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Category: Europe

  • MIL-OSI Security: Rome-Area Fentanyl Dealer Receives Federal Prison Sentence

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ROME, Ga. – Deaja Simone Clemons has been sentenced for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute fentanyl.                                                                                                                                        

    “Clemons admits to selling thousands of fentanyl pills at a time that the illegal distribution and use of this drug continues to ravage communities within and outside our district,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Richard S. Moultrie, Jr. “Our Office is grateful for the collaboration among our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners which makes it possible to combat the threat of drug traffickers like Clemons.”

    “Illicit drugs like fentanyl has destroyed countless lives,”  said Jae W. Chung, the Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “Keeping our communities safe is our highest priority.”

    According to Acting U.S. Attorney Moultrie, the charges, and other information presented in court: In February 2024, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Rome, Georgia, Field Office received information that Deaja Clemons was dealing fentanyl in the Rome area. A subsequent investigation revealed that in the month of February, Clemons sold 121 blue pills marked with M30 (counterfeit pills made to resemble oxycodone 30 mg pills) that contained fentanyl. Clemons had sold 60 of those fentanyl pills in Rome, and 61 in Cedartown, Georgia. 

    In early April 2024, DEA special agents and Polk County police officers followed Clemons from Rome to Polk County. Polk County officers stopped Clemons en route back to Rome and, during a search of her car, recovered 124 blue, counterfeit “M30” pills containing fentanyl and $3,922 in cash. Clemons was arrested and, during the investigation that followed, DEA special agents discovered that Clemons had been selling about 300 fentanyl pills a week for approximately three months.

    United States District Judge William M. Ray, II, sentenced Deaja Simone Clemons, 29, of Rome, Ga., to 63 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Clemons was convicted of the charges on December 13, 2024, after she pleaded guilty.          

    This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Atlanta-Carolinas High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (AC-HIDTA), and the Polk County Police Department.

    Assistant United States Attorneys Thomas M. Forsyth, III and Calvin A. Leipold, III prosecuted the case.

    This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strategic Initiative focused on combatting the fentanyl crisis in northwest Georgia. OCDETF identifies and eliminates the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

    Anyone with information about drug sales/trafficking in their area can report it to the GBI at1-800-597-TIPS (8477) or DEA’s Atlanta Division Office at (404) 893-7000. Online tips can be submitted at https://www.dea.gov/submit-tip.

    The Office of the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia encourages parents and children to learn about the dangers of fentanyl and other drugs at the following websites: www.justthinktwice.gov, www.GetSmartAboutDrugs.com, www.operationprevention.com/, www.CampusDrugPrevention.gov, and www.dea.gov/onepill.

    For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6280. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Silvaco Announces Departure of Chief Financial Officer

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SANTA CLARA, Calif., March 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Silvaco Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: SVCO) (“Silvaco” or the “Company”), a provider of TCAD, EDA software and SIP solutions that enable semiconductor design and digital twin modeling through AI software and innovation, today announced that Chief Financial Officer, Ryan Benton, has resigned, effective April 11, 2025, to pursue a new career opportunity  outside of the semiconductor design industry. Mr. Benton will assist the Company to ensure a successful transition of his responsibilities prior to his departure. His resignation is not the result of any disagreement regarding the Company’s operations, accounting, or other policies or practices.

    Effective upon Mr. Benton’s resignation, Dr. Babak Taheri, Chief Executive Officer of the Company, will assume the roles of principal financial officer and principal accounting officer on an interim basis. Keith Tainsky, who leads the Company’s Financial Planning and Analysis function, will report directly to Dr. Taheri as Interim Chief Financial Officer upon Mr. Benton’s departure. Mr. Tainsky has held CFO and finance leadership positions at public and private companies in the semiconductor industry, including Exar Corporation and Amkor Technology. He joined Silvaco in 2023 and has been instrumental in the Company’s financial and business functions, including strategic planning, financings, mergers and acquisitions, and investor relations. In addition, Sherry Lin, Corporate Controller, will report directly to Dr. Taheri. She joined Silvaco in November 2023 and has been instrumental in leading the Company’s accounting and public company reporting function, preparation of periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and establishing the Company’s internal controls over financial reporting.

    Silvaco has begun the process of engaging a search firm to assist in identifying Mr. Benton’s replacement.

    “On behalf of our employees and Board of Directors, I want to thank Ryan for his leadership and contributions to the financial management and strategic direction of the Company. We wish him much success in his future endeavors,” said Silvaco CEO Babak Taheri. “I have the utmost confidence in Keith’s ability to lead our finance organization and ensure a seamless transition. Keith’s experience and deep understanding of our financial operations will be instrumental as we enter a new chapter for the company.”

    “It has been a privilege to serve on Silvaco’s leadership team, and I am proud of our accomplishments,” said Mr. Benton. “The dedicated team at Silvaco is well-positioned to continue executing on its strategic vision to create shareholder value.”

    In addition to announcing the Chief Financial Officer transition, the Company today reaffirmed its previously disclosed guidance for the first quarter and full year fiscal 2025, as provided in the Company’s press release issued on March 5, 2025. The Company expects to report first quarter fiscal 2025 results on May 7, 2025.

    Safe Harbor Statement
    This press release contains forward-looking statements based on Silvaco’s current expectations. The words “believe”, “estimate”, “expect”, “intend”, “anticipate”, “plan”, “project”, “will”, and similar phrases as they relate to Silvaco are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements reflect the current views and assumptions of Silvaco and are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations.

    These forward-looking statements include but are not limited to, statements regarding our future operating results, financial position, and guidance, our business strategy and plans, our objectives for future operations, our development or delivery of new or enhanced products, and anticipated results of those products for our customers, our competitive positioning, projected costs, technological capabilities, and plans, and macroeconomic trends.

    A variety of risks and factors that are beyond our control could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements including, without limitation, the following: (a) market conditions; (b) anticipated trends, challenges and growth in our business and the markets in which we operate; (c) our ability to appropriately respond to changing technologies on a timely and cost-effective basis; (d) the size and growth potential of the markets for our software solutions, and our ability to serve those markets; (e) our expectations regarding competition in our existing and new markets; (f) the level of demand in our customers’ end markets; (g) regulatory developments in the United States and foreign countries; (h) changes in trade policies, including the imposition of tariffs; (i) proposed new software solutions, services or developments; (j) our ability to attract and retain key management personnel; (k) our customer relationships and our ability to retain and expand our customer relationships; (l) our ability to diversify our customer base and develop relationships in new markets; (m) the strategies, prospects, plans, expectations, and objectives of management for future operations; (n) public health crises, pandemics, and epidemics and their effects on our business and our customers’ businesses; (o) the impact of the current conflicts between Ukraine and Russia and Israel and Hamas and the ongoing trade disputes among the United States and China on our business, financial condition or prospects, including extreme volatility in the global capital markets making debt or equity financing more difficult to obtain, more costly or more dilutive, delays and disruptions of the global supply chains and the business activities of our suppliers, distributors, customers and other business partners; (p) changes in general economic or business conditions or economic or demographic trends in the United States and foreign countries including changes in tariffs, interest rates and inflation; (q) our ability to raise additional capital; (r) our ability to accurately forecast demand for our software solutions; (s) our expectations regarding the outcome of any ongoing litigation; (t) our expectations regarding the period during which we qualify as an emerging growth company under the JOBS Act and as a smaller reporting company under the Exchange Act; (u) our expectations regarding our ability to obtain, maintain, protect and enforce intellectual property protection for our technology; (v) our status as a controlled company; (w) our use of the net proceeds from our initial public offering, and (x) our ability to successfully integrate, retain key personnel, and realize the anticipated benefits of the acquisition of Cadence’s PPC product line.

    It is not possible for us to predict all risks, nor can we assess the impact of all factors on our business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements we may make. Accordingly, you should not rely on any of the forward-looking statements. Additional information relating to the uncertainty affecting the Silvaco’s business is contained in Silvaco’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These documents are available on the SEC Filings section of the Investor Relations section of Silvaco’s website at http://investors.silvaco.com/. These forward-looking statements represent Silvaco’s expectations as of the date of this press release. Subsequent events may cause these expectations to change, and Silvaco disclaims any obligations to update or alter these forward-looking statements in the future, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

    About Silvaco

    Silvaco is a provider of TCAD, EDA software, and SIP solutions that enable semiconductor design and digital twin modeling through AI software and innovation. Silvaco’s solutions are used for semiconductor and photonics processes, devices, and systems development across display, power devices, automotive, memory, high performance compute, foundries, photonics, internet of things, and 5G/6G mobile markets for complex SoC design. Silvaco is headquartered in Santa Clara, California, and has a global presence with offices located in North America, Europe, Brazil, China, Japan, Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan. Learn more at silvaco.com.

    Investor Contact:
    Greg McNiff
    investors@silvaco.com

    Media Contact:
    Farhad Hayat
    press@silvaco.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Security Council Speakers Warn of ‘Gazafication’ of West Bank, Urge Israel to End Illegal Settlements, Occupation

    Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council

    Israeli West Bank Operations Aimed at Dismantling Iran’s Terror Networks, Says Delegate

    Speakers in the Security Council today warned of the expansion of illegal settlements in the West Bank and its “Gazafication” amid Israel’s ongoing counter-terrorism operations, which its representative described as efforts to dismantle Iran’s terror networks.

    “The relentless expansion of Israeli settlements is dramatically altering the landscape and demographics of the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, presenting an existential threat to the prospect of a contiguous, viable, independent Palestinian State,” said Sigrid Kaag, United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process ad interim.  Presenting the latest Secretary-General’s report on the implementation of Security Council resolution 2334 (2016) — a measure calling on Israel to “immediately and completely cease all settlement activity in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem” — she pointed out that settlement activity has nevertheless continued at a high rate, with Israeli planning authorities advancing or approving approximately 10,600 housing units in settlements in the occupied West Bank, including 4,920 in East Jerusalem.

    Demolitions and seizures of Palestinian-owned structures accelerated across the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, she continued, reporting that Israeli authorities demolished 460 structures and displaced 576 people, including 287 children and 149 women, because they did not possess Israeli-issued building permits, which are almost impossible for Palestinians to obtain.  Meanwhile, “alarming levels” of violence continued, with 123 Palestinians, including 6 women and 19 children, killed amidst Israeli forces’ air strikes, operations, armed exchanges and other incidents, she said, adding:  “Most Palestinians were killed in the context of Israeli operations in Area A, including during exchanges of fire with armed Palestinians.”

    Israel’s largest operation in the occupied West Bank since 2002 began on 21 January and has since expanded across the northern West Bank in what Israeli authorities described as a counter-terrorism operation, displacing 40,000 people, she continued.  On 9 February, Israeli operations expanded into Nur Shams Camp in Tulkarem where Israel Defense Forces soldiers shot and killed two Palestinian women, one of whom was pregnant, she said, adding that two Palestinian children were killed by Israeli soldiers in incidents in Jenin and Hebron on 21 February, bringing the total number of children killed to eight across the occupied West Bank since the operation began.  Detailing other developments in the occupied West Bank, including widespread movement restrictions, the arrest of 1,711 Palestinians, settler-related violence in 11 Palestinian towns and villages, and Palestinian attacks against Israelis, she called on both parties to refrain from provocative actions and inflammatory rhetoric, which has, unfortunately continued.

    Echoing the Secretary-General’s observations on the implementation of resolution 2334 (2016), she drew attention to the emptying out of refugee camps in the northern West Bank during Israeli operations.  She also voiced concern that any long-term presence of Israeli security forces in the camps would further undermine the Palestinian Authority and contravene Israel’s obligation to end its unlawful continued presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, as affirmed by the International Court of Justice.

    Clear Response Needed at International Conference in June

    “Israel’s goal has always been maximum Palestinian land with minimum Palestinians,” said the Permanent Observer for the State of Palestine, adding:  “Instead of ending its occupation, it is attempting to end the occupied people.”  Pointing to the ongoing genocide in Gaza and the “most massive ethnic-cleansing campaign since 1967” in the northern West Bank, displacing 40,000 Palestinians in weeks, he underscored the need for accountability, emphasizing:  “Confronted with this unprecedented Israeli escalation, there must be an unprecedented escalation of international measures in response.”

    Voicing concern that Israel aims to entrench its occupation, rather than reverse or end it, he spotlighted the International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution in June, hoping it would be a platform for mobilization and action.  “Israel’s intentions have never been clearer.  The international response needs to be equally clear,” he emphasized, calling for “unprecedented decisions by States” to change the course of history.

    Israel’s delegate, denouncing “morally obscene” remarks equating Israeli hostages with Palestinian terrorists “legally arrested by Israel”, said his country had “no choice” but to act decisively, considering Hamas’ rejection of the offer to release the remaining hostages for a continued ceasefire.  It has struck targets with precision, eliminating “arch-terrorists” such as Mahmoud Abu Watfa, head of Hamas’ internal security forces and Issam al-Daalis, head of Hamas’ Government in Gaza.  The group has a choice:  “Come back to the table and negotiate or wait and watch as its leadership falls one by one.”

    His country’s operations in “Judea and Samaria” intend to break down Iran’s terror networks there, he continued, citing 2,000 attempted terror attacks originating there over 11 months.  The Palestinian Authority left the job of “taking care of the terror cells” in [refugee] camps in Jenin and Tulkarm to his country, he said, stressing that terrorists will be given no sanctuary, in Gaza, Judea and Samaria, Yemen or Iran.

    United States Dismisses Passage of Resolution 2334 (2016) as ‘Mistake’

    The United States’ delegate, characterizing the passage of the Council resolution 2334 (2016) as “a mistake”, called on the UN Secretary-General to join the United States in putting pressure on Hamas.  Just as Hamas could end the war by releasing the hostages, Iran “could chose to join the community of nations by ending its support for terrorist proxy groups and providing transparency on its nuclear programme”, she added, reiterating her Government’s support for the Israel Defense Forces and the Palestinian Authority Security Forces in rooting out extremists in Jenin and Tulkarm.  “The future of the Middle East must look different.  Fresh thinking is needed for a better tomorrow,” she added.

    France’s representative, however, stated that the reason evoked by Israel to justify its new massive bombardments does not hold water, and delays in the hostages’ release cannot justify the punishment of the entire people.  Noting that settlements in the West Bank are becoming more violent, with active participation of Israeli security forces, he reiterated that France opposes any annexation in the West Bank or Gaza.  To that end, his Government has been working with all countries to find a mechanism and to use ceasefire as a starting point for resuming dialogue.

    Pakistan’s representative warned that “daily military raids, settler violence and illegal land annexations are part of a systematic effort to ethnically cleanse the Palestinian people in the West Bank,” he said.  The Security Council, and the world community, cannot sit back and watch this ongoing ethnic cleansing.  “A failure to halt this brutal war will unleash the worst instinct of powerful and predatory States,” he said, urging the elected Council members to initiate measures to end “this cruel war”.  Somalia’s delegate called on States to present a united front against forced demographic changes, displacement from Palestinian communities or attempts to annex territories in either Gaza or the West Bank, a point echoed by China’s delegate, who urged Israel to “abandon its obsession with the use of force”.

    Unchecked Settlements Darken Prospect of Palestine’s Statehood

    Many speakers echoed alarm over the threat posed by unchecked settlement activities in the West Bank to the prospects for Palestinian statehood, with the representative of Denmark, Council President for March, who spoke in her national capacity, stating that such developments “rob Palestinians of their land, [and] push them into isolated enclaves, making it virtually impossible to form a connected and viable land for a future Palestinian State”.  Any unilateral attempt to change the geography of the occupied Palestinian territories is unacceptable, she said, stating that some settlements come about through settler violence.  She added:  “We have the frameworks.  What is needed is full implementation of resolution 2334 (2016).”

    “We have been witnessing what many are calling the Gazafication of the West Bank,” echoed Slovenia’s delegate, noting that, not only dights, but also dynamics “remind us of Gaza”.  “The one radical solution is a real peace,” he said, calling for the end of occupation and return of displaced persons.  Pages of history already written, including those contained in the reports of accountability mechanisms, must be a wake-up call for a new chapter to take place, he added.

    Greece’s representative, calling the Arab plan for Gaza’s recovery and reconstruction “a constructive proposal”, deplored the increase of settlement activity in the West Bank, a concern echoed by the representative of the Republic of Korea, who called the ongoing violence and vandalism by Israeli settlers unacceptable.

    On that, the representative of the United Kingdom highlighted three rounds of sanctions on violent settlers and their supporters imposed by his country to bring accountability for abuses of human rights, in the absence of sufficient Israeli action.  “The level of restrictions on Palestinian movement in the West Bank are crippling,” he observed, underscoring the importance of ensuring that religious freedoms are respected, especially during Ramadan.

    Many speakers emphasized the urgent need for progress towards a political solution, including the delegates of Guyana and Panama, with the latter stating that, in the future, Gaza — free from extremist groups, together with the West Bank and East Jerusalem — can be integrated into a territorial and political structure.  Sierra Leone’s representative, also calling for the political process to be revitalized, expressed hope for the recovery and reconstruction of Gaza, guided by the proposal tabled by the League of Arab States in Egypt.

    Noting that the West Bank “risks repeating the Gaza scenario”, the representative of the Russian Federation underscored that what is happening in the West Bank is a “good illustration” that there is no alternative to political solutions.  Israel’s settlement actions are aimed to undermine a two-State solution, he said, adding that, while Israel is using “crude force” to ensure their security, he said it is not surprising that the radical forces are popular among regular Palestinians.  The only sensible alternative is for Israel to return to negotiations, he noted, stating that the Council can and should play a role in this process.

    Algeria’s delegate said that the Israeli occupying Power’s objective in the West Bank is clear:  total sovereignty over it.  Their modus operandi is also well-known:  killing, forced demolition, displacement, dispossession and settlement.  Over 40,000 people have been forcibly displaced in the past two months in the West Bank.  Striking a note of urgency, he asked:  “When will we rise to the level of our obligations and impose respect and implementation for our collective decision to establish a Palestinian State with Al-Quds al-Sharif as its capital?”

    Rounding out the meeting, the representative of Jordan recalled that the Arab League summit held in Cairo at the beginning of the month confirmed the bloc’s rejection of any attempt to displace the Palestinian people from their occupied lands, and approved the Gaza Early Recovery and Reconstruction Plan presented by Egypt.  This is a comprehensive Arab plan, based on joint Egyptian-Palestinian efforts, to organize an international conference on recovery and reconstruction in Gaza, in cooperation with the UN, he said.  Deploring the dangerous escalation in the West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem, marked by recurrent military incursions into Palestinian towns, population displacements and home demolitions, he called on the Council and the international community to address these violations.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: PUBLIC EVENT: INTERNATIONAL DAY OF FORESTS 2024

    Source: United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

    The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe celebrated the International Day of Forests with a two-part event.

    I. “Forest Talk: Innovation 4 Climate” (10:00 – 11:30, Auditorium (H.200, ground floor), Building H, Palais des Nations, and online): Experts from diverse industries presented ongoing research on innovative applications of wood components.

    II. “Glacial Threads: From Forests to Future Textiles” (12:00 – 13:00): A symbolic ceremony involving the unrolling and laying of a glacier fleece made from wood-based fibers onto Michelangelo Pistoletto’s iconic sculpture, “Rebirth.” This segment was held outdoors. 

     

    The main event was followed by a reception hosted by the Permanent Mission of Italy. 

     

    For more information contact Secretariat

     

    Event organized with the generous support of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Finland.

     

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General

    Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council

    The following is a near-verbatim transcript of today’s briefing by Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesman for the Secretary-General.

    **Guest

    Alright.  Good afternoon, everyone.  As you know, tomorrow [22 March] is World Water Day.  I will be joined here shortly by Bhanu Neupane, the Process Coordinator for the UNESCO [United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization] World Water Development Report, who will talk to you about the report.

    **Secretary-General’s Travel

    The Secretary-General is about to leave Brussels. Earlier today, he was in Leuven, where he accepted an honorary doctorate given to the United Nations by the universities KU Leuven and UC Louvain.  In his remarks, Mr. [António] Guterres said that by bestowing this honour, the universities are sending a message of support for the mission of the United Nations — a message of solidarity to all those working to make it real — and a message of inspiration for us to keep up the fight.

    He said the universities’ 600th anniversary coincides with a moment of reflection for the United Nations, which marks its own eightieth anniversary as an organization at the epicentre of multilateralism.  Standing here in Europe, the Secretary-General added, we know this same commitment to multilateralism is the beating heart of the European Union – a powerful reminder of our shared responsibility to the world’s most vulnerable people, and proof that isolationism is an illusion, never a solution.

    Turning to the situation in Gaza, the Secretary-General renewed his appeal for the ceasefire to be restored, for unimpeded humanitarian assistance to be reestablished and for the remaining hostages to be released immediately and unconditionally.  His full remarks have been shared with you.

    This afternoon, the Secretary-General also had a meeting with the Prime Minister of Belgium, Bart De Wever.  I believe the readout of this meeting had just been made available. The Secretary-General will be back in the office on Monday morning.

    **Security Council

    Sigrid Kaag, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process ad interim, briefed the Security Council this morning on Israel and Palestine, and she said that hostages must be released immediately and unconditionally. She strongly condemned the reported ill-treatment of hostages, as well as the fact that there are reasonable grounds to believe that hostages may be subjected to sexual violence and abuse.

    Ms. Kaag unequivocally condemned the widespread killing and injury of civilians and the destruction of civilian infrastructure in Gaza. Nothing can justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people, she said.  She mourned the UN staff killed in Gaza and strongly condemned the killing of all humanitarian personnel and called for the full investigation of all such incidents.

    The Special Coordinator reiterated her call for a sustained ceasefire and urged the parties to redouble efforts to end human suffering. She rejected the forced displacement of the Palestinian population from any part of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, which would constitute a grave violation of international human rights and humanitarian law.  Ms. Kaag added that the escalation of violence in the occupied West Bank is deeply troubling.  Alongside the rising death toll, Palestine refugee camps in the northern West Bank are being emptied and are sustaining massive infrastructure damage during Israeli operations.

    **Occupied Palestinian Territory

    Turning to Gaza, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says that as hostilities continue across the Strip, the Israeli closure of all crossings for incoming cargo has entered its twentieth day — the longest shutdown since 7 October 2023.  As a reminder, the crossings were also completely closed for two weeks starting on that date.  This latest closure is having a devastating impact on people already facing catastrophic conditions.  Each passing day further erodes the progress made by the UN and our humanitarian partners during the first six weeks of the ceasefire.

    Beyond the depletion of stocks, OCHA warns that humanitarian operations are now being severely hampered by hostilities.  Civilians, including aid workers, and civilian assets have come under attack.  The UN is seeking concrete assurances for the safety of our staff and operations in Gaza, following the killing of six UN personnel and injury of several others this week, including in the attack on a clearly designated UN compound.  As Tom Fletcher, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, said Wednesday, we demand answers on their behalf and for those who continue the work.

    As attacks continue across multiple areas of the Gaza Strip, OCHA warns that the steady flow of trauma injuries is putting even more pressure on an already shattered healthcare system.  Our humanitarian partners estimate that more than 120,000 Palestinians have been displaced once again this week, driven by intensified attacks and new Israeli evacuation orders across the Gaza Strip.  That’s about 6 per cent of the surviving population.  A new evacuation order covering areas in northern Gaza was also issued today, following reports of rocket fire by Palestinian armed groups.

    And turning to the West Bank, OCHA has just released the findings of a rapid survey of movement obstacles across the occupied territory. It recorded nearly 850 checkpoints, gates and other physical obstacles — the highest number documented in any of the 16 surveys OCHA has conducted over the past two decades. In just the past three months, three dozen new movement obstacles have been established — most of them following the announcement of the Gaza ceasefire in mid-January.  Road gates account for a third of all obstacles — and most of them are frequently kept closed.

    Philippe Lazzarini, the Commissioner General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), noted that today marks 60 days since Israeli began its military operations in Jenin Camp in the West Bank.  He said that such large-scale, militarized operations cannot become the new norm in the West Bank.  This trend of escalating violence — which started even before 7 October 2023 — must be reversed.  OCHA adds that it has received just over 4 per cent of the roughly $4 billion required to meet vast needs across the Occupied Palestinian Territory — in the West Bank and Gaza — this year.

