched Tunisian rap.

    – Tunisia’s rap revolution: 5 women who are redefining hip-hop
    – https://theconversation.com/tunisias-rap-revolution-5-women-who-are-redefining-hip-hop-253066

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI: Drone Surveying Market One of The Fastest Growing Segments of the Drone Industry as Revenue Opportunity Climbs

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    PALM BEACH, Fla., April 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — FN Media Group News Commentary – The US Drone Surveying Market has been the Global Market Leader in recent years and is expected to continue for years to come. The US has been the market leader in the drone industry since the start of the drone revolution. Across industries, companies have employed drones for their day-to-day operations. Industries such as pharmaceuticals, mining, real estate, and agriculture are some of the prominent end-use industries for the drone surveying market. According to an industry report, the US drone surveying market is expected to witness double-digit market growth in the forecast period and is expected to reach a valuation of US$ 2540.0 million by the end of 2033. The construction and mining industry is expected to be the market leader in the demand for drone surveying services. Increased spending from governments and rising demand for residential and commercial spaces would add a significantly high pace to the overall drone surveying demand in the US. The report said; “Why Land Survey Commands Largest Market Share? The drone land survey as a service is a common one among all industries. The demand for land surveys arises from sectors such as construction, mining, energy, real estate, public administration, and agriculture among others. That is why land survey services contribute most to the drone survey company’s revenue. The drone land survey holds around 53% of the total market share in the drone survey industry. With the help of drone land surveys, companies/institutions get their desired datasets which ultimately help them in making informed decisions. For example, a land survey for infrastructure development can help companies and planning and development by providing required 3D maps or images. It is expected that the land survey market to remain the top revenue contributor for drone survey service providers.”   Active Companies in the drone industry today include ZenaTech, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZENA), Archer Aviation Inc. (NYSE: ACHR), Palantir Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: PLTR), EHang (NASDAQ: EH), Red Cat Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: RCAT).

    Fact.MR continued: “Construction Industry to Contribute Most to the Drone Surveying Service Demand. The spending on infrastructural development has been all-time high across the major economies of the world. The market players are taking the help of drone service providers in different stages of planning and development. Drone surveying companies provide services for the use of town planning, land record digitalization, urban city development, and other development-related services. With the help of drones, companies are able to cover increased areas (acres of land/area) within no time, and with precise and accurate data. These collected images and data can be easily converted into meaningful output, which can be useful in the planning and development of urban towns. Drone surveying has been very useful for the construction industry by providing important insights with minimal cost and improved efficiency.”

    ZenaTech (NASDAQ:ZENA) Closes Second Southeast Region Acquisition, Wallace Surveying Corporation, Set to Become the Third Acquisition to Power Its National Drone as a Service (DaaS) Business – ZenaTech, Inc. (FSE: 49Q) (BMV: ZENA) (“ZenaTech”), a technology company specializing in AI (Artificial Intelligence) drone, Drone-as-a-Service (DaaS), enterprise SaaS and Quantum Computing solutions, announces that it has closed the acquisition of Wallace Surveying Corporation (“Wallace”) of West Palm Beach, Florida, a well-established land survey company with thirty years of experience. Wallace provides construction and land development surveys delivering accurate and reliable data that supports project planning and design for developers, contractors, engineers, and architect customers.

    This is ZenaTech’s second acquisition in the Southeast region as part of a larger national roll-up strategy to disrupt the land survey industry by accelerating the use of drones for speed and accuracy benefits. The acquisition also further powers the Company’s national Drone as a Service, or DaaS, business as the third US acquisition set to provide access to the ZenaDrone 1000 and the IQ series. These multifunction drones are set to provide a variety of services including power line inspections, precision agriculture, law enforcement, and search and rescue for natural disasters such as hurricanes.

    “Wallace Surveying Corporation is well respected in the South Florida business community with longstanding existing customer relationships. Its team brings considerable expertise toward our goal of innovating land surveys at scale leveraging advanced drone data collection, data management, mapping and digital deliverables. This acquisition is another step towards our vision to create a national DaaS business, bringing AI drone efficiencies and precision to a variety of legacy verticals and manual tasks,” said CEO Shaun Passley, Ph.D.

    ZenaTech’s Drones as a Service or DaaS model is similar to Software as a Service (SaaS), but instead of providing software solutions over the Internet, the company will offer ZenaDrone solutions and services on a subscription or pay-per-use basis. Customers can conveniently access drones for eliminating manual or time-consuming tasks achieving more precision, such as for surveying, inspections, security and law enforcement, or farming precision agriculture applications, without having to buy, operate, or maintain the drones themselves.

    The DaaS business model offers customers such as government agencies, real estate developers, construction firms, farmers or energy companies reduced upfront costs as there is no need to purchase expensive drones, as well as convenience, as there is no need to manage maintenance and operation. The model also offers scalability to use more often or less often based on business needs and enables access to advanced drone technology sensors or attachments like spraying, without the need for specialized training.

    Accurate land surveys are essential for the planning, designing, and executing of roads, bridges, and building projects for cities, commercial, and residential projects, and are required for legal purposes. Remotely piloted drones with an array of sensors and cameras, LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), and GPS systems for capturing high-resolution pictures and data are revolutionizing the land survey industry gathering aerial data across expansive terrains in a matter of hours instead of weeks or months using more traditional photogrammetry methods. Continued… Read this full release by visiting: https://www.financialnewsmedia.com/news-zena/.

    In Additional ZENA News: ZenaTech’s (NASDAQ:ZENA) 2024 Financial Results Shows Revenue and Assets Increase.

    2024 Financial Results:

    • As of December 31, 2024, and consistent with its recent 6K filing, ZenaTech’s 2024 full-year revenue increased by 7% to $1.96 million as compared to $1.82 million for the full year of 2023 (all figures in $Cdn. dollars)
    • Comprehensive loss for the period was ($4.04 million) versus ($.251 million) last year due to increased one-time costs of listing on Nasdaq Capital Market from lawyers, accountants, auditors, financial advisor (investment banker) and other going public expenses
    • Assets have increased over 110% to $34.6 million at year-end 2024, up from $16.4 million at year-end 2023. This is due to the company’s acquisition of three patents, and a total of four software companies. In addition, the company has signed multiple Letters of Intent (LOIs) as part of an acquisition strategy that will tremendously increase future revenue
    • Liabilities continue to be low, having increased $3.7 million to $12.8 million at year-end 2024 from $9.1 million at year-end 2023
    • The Company’s ratio of debt to total capitalization is 31%, which is well within the accepted standard of less than 50%
    • ZenaTech’s existing cash and funds available through lines of credit will be sufficient to finance the next 12 months of the company’s operations. We anticipate that cash generated internally, and lines of credit will be sufficient to fund our drone development and acquisitions
    • Additional information is available from ZenaTech’s 6K filing on the SEC EDGAR website. The company will be filing its 20F by the due date, which is April 30, 2024, for Private Foreign Issuers. Continued… Read this full release by visiting: https://www.zenatech.com/newsroom/.

    Other recent developments in the drone/aviation industries include:

    Archer Aviation Inc. (NYSE: ACHR) and Palantir Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: PLTR) recently announced a partnership today to build the AI foundation for the future of next-gen aviation technologies. For decades, the aviation industry has made only incremental improvements, constrained by legacy technology and a dominant duopoly in commercial aviation. With the rapid acceleration of AI, as well as breakthroughs in distributed electric propulsion, the industry is now poised for change.

    The two plan to leverage Palantir Foundry and AIP to accelerate the scaling of Archer’s aircraft manufacturing capabilities at its facilities in Georgia and Silicon Valley, with the intent to advance the development of software solutions to drive innovation across the entire value chain.

    This would include the development of next-gen software utilizing AI to improve a range of aviation systems, including air traffic control, movement control and route planning, with the goal of improving efficiency, safety and affordability across the industry.

    Archer and Palantir will formalize this partnership later today during a signing ceremony between Palantir co-founder and CEO, Alex Karp, and Archer founder and CEO, Adam Goldstein, at Palantir’s AIPCon.

    EHang (NASDAQ: EH), the world’s leading Urban Air Mobility (UAM) technology platform company, recently announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Guangdong EHang General Aviation Co., Ltd. (“EHang General Aviation”), and its joint venture company in Hefei, Hefei HeYi Aviation Co., Ltd. (“HeYi Aviation”), have been granted the first batch of Air Operator Certificates (“OC”) for civil human-carrying pilotless aerial vehicles by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (“CAAC”).

    This milestone officially marks the launch of China’s human-carrying flight era in the low-altitude economy, allowing citizens and consumers to purchase flight tickets for low-altitude tourism, urban sightseeing, and diverse commercial human-carrying flight services at related operation sites in Guangzhou and Hefei. In the future, operators will also gradually expand into more other scenarios such as urban commuting based on operational conditions legally and compliantly. The issuance of the first batch of OCs sets a new benchmark for the low-altitude economy and urban air mobility and further unleashing a more powerful vitality of the new-quality productive forces.

    Red Cat Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: RCAT), a drone technology company integrating robotic hardware and software for military, government, and commercial operations, recently reported its financial results for the 2024 Transition Period (as of December 31, 2024 and the eight months then ended) and provides a corporate update.

    “Red Cat’s partnerships and global expansion strategy is already yielding strong results. Over the past few months, we’ve introduced the Black Widow and Edge 130 drones to key international markets, including the Middle East, Asia Pacific, and soon Latin America,” said Jeff Thompson, Red Cat CEO. “This momentum underscores growing global interest in our Family of Systems. The ongoing development of Black Widow for the U.S. Army’s SRR Program of Record, bolstered by AI partners like Palantir and Palladyne, we’re not only meeting immediate defense needs—we’re ensuring our warfighters and allies are well equipped for rapidly-evolving battlefield.”

    About FN Media Group:

    At FN Media Group, via our top-rated online news portal at www.financialnewsmedia.com, we are one of the very few select firms providing top tier one syndicated news distribution, targeted ticker tag press releases and stock market news coverage for today’s emerging companies. #tickertagpressreleases #pressreleases

    Follow us on Facebook to receive the latest news updates: https://www.facebook.com/financialnewsmedia

    Follow us on Twitter for real time Market News: https://twitter.com/FNMgroup

    Follow us on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/financialnewsmedia/

    DISCLAIMER: FN Media Group LLC (FNM), which owns and operates FinancialNewsMedia.com and MarketNewsUpdates.com, is a third party publisher and news dissemination service provider, which disseminates electronic information through multiple online media channels. FNM is NOT affiliated in any manner with any company mentioned herein. FNM and its affiliated companies are a news dissemination solutions provider and are NOT a registered broker/dealer/analyst/adviser, holds no investment licenses and may NOT sell, offer to sell or offer to buy any security. FNM’s market updates, news alerts and corporate profiles are NOT a solicitation or recommendation to buy, sell or hold securities. The material in this release is intended to be strictly informational and is NEVER to be construed or interpreted as research material. All readers are strongly urged to perform research and due diligence on their own and consult a licensed financial professional before considering any level of investing in stocks.  All material included herein is republished content and details which were previously disseminated by the companies mentioned in this release. FNM is not liable for any investment decisions by its readers or subscribers. Investors are cautioned that they may lose all or a portion of their investment when investing in stocks. For current services performed FNM has been compensated fifty one hundred dollars for news coverage of the current press releases issued by ZenaTech, Inc. by the Company. FNM HOLDS NO SHARES OF ANY COMPANY NAMED IN THIS RELEASE.

    This release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. “Forward-looking statements” describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as “may”, “future”, “plan” or “planned”, “will” or “should”, “expected,” “anticipates”, “draft”, “eventually” or “projected”. You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, and other risks identified in a company’s annual report on Form 10-K or 10-KSB and other filings made by such company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements included herein, and not place undue reliance on such statements. The forward-looking statements in this release are made as of the date hereof and FNM undertakes no obligation to update such statements.

    Contact Information:

    Media Contact email: editor@financialnewsmedia.com – +1(561)325-8757

    SOURCE: FN Media Group

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Proceedings at the annual general meeting 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Announcement no. 06 2025

    Copenhagen – 3 April 2025 – Agillic A/S

    On 3 April 2025, at 14:30 (CET), the annual general meeting was held at the company’s address Masnedøgade 22, DK-2100 Copenhagen, in accordance with the agenda of the notice.

    The board of directors appointed attorney-at-law Jakob Vig Schnack as chairman of the general meeting.

    The general meeting took the board of director’s report on Agillic A/S’ business activities during 2024 into consideration.

    The annual report for the financial year 2024 was presented to and adopted by the general meeting. The general meeting adopted the proposal to transfer the result of the financial year 2024 to the next financial year and that no dividend is paid out.

    Joar Welde, Jesper Genter Lohmann, Thorsten Köhler, Jan Juul and Andreas D. Sandbu were re-elected as members of the board of directors. Joar Welde was elected as chairman of the board of directors.

    EY Godkendt Revisionspartnerselskab was elected as new auditor.

    The minutes of the annual general meeting is available at https://www.agillic.com/investor/ .

    For further information, please contact:
    Christian Samsø, CEO
    +45 24 88 24 24
    Christian.samsoe@agillic.com

    Certified Adviser
    HC Andersen Capital
    Pernille Friis Andersen

    About Agillic A/S
    Agillic A/S (Nasdaq First North Growth Market Denmark: AGILC) is a Danish software company offering brands a platform through which they can work with data-driven insights and content to create, automate, and send personalised communication to millions. Agillic is headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark. For further information, please visit agillic.com.

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Tunisia’s rap revolution: 5 women who are redefining hip-hop

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Jyhene Kebsi, Director of Learning & Teaching (Gender Studies), Macquarie University

    Women rappers were not really a feature of Tunisia’s typically masculine and chauvinist hip-hop scene until the revolution that overthrew Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali in 2011.

    Now there are several politically conscious female voices rising in the rap scene. Gender studies scholar Jyhene Kebsi has published a research paper on how their lyrics highlight the multiple inequalities that women in Tunisia – and the world – must overcome.

    How have male Tunisian rappers generally treated women in their songs and videos?

    The gender politics of Tunisian men’s rap is complex, but we can talk about one of its tendencies. Although there are men who’ve supported their female colleagues and collaborated with them on songs, their portrayals tend to lump women into one of two groups: virtuous or promiscuous; madonnas or whores.



    Read more:
    Senegal’s female rappers aren’t letting obstacles get in their way – who the rising voices are

    This is clear in their use of obscene words that aim to degrade the “fallen” women they rap about. Their sexual references can be seen as a way to debase the “easy girls and immoral women” who challenge patriarchal norms.

    This is in sharp contrast to the love and indebtedness they express towards their mothers and sisters. In contrast to western rap, the mother figure is central in Tunisian rap.

    The sacredness of the mother in Tunisian Muslim culture is seen in songs full of gratitude towards those who brought them into the world.

    Their reliance on this male-centred division between “respectable” and “unrespectable” women spreads a toxic masculinity that supports harmful gender stereotypes.

    This strengthens men’s social dominance and their policing of women’s bodies. Having said that, it is very important to highlight that sexism is not limited to the Arab rap scene. As I explain in my paper, many western male rappers objectify, humiliate and degrade women in their songs too.

    Who are the four female rappers you discuss?

    The four Tunisian women rappers I analyse are Sabrina, Medusa, Queen Nesrine and Tuny Girl.

    There’s a common perception that Medusa was Tunisia’s first female rapper. In reality, Sabrina began performing rap in 2007 and Tunisia’s other female artists joined the rap scene after the 2011 revolution.

    Medusa is Tunisia’s most famous female rapper in the west – her migration to France boosted her international profile. Although Tuny Girl and Queen Nesrine have not gained the fame of Medusa or Sabrina, they’ve released powerful feminist songs that criticise the status quo in post-revolutionary Tunisia.

    These artists have mainly relied on digital media to share their songs with the public through social platforms like YouTube and Facebook. Unfortunately, all four of them have faced opposition because they’re women.

    Rap is considered a masculine musical genre. Tunisian women’s initial entry into this male-dominated world was not easily accepted. Attitudes towards female rappers have evolved thanks to women’s gradual success in attracting a larger fan base.

    But these four artists share a strong resistance to sexism. Most importantly, while being aware of patriarchal pressures, they’re conscious of the many different forms of oppression that intersect to keep women less equal than men.

    This is evident in their songs, which reflect a strong awareness of intersectionality.

    What is intersesectionality?

    The black US feminist Kimberle Crenshaw coined the term “intersectionality” in 1989 to describe the double discrimination of sexism and racism faced by black women. So, she used the term to discuss the multiple forms of inequality that compound themselves and create interlocking obstacles that shape black women’s experiences of discrimination.

    Intersectionality highlights the experiences of multiple forms of discrimination when these categories of social identity interact with and shape one another.

    We see an understanding of intersectionality in a song like Hold On, where Medusa raps about illiteracy, political struggle and motherhood:

    I am watching the floating misery / Illiteracy has spread and made us go from one extreme to the other / Where is the freedom for which activists struggled? / I am the free Tunisian who exposed their chest to bullets /
    I am the mother, the mother of the martyr who has not gotten his revenge.

    Or, in her song Arahdli, Sabrina raps about a range of social ills:

    Leave me alone / The police catch you and harm you / Don’t believe the corrupt state / Unemployment and poverty will not make you happy.

    I found that what Medusa, Sabrina, Queen Nesrine and Tuny Girl have in common is their rejection of, as Crenshaw puts it, the “single-axis framework”. The one-sided narrative that reduces women’s problems solely to men and patriarchy.

    Instead, these artists highlight the damaging impact – for women – of the intersection of gender inequality, political corruption, unjust laws, ineffective local policies, the collapse of Tunisia’s economy and the country’s weak position in the global geopolitical landscape.

    Their songs are united in their recognition that Tunisian women’s lives are shaped by all these overlapping power structures, exposing them to marginalisation and discrimination.

    So, their songs identify hidden, interrelated structural barriers to their freedom. Misogyny is just one element that needs to be considered alongside other local and global issues when we discuss gender politics in Tunisia.

    What other new trends are female rappers ushering in?

    Women are at the forefront of innovation in Tunisian rap. Take Lully Snake. She’s a Tunisian-Algerian rapper based in Tunisia. This 24-year-old artist was previously a breakdancer. Her passion for hip-hop culture and her love for US artists like Tupac, Kool G Rap, Queen Latifah and Foxy Brown led her to start rapping.

    Like all Tunisian women rappers, she considers her entry into rap to have been a long and difficult journey. Starting in 2019, her first song was only released in 2024.

    Lully Snake first uploaded her debut song Zabatna Kida on Instagram. Its uniqueness lies in its combination of rap and mahraganat, an Egyptian street music that emerged in Cairo’s ghettos. Its success encouraged her to carry on rapping in both Tunisian and Egyptian, alongside other western languages and Maghrebi dialects.

    Lully Snake’s experimentation proves that female rappers are innovating while spreading messages that empower women. This has ultimately enriched Tunisian rap.

    Jyhene Kebsi does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Tunisia’s rap revolution: 5 women who are redefining hip-hop – https://theconversation.com/tunisias-rap-revolution-5-women-who-are-redefining-hip-hop-253066

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Video: UK 75th anniversary of the Council of Europe | Lord Speaker’s Lecture

    Source: United Kingdom UK House of Lords (video statements)

    The Lord Speaker welcomed the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Mr Theodoros Rousopoulos, in February to mark the signing of the Treaty of London 75 years ago, which established the Council of Europe.

    The President gave a lecture entitled ‘The Council of Europe: 75 Years and Beyond’, and was joined in conversation by Lolrd Foulkes of Cumnock to discuss the past, present and future work of the Council and parliamentarians’ contribution in promoting human rights, democracy and the rule of law.

    Catch-up on House of Lords business:

    Watch live events: https://parliamentlive.tv/Lords
    Read the latest news: https://www.parliament.uk/lords/

    Stay up to date with the House of Lords on social media:

    • X: https://twitter.com/UKHouseofLords
    • Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/houseoflords.parliament.uk
    • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/UKHouseofLords/
    • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UKHouseofLords
    • Flickr: https://flickr.com/photos/ukhouseoflords/albums
    • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-house-of-lords
    • Threads: https://www.threads.net/@UKHouseOfLords

    #HouseOfLords #UKParliament

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4aZkjwAEbcw

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: London Luton Airport Expansion development consent decision announced

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    London Luton Airport Expansion development consent decision announced

    The London Luton Airport Expansion application has today been granted development consent by the Secretary of State for Transport.

    London Luton Airport Expansion

    The application comprises the expansion of London Luton Airport from its current permitted cap of 18 million passengers per annum (mppa) up to 32 million mppa, including: new terminal capacity; additional taxiways and other transport infrastructure; the construction of landside support buildings; surface access adjustments; mitigation works and other associated development.  

    The application was submitted to the Planning Inspectorate for consideration by London Luton Airport Limited on 27 February 2023 and accepted for examination on 27 March 2023.  

    Following an examination during which the public, statutory consultees and interested parties were given the opportunity to give evidence to the Examining Authority, recommendations were made to the Secretary of State on 10 May 2024.   

    This is the 57th transport application out of 152 applications examined to date and was again completed by the Planning Inspectorate within the statutory timescale laid down in the Planning Act 2008.   

    Local communities continue to be given the opportunity of being involved in the examination of projects that may affect them. Local people, the local authority and other interested parties were able to participate in this six-month examination.   

    The Examining Authority listened and gave full consideration to all local views and the evidence gathered during the examination before making its recommendation to the Secretary of State.  

    The decision, the recommendation made by the Examining Authority to the Secretary of State for Transport and the evidence considered by the Examining Authority in reaching its recommendation are publicly available on the project pages of the National Infrastructure Planning website.  

    Journalists wanting further information should contact the Planning Inspectorate Press Office, on 0303 444 5004 or 0303 444 5005 or email:   

    Press.office@planninginspectorate.gov.uk

    Updates to this page

    Published 3 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Prof Thomas Hartung – Exposome Moonshot Project

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    The Human Exposome Moonshot Project is a bold initiative to map how environmental exposures shape human health from conception to old age. Much like the Human Genome Project transformed genetics, the Human Exposome Project seeks to revolutionize our understanding of disease origins, public health, and environmental policy. Today, we know that up to 90% of chronic diseases are linked to environmental factors—ranging from pollutants and diet to social stressors. However, a comprehensive understanding of these exposures remains elusive.

    Prof Hartung is on the Organising Committee of the Exposome Moonshot Project. He will be in the UK, ahead of the first Human Exposome Moonshot Forum in Washington in May, speaking at the International Network for Governmental Science Advice conference.

    Journalists were invited to attend this briefing to meet Prof Hartung and learn more about how the Human Exposome Moonshot Project will redefine environmental health and public policy on a global scale over the next decades. He covered:

    • What is the Human Exposome, and why is it as significant as the Human Genome Project?
    • How do environmental exposures contribute to major diseases, and what percentage of disease burden can be attributed to these factors?
    • Why is now the right time for a Human Exposome Moonshot? What technological breakthroughs make it feasible today?
    • What key advances in artificial intelligence, exposomics, and real-time exposure monitoring are driving this initiative?
    • How will the project impact healthcare, drug development, and regulatory science?
    • What role will governments, industry, and public health organizations play in shaping and implementing the exposome agenda?
    • How can stakeholders—scientists, policymakers, businesses, and the public—get involved in this initiative?
    • What are the expected short- and long-term outcomes of the Human Exposome Project, and how will success be measured?

    Speakers included:

    Prof Thomas Hartung, Professor at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, the Whiting School of Engineering, Georgetown University, Washington D.C., and University of Konstanz, Germany and Director at the Centers for Alternatives to Animal Testing (CAAT) in the US and Europe. 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New fees for emergency travel documents and emergency passports

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    News story

    New fees for emergency travel documents and emergency passports

    The government will introduce new fees for emergency travel documents and emergency passports from 9 April 2025.

    From 9 April 2025, the government will introduce new fees for emergency travel documents (ETDs) and emergency passports.

    An ETD lets you travel from abroad if you need to travel urgently and cannot use your British passport. It is usually only valid for one single or return journey. The new fee includes the cost of couriering the emergency travel document to you. Previously, this was an additional separate cost.

    Emergency passports are issued in exceptional circumstances, usually when an ETD cannot be issued.

    Service Current fee up to 8 April 2025 New fee from 9 April 2025
    Administering an application for, and if successful providing, an emergency travel document (in addition to direct costs, if any)   £100 £125
    Exceptionally, administering an application for, and, if successful, providing an emergency passport, on occasions when it is not possible to provide an emergency travel document (in addition to direct costs, if any)   £75 £125

    Consular fees are reviewed in line with His Majesty’s Treasury guidance Managing public money. The last time fees were increased was in 2016.

    Updates to this page

    Published 3 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Swiss exports affected by US tariff increases

    Source: Switzerland – Department of Finance

    On 3 April the Federal Council took note of the US government’s announcements on the imposition of wide-ranging tariffs. These will affect all of the USA’s trading partners including Switzerland. The Federal Council will analyse the measures and their impact on Switzerland in greater detail. It is in contact with the affected industries and the US authorities. The Federal Council has instructed the EAER to begin preparatory work on a possible solution with the USA.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Landmark anti-terror legislation gains Royal Assent

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Landmark anti-terror legislation gains Royal Assent

    Martyn’s Law will deliver increased protection by ensuring public premises and events are better prepared in the event of a terrorist attack.

    Premises and events will be better prepared to respond to attacks as landmark legislation known as Martyn’s Law gained Royal Assent and became law today (Thursday 3 April).

    The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025 will require public premises where 200 or more individuals may be present, to be better prepared and have plans in place to keep people safe in the event of an attack.

    Larger premises and events where 800 or more people will be present will be required to take further steps to reduce their vulnerability to acts of terrorism – such as having CCTV, bag search policies or vehicle checks where appropriate.

    ‘Martyn’s Law’ is named in tribute to Martyn Hett who was tragically killed alongside 21 others in the Manchester Arena attack in May 2017.

    It delivers on the Prime Minister’s personal promise to Martyn’s mother, Figen Murray, who has been the driving force in campaigning for this legislation in her son’s memory, that he would bring in this law.

    The Prime Minister invited Figen Murray into Downing Street today to mark this landmark moment and to express the debt of gratitude the nation has for her selfless work to turn such unimaginable pain into a lasting legacy for son Martyn.

    The government is securing Britain’s future through the Plan for Change and this Act delivers a manifesto commitment to strengthen the security of public events and venues.

    Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, said:

    Today is a landmark moment for our security as my government delivers on its promise to introduce Martyn’s Law and better protect the public from terrorism.

    Figen’s courage and determination in the face of such unimaginable loss is truly humbling and it is thanks to her campaigning that Martyn’s Law means her son’s legacy will live on forever.

    Security is the foundation of our Plan for Change and the first duty of any government. Martyn’s Law will ensure everyone can enjoy public events more safely and ensure venues across the country have clear, practical measures in place to protect people.

    Figen Murray, mother of Martyn Hett said:

    My son Martyn Hett was murdered alongside 21 innocent victims in the Manchester Arena terror attack on 22 May 2017, and whilst nothing will bring Martyn back, I am determined to ensure nobody endures what my family has experienced.

    For the last 6 years I have campaigned to introduce measures that will improve security at public venues and how they respond to a terror attack – Martyn’s Law.

    I am grateful to the Prime Minister, the Security Minister and Lord Hanson for how quickly they’ve progressed Martyn’s Law through parliament. But this would not have happened without the tireless support of my co-campaigners Nick Aldworth, Brendan Cox, Nathan Emmerich, my husband Stuart, and my children.

    Over the implementation period it is vital that the government and Security Industry Authority provide all that is necessary for publicly accessible locations to implement Martyn’s Law.

    Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, said:

    Martyn’s Law will significantly strengthen public safety across our country, I’d like to thank Figen Murray for her tireless work to make this law a reality.

    This government is securing Britain’s future through the Plan for Change and, as the eighth anniversary of the attack approaches, this new law delivers upon the lessons from the Manchester Arena Inquiry to keep people safe.

    CTP Senior National Coordinator for Protect and Prepare, Jon Savell, said:

    Martyn’s Law will ensure that the public have additional protection from terrorist attacks while at events and public venues. We will continue to work with businesses and with the government to make sure premises have the support they need to prepare for the implementation of the act.

    Figen Murray has campaigned tirelessly for the introduction of this legislation and it’s thanks to her unwavering determination that it has achieved Royal Assent.

    Mike Kill CEO of the Night Time Industries Association

    The passing of Martyn’s Law into legislation is a significant milestone in our ongoing commitment to public safety. This law will ensure that venues and events across the UK take appropriate and proportionate steps to protect the public from the evolving threat of terrorism. The NTIA has long supported measures that enhance security while remaining practical for businesses to implement.

    We appreciate the government’s recognition of the challenges businesses face and the commitment to a 24-month implementation period, allowing time for preparation and adaptation. As an industry we will continue working closely with the Home Office, the SIA, and key stakeholders to provide clear guidance and support. Ensuring the safety of our night-time economy and public spaces remains our priority, and we fully support this crucial legislation.

    Security Minster, Dan Jarvis, said:

    I am proud that we have delivered Martyn’s Law as part of our commitment to strengthen the security at public events and venues.

    I would like to pay tribute to Figen Murray, who has been nothing short of inspirational in her campaign for this legislation and a driving force in making it happen.

    Giles Smith, Chief Executive of the Sports Grounds Safety Authority (SGSA) said:

    The SGSA welcomes the passing of the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) 2025 legislation.

    Providing a safe, welcoming environment for fans is the SGSA’s top priority and we support the objectives of Martyn’s Law.

    Updates to this page

    Published 3 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK seeks business views on response to US tariffs

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    UK seeks business views on response to US tariffs

    Government begins process seeking business views on response to US tariffs

    • UK Government launches next stage in process asking UK businesses to comment on options to shape UK’s potential response to US tariffs.
    • Business and Trade Secretary tells Parliament UK is disappointed at US tariffs and will continue constructive discussions with US on wider deal.
    • Tariffs remain the last resort, with options kept open.

    UK businesses will shape the UK’s response to US tariffs announced overnight, as part of plans announced by the Business and Trade Secretary today. 

    Following the 10% reciprocal tariffs on a range of products announced by the Trump administration yesterday, UK companies are being invited to give their views on what any future UK response should look like by providing feedback to questions asking them the average value of their US imports, the impact of any possible UK tariffs and how they would adjust to them. 

    The Business and Trade Secretary has also today published an indicative list of goods imported from the US that may be considered in a future UK response. This makes it clear to businesses that the Government would not consider products in the wider public interest issues such as medical supplies and military equipment. It marks the next stage in the government’s ongoing preparations and negotiations with the US on our economic relationship.

    Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said:  

    The best interests of British business has shaped our approach throughout as we prepare for all scenarios, which is why we are asking them for their views on how these tariffs impact their operations and day-to-day lives.   

    Our cool-headed, pragmatic approach means that talks with the US will continue to reflect our mandate to deliver economic stability, as we press the case for a trading relationship that supports businesses on both sides of the Atlantic, and reflects our Plan for Change and the best interests of the UK public.

    The Business Secretary and Ministers across government have been engaging widely with business organisations and companies from across the economy, including sectors like steel, automotive and food, and other companies who export a high number of goods to the US and stand to be affected by any tariffs. They will continue to meet a broad range of businesses in the coming days to provide support and set out the Government’s priority of defending the interests of UK industry.     

    The four-week Request for Input launched today and open until Thursday 1 May continues the Government’s engagement with a wide range of UK sectors in response to tariffs, its commitment to working in the national interest and delivering economic stability, and its support of the UK public and businesses as part of its Plan for Change.  

    Once the Request for Input closes, the Government will reflect on the feedback and consider how best to respond.

    While preparing for all scenarios, this Government’s priority remains strengthening its relationship with the US through an economic prosperity deal, and both countries will continue to have constructive discussions in the coming weeks to agree this. 

    Notes to Editors

    • The Business and Trade Secretary updated the House earlier today to set out the UK’s next steps on US tariffs.
    • Further information for businesses exporting to the US can be found here.
    • Further information on the Request for Input and an indicative list of potential products in scope of any future UK tariff response can be found here.

    Updates to this page

    Published 3 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Fan zones, fireworks and flags – plans unveiled for Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 extravaganza

    Source: City of Sunderland

    Plans to create a carnival atmosphere around this summer’s opening match of the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 in Sunderland have been unveiled by the City Council.

    Fan zones, fireworks and more than 150 colourful flags and banners will all add to the party atmosphere in the city centre, together with a fan parade to the Stadium of Light across the new Wear Footbridge connecting the city centre to the stadium.

    England’s Red Roses are due to kick off the opening match of the tournament against the USA at the Stadium of Light at 7.30pm on Friday 22 August and tickets are already selling fast.

    The Red Roses are favourites to win the tournament after last winning the World Cup in 2014 when South Shields born Sunderland University graduate Katy Daley McLean captained the team.

    The game was awarded to Sunderland following a competitive bidding process and will provide an estimated economic impact benefit of £20 million for the region.

    Details of plans for the tournament’s opening weekend have been released following approval by Sunderland City Council’s Cabinet last week, setting the stage for a spectacular opening weekend of celebrations for those attending the match at Stadium of Light.

    Fan zones at Keel Edge and Keel Square over the three days from Thursday 21 August to Saturday 23 August will add to the carnival atmosphere, hosting live entertainment, interactive games and a food court offering a range of tempting food and drink.

    On the evening of Thursday 21 there will also be a tie up with Sunderland Music City featuring local talent and musicians.

    Post game on Friday evening, there will a firework display from Riverside Park which can be viewed from across the city centre.

    A programme of community events across the North East involving Northumberland, Durham and Sunderland Rugby Clubs is also being planned, including touch rugby beach festivals planned from Bamburgh to Sunderland to engage local communities and rugby clubs.

    Councillor Beth Jones, Cabinet Member for Communities, Culture and Tourism at Sunderland City Council, said: “It’s going to be incredibly exciting weekend. The eyes of the world will be on Sunderland and it’s a brilliant opportunity to showcase the city.

    “We will have visitors from across the globe and I can’t wait to welcome them to Sunderland.

    “There’s something for all the family in the events we’ve laid on across the weekend and I think it will be a real celebration of both the tournament and the city.”

    Further tickets for the tournament are due to go on sale later this spring, with competitive prices from £10 for adults and £5 for children. This means a family of four can enjoy an evening at the Women’s Rugby World Cup Opening Game for £30.

    To be the first to hear the latest ticketing news, fans can register for updates at www.rugbyworldcup.com/2025/newsletter

    To find out more about more about rugby in Sunderland and how to get involved, visit: www.mysunderland.co.uk/rugbyworldcup

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Derby Market Hall unveils latest set of traders – including butcher and bakery

    Source: City of Derby

    Derby City Council is excited to announce the third wave of traders set to move into the revitalised Derby Market Hall.

    Following a £35.1m restoration of the historic Grade II-listed building, the Market Hall will reopen its doors to the public on Saturday 24 May, marking a new era for Derby’s independent shopping, dining, and entertainment scene. 

    A curated mix of traditional and contemporary traders will be in place when the Market Hall reopens its doors, creating a vibrant hub in the heart of the city and blending the Market Hall’s rich history with a modern experience. 

    The newest announcement of traders offers fresh produce from a traditional butcher and a craft bakery, plus an exciting variety of retailers and another occupant of our make and trade stalls, which offer local makers and creators new spaces to reach new audiences, inspire others, and grow their businesses in the heart of the city centre.

    Fresh produce: 

    • Anthony Andrews Butchers will be bringing a traditional trade to Derby Market Hall. A small family-run business in Duffield since 2011, the team sources all their meat as locally as possible, working alongside local farmers. Their popular award-winning sausages – made to a secret recipe! – alongside pork pies, steak pies and much more are all handmade. You’ll be able to pick up prime cuts of quality meat and poultry, including dry cured steak and bacon, black pudding and free-range chicken. The business extends its eco-friendly ethos to its packaging, which has a focus on sustainability.
    • Olivia’s Coffee and Bakery will be bringing freshly-baked breads, pastries, and treats while brewing amazing coffee. From humble beginnings in 2018 as a small craft bakery in Loughborough, the thriving business is now trading from four locations. All their food is handmade, freshly baked every morning and seasonal, while the coffee is crafted with care using amazing Colombian coffee beans roasted by the amazing Monsoon Estates roasters. As well as their delicious bread and pastries, Olivia’s will offer sandwiches, which will be available for pre-order for those needing a quick bite, and celebration cakes to order. Look out for their range of vegan and gluten-free products too!

    Local retailers:

    • Dawkins Pet Supplies is a Derbyshire-based, family-owned business dedicated to providing the best natural treats, raw foods, toys, and accessories for customers’ beloved pets, including vegan treats. They promise to offer only the highest quality products that the team would feel comfortable giving to their own furry companions. With a commitment to customer satisfaction and pet well-being, customers can trust that their pets are receiving the care and attention they deserve.
    • Bringing the beauty and healing power of crystals to Derby Market Hall, Derbyshire-based SpiritCrystals offers a selection of ethically-sourced crystals, minerals, fossils, and spiritual gifts. Combining education and experience to help customers discover the deeper meanings behind each stone, SpiritCrystals aim to create meaningful gifts that people appreciate. More than 6,000 customers have already taken their crystal quiz, which helps people discover the right crystal for them. Products include jewellery, exclusive crystal candles, pet rocks, and giftable crystal cards.
    • Ayup Bikes is a non-profit, volunteer run project dedicated to proving a top-class service to the Derby’s cycling community and saving bikes from the scrap heap! Founded by a group of Derby cyclists, the co-operative sells fully-refurbished bikes that people can trust, while their excellent, industry-qualified mechanics offer low-cost, high-quality servicing and repairs to get cycles working as good as new. Ayup partners with local charities, businesses, and schools, offering maintenance classes and repairs for the community.

    Make and trade:

    • Sportwear specialist Layer is on a mission to create durable, performance-driven training gear that stands up to the demands of the most intense workouts while maintaining a minimal environmental footprint. Owner and founder Dan Bacon has spent many years working at the top level of sport in the UK; working with the biggest sportswear brands in the world along the way. Layer also operates Layer Run Club in Long Eaton and plans to open a second club in Derby this summer.

    Councillor Nadine Peatfield, Leader of Derby City Council and Cabinet Member for City Centre, Regeneration, Strategy and Policy, said:

    It was important to us to offer a variety of local, independent and traditional traders in the Market Hall, as well as the best of the region’s eating, drinking, and entertainment. There really will be something for everyone.

    I’m getting more excited with every week that goes by and I can’t wait to welcome everyone on Saturday 24 May.

    Located at the heart of the city centre, linking Derbion and St Peter’s Quarter with the Cathedral Quarter and Becketwell, the redeveloped Market Hall will play a key role in widening the diversity of the city centre and is expected to generate £3.64m for the local economy every year. 

    More traders will be announced in the coming weeks.

    Follow Derby Market Hall on Facebook and Instagram or visit the website to find out more.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: PISh SPbPU presented a new project at the educational forum — school design bureaus

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

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

    Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University presented the best practices, projects and initiatives for training highly qualified specialists needed by the modern economy at the XV St. Petersburg International Educational Forum. The Advanced Engineering School of SPbPU “Digital Engineering” (PES), as a flagship division of the SPbPU Technological Development Ecosystem, launched innovative projects at the forum with an emphasis on advanced digital and production technologies and held thematic events for teachers aimed at developing engineering education in cooperation with representatives of the domestic industry, and also became an active participant in discussion platforms.

    On the first day of the forum, a scientific and practical seminar “Formation of the inventive culture of students: from idea to implementation” was held at school No. 219 in the Krasnoselsky district of St. Petersburg on the topic of “Personnel for the economy and technological sovereignty”. Senior lecturer of the Higher School of Advanced Digital Technologies, junior research fellow of the 3D-education laboratory of the SPbPU PIS “Digital Engineering” Andrey Shimchenko spoke at the opening and took part in the discussion of key issues in the development of the intellectual and creative potential of schoolchildren.

    On March 27, the forum hosted a presentation of the school design bureau project and the signing of agreements with schools and partners. The project is based on the idea of creating a network of school design bureaus at specially selected educational sites, working together and coordinated by the Advanced Engineering School of SPbPU “Digital Engineering”. The project is being implemented in partnership with the Academy of Digital Technologies and with the support of the Government of St. Petersburg. The corporate style of the network of school design bureaus was developed by the winner of the federal competition “Design of the Young – 2024” in the “Bureau” nomination, student of the Sverdlovsk Art School named after I.D. Shadr Matvey Nechkov.

    The events took place during the strategic session “Creating a Single Space for Modern Digital Education in St. Petersburg”, the program of which included a plenary session, a discussion platform of the session “Development of Engineering Competencies of Students in School Design Bureaus” and a session “Quantum Collaboration: Development through Partnership”. The venue was the IT company “Sber IT-hub”. The organizers of the strategic session were the Advanced Engineering School of SPbPU “Digital Engineering” and the Academy of Digital Technologies.

    Today we will discuss two important issues related to the development of engineering competencies in school design bureaus and children’s technology parks. These topics are very important for the development of a modern educational environment. It is necessary for each educational institution to respond to the demand that the real labor market puts before us. I would like to thank all our partners, including manufacturing companies, universities and schools, for being ready, in the conditions of such positive collaboration, to create and build a truly future that will allow our children to become highly competitive specialists, – Valeria Zotova, Director of the Academy of Digital Technologies, welcomed the participants of the strategic session.

    SPbPU’s advanced engineering school “Digital Engineering” systematically develops career guidance and educational projects for schoolchildren and college students. These projects are based on the use of advanced digital and production technologies for teaching natural science subjects. They also include the development small-sized wheeled autonomous robot (MKAR) and its application in schools and educational centers of St. Petersburg for teaching robotics and related disciplines. In February 2025, on the basis of the project partner, the Academy of Digital Technologies, the School programming competitions MKAR, and 15 St. Petersburg schools received models of the robot.

    The development of these educational initiatives in cooperation between schools, colleges, universities, educational centers and industrial partners is supported by the government of St. Petersburg. For example, in September 2024, Governor Alexander Beglov highly praised the concept youth design bureaus, presented by the SPbPU PISh “Digital Engineering” at the opening of the first educational site at the College of Industrial Automation.

    School design bureaus are club-type platforms where children, under the guidance of experienced instructors, can learn engineering and solve real technical problems from industrial partners. The goal of the project is not only to give schoolchildren the opportunity to try themselves as engineers, but also to organize effective career guidance for students in grades 7–10. Participants in school design bureaus will be able to visit high-tech enterprises, listen to lectures by leading industry experts, and undergo internships at partners’ production sites.

    Industrial partners of the school design bureaus developed practice-oriented tasks for them and provided them with licensed software. The main partners of the project include: AEM-Technologies (part of the mechanical engineering division of the Rosatom State Corporation), Gazprom Neft, the Physical Rehabilitation organization, Ascon-Design Systems, and the Kronstadt Engineering Center. As the project develops, the number of partners will increase.

    The school design bureau project became one of the key topics of the plenary session of the strategic session “Creating a single space for modern digital education in St. Petersburg”.

    St. Petersburg has always been a leader in the field of education, and today’s forum is another step forward in providing high-quality and modern education for our children. Exchange of experience and discussion of current issues will help to determine the main areas of development and achieve the set goals, – Svetlana Bobrovskaya, Deputy Head of the General Education Department of the St. Petersburg Education Committee, opened the plenary session.

    Director of the Center for Continuing Professional Education of the SPbPU PISh Sergey Salkutsan spoke about the school design bureaus and answered questions from the audience about the project and tools of system digital engineering.

    “It is important to teach schoolchildren and students to understand the fundamental physical and chemical processes underlying the objects being modeled,” says Sergey Vladimirovich. “Mathematics and physics are critically important for understanding the structure of the world. Only by mastering these two disciplines will future engineers be able to effectively use software for modeling and design. It is also necessary to teach children not only to carry out technical assignments, but also to understand production technologies and the path of the product to the end consumer.”

    Sergei Salkutsan emphasized that school design bureaus are part of a continuous chain that continues in colleges and universities.

    Director of the Academy of Digital Technologies Valeria Zotova also noted the positive impact of the school design bureau project on the development of engineering education in the country: This will open up new opportunities for the development of technical creativity and engineering competencies in our students. Of particular importance is that each of you will have the opportunity to develop your own roadmap for opening school design bureaus in your educational institution. This is not just a theory – this is a real action plan that we will implement together.

    Then the official presentation of the school design bureau project took place and agreements on their opening were signed with 13 educational institutions of St. Petersburg. The signing was preceded by training of teachers of educational institutions, which took place at SPbPU. The teachers received certificates of advanced training during the ceremony.

    School design bureaus will be opened in the following educational institutions of St. Petersburg:

    Academy of Digital Technologies; Academy of Talents; Center for Children’s (Youthful) Technical Creativity “Start” of Nevsky District; Engineering and Technological School No. 777; School No. 707 of Nevsky District; School No. 422 of Kronstadt District; School No. 582 with in-depth study of English and Finnish languages of Primorsky District; Gymnasium No. 49 of Primorsky District; School No. 518 of Vyborg District; School No. 617 of Primorsky District; School No. 219 of Krasnoselsky District; School No. 500 of Pushkinsky District; School No. 258 with in-depth study of physics and chemistry of Kolpino District.

    Cooperation agreements were signed by the project partners: Ascon-Design Systems, Physical Rehabilitation, and AEM-Technologies.

    After signing, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of ASCON, Alexander Golikov, noted: The main motivation that guides us as a developer is that we want to live in a country that creates, not a consumer. In a country with a powerful industry, with its own aircraft, electronics, software. To achieve this, it is necessary to develop a culture of invention and engineering creativity at all stages of education, since all advanced developments are created by qualified specialists. School design bureaus are a point of attraction for future engineers, and we, ASCON, provide the necessary software tools for the implementation of engineering ideas.

    To implement the project, school design bureaus “Ascon-Design Systems” transferred licenses for full access to the software to schools.

    Training in school design bureaus will be launched in cycles, but the first launch is different from the others. Basic training began on March 27. Work on the first project, “Development of a housing for an electronic rehabilitation device for children,” commissioned by the Physical Rehabilitation organization, will begin on April 21. In May, the finished assembly will be submitted for testing and production, a championship of the school design bureau network will be held, and the first project will end with a presentation of the manufactured products and their transfer to the customer. Schoolchildren who successfully complete the training will receive certificates from Ascon-Design Systems confirming their skills. In the future, these certificates will be taken into account when entering Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University. The second task for schoolchildren by the fall of 2025 will be set by the partner of AEM-Technology.

    The development of school design bureaus was also one of the topics of the plenary part of the conference “Ecosystem of a specialized school: change management for technological sovereignty”, which was held at the project participant – school No. 258 with in-depth study of physics and chemistry in the Kolpino district of St. Petersburg. Engineer of the Advanced Engineering School of SPbPU “Digital Engineering” Tamara Korobova spoke about the launch of school design bureaus, highlighted the goals and objectives of the project, answered questions from teachers and took part in the discussion of current issues of specialized education for schoolchildren and the development of models of network interaction between educational organizations and industry partners.

    At the strategic session, students were able to immerse themselves in the tasks of future school design bureaus and try their hand at 3D modeling and printing.

    The leading engineering school of SPbPU “Digital Engineering” is developing three areas of development of design bureaus. Over the next year, we plan to methodically organize the activities of school bureaus, set up work with industrial partners and receive feedback from participants. Then, on the basis of the Polytechnic University, together with the Talent Academy, a bureau will be created that will be available to students of schools where there is no design bureau yet. The third area includes youth design bureaus based on secondary vocational education institutions, developed together with the College of Industrial Automation. Their activities are focused on in-depth study of the technological level of development and production of products. As part of their work, novice engineers should enter small-scale production, – summed up Sergey Salkutsan.

    The II All-Russian Digital Forum “From Lesson to Profession” was held as part of the XV St. Petersburg International Educational Forum. The second day of the event took place at the Polytechnic University. The co-organizers were the SPbPU PISh and School No. 619 of the Kalininsky District. More than 160 technical education specialists and heads of digital education centers from 33 regions of Russia took part.

    We have established a strong tradition of meeting, exchanging experience and practices. Within the framework of this forum, you will see the best of what St. Petersburg and other regions have to offer. And I am sure that you will remember the welcoming atmosphere of the Polytechnic University, and you will actively share the knowledge you have gained with your colleagues, – Pavel Rozov, Deputy Chairman of the St. Petersburg Education Committee, opened the event in a video address.

    Then the plenary session “National Policy in the Sphere of Digital Education” began. Natalia Gubkova, chief specialist of the Department of Information Technology and Digitalization of the Committee on Education of St. Petersburg, spoke about the influence of national projects on the work of digital education centers and the guidelines for the development of education until 2036.

    Experience of interaction with leaders of Russian industry for development of engineering education within the framework of the SPbPU PISh “Digital Engineering” program was presented by Mikhail Zhmailo, senior lecturer of the Higher School of Advanced Digital Technologies of the SPbPU PISh. He spoke about the practice-oriented model of polytechnic education, emphasized the need to develop modern educational tools and the importance of introducing advanced digital technologies in the education of young people at different levels. Mikhail Aleksandrovich noted the high interest of schools in participation in the project of development of school design bureaus and application in educational activities of a small-sized wheeled autonomous robot developed by engineers of the laboratory “Industrial Systems of Streaming Data Processing” (PSPOD) of the SPbPU PISh.

    Director of the Center for Advanced Professional Training Natalia Suddenkova gave a report on the implementation of the concept of continuous digital education in the context of developing cooperation between educational organizations and industrial partners, and also presented the project “My First Profession”.

    Director of the Academy of Digital Technologies Valeria Zotova highlighted the Academy’s projects and its role in the development of digital education and support of educational institutions, advanced training programs for teachers and managers.

    After the plenary session, the participants of the II All-Russian Digital Forum “From Lesson to Profession” visited the laboratories and scientific and technological spaces of SPbPU. Thus, in the laboratory “Industrial Systems of Streaming Data Processing” of the SPbPU PISh, teachers got acquainted with a model of a small-sized wheeled autonomous robot and learned more about its programming and the competencies of students that can be developed with its help.

    Senior Lecturer of the Higher School of Advanced Digital Technologies PISH SPbPU, Research Fellow of the Laboratory of Advanced Digital Technologies PISH SPbPU Georgy Vasilyanov presented guests a new version of the robot – MKAR 3.0, which was shown publicly for the first time. During the presentation, participants saw autonomous movement MKAR 2.0— version, already delivered to 15 schools in St. Petersburg, as well as the debut of MKAR 3.0 with improved sensors, modular design and support for ROS2 — the industry standard for robot control.

    Using the example of work Experimental Design Bureau of PISh SPbPU, opened within the framework VI International Forum “Advanced Digital and Manufacturing Technologies” In October 2024, participants became familiar with the implemented practices and approaches to designing high-tech products, which are planned to be replicated in the school design bureau project.

    The teachers also visited the Polytechnic Supercomputer Center and the Gazpromneft-Polytech Scientific and Educational Center on an excursion.

    And then the program of the II All-Russian Digital Forum “From Lesson to Profession” continued with a strategic session “Creating a Single Space for Modern Digital Education in St. Petersburg”, which was held by the Deputy Director for Educational and Methodological Work of the Academy of Digital Technologies Evgeniya Lineva.

    The session participants discussed the partnership, outlined development paths and prospects for further work.

    Read more about the events Here.

    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 Europe: ASIA/MYANMAR – The Archbishop of Mandalay among the homeless: “The tragedy has not extinguished hope, we will rise with Christ”

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    by Paolo AffatatoMandalay (Agenzia Fides) – “The more we suffer, the more we hope in God. Today, our people have hope in God’s mercy, in the certainty of his love. There is a divine message that transcends our human intelligence and understanding. Our only way is to entrust ourselves to his merciful love and reaffirm our hope in God’s plan of salvation,” said Marco Tin Win, Archbishop of Mandalay, whose archdiocese includes the area most affected by the violent earthquake on March 28, in an interview with Fides. In a situation where electricity and telephone connections are struggling due to the damage to infrastructure, the Archbishop offers an overview of the situation on the ground and the spirit that today animates the approximately 20,000 Catholics in Mandalay, many of whom are now homeless.The Archbishop himself, along with the priests of the Curia, shares the fate of the homeless. Due to structural damage to the cathedral and the bishop’s residence, he spent nights on the streets for safety reasons, alongside people who are still shocked and frightened, experiencing the plight of the homeless. After the trauma and shock of the first hours, help was put in place: “Shortly after the earthquake began,” he recounts, “the priests and religious raised the alarm and brought people to safety in the churches, monasteries, and the Seminary. We made sure no one was injured. We encouraged and comforted frightened children and people on the streets. Many sought refuge in the church complexes that are still accessible. With our modest means, we share water, food, and shelter with them while we await further external assistance.”In describing the situation, Archbishop Tin Win points out that the earthquake’s epicenter is located between the cities of Mandalay and Sagaing in the Archdiocese of Mandalay, and that several municipalities have been severely affected. “According to initial reports, here in Mandalay alone, over 1,000 people have lost their lives, over 2,200 have been injured, and 200 are missing.” Humanitarian aid is trying to provide the homeless with essentials, namely “drinking water, food, emergency shelter, medicine, and hygiene kits,” he says. The Catholic community is also affected, families are grieving, and there is damage to churches and pastoral institutions: “The Church of Our Lady Help of Christians in the city of Sagaing, the Church of Our Lady of Lourdes in the city of Yamethin, and the Church of Saints Joachim and Anne in the parish of Sint Kaing have collapsed. Of the 40 churches in the diocese, these three were the most severely affected. Among the others, all have minor or major cracks. About 25 churches are no longer suitable for the safe celebration of services. The intermediate Seminary in the city of Mandalay is also severely damaged, and the Minor Seminary in Pyin Oo Lwin has cracks in its building structure.” However, the tragedy has not extinguished faith, but, according to the Archbishop, it has triggered a dynamic of unceasing prayer “while we are at the height of pain between the war, the earthquake, and the grief.” “Even in this terrible chaos, no one feels at the mercy of events: we suffer together, we comfort one another, and we pray together,” he says. “I addressed words of encouragement to the people: Do not be afraid. We are here. The Lord tells us: I will be with you,” he reports. “The disaster,” he continues, “unites people regardless of ethnicity, faith, or social class. I see how people are supporting one another and showing increasing solidarity and charity toward one another. So many people of good will have put themselves at the service of the victims, that is a beautiful sign,” he notes.During this time, the greatest refuge is prayer: “We pray that the souls of the deceased may be welcomed by the Lord. We pray for the wounded, the weak, and the abandoned, that they may be comforted. We ask God for the strength to be instruments of spiritual and humanitarian aid, instruments of his love for every person. And we ask for peace for our beloved country, wounded by war and earthquakes,” said Archbishop Tin Win. “It consoles us,” he concluded, “to see that the entire Church does not abandon us, neither nationally nor universally. Even the Pope prays for us and gives us comfort and hope. Easter is just around the corner: we are in God’s hands and will rise with Christ. In the year of the Jubilee, we renew our hope in Christ. We entrust ourselves to Mary, Mother of God, who protects us from evil, danger, and death.” (Agenzia Fides, 3/4/2025)
    Share:

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: AFRICA/MALAWI – Catholic University: Law Faculty students to provide free legal aid

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Catholic University of Malawi

    Lilongwe (Agenzia Fides) – “This year, the Church is celebrating a Jubilee Year with the theme: Pilgrims of Hope. As a falculty, can we not go to our prisons and help liberate those who do not belong there?” asked Father Wilfred Sumani, Acting Vice-Chancellor of the Catholic University of Malawi, in a speech to law faculty students preparing for the “Moot Court” competition (in which teams of law students compete in a mock criminal trial). Father Sumani urged the students to participate in the free defense of prisoners who cannot afford legal representation.Lawyer Noel Chalamanda, the facilitator of the training, expressed his commitment to join the challenge of helping prisoners on pro bono: “I will take on ten cases in this challenge and only require assistance from the students with the paperwork”.In Malawi, there are several cases of arrests based on inadequate investigations, often targeting poor individuals. This contributes to overcrowding in police cells and prisons. Despite legal reforms and the constitutional right of the poor to legal representation, this is rarely guaranteed in practice in Malawi. In addition to legal fees, those involved in a legal dispute also face other logistical costs. A large portion of the population still lives in rural areas. The inaccessibility and lack of functioning and effective legal institutions in rural areas is one of the main reasons why the poor have difficulty accessing the courts. For villagers, the nearest district court can be 25-40 kilometers away. Most villagers cannot afford a personal vehicle, and public transportation is non-existent in rural areas. The only means of transportation available to villagers are walking, cycling, or hitchhiking to court. Furthermore, they must arrive at the courthouse several days before the start of the trial, incurring costs for food and accommodation. The government provides insufficient funding for legal assistance to poor citizens, making it virtually impossible for most defendants. Furthermore, the Malawi Bar Association does not appear to particularly support the practice of pro bono defense. The initiative proposed by the Catholic University of Malawi for the Jubilee Year is therefore intended as a signal to try to change this situation. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 3/4/2025)
    Share:

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: AMERICA/HAITI – “Foyer Saint Camille” inaugurates ward for premature babies

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Thursday, 3 April 2025

    Madian Orizzonti

    Port-au-Prince (Agenzia Fides) – “Providing modern care environments that are better adapted to the needs of the population and adequate for staff is one of the key elements of our health plan to make the network of health and social services more humane and efficient,” said Father Robert Daudier, Director of the “Foyer Saint Camille” Hospital in Port-au-Prince, at the recent inauguration of the ward for premature babies or babies with birth defects which took place on Tuesday, 25 March.In a country like Haiti, which is in chaos, this new ward is an important sign of hope and rebirth, according to a statement sent by the aid organization “Madian Orizzonti Onlus,” an association active in Italy and in the Camillian missions abroad.”Despite the many setbacks that prevented the hospital from meeting its deadlines,” the hospital director continues, “many goals have nevertheless been achieved that facilitate patient care. Examples include the acquisition of new medical equipment and devices, operating tables, anesthesia machines, monitors, incubators, medical imaging equipment, among others, as well as an important room for the oxygen production plant, which was made possible at the cost of great sacrifices. And now, we are finally inaugurating the Neonatal Unit. We are very proud of the new unit, which is a concrete example of our commitment to providing modern infrastructure that better meets the needs of our city’s suffering and poor population. The unit has a capacity of six incubators and nine cots. This new space is a place of life and hope for premature babies and their parents. It is a place of welcome, love, and tenderness, which we wanted to call the ‘foyer,’ a place of security and shared love, but also a unit with new facilities, suitable for welcoming newborns who are entering life with difficulties, and where the nursing staff is also specialized and prepared to provide appropriate medical care, as well as special attention in the general care of the new family.”In conclusion, the missionary extends special thanks to “all those who help us accompany life in such a difficult country and reaffirms our trust in those who collaborate with us in such valuable work for the Haitian people. In our daily work, we strive to save lives by following the guidelines of the Ministry of Public Health through our various competencies, aware that the challenges are increasing every day.” (AP) (Agenzia Fides, 3/4/2025)
    Madian Orizzonti

    Share:

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Appeal to locate Dilawar Hussain for 2013 murder in Pimlico

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Detectives investigating the murder of 16-year-old Hani Hicham Abou El Kheir are continuing their efforts to secure justice for his family.

    Hani was fatally stabbed in Pimlico on 27 January 2013. Subsequently, five men were convicted of his murder and sentenced to a total of 131 years imprisonment following a trial at the Old Bailey in January 2014.

    One suspect remains outstanding. He is Dilawar Hussain, 33, (24.09.91) who was born in Paddington and raised in London.

    Hussain’s then home in Rampayne Street, SW1 was searched four days after the murder, but he was not present. An arrest warrant was obtained on 21 March 2013 at Barkingside Magistrates’ Court and officers established that Hussain, who was 21 years old at the time, had travelled to Bangladesh.

    Efforts continue to be made to ensure Hussain faces justice for Hani’s murder. Met detectives and Hani’s mother, Pauline Hickey, are appealing for information in relation Dilawar Hussain’s whereabouts.

    An arrest warrant remains in place for Hussain.

    Hani’s mother Pauline said: “It is now 12 years since my only son, Hani, was hunted down and attacked in a busy street by a group of feral men. While several people have been jailed for his murder, one suspect remains free.

    “Hani was only a boy when he was killed – he had his whole life to live and this was brutally taken away. The pain of his loss does not diminish with the passing of time and it only feels greater knowing Dilawar Hussain has evaded justice so far. If you can help, I would plead with you to get in contact with the police.”

    Detective Chief Inspector Mark Rogers who leads the investigation said:

    “I am appealing for information as to the whereabouts of Dilawar Hussain. In 2014 we released a statement confirming he had fled to Bangladesh soon after the murder and we’ve heard nothing to believe that this situation has changed.

    “Hani’s mother Pauline continues to fight for justice and to ensure those responsible for her son’s murder are held to account and we will not rest until we’ve helped achieve this for her.”

    If you know where Hussain is or who is harbouring him please share this information with the Met Police via 101 or through our website and quote Op Jabalpur, or notify your local law enforcement agency.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: BOSS Revolution Announces Savings Pass – A Monthly Membership Plan

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Savings Pass, along with BOSS Unlimited and Bundles of Minutes monthly calling plans, offer spectacular savings no matter where you call or how long you talk 

    NEWARK, NJ, April 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — BOSS Revolution, the popular provider of affordable long distance calling to friends and family around the world powered by IDT Corporation (NYSE: IDT), has introduced Savings Pass – a monthly membership calling plan.

    “Just as the big box discount stores offer big savings to their club members, BOSS Revolution’s Savings Pass is an affordable monthly plan that provides our customers with big discounts on our international long-distance calling rates — no matter where you call or how long you talk,” said Jessica Poverene, EVP Marketing at BOSS Revolution.

    BOSS Revolution’s Savings Pass provides a 20% discount on BOSS Revolution’s already low standard rates when calling any one of over 200 countries. The Saving Pass plan is just $5 per month.

    BOSS Revolution Savings Pass is just one way BOSS Revolution rewards its customers. Other BOSS Revolution monthly subscription offerings include:

    Unlimited Plans – Provide unlimited calling to Mexico, Canada, the United Kingdom and popular destinations in Europe, South America, and the Caribbean.

    Bundles of Minutes Plans – Provide a fixed number of minutes for calls to over 40 countries at a 20% discount off BOSS Revolution’s standard rates for a month. Popular destinations in Latin America and the Caribbean include: Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Jamaica. Popular African destinations include Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Togo, Liberia, and Somalia.

    BOSS Revolution Savings Pass and Unlimited Plans maximize savings for those calling overseas most frequently. BOSS Revolution customers who consistently stay in touch with friends and family but who call less frequently or who make shorter calls will generate their biggest savings from Bundles of Minutes subscription plans.

    Charles Thibault, Executive Vice-President, said, “The global paid-minute communications market is a complex eco-system of overlapping prices. Our new Savings Pass option, together with our Unlimited and Bundles of Minutes calling plans, help you cut through that complexity to easily get the best deal possible based on your needs. No matter which calling plan you choose, you will find significant savings.”

    About BOSS Revolution

    Boss Revolution is a trusted brand that makes calling friends and family around the world more convenient and reliable. BOSS Revolution is a brand of IDT Corporation

    About IDT Corporation

    IDT Corporation (NYSE: IDT) is a global provider of fintech and communications solutions through a portfolio of synergistic businesses: National Retail Solutions (NRS), through its point-of-sale (POS) platform, enables independent retailers to operate more effectively while providing advertisers and marketers with unprecedented reach into underserved consumer markets; BOSS Money facilitates innovative international remittances and fintech payments solutions; net2phone provides enterprises and organizations with intelligently integrated cloud communications and contact center services across channels and devices; IDT Digital Payments and the BOSS Revolution calling service make sharing prepaid products and services and speaking with friends and family around the world convenient and reliable; and, IDT Global and IDT Express enable communications services to provision and manage international voice and SMS messaging.

    Contact:
    Bill Ulrey
    IDT Investor Relations
    Phone: (973) 438-3838
    E-mail: invest@idt.net

    # # #

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Pinewood Technologies Group PLC to Present at the AI & Technology Virtual Investor Conference April 3rd

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    BIRMINGHAM, United Kingdom, April 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Pinewood Technologies Group PLC (OTCQX : PINWF | LSE: PINE ), based in Birmingham, UK a global Automotive Intelligence™ Platform Provider, that offers innovative solutions to the automotive industry, today announced that Bill Berman, Chief Executive Officer, will present live at the AI & Technology Virtual Investor Conference hosted by VirtualInvestorConferences.com, on April 3rd, 2025

    DATE: April 3rd
    TIME: 09:00 AM ET
    LINK: REGISTER HERE
    Available for 1×1 meetings: April 7th, 8th, and 9th

    This will be a live, interactive online event where investors are invited to ask the company questions in real-time. If attendees are not able to join the event live on the day of the conference, an archived webcast will also be made available after the event.

    It is recommended that online investors pre-register and run the online system check to expedite participation and receive event updates.

    Learn more about the event at www.virtualinvestorconferences.com.

    Recent Company Highlights

    • On 1 April 2025 Pinewood Technologies Group PLC posted its FY Results which included FY24 underlying profit before tax of £8.5m, ahead of consensus analyst expectations, strong revenue growth driven by efficient completion of the Lithia UK system rollout and Pinewood now supplies 5 of top 20 UK dealership groups, with total users up 6.3%
    • In February 2025 Pinewood bolstered its AI offering after completing the acquisition of Dubai-based Seez App Holding Ltd., an artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning-powered automotive solutions platform, for $46.2 million.
    • In February 2025 Pinewood Technologies Group PLC entered a five-year contract with Global Auto Holdings PLC to implement the Pinewood Automotive Intelligence™ platform into all its owned dealerships across the UK, North America and Scandinavia.
    • In October 2024, Pinewood confirmed a 5-year contract with Marshall Motor Group (Marshalls) to implement the Pinewood.AI systems into their stores. Marshalls is one of the leading automotive retailers in the United Kingdom with circa 120 dealerships and is part of the Constellation Automotive Group, which also includes cinch, BCA and webuyanycar.

    About Pinewood Technologies Group PLC

    About Pinewood.AI

    First established in 1981, Pinewood Technologies Group PLC, operating as Pinewood.AI (Pinewood Automotive Intelligence™) is a global Automotive Intelligence Platform provider, offering innovative solutions to automotive retailers and OEMs. Pinewood.AI’s system is a market-leading automotive intelligence platform, which has been developed collaboratively with dealers and OEMs to provide full end-to-end secure cloud-based software across sales, aftersales, accounting and CRM. Headquartered in the UK, Pinewood.AI has a team of over 200 people serving customers across 21 countries and long-standing partnerships with over 50 OEM brands. LSE: PINE, OTCQX: PINW

    About Virtual Investor Conferences®
    Virtual Investor Conferences (VIC) is the leading proprietary investor conference series that provides an interactive forum for publicly traded companies to seamlessly present directly to investors.

    Providing a real-time investor engagement solution, VIC is specifically designed to offer companies more efficient investor access. Replicating the components of an on-site investor conference, VIC offers companies enhanced capabilities to connect with investors, schedule targeted one-on-one meetings and enhance their presentations with dynamic video content. Accelerating the next level of investor engagement, Virtual Investor Conferences delivers leading investor communications to a global network of retail and institutional investors.

    CONTACTS:
    Pinewood Technologies Group PLC
    Kim Costello
    Global Chief Marketing Officer
    +44 (0)121 697 6600
    Kim@pinewood.ai

    Virtual Investor Conferences
    John M. Viglotti
    SVP Corporate Services, Investor Access
    OTC Markets Group
    (212) 220-2221
    johnv@otcmarkets.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: €157 million finance package for private Ukraine wind farms

    Source: Black Sea Trade and Development Bank

    Press Release | 03-Apr-2025

    Loans from EBRD, IFC and BSTDB, supported by EU, the UK, and CIF’s CTF, will boost Ukraine’s energy security

    • International finance package of €157 million for private wind project to boost Ukraine’s energy security
    • Project is co-financed by European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, International Finance Corporation and Black Sea Trade and Development Bank
    • The European Union (EU), the United Kingdom and Climate Investment Funds’ (CIF’s) Clean Technology Fund (CFT) supported the mobilisation of the finance package
    • Deal marks a pivotal step in advancing Ukraine’s shift towards renewable energy

    An international finance package will bring €157 million of project finance debt to a private wind power project that aims to boost Ukraine’s energy security. The deal, announced today in Kyiv, is co-financed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), International Finance Corporation (IFC) and Black Sea Trade and Development Bank (BSTDB) and supported by the European Union (EU), the United Kingdom, and the Climate Investment Funds’ (CIF’s) Clean Technology Fund (CTF).

    One of the first greenfield private projects in Ukraine’s power sector since the beginning of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, this project forms part of efforts to advance Ukraine’s shift towards renewable energy generation as well as bolster its energy security following attacks from Russia on the country’s energy generation infrastructure.

    The EBRD and IFC will each lend €60 million and BSTDB €37 million. The total cost of the project is estimated at €225 million (excluding VAT), with the rest to be met by equity from the project sponsor, GNG Group or Galnaftogaz, widely known in Ukraine as OKKO Group. The loans are to Wind Power GSI Volyn LLC and Wind Power GSI Volyn 3 LLC, special purpose vehicles incorporated in Ukraine.

    The loans will support OKKO to construct and operate wind power plants in Ukraine with a combined capacity of 147 MW. The plants are expected to generate at least 380 GWh of renewable zero carbon electricity annually, resulting in carbon dioxide emission savings of approximately 245,000 tons per year.

    The EBRD’s funding will be backed by financial guarantees from the European Union provided under its Ukraine facility, the Ukraine Investment Framework. This comes from the Ukraine Investment Framework Hi-Bar guarantee programme, which supports both new and existing climate mitigation technologies, in particular in the energy sector, in line with the EU’s detailed Ukraine Plan.

    IFC and BSTDB’s loans are backed by guarantees from the European Union under the Ukraine Investment Framework as part of IFC’s Better Futures Program: RE-Ukraine. The United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) provided £3.8 million (€4.5 million) in grant funding as a first loss guarantee to enable the mobilisation of IFC and BSTDB’s loans. IFC’s funding package also includes €10 million in debt financing from the CTF and was enabled by pre-investment work through which IFC helped optimise the project structure in a highly volatile market environment. This was possible thanks to support from Austria’s Federal Ministry of Finance and the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs SECO.

    “We are grateful to our partners for their long-term, sustainable cooperation, which is especially valuable during wartime — for both business and the country as a whole. This project addresses several key challenges at once. Firstly, it strengthens the country’s energy security and independence. Secondly, it advances the transition to zero-emission electricity production,” said OKKO Chief Executive Officer Vasyl Danyliak.

    “With significant power generation capacity in Ukraine destroyed as a result of the war, this investment is crucial to address the severe current energy shortfall, support Ukraine’s decarbonisation goals and boost the private sector’s role in further development of the renewable energy sector in the country,” said Matteo Patrone, the EBRD’s Vice President, Banking.

    Ines Rocha, IFC’s Regional Director for Europe, said: “This project will ensure that people can keep the lights on, stay warm and connected – therefore marking a significant milestone in Ukraine’s recovery. While paving the way for a more resilient Ukraine, this transaction also sends a clear signal about the country’s readiness for private investment and ability to meet the challenges of tomorrow.”

    “Ukraine’s energy sector has faced unprecedented challenges due to the ongoing crisis, making the diversification and resilience of its power infrastructure more critical than ever. Supporting projects that strengthen the country’s energy independence and accelerate its transition to renewable energy is a priority for BSTDB. This wind power project is a tangible step toward building a sustainable energy future for Ukraine. We are proud to stand alongside our development partners in mobilizing essential resources, enabling investments that will help restore and stabilize Ukraine’s energy supply while fostering long-term economic recovery and environmental sustainability,” said Dr Serhat Köksal, BSTDB President.

    “This is a smart investment at a critical time. It boosts Ukraine’s energy security and supports its shift to renewables. The EU is glad to help make it happen,” said Stefan Schleuning, Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation to Ukraine.

    The EBRD and IFC have been supporting OKKO Group, their client since 2005, to move forward with the decarbonisation strategy it is pursuing against the backdrop of Russia’s war on Ukraine, as it prepares for Ukraine’s integration into the European Union and a future net-zero economy. The EBRD, which initially supported the group to grow its petroleum retail business, branded OKKO, into the one of the largest national fuel retail chains in the country, also financed GNG’s first biofuel project last year.

    The BSTDB’s partnership with OKKO Group has been ongoing for over 20 years, with the first transaction closed back in 2004, unlocking subsequently the Company’s potential to a wider investment community. Since then, BSTDB and OKKO Group have entered into several financings, contributing to the Company’s expansion and operational success. Supporting projects that strengthen the country’s energy independence and accelerate its transition to renewable energy is a priority for BSTDB.

    As part of the wind project, tailored technical cooperation from the EBRD, provided by the TaiwanBusiness-EBRD Technical Cooperation Fund, will strengthen the client’s ability to detect cybersecurity threats.

    The EBRD, a leading climate financier, has offered Ukraine strong support in wartime, making almost €6.5 billion available to support the country’s real economy since 2022. It has secured shareholders’ agreement for a €4 billion capital increase to continue its Ukraine investments. Energy security is one of its five priority investment areas, along with support for vital infrastructure, food security, trade and the private sector.

     

    Wind Power GSI Volyn LLC and/or Wind Power GSI Volyn 3 LLC are Ukraine-incorporated legal entities established as a special purpose vehicle (SPV) in charge of the development, construction, commissioning, operation, and maintenance of project. The special purpose vehicle is owned and controlled by Galnaftogaz.

    JSC “Concern Galnaftogaz (GNG), is an independent petroleum products distribution company in Ukraine. It operates one of the largest and most efficient gas filling stations networks in the county under the OKKO brand. Besides distribution of light petroleum products, the Company also actively participates in the petroleum wholesale market and provides logistics services to other distribution companies

    The Black Sea Trade and Development Bank (BSTDB)is an international financial institution headquartered in Thessaloniki, Greece. BSTDB supports economic development and regional cooperation in the countries of the greater Black Sea region by providing loans, credit lines, equity and guarantees for projects and trade financing in the public and private sectors in its member countries. The authorized capital of the Bank is EUR 3.45 billion. Through its active role in the partnership with other MDBs and donors, BSTDB continues to demonstrate its commitment to fostering a resilient energy infrastructure in Ukraine and throughout the wider Black Sea region, with a focus on sustainable development, climate resilience, and energy security.

    For information on BSTDB, visit www.bstdb.org

     

    Contact: Haroula Christodoulou

    : @BSTDB

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services, February 2025

    Source: US Bureau of Economic Analysis

    The U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis announced today that the goods and services deficit was $122.7 billion in February, down $8.0 billion from $130.7 billion in January, revised.

    U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services Deficit
    Deficit: $122.7 Billion  –6.1%°
    Exports: $278.5 Billion  +2.9%°
    Imports: $401.1 Billion     0.0%°

    Next release: Tuesday, May 6, 2025

    (°) Statistical significance is not applicable or not measurable. Data adjusted for seasonality but not price changes

    Source: U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis; U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services, April 3, 2025

    Exports, Imports, and Balance (exhibit 1)

    February exports were $278.5 billion, $8.0 billion more than January exports. February imports were $401.1 billion, less than $0.1 billion less than January imports.

    The February decrease in the goods and services deficit reflected a decrease in the goods deficit of $8.8 billion to $147.0 billion and a decrease in the services surplus of $0.8 billion to $24.3 billion.

    Year-to-date, the goods and services deficit increased $117.1 billion, or 86.0 percent, from the same period in 2024. Exports increased $24.0 billion or 4.6 percent. Imports increased $141.2 billion or 21.4 percent.

    Three-Month Moving Averages (exhibit 2)

    The average goods and services deficit increased $14.8 billion to $117.1 billion for the three months ending in February.

    • Average exports increased $1.6 billion to $271.8 billion in February.
    • Average imports increased $16.5 billion to $389.0 billion in February.

    Year-over-year, the average goods and services deficit increased $50.1 billion from the three months ending in February 2024.

    • Average exports increased $10.2 billion from February 2024.
    • Average imports increased $60.3 billion from February 2024.

    Exports (exhibits 3, 6, and 7)

    Exports of goods increased $8.3 billion to $181.9 billion in February.

      Exports of goods on a Census basis increased $6.2 billion.

    • Industrial supplies and materials increased $3.0 billion.
      • Nonmonetary gold increased $3.2 billion.
      • Fuel oil decreased $1.0 billion.
    • Capital goods increased $2.7 billion.
      • Computer accessories increased $0.9 billion.
      • Civilian aircraft increased $0.5 billion.
    • Automotive vehicles, parts, and engines increased $1.6 billion.
      • Passenger cars increased $1.0 billion.
      • Trucks, buses, and special purpose vehicles increased $0.6 billion.
    • Other goods decreased $1.3 billion. (See the “Notice” for more information.)

      Net balance of payments adjustments increased $2.1 billion.

    Exports of services decreased $0.4 billion to $96.5 billion in February.

    • Transport decreased $0.3 billion.
    • Travel decreased $0.3 billion.
    • Government goods and services decreased $0.2 billion.
    • Financial services increased $0.2 billion.

    Imports (exhibits 4, 6, and 8)

    Imports of goods decreased $0.5 billion to $328.9 billion in February.

      Imports of goods on a Census basis decreased $0.6 billion.

    • Industrial supplies and materials decreased $4.2 billion.
      • Finished metal shapes decreased $2.6 billion.
      • Nonmonetary gold decreased $1.3 billion
    • Consumer goods increased $2.4 billion.
      • Cell phones and other household goods increased $1.5 billion.
      • Pharmaceutical preparations increased $1.2 billion.
    • Capital goods increased $1.0 billion.
      • Computers increased $0.7 billion.
      • Medical equipment increased $0.5 billion.
      • Civilian aircraft decreased $0.7 billion.

      Net balance of payments adjustments increased $0.1 billion.

    Imports of services increased $0.5 billion to $72.2 billion in February.

    • Travel increased $0.2 billion.
    • Charges for the use of intellectual property increased $0.1 billion.

    Real Goods in 2017 Dollars – Census Basis (exhibit 11)

    The real goods deficit decreased $6.9 billion, or 4.8 percent, to $135.4 billion in February, compared to a 4.4 percent decrease in the nominal deficit.

    • Real exports of goods increased $4.9 billion, or 3.4 percent, to $147.9 billion, compared to a 3.6 percent increase in nominal exports.
    • Real imports of goods decreased $2.0 billion, or 0.7 percent, to $283.3 billion, compared to a 0.2 percent decrease in nominal imports.

    Revisions

    Revisions to January exports

    • Exports of goods were revised up $0.8 billion.
    • Exports of services were revised down $0.2 billion.

    Revisions to January imports

    • Imports of goods were revised down $0.1 billion.
    • Imports of services were revised up $0.1 billion.

    Goods by Selected Countries and Areas: Monthly – Census Basis (exhibit 19)

    The February figures show surpluses, in billions of dollars, with South and Central America ($4.8), Netherlands ($4.1), United Kingdom ($3.4), Hong Kong ($2.4), Belgium ($0.8), Brazil ($0.4), and Saudi Arabia ($0.2). Deficits were recorded, in billions of dollars, with European Union ($30.9), China ($26.6), Switzerland ($18.8), Mexico ($16.8), Ireland ($14.0), Vietnam ($12.4), Taiwan ($8.7), Germany ($8.1), Canada ($7.3), India ($5.6), Japan ($5.2), Italy ($5.1), South Korea ($4.5), Malaysia ($3.1), Australia ($2.1), France ($1.5), Singapore ($1.1), and Israel ($0.7).

    • The deficit with Switzerland decreased $4.0 billion to $18.8 billion in February. Exports increased $0.7 billion to $2.5 billion and imports decreased $3.3 billion to $21.3 billion.
    • The balance with the United Kingdom shifted from a deficit of $0.5 billion in January to a surplus of $3.4 billion in February. Exports increased $3.3 billion to $9.5 billion and imports decreased $0.6 billion to $6.1 billion.
    • The deficit with the European Union increased $5.4 billion to $30.9 billion in February. Exports decreased $2.3 billion to $29.9 billion and imports increased $3.2 billion to $60.8 billion.

    All statistics referenced are seasonally adjusted; statistics are on a balance of payments basis unless otherwise specified. Additional statistics, including not seasonally adjusted statistics and details for goods on a Census basis, are available in exhibits 1-20b of this release. For information on data sources, definitions, and revision procedures, see the explanatory notes in this release. The full release can be found at www.census.gov/foreign-trade/Press-Release/current_press_release/index.html or www.bea.gov/data/intl-trade-investment/international-trade-goods-and-services. The full schedule is available in the Census Bureau’s Economic Briefing Room at www.census.gov/economic-indicators/ or on BEA’s website at www.bea.gov/news/schedule.

    Next release: May 6, 2025, at 8:30 a.m. EDT
    U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services, March 2025

    Notice

    Impact of Canada Border Services Agency’s (CBSA) Release of CBSA Assessment and Revenue Management (CARM)

    The CBSA introduced a new accounting system (CARM) on October 21, 2024. As a result, importers in Canada have experienced delays in filing shipment information. These delays affected the compilation of statistics on U.S. exports of goods to Canada for September 2024 through February 2025, which are derived from data compiled by Canada through the United States – Canada Data Exchange. A dollar estimate of the filing backlog is included in estimates for late receipts and, following the U.S. Census Bureau’s customary practice for late receipt estimates, is included in the export end-use category “Other goods” as well as in exports to Canada. This estimate will be replaced with the actual transactions reported by the Harmonized System classification in June 2025 with the release of “U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services, Annual Revision.” Until then, please refer to the supplemental spreadsheet “CARM Exports to Canada Corrections,” which provides a breakdown of the late receipts by 1-digit end-use category for statistics through 2024. This spreadsheet will be updated as late export transactions are received to reflect reassignments from the initial “Other goods” category to the appropriate 1-digit end-use category. Any 2025 impacts will be revised in June 2026.

    If you have questions or need additional information, please contact the Census Bureau, Economic Indicators Division, International Trade Macro Analysis Branch, on 800-549-0595, option 4, or at eid.international.trade.data@census.gov.

    Upcoming Updates to Goods and Services

    With the releases of the “U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services” report (FT-900) and the FT-900 Annual Revision on June 5, 2025, statistics on trade in goods, on both a Census basis and a balance of payments (BOP) basis, will be revised beginning with 2020 and statistics on trade in services will be revised beginning with 2018. The revised statistics for goods on a BOP basis and for services will also be included in the “U.S. International Transactions, 1st Quarter 2025 and Annual Update” report and in the international transactions interactive database, both to be released by BEA on June 24, 2025.

    Revised statistics on trade in goods will reflect:

    • Corrections and adjustments to previously published not seasonally adjusted statistics for goods on a Census basis.
    • End-use reclassifications of several commodities.
    • Recalculated seasonal and trading-day adjustments.
    • Newly available and revised source data on BOP adjustments, which are adjustments that BEA applies to goods on a Census basis to convert them to a BOP basis. See the “Goods (balance of payments basis)” section in the explanatory notes for more information.

    Revised statistics on trade in services will reflect:

    • Newly available and revised source data, primarily from BEA surveys of international services.
    • Corrections and adjustments to previously published not seasonally adjusted statistics.
    • Recalculated seasonal adjustments.
    • Revised temporal distributions of quarterly source data to monthly statistics. See the “Services” section in the explanatory notes for more information.

    A preview of BEA’s 2025 annual update of the International Transactions Accounts will be available in the Survey of Current Business later in April 2025.

    If you have questions or need additional information, please contact the Census Bureau, Economic Indicators Division, International Trade Macro Analysis Branch, on (800) 549-0595, option 4, or at eid.international.trade.data@census.gov or BEA, Balance of Payments Division, at InternationalAccounts@bea.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: COVID modelling reveals new insights into ancient social distancing – podcast

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Gemma Ware, Host, The Conversation Weekly Podcast, The Conversation

    lindasky76/Shutterstock

    Five years since COVID emerged, not only has the pandemic affected the way we live and work, it’s also influencing the way researchers are thinking about the past.

    In this episode of The Conversation Weekly podcast, archaeologist Alex Bentley explains how the pandemic has sparked new research into how disease may have affected ancient civilisations, and the clues this offers about a change in the way humans designed their villages and cities 8,000 years ago.

    As an anthropologist and archaeologist at the University of Tennessee, Alex Bentley usually spend his time studying neolithic farming villages. But in the early days of the pandemic, he decided to team up with an epidemiologist on a research project to model the feedback loops between social behaviour, such as wearing a mask or not and the spread of disease. He says:

     In doing that project, we learned so much about the spread of disease and its interaction with different behaviours. It was a perfect setup for looking at the same kind of question in the distant past when diseases were evolving for the first time in dense settlements.

    Bentley was particularly interested in whether it could shed light on a conundrum: a curious pattern from the archaeological record that showed that early European farmers lived in large dense villages, then dispersed for centuries, then later formed cities again, which they also abandoned.

    All this was happening in the neolithic period, between around 9000BC and 3000BC, a time when humans shifted from a nomadic hunterer-gatherer lifestyle to settling in small tribes in one place, cultivating the land and domesticating animals.

    Bentley decided to apply the same model of how disease and patterns of behaviour spread during COVID, to map out how a contagious disease could have spread in an mega settlement called Nebelivka in modern-day Ukraine. This settlement was designed in an oval layout and divided into neighbourhoods, or clusters. Bentley and his colleagues suggest this layout, whether the inhabitants knew it or not, could have helped prevent the spread of disease.

    Listen to the full episode of The Conversation Weekly to hear the interview with Alex Bentley.

    This episode of The Conversation Weekly was written and produced by Katie Flood and hosted by Gemma Ware. Sound design was by Eloise Stevens and theme music by Neeta Sarl.

    Newsclips in this episode from ABC News.

    Listen to The Conversation Weekly via any of the apps listed above, download it directly via our RSS feed or find out how else to listen here.

    R. Alexander Bentley does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. COVID modelling reveals new insights into ancient social distancing – podcast – https://theconversation.com/covid-modelling-reveals-new-insights-into-ancient-social-distancing-podcast-253649

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Medicare Advantage is covering more and more Americans − some because they don’t get to choose

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Grace McCormack, Research scientist of Health Policy and Economics, University of Southern California

    Since the mid-2000s, the Medicare system has dramatically transformed. Enrollment in Medicare Advantage – the private alternative to the traditional Medicare program administered by the government – has more than quadrupled. It now accounts for the majority of Medicare enrollment.

    Employers, including state government agencies, are helping drive this growth in Medicare Advantage sign-ups. The increase in people on Medicare Advantage plans burdens taxpayers and means more patients can be denied doctor-ordered care.

    At the same time, it is often difficult for people enrolled in Medicare Advantage to switch to traditional Medicare.

    Medicare insures people 65 or older and some who are younger and disabled. Attracted by lower premiums and co-pays and the promise of extra benefits, many over-65 Medicare beneficiaries are voluntarily choosing Medicare Advantage, often switching away from traditional Medicare when they’re relatively young and healthy.

    At the same time, many private and state employers have shifted their retirement plans so that the health benefit employees have earned counts only toward Medicare Advantage plans that replace traditional Medicare.

    We are health care policy experts who study Medicare, including what’s driving the changes in employer health care subsidies and why health care choices may be difficult for many people.

    Vanishing choices

    As of early 2025, health care subsidies for retired state employees in 13 states don’t include traditional Medicare supplement plans. The subsidies apply only to Medicare Advantage plans.

    In the private sector, just over half of large employers that offer Medicare Advantage have used it to replace traditional Medicare instead of offering their employees a choice.

    When private and state employers drop the option for the Medigap insurance that supplements rather than replaces traditional Medicare, retirees must choose a fully privatized Medicare Advantage plan or pay the full cost of a supplemental Medigap plan on their own. Medigap lowers or removes traditional Medicare’s co-pays and deductibles.

    When a person first enrolls in Medicare, Medigap costs US$30 to $400 a month, depending on coverage and location. But in most states, it can cost more if a person switches into the plan after the first year. There are some protections for people whose employer-sponsored plans change or are canceled. Enrollees should contact their local State Health Insurance Assistance Program advisers to understand their options.

    Altogether, 54% of people using Medicare are now using the private Medicare Advantage program, an increase from 8 million to 33 million between 2007 and 2024.

    Changing times

    After President Lyndon B. Johnson signed Medicare into law in 1965, older Americans usually received health insurance through the government-administered traditional Medicare health insurance program. The Medigap private insurance for co-pays and deductibles was standardized in 1980.

    Today, a person signing up for Medicare also has, on average, more than 30 Medicare Advantage plan options – privately run alternatives to traditional Medicare and Medigap. The two largest providers, UnitedHealthcare and Humana, administered nearly half of all Medicare Advantage plans in 2024.

    Navigating the current Medicare system can be overwhelming, and the Medicare Advantage option is expensive for taxpayers. As policymakers continue to weigh potential reforms, it’s important to understand why Medicare Advantage has become so popular, who is enrolling in Medicare Advantage, and what aspects of Medicare Advantage plans may be important to them.

    Switching into Medicare Advantage

    The bulk of Medicare Advantage’s rapid growth has come from people switching from traditional Medicare into Medicare Advantage: In 2021 alone, over 7% of Americans covered by traditional Medicare switched to Medicare Advantage, but only 1.2% of those with Medicare Advantage coverage switched to traditional Medicare.

    This growth mirrors the privatization of Medicaid, the federal and state health insurance program for people with low income. About 74% of beneficiaries are now enrolled in private Medicaid plans. With Medicaid, people generally don’t have a choice – they are usually switched to a private plan by their state governments.

    But for Medicare, the privatization trend is not so simple.

    Compared with traditional Medicare, Medicare Advantage plans are, on average, paid more by the taxpayer-funded Medicare system for covering each enrollee. Advantage plans also have more flexibility to limit their medical costs by restricting provider networks and requiring prior authorization.

    The extra benefits of Medicare Advantage

    Some of these extra funds result in higher profits for insurers, but they also partially finance benefits that are not part of regular Medicare.

    These benefits include limits to out-of-pocket costs traditionally offered by the supplemental Medigap plans and dental, hearing and vision coverage that Medicare doesn’t provide.

    In the past decade, lawmakers have introduced several bills to add this coverage, but Congress has not passed any of them.

    Medicare beneficiaries give many reasons for choosing their health plan. The most common reasons are different for people covered by traditional Medicare versus Medicare Advantage. Of people who have traditional Medicare coverage, 40% prefer to have more doctors and hospitals to choose from. A similar percentage of those with Medicare Advantage cite extra benefits or limits on out-of-pocket costs.

    Economic insecurity and advertising

    These financial protections and extra benefits are important for some older adults, given high rates of poverty and economic insecurity among people who are 65 or older. Though these supplemental benefits may not be very accessible, a quarter of surveyed beneficiaries said they were a primary reason for enrolling in Medicare Advantage. An additional fifth cited lower out-of-pocket costs.

    Medicare Advantage plans also typically include a low-cost drug plan that people who opt for traditional Medicare pay for separately as Part D.

    Compared with a traditional Medicare plan that doesn’t include a supplemental Medigap plan to limit premiums and co-pays, Medicare Advantage’s premiums and co-pays contribute to an estimated 18% to 24% lower out-of-pocket spending.

    Brokers, agents and advertisements also play an important role in which plans people choose. In a survey of people who have Medicare coverage, one-third said they used an agent or broker to choose a plan. Of those living below the federal poverty line, 12% said they relied on advertising.

    While these sources can inform beneficiaries about the many options, many policymakers have raised concerns about misleading marketing steering people into plans that don’t serve their needs. Brokers and agents may have more incentive to guide patients to Medicare Advantage because they are paid more for enrolling people in fully privatized plans than in the Medigap and Part D plans that supplement traditional Medicare.

    Retirement benefits shifted to Medicare Advantage

    Changes in retirement benefits are also contributing to the growth in Medicare Advantage.

    A majority of state employee health care retirement benefits include Medicare Advantage plans. And in 13 states, the health care benefit for retired state employees does not include a choice of Medigap: Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

    In the private sector, the share of employers offering retirement health care benefits to their employees has declined since the 1990s: Only 21% of large employers offer those benefits today compared with 66% in 1988. But among private employers that still offer retirement health care benefits, those offering Medicare Advantage more than doubled between 2017 and 2024, from 26% to 56%.

    Just over half of large employers that offer Medicare Advantage have used it to replace regular Medicare instead of offering their employees a choice. This means that to remain in traditional Medicare, retirees would have to give up an employer subsidy that covers all or part of the Medicare Advantage premium and pay the full Medigap premium.

    Private employers that still offer subsidized health care insurance as a retirement benefit but offer only Medicare Advantage include IBM and AT&T.

    Employers cite the shift as a necessary response to rising health care costs, though many retirees have protested the trend. Medicare Advantage premiums are generally cheaper than Medigap premiums, saving employers money, in exchange for retirees potentially being denied care more often. New York City employees successfully prevented the switch.

    Stuck in Medicare Advantage

    For many Medicare beneficiaries, switching to Medicare Advantage is a one-way street because most states don’t offer switchers the guaranteed issue and community rating protections for Medigap supplemental coverage plans that people get when initially signing up for Medicare. These protections prevent people from being denied coverage or charged a higher price for preexisting conditions.

    This increased cost in most states of switching back to regular Medicare after age 66½ – especially for people with serious health conditions – may reduce the number of people who do so. But some switch despite the cost.

    Meanwhile, 5% of people who used Medicare Advantage plans in 2024 had to find a new one in 2025 because of a plan being discontinued. There is a silver lining, however: For the first 63 days after their coverage ends, people in failed plans can choose traditional Medicare plus a Medigap supplement with the guaranteed issue protection that in most states applies only during the first year of Medicare eligibility.

    Thirteen states and more than half of employers who offer a retiree health benefit have narrowed their benefit subsidy and only offer Medicare Advantage. This replaces traditional Medicare with a privately administered plan, removing the choice of Medigap, a supplement to traditional Medicare.
    SDI Productions/E+ via Getty images

    Who is enrolling in Medicare Advantage?

    Medicare Advantage growth has been particularly strong among people with low incomes and among racial and ethnic minorities.

    While the share of Americans enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans has grown nationwide, the program’s popularity still varies geographically. Today, the share of Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare Advantage ranges from 2% in Alaska to 63% in Alabama, Connecticut and Michigan.

    Although an increasing share of people in rural regions have enrolled in Medicare Advantage, they are still less likely to enroll in Medicare Advantage and more likely to return from Medicare Advantage to traditional Medicare than their urban counterparts.

    Switching from traditional Medicare to Medicare Advantage is more common among relatively healthy people who use less health care than expected. This trend, known as “favorable selection,” means the Medicare Advantage companies are enrolling healthier people. The Medicare system pays Medicare Advantage plans based on the expected rather than actual medical costs. This contributes to the overpayment of Medicare Advantage plans.

    These switching patterns suggest that among people who have illnesses such as diabetes, Medicare Advantage is potentially more appealing if they already face barriers to health care access or are in better health. These barriers are particularly common among racial and ethnic minorities in both traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage.

    What Medicare Advantage enrollment growth means

    We believe that the Medicare Advantage program needs to be reformed. The high payments to Medicare Advantage providers have likely helped fund their explosive growth, exacerbating the financing issues that cost taxpayers US$83 billion a year.

    Medicare Advantage enrollment has grown particularly quickly among vulnerable populations. Many older Medicare beneficiaries are living below or near the poverty line, and a decreasing share of them are receiving subsidized retirement benefits.

    This has led some people to give up access to preferred providers or even treatments to spend less out of pocket on health care by enrolling in Medicare Advantage.

    Others who can afford extra premiums and who want more access pay extra for supplemental Medigap coverage alongside traditional Medicare. A Wall Street Journal investigation found a pattern of some Medicare Advantage patients switching to traditional Medicare when their health care expenses grew.

    In some ways, this resembles the tiered or “topped-up” health care system advocated for by some economists, where people receive a baseline plan, and those who want more coverage and can afford it pay for a more generous “topped-up” plan. Given the size and differing needs of the Medicare population, such a system can potentially be a cost-effective way to ensure health care access and financial protections.

    But it also creates inequalities in access, especially if the baseline plan is much worse than the “topped-up” plan.

    In addition, taxpayers pay more rather than less for someone enrolled in Medicare Advantage – the less expensive baseline plan that provides less health care. They pay less for someone enrolled in traditional Medicare plus additional supplemental insurance plans – the “topped-up” option.

    For Medicare to remain solvent, reforms will likely have to reduce what the federal government spends on Medicare, either by avoiding Medicare Advantage plan overpayments or making structural changes to how the plans are paid.

    We believe it’s important that, throughout any reform, people have access to an affordable plan that ensures access to health care. Projections show that under the current payment system, reductions in payments from the Medicare system to Medicare Advantage providers would likely lead to only modest decreases in plan generosity, though given the vulnerability of many who use Medicare Advantage, this would have to be monitored carefully.

    It’s also important for policymakers to consider improving traditional Medicare, whether that be allowing for an out-of-pocket maximum or covering at least the same degree of dental, vision or other benefits currently offered only under Medicare Advantage.

    This article is part of an occasional series examining the U.S. Medicare system.

    Past articles in the series:

    Medicare vs. Medicare Advantage: Sales pitches are often from biased sources, the choices can be overwhelming, and impartial help is not equally available to all

    Taxpayers spend 22% more per patient to support Medicare Advantage – the private alternative to Medicare that promised to cost less

    Grace McCormack receives funding from the Commonwealth Fund and Arnold Ventures.

    Victoria Shier receives funding from the National Institutes of Health.

    – ref. Medicare Advantage is covering more and more Americans − some because they don’t get to choose – https://theconversation.com/medicare-advantage-is-covering-more-and-more-americans-some-because-they-dont-get-to-choose-251796

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: 22 days after Ukraine agreed to an immediate ceasefire, Russia continues to distract and delay: UK statement to the OSCE

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Speech

    22 days after Ukraine agreed to an immediate ceasefire, Russia continues to distract and delay: UK statement to the OSCE

    Ambassador Holland questions Russia’s seriousness about peace when it continues to attack Ukraine with hundreds of drones and refuses to commit to a full, immediate ceasefire.

    Thank you, Mister Chair. It is now a full 22 days since Ukraine expressed its readiness to accept an immediate 30-day ceasefire. The only condition that Ukraine attached was that Russia should agree to it too. Rather than grasp this opportunity for peace, Russia has chosen to continue to fight, a decision whose consequence is the needless sacrifice of more lives of soldiers and civilians on both sides. The indiscriminate shelling of civilian areas has shown no sign of slowing down. Last week, Russia sent over a thousand drones towards Ukraine. In Kharkiv, a military hospital was targeted. A kindergarten was damaged. At least, 25 people were hurt, including a 15-year-old girl left in a serious condition.

    This is the price that Ukrainians pay for the Kremlin’s game playing with the peace process. Rather than engaging seriously with the US-led peace initiative, President Putin is resorting to his old playbook and looking to distract and delay. His attempt last week to question the credibility of President Zelenskyy was nothing more than a transparent ploy to deflect from the real matter at hand: Russia’s failure to get more seriously to the table, and commit to a full, immediate and unconditional ceasefire.

    Regrettably, we see no evidence that President Putin is seriously preparing for peace. Published readouts of the US convened ceasefire talks in Saudi Arabia confirmed a naval ceasefire and prevention of use of commercial vessels for military purposes in the Black Sea. The UK welcomed this important step, but Russia immediately backtracked and placed conditions on the agreement – despite good faith commitment from Ukraine. Just this week, President Putin has ordered the largest conscription drive since the war began.

    We do not need to look far for reminders as to why this war must end. This week marks the third anniversary of the appalling acts by the invading Russian forces in Bucha. The gruesome images of bodies lying in the streets shocked the world. Russia’s armed forces acted with total contempt and disregard for civilian life and the most fundamental principles of the laws of war.

    However, rather than reckoning with these atrocities, we see continued Russian efforts in this council and others, to spread disinformation in an effort to absolve themselves of responsibility for these illegal and inhumane actions. This is despite the litany of evidence, including witness testimonies, independently verified satellite imagery, photos and videos. The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine has categorically documented attacks on civilians, including conflict-related sexual violence, and summary executions.

    Mister Chair, we must emphasise the need for accountability for these actions and renew our commitment to collaborating towards enduring peace. Distortions of the historical record will not help in this endeavour. Rather we need the Russian state to commit to peace and demonstrate the sincerity of its words. Thank you, Mister Chair.

    Updates to this page

    Published 3 April 2025

    Invasion of Ukraine

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Coventry pupil helps E.ON Next drive to net zero

    Source: City of Coventry

    An Aldermoor Farm Primary School pupil has had their design brought to life as the wrap for E.ON Next’s newest electric vans.

    The vans will transport E.ON Next engineers to homes around Coventry and the surrounding area, installing smart meters and other sustainable energy solutions.

    The initiative is part of E.ON’s pioneering 15-year partnership with Coventry City Council, helping to make the city more sustainable.

    Y6 pupil at Aldermoor Farm Primary School, Fredrica, had her design chosen as part of a series of workshops previously run by E.ON across Coventry, aimed at educating and inspiring pupils about sustainability, renewable energy and the initiatives happening in their city to promote new types of energy, cleaner air and green jobs and skills.

    The eye-catching design, which features a bold message to ‘save energy’ will adorn two E.ON Next vans tasked with transporting E.ON Next engineers as they work to deliver net zero by installing a variety of sustainable energy solutions.

    Fredrica said: “I was really excited to hear that my design had been chosen. I thought of a quick and easy way to get the message across. Lots of adverts have too many words so I wanted to choose something that would have an immediate impact. Saving energy should be everyone’ s life goal. We can all contribute by doing simple things like turning off the lights and not wasting electricity.”

    The vans were proudly presented to Fredrica and her fellow classmates by Phil Gilbert, Director of Net Zero Delivery at E.ON Next and Councillor Jim O’Boyle Cabinet Member for Jobs, Regeneration and Climate Change at Coventry City Council at an unveiling ceremony at Aldermoor Farm Primary School.

    Councillor Jim O’Boyle, Cabinet Member for Jobs, Regeneration and Climate Change, said: “It’s brilliant that Fredrica’s amazing design will be seen all over the city. It’s bold and clear and that’s exactly the right approach for such an important issue – the drive to net zero. Young people understand this as well as anyone and this competition really caught the imagination of local school pupils making it hard to select a winner. Our Strategic Energy Partnership is all about transforming the city’s approach to carbon reduction and through initiatives like this, the next generation of homeowners, drivers and energy users are learning about it early which is great.”

    Phil Gilbert, Director of Net Zero Delivery at E.ON Next, said: “The only way we’ll deliver our new energy world is if everyone feels energised and enthusiastic about a more sustainable future. And this initiative, as part of our Strategic Energy Partnership with Coventry Council, does exactly that. We’re so proud of the fantastic effort the pupils at Aldermoor Farm have put into this initiative, and we couldn’t be more pleased with the winning design. These electric vans will now join our fleet and support our engineers installing smart meters and other sustainable energy solutions like solar panels, heat pumps and EV chargers across the region.”

    Lucy Wright, Headteacher at Aldermoor Farm Primary School, said: “When I was told that a child at this school won the competition, I felt immense pride. Fredrica has truly embodied our value of ‘aspirational’ and I’m certain her example can inspire all children to have the highest of expectations for themselves. The vans look incredible with Fredrica’s design and seeing her name on the vans was the best of all. To have a student’s name on something so publicly positive is an almost indescribable feeling. Well done, Fredrica!”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –