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Category: Europe

  • MIL-OSI: ESET Celebrates Tenth Anniversary of Women in Cybersecurity Scholarship, Expands 2025 Canadian Awards

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, March 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ESET, a global leader in cybersecurity, today announced the anniversary of its Women in Cybersecurity North American Scholarship, launched in 2016 to support and empower women pursuing careers in cybersecurity. As part of its ongoing commitment to fostering diverse talent, ESET is expanding the program in Canada, increasing both the number and value of scholarships available to Canadian applicants.

    For a decade, ESET North America has encouraged and uplifted women to pursue careers in cybersecurity, offering financial assistance to help achieve their aspirations. In solidarity with the 2025 International Women’s Day’s #AccelerateAction theme, the Women in Cybersecurity North American Scholarship program is expanding its scope this year with additional awards, enhanced evaluation criteria and a renewed focus on recognizing both technical excellence and emerging potential.

    As a long-time advocate for cybersecurity and talent development in Canada, ESET has built strong relationships with key technology hubs, including the city of Markham. Over the years, ESET has received a wealth of strong candidates from Markham and the Greater Toronto Area, reinforcing the region’s reputation as a growing center for cybersecurity innovation. By investing in opportunities for aspiring cybersecurity professionals, ESET aims to support both local talent and the broader cybersecurity workforce.

    Pioneering one of the first scholarships of its kind, Celeste Blodgett, Vice President of Human Resources at ESET North America, originated the program at the North American headquarters in San Diego to support women who want to go into technology fields. Bolstered by Celeste’s passion, the program has since awarded scholarships to more than 25 recipients in the U.S. and Canada, and has expanded globally to Australia, the United Kingdom and Singapore.

    “Around the world, ESET Women in Cybersecurity Scholarship recipients are showcasing a passion for protecting digital citizens, yet with women only accounting for less than one-fifth of the cybersecurity workforce there is much work to be done,” said Blodgett. “We’ve encountered so many remarkable women who are passionate about shaping the future of this field and are thrilled to celebrate our tenth anniversary by earmarking one additional Cybersecurity Trailblazer award in the U.S. and five additional Future Leader awards in Canada.”

    According to the 2024 Cybersecurity Workforce Study conducted by (ISC)², women account for only 14.4% of the cybersecurity workforce, while men make up 79.6%. This stark imbalance underscores the critical need to bring more women into the profession, particularly as emerging technologies like generative AI continue to evolve. ESET is committed to fostering opportunities for women to lead in cybersecurity and AI, helping to bridge this gap and build a more balanced, innovative and equitable future. Diversity in AI development is essential to ensure these tools are ethical, secure and inclusive.

    In 2025, ESET North America will award $45,000 in scholarships to support the next generation of cybersecurity professionals. Canadian students will have access to new and expanded awards, including two $5,000 Cybersecurity Trailblazer awards for applicants who demonstrate exceptional technical proficiency and a strong focus on cybersecurity. To mark the tenth anniversary, five new $1,000 Future Leader Awards will be introduced in Canada to recognize emerging talent with great potential in cybersecurity. In the U.S., three $10,000 scholarships will be awarded in the Cybersecurity Trailblazer Award Tier, including one dedicated to a recipient in San Diego, honouring the program’s origins.

    The scholarship has already helped many women pursue careers in cybersecurity, including Anushka Khare, a Canadian recipient of the 2022 ESET Women in Cybersecurity Scholarship who is now a Security Program Manager at Microsoft. “This scholarship has greatly supported my career and academic journey by providing me the financial freedom to focus on my studies,” shared Khare. “It has also allowed me to pursue advanced courses in cybersecurity, attend relevant workshops and gain hands-on experience. This support has not only enhanced my technical skills, but has also boosted my confidence, knowing I have the backing to succeed in this competitive field.”

    DETAILS AND HOW TO APPLY
    Applications are now being accepted for the 2025 round, and submissions must be received by 11:59 p.m. PT on April 8, 2025. Applicants can learn more about the scholarships and submit their application by visiting our dedicated web pages. If you’re a Canadian student, apply here; if you’re a US student, you can apply here.

    Questions? Email us at CA-scholarship@eset.com [Canada-only inquiries] or US-scholarship@eset.com [US-only inquiries] with any questions.

    About ESET
    ESET provides cutting-edge digital security to prevent attacks before they happen. By combining the power of AI and human expertise, ESET stays ahead of known and emerging cyber threats — securing businesses, critical infrastructure, and individuals. Whether it’s endpoint, cloud or mobile protection, its AI-native, cloud-first solutions and services remain highly effective and easy to use. ESET technology includes robust detection and response, ultra-secure encryption, and multi-factor authentication. With 24/7 real-time defense and strong local support, we keep users safe and businesses running without interruption. An ever-evolving digital landscape demands a progressive approach to security: ESET is committed to world-class research and powerful threat intelligence, backed by R&D centers and a strong global partner network. For more information, visit www.eset.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter.

    Media contact:
    Emily Zwart
    ezwart@enterprisecanada.com
    905.515.9169

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: ESET Celebrates Tenth Anniversary of Women in Cybersecurity Scholarship, Kicks Off 2025 North America Applications

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SAN DIEGO, March 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ESET, a global leader in cybersecurity, today announced the tenth anniversary of its Women in Cybersecurity North American Scholarship originally launched in 2016 to support and empower women pursuing careers in cybersecurity. For a decade, ESET North America has encouraged and uplifted women to pursue careers in cybersecurity, offering financial assistance to help achieve their aspirations. In solidarity with the 2025 International Women’s Day’s #AccelerateAction theme, the Women in Cybersecurity North American Scholarship program expands its scope with additional awards, enhanced evaluation criteria, and a renewed focus on recognizing both technical excellence and emerging potential.

    Pioneering one of the first scholarships of its kind, Celeste Blodgett, Vice President of Human Resources at ESET North America, originated the program at the North American headquarters in San Diego, California in order to support women who want to go into technology fields. Bolstered by Celeste’s passion, the program has since awarded scholarships to more than 25 recipients in the U.S. and Canada, and expanded globally to Australia, the United Kingdom, and Singapore.

    “Around the world, the ESET Women in Cybersecurity Scholarship recipients are showcasing a passion for protecting digital citizens, yet with women only accounting for less than one-fifth of the cybersecurity workforce there is much work to be done,” said Celeste Blodgett, Vice President of Human Resources at ESET North America. “We’ve encountered so many remarkable women who are passionate about shaping the future of this field and are thrilled to celebrate our tenth anniversary by earmarking one additional Cybersecurity Trailblazer award in the U.S. and five additional Future Leader awards in Canada.”

    According to the 2024 Cybersecurity Workforce Study conducted by (ISC)², women account for only 14.4% of the cybersecurity workforce, while men make up 79.6%. This stark imbalance underscores the critical need to bring more women into the profession, particularly as emerging technologies like generative AI continue to evolve. ESET is committed to fostering opportunities for women to lead in cybersecurity and AI, helping to bridge this gap and build a more balanced, innovative, and equitable future. Diversity in AI development is essential to ensure these tools are ethical, secure, and inclusive.

    ESET North America will award $45,000 in scholarships in 2025 to support the next generation of cybersecurity professionals. In the Cybersecurity Trailblazer Award Tier, the U.S. will grant three $10,000 scholarships—one of which is dedicated to a recipient in San Diego, honoring the program’s origins. This marks an expansion from previous years. In Canada, the Cybersecurity Trailblazer Award Tier will award two $5,000 scholarships to applicants demonstrating exceptional technical proficiency and a strong focus on cybersecurity. To celebrate the tenth anniversary, ESET has expanded the Future Leader Award (Canada only) to include five new $1,000 awards, recognizing emerging talent with great potential in cybersecurity.

    “This scholarship has greatly supported my career and academic journey by providing me the financial freedom to focus on my studies,” shared Anushka Khare, Security Program Manager at Microsoft and 2022 recipient of ESET’s Women in Cybersecurity Scholarship. “It has also allowed me to pursue advanced courses in cybersecurity, attend relevant workshops and gain hands-on experience. This support has not only enhanced my technical skills, but has also boosted my confidence, knowing I have the backing to succeed in this competitive field.”

    DETAILS AND HOW TO APPLY
    Applications are now being accepted for the 2025 round and submissions must be received by 11:59 p.m. PT April 8, 2025. Applicants can learn more about the scholarships and submit their application by visiting our dedicated webpages. If you’re a US student, you can apply here; if you’re a Canadian student, apply here.

    Questions? Email us at US-scholarship@eset.com [US-only inquiries] or CA-scholarship@eset.com [Canada-only inquiries] with any questions.

    About ESET
    ESET provides cutting-edge digital security to prevent attacks before they happen. By combining the power of AI and human expertise, ESET stays ahead of known and emerging cyber threats — securing businesses, critical infrastructure, and individuals. Whether it’s endpoint, cloud or mobile protection, its AI-native, cloud-first solutions and services remain highly effective and easy to use. ESET technology includes robust detection and response, ultra-secure encryption, and multi-factor authentication. With 24/7 real-time defense and strong local support, we keep users safe and businesses running without interruption. An ever-evolving digital landscape demands a progressive approach to security: ESET is committed to world-class research and powerful threat intelligence, backed by R&D centers and a strong global partner network. For more information, visit www.eset.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ead3ad44-8afd-4420-be3f-2ed5140ac8ce

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: European leaders agree defence ramp-up to support Ukraine – but Hungary continues to block progress

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By David J. Galbreath, Professor of International Security, University of Bath

    Leaders of the 27 EU countries have agreed in principle to a massive increase in defence spending at a summit that was hastily organised in the wake of Donald Trump’s withdrawal of support for Ukraine.

    Talks over European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen’s €800 million (£670 million) military spending package went on for ten hours before an agreement could be reached. And while the deal is in place, leaders can’t agree on how to finance it.

    With pressure from the United States to increase their contribution to Nato, European states have also agreed to increase defence spending as a share of their GDP.

    Many EU countries wanting to spend more on defence argue they can’t afford to do so because they are already struggling with government debt. However, France has the largest debt as a proportion of its GDP in the EU and is still increasing defence spending.

    The challenge for nearly all EU member states has been how to go about spending more on defence without over-borrowing and putting the euro currency in danger through government defaults on existing loans.

    The European Commission has set out new funding for defence industries which could lower the cost of defence procurement for EU member states. However, the EU doesn’t have enough funds to sustain a high level of defence investment.

    Hungary and Slovakia have stated that they are not interested in an EU defence budget. They would rather see individual member states increase their budgets. Both Hungary and Slovakia are resistant to EU calls to further isolate Russia over the war in Ukraine.

    Hungarian president Viktor Orbán was the holdout at the Brussels meeting. Orbán has been far more lenient than others on Moscow since the start of the war.

    Slovakia’s prime minister, Robert Fico, wants a more constructive relationship with Russia and the return to the supply of natural gas that is piped through Ukraine. He did, however, ultimately fall in behind other member states at the Brussels meeting.

    Now that a package has been agreed, the challenge for European leaders and the EU is how to grow defence budgets without breaking the budget, forcing many governments into determining what they are not going to spend money on even before they can figure out how to grow defence spending.

    The nuclear dilemma

    At the summit, French president Emmanuel Macron also presented a plan to bring other European nations under France’s nuclear umbrella, effectively making France’s deterrent their joint deterrent.

    The rationale here is the concern that the US could withdraw from Nato or at least water down article five, the commitment by Nato countries to treat any attack on a member state as an attack on all member states. Doing so would mean Europe could no longer rely on the US nuclear deterrent for protection.

    But while European countries want to prepare for a potential US withdrawal, they also don’t want to signal to Washington that the US deterrent is no longer needed. In fact most European Nato countries would like the US to maintain its nuclear posture in Europe and are working hard on a diplomatic level with Washington to slow the retreat.

    At the same time, European member states want security guarantees so talks on Macron’s proposal will continue.

    European support for Ukraine

    The EU showed renewed commitment for Ukraine at the summit with meetings between Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky and several European and EU leaders.

    A joint statement was agreed, stressing that peace talks must include Ukraine and confirming the EU’s support. Orbán was, again, the only leader not to sign up to the statement.

    The hope is that, with these actions, Europe can pressure the Trump administration to continue to engage Ukraine as it seeks a peace with Russia. But it is unclear how much of an impact such European solidarity for Ukraine will have.

    Europe cannot be ready for a new defence reality overnight but this defence summit has been a good start. Now the really hard work begins.

    David J. Galbreath has received funding from the ESRC, AHRC, British Academy and Leverhulme Trust.

    – ref. European leaders agree defence ramp-up to support Ukraine – but Hungary continues to block progress – https://theconversation.com/european-leaders-agree-defence-ramp-up-to-support-ukraine-but-hungary-continues-to-block-progress-251656

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Investigation finds many second-hand online traders fail to comply with EU consumer law

    Source: European Union 2

    A screening by the European Commission and national consumer protection authorities finds that nearly half of second-hand online traders fail to correctly inform consumers of their return rights. Consumer authorities will now decide whether to take action against those traders in breach of EU law.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Detectives arrest man in Stockwell murder investigation

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Met detectives investigating the murder of Lathaniel Burrell in Stockwell have arrested a man.

    A 32-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder in Croydon on the morning of Friday, 7 March. He remains in custody.

    Lathaniel, from Stockwell, died at the scene following the shooting in Paradise Road, SW4, on Tuesday, 4 March. He was 16 years old.

    Detective Chief Inspector Sarah Lee said: “Our detectives are working hard to piece together the events of Tuesday afternoon and identify those responsible for killing Lathaniel.

    “We continue to appeal for anyone with information about Lathaniel’s murder to please come forward and speak to us.”

    Officers were alerted at 15:21hrs on Tuesday, 4 March to reports of a shooting and officers attended with emergency service colleagues.

    Medics from London’s Air Ambulance and the London Ambulance Service treated Lathaniel at the scene but despite their efforts, he sadly died. His family are being supported by officers.

    If you have any information which may help the investigation, please call 101 with the reference 4116/04MAR.

    You can also contact the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 if you want to remain anonymous.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Transforming Blenheim Estate’s low-grade farmland into woodlands for nature and communities

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Case study

    Transforming Blenheim Estate’s low-grade farmland into woodlands for nature and communities

    Blenheim Estate planted 270,000 trees to improve biodiversity, water quality and public access, as well as generate income through timber production.

    Main facts

    • site: Blenheim Estate, Oxfordshire
    • size: 104 hectares with a further 47 hectares planned
    • type: multi-purpose lowland woodland with mixed broadleaf, some non-native species and conifer
    • species: 27 species including oak, hornbeam, lime, sycamore, wild cherry with a woody understorey. Experimental species are also included to assess climate change resilience. A small percentage of conifer will provide a productive timber crop and winter habitats for wildlife
    • grants: blended finance from Forestry Commission England Woodland Creation Offer (EWCO) and private investment from Morgan Sindall
    • date: EWCO application approved in October 2021, planting began in November 2021

    Main objective

    Convert low-grade, unprofitable agricultural land into new woodlands to deliver multiple benefits including carbon sequestration, improved biodiversity, water quality and public amenity access, starting with a 30-year woodland management cycle.

    Roy Cox, Estate Director said:

    The health of the area around an estate directly affects the wellbeing of the estate itself. By investing in new woodlands, we are making Blenheim a better place for the community to thrive.

    Investing in trees for all to enjoy

    The Blenheim Estate is set in the beautiful Oxfordshire countryside, covering 12,000 acres. Home to Blenheim Palace, it is a world heritage site and features several Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Its farming heritage spans hundreds of years, but with the phasing out of the Basic Payment Scheme the owners began seeking new opportunities. Aware of the dual crises of climate change and biodiversity loss, they seized the opportunity to invest in trees and woodlands and capitalise on the myriad of economic, social and environmental benefits trees offer.

    The Dorn and Glyme Valley Woodland Creation Scheme is creating 7 new woodlands. At the time of planting it was one of the largest woodland creation projects in the South East to date, transforming unproductive, low-grade agricultural land into a sustainable and commercially viable asset.

    The owners are planting over 270,000 new trees to sequester 20,000 tonnes of carbon over 25 years, which will boost biodiversity and generate wider community benefits – including a forest school and 15km of new woodland trails to enjoy and explore. The project will help the estate achieve their net zero aims and continue to prosper.

    Diversity and management delivering wider benefits

    Species diversity and active management help to secure the long-term health, resilience, and profitability of Blenheim’s new woodland. Planting has incorporated an innovative mix of 27 carefully selected species, from native broadleaves like hornbeam, lime, oak, sycamore, wild cherry, Norway maple, alder and beech, to experimental species such as paulownia, tulip tree and robinia. Several conifer blocks will deliver a productive timber crop and winter habitats for wildlife.

    This diverse mix will help reduce risk from pests and diseases and improve resilience to the effects of climate change. The controlled planting of novel species will provide valuable insight for studies on climate change resilience carried out by the University of Oxford.

    The design also includes an understorey of woody shrub species to create a diverse and self-sustaining ecosystem. Planting areas will be seeded with wild grass and a flower mix.

    The scheme incorporates long-term management plans, beginning with a 30-year management cycle with the Forest Canopy Foundation. Effective woodland management is vital for carbon sequestration, biodiversity gains and to achieve a profitable timber crop year-on-year. Well managed woodlands will not only ensure the estate can sequester carbon now, but far into the future through carbon being locked into timber products.

    The trees have been planted using biodegradable tree guards made of corn starch, supporting the estate’s aim to be plastic-free as far as possible. This approach provides valuable insight for ongoing research into plastic-free alternatives. In parallel, rabbit and deer fencing will protect young trees against browsing mammals.

    Great oaks from little acorns grow

    Many of the oak trees have been grown from acorns collected from Blenheim Park – providing a natural connection to the park and its heritage up and down the valley. A total of 11,402 acorns have been handpicked. Each one is labelled with the tree it came from. They will be planted along paths at entry points and key locations as special feature trees.

    Unlocking blended finance – through EWCO and private investment

    The Dorn and Glyme Valley scheme is multi-faceted and brings many natural capital benefits. It’s been made possible through a blended finance model – a combination of EWCO and private investment from Morgan Sindall, who are purchasing the carbon sequestered by the trees to help offset CO2 emissions.

    The scheme secured over £350,000 in additional contributions through EWCO for its benefits to:

    • nature recovery: by planting new native woodland in locations that will connect and expand existing woodland
    • water quality: by carefully positioning woodland to help filter soil particles
    • society: creating woodland close to people and granting permissive access via a 15km network of new paths

    It also trailblazes use of the Grown in Britain metric, based on the UK Forestry Standard, to quantify the provision of ecosystem services on each site. Using the metric helped to secure the private investment from Morgan Sindall.

    Liz Nicholson, Forestry Agent said:

    Courage, creative thinking and hard work are required to create a space and framework to realise the best markets which, in turn, will empower farming and forestry to develop into unsubsidised commercial sectors.

    Wildlife, water and wellbeing

    Woodlands provide huge benefits for people, nature, climate and the economy. The Dorn and Glyme Valley Woodland Creation Scheme at Blenheim is no exception:

    • the biodiversity of the area will improve significantly, most of the woodland blocks are close to, or adjoin existing native woodland and will help expand and connect natural habitats
    • an objective is to reduce siltation of Blenheim Lake, with the woodlands carefully positioned to improve water quality by helping to filter soil particles, reducing the frequency and costs of dredging the lake
    • the trees also provide natural flood management benefits, as well as further upstream in the Dorn valley – the Environment Agency are working with Blenheim Estate, Thames Water, and Evenlode Catchment Partnership to develop ‘Stage Zero’, a small slowing the flow project, which will recreate the impact of beavers on a catchment
    • the pandemic demonstrated the value that trees, woodlands and open spaces have on our physical and mental health, the scheme will improve access to nature for the community by creating a 15km circular trail with benches and glades, connecting communities across the estate, and will host a new forest school

    The scheme is designed as a 100-year project, leaving a lasting legacy for future generations.

    Top tips

    1. The Woodland Creation Planning Grant supports landowners in exploring the opportunities and constraints of a site. It helps facilitate a smooth transition of the final design to EWCO.
    2. Planting a diverse mix of species is important for overall woodland resilience and protection against pests and diseases.
    3. Active management, including ongoing deer and squirrel control, is vital to long-term success.
    4. Public access is not just a ‘nice thing to do’, there are sound economic and business models behind it.
    5. Trees and woodlands provide a profitable investment.

    Further information

    See the brochure version of this case study: Blenheim Estate brochure (PDF, 1.08 MB, 4 pages).

    For guidance on woodland creation and information on grants and available support, visit: Tree planting and woodland creation: overview.

    Find out how other farmers and landowners are benefitting from woodland creation, visit: Tree planting and woodland creation case studies.

    Updates to this page

    Published 7 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Creating a resilient woodland at Lowther Estate to boost diversity and timber supply

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Case study

    Creating a resilient woodland at Lowther Estate to boost diversity and timber supply

    Read about the 150 hectare woodland creation project on the Lowther Estate, which will increase access to woodlands for local communities and support wildlife.

    The Lowther Estate in Cumbria worked with partners including the Forestry Commission, Natural England and the Eden Rivers Trust to bring to fruition a new large scale productive woodland in the North West of England.

    In 2017 Lowther Estate gained approval for 170 hectares of new productive woodland, ‘Jacks Wood’, named after the estate’s recently retired forester, Ian Jack, who led the development of the project.

    The new woodland is largely within the Lake District National Park and has seen the planting of 121 ha of productive conifer, with the remainder made up of predominantly productive broadleaves. In total, 213,098 trees have been planted, making this one of the largest areas of productive conifer to be planted in England since the 1980’s.

    Lowther Estates used the Woodland Creation Planning Grant to help cover the planning and design costs for the new woodland. The estate also received approval for funding under the Countryside Stewardship scheme for the planting and maintenance of the woodland.

    David Bliss, Estate Manager for Lowther Estate said:

    Our success is entirely down to the work of Ian Jack. The Woodland Creation Planning Grant funding helped him plan and gain approval for this magnificent commercial woodland, which will support many local jobs and associated forestry businesses.

    Their woodland vision

    The new woodland blends existing blocks of monoculture conifers with new woodland made up of broadleaves, helping to restore the look of the landscape. This will create an extensive natural corridor linking the south of the estate with important pasture woodlands and a community woodland, which adjoins 2 local villages.

    The new section of wooded corridor will also be of huge benefit to the local wildlife, including the resident red squirrel population.

    Ian Jack, Head Forester, Lowther Estate (retired) said:

    Creating a woodland means so much more to me than just putting trees in the ground; we’re creating a beautiful place for the future, for the people and the wildlife. I won’t see this woodland fully mature, but that doesn’t matter to me, it’s taking the first step that matters.

    Working with the community

    The estate management team worked closely with a range of stakeholders from the outset, so that feedback from local groups was taken into consideration as early as possible during the planning process.

    The team worked particularly closely with the Eden Rivers Trust to ensure that the woodland will also provide multiple water benefits to downstream communities; improving water quality and ecology by decreasing the amount of run-off from the surrounding land and providing some mitigation against flood risk. The woodland will also benefit the wider public by extending current public access provisions, and will provide the setting for a wide range of outdoor activities for visitors to enjoy.

    Woodland creation benefits

    In addition to the wider benefits, a primary objective for the estate is to be able to manage the woodlands to generate a future income from timber sales, which will in turn support local forestry businesses.

    There are several strategic timber mills in Cumbria, which the estate currently supplies and it is expected that the trees planted now will mature and be ready for felling at the time when it is predicted that timber shortages will occur – providing much needed long term security. The provision of future stock to supply these mills will build confidence and help these businesses to continue to grow and invest over the coming years.

    Ian Jack, Head Forester, Lowther Estate (retired) said:

    There appears to be a renaissance of planting well designed, functional woodlands in the north of England and Scotland. It’s good to be part of that ground swell and to be able to plant all the right trees, in the right places, for the right reasons. I’m glad to be able to pass on a tangible legacy to the people of Cumbria.

    Further information

    See the brochure version of this case study: Lowther Estate brochure (PDF, 1.13 MB, 3 pages).

    For guidance on woodland creation and information on grants and available support, visit: Tree planting and woodland creation: overview.

    Find out how other farmers and landowners are benefitting from woodland creation, visit: Tree planting and woodland creation case studies.

    Updates to this page

    Published 7 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How should Labour and the Tories respond to the populist right? Lessons from Europe

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By David Jeffery, Senior Lecturer in British Politics, University of Liverpool

    In Germany’s snap parliamentary elections, Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) doubled its vote share to 21%, leaping from the fifth-largest party in Germany’s lower house to the second. In the UK, Reform UK is rising in the polls.

    The populist radical right is on the rise across Europe, and mainstream parties are grappling with how to respond.

    The German “firewall” approach involves treating them as a pariah. This means refusing to enter coalition with them, as well as excluding them from parliamentary posts and refusing to debate or engage with their parliamentary motions. After Germany’s election, the first-place party, the Christian democrats (CDU/CSU), has no majority and will need at least one coalition partner to form a government. But it will not ask the AfD – and nor will any other party due to the firewall.

    There are clear threats to this approach. Often the appeal of the populist right is that they are plucky outsiders, challenging a self-interested political cartel that ignores the views of the people. What better way to prove this case than by ignoring the democratically elected populists too?

    Furthermore, the firewall has clearly not worked in dampening support for the populists in Germany, as well as in France. This is especially the case when the populists have allies in the media, have privileges given them by the constitution or parliamentary rules (for example, membership on committees), or strong regional bases.

    Want more politics coverage from academic experts? Every week, we bring you informed analysis of developments in government and fact check the claims being made.

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    Mainstream parties must also decide whether to maintain their own policy positions or ape those of the populist radical right, especially on key topics like immigration and welfare.

    For social democratic centre-left parties, academic research is clear: do not move towards the populist radical right on policy.

    Typically, the voter base of social democratic parties is made up of two coalitions: the educated, urban and liberal middle classes, and the old core of industrial workers who tend to hold more authoritarian attitudes. In attempting to win over voters lost to the populist right by copying their policies, these parties tend to lose more voters on their liberal-left wing than they win on their populist-right wing.

    For the centre-right, the decision is harder. They face a similar challenge to the centre-left in that their support coalition is often made up of social authoritarians (who are more likely to be populist radical right-curious) and more centrist free-market liberals. Moving towards the populist right will alienate the latter camp, so it is not a silver bullet for bringing voters back into the fold.

    By not talking about policy areas which are clearly salient to the public, centre-right parties risk seeming out of touch. In contrast, talking about these issues increases their salience and highlights their rivals’ positions – but the centre-right may not be rewarded for this if they are seen to have been forced into changing policy by the populist radical right.

    Academics have explored this question in various ways. A 2021 study looked at voters’ ideological positions and subsequent propensity for voting for the centre-right or populist radical right. Another, published in 2022, examined changing party positions through manifestos and subsequent voter flows between the populist radical right and the centre-right across 13 western European countries. The evidence suggests that when parties adopt populist radical right positions, voters are more likely to defect to the radical right instead.

    The final strategy is the complete opposite to the German firewall: bring the populist radical right into government. The Austrian case is instructive here. In 1999, the centre-right Austrian People’s Party (OVP) entered a coalition with the populist radical right Freedom Party (FPO), which lasted until 2005. The pressures of government resulted in the FPO imploding and losing roughly two-thirds of its seat share in the next general election.

    But the FPO has increased its seat share in every subsequent election, reentering government in 2017 and emerging as the largest party in the 2024 general election. The centrist parties have now taken a firewall approach, forming a coalition without the FPO – and the FPO have soared in the polls. By bringing them into government in the first place, the OVP legitimised the FPO in the eyes of many voters.

    What should mainstream parties do?

    For the centre-left, the choice is obvious: resist the urge to ape the populist radical right and instead (following the lead of the Danish Social Democrats) adapt to a party system where the populist right cannot be gotten rid of, but is a problem to be managed.

    Centre-left parties need a robust message on immigration but they should not forget economics. They should primarily focus on traditional concerns around social protection and defending workers against the effects of globalisation.

    This has clear implications for the debate around Blue Labour ideology – that the Labour party should combine leftwing economics with more socially authoritarian stances on crime and immigration, plus a greater emphasis on community over the state and market – and how closely Keir Starmer should be paying attention to it.

    For centre-right parties like the UK’s Conservatives, there are no easy options.

    The UK does not have the historical baggage of Germany which sustains the firewall against the AfD. But Reform UK is also less extreme than its German counterparts, so its electoral ceiling is likely to be higher than the AfD’s. And the first-past-the-post system makes the consequences of a three-party system much harder to predict.

    Reform – like Ukip in the early 2010s – cannot be treated as a pariah, especially since it already has parliamentary representation which will probably be extended to Holyrood and the Senedd. The party also has a largely friendly rightwing media landscape. And perhaps most importantly, the Conservative party is split about whether to do a deal with Reform – if, of course, it actually wants said deal.

    Openly ignoring the issues Reform campaigns on will not work. Immigration is too much of a salient concern among voters (especially on the right) to ignore. While banging on about immigration will only add fuel to Reform’s fire, the Conservatives do need to say something – and that should start with “sorry for the last 14 years”.

    The Tories cannot openly move to the right without losing some of their centre flank. Of the seats won in 2024, Reform came second in nine, while Labour and the Liberal Democrats came second in 87 and 20 respectively. In 2024, for every vote the Conservatives lost to Reform, they also lost a vote to the Liberal Democrats or Labour.

    There is no “magic formula” for the centre-right to vanquish the populist radical right. Instead, they need to nail a tricky combination: a clear vision of what they believe, a consistent policy platform that flows from these beliefs, and a charismatic leader who can communicate this to the public.

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

    – ref. How should Labour and the Tories respond to the populist right? Lessons from Europe – https://theconversation.com/how-should-labour-and-the-tories-respond-to-the-populist-right-lessons-from-europe-250182

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: New Dietrich Bonhoeffer biopic is a grossly misleading portrait of the anti-Nazi dissident

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Barry Langford, Professor of Film Studies, Royal Holloway University of London

    The complexities of history have always posed problems for commercial cinema. With rare exceptions, mainstream historical films tend to flatten the inconveniently irregular textures of individual biographies and their context into simpler templates of good and evil, valour and villainy.

    This is abundantly true of dramatisations of German resistance in the Third Reich. Of course, there can be no overstating the enormity of Nazi crimes, the unquestionable courage of the regime’s all-too-few committed opponents – and the terrible price they almost all inevitably paid. So it’s perhaps understandable that people such as Claus von Stauffenberg (leader of the July 20 1944 attempt on Hitler’s life), or student dissident Sophie Scholl, have been portrayed in fairly one-dimensional ways.

    Yet acts of extraordinary courage and integrity are thrown into even sharper relief when we appreciate the flaws as well as the nobility of the people who undertake them. Not to do so risks turning these heroic, yet all too human, people into plaster saints.

    Sadly, director Todd Komarnicki’s earnest but painfully reductive new biopic of the Lutheran theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-45) falls into all of these familiar traps.

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    Executed in the final days of the second world war, Bonhoeffer’s heroism is beyond question. From the very start of Nazi rule, and fully aware of the likely consequences, he stood in uncompromising, public opposition. He saw Nazi tyranny, above all, as an assault on Christian values.

    Bonhoeffer drove a campaign to repudiate the Nazi efforts to co-opt and “Aryanise” mainstream Protestantism. And he helped to establish the dissenting “confessing church”.

    Eventually he became a peripheral part of the network seeking to assassinate Hitler, though he was not a prime mover. By the time of the failed July 1944 bomb plot (one of several botched assassination attempts), he was already imprisoned.

    The film’s publicity, with its tagline “Pastor. Spy. Assassin” and ludicrous poster image of Bonhoeffer (Jonas Dassler) brandishing a pistol, erroneously implies otherwise.

    The trailer for Bonhoeffer.

    The real Bonhoeffer

    Bonhoeffer’s opposition to Nazism was moral, spiritual and expressed principally in his work as a theologian and teacher.

    His posthumously collected writings run to 17 volumes. Yet Bonhoeffer fluffs the essential task of making its hero’s religious faith dramatically compelling.

    The film prefers to imagine him as a figure of conventional derring-do, conspiring in cafés, infiltrating Nazi intelligence and personally ferrying Jewish fugitives across the Swiss border.

    All these scenes have some minor basis in Bonhoeffer’s biography. But cumulatively they misrepresent the essence of his anti-Nazi dissidence to the point of seriously distorting the historical record.

    One glaring example is the film’s depiction of his response to the Holocaust. Bonhoeffer denounced Jewish persecution at Nazi hands earlier, more forcefully and more consistently than almost any of his colleagues. Yet his opposition remained limited and complexly bound up with his Christian convictions.

    He was not, as the film suggests, a proto-Schindler rescuer; nor was he, or could he have been, impelled to action by viewing (non-existent) clandestine film of the death camps, as a very ahistorical scene implies.

    Bohoeffer imposes a wholly anachronistic modern comprehension of the Holocaust as Nazism’s defining crime, as if this will make its protagonist’s actions more admirable. In doing so, it ends up muffling the more complex particularities of his courage.

    Such inaccurate scenes abound. Bonhoeffer is mystifyingly slipshod on basic historical accuracy. Switching confusingly and with inadequate signposting between his final hours and his earlier life, the film includes such howlers as dissidents threatened with transfer to the “eastern front”, apparently in the mid-1930s.

    There’s also a cartoonishly lurid depiction of the Nazis’ attempted “Aryanisation” of the church. Swastikas block stained-glass windows and Bibles are swapped for Mein Kampf in pulpits.

    Melodrama over history

    The film’s portrait of German society during the Third Reich is also grossly misleading. Cadre of uniformed Nazis aside, we encounter barely a single German citizen who supports the regime. Wider German society is represented by the congregation who enthusiastically applaud a (fictitious) anti-Nazi sermon while the SS stage a huffy but mysteriously peaceful walkout.

    Again and again, Bonhoeffer substitutes difficult history for conventionalised melodrama. Shortly before his arrest in 1943 the 36-year-old Bonhoeffer became engaged to his former confirmation pupil, a girl of barely 18.

    His filmic avatar, by contrast, seems to lack any personal life whatsoever. Beyond, that is, an admittedly endearing affinity for jazz acquired during his seminary studies in New York (though seeing Bonhoeffer replace a Black female pianist onstage at a Harlem club, to apparently universal enthusiasm, leaves a sour taste).

    Even Bonhoeffer’s execution – which may have in reality been protracted and excruciating – is rendered as a bloodlessly ethereal affair. The moment is as sentimentally devotional as any studio-era Hollywood hagiography.

    Bonhoeffer’s posthumous standing, like that of other German anti-Nazis, has grown immensely. Since 1998, his limestone effigy has stood above Westminster Abbey’s west door as one of ten “modern martyrs.” But Bonhoeffer misses the opportunity to breathe credible dramatic life into this sainted figure.

    The Conversation approached the director and writer of Bonhoeffer, Todd Komarnicki, for comment.

    He told us that his screenplay was informed by the biography of Dietrich Bonhoeffer written in 1966 by Bonhoeffer’s best friend, Eberhard Bethge. As part of a lengthy response, Komarnicki also maintained that the film’s depiction of Bonhoeffer’s involvement in a plot to assassinate Hitler is accurate. He also argued that it was reasonable to speculate that Bonhoeffer could have seen the footage from the death camps. While he agreed that Dietrich did not literally take the Jewish prisoners into Switzerland as a proto-Schindler rescuer, he said: “I took the dramatic license in the film to illustrate the fact that his bravery did save actual Jewish lives.”

    He continued “Bonhoeffer is not a documentary. I have written many true life movies, and the necessity to alter timelines and to choose metaphor over fact (only when the metaphor supports the fact) comes up now and again … It is the job of cinema to entertain and inspire, to instruct and imagine. That is what the art form requires if it hopes to be any good at all. Every frame of my film tried to honour the man at its centre. And to tell the truth.”

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

    – ref. New Dietrich Bonhoeffer biopic is a grossly misleading portrait of the anti-Nazi dissident – https://theconversation.com/new-dietrich-bonhoeffer-biopic-is-a-grossly-misleading-portrait-of-the-anti-nazi-dissident-244556

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Britain can still be a bridge between the US and Europe – here’s how Starmer can prove it

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Nick Whittaker, Subject Lead in Social Sciences & Law, University of Sussex

    The US-EU relationship is at its most fragile point since the build-up to the Iraq war in 2003. While President Donald Trump openly questions Nato and President Volodymyr Zelensky’s desire for peace, EU leaders have continued to voice their unequivocal support for Ukraine against Russian aggression.

    Between the two lies Britain. In a flurry of diplomacy, Keir Starmer has attempted to navigate the country’s tricky position: close to the US diplomatically, while staying aligned with the EU’s Ukraine policy.

    I argue that Starmer could use Britain’s island identity – separated from its closest neighbours just enough to allow a global outlook – to his advantage. Acting as an effective link between the US and the EU could turn this time of crisis into an opportunity. What Britain may lack in material capabilities, it can make up for in skilful diplomacy.

    Britain’s position as a “geopolitical bridge” stretches far back into the last century. As Britain was decolonising and reckoning with the growing power of the US and a uniting European continent, acting as a bridge was an effective way of ensuring relevance and maintaining alliances while its status as an imperial great power waned.

    This position was especially favoured by Labour politicians keen to emphasise how a socialist Britain could act as a link between the capitalist and communist worlds. In (sometimes reluctantly) arguing for Britain’s entry into the European Economic Community, some Conservatives posited membership as allowing Britain to bridge the Atlantic, given the UK’s strong postwar ties with the US.

    Even older is the idea of Britain as an “offshore balancer”. The UK’s proximity to the European continent meant it has always had an eye on political developments there. It has thus sought to maintain alliances in order to prevent Europe being dominated by one power (Napoleonic France, Nazi Germany, the Soviet Union) who could threaten the island sanctuary.

    With Britain no longer in the EU, this time of heightened transatlantic tensions provides an opportunity to reclaim these geopolitical stances (and some lost relevance) as a vital interlocutor between America and Europe.

    Nato on the brink

    Trump is notoriously erratic and unpredictable, yet one of his most consistent motifs has been to question Nato and “free-riding” allies. Herein lies the spectre of the most terrifying British nightmare: an American withdrawal from Nato.

    Britain and the US have, historically, both articulated their role as that of offshore balancer in relation to continental Europe. The threat against which they have been balancing since the end of the second world war is the Soviet Union and then Russia.

    If the Trump administration ceases to regard Russia as a threat or sees no utility in acting in its historic balancing role, the UK-US relationship will be placed under serious threat. For all of the importance of Anglo-Saxon identity tropes, kith and kin and the special relationship, alliances are best nurtured in conditions of shared interests.

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    Nato has been the real cornerstone of UK foreign, defence and security policy since the North Atlantic treaty’s inking in 1949, and is beloved of both Labour and Conservative politicians. US abandonment would be devastating. Thus it is Starmer’s greatest challenge and opportunity.

    The reality is that Nato is centred on continental Europe and always has been. Starmer can gain common ground with Trump at this critical juncture by emphasising Britain’s islandness, and the US’s similar separation from the continent.

    Starmer could position Britain as a mid-Atlantic interlocutor, close to Europe but not of Europe – appealing to the antipathy of some in the Trump administration about the continent. And his government has already gained Trump’s approval by increasing defence spending, an act that will also please nervous European governments.

    Global Britain?

    At this moment, Britain seems closer to the EU than it has been since 2016. Foreign and defence policy remain, to some extent, unfulfilled gaps in the EU’s portfolio. If Starmer can forge a close relationship around these issues, he can undercut some of the disappointments around Brexit, such as Britain being viewed as less relevant internationally and losing a seat at European security discussions.

    Notwithstanding the latest increase in defence spending, the British Army is smaller than it has been for several hundred years. Cuts to foreign aid, along with the merging of international development with the Foreign Office have prompted questions around Britain’s international clout.

    Yet its leaders remain high profile and listened to, with Starmer managing to cut a dignified figure in an era of posturing strongmen. He will need to convince Trump and his team that Europe (and Nato) is worthy of their time and attention. He must emphasise their common ground as offshore balancers, capable of providing a counterweight to Russia.

    EU leaders will also need to be reassured of Britain’s commitment to the continent after Brexit. Pressing harder for a UK-EU security pact is one way Starmer could signal this.

    Starmer’s White House visit was seen as a diplomatic success, but the mood has changed after Zelensky’s visit.
    Number 10/Flickr, CC BY-NC-ND

    Trump repeatedly emphasises the personal aspect of politics, seeing states and alliances through a prism of which leaders are willing to flatter him or, at the very least, be “respectful”. Starmer grasped this early on and thus has a shot at forging a productive relationship with Trump, however painful it might be for some in his party.

    Yet the stakes are much higher than disgruntled backbenchers. The Labour party, with its internationalist roots, is deeply proud of the foreign policies of Clement Attlee and Ernest Bevin (although less so of Tony Blair’s). Although it may be stressed in different terms to their Conservative opponents, the party is just as concerned with retaining relevance and influence on the world stage.

    If this Labour government can find a way to successfully act as a bridge – by interesting Trump in Europe and convincing the EU that they are a reliable partner – then this not only salves some of the wounds of Brexit, it also potentially keeps Nato alive, for now.

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

    – ref. Britain can still be a bridge between the US and Europe – here’s how Starmer can prove it – https://theconversation.com/britain-can-still-be-a-bridge-between-the-us-and-europe-heres-how-starmer-can-prove-it-251405

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Welfare cuts won’t succeed without healthier jobs

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Alice Martin, Head of Research, Work Foundation, Lancaster University

    PeopleImages.com – Yuri A/Shutterstock

    The UK could be poised to cut billions of pounds from its welfare spend as the Treasury takes the view that there is less room for manoeuvre in the finances than hoped. Only last October, Chancellor Rachel Reeves believed she had almost £10 billion of so-called “fiscal headroom”, essentially a buffer in her budget if the economy changed. But things have changed very quickly for Reeves.

    Welfare spending in the UK is around £50 billion a year – and predicted to rise to more than £75 billion by 2030. Regardless of other pressures, the government had already been expressing concern about the size of the bill, even attempting to make a “moral case” for ensuring people who can work are doing so.

    But none of this gets around the fact that the UK has been dubbed the “sick man of Europe”. The rise in health-related economic inactivity since COVID – people leaving the workforce because they’re too ill – has certainly attracted widespread political attention. Some commentators have recently challenged the narrative however, pointing to differences in how economic activity is measured in other countries.

    We have researched the reasons why British workers leave their jobs after their health declines. When deciding whether to make cuts, the government should try to understand what is really happening with the health of the UK workforce.

    The overall picture is stark. More working-age people have a diagnosed major health problem than ever before and numbers are due to rise by 500,000 by 2030. Improvements in life expectancy have stalled and regional differences in health are large and growing.

    Almost one in four working-age people are classed as disabled, a diverse and growing minority. Meanwhile mental ill health rates are rising, particularly among young people.

    Poor work quality is one of the things that is harming health in many ways. Long hours, shift work and work-related stress all take their toll.

    In 2023-24, half of all UK work-related ill health was due to stress, anxiety or depression. Ultimately a bad job can be worse for health than no job.

    These problems are not unique to the UK. Other countries are grappling with similar issues but have been quicker to respond, including with high-quality occupational health systems and specific legislation around work-related “psychosocial risks”.

    These are factors like workloads, long hours, a lack of autonomy and support at work and workplace harassment. The UK has been slower to grasp the nettle and act.

    Our recent study explored why British workers quit their jobs following a decline in their health. We surveyed 1,117 business leaders, reviewed occupational health approaches and studied the employment journeys of 9,169 workers aged 16-60 over a four-year period.

    We found that nearly one in ten employees (9%) who experienced a decline in their health left their job within four years. Critically, nearly half of these exits were in the first 12 months, suggesting that once sick pay entitlements run out, people who have not recovered may face little choice but to quit and enter the welfare system.

    Workers grappling with multiple health challenges face even greater risks. Those with three or more conditions are 5.6 times more likely to quit work than their healthier peers. And those with poor mental health are almost twice as likely to leave.

    The role of healthy ‘job design’

    Our study found that workers without flexibility were four times more likely to leave after their health declined. And for those with low levels of control in their job, the risk was 3.7 times higher.

    A previous study found that people in insecure work, for example through a temporary or zero-hours contract, become workless at higher rates when their health deteriorates.

    Despite the fact that job design can determine whether people stay in work, in the UK it has largely been left to employers to decide the types of jobs and protections they offer. This hands-off approach to workforce health is what sets the UK apart – and not in a good way.

    In the Netherlands, employers carry the financial burden for statutory sick pay for up to 104 weeks. This has motivated them to help people return to work by adapting their jobs. In Australia, employers have to implement return-to-work programmes, assisted by regional coordinators.

    Our survey of UK business leaders revealed that while 64% recognise the economic impact of poor employee health, only 48% offer flexible working arrangements. And just 37% provide occupational health services. They acknowledged several workplace factors that exacerbate problems, such as excessive workloads (75%), long working hours (73%) and a lack of breaks (74%).

    But implementation of preventive measures is low. Only 36% assess mental health risks and 37% adjust workloads to ensure they are manageable.

    The state pension age is set to rise to 67 by 2028 and potentially to 71 by 2050, meaning more people may have to work for longer. Yet, as people live and work longer they are also becoming sicker.

    In this context there is an urgent need to promote healthy, sustainable work. This means achieving living and working conditions that can be sustained across a lifetime. It requires a joined-up employment and welfare system that supports people to take breaks when they need to, such as for health-related and caregiving needs.

    Practical measures include raising statutory sick pay and ensuring working time protections and flexible work rights mean everyone has a healthy work-life balance.

    Government must also legislate to ensure that employers take steps to address known work-related causes of ill health.

    The UK government’s Get Britain Working agenda aims to support inactive people, including those with long-term illnesses, back into suitable work. And the employment rights bill should strengthen worker protections. But these changes will take time. Cutting welfare now will affect hundreds of thousands of people who are out of work on health grounds, and do not have a viable alternative.

    Britain’s welfare bill is not about sudden mass exits from the workforce but rather a steady drip of workers leaving, compounded by insufficient protections and workplace insecurity. With a growing population of older workers and rising health challenges, guaranteeing good-quality work is no longer optional for the UK — it is essential.

    Alice Martin works for the Work Foundation, an independent UK think tank focused on overcoming labour market inequalities and improving working lives.

    Stavroula Leka is Professor of Organisations, Work & Health and Director of the Centre for Organisational Health and Well-being at Lancaster University. She is also the President of the European Academy of Occupational Health Psychology.

    Stavroula’s research is currently funded by the Institution of Occupational Safety & Health, ESRC, and the European Commission.

    – ref. Welfare cuts won’t succeed without healthier jobs – https://theconversation.com/welfare-cuts-wont-succeed-without-healthier-jobs-251556

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Why a US minerals deal with Ukraine won’t deter Russian aggression

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Patrick E. Shea, Senior Lecturer in International Relations and Global Governance, University of Glasgow

    The US vice-president, J.D. Vance, recently told Fox News that “the very best security guarantee” to prevent Russia from invading Ukraine again was “to give Americans economic upside in the future of Ukraine”.

    The implication is that the much-debated minerals deal, in which an investment fund managed by Kyiv and Washington would receive revenue from Ukraine’s natural resources, would create American economic interests in Ukraine. American security interests, it is suggested, could soon follow.

    Vance’s comments came with the deal hanging in the balance. A meeting at the White House on February 28, where the deal was expected to be signed, turned into a shouting match between Vance, the US president, Donald Trump, and his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky.

    Zelensky has since attempted to patch up relations with the Trump administration, announcing that he is ready to sign the deal at “any time and in any convenient format”. And Vance, when asked whether an agreement was still on the table, said Trump “is still committed” to reaching a deal.

    Having access to Ukrainian minerals is an important opportunity for America’s missile system electronics and electric vehicle industries. Ukraine is, for example, home to around one-third of all European lithium deposits, the key component in batteries.

    This access is particularly important now that China, which currently accounts for a high proportion of certain US mineral imports, has imposed a ban on exporting rare minerals to the US in retaliation for Trump’s tariff policies.

    But, while Ukraine’s minerals are tempting to the US and other world powers, a deal with Trump won’t help Ukraine’s security situation.

    Trump’s approach has two main flaws. First, research shows that investment typically follows security commitments, not the other way around. Investors seek markets that are stable and protected, rather than hoping their investments create those conditions.

    Previous US presidents have touted similar strategies without success. President William Howard Taft (1857-1930) championed “dollar diplomacy” in the early 20th century, promising that American investments would create stability across Latin America by “substituting dollars for bullets”.

    The reality proved quite different. Throughout this period, the US frequently used military force to protect oil interests in Latin America. But, because these interventions focused on extraction sites rather than defending entire countries, instability continued elsewhere in the region.

    Trump’s “America first” mantra suggests a similar pattern of defending American assets, and not necessarily the countries in which the assets reside.

    Second, the overall US commitment to protect American assets abroad is uncertain. The US has, since the end of the cold war, been selective about when and how it uses military force to protect overseas assets.

    Since 1991, the US military has intervened to protect American property in only four documented instances: Haiti in 2004, Lebanon in 2006, Egypt in 2011 and Yemen in 2012. These cases involved embassies and other smaller properties during periods of civil unrest, rather than defending economic interests.

    Recent presidents, including Trump, have been reluctant to use force to protect threatened American investments. US agribusiness giant Cargill, for example, had to close its operations in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region following Russia’s invasion in 2014.

    Building state capacity

    That said, economic relations with America can indeed bolster a partner state’s security. But my own research shows that this is largely through indirect channels, rather than the threat of military intervention.

    For example, US government departments, such as the US patent and trademark office, provide comprehensive training to partner states. Programmes involve training judges, police officers, prosecutors and policymakers to enforce intellectual property protections, administer land registries, combat counterfeiting and develop legal frameworks that protect investments.

    This capacity building not only helps American investors in these countries, but also improves the partner state’s overall capacity. More effective and capable bureaucracies are better able to manage and finance their military capabilities.

    Following Russia’s 2014 invasion of Ukraine, the US launched the agriculture and rural development support program. The initiative aimed to develop Ukraine’s institutional capacity for managing property rights and attracting diverse investments.

    The US Treasury brought in loan advisory firm First Financial Network to help Ukraine navigate its financial crisis after the invasion, while simultaneously building frameworks for foreign investment.

    By 2020, this partnership facilitated US investment firm Allrise Capital’s purchase of Odessa’s Chornomorets football stadium. This deal was described by John Morris, the president of First Financial Network, as demonstrating Ukraine’s ability “to sell assets to the international community”.

    These efforts did not deter Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022. But they helped the Ukrainian government implement several administrative reforms in the years leading up to the invasion, including more efficient tax collection and professionalisation of civil servants. The government was better prepared for war than it would otherwise have been.

    The Ukrainian and Russian armies have been locked in battle for over three years.
    Kutsenko Volodymyr / Shutterstock

    If the US wants to enhance Ukraine’s security through economic means, the Trump administration would need to make two drastic changes.

    First, it would need to reinstate programmes that promote American investment abroad. After assuming office, Trump froze and began dismantling the United States Agency for International Development (USAid). The agency’s capacity-building efforts have security consequences.

    Second, for the US to have both an economic and security impact, Trump needs to reassure America’s allies. Assurances are not Trump’s speciality. On February 26, for example, Trump declined to say whether the US would defend Taiwan if it was attacked by China.

    Research suggests that investments follow alliances. But markets do not care about agreements alone. They respond to other signals too, like explicit statements of support. These statements of support also help to reassure allies and deter rivals.

    Unless Trump changes how he operates on the international stage, the economics of the mineral deal will not help Ukraine’s security situation.

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

    – ref. Why a US minerals deal with Ukraine won’t deter Russian aggression – https://theconversation.com/why-a-us-minerals-deal-with-ukraine-wont-deter-russian-aggression-251436

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: AI and translation: a profession at the crossroads

    Source: European Union 2

    This workshop serves as a bridge between the present and future of translation, connecting academic training with the professional world. The European Commission will present the AI-based tools and developments implemented at the Directorate-General for Translation.

    The event should provide invaluable insights for both current and future translators regarding the evolving landscape of the translation profession.

    Attend in person: register by 7 April

    Watch webstreaming (no registration needed)
    https://eventiunito.webex.com/eventiunitoit/j.php?MTID=mbe0a6394f49f32039833be1c8b15eddb

    Simultaneous interpreting into English

    Participation certificates will be available only for registered in-person participants

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Clean energy for EU islands forum 2025

    Source: European Union 2

    Join us in the Azores for the #CE4EUislands forum 2025!

    Island communities, experts, and stakeholders will come together to explore the path to achieving a 100% renewable energy future while balancing environmental, economic, and social priorities.

    SAVE THE DATE: 14-15 May 2025, São Miguel, AZORES, PORTUGAL

    Register now!

    The forum will showcase the progress made with the EU islands secretariat’s 30 for 2030 initiative. We will discuss the first results, tackle the challenges of the island energy transition, and explore how the findings can be replicated to achieve a sustainable transition.

    Participants will discover exciting projects currently leading the renewable energy transition across the 30 for 2030 islands, focusing on how they’re meeting environmental, economic, and social needs. Through interactive discussions, we’ll identify gaps and opportunities to scale up these successes. 

    This year’s forum also offers hands-on collaboration with working groups tackling key environmental, economic, and social priorities and challenges that are vital for building a sustainable energy future! 

    Logistical information

    • EVENT LOCATION & LIVESTREAM
      The event will be organised on-site at the Octant hotel in Ponta Delgada on the island of São Miguel, Azores, Portugal.
      Selected agenda points will be live-streamed. Please also register if you want to join online.
    • REIMBURSEMENT
      The Clean energy for EU islands secretariat offers travel grants for least-resourced participants who wish to join us at the #CE4EUislands forum. Please find more information here.
    • BOOK YOUR ACCOMMODATION
      We have created a document with some more information on recommendation for hotels. Find some hotel recommendations including promotional codes here.

    Workshops

    This workshop is part of our ongoing series of capacity-building initiatives to support the 30 for 2030 islands and island groups as they transition to renewable energy and energy efficiency projects. Please register for these workshops via the registration for the Clean energy for EU islands forum 2025 below.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: United States Attorney’s Office Charges 46 Illegal Aliens with Various Offenses including Immigration Crimes, Drug Trafficking, Weapons Offenses, and Child Pornography

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    DETROIT – Since January of this year, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan has charged 46 aliens who were unlawfully present in the United States with offenses including illegal reentry into the United States, drug trafficking, illegal possession of firearms, and child pornography offenses. These aliens’ home countries include Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and Venezuela. Several had prior convictions for human smuggling, drug trafficking, drunk driving, assault, and theft. In many cases, the aliens had been returned to their home country numerous times but have continued to violate immigration laws by re-entering the United States.

    Recent cases include:

    Hector Bejerano-Bejerano, a native of Mexico, was located at a gas station in Novi, Michigan, when he was creating a nuisance to customers. He was arrested and identified by United States Border Patrol and found to have two prior federal immigration convictions, including one in which Bejerano-Bejerano was caught smuggling three other illegal aliens into the United States from Mexico. During this encounter, Bejerano-Bejerano fled from a Border Patrol Agent and assaulted him. According to court filings in that case, Bejerano-Bejerano was encountered by Border Patrol 18 times during 2021 alone.

    Dulce Rubio-Rivera, a native of Mexico, was found in Detroit, Michigan, when agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Immigration and Customs Enforcement executed a federal search warrant at a house. Inside the house was Rubio-Rivera, along with drugs, a scale, ammunition and an AK-47 rifle. Rubio-Rivera pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 6.25 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine.

    Luis Fernando Santillan-Valderrabano, a native of Mexico, was located in the passenger seat of a vehicle in Detroit. Santillan-Valderrabano was originally admitted into the United States on a special visa that permitted him to stay in the United States for only 72 hours and within 25 miles of the United States-Mexico border. However, five months later Santillan-Valderrabano was arrested and pleaded guilty to theft charges in Georgia. A year after that, he was again arrested and convicted in Nebraska for resisting arrest and felony theft. Santillan-Valderrabano was removed back to Mexico in 2009, but illegally returned and was arrested in 2010 in Ithaca, Michigan, for a driving offense. Santillan-Valderrabano was removed again but tried to sneak back into the United States in 2011, was caught, and federally prosecuted in Texas for illegal entry. Santillan-Valderrabano was removed a third time in 2011, but again tried to illegally enter the United States, was caught, federally prosecuted in Texas for illegal reentry, and removed in 2012. In 2021, he was arrested in Wixom, Michigan, for driving 86 miles per hour in a 45 mile per hour zone. During this encounter with police, he used a fake name and date of birth and failed to appear for his court hearing after being charged with reckless driving, providing false identification, and not having a vehicle operation license.

    Gustavo Placencia-Rosales, a native of Mexico who was unlawfully present in the United States, was arrested and charged in a criminal complaint with conspiracy to possess and possession with intent to distribute cocaine and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking offense. The complaint alleges that agents with the DEA have been investigating Placencia-Rosales for involvement in drug trafficking actitivies. Law enforcement initiated a traffic stop of a vehicle occupied by Placenia-Rosales, with three others, and recovered four brick-shaped packages that field tested positive as cocaine along with two firearms.

    Luis Gerardo Rodriguez-Rey, a native of Columbia who was unlawfully present in the United States, was arrested and charged in a criminal complaint with being an alien in possession of a firearm and ammunition.  According to the complaint, officers with the River Rouge Police Department were on routine patrol when they encountered Rodriguez-Rey traveling at a high rate of speed in a vehicle which did not have any exterior lights illuminated.  A traffic stop was conducted and upon a search of his person and vehicle, officers recovered a Smith & Wesson pistol along with ammunition.

    Luis Angel Alvarez-Alvarez, a native of Venuzuela, was arrested by agents of Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Border Patrol after agents stopped a vehicle that Alvarez-Alvarez was operating without a license plate.  Alvarez-Alvarez had a prior final order of removal at the time of the arrest.   During a search of his cellular device, officers discovered alleged child sexually abusive material.  Alvarez was charged with production and possession of child pornography and remains in custody pending the disposition of his charges.

    “The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan has a long-standing commitment to enforcing the immigrations laws of the United States, and that commitment is unwavering,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Julie Beck. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute those individuals who are in our district unlawfully.”

    “These cases represent a fraction of the criminal aliens we and our federal partners arrest every day across the Detroit Sector that’s making this country safer than it was just a few short months ago,” said Detroit Sector Chief Patrol Agent John R. Morris. “I could not be more proud of our agents for their enforcement efforts as well as their ability to form strong bonds with our local, state and federal partnerships such as we see exemplified here with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.”

    “Keeping dangerous people and illicit drugs and weapons from infecting our communities is at the core of our comprehensive border security mandate,” said Director of Field Operations Marty C. Raybon. “The CBP Office of Field Operations is as committed as ever in protecting our homeland alongside our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners.”

    “Our ICE Detroit officers will continue to secure our communities through the apprehension and arrest of criminal aliens and immigration violators,” said ICE ERO Detroit Field Office Director Robert Lynch. “Working with our law enforcement partners, we have been able to apprehend serious public safety threats from foreign sex offenders to drug traffickers and aliens in possession of illegal firearms.”

    “As the investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security, our agents are prioritizing investigations into bad actors who exploit our immigration system,” said ICE HSI Detroit acting Special Agent in Charge Jared Murphey. “From illegal aliens in possession of child sexually abusive material to dismantling human smuggling or trafficking rings, our ICE HSI team stands ready to safeguard the homeland alongside our partners.”

    “The men and women of DEA work hard – day in and day out – to protect families from the dangers and violence associated with drug trafficking in our communities,” said DEA Acting Special Agent in Charge Andrew Lawton.  “In that vein, we have prioritized our drug investigations on those involving violent, illegal criminals responsible for flooding our neighborhoods with deadly and dangerous drugs. We will continue to work with the Department of Homeland Security and our federal partners with immigration enforcement efforts.”

    “ATF, along with our Department of Justice partners, stand side by side with the Department of Homeland Security and other federal law enforcement partners in their efforts to enforce immigration laws and protect public safety,” said ATF Detroit Special Agent in Charge James Deir. “We remain committed to supporting coordinated enforcement actions to uphold the rule of the law and ensure the security of our communities.”

    “Members of the FBI’s Detroit Field Office, in collaboration with federal law enforcement partners—including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), U.S. Border Patrol (CBP), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), are actively investigating and apprehending individuals wanted for federal violations and those unlawfully present in the United States,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Michigan Division. “The FBI in Michigan remains steadfast in its mission to uphold the Constitution and ensure the safety and security of the American people.”

    A complaint/indictment is merely a formal charge and is not evidence of guilt.  Every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.  It is the burden of the government to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

    These cases were investigated by agents of Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations and Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration.

    These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys in the National Security Unit of the United States Attorney’s Office.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: How Heathpatch Farm expanded woodland to support wildlife and their business

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government Non-Ministerial Departments

    Case study

    How Heathpatch Farm expanded woodland to support wildlife and their business

    Find out how the farm expanded expanded woodland to create a species-rich habitat, reduce farm pollution and benefit the farm business.

    Key facts

    • site: Heathpatch, Ipswich, Suffolk
    • size: 260 hectares of woodland, expanded by 8.5 hectares in 2022 to 2023, with a further 3 hectares planned for 2024
    • type and species mix: predominantly native broadleaf trees and shrubs, a mix of 25 species selected to increase resilience with future climate in mind, including: oak, wild cherry, small-leaved lime, hornbeam, hazel, alder, silver birch and Scots pine, plus a mix of non-native conifer (Corsican pine and western red cedar)
    • date planted: winter 2022-23
    • grant: England Woodland Creation Offer (EWCO)

    Main objective: to connect with existing woodland on site, creating a diverse habitat and wildlife corridors.

    Introduction

    Heathpatch is a 1,700 hectare farm 10 miles west of Ipswich. The farm includes 260 hectares of woodland, with a range of ages and species. Owned by the Buckle family, the farm is a traditional mix with a variety of crops, sheep and cattle, plus some equestrian land.

    Over the years, the farm has diversified and Heathpatch currently owns and runs a number of businesses, these include: manufacturing electro mechanical and electronic enclosures, renewable energy through anaerobic digestion, machinery sales including a wide range of forestry industry equipment, a brewery and a hospitality business consisting of a hotel, 2 pubs, and Nedging Hall Estate – a 10-bedroom country house and garden surrounded by the farm which is available for short lets.

    The farm itself has 145 hectares of woodland within 70 blocks, ranging from 0.5 to 11 hectares. The majority of these have been planted by the current owners. Two additional blocks of ancient woodland sit 5 miles away, Bonny Wood to the north and Raydon Wood to the south.

    Bonny Wood is a 15 hectare site, which is part of a larger woodland. Raydon Wood spans 99 hectares and has a disused railway line running through it. The wood was used by the US Airforce as an ammunition depot during the second world war to service the air defence and bombing campaign launched from East Anglia. At present, 2 full-time foresters work at Raydon Wood to convert a Plantations on Ancient Woodland Site to a working mixed woodland.

    The Buckle family is committed to woodland creation and management. They have added a remarkable 25 hectares of new woodland between 2020 and 2023, equating to a total of 45,000 young trees. This was with the support of Countryside Stewardship until 2021 and later with EWCO. The plan is to continue to expand woodland cover where it is most appropriate and to bring more of the existing woodland inventory into management.

    Creating a landscape that benefits wildlife

    Prior to the 1970s much of the tree and hedge cover in the area had been removed. Since the Buckles arrived in 1973, they have worked consistently to plant and restore the wooded landscape. Biodiversity and nature recovery have been their key drivers and several locations on the farm offer an impressive 360-degree view of woodland and hedges, all of which have been planted by the family.

    The planting over the years has always been majority native broadleaf trees together with a few conifers, in a largely agricultural landscape, and often with generous rides incorporated into the design to help increase suitable and diverse habitats for birds, mammals, and invertebrates.

    Planting alongside existing blocks of woodland or hedgerow has helped to connect habitats and provide wildlife corridors, supporting nature recovery and helping species to adapt to the changing climate. To complement the benefits of woodland creation and accelerate nature recovery, Heathpatch has created feeding plots for turtle doves and installed swift boxes on the farm; the boxes are complete with systems that play the calls swifts use when in their nest to help non-breeding swifts identify potential nest sites.

    The aquatic habitat and water quality of the River Brett which runs through the farm has been improved. Working closely with neighbouring landowners, this has been achieved with funding and operational support from the Environment Agency, Dedham Vale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Stour Valley Project and Heathpatch.

    To date, over 60 features have been placed in the river and its tributaries to modify the water flow; these include gravel glides, berms (low level shelves constructed to restore the natural flow of the river), flow deflectors and flood plain connections. To complement these measures, 5 to 20 metre-wide stretches of the riverbank have been fenced off from livestock, with more planned in the future. Some riparian strips have been planted with suitable tree species, while other areas have been left to allow vegetation to colonise naturally.

    A leading pond ecologist has surveyed the farm ponds periodically since 2006: there are over 50 ponds in existence, plus several ‘ghost ponds’ – ponds that have disappeared over the years having either silted up or been deliberately filled in due to changes in agricultural practices. The surveys have informed a programme of works, which involves the removal of shade-casting vegetation where appropriate, dredging and restoration. When dredging, particularly in the ghost ponds, the hope is to find rare vegetation seeds, which have survived under layers of leaves and mud. Restoring existing ponds encourages greater biodiversity to return, which typically happens more quickly compared to creating entirely new ponds. That said, 7 completely new ponds have been created in the last 4 years, all within or adjacent to the 25 hectares of newly planted woodland.

    Significant numbers of invertebrates are already present at the sites, and in one location robins were spotted using a brash pile nearby one of the new ponds for nesting only 6 weeks after the pile was made.

    James Buckle, Owner, Heathpatch said:

    It is a delight to walk around the farm, within the woods and along the river and to see the improvements being built upon year on year… we were showing off the results to a group of interested parties last year and, right on cue, a kingfisher flew across! It is heartening to see the riot of nature responding to the changes made, even within such a short period of time.

    Reducing farm pollution and capturing carbon

    Most of the new woodland has replaced agricultural land, which was previously used for grazing, hay, or crops. This land use change will make the farm’s arable management less intensive and will reduce the use and application of herbicides and manufactured fertiliser across the catchment, reducing the farm’s overall pollution output.

    The new woodland is set to capture carbon and is registered with the Woodland Carbon Code. Heathpatch holds 2 contracts under the Woodland Carbon Guarantee (WCaG), providing the option to sell carbon credits to the government every 5 or 10 years up to 2055-56 for a guaranteed price that is index-linked for the life of the contract. The plan is to sell some of the carbon units, either to the government under WCaG or on the open market, and to use other units to offset the emissions from group activities.

    Woodland management for the benefit of the business

    The owners are conscious of the impact of agriculture on the environment and take pride in their farm – feeling responsible to create a balanced landscape that can enhance biodiversity and their business, while providing amenity. They have always recognised the importance of woodland in the landscape and understood the opportunities that come with active management – and although secondary to improving wildlife and biodiversity, the woodlands must meet commercial objectives.

    A range of edge species (typically shrubs or coppice species) have been planted around most of the woodland blocks forming a graduated edge to the internal species, some of which will be managed for long-term timber production.

    Traditional silvicultural management (the process of tending, harvesting, and regenerating) will produce firewood, coppice products and subsequently a timber yield. The timber will be milled and used internally or sold to local markets. Any firewood produced has a ready-made market in Heathpatch – destined for homes and hospitality venues nearby. An evolving local market for added-value coppice products is providing more opportunities to make this woodland work for the farm business and for the wider environment.

    Top tips

    1. Don’t plant woodland if you are not prepared to manage it.
    2. Consider natural regeneration if you have the patience.
    3. Rides can never be too wide and remember to leave ample space around ponds and other woodland features.
    4. Volunteers can be highly effective: we have discovered that many people in our community like to spend time helping in the woods and are keen to get stuck in; volunteer numbers are growing.

    Further information

    See the brochure version of this case study: Heathpatch Farm brochure (PDF, 8.42 MB, 4 pages).

    For guidance on woodland creation and information on grants and available support, visit: Tree planting and woodland creation: overview.

    Find out how other farmers and landowners are benefitting from woodland creation, visit: Tree planting and woodland creation case studies.

    Updates to this page

    Published 7 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Police Staff Week of Celebration and Recognition 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government Non-Ministerial Departments 2

    News story

    Police Staff Week of Celebration and Recognition 2025

    Created by the NPCC, Police Staff Week of Celebration and Recognition aims to highlight the vital contribution staff make to policing.

    Police Staff Week of Celebration and Recognition.

    This year, we took the opportunity to speak to a number of staff to gain an insight into their roles and personal achievements.  

    Vicki talked us through her role as Learning and Development (L&D) Business Partner.

    “As Learning and Development Business Partner, my role is to provide advice and guidance to the business on all aspects of learning and development, mainly in the areas of Leadership Development. I have responsibility for the senior leadership development programmes both within Force and via our partner agencies. I also hold the portfolio for our Digital Delivery, which includes all our eLearning packages, learning webinars and online learning content.

    “I’ve been with the Civil Nuclear Constabulary (CNC) almost eight years, starting off in Police Officer Recruitment which gave me a great grounding into the life of our new officers. I transitioned into L&D five years ago having specialised in instructional design and training as part of my long career within Human Resources.

    “No two days are the same in this role, and I love the challenge that new projects, training delivery and online content bring. I’ve been involved in many new initiatives in the corporate training arena during my time here and have recently qualified as a Level 5 CMI Coaching Practitioner. This supports the work I do as well as giving me a good insight into the lives of my coachees and their challenges. The rewarding part of my job is supporting the wider organisation and enabling those on the front line to be their best and encouraging those who may not think they have the opportunity to develop to do just that!”

    Caitlin shared some of her experiences as Inspections Manager.

    “I joined in October 2022 as the Inspections Manager. Prior to this I was a secondary school teacher for 12 years, teaching History and English – first in Australia, then in Scotland. I have spent the past two years undertaking significant study to gain my Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) qualification, and have been working with the Inspections and Assurance team to carry out our annual inspections plan which has included reviewing the Corporate Induction and the annual Operational Inspection.

    “The aspect of the role I enjoy the most is getting to learn more about the way the organisation works – especially when visiting the various Operational Policing Units (OPUs). I like to believe that the work we do can create positive change as well, no matter how small.

    “Some of the highlights of my career have been some of the work I’ve been able to do outside my role with the CNC, including working with the Violence against women and girls (VAWG) team to introduce a range of initiatives. The one I am proudest of is establishing the CNC’s Domestic Abuse Contacts network so we can better support people in our organisation who are experiencing domestic abuse.”

    Kay spoke about her role as Vetting Officer.

    “After serving 31 years as an officer, I retired in 2021. I became Police staff as an intelligence officer in the South East Regional organised crime unit (SEROCU) for two years before returning to the online child abuse team within Thames Valley Police, where my role was to identify victims of online abuse.

    “I started working with CNC as a vetting officer six months ago as for my own mental health, I needed to move away from the subject matter which I had specialised in for much of my career. Police vetting was very much in the spotlight on a National basis which I found interesting.

    “Vetting is evolving and I am constantly learning. Since the day I joined, everyone in my team has been supportive and helpful – answering every question I have (and there have been many!). It is a great team to work with.

    “Surrounding yourself with good people is key to staying resilient and motivated when facing tough times. I have been very fortunate in my career to work with fantastic teams and that has continued with the CNC.”

    Speaking about the importance of Police Staff Week of Celebration and Recognition, Chief Constable Simon Chesterman said: “Police staff are an essential part of the team, performing vital roles, and we could not function without them.

    “It is great to see that there is now a Police Staff Week of Celebration and Recognition, dedicated to highlighting and acknowledging the incredible and valuable work our police staff colleagues carry out.

    “Understandably in an armed police force, the emphasis is often on the front-line, however, we should use this week to pause and reflect on the fact that without police staff, we would not have a front-line. Officers would not be recruited, trained, paid, equipped, deployed, and their wellbeing looked after without the police staff element of the overall CNC team.

    “So, to all our police staff colleagues – thank you for your outstanding contribution to our mission and to our success as an organisation”.

    Learn more about life in the CNC as a member of police staff and browse our current opportunities on our jobs website.

    Updates to this page

    Published 7 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Unique developments for the oil industry: RosGeoTech approved by the PIS Council

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

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

    On March 6-7, 2025, a meeting of the Council for the consideration of issues and coordination of activities of advanced engineering schools was held, in which, together with other 20 teams, the team of the PIS “RosGeoTech” took part, headed by the rector of the Grozny State Oil Technological University named after Academician M.D. Millionshchikov Magomed Mintsaev and the rector of the State University of Management Vladimir Stroev.

    Over the course of two days, participants in the second wave of selection for the Advanced Engineering Schools project shared the results achieved in 2024. Following the meeting and assessment of the work done, the Council, co-chaired by the Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation Valery Falkov and the head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Russia Anton Alikhanov, will compile a rating of engineering schools and determine the amount of state support within the framework of the project for 2025.

    The head of the Ministry of Education and Science recalled that universities face two key tasks: – to propose changes in engineering education, focusing on improving its quality; – to attract an industrial partner who will put forward a request for the training of highly qualified personnel and the transformation of education, and will also involve teachers and students in solving real engineering problems aimed at ensuring technological leadership.

    The advanced engineering school “RosGeoTech” is called upon to become a recognized industry center of competence in technologies for the cost-effective exploitation of oil fields and wells at the final stage of development by building a first-class ecosystem for training engineers, as well as to create a new promising market based on the integrated use of geothermal fields and oil fields at the final stage of development.

    In 2024/2025, 52 students are studying at the RosGeoTech PIS (20 undergraduate, 10 master’s, 22 specialist). Six new educational programs have been developed. The number of graduates in additional professional education programs is 80 people.

    “Graduates of the RosGeoTech PIS of the M.D. Millionshchikov GGNTU have unique industry competencies and skills that are formed thanks to advanced teaching methods, practical knowledge obtained from leading specialists of industrial partners during the implementation of educational programs, practical training and internships in the leading oil companies of the country and the implementation of the final qualifying work as a scientific project for the needs of industrial partners. Graduates of the RosGeoTech PIS will have a qualification commensurate with a year of work experience at the enterprise,” said Magomed Mintsaev, Rector of the M.D. Millionshchikov GGNTU.

    The ABRIS (Autonomous unmanned and robotic innovative systems in oil and gas, energy and construction engineering, as well as in ensuring the safety of facilities in various industries) and GeoMap (Formation of an interactive map of Russia’s geothermal resources) projects are being implemented directly on the basis of the State University of Management.

    “ABRIS is one of the projects that SUM scientists are implementing in the field of artificial intelligence. The project involves creating unmanned systems for monitoring oil and gas facilities and geophysical surveys, as well as an autonomous drone port for servicing UAVs. These developments can be applied in other areas. Other major SUM projects in the field of artificial intelligence include the creation of software and hardware systems and intelligent platform digital solutions in the field of developing agro-industrial technologies of the full life cycle, or, in simpler terms, the “Digital Village”. Cooperation with GGNTU named after M.D. Millionshchikov is of utmost importance for us, because in addition to implementing scientific projects, we are opening new higher education programs and continuing professional education programs for the oil and gas industry, which contribute to the strategic goal of Russia’s development – achieving technological leadership,” said SUM Rector Vladimir Stroyev.

    The key partners of the RosGeoTech Scientific and Educational Institute were PJSC NK Rosneft, JSC Grozneftegaz, JSC Chechenneftekhimprom and others.

    The volume of attracted funding amounted to 120.4 million rubles in the form of a federal subsidy, 221 million rubles as extra-budgetary funding for the school’s activities, and 63.78 million rubles for R&D in the interests of business.

    Today, there are 50 advanced engineering schools in the country, involving more than 250 high-tech companies, including Rostec, Rosatom, Roscosmos, Sibur, Gazprom Neft, KAMAZ, Tatneft and others. Another 30 schools will present the results of their activities for 2024 in April.

    On the instructions of Russian President Vladimir Putin, the project will be scaled up and 100 advanced engineering schools will be created by 2030.

    Subscribe to the TG channel “Our GUU” Date of publication: 03/07/2025

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI: Enstar Subsidiary Assigned “A” Financial Strength Rating by AM Best

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    HAMILTON, Bermuda, March 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Enstar Group Limited (NASDAQ: ESGR) announced today that the credit rating agency AM Best has assigned a Financial Strength Rating of “A” (Excellent) and a Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating (Long-Term ICR) of “a+” (Excellent) to Cavello Bay Reinsurance Limited (Cavello Bay), a subsidiary of Enstar Group Limited (Enstar) and its primary non-life run-off consolidator and a Class 3B reinsurer. The outlook assigned to these Credit Ratings is stable.

    On issuing its rating, AM Best highlighted Enstar’s “long track record of effectively managing claims in complicated lines of business”, noting that the ratings reflect Enstar’s balance sheet strength, as well as its strong operating performance, which it believes should remain at the current level throughout the remainder of 2025.

    Matt Kirk, Enstar’s Group Chief Financial Officer, said, “The AM Best Financial Strength Rating reflects Enstar’s established standing in the global legacy market and is further confirmation of our strong capital position and the resilience of our business model. The “A” rating for Cavello Bay, our primary Bermuda reinsurer, affirms our commitment to insurance ratings and will enhance our ability to structure insurance transactions that support the strategic objectives of our partners.”

    About Enstar

    Enstar is a NASDAQ-listed leading global insurance group that offers innovative capital release solutions through its network of group companies in Bermuda, the United States, the United Kingdom, Continental Europe, Australia, and other international locations. A market leader in completing legacy acquisitions, Enstar has acquired more than 120 companies and portfolios since its formation in 2001. For further information about Enstar, see www.enstargroup.com.

    Cautionary Statement

    This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements include statements regarding the intent, belief or current expectations of Enstar and its management team. Investors can identify these statements by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. They use words such as ‘aim’, ‘anticipate’, ‘estimate’, ‘expect’, ‘intend’, ‘will’, ‘project’, ‘plan’, ‘believe’, ‘target’ and other words and terms of similar meaning in connection with any discussion of future events or performance. Investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties, and that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors. Specifically, Enstar’s ability to structure and execute insurance transactions profitably is dependent on many factors. Important risk factors regarding Enstar can be found under the heading “Risk Factors” in our Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024 and are incorporated herein by reference. Furthermore, Enstar undertakes no obligation to update any written or oral forward-looking statements or publicly announce any updates or revisions to any of the forward-looking statements contained herein, to reflect any change in its expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions, circumstances or assumptions underlying such statements, except as required by law.

    Contact:

    For Enstar:
    For Investors: Matthew Kirk (investor.relations@enstargroup.com)
    For Media: Jenna Kerr (communications@enstargroup.com)

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: EU-Ukraine Business Summit 2025

    Source: European Union 2

    Our mission statement

    Our mission is twofold: we aim to bring politics and business together in order to provide them with an opportunity to debate and pursue their common goals, giving a voice to all sides of the debate. The other priority of EBS is to provide European institutions with a platform where they can place their top priorities in the spotlight and advance the development of new pieces of legislation through discussion with a variety of actors and stakeholders.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI: ETH staking simplified: Simply Staking presents Ethereum staking dashboard

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    VALLETTA, Malta, March 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Simply Staking’s new Ethereum staking program makes ETH staking easier than ever. Users can stake without holding 32 ETH, thanks to a user-friendly dashboard, secure Tier 3 data centers, and seamless wallet integration – removing barriers for both beginners and experienced crypto holders.

    In the fast-paced blockchain world, running a validator or node is costly and complex – especially for ETH staking. Simply Staking’s dashboard tackles this challenge, making staking simple and accessible, helping decentralize Ethereum through broader participation from both new and experienced users.

    ETH staking as simple as it gets

    The trusted crypto staking provider Simply Staking manages nearly $1 billion in staked assets across networks like Polkadot and Cosmos. Known for reliable validator operations, it now brings that expertise to ETH staking, strengthening its commitment to a secure, inclusive blockchain ecosystem across multiple protocols.

    The new ETH Staking dashboard streamlines onboarding and ensures top security through advanced data centers. By joining the staking pool, you earn rewards while supporting Ethereum 2.0’s scalability. Simply Staking welcomes all users, regardless of holdings, encouraging broader participation and driving the ongoing growth of the crypto economy.

    Key highlights

    1. Effortless staking: Simply Staking lets you stake ETH in a few steps – no specialized software needed, making crypto staking accessible to everyone.
    2. No 32 ETH requirement: Traditional staking needs 32 ETH to validate. Pooled staking lets users combine funds, enabling smaller holders to stake Ethereum and earn rewards together.
    3. Competitive reward rate: Through StakeWise, participants enjoy attractive staking rewards, appealing to both large investors and everyday enthusiasts.
    4. Unmatched security: Simply Staking operates Tier 3 data centers with 99.9% uptime, ensuring nodes stay secure and always online.
    5. Seamless ETH staking with direct wallet integration: Connect your crypto wallet directly to the dashboard – no extra logins or exchanges needed, reducing security risks and simplifying staking.

    Why stake Ethereum with Simply Staking?

    Staking needs reliable infrastructure and trusted partners. Simply Staking ensures strong performance across blockchains, backed by advanced data centers for secure Ethereum staking.

    Simply Staking supports Ethereum 2.0’s consensus, helping secure and decentralize the network. With deep experience in large-scale crypto operations, we built a resilient system to balance workloads efficiently. Users enjoy reliable, high-performance staking across Ethereum, Polkadot, Cosmos, and more.

    How the ETH staking dashboard works

    1. Visit the Platform: Navigate to the staking Dashboard on stake.simplystaking.com/eth to begin. The site is user-friendly, with key functions clearly accessible.
    2. Connect Your Wallet: The dashboard seamlessly integrates with your preferred crypto wallet, removing the need for third-party websites or bridge services. You stay in control of your private keys throughout the process.
    3. Select Your Amount of ETH you want to stake: Since the platform no longer requires 32 ETH, you’re free to stake ethereum with the amount of ETH that meets your goals – whether it’s a modest portion of your holdings or a larger investment.
    4. Confirm and Stake ETH: A few clicks finalize your participation. You start to earn rewards at a competitive reward rate almost immediately, with real-time updates available on staked balances and yields.
    5. Start earning rewards and participate in staking Ethereum

    This five-step process ensures simplicity for newcomers while offering experienced stakers strong security and clear metrics – all in one place. Easily track your ETH holdings and see exactly how much is staked at any time.

    Supporting Ethereum’s growth

    Ethereum staking strengthens the network by validating transactions, enhancing scalability, and supporting decentralization. As the second-largest blockchain, Ethereum powers countless decentralized applications, making it essential to the broader crypto ecosystem and ensuring its long-term security and resilience.

    Historically, staking was often dominated by large holders or centralized platforms. Simply Staking changes this with a user-friendly, decentralized model. It offers easy onboarding while preserving asset custody, supporting Ethereum’s vision of an open, accessible network driven by diverse, active participants.

    Start staking ETH today

    Experience the future of ETH staking with Simply Staking. By removing historical barriers, delivering an appealing token reward rate, and prioritizing security through Tier 3 infrastructure, the company reimagines stake opportunities in the digital asset world.

    This user-first design positions Simply Staking at the cutting edge of staking innovation, where trust and ease of use are paramount. Every aspect of the platform – from the polished interface to robust security protocols – reflects a commitment to providing the best possible staking environment. Crucially, participants are no longer compelled to need 32 ETH to contribute to the network’s evolution, aligning with Ethereum’s wider push for accessibility.

    Ultimately, the platform’s mission is to ensure that anyone who wants to stake can do so securely, transparently, and profitably. As the ethereum 2.0 upgrade continues, more opportunities will arise for validators, and Simply Staking aims to remain an industry leader in facilitating these possibilities. For media inquiries or further details, visit stake.simplystaking.com/eth or simplystaking.com.

    From veteran traders to newcomers, the platform stands as a testament to how thoughtful infrastructure and user-focused design can redefine digital asset engagement. Its proven reliability, commitment to decentralization, and active role in multiple blockchains make Simply Staking an ideal staking service provider for anyone looking to stake eth, expand their crypto portfolio, or simply explore the evolving potential of Ethereum’s consensus mechanism.

    About Simply Staking:

    Simply Staking is a globally recognized leader in blockchain infrastructure provision and development, dedicated to the advancement and security of decentralized technologies. Founded in 2013 it focused on Proof of Work and Proof of Stake technologies. Over the years, it became one of the key contributors within the blockchain ecosystem since the genesis validator role in the Cosmos Hub in 2019. Their services span across validating, node operations, blockchain development, infra-monitoring tool creation, and data infrastructure management, catering to a wide array of networks and ecosystems.

    Contact:
    Lewis Clifford,
    Head Of Marketing
    marketing@simplystaking.com

    Disclaimer: This press release is provided by Simply Staking. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform or its publisher. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or trading advice. Investing in crypto and mining related opportunities involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. However, due to the inherently speculative nature of the blockchain sector–including cryptocurrency, NFTs, and mining–complete accuracy cannot always be guaranteed. Neither the media platform nor the publisher shall be held responsible for any fraudulent activities, misrepresentations, or financial losses arising from the content of this press release.

    Legal Disclaimer: This media platform provides the content of this article on an “as-is” basis, without any warranties or representations of any kind, express or implied. We do not assume any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information presented herein. Any concerns, complaints, or copyright issues related to this article should be directed to the author mentioned above.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/fa9c99b7-e92f-465c-a167-995ee1528c4d

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Lassa fever contact tracing underway

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    News story

    Lassa fever contact tracing underway

    UKHSA is tracing contacts of a person who travelled to England with Lassa fever and has since returned to Nigeria, with overall public risk remaining very low.

    The UK Health Security Agency has been informed under the International Health Regulations that an individual travelled to England from Nigeria while they were unwell with Lassa fever at the end of February. The individual returned to Nigeria where they were diagnosed.

    We are now working to identify people who were in contact with the affected individual while they were in the country.

    Lassa fever does not spread easily between people and the overall risk to the public is very low. If you have not been contacted by UKHSA then you are very unlikely to have had any exposure to Lassa fever and do not need to take action.

    Lassa fever causes acute infections which can range from very mild symptoms through to a severe viral haemorrhagic fever. People usually become infected with Lassa virus through exposure to food or household items contaminated with urine or faeces of infected rats – present in some West African countries where the disease is endemic. The virus can also be spread between people through contact with infectious bodily fluids.

    Dr Meera Chand, Deputy Director at the UK Health Security Agency, said:

    Our Health Protection Teams are working at pace to get in touch with people who were in contact with this individual while they were in England, to ensure they seek appropriate medical care and testing should they develop any symptoms. The infection does not spread easily between people, and the overall risk to the UK population is very low.

    Updates to this page

    Published 7 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Japan-UK Economic 2+2

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    News story

    Japan-UK Economic 2+2

    The UK and Japanese governments have met for the Economic 2+2 Ministers’ Meeting

    On March 7, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. for approximately 2 hours, the Japan-UK Economic 2+2 Ministers’ Meeting (“Economic 2+2”) was held. The meeting was attended by Mr. IWAYA Takeshi, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, Mr. MUTO Yoji, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan, the Rt. Hon. David Lammy MP, Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the Rt. Hon. Jonathan Reynolds MP, Secretary of State for Business and Trade of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The overview of the meeting is as follows.

    At the outset, Minister Iwaya stated that it was his pleasure to host the first Japan-UK Economic 2+2 Ministers’ Meeting in Tokyo, the establishment of which was announced by the leaders of Japan and the UK to promote dialogue on how trade and economic security converges with foreign policy; and hoped that today’s meeting would be an opportunity for both countries, as each other’s closest security partners in Europe and Asia, to strengthen their economic ties, building on the strong foundations of the Japan-UK Global Strategic Partnership articulated by the Hiroshima Accord.

    Minister Muto stated that he welcomed holding the Japan-UK Economic 2+2 Ministers’ Meeting and expressed his expectations for enhanced cooperation in areas such as economic security, energy, and innovation between Japan and the UK, which share fundamental values and continue to build a strong relationship.

    Foreign Secretary Lammy thanked Japan for hosting this inaugural meeting and underscored the importance of the dialogue in addressing the increasing convergence between economic and foreign policy issues and the significance of UK-Japan collaboration to forge a path in an increasingly volatile world.

    Minister Reynolds stated national security and economic growth are mutually reinforcing, and that he looked forward to using the discussion to explore areas of cooperation where the UK and Japan can jointly mitigate global risks to economic growth and trade.

    The global economic order now faces significant challenges. With shared fundamental values including freedom, democracy, and rule of law, the four Ministers from Japan and the UK committed to work to uphold these values by sustaining and strengthening a free, fair, and rules-based global economic order, and discussed issues on Economic Security, Free and Open International Trade, Energy Security, Global South as follows.

    Economic Security

    The four Ministers concurred that, given challenges in global trade, enhancing economic resilience internationally is an important contributor to sustainable and stable global growth.

    The four Ministers affirmed that coordination between partners and like-minded countries is essential to bolster economic resilience. Ministers also confirmed that the relationship between Japan and the UK is increasingly important and expressed their joint ambition to strengthen cooperation on economic resilience and economic security, including sharing analysis and insights, enhancing supply chain resilience and cooperation on critical and emerging technology issues.

    The four Ministers instructed officials to have meetings to take forward discussions to address the economic security challenges facing Japan and the UK, including enhancing supply-chain resilience, developing a fair market, and other relevant issues – with a view to enhancing their economic security partnership.

    The four Ministers concurred that this would support the industrial strategy partnership as discussed in the Strategic Economic Policy and Trade Dialogue.

     The four Ministers expressed concern over economic coercion, non-market policies and practices including harmful industrial subsidies, market-distorting practices of state-owned enterprises, as well as forced technology transfer, and harmful non-market overcapacity and other market distortions resulting from the non-market policies and practices.

     The four Ministers also reconfirmed the importance of cooperating with like-minded countries to build resilient and reliable supply-chains, including those for critical minerals that are essential for net-zero transition and digitalisation.

     In this regard, the four Ministers concurred to explore criteria that take into account not only economic factors, but also factors linked to the Principles on Resilient and Reliable Supply Chains, comprising of transparency, diversification, security, sustainability, and trustworthiness and reliability.

     Furthermore, the four Ministers concurred on continuing discussions to strengthen the coordination of their respective policies to further promote and protect critical and emerging technologies, recognising the importance of strategic public-private partnership, information exchange on economic security and the value of our two countries’ like-mindedness. The four Ministers concurred on deepening cooperation on export controls and research security to further facilitate the exchange of controlled goods and technologies between the two countries.

     The four Ministers welcomed the signing of Memorandums of Understanding between Japanese and UK industry partners that will facilitate joint Japan-UK supply chains and collaboration in the development of next-generation quantum computing.

     The four Ministers concurred on further strengthening effective export controls on materials, technology, and research that could be used for military purposes in a way that keeps pace with rapid technological developments.

     The four Ministers expressed their desire to see a just and lasting peace in Ukraine which ensures its future sovereignty and security. The four Minister reaffirmed their continued support to Ukraine in pursuit of peace through strength, in line with Ukraine’s needs. The four Ministers expressed their resolve to continue our comprehensive sanctions and economic measures to restrict as far as possible the revenues, goods, and technology Russia uses to fund and conduct its illegal war of aggression against Ukraine.

     To that end, the four Ministers concurred to continue action against Russia and countries supporting the Russian military complex through technical discussions to prevent diversion of key critical, specialist and emerging technologies. They reiterated their concern for China’s increasing support to Russia and Russia’s defense industrial base, which is decisively enabling Russia to maintain its illegal war in Ukraine.

    Free and Open International Trade

     The four Ministers reaffirmed the importance of the rules-based multilateral trading system with the WTO at its core as an important structure that affords legal stability and predictability for businesses, and concurred on moving towards strengthening all of the WTO’s functions, including negotiation, monitoring, deliberation and dispute settlement, as it marks the 30th anniversary of its establishment with an eye to the outcome of the 14th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC14) scheduled for next March.

     The four Ministers recognised the role played by plurilateral discussions and negotiations within the WTO in advancing issues of interest and called for the early incorporation of the Investment Facilitation for Development Agreement and the Agreement on Electronic Commerce into the WTO’s legal framework.

     The four Ministers also confirmed that they will work closely together in WTO discussions, including addressing contemporary trade-related issues such as non-market policies and practices, as well as climate change.

     The four Ministers emphasised the importance of developing robust international rules and norms and effectively utilising existing tools to ensure a global level playing field.

     In addition, the Japanese Ministers welcomed the UK’s accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) last December, and the four Ministers recognised that the CPTPP is an important pillar in promoting a free and fair rules-based economic order in the Indo-Pacific region.

     The Ministers confirmed that they would continue to work closely together with other parties to ensure CPTPP remains a modern, high-standards agreement.

    Energy Security

     The four Ministers discussed energy security risks and opportunities for Japan-UK collaboration to support further development of clean energy supply-chains.

     Ministers welcomed the signing of the Memoranda of Cooperation on offshore wind cooperation among governments, organisations, companies and on cooperation in advanced robotics and autonomous systems, and welcomed the  civil-nuclear collaboration between companies and research institutions of both countries, including on advanced nuclear technologies, fusion energy, and  nuclear decommissioning.

     They reaffirmed that they would continue promoting energy cooperation between Japan and the UK to deliver energy security for their citizens.

     Furthermore, they acknowledged their collaboration in the clean energy sector and emphasised the importance of creating Japan-UK collaborative projects to accelerate the clean energy transition in third countries and to strengthen coordination in pursuit of this.  

     The four Ministers also reaffirmed their shared commitment to keeping a limit of 1.5C temperature rise within reach and achieving net zero by 2050.

     They confirmed the need to reduce reliance on energy supply from unreliable and hostile actors.

     All four Ministers concurred that Russia’s illegal, unjustifiable and unprovoked full-scale invasion of Ukraine threatens the security of the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific, which is inseparable.

    Engagement with Global South

     The four Ministers shared the recognition that it is important to further enhance cooperation with Global South countries to maintain and strengthen a rule-based international economic order and affirmed that they would engage with the Global South towards sustainable development and trade mechanisms that support economic development and poverty reduction.

     They noted the importance of the WTO 14th Ministerial Conference, which will be held in Cameroon – in supporting this.

    The four Ministers reaffirmed the need for Japan and the UK to remain advocates of a free, open, and rules-based international economic order in the face of growing risks of global economic fragmentation and concurred on continuing their bilateral cooperation in areas such as the economic policies of both countries and economic security, while deepening discussions and cooperation with like-minded countries in related fields.

    Updates to this page

    Published 7 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: AFRICA/TANZANIA – Erection of the diocese of Bagamoyo, Tanzania, and appointment of first bishop

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Friday, 7 March 2025

    Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – The Holy Father has erected the new diocese of Bagamoyo, Tanzania, with territory taken from the metropolitan archdiocese of Dar-es-Salaam and the diocese of Morogoro, making it a suffragan of the metropolitan see of Dar-es-Salaam.The Holy Father has appointed Bishop Stephano Lameck Musomba, O.S.A., until now titular bishop of Perdices and auxiliary of Dar-es-Salaam, as first bishop of the newly-erected diocese.Bishop Stephano Lameck Musomba, O.S.A., was born on 25 September 1969 in the village of Malonji, metropolitan archdiocese of Mbeya. He studied philosophy and theology at the Jordan University of Morogoro and was awarded a licentiate in patrology from the Augustinianum Patristic Institute in Rome.He entered the Order of Saint Augustine and received priestly ordination on 24 July 2003.He has held the following offices: parish assistant (2003-2004 and 2014-2016) and parish priest (2018-2021) of Immaculate Conception in Mavurunza in Dar-es-Salaam; formator in the House of Formation of the Order in Morogoro (2008-2009 and 2016-2018); lecturer in the Faculty of Theology of Jordan University in Morogoro (2008-2009); parish priest of Saint Augustine in Ternboni in Dar-es-Salaam (2009-2014); and prior of the Community of Saint Monica (2018-2021).He was appointed titular bishop of Perdices and auxiliary of Dar-es-Salaam on 7 July 2021, and received episcopal consecration the following 21 September.The Diocese of Bagamoyo [nom. lat. Bagamoyensis] was dismembered from the Archdiocese of Dar-es-Salaam and the Diocese of Morogoro and made suffragan of the Metropolitan See of Dar-es-Salaam. The See of the Diocese is in the city of Bagamoyo. The Cathedral church of the new ecclesiastical circumscription will be the church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, in Bagamoyo. (Agenzia Fides, 7/3/2025)

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  • MIL-OSI Europe: AFRICA/NIGERIA – The murder of Father Okechukwu is only the latest act in a chain of crimes arising from the insecurity that threatens all citizens

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Abuja (Agenzia Fides) – “This is not only an attack on the Church, but above all a direct affront to the values of justice, peace and human dignity.” This is how Julius Yakubu Kundi, Bishop of Kafanchan, described the murder of Father Sylvester Okechukwu, kidnapped and killed in the state of Kaduna, in northwestern Nigeria (see Fides, 6/3/2025).In a statement entitled “Righteous indignation at the horrible murder of my son,” Bishop Kundi said: “With deep sorrow and righteous indignation, I condemn in the strongest terms the incessant and tragic wave of kidnappings that have targeted priests, pastoral workers and the faithful. The diocese is gripped by anguish and the land is filled with rage. How long will our pastors and brothers be hunted like prey? Until when will our places of worship become a source of fear rather than sanctuaries of hope? The Bishop of Kafanchan also recalls that the murder of Father Okechukwu is not an isolated event. “This is not a unique tragedy. We remember with pain the murder of catechist Raymond Ya’u on 21 July 2021 in Matyei, Father Johnmark Cheitnum, kidnapped and killed on 14 July 2022 in Yadin Garu, Council of Lere (see Fides, 20/7/2022), the 25-year-old seminarian Naaman Stephen Ngofe, killed in Fadan Kamantan, Council of Zangon Kataf, on 7 September 2023, and catechist Istifanus Katunku, kidnapped on 4 July 2024 in Kagal, Council of Zangon Kataf, whose fate remains unknown. These atrocities increase our pain and strengthen our call for justice.” Finally, Bishop Kundi highlights how several local communities in his diocese are living in anguish over the continued kidnappings of citizens by criminal gangs that remain unpunished.Father Sylvester Okechukwu, 44, had been captured by gunmen who attacked the rectory of St. Mary Tachira Church, where he was parish priest, late in the evening of March 4. On the morning of March 5, a team of security forces conducting a search operation found the body of Father Okechukwu with clear signs of violence. The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the 19 northern states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), which brings together the various Christian churches and communities in Nigeria, has also expressed its condolences on the death of Father Okechukwu in a statement issued today, March 7. “Northern CAN expresses its deepest condolences to the Catholic Archdiocese of Kaduna, the Diocese of Kafanchan, the family of Father Okechukwu and the Christian faithful who have been plunged into mourning by this painful act during this period of Lent,” the statement reads. “This heinous crime highlights once again the alarming insecurity prevailing in our nation, especially in Northern Nigeria, where innocent citizens, including members of the clergy, are repeatedly attacked, kidnapped and killed with impunity. The incessant attacks by criminal elements against the Church and society at large must not be allowed to continue unchecked.” (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 7/3/2025)
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  • MIL-OSI Europe: AFRICA/KENYA – Bishop of Nakuru: “We do not know where the huge sum of money donated to churches by politicians comes from and we should be worried”

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Nairobi (Agenzia Fides) – “Let the church not be seen as a beneficiary while schools have no books, hospitals have no medicine and doctors and teachers have no pay,” said the Bishop of Nakuru, Cleophas Oseso, in his homily for Ash Wednesday, referring to donations made by politicians to the various Churches in Kenya. “We do not know where the huge sum of money donated to churches by politicians comes from and we should be worried,” warned the Bishop of Nakuru. Recalling the teaching of the Gospel (“When you donate with your right hand, your left hand should not know the amount donated,” Mt. 6:3), Bishop Oseso urged politicians to stop announcing or making public the amounts donated to the various Churches. “Let donations be done in secret to ensure the same is genuine and not a form for campaign or show-off.” The Bishop of Nakuru’s comments came at a time when Kenya is going through a deep economic crisis. Just today, March 7, the Association of Private Hospitals ordered the suspension of services at its affiliated facilities in protest against the lack of reimbursement by the State. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 7/3/2025)
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  • MIL-OSI Europe: AMERICA/ARGENTINA – The Diocese of La Rioja and the Lenten Season: “authentic conversion for the renewal of our lives and that of our communities”

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Friday, 7 March 2025

    SS

    La Rioja (Agenzia Fides) – “We begin the season of Lent in the midst of a Jubilee Year and seeking to implement the conclusions of the Synod on Synodality in the Church” is what Dante Braida, Bishop of La Rioja, has declared, inviting the entire population to live this time as “an authentic conversion for the renewal of our lives and that of our communities. With Lent we begin the pastoral year in the context of deepening the synodal dimension of the Church in an atmosphere permeated by the Jubilee year”.“In this Lent – the prelate continues in the message sent to the diocese – God asks us to check whether in our lives, in our families, in the places where we work, in parish or religious communities, we are capable of walking with others, of listening, of overcoming the temptation to close ourselves in our self-referentiality, taking care only of our needs. Let us ask ourselves before the Lord if we are capable of working together as bishops, priests, consecrated persons and lay people, at the service of the Kingdom of God; if we have an attitude of welcome, with concrete gestures, towards the people who come to us and to those who are far away; if we make people feel part of the community or if we marginalize them.”“Let us walk this path together,” the bishop insists, in line with Pope Francis’ message for this liturgical time. “Christians are called to walk the path together, never as solitary travelers. The Holy Spirit impels us to go out of ourselves to go toward God and toward our brothers and sisters.”“To receive the grace and joy that the Risen One wants to give us in abundance, we need to live this time guided by the Holy Spirit toward a profound conversion. Enlightened by the Gospel texts of each day and by the teachings of Pope Francis in his message ‘Let us walk together in Hope,’ let us live the Lenten season with hope. At the same time, let us walk together in the mission that the Lord entrusts to each of us and may the present be a fruitful pastoral year.”Bishop Braida also recalls that this year the diocese is preparing for the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the martyrdom at the hands of the military dictatorship, after the coup of March 24, 1976, of the bishop of La Rioja Enrique Angelelli, the Conventual Franciscan Carlos de Dios Murias, who was later ordained a priest by Angelelli himself, the French missionary priest Gabriel Longueville in La Rioja and the catechist Wenceslao Pedernera. “It will be an opportunity to delve deeper into the testimony of their lives and the teachings of Bishop Enrique, in particular those that speak to us of the different aspects of the synodal Church.”“The Jubilee year, whose motto is ‘Pilgrims of Hope’, invites us to fix our gaze on Jesus, the cause of a hope that does not disappoint, and to live a process of personal and community conversion that leads us to be messengers of hope at all times and places,” concludes the prelate. (AP) (Agenzia Fides, 7/3/2025)
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  • MIL-OSI Europe: ASIA/CHINA – Chinese Catholics pray for the recovery of Pope Francis

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Shanghai (Agenzia Fides) – Chinese Catholics are living the Lenten period of the Jubilee Year with spiritual meditations that also consider the frailties linked to old age and illness in the light of Christian hope, finding consolation also in the testimony that Pope Francis is giving in these days. According to reports on the Church information website “xinde.org” and the websites of several Chinese dioceses, the prayer for the sick Pope is linked to the Jubilee Lenten formation courses focused on hope.In the spiritual meditations led by the priests of the Diocese of Suzhou, one of the themes of community reflection referred to the condition of Pope Francis and how praying for his health is a way of caring for and praying for the sick elderly. All the priests of the diocese participated in the Lenten retreat led by Fr. John Baptist Zhang, founder of xinde.org, which revolved around the central theme of “Taking refuge in the desert to meet the Lord.” At the end of February, the priests, together with Bishop Joseph Xu Honggeng, experienced a four-day period of Eucharistic adoration, reflecting on the experience of suffering in the light of the Eucharistic sacrifice.For the elderly of the Hongkou Parish (Shanghai Diocese), dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Lenten retreat was about accompanying the elderly in old age. Fr. Niu Suqing noted, “Old age is not a sunset, but longevity is a blessing from God. Deep faith helps us to embrace old age, suffering and even illness, and to carry this cross with a Christian attitude, considering its value.” The priest specifically referred to the way St. John Paul II experienced suffering and how Pope Francis experiences it now. At the same time, the parish recognized the preciousness of the elderly parishioners as witnesses of faith and hope and expressed the desire to promote initiatives to support and comfort the elderly. (NZ) (Agenzia Fides, 7/3/2025)
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  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: £3.288m earmarked for Derby to boost economic growth

    Source: City of Derby

    Cabinet members will be asked to accept £3.288m of Government funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) at the next Cabinet meeting on Wednesday 12 March.

    The grant funding will cover the 2025/26 financial year and will be allocated through the East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA). Cabinet members will also be asked to accept £0.3m of grant funding for 2025/26 from EMCCA to support inward investment and enter into a grant agreement with Marketing Derby to deliver outcomes. 

    The previous UKSPF programme provided £2.6 billion of funding across the UK from 2022 to 2025. The funding sought to improve pride and increased life chances across the UK by investing in three key service areas: Communities and Place, Supporting Local Businesses, and People and Skills. The current government has now extended the UKSPF for an additional year, allocating a further £902m of national funding for the 2025/26 financial year as part of a transitional agreement. 

    This year’s UKSPF allocation for Derby is not dissimilar to previous years due to a relocation of funding based on levels of deprivation, ensuring that Derby has received a strong outcome to help address the additional pressures this brings. The funding will continue to be used to support various areas such as working towards healthy, safe and inclusive communities, thriving places, support for businesses, employability and skills. 

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

    The UK Shared Prosperity Fund has been a vital source of grant funding in Derby for many years and has allowed us to continue our vital work across three important agendas. Receiving this transitional funding is a bonus, and Derby has received a fair allocation that reflects the needs of our city. 

    The extension of the UKSPF for the financial year 2025/26 will allow us to continue investing in businesses, communities, and skills at a time where support for Derby’s economy and communities is crucial. With future funding reforms on the horizon and budget pressures, we will continue to work hard to deliver real benefits for the people of Derby.

    The next Cabinet meeting will take place on Wednesday 12 March and can be watched on the Derby City Council YouTube channel.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Adresses Risks from Perkins Coie LLP

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    STOPPING ABUSES THAT UNDERMINE THE NATION: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order to suspend security clearances held by individuals at Perkins Coie LLP, pending a review of whether their access to sensitive information is consistent with the national interest.
    Security clearances held by Perkins Coie LLP employees will be immediately suspended, pending a review of whether their access to sensitive information is consistent with the national interest.
    The Federal Government will halt all material and services, including sensitive compartmented information facility (SCIF) access provided to Perkins Coie LLP and restrict its employees’ access to government buildings.
    Federal Agencies will also refrain from hiring Perkins Coie LLP employees unless specifically authorized.

    To ensure taxpayer dollars no longer go to contractors whose earnings subsidize partisan lawsuits against the United States, the Federal Government will prohibit funding contractors that use Perkins Coie LLP.
    All Federal Government contracts with Perkins Coie LLP will undergo rigorous scrutiny, with agency heads directed to terminate engagements to the maximum extent permitted by law.

    The practices of Perkins Coie LLP will be reviewed under Title VII to ensure compliance with civil rights laws against racial bias.
    ENSURING GOVERNMENT SERVES THE AMERICAN PEOPLE: President Trump’s Administration will not tolerate Perkins Coie LLP’s unethical and discriminatory actions that threaten our elections, military strength, and national security.
    In 2016, Perkins Coie LLP hired Fusion GPS to manufacture a false “dossier” designed to steal an election while representing failed presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.
    Perkins Coie LLP pushed debunked claims of secret Trump-Russia communications via Alfa Bank, with attorney Michael Sussmann indicted for lying to the FBI about this scheme.
    Perkins Coie LLP has worked with activist donors, including George Soros, to judicially overturn enacted election laws, such as those requiring voter identification.
    A court was forced to sanction Perkins Coie attorneys for unethical lack of candor before the court.

    Perkins Coie LLP has been accused of racially discriminating against its own attorneys, staff, and applicants.
    Perkins Coie has publicly announced racial percentage quotas for hiring and promotions, violating civil rights laws, and excluded applicants from fellowships based on race until lawsuits forced change.

    Perkins Coie LLP hosted an FBI workspace, raising concerns about partisan misuse of sensitive data during investigations targeting President Trump.
    Perkins Coie LLP has filed lawsuits against the Trump Administration, including one designed to reduce military readiness.
    A RETURN TO ACCOUNTABILITY: President Trump is delivering on his promise to end the weaponization of government and protect the nation from partisan actors who exploit their influence.  
    President Trump is refocusing government operations to their core mission—serving the citizens of the United States.  
    President Trump signed an Executive Order to end the weaponization of the Federal Government on his first day in office after promising to “end forever the weaponization of government and the abuse of law enforcement against political opponents.”
    President Trump revoked security clearances held by dozens of intelligence officials who falsely claimed in a 2020 letter, during the height of the U.S. presidential election season, that Hunter Biden’s laptop was tantamount to Russian disinformation.

    MIL OSI USA News –