    **Democratic Republic of the Congo

    Turning to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that clashes continue in parts of North Kivu, South Kivu and Ituri.  In North Kivu Province, fighting continued yesterday in several areas of Walikale Territory, damaging a humanitarian partner’s logistics base and other civilian infrastructure.  We and humanitarian organizations in the area have relocated staff to Kisangani, in the neighbouring Province of Tshopo.

    In South Kivu, people from Burembo and Fizi-Centre have fled fighting among armed groups in several waves since 5 March.  And in Ituri, clashes in the town of Fataki yesterday continued to displace people.  Since 18 March, many humanitarian partners have suspended their activities there due to the ongoing insecurity.  OCHA reiterates that all parties to the conflict must uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure in military operations.

    **Sudan

    Turning to Sudan:  Today, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has condemned in the strongest terms the looting of vital humanitarian supplies from Al Bashair Hospital in Jabal Awlia in Khartoum.  These supplies are intended to support malnourished children and provide critical healthcare to mothers and newborns.

    The Al Bashir Hospital is one of the last functioning medical facilities in Jabal Awlia.  UNICEF had managed to deliver these critical supplies on 20 December 2024, marking the first successful humanitarian shipment to Jabal Awlia in over 18 months.  The looting of these supplies will compound an already dire humanitarian catastrophe for children and families in the area.  We reiterate our urgent call for an unimpeded humanitarian access to reach children and families in need and we call for the protection of hospitals and other civilian infrastructure in line with international humanitarian law.

    **South Sudan

    Our peacekeeping colleagues in South Sudan have an update on the intensive diplomacy that is under way in the country.  The Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), Nicholas Haysom, is working with international and regional partners, including Heads of States, the African Union and others, to try and de-escalate tensions and stop the aerial bombardment of civilian areas in Upper Nile State, which could spill over into wider conflict.

    Mr. Haysom is also engaging with influential national partners to promote a peaceful resolution.  He is urging the parties to adhere to the ceasefire and peace agreement, and to resolve tensions through dialogue rather than military confrontation. Mr. Haysom stresses that the already troubled region cannot afford another war.  And in fact, on Monday, our guest will be Nicholas Haysom.  He will join us virtually to brief on the situation in South Sudan.

    **Ukraine

    Today in Ukraine, authorities and our humanitarian partners confirmed that hostilities across multiple regions killed a dozen civilians and injured many others, with widespread damage to homes.  In Odesa, a large-scale drone attack injured children and damaged shops, warehouses and vehicles.  Most casualties were reported in the Donetsk region, while in the Kharkiv region, local authorities report intensified hostilities and disrupted electricity in Kupiansk town and neighbouring villages.

    Yesterday, the Humanitarian Coordinator for Ukraine, Matthias Schmale, condemned an attack in the central Ukrainian city of Kropyvnytskyi, in which children were among many civilians injured.  Apartment buildings were also damaged.  Mr. Schmale stressed that international humanitarian law is clear:  Civilians and civilian infrastructure must be protected.

    Amid relentless hostilities, evacuations from high-risk areas continue, with scores of people leaving front-line areas each day.  Humanitarians are supporting the most vulnerable — especially families with children and people with limited mobility — through medical evacuations, psychosocial support and basic items.  Most evacuees have remained within their home regions, while some have been relocated to central and western Ukraine.

    OCHA reports that in the first two months of the year, seven humanitarian staff were injured in six separate incidents near the front line. Attacks also damaged humanitarian assets and facilities in the Kharkiv, Odesa, Zaporizhzhia, Mykolai, and Sloviansk regions, further hampering the response.

    **Haiti

    Turning to Haiti, our humanitarian colleagues tell us that the recent United States funding freeze is having a devastating impact on the overall HIV response, including treatment and prevention.  The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) says that, as a result of the freeze, most pre-exposure prophylaxis services, also known as PrEP — which are key to reducing HIV infections — had to be suspended, affecting 80 per cent of interventions.

    The National HIV Programme estimates that at least 35,000 people living with HIV and receiving antiretroviral treatment are being affected by the freeze on USAID-funded health services.  The Programme also foresees an increase between 30 and 50 per cent in new HIV infections in the absence of prevention activities.  HIV/AIDS affects an estimated 140,000 people in Haiti.

    The health sector, as part of the broader humanitarian response, needs $43.5 million to address the urgent needs for healthcare services and support to vulnerable people in Haiti.  The Government, World Health Organization (WHO) and UNAIDS are exploring alternatives to ensure that health services can continue.

    **International Days

    Today we have multiple International Days.  It’s the Day of Days, as we call it.  Starting off with the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.  In a message, the Secretary-General says that the poison of racism continues to infect our world.  He urges everybody, including business leadership, civil society and ordinary people to take a stand against racism in all its forms.

    Today is also the International Day of Nowruz.  In his message, Mr. Guterres says that Nowruz celebrates new beginnings and the arrival of spring.

    Today is World Down Syndrome Day.  People with Down syndrome need support to live and be included in the community, like everyone else.

    Today is also World Poetry Day.  On this Day, we celebrate one of humanity’s most treasured forms of cultural and linguistic expression and identity.

    And moving on to environment-related days.  Today is the World Day for Glaciers, and coincidentally, this year was declared the International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation.

    And if that’s not enough, today is also the International Day of Forests, and the theme this year is “Forests and Food”.

    And tomorrow is World Water Day and the theme this year is glacier preservation.  Our guests will be here to talk more about this, but I just want to mention that in his message, the Secretary-General said that glaciers may be shrinking, but we cannot shrink from our responsibilities.

    And Sunday is World Meteorological Day and the theme is “Closing the early warning gap together”.  So, those are all the days; anything before we go to our guest?  Yes, Edie.

    **Questions and Answers

    Question:  Thank you, Farhan.  Does the Secretary-General have any comment on the Israeli Defence Minister’s announcement ordering an increase in an intensified military operation in Gaza?

    Deputy Spokesman:  This is completely contrary to what the Secretary-General has been calling for days.  And even today, in Belgium, and in the previous days, he’s said repeatedly that what we need is to get back to a ceasefire.  In what I just read at the first part of this briefing, it’s clear that all of our efforts to help the people of Gaza are at a standstill as long as this goes on.  There are millions of people who need for this to end now.

    Question:  On Sudan, with the Government forces claiming they’re back in the Presidential Palace in Khartoum and other areas, is Mr. [Ramtane] Lamamra going to make any kind of a fresh effort to bring both sides together for peace talks?

    Deputy Spokesman:  Yeah.  On that, regarding Mr. Lamamra’s efforts, he continues to engage the parties with the aim of bringing them closer to a peaceful resolution.  He’s intensifying consultations with the parties and other key stakeholders on modalities to strengthen the protection of civilians and to deescalate the conflict.  A sustainable resolution to this devastating conflict can only be achieved through an inclusive political process.  And from the Secretary-General’s side, I can say that he, the Secretary-General, renews his appeal for the parties to immediately cease the fighting and take steps towards the lasting peace that the people in Sudan demand.  Benno?

    Question:  Thank you, Farhan.  There has been quite a number of stories of people that were either denied entrance to the United States recently or have been arrested and deported or tried to being deported.  I want to focus on these last cases.  In many cases, they were not based on actual crimes, but the authorities said the people were parts of protests that they deemed as antisemitic or dangerous for the United States’ security.  Do you have any comment on this ongoing situation in the United States?

    Deputy Spokesman:  I think it’s important that all of the basic rules in terms of dealing with entrants into the United States, including migrants, including refugees and others, follow the accepted norms of international law.  And part of what you’re saying is that there are many cases where people were moved without sufficient due process, and it’s important that everyone’s due process rights be respected.

    Question:  Do you see that there is an implication for free speech in the United States, especially when we see the Columbia [University] protest and other university protests last year?  Does the UN have an opinion or a standpoint if pro-Palestinian protests are also antisemitic protests at the same time?  This is how the US Government obviously portrays it right now.

    Deputy Spokesman:  Well, certainly for us, it’s important that freedom of speech and freedom of peaceful assembly be protected.  So, obviously, if there are expressions of racial hatred, of actual antisemitism, those are things that authorities need to respond to. But, that shouldn’t impede the rights of people to conduct peaceful protest.  Yes, Denis?

    Question:  So, there are reports that head of UNCTAD [United Nations Conference on Trade and Development), Rebeca Grynspan, will head to Moscow.  So, when will she go to Moscow, and what is her programme in here?

    Deputy Spokesman:  Yes, I can confirm that Rebeca Grynspan and her team will have their next consultation in Moscow on 24 March. That’s part of regular consultations to discuss the implementation of the memorandum of understanding between the UN and the Russian Federation on food security.

    Question:  So, will she discuss alleviating sanctions from Russian fertilizers — so, easing the access of Russian fertilizers to world markets?

    Deputy Spokesman:  I think I’ll wait for the discussions to take place before we provide more details.  But, like I said, it’ll concern the various aspects of the memorandum of understanding.  Yes, please?

    Question:  Thank you.  Do you have any updates on the condition of the UN staff who were wounded in Gaza and their whereabouts?  Thank you.

    Deputy Spokesman:  They’re receiving hospital assistance.  As you know, there were five people who were injured. One of them was lightly injured; two of them, I believe, have ever remained in intensive care, and their condition is being monitored.  And we hope that they will all recover.

    Question:  Could you help with the nationality of the two who remain in intensive care, please?

    Deputy Spokesman:  I believe we’ll provide those details further down.  The hiring organization, the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS), I believe is in touch with the respective Governments and family members at this stage.  Benny, I think you have a question online, and then we’ll go to Ephrem.  Are you there?  Are you there?

    Question:  Thank you, Farhan.  The ban on UNRWA, it’s been a few weeks now since it entered into effect.  How would you say it is being felt on the ground so far?

    Deputy Spokesman:  It’s affected the ability of UNRWA staff to move in and out in terms of getting visas for UNRWA personnel.  But, to the extent that UNRWA is capable of going about its work, including in Gaza and the West Bank, UNRWA continues to go about its work.  And Benny, are you online?

    Question:  I have a question, Farhan.  Can you hear me?

    Deputy Spokesman:  I can hear you.

    Question:  Should I go ahead?  Farhan, I want to ask you about the Turkish Palestinian Friendship Hospital in Gaza, which was built by Türkiye, and it was actually operated by local authorities as a cancer treatment centre.  You may have seen images online.  It was completely blown up by Israel.  And Israel argued that it was used being used by Hamas.  But, in fact, you may recall that after 7 October [2023], there are also many images that showed Israel deploying many military vehicles around the hospital.  So, I would just like to ask you, why is there no mention of this in your briefing today?  I mean, have we become so accustomed to Israel blowing up hospitals that we don’t need to bring it up?  And does the Secretary-General have a reaction to this hospital being blown up?  Thank you.

    Deputy Spokesman:  Yes.  On that, we certainly are against any of the attacks on medical infrastructure.  All attacks against medical infrastructure by any of the parties is a violation of international humanitarian law, and we stand opposed to this.  And we have reported, as you know, regularly on the fact that all of the hospitals in Gaza have sustained at least some damage over the course of this conflict, and that is an intolerable situation for the suffering population.  And with that, let me go to our guest.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Queens Man Charged With Perpetrating Visa Fraud Scheme By Pretending to Be a Federal Agent

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Defendant Drove a Red Hummer Bearing a Vanity License Plate with the Acronym “ICE”

    Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, an indictment was unsealed charging Tommy Aijie Da Silva Weng, also known as “Tommy Weng Da Silva” and “Jacky,” with wire fraud, mail fraud and impersonating a federal law enforcement officer in connection with a scheme to defraud an individual by claiming that he could assist her in obtaining a green card through the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Visa Program (the EB-5 Program).  Weng was arrested this morning and is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Lara K. Eshkenazi.

    John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and Leslie Backschies, Acting Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the arrest and charges.

    “As alleged, Weng falsely represented himself as a member of federal law enforcement to gain the trust of an unsuspecting victim,” stated United States Attorney Durham.  “The defendant preyed on the victim’s desire to become a United States citizen and pursue the American dream, then stole not only that dream, but also hundreds of thousands of dollars.  Today, real law enforcement agents put the handcuffs on this fraudster and he will now have to answer for his crimes.”

    “For nearly eight years, Tommy Weng allegedly curated a false persona of a federal law enforcement officer with flashy props and empty assurances of guaranteed lawful status to swindle a vulnerable victim of hundreds of thousands of dollars,” stated FBI Acting Assistant Director in Charge Backschies. “This alleged imposter twisted a respected profession into an elaborate scheme while violating the public’s trust in law enforcement. The FBI will continue to apprehend any individual who exploits an authoritative position to garner illicit profits.”

    According to court filings, the fraud scheme began in April 2016, shortly thereafter Weng falsely claimed to the victim (Jane Doe) that he was a federal law enforcement agent, explaining that he was able to use his law enforcement connections to assist her with obtaining a green card through the EB-5 Program on an expedited basis if she invested $500,000 with him.  Weng showed Jane Doe a law enforcement badge and gave her a business card from the “Federal Officers Police Association” bearing his name.  On another occasion, Weng told Jane Doe that he worked for the United States Department of Homeland Security and that he was transferring to a new law enforcement position with INTERPOL in Italy. Weng drove a red Hummer vehicle with the vanity license plate that included the acronym “ICE,” an apparent reference to the federal law enforcement agency Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

    Based on Weng’s representations, Jane Doe provided Weng with $500,000 for a visa. Instead of investing the money that Jane Doe provided him, or submitting a visa application on her behalf, Weng pocketed the money and strung the victim along with a series of lies about why the process was delayed for approximately eight years.

    The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.  If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of 43 years’ imprisonment.

    Anyone with information about crimes committed by Weng should contact the FBI at NY_WengTips@fbi.gov

    The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Section. The government’s case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States  Attorneys Nadia E. Moore and Daniel J. Marcus.

    The Defendant:

    TOMMY AIJIE DA SILVA WENG
    Age:  49
    Queens, New York

    E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-CR-94 (NGG)

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Thirty-third session of the Specialized Section on Standardization of Meat (GE.11)

    Source: United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

    The session is open for participation by all UN Member States. Representatives from relevant international organizations and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and the private sector can also participate as observers. This session will be held with simultaneous interpretation into English, French and Russian. Prior registration is required, please register through the registration button.

    An audio channel will be available in English, French, and Russian on the days of the event, at: https://listen-live.unog.ch/en/

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI: Volta Finance Limited – Net Asset Value(s) as at 28 February 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Volta Finance Limited (VTA / VTAS)
    February 2025 monthly report

    NOT FOR RELEASE, DISTRIBUTION, OR PUBLICATION, IN WHOLE OR PART, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES

    Guernsey, March 21st, 2025

    AXA IM has published the Volta Finance Limited (the “Company” or “Volta Finance” or “Volta”) monthly report for February 2025. The full report is attached to this release and will be available on Volta’s website shortly (www.voltafinance.com).

    Performance and Portfolio Activity

    Dear Investors,

    Volta Finance’s net performance for the month of February established at +1.6%, taking the Aug 2024-to-date performance at +13.1%. Both our investments in CLO Debt and CLO Equity performed positively over the course of the month, with European CLO Equities benefiting from a strong price appreciation despite market volatility.

    Volatility intensified in February as US policy and mixed economic data releases triggered a repricing of risk across the board. The pursuit of a tariff strategy from the US administration sent a cautionary message regarding the near-term inflation outlook, and raised concerns regarding the sustainability of US growth in the context of current expansion being supported by a steady consumer spending momentum. The interest rate on 10-year U.S. government bonds fluctuated, going up to 4.60% and then dropping back to 4.20%. Additionally, the number of people filing for unemployment benefits hit its highest level this year due to job cuts in companies and federal agencies. Following unsuccessful mediation talks between the US and Ukraine at the White House on February 28th – and the radical shift in US foreign policy strategy – the European Commission suggested allowing countries to spend more on defense without strict budget rules for four years. Germany also announced plans to change its Constitution to borrow €900 billion for defense and infrastructure projects. As a result, European government bond yields changed noticeably, while the Euro and European stock markets improved. The uncertainty in politics and the economy led to increased volatility in credit markets: the European High Yield index (Xover) took a “V” shape over the month and closed around 15bps wide of the tights. On the Loan side, Euro Loans closed c. 30cts up at 98.70px (Morningstar European Leveraged Loan Index) on the back of strong technicals, while US Loans were down 45cts at 97.15px. Primary CLO markets remained busy, although we noticed softer subscription levels. In terms of performance, CLO markets performed in line with broader Credits on a rating adjusted basis: BBs total returns stood at +0.9% while US High Yield returned +0.65% in the same period, Euro High Yield was up +1% and Global Loans gained +0.3%.
    Looking at Volta Finance’s cashflow, the portfolio generated c. €28m equivalent of interests and coupons over the last six months, representing c.20% of February’s NAV on an annualized basis.

    Over the month, Volta’s CLO Equity tranches returned a 2.4% performance** while CLO Debt tranches returned +1.7% performance**, cash representing c. 9.8% of the NAV.

    Volta is around 21% exposed to USD, the February currency moves had no meaningful impact on the overall performance (+0.02%) although we anticipate FX moves to have a greater impact next month.

    As of end of February 2025, Volta’s NAV was €283.5m, i.e. €7.75 per share.

    *It should be noted that approximately 4.49% of Volta’s GAV comprises investments for which the relevant NAVs as at the month-end date are normally available only after Volta’s NAV has already been published. Volta’s policy is to publish its NAV on as timely a basis as possible to provide shareholders with Volta’s appropriately up-to-date NAV information. Consequently, such investments are valued using the most recently available NAV for each fund or quoted price for such subordinated notes. The most recently available fund NAV or quoted price was 4.38% as at 31 January 2025, 0.11% as at 30 September 2024.

    ** “performances” of asset classes are calculated as the Dietz-performance of the assets in each bucket, taking into account the Mark-to-Market of the assets at period ends, payments received from the assets over the period, and ignoring changes in cross-currency rates. Nevertheless, some residual currency effects could impact the aggregate value of the portfolio when aggregating each bucket.

    CONTACTS

    For the Investment Manager
    AXA Investment Managers Paris
    François Touati
    francois.touati@axa-im.com
    +33 (0) 1 44 45 80 22

    Olivier Pons
    Olivier.pons@axa-im.com
    +33 (0) 1 44 45 87 30

    Company Secretary and Administrator
    BNP Paribas S.A, Guernsey Branch
    guernsey.bp2s.volta.cosec@bnpparibas.com 
    +44 (0) 1481 750 853

    Corporate Broker
    Cavendish Securities plc
    Andrew Worne
    Daniel Balabanoff
    +44 (0) 20 7397 8900

    *****
    ABOUT VOLTA FINANCE LIMITED

    Volta Finance Limited is incorporated in Guernsey under The Companies (Guernsey) Law, 2008 (as amended) and listed on Euronext Amsterdam and the London Stock Exchange’s Main Market for listed securities. Volta’s home member state for the purposes of the EU Transparency Directive is the Netherlands. As such, Volta is subject to regulation and supervision by the AFM, being the regulator for financial markets in the Netherlands.

    Volta’s Investment objectives are to preserve its capital across the credit cycle and to provide a stable stream of income to its Shareholders through dividends that it expects to distribute on a quarterly basis. The Company currently seeks to achieve its investment objectives by pursuing exposure predominantly to CLO’s and similar asset classes. A more diversified investment strategy across structured finance assets may be pursued opportunistically. The Company has appointed AXA Investment Managers Paris an investment management company with a division specialised in structured credit, for the investment management of all its assets.

    *****

    ABOUT AXA INVESTMENT MANAGERS
    AXA Investment Managers (AXA IM) is a multi-expert asset management company within the AXA Group, a global leader in financial protection and wealth management. AXA IM is one of the largest European-based asset managers with 2,700 professionals and €844 billion in assets under management as of the end of December 2023.  

    *****

    This press release is published by AXA Investment Managers Paris (“AXA IM”), in its capacity as alternative investment fund manager (within the meaning of Directive 2011/61/EU, the “AIFM Directive”) of Volta Finance Limited (the “Volta Finance”) whose portfolio is managed by AXA IM.

    This press release is for information only and does not constitute an invitation or inducement to acquire shares in Volta Finance. Its circulation may be prohibited in certain jurisdictions and no recipient may circulate copies of this document in breach of such limitations or restrictions. This document is not an offer for sale of the securities referred to herein in the United States or to persons who are “U.S. persons” for purposes of Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), or otherwise in circumstances where such offer would be restricted by applicable law. Such securities may not be sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration from the Securities Act. Volta Finance does not intend to register any portion of the offer of such securities in the United States or to conduct a public offering of such securities in the United States.

    *****

    This communication is only being distributed to and is only directed at (i) persons who are outside the United Kingdom or (ii) investment professionals falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the “Order”) or (iii) high net worth companies, and other persons to whom it may lawfully be communicated, falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order (all such persons together being referred to as “relevant persons”). The securities referred to herein are only available to, and any invitation, offer or agreement to subscribe, purchase or otherwise acquire such securities will be engaged in only with, relevant persons. Any person who is not a relevant person should not act or rely on this document or any of its contents. Past performance cannot be relied on as a guide to future performance.

    *****
    This press release contains statements that are, or may deemed to be, “forward-looking statements”. These forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, including the terms “believes”, “anticipated”, “expects”, “intends”, “is/are expected”, “may”, “will” or “should”. They include the statements regarding the level of the dividend, the current market context and its impact on the long-term return of Volta Finance’s investments. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties and readers are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Volta Finance’s actual results, portfolio composition and performance may differ materially from the impression created by the forward-looking statements. AXA IM does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking statements.

    Any target information is based on certain assumptions as to future events which may not prove to be realised. Due to the uncertainty surrounding these future events, the targets are not intended to be and should not be regarded as profits or earnings or any other type of forecasts. There can be no assurance that any of these targets will be achieved. In addition, no assurance can be given that the investment objective will be achieved.

    The figures provided that relate to past months or years and past performance cannot be relied on as a guide to future performance or construed as a reliable indicator as to future performance. Throughout this review, the citation of specific trades or strategies is intended to illustrate some of the investment methodologies and philosophies of Volta Finance, as implemented by AXA IM. The historical success or AXA IM’s belief in the future success, of any of these trades or strategies is not indicative of, and has no bearing on, future results.

    The valuation of financial assets can vary significantly from the prices that the AXA IM could obtain if it sought to liquidate the positions on behalf of the Volta Finance due to market conditions and general economic environment. Such valuations do not constitute a fairness or similar opinion and should not be regarded as such.

    Editor: AXA INVESTMENT MANAGERS PARIS, a company incorporated under the laws of France, having its registered office located at Tour Majunga, 6, Place de la Pyramide – 92800 Puteaux. AXA IMP is authorized by the Autorité des Marchés Financiers under registration number GP92008 as an alternative investment fund manager within the meaning of the AIFM Directive.

    *****

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: First Minister address to the CBI

    Source: Scottish Government

    Economic growth essential for future prosperity.

    First Minister John Swinney has today set out his commitment to continue working with the business community to grow Scotland’s economy, during a speech to the Confederation of British Industry (CBI).

    Speaking at an event to mark the CBI’s 60th anniversary, Mr Swinney also called on their representatives to join the mission to deliver a Scottish Graduate Visa and retain top talent in Scotland.

    First Minister John Swinney said:

    “Scotland consistently ranks as the UK’s top investment destination outside of London and the South East of England. We have significant offshore renewables resources, and we’re ranked first amongst the UK’s nations and regions for green growth potential and opportunity.

    “There are many reasons to be optimistic about Scotland’s economic potential and Scotland’s economic performance, but there’s also a need to be realistic about the challenges and the issues that the business community and the Scottish economy faces at this time.

    “Since I came into office, I’ve set out a clear and focused agenda for the government around eradicating child poverty, about supporting the transition to Net Zero, about improving our public services, and particularly our National Health Service, which are fundamentally anchored on delivering higher levels of economic growth within Scotland, because we cannot hope to achieve our objectives on Net Zero, or on eradicating child poverty, or on improving our public services without generating the wealth that is going to be at the heart of future success for our country.”

    He added:

    “We have to act to take steps to boost the working age population in Scotland. The proposals I’ve put forward around a dedicated Scottish graduate visa where we enable international students who come to Scotland to be able to develop longer routes and stay for a longer period, will help to encourage the growth of our working age population and also to boost economic activity within Scotland.

    “And we pursue those proposals with the United Kingdom Government because for Scotland, measures of that type are critical, mission critical, for enabling us to fulfil our growth ambitions and your support in persuading the UK Government within that step would be enormously welcome.”

    Background

    First Minister’s address to the CBI

    Scottish Graduate Visa proposed – gov.scot

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: York schools accredited ‘ADHD friendly’ as part of citywide support for neurodiverse students

    Source: City of York

    8 York schools have been accredited as ‘ADHD friendly’ as part of a citywide commitment to support neurodiverse children and young people.

    Awarded by the ADHD Foundation*, the schools were accredited as ADHD friendly because they committed to making their schools safe, nurturing, welcoming and exciting places, in which all learners with ADHD can achieve their academic potential.

    Schools also had to work with the foundation to achieve six ADHD school friendly pledges, including training school staff, providing opportunities for learners to get access to physical activity, exercise and self-calming strategies throughout the school day and providing information and support to families.

    Funded by City of York Council, as part of its wider Neurodiversity support Programme, Copmanthorpe Primary, Dunnington Church of England Primary School, Lakeside Primary Academy, Haxby Road Enhanced Resource Provision, Millthorpe School, Tang Hall Primary, Wigginton Primary, and York High School have all achieved the ADHD Friendly School Award.

    Cllr Bob Webb, the council’s Executive Member for Children, Young People and Education, said:

    “Supporting neurodiverse students, their families, and teaching staff, is a key part of our strategy to ensure York is a great place to live and learn for all young people.

    “We want to see inclusion at the heart of Education in York and I’m really pleased that schools have committed their time and energy to promote inclusion and the needs of all learners.

    “I’m delighted that eight schools in York have now received official ADHD accreditation and hope that they will share their expertise and knowledge with others across the city.”

    Luke Dancer, headteacher at Copmanthorpe Primary School, said:

    “We are incredibly proud to be recognised as an ADHD Friendly School.

    “At Copmanthorpe Primary, we strive to create an inclusive and supportive environment where all children can thrive. This accreditation is a testament to the ongoing dedication and hard work of the staff in creating a school where learners with ADHD feel valued, understood, and empowered to reach their full potential. Since joining the school in January, it has been clear to me that the whole team is deeply committed to ensuring that every child receives the support they need to succeed. Working alongside the ADHD Foundation and City of York Council has helped us implement meaningful strategies that benefit all of our pupils.”

    Colin Foley from the ADHD Foundation said:

    “It has been a pleasure to work with a range of schools across the City of York.

    “In each school, there is a commitment to understanding and nurturing children and young people with ADHD. Thank you to all of the professionals involved, these awards are very well deserved.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Green Party Leader welcomes ban of executive parties from Belfast Pride

    Source: The Green Party in Northern Ireland

    Green Party Leader welcomes ban of executive parties from Belfast Pride
    Mal O’Hara, Green Party Leader said “This is a welcome decision by Belfast Pride. LGBTQ+ people have been betrayed and gaslit by the executive parties for too long. An lgbtq+ strategy has been promised since 2007 but never delivered. The most recent Programme for Government fails to mention lgbtq+ inequality beyond a vague commitment to bringing forward ‘social strategies’. Funding for our life saving lgbtq+ organisations has been piecemeal and ad hoc rather than strategic and focused. Almost all progress on lgbtq+ equality has come from Westminster or the Courts. The final straw was the announcement of the puberty blocker ban via tweet, which removes healthcare from trans and non-binary young people meanwhile the Executive have done precious little on the crises of trans healthcare.” 
    Mal continued “Pride started as a riot. It is our biggest public event to demonstrate for liberation, equality and celebration.  If the Executive Parties make progress on trans healthcare, fund our sector organisations, stands up to backlash and bring forward a strategy, then I will be the first to advocate welcoming these parties back.” 
    Mal finished by saying “Pride is not a photo opportunity for political parties who have had power for 27 years and not used that power to make the lives of lgbtq+ people better.”
    ENDS 
    Press enquiries – Mal O’Hara on 07540790663 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New Family Hub opening in North Prospect

    Source: City of Plymouth

    The new North Prospect Family Hub is opening this month, with families invited to come along to the official launch event.  

    Located on North Prospect Road, the new Family Hub is celebrating with an afternoon of free games, activities and entertainment for children and young people on Thursday 27 March between 1pm and 4pm.  

    The new hub is run by LARK, which also manages Morice Town Family Hub, and is the eleventh and final hub to open in Plymouth. 

    In 2023, Plymouth City Council was awarded a share of £300 million from the Government to help develop the Family Hubs and establish Start for Life, a programme providing support to parents for the first 1001 days of their child’s life, starting from pregnancy. 

    Family Hubs have developed the support previously offered by children’s centres and help families from conception until children are 19 years old, or up to 25-years-old for young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).  

    The aim is to provide a safe, welcoming and friendly environment to families and there’s a range of support on offer including antenatal classes, activity sessions, parenting programmes, breastfeeding support and practical help from a wide range of professionals.  

    Councillor Jemima Laing, Cabinet Member for Children’s Social Care, said: “Our Family Hubs are so important, providing a supportive environment and professional advice to families with children of all ages within their communities.  

    “I’m delighted about the launch of the new North Prospect Family Hub, which is the final hub to open in the city. We now have eleven hubs across Plymouth and I would encourage all parents and carers to find their local hub and reach out to see what support is available – our Hubs are here to make sure you get the help you need in the right place, at the right time.”   

    Kirsty Mole, Family Hub Lead at LARK, said: “We are so excited after a busy few months with our move from The Beacon, to be opening on North Prospect Road in the heart of our community. 

    “We’d like to thank everyone who has helped us with this move, from volunteers to local councillors, and a huge thank you to our local families for their patience whilst we have been moving. 

    “We welcome children, young people and families into our Hub and have a range of support available as well as providing links with other agencies for help and advice. Our team have lots of knowledge and are experienced in working in our area for many years. We are really proud of our new Hub and hope that you will come along and celebrate with us.” 

    The other Family Hubs in Plymouth are:  

    • Nomony Family Hub, Cattedown  
    • The Barn Family Hub, Barne Barton  
    • Rees Family Hub, Plympton  
    • Four Woods Family Hub, Crownhill Road  
    • Green Ark Family Hub, Devonport   
    • Manor Street Family Hub, Stonehouse 
    • Southway Family Hub  
    • Whitleigh Family Hub at Four Greens Community Trust 
    • Efford Family Hub at High View Primary School 
    • Morice Town Family Hub  
    • Southway Family Hub  

    For more information, please visit www.plymouth.gov.uk/family-hubs or follow Plymouth Family Hubs on Facebook.  

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Temporary road closures for Wolverhampton 10k

    Source: City of Wolverhampton

    Please be aware of the following temporary road closures and restrictions on the day of the event Sunday March 23 between 8.30am and 11am:

    Jack Hayward Way closed its entire length in both directions.
    Waterloo Road closed its entire length in both directions.
    Staveley Road closed at its junction with Waterloo Road.
    Stafford Street closed northbound between its junctions with Cannock Road and Waterloo Road/Stafford Road.
    Dunstall Road closed between its junctions with Dunstall Hill and Waterloo Road/Stafford Road.
    Stafford Road closed northbound between its junctions with Stafford Street and Oxley Moor Road.
    South Street closed between its junction with Leverton Rise and Stafford Road.
    Gorsebrook Road closed between its junction with Stafford Road to Opposite 125a.
    Oxley Moor Road closed its entire length in both directions.
    Probert Road closed between its junction for Oxley Day Centre and its junction with Oxley Moor Road.
    Green Lane closed between its junctions with Blakely Rise and Aldersley Road.
    Aldersley Road closed in both directions between its junctions with Green Lane/Oxley Moor Road to side of property 124.
    Hordern Road closed its entire length in both directions.
    Craddock Street closed in both directions between its junctions with Gatis Street and Hordern Road/Hunter Street.
    Hunter Street closed its entire length in both directions.
    Clifford Street closed at its junction with Newhampton Road West.
    Newhampton Road West closed in both directions between its junctions with Denmark Close and Newhampton Road East.
    Kingsland Road closed its entire length in both directions.
    Newhampton Road East closed its entire length in both directions.
    Devon Road closed its entire length in both directions.
    Park Road East / Park Road West closed (anti-clockwise) in both directions between its junction with Dixon Road and Lansdowne Road. (Access/Egress to West Park Hospital to be managed/maintained between Connaught Road and Hospital Entrance via Stop/Go system and operatives on site. Access/Egress between Southgate and Park Avenue to be managed/maintained via Stop/Go system and operatives on site.)
    Lansdowne Road closed its entire length in both directions.

    There will be a vehicular diversion route westbound via Tettenhall Road, Lower Street, Codsall Road, Birches Road, Duck Lane, Pendeford Mill Lane and Wobaston Road.

    A vehicular diversion route for eastbound traffic is via Cannock Road, M54 and Stafford Road.

    Emergency service access will be maintained.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New MBA Residential series focuses on supply chains The latest trends in global supply chains will be the focus of a three day event hosted by the University of Aberdeen Business School this summer.

    Source: University of Aberdeen

    The latest trends in global supply chains will be the focus of a three day event hosted by the University of Aberdeen Business School this summer.
    From exploring the use of AI and Blockchain, understanding supply vessel logistics and establishing new supply chains in emerging markets; through to raising awareness of the environmental, social and governance requirements in value chain planning, the event is part a new MBA Residential series.
    Supported by the Development Trust Student Experience Fund, it will bring together MBA students from Aberdeen, Qatar and those studying online for a comprehensive programme of lectures and on-site industry visits.
    In addition to visiting the National Decommissioning Centre, ANM Group and Peterhead Port Authority, delegates will hear from speakers including Rex Gu, Global Head of Finance, Contract Logistics and E-Commerce Logistics at A.P. Moller – Maersk; Alan Buhamba, Executive Assistant to the Minister of Energy in the Government of Uganda; Cyril Bruce-Cathline, New Business Management for Europe and Africa at Fugro; and Yingli Wu,  Managing Director (China) at Wrist Ship Supply. They will also be joined by Russell Borthwick, Chief Executive of Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce.

    This event provides a unique opportunity for students across the MBA cohort to network, engage and enhance their understanding of supply chain resilience directly from industry.” John Storm, Director of MBA Programmes at the Business School

    “In today’s interconnected world, supply chain resilience is not just a strategic advantage but a necessity,” said John Storm, Director of MBA Programmes at the Business School and event moderator.
    “The challenges of geopolitical instability, resource scarcity and technological integration demand agile and adaptable networks. Yet, these very challenges also present opportunities for innovation, sustainability, and enhanced collaboration, paving the way for more resilient and efficient global supply chains.
    “This event provides a unique opportunity for students across the MBA cohort to network, engage and enhance their understanding of supply chain resilience directly from industry.”
    Supply Chain Resilience in the Age of ESG takes place at the University of Aberdeen’s King’s College campus from 4-6 June 2025. Free to attend, register to express your interest here.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New posts to strengthen links between University and industry Bridging the gap between academia and key industry sectors at the heart of the North East of Scotland’s economy is the key aim for three new business development executives at the University of Aberdeen.

    Source: University of Aberdeen

    Bridging the gap between academia and key industry sectors at the heart of the North East of Scotland’s economy is the key aim for three new business development executives at the University of Aberdeen.
    The three new posts have been created by the 430-year-old institution in order to build and strengthen links and partnerships with the business community across energy, health and life sciences, and digital and creative industries.
    It’s hoped that the initiative will foster greater collaboration as part of a wider drive by the University to support regional economic development.
    Responsible for the health and life sciences portfolio is Dr Marina Kovaleva who boasts 25 years in the sector working within academia and biotech and pharma companies.
    Marina pioneered the discovery of new drug therapies developed from the shark immune system, leading to the first preclinical study on shark-based drugs for rheumatoid arthritis and designing targeted tumour therapies. This research was spun out into the biotech company Elasmogen Ltd in 2016, of which Marina is a founding team member.
    Marina has degrees in Biochemistry, Biotechnology and Veterinary Medicine obtained from universities in Russia and Germany.
    Taking on the digital and creative industries brief is Dr Allison Noble who has held various roles in both government and the charity sector.
    Following roles involving helping NHS health boards address vaccine hesitancy and develop clear travel guidance during the pandemic and sustainability research with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), Allison comes to the University after two and a half years with Research Data Scotland (RDS). With RDS, Allison helped restructure the organisation’s information architecture and implemented AI safely at an institutional level whilst working with bodies such as National Records of Scotland, Scottish Government and Public Health Scotland.

    These appointments demonstrate the University’s ongoing support for the region’s ambition to be an innovation-driven economy, leveraging our world-class research expertise to support business.” Professor Pete Edwards, Vice-Principal for Regional Engagement

    Her doctorate from the University of Southampton investigated how music streaming platforms and their algorithms impact the creation, distribution, and consumption of music.
    Aberdeen Geology and Petroleum Geology graduate, Dr Ian Brightmore, will be the lead for energy. He returns to the University, where he also obtained his PhD, with 15 years of international operator experience in the UK continental shelf, Norwegian continental shelf, Kurdistan and Barents.  
    Ian worked as geologist with ExxonMobil in Norway and Houston before returning to Aberdeen to take a position with Canadian Natural Resources (CNR) and has worked for numerous international operators since in the capacity of exploration geologist.
    Dr Liz Rattray, University of Aberdeen Interim Chief Operating Officer and Director of Research and Innovation, said: “There is an abundance of cutting-edge research being carried out at the University of Aberdeen which could have real and immediate benefits for industry.
    “The challenge is having key individuals in place with an overview of vital areas – such as energy, health and life science and digital and creative industries – who can act as a single point of contact between industry requirements and our researchers they could be collaborating with.
    “The appointment of our three new business development executives to cover these key industry sectors is crucial to maximising collaboration, fostering long-term industry links and promoting the expertise that the University of Aberdeen boasts – to the benefit of all parties.”
    Professor Peter Edwards, Vice-Principal for Regional Engagement, said: “These appointments demonstrate the University’s ongoing support for the region’s ambition to be an innovation-driven economy, leveraging our world-class research expertise to support business.
    The University of Aberdeen hosts the largest concentration of academic researchers in the North of Scotland and the new business development executives will work with industry to understand their problems, before connecting them to the relevant academic experts, and providing advice on the most appropriate mechanism to facilitate joint work.”
    Related Content

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Their Majesties The King and Queen celebrate Banbridge’s rich heritage and vibrant community

    Source: Northern Ireland City of Armagh

    Banbridge proudly welcomed The King and Queen today (Friday 21st March) as they visited the town to celebrate its rich history, thriving economy, and vibrant arts and community sectors.

    During their visit, Their Majesties engaged with local business owners, community organisations, and education representatives, recognising their contributions to economic growth, innovation, and social support in the region. From Banbridge’s long-standing linen industry to cutting-edge firms, the visit highlighted the town’s enduring significance in both heritage and modern enterprise. They also met with leaders in the creative industries, including those behind the internationally renowned Game of Thrones Studio Tour.

    A key focus of the visit was Banbridge’s tradition of multi-generational, independent businesses and retailers. Their Majesties met with local entrepreneurs whose family-run businesses have been a cornerstone of the town’s economy for generations. These independent businesses, from retailers to manufacturers, continue to drive investment and employment, blending heritage with innovation to ensure a strong future for Banbridge’s high street and commercial sector.

    The King and Queen also took time to speak with community groups providing vital support services, including mental health initiatives, cancer support networks, and organisations dedicated to improving health and well-being. Their visit highlighted the dedication of local volunteers and businesses in shaping Banbridge into a dynamic and welcoming place.

    A key highlight of the day was an exhibition showcasing Banbridge’s industrial past and present, from its deep-rooted industrial heritage to its modern role as a key hub along the Belfast-Dublin economic corridor. The warmth of the welcome received by Their Majesties reflected the town’s strong sense of identity and community pride.

    Deputy Lord Mayor of Armagh City, Banbridge & Craigavon Borough, Councillor Kyle Savage, said,

    “It has been an honour and privilege to welcome Their Majesties to Banbridge. Today’s visit has been a truly momentous occasion to showcase the rich heritage, innovation and community spirit and it has shone a spotlight on the people and industries that make our town thrive.

    “I extend my thanks to everyone who contributed to making this visit such a success. It really is a proud day for Banbridge, and we look forward to building on this legacy for the future.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Join the city wide clean up for the Great British Spring Clean

    Source: City of Sunderland

    Residents are being encouraged to join in the ongoing drive to make Sunderland cleaner and greener by taking part in the Great British Spring Clean.

    From Friday 21 March to Sunday 6 April, the City Council is encouraging residents to help make a difference by joining one of the many clean ups taking place across Sunderland’s green spaces, footpaths, parks and beaches as part of the Great British Spring Clean.

    Organised litter picks are taking place across Sunderland North, East, West, Coalfield and Washington. Taking part will not only help keep Sunderland tidy but also help protect the environment and wildlife.

    The City Council is encouraging individuals, schools, local groups, and businesses to take part in these. Representatives from the council will be providing necessary equipment to support clean-ups and keep communities litter-free.

    Councillor Lindsey Leonard, Cabinet Member for Environment, Transport and Net Zero at Sunderland City Council said: “It’s fantastic to see so many people sign up to be involved with this year’s Great British Spring Clean.”

    “We know most residents take pride in where they live and want to live in a clean and tidy city by disposing of their litter properly. It’s a shame to see that there are some irresponsible people who are spoiling it for everyone else.”

    “While we will continue to crackdown littering and fly-tipping, these planned clean-ups are a brilliant way for residents to do their bit. I encourage everyone to pick up a bag and take part.”

    Sunderland City Council’s robust approach to keeping the city litter free and clean for its residents, wildlife, and the environment has seen it issue more than 100 litter and fly-tipping fixed penalty notices in the last year.

    For any residents wanting to do their bit to help clean up the city, joining an organised litter pick is a great way to tackle litter in Sunderland.

    The Great British Spring Clean is organised by Keep Britain Tidy, a charity which encourages cities across the country to eliminate litter, end waste and improve their local beaches, parks, and streets. Over 31.6 million people in the UK said ‘litter-free’ streets would help them love where they live. As well as 72% of UK adults agreeing that seeing litter makes them less proud of their neighbourhood.

    Keep Britain Tidy’s Chief Executive, Allison Ogden-Newton OBE, said: “We are so grateful for the game-changing support from Sunderland City Council.”

    “The Great British Spring Clean is a fantastic way for councils to support residents to really show their pride in where they live, and connect with like-minded people, while taking serious and immediate action to protect the environment on their doorstep.”

    “During this year’s campaign, we are highlighting that the environment belongs to everyone, and that everyone is welcome to join in with our activities and celebrate the 10th Great British Spring Clean.”

    “We are humbled to see our army of #LitterHeroes volunteers carrying out these acts of kindness to make the planet a cleaner, safer place for our future generations.” 

    Any residents looking to do their bit can visit www.sunderland.gov.uk/great-british-spring-clean-2025 for more information about clean ups across the city.

    Anyone who wants to get involved and organise their own litter pick and find out more can visit: www.keepbritaintidy.org/gbspringclean and using the hashtags #GBSpringClean #LoveWhereYouLive

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: NRS apprentice Keely Salter wins top national award

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    NRS apprentice Keely Salter wins top national award

    Keely Salter, a Nuclear Restoration Services (NRS) apprentice, has been named the UK’s nuclear skills apprentice of the year 2025.

    Craig Boothy from Westinghouse and host Colin Murray present Keely Salter with her overall apprentice of the year award

    A plant technician at Oldbury site in South Gloucestershire, Keely won the intermediate level apprentice of the year award at the UK Nuclear Skills Awards, before also going on to be named overall UK nuclear apprentice of the year 2025.

    The UK Nuclear Skills Awards, organised by the National Skills Academy for Nuclear and Cogent Skills, take place to highlight excellence in the sector and showcase stars of the present and future. Winners were announced at an event in Manchester on 20 March 2025.

    Chris Lloyd from Ureno, host Colin Murray and NRS mentor Sav Lagana present Keely Salter with her intermediate level apprentice of the year award

    Keely, who focused on health physics and radiation protection during her apprenticeship, said:

    To have won these awards shows that hard work doesn’t go unnoticed. I am appreciative and grateful for everyone who has supported my journey in the nuclear sector.

    NRS Chief People Officer John Vickerman added:

    We are truly proud of Keely for the work she’s put in to make her apprenticeship such a success. She deserves all the recognition these awards bring, alongside her mentor Sav Lagana and all the Oldbury team who show commitment to support and develop those who will take forward delivery of our nationally important decommissioning mission in the future.

    Our NRS apprenticeship programme represents a strong investment in our early careers skills pipeline, supporting the national nuclear skills goal to double the number of apprentices and graduates every year.

    Hear from Keely as she talks about her apprenticeship and how she aspires to take her nuclear decommissioning career much further.

    Recruitment is currently open for apprenticeship opportunities at NRS sites across the UK, with up to 40 positions available in 2025. This is in addition to 23 opportunities already advertised for the Dounreay site in Caithness. The full list of vacancies and information about how to apply is available on the Energus website here.

    Updates to this page

    Published 21 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Defence Minister Bill Blair meets with British Secretary of State for Defence Grant Shapps

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    September 18, 2023 – London, United Kingdom – National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces

    Today, the Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of National Defence, met with the United Kingdom’s Secretary of State for Defence, Grant Shapps in London.

    Minister Blair congratulated Secretary Shapps on his recent appointment and noted that he looks forward to building upon the excellent defence relationship between Canada and the United Kingdom. Minister Blair and Secretary Shapps condemned Russia’s ongoing, illegal and unjustifiable war of aggression against Ukraine, and discussed the ongoing collaboration between Canada and the United Kingdom to support Ukraine.

    Through Operation UNIFIER, approximately 170 Canadian Armed Forces members are deployed in the United Kingdom, where they have trained 2,600 Ukrainian recruits in collaboration with the British Operation INTERFLEX. Minister Blair visited Camp Lydd on September 17, 2023, and saw first-hand how Canadian and British military members are working together. In addition, a Royal Canadian Air Force detachment is currently deployed in Prestwick, Scotland. The detachment operates three CC-130 Hercules aircraft and has delivered over 11 million pounds of Ukraine-bound military aid donated by Canada, partners, and allies.

    As Minister Blair announced on September 17, 2023, Canada is also contributing $33 million (CAD) to the British-led partnership delivering high priority air defence equipment to Ukraine. Secretary Shapps welcomed this announcement, and both Minister Blair and Secretary Shapps looked forward to future collaboration between Canada and the United Kingdom in support of Ukraine.

    Minister Blair discussed Canada’s ongoing efforts to update its defence policy and noted that several of Canada’s investments in military capabilities involve close collaboration with the United Kingdom. Through a $1.168 billion contract awarded in December 2022 to Leonardo United Kingdom Ltd, Canada is upgrading its Cormorant search and rescue helicopter fleet. In addition, Canada is investing in 15 new Canadian Surface Combatant warships, whose design will be based on BAE’s Type 26 warship, bolstering interoperability between the Royal Canadian Navy and the Royal Navy.

    Minister Blair and Secretary Shapps also noted the ongoing participation of the Canadian and British militaries in joint exercises. More than 140 Royal Canadian Air Force personnel are currently participating in Exercise COBRA WARRIOR 23-2, a British-hosted multinational live-fly exercise held at Royal Air Force (RAF) station Waddington in the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force is also participating in the ongoing Canadian-led Exercise CUTLASS FURY 2023 off the coast of Nova Scotia.

    The two counterparts agreed to stay in close communication and looked forward to working together.

    Quick Facts

    • The defence and security relationship between Canada and the UK is rooted in history and fostered by the fact that Canada and the UK are Allies in NATO and engage in close cooperation in international organizations, including the United Nations and the Commonwealth, among others.
    • The deep bond between Canada and the UK has been forged in peace and war, notably through the two World Wars, Korea, and in almost every major conflict for more than a century, including Afghanistan and Libya.
    • 170 Canadian Armed Forces members are deployed to the UK through Operation UNIFIER.
    • Since the beginning of 2022, Canada has committed over $8 billion in aid to Ukraine, including over $1.8 billion in military assistance. 
    • This includes AIM-7 missiles, 155mm and 105mm artillery ammunition, Leopard 2A4 main battle tanks and an armoured recovery vehicle, a National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS) with associated munitions, 39 armoured combat support vehicles, anti-tank weapons, small arms, M777 howitzers and associated ammunition, high-resolution drone cameras, winter clothing, and more. 

     

    Associated Links

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Deputy Prime Minister meets with U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen in New York

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    September 21, 2023 – New York City, New York – Department of Finance Canada

    Yesterday in New York City, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Chrystia Freeland, met with the United States Secretary of the Treasury, Janet Yellen.

    The Deputy Prime Minister and the Secretary discussed Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, and agreed on the importance of continuing their resolute commitment to ensuring Ukraine has the support it needs to defend its people, democracy, and territorial integrity. 

    The Deputy Prime Minister and the Secretary discussed how Canada’s $120 billion clean economy plan and the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act can work together to maximize economic benefits and fight climate change on both sides of the border. By working together, Canada and the United States can strengthen our national economies to deliver more good middle class jobs and better paycheques for both Canadians and Americans for generations to come.

    The Deputy Prime Minister highlighted that Canada and the United States are natural partners, with highly integrated and competitive supply chains, and pointed to the capacity of Canadian steel and aluminum producers to supply the materials needed to grow the clean economy of the 21st century.

    They also discussed the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD) two-pillar plan on international tax reform. The Deputy Prime Minister reiterated Canada’s priority and preference remains a multilateral approach to digital taxation.

    The meeting reaffirmed the close ties and friendship between Canada and the United States. The Deputy Prime Minister and the Secretary discussed their respective work to tackle global macroeconomic challenges with modern supply side economic policies that grow the economy from the middle out, creating middle-class jobs and new opportunities for Canadians and Americans.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Defence Minister Bill Blair welcomes Ukraine’s Minister of Defence, Rustem Umerov to Canada

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    September 22, 2023 – Ottawa, Ontario – National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces

    Today, the Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of National Defence, welcomed Ukraine’s Minister of Defence, Rustem Umerov, to Ottawa. Minister Umerov was received by a Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) honour guard before participating in a bilateral meeting with Minister Blair.

    Minister Blair and Minister Umerov condemned Russia’s illegal and unjustifiable further invasion of Ukraine, which represents an attack on the rules-based international order that keeps all countries safe. Minister Blair congratulated Minister Umerov on his recent appointment and noted Canada’s unwavering support for Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression.

    Minister Blair and Minister Umerov agreed that Canada and Ukraine are close partners with a long-standing defence relationship. Operation UNIFIER, the Canadian Armed Forces military training and capacity building mission, was launched in 2015 at the request of the Ukrainian government, and in 2023, was expanded and extended until March 2026. Since the start of Operation UNIFIER, the CAF has trained over 38,000 Ukrainian military and security personnel in battlefield tactics and advanced military skills. Minister Blair reflected on his recent visit to Operation UNIFIER training in the United Kingdom and committed that Canada would continue to ensure that Operation UNIFIER activities meet Ukraine’s most pressing defence needs.

    Minister Umerov provided a battlefield update and indicated Ukraine’s most pressing defence needs. Minister Blair highlighted the support Canada has committed to Ukraine since the beginning of 2022, which has now grown to over $9.5 billion in aid, including over $2.4 billion in military assistance.

    The Ministers look forward to working together and Minister Blair committed to stay in close contact with Ukrainian officials on a bilateral basis and through the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, so that Canada can continue to address Ukraine’s most pressing security needs. Minister Blair reiterated that Canada will continue to provide comprehensive military aid so that Ukraine can fight and win. 

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NIH researchers develop eye drops that slow vision loss in animals

    Source: US Department of Health and Human Services – 2

    News Release
    Friday, March 21, 2025

    Treatment shows potential to slow the progression of human degenerative eye diseases, including retinitis pigmentosa.

    Researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have developed eye drops that extend vision in animal models of a group of inherited diseases that lead to progressive vision loss in humans, known as retinitis pigmentosa. The eye drops contain a small fragment derived from a protein made by the body and found in the eye, known as pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF).  PEDF helps preserve cells in the eye’s retina. A report on the study is published in Communications Medicine.
    “While not a cure, this study shows that PEDF-based eye drops can slow progression of a variety of degenerative retinal diseases in animals, including various types of retinitis pigmentosa and dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD),” said Patricia Becerra, Ph.D., chief of NIH’s Section on Protein Structure and Function at the National Eye Institute and senior author of the study. “Given these results, we’re excited to begin trials of these eye drops in people.”
    All degenerative retinal diseases have cellular stress in common. While the source of the stress may vary—dozens of mutations and gene variants have been linked to retinitis pigmentosa, AMD, and other disorders—high levels of cellular stress cause retinal cells to gradually lose function and die. Progressive loss of photoreceptor cells leads to vision loss and eventually blindness.
    Previous research from Becerra’s lab revealed that, in a mouse model, the natural protein PEDF can help retinal cells stave off the effects of cellular stress. However, the full PEDF protein is too large to pass through the outer eye tissues to reach the retina, and the complete protein has multiple functions in retinal tissue, making it impractical as a treatment. To optimize the molecule’s ability to preserve retinal cells and to help the molecule reach the back of the eye, Becerra developed a series of short peptides derived from a region of PEDF that supports cell viability. These small peptides can move through eye tissues to bind with PEDF receptor proteins on the surface of the retina.
    In this new study, led by first author Alexandra Bernardo-Colón, Becerra’s team created two eye drop formulations, each containing a short peptide. The first peptide candidate, called “17-mer,” contains 17 amino acids found in the active region of PEDF. A second peptide, H105A, is similar but binds more strongly to the PEDF receptor. Peptides applied to mice as drops on the eye’s surface were found in high concentration in the retina within 60 minutes, slowly decreasing over the next 24 to 48 hours. Neither peptide caused toxicity or other side effects.
    When administered once daily to young mice with retinitis pigmentosa-like disease, H105A slowed photoreceptor degeneration and vision loss. To test the drops, the investigators used specially bred mice that lose their photoreceptors shortly after birth. Once cell loss begins, the majority of photoreceptors die in a week. When given peptide eye drops through that one-week period, mice retained up to 75% of photoreceptors and continued to have strong retinal responses to light, while those given a placebo had few remaining photoreceptors and little functional vision at the end of the week.
    “For the first time, we show that eye drops containing these short peptides can pass into the eye and have a therapeutic effect on the retina,” said Bernardo-Colón. “Animals given the H105A peptide have dramatically healthier-looking retinas, with no negative side effects.”
    A variety of gene-specific therapies are under development for many types of retinitis pigmentosa, which generally start in childhood and progress over many years. These PEDF-derived peptide eye drops could play a crucial role in preserving cells while waiting for these gene therapies to become clinically available.
    To test whether photoreceptors preserved through the eye drop treatment are healthy enough for gene therapy to work, collaborators Valeria Marigo, Ph.D. and Andrea Bighinati, Ph.D., University of Modena, Italy, treated mice with gene therapy at the end of the week-long eye drop regimen. The gene therapy successfully preserved vision for at least an additional six months.  
    To see whether the eye drops could work in humans – without actually testing in humans directly – the researchers worked with Natalia Vergara, Ph.D., University of Colorado Anschutz, Aurora, to test the peptides in a human retinal tissue model of retinal degeneration. Grown in a dish from human cells, the retina-like tissues were exposed to chemicals that induced high levels of cellular stress. Without the peptides, the cells of the tissue model died quickly, but with the peptides, the retinal tissues remained viable. These human tissue data provide a key first step supporting human trials of the eye drops.
    The research was funded by the NEI Intramural Research Program. Additional funding was provided by the Prevention of Blindness Society, Fondazione Telethon, HEAL-ITALIA Foundation, CellSight Development Fund, and Research to Prevent Blindness.
    Reference: Bernardo-Colón A, Bighinati A, Parween S, Debnath S, Piano I, Adani E, Corsi F, Gargini C, Vergara N, Marigo V, and Becerra SP. “H105A peptide eye drops promote photoreceptor survival in murine and human models of retinal degeneration.” Mar 21, 2025, Comms Med. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43856-025-00789-8
    NEI leads the federal government’s research on the visual system and eye diseases. NEI supports basic and clinical science programs to develop sight-saving treatments and address special needs of people with vision loss. For more information, visit https://www.nei.nih.gov.  
    About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation’s medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.
    NIH…Turning Discovery Into Health®
    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Two Eastern European Organized Crime Leaders Convicted of Murder for Hire Targeting U.S.-Based Journalist on Behalf of Iranian Government

    Source: US State of California

    Iranian Government Hired Polad Omarov and Rafat Amirov to Kill Masih Alinejad in Exchange for $500,000

    A federal jury returned guilty verdicts yesterday on all five counts in the superseding indictment against Rafat Amirov, also known as Farkhaddin Mirzoev, Pᴎᴍ, and Rome, 46, of Iran; and Polad Omarov, also known as Araz Aliyev, Polad Qaqa, and Haci Qaqa, 40, of Georgia. The defendants were convicted of murder-for-hire and attempted murder in aid of racketeering charges, in a trial before U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon. Amirov and Omarov are scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 17.

    “The Iranian regime’s brazen plot to silence and murder Americans will not be tolerated,” said Sue J. Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “This verdict underscores the Department’s commitment to finding and holding accountable those who threaten our citizens and our freedoms. With the great work of our prosecutors and law enforcement partners, we are now one step closer to justice.”

    “For years, the Government of Iran has attempted to silence an outspoken Iranian journalist, author, activist and critic of their regime through any means necessary, including harassment, violence, intimidation, and even attempted murder,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky for the Southern District of New York. “Chillingly, the plot to murder this Iranian dissident culminated over 6,000 miles from Iran, on U.S. soil, right here in New York, when a hitman with an AK-47 camped outside her home to kill her. I commend the career prosecutors of this office, and our law enforcement partners at the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division for their tireless work in bringing these defendants to justice. This verdict should send a clear message around the world: if you target U.S. citizens, we will find you, no matter where you are, and bring you to justice.”

    “The defendants participated in a brazen plot to kill an Iranian American dissident in New York who criticized the regime in Iran,” said Acting Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division. “Thanks to the good work of the FBI and our partners their plan failed. This verdict demonstrates the FBI will not tolerate Iran’s attempts to threaten, silence, or harm American citizens.”

    According to court documents, Amirov and Omarov were high-ranking members of an Eastern European organized crime group (the Organization) who worked with other members of the Organization to attempt to kill Masih Alinejad on instructions from high-ranking members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Alinejad has previously been the target of plots by the Government of Iran to intimidate, harass, and kidnap her for her work as a journalist, author, and human rights activist who has publicized the Government of Iran’s human rights abuses around the world. As recently as 2020 and 2021, Iranian intelligence officials and assets plotted to kidnap Alinejad from within the U.S. for rendition to Iran in an effort to silence her criticism of the Iranian regime.

    After these brazen efforts to kidnap Alinejad from the U.S. failed, the IRGC turned to Amirov and Omarov to locate, surveil, and murder her. Beginning in approximately July 2022, Amirov sent targeting information—which he had received directly from IRGC officials in Iran—about Alinejad to Omarov. In turn, Omarov communicated this information to Khalid Mehdiyev, another member of the Organization who had been residing in Yonkers, New York, so that Mehdiyev could surveil Alinejad and murder her. In turn, Mehdiyev sent photographs and videos of Alinejad’s residence to Omarov, who shared these materials with Amirov and the IRGC officials who orchestrated the plot in Iran. Amirov and Omarov then arranged for a $30,000 cash payment to Mehdiyev, who used a portion of this payment to buy an AK-47 style assault rifle, two magazines, and at least 66 rounds of ammunition; as Mehdiyev boasted in electronic communications, a “war machine” he could use to kill Alinejad.

    In late July 2022, Mehdiyev repeatedly traveled to Alinejad’s neighborhood to surveil her. Mehdiyev sent reports of his surveillance to Omarov, who passed them to Amirov. On July 24, 2022, Mehdiyev reported to Omarov from Alinejad’s residence that he was “at the crime scene.” On July 27, 2022, Omarov told Amirov that Mehdiyev was ready to kill Alinejad, writing “this matter will be over today. I told them to make a birthday present for me. I pressured them, they will sleep there this night.”  On July 28, 2022, Mehdiyev sent Omarov a video taken from inside the car that Mehdiyev was driving with the assault rifle and a message reading “we are ready.” Amirov sent an image of the interior of Alinejad’s home to Omarov to be forwarded to Mehdiyev, writing “this is the house where she stays.”  As Omarov continued to update Amirov about Mehdiyev’s readiness, Amirov cautioned Omarov “let him keep the car clean.”  When Mehdiyev subsequently drove from where he was surveilling the residence, he was stopped after a traffic violation and, during a subsequent search of the vehicle, police officers found the assault rifle, 66 rounds of ammunition, approximately $1,100 in cash, and a black ski mask.

    After Mehdiyev was arrested and placed into custody, Omarov contacted Mehdiyev’s mother and threatened to kill her and her other son if she did not locate Mehdiyev.

    Amirov and Omarov were convicted on five counts: murder-for-hire, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison (Count One); conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison (Count Two); conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison (Count Three); attempted murder in aid of racketeering, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison (Count Four); and possession and use of a firearm in connection with the attempted murder, which carries a maximum penalty of life in prison and a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison (Count Five).

    The FBI New York Field Office Counterintelligence-Cyber Division and the New York FBI Iran Threat Task Force are investigating the case, with assistance from the New York City Police Department (NYPD) and the NYPD Intelligence Bureau. The Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs provided valuable assistance. The Justice Department thanked the authorities in the Czech Republic for their assistance.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael D. Lockard, Jacob H. Gutwillig, and Matthew J.C. Hellman for the Southern District of New York are prosecuting the case with assistance from paralegal specialist Owen Foley and Trial Attorneys Christopher Rigali and Leslie Esbrook of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Meikleour measures and new A93 crash barriers aim to improve road safety

    Source: Scotland – City of Perth

    A recent history of road collisions on the A984 approaches to the A93 crossroads at Meikleour, has, according to safety reports, had a lack of driver awareness on approaching the junction as a key factor, rather than vehicle speeds.   

    As a result, Perth and Kinross Council has renewed existing road signs, and added two more at 200 yards from the junction. Direction signs ahead of the junction have also been upgraded, and yellow rumble strips have been installed on the road to further highlight to motorists that they are approaching a hazard.  

    Alongside this, works are currently ongoing to install new Flexbeam crash barriers on the A93. The barriers were specifically chosen to improve safety for motorcyclists on what is a popular route for them, and the installation is expected to be completed this week. 

    Both projects have been put in place through Road Safety Improvement Funding (RSIF) from Transport Scotland, in line with the national Road Safety Framework to 2030.  

    Council Leader and local ward member, Councillor Grant Laing said: “By providing additional road signs and other measures, the aim is to improve safety for all road users. Better awareness of the approaches to the A984/A93 junction will, we hope, encourage safer driving and reduce the likelihood of collisions, and on the A93 itself, a popular road for bikers, the new crash barriers are intended to make travel safer. I am pleased that our Roads team have taken these steps and that we will continue to monitor our network in terms of traffic flows, speeds and collisions.” 

    The Scottish Government’s Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Fiona Hyslop said: 

    “Road safety is a priority for the Scottish Government and its partners and we remain absolutely committed to working together to reach our ambitious goal of making Scotland’s roads the safest in the world by 2030. 

    “The Road Safety Improvement Fund aims to support local authorities save lives on the local road network. These measures from Perth and Kinross Council are very welcome and an excellent example of the funding being put into action. 

    “We must never lose sight of the fact that one death on our roads is one too many.” 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Eightieth session of the Working Party on Agricultural Quality Standards (WP.7)

    Source: United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

    The session is open for participation by all UN Member States. Representatives from relevant international organizations and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and the private sector can also participate as observers. This session will be held with simultaneous interpretation into English, French and Russian. Prior registration is required, please register through the registration button.

    An audio channel will be available in English, French, and Russian on the days of the event, at: https://listen-live.unog.ch/en/

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Readout of the Secretary-General’s meeting with H.E. Mr. Bart de Wever, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Belgium

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    The Secretary-General met with H.E. Mr. Bart de Wever, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Belgium.

    The Secretary-General expressed appreciation for the cooperation between Belgium and the United Nations. They discussed multilateralism, as well as the implementation of the Pact for the Future. They also exchanged views on the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI: SIGNING OF PRIMARY DEALER AGREEMENTS

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Today the Government Debt Management on behalf of the Treasury and primary dealers signed agreements regarding issuance and market making in Treasury securities. The objective of the agreements is to maintain the Treasury’s access to financing, to enhance price formation in the secondary market for Treasury securities and promote an active system of benchmark issues in Iceland.

    As of 1 April 2025, five financial institutions have been appointed as “primary dealers in Treasury securities”. They are: Arion Banki hf., Fossar Investment Bank hf., Islandsbanki hf., Kvika banki hf. and Landsbankinn hf.

    The following bullet points describe the main content of the primary dealer agreement:

    • Primary dealers have exclusive access to regular auctions of Treasury securities.
    • Primary dealers have exclusive access to special facilities such as repurchase agreements offered by the Government Debt Management on behalf of the Treasury.
    • Primary dealers are obliged to submit bids at each auction for a minimum of 100 m.kr. nominal value.
    • Primary dealers are Market Makers in the secondary market for government bond series. They are obliged to submit bid and ask offers on the stock exchange for at least 60 to 100 m.kr. nominal value in each benchmark series (as laid out in the agreements).
    • Primary dealers are in their bid and ask quotes governed by maximum spreads as laid out in the agreements.
    • Primary dealers are obliged to renew their offers within ten minutes after execution of transaction. The primary dealer is entitled to depart from the maximum spread requirement if certain conditions are fulfilled.
    • The agreement is valid from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026.

    Further information can be obtained from Björgvin Sighvatsson, head of the Government Debt Management at +354 569 9600.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Read-out of the meeting between European Council President António Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen with the leaders of Iceland, Norway, Türkiye and the United Kingdom

    Source: European Commission – Justice

    European Commission Read-out Brussels, 21 Mar 2025 On Friday 21 March 2025, the President of the European Council, António Costa and the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, together with High Representative Kaja Kallas, had a video conference meeting with the Prime Minister of Iceland Kristrún Frostadóttir, the Prime Minister of Norway Jonas Gahr Støre, the President of Türkiy Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Keir Starmer.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK and Peru sign an agreement to promote infrastructure development through public-private collaboration

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    World news story

    UK and Peru sign an agreement to promote infrastructure development through public-private collaboration

    The Peruvian Private Investment Promotion Agency (ProInversión) and the British Embassy signed a Memorandum of Understanding to promote the development of sustainable social, logistics, and transport infrastructure in the country.

    Executive Director of ProInversion Peru and British Ambassador to Peru

    Lima, March 20, 2025.

    The Private Investment Promotion Agency (ProInversión) and the British Embassy signed a Memorandum of Understanding to promote the development of public-private partnerships for the operation and maintenance of infrastructure developed through Government-to-Government (G2G) Agreements.

    Likewise, other significant aspects of the collaboration include the promotion of standardized and collaborative NEC contracts in Public-Private Partnerships, the development of innovative strategies and mechanisms for infrastructure development in the country, and the sharing of best practices and lessons learned in public-private collaboration and infrastructure project management.

    The agreement was signed on Wednesday, March 19, 2025, by ProInversión’s Executive Director, Luis Del Carpio, and the British Ambassador to Peru, Gavin Cook.

    ProInversión is a specialized technical organization that promotes private investment through Public-Private Partnerships, Projects in Assets, and Works for Taxes. This agency has played a fundamental role in closing gaps in infrastructure and the provision of public services. In the last 22 years, ProInversión has awarded 243 projects for nearly $47 billion, generating public value for citizens by promoting private investment through various mechanisms. ProInversión Executive Director Luis Del Carpio stated:

    This agreement marks the beginning of a new era of cooperation between ProInversión and the British Embassy. We will share experiences in the development of infrastructure and public services and promote public-private collaboration.

    To implement this agreement, the British Ambassador announced the creation of the “UK-Peru Joint Technical Committee for the Promotion of Private Investment.” This forum will allow for the coordination, prioritization, and implementation of work agenda items.

    British Ambassador Gavin Cook emphasized:

    We are taking concrete actions to expand opportunities for collaboration and innovation where we not only contribute to infrastructure development but also to the delivery of quality services in the most efficient, transparent, and sustainable manner.

    Updates to this page

    Published 21 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: The UK opposes any attempt to forcibly annex land in Gaza or expand settlements in the West Bank: UK statement at the UN Security Council

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Speech

    The UK opposes any attempt to forcibly annex land in Gaza or expand settlements in the West Bank: UK statement at the UN Security Council

    Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki, UK Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on the Middle East.

    We welcome this opportunity to discuss the evolving situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. 

    First, I’ll address recent developments in Gaza.  

    This week saw more bloodshed return to the Gaza strip.

    It is appalling that hundreds of Palestinians have been killed following Israeli strikes since 18 March.

    We strongly oppose Israel’s resumption of hostilities. 

    Escalation and endless violence is in nobody’s interests.   

    We are outraged that a UN compound in Gaza was hit on Wednesday morning. 

    Our thoughts are with the victims and their families. 

    There must be a full investigation into what happened. 

    We urge all parties to return to dialogue and to implement the ceasefire agreement in full. 

    This must include the return of the 59 hostages who have been cruelly held by Hamas for over 500 days.

    As we said in the Council yesterday, Hamas must be held accountable for their depraved actions. 

    We also call on Israel to immediately restore humanitarian access and electricity to Gaza.

    Refusing to do so risks breaching international humanitarian law. 

    Second, President, we must look to the future and redouble our efforts to secure long-term peace for Israelis and Palestinians. 

    This means a credible plan to allow Palestinians in Gaza to return home and rebuild their lives, with Hamas removed from power. 

    To be clear, we oppose any attempt to forcibly annex land in Gaza.

    We welcome the Arab initiative of a recovery and reconstruction plan for Gaza and we urge all parties to engage constructively with it.

    Sustainable peace also means addressing worrying developments in the West Bank. 

    We are seriously concerned by the scale of the Israeli miliary operation in the West Bank and the displacement of nearly 40,000 Palestinian refugees. 

    We recognise Israel’s right to self defence, but civilians must be protected, and Israel must ensure its operations are proportionate to the threat posed.    

    Israel must halt settlements which are illegal and undermine the viability of a Palestinian state and the security of both Israelis and Palestinians.  

    Violent settlers must be held to account.

    The UK has introduced three rounds of sanctions on violent settlers and their supporters to bring accountability for abuses of human rights, in the absence of sufficient Israeli action. 

    We will consider all further options.  

    Reports of the killing of Palestinian civilians in the West Bank, including children, are abhorrent. 

    The IDF must take all precautions to prevent civilian deaths, and must investigate civilian deaths thoroughly and demonstrate full accountability to the law.    

    The level of restrictions on Palestinian movement in the West Bank are crippling. 

    These only fuel further instability. 

    It is important, especially during the month of Ramadan, that religious freedoms are respected.  

    Restrictive visa and registration processes are also deeply concerning. 

    Israel must ensure the UN, including UNRWA, can provide essential humanitarian and service delivery in a safe and secure environment.   

    President, seventeen months on from the dreadful attacks of 7 October, we urge all parties to implement the ceasefire agreement in full and to work towards a two-state solution with a safe and secure Israel alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian State. 

    This is the best way to deliver a peaceful future for Israelis and Palestinians alike.

    Updates to this page

    Published 21 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